Dungeons and Drama

Gaming and Romance #1

by Kristy Boyce

When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn't hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she's grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

Riley can't waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan's Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn't require as much acting as she would've thought...

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Audiobook, Fiction, Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2024

About the author

Kristy Boyce lives in Columbus, OH and teaches psychology as a senior lecturer at The Ohio State University.

When she’s not spending time with her husband and son, she’s usually writing, reading, putting together fairy gardens, or watching happy reality TV (The Great British Bake-Off and So You Think You Can Dance are perennial favorites).

Kristy is the social media coordinator for Central and Southern Ohio SCBWI.

Reviews

[Cait Jacobs (Caitsbooks)]

as a theater kid and dnd player, this book was made for me specifically

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I questioned whether I was the right fit for this book. Even though my inner child is still singing loud and proud, my teenage years are ancient history, and I don't really know much about the Dungeon & Dragons universe (I even watched the movie adaptation, but it wasn't my cup of tea).

However, the cover was so vividly enchanting, perfect for someone like me who loves anything colorful! It practically called out to me, urging me to dive in and read. So, I did. Surprisingly, I loved it even more than I expected. I've come to realize that it's not always about the plot or genre that draws me in; what truly matters is the emotions and feelings a book stirs within you. This book rekindled a sense of joy deep within me. The estranged relationship between Riley and her father, her passion for musical theater, her determination to make her dreams a reality by pitching a low-budget musical idea to the school committee – all of these elements, along with the complex dynamics with Nathan, captured me and made for an engaging and emotional story.

The story revolves around Riley, still grappling with her parents' divorce and harboring resentment toward her father for prioritizing his career over his family. As a punishment for borrowing her mom's car without permission and embarking on a road trip to New York to catch a musical with her best friend (despite lacking a driver's license), she's forced to work at her father's game store for eight weeks. There, she finds herself surrounded by game enthusiasts and her father's favored employee, Nathan, who happens to be a school friend with whom she has a rather rocky relationship.

Riley's introduction to Nathan's D&D friends group reveals that the game parallels her improv "choose your-own-adventure" theater exercises. She discovers a way to breathe life into her character, utilizing her vocal abilities to add depth. As she enjoys herself, her ex-boyfriend shows up with his new girlfriend, who nabbed the role Riley had longed for. In addition, Nathan harbors feelings for Sophie, a reluctant participant in their D&D sessions. This prompts Riley to propose a mutually beneficial arrangement: a fake dating scheme to incite jealousy in their respective crushes.

Interestingly, the fake dating plan unfolds as intended, igniting Riley's enthusiasm to save the school musical. However, her complex feelings for Nathan begin to complicate matters. Could their act lead to something genuine? Will Riley be okay watching Nathan's affections drift to Sophie, who's always seeking what she can't have? Perhaps Riley should focus on convincing the school committee to green-light the musical and appoint her as the student director. But as they say, the heart wants what it wants.

Overall, this book brought me so much joy and even sparked my interest in the D&D game universe. The characters are well-crafted, genuine, and compelling, making it impossible for me to put down.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing this fantastic book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts

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[Hannah B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes me want to fall to my knees in the street and scream “it’s perfect” at the sky. The fake dating was absolutely perfect. The jealousy! The “fake” endearments! The kissing! I eat the trope up every single time GOBBLE GOBBLE BARK BARK.

Eva Kaminsky is one of my favorite narrators and we are LUCKY to have her narrate this book. As lucky as we are to have this book in general!!


Thanks so much to PRHaudio for an ALC and the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

[manju ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute very cute maybe ya romance is still for me 🎀 rtc hopefully

might be outgrowing ya romance *sobs* let’s see if this hits 😔

[cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love nerds and fake dating

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5-stars**

Dungeons and Drama is truly adorable. It made my nerd heart so happy and left me wanting more from this author!



This YA Romantic Comedy features a fake dating trope and lots of cute, fun and witty character moments.

In this story we follow Riley, a theater girl, who gets busted taking her Mom's car without permission to go see a show in the city. With her best friend in tow, the girls take the risk, and sadly, don't get away with it.

Riley gets grounded. She's allowed no extracurriculars and as extra punishment, she has to start working at her Dad's game store after school.



She's barely ever set foot in the store and has no interest in games. All Riley cares about right now is getting the High School Spring Musical, currently canceled due to budgetary considerations, back on.

Her life is a mess without the possibility of the Musical. She can hardly think of anything else. Well, there's a few other things she thinks about: her uncomfortable relationship with her Dad, her ex-boyfriend succeeding in all things theater and the fact that he's driving her nuts.



A new co-worker at the store, cute and shy boy, Nathan, could be exactly what Riley needs. She convinces him to pretend they're into one another. Her ex now thinks she's moved on and the girl that Nathan likes is suddenly more interested in him, eaten up with jealousy because of Riley.

All is going to plan, until Riley realizes that flirting with Nathan is no longer much of an act. Have her plans gone too far? Is she falling for the D&D boy at the game store?



This book was so lovey. I read it in a day and got completely swept up in the story. I loved both Riley and Nathan. They were both incredibly earnest and naive, but in a way that felt natural to the story and works for the YA-genre.

I also enjoyed exploring Riley's relationship with her Dad. As a child of divorce, who lives with her Mom, Riley has felt sort of abandoned by her Dad. He's not a bad person, you can tell how me he loves her, but their communication at the start isn't great.

I loved watching the time they spent together at the store have such an impact on the way they communicated with one another. I felt like that development was just as satisfying as the romantic portions of this story.



But yeah, the romance was pretty sweet. It was just so cute, I can't think of another way to describe. I was crushing right along with Riley. Nathan is a pretty special guy.

I loved how he got Riley to join his D&D group; which was one of my favorite parts of this story. She ended up really enjoying it and was even able to channel some of her musical talents in her role as a bard.



I think as far as YA Rom-Com stories go, this has to be one of my faves. I feel like it was just really well executed. The character work was fantastic and I loved the messages and themes explored throughout.

I would definitely recommend this to any YA Contemporary Reader, particularly if you are a fan of RPGs, or the theater. This was a perfect blend of those things for me!



Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Kristy Boyce.

[lea ⊹ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 1 out of 5]

➴ 1.5 stars ✰

i usually start off my reviews with a quote i liked from the book but i didn't like any soo... no quote i guess. throughout this review, i will, however, share quotes that made me want to throw my kobo on the floor and stomp on it until it breaks with a satisfying 'crack' ☺️ let's start the rant.

firstly, i was soo excited to read this book because of THE COVER. isn't it the cutest thing ever?? the cover reminded me of the vibes from better than the movies by lynn painter, my favourite ya romance book ever which is why this book has been sitting on my tbr for the longest time! 💕 but of course, it eluded me (i got catfished by a cover i'm being so fr right now) 😭

the writing
let's talk about the dialogue: what the hell was that, honestly. i cringed every single time words came out of riley's mouth like PLEASE STOP 😭 she's supposed to be a high schooler but she sounds like a kindergartener. let me share some quotes so you get a rough idea about what i mean.

"This is so unfair!"

"I grit my teeth in annoyance. “But if I don’t do something now, there won’t be a musical!”"

"Mom, the school wants to get rid of our spring musical!"

"I’m going to homecoming!"

i could go on and on but i think you get what i mean 😒

now you might be thinking: 'okay lea, well, at least it's only the dialogue that's bad!' and my response would be: no. the descriptions, character interactions and thoughts were equally bad, if not worse. time for more quotes!

"There’s a simultaneous gasp from the students that could only be pulled off by well-trained singers with strong lungs."

" “Looks like you’re plotting, Riley,” Paul says as he studies me. “I want to help, but my community theater director asked me to run acting workshops this fall, so I’m obviously swamped.”"

again, i can continue but there's still a lot more to touch on and i want to spend as little time on this review as possible.

the characters
riley
hate is a strong word, and it is also used to describe my feelings for this character (i don't even want to say her name again) intitially, i thought she would be similar to liz from better than the movies but honestly, she's like a wish version of liz, it's that bad guys. she thinks everything is about her and she is so annoying, entitled, self-absorbed, cringe, etc. additionally, she LOVES to act as the victim and blame others. let's read some quotes together! 🥰

"I roll my eyes at his new presence in my life. Why is he at the store when he’s not scheduled to work today?"

"I bristle. “You’re working right now, aren’t you? If you’re desperate for more money, take it up with my dad.”"

"“First off, why are you watching me? Second, the only real punishment here is working with you.”"

"I grit my teeth in annoyance. “But if I don’t do something now, there won’t be a musical!”"

"Which I know is totally hypocritical because it’s not like I’m a big fan of gaming either, but does she have no idea that my father owns this store?"

"Guilt cuts through me, followed immediately by defiance. Am I not allowed to be close to Mom?"

"Don’t they know my father is in here? Everyone should stop and take a moment to think of him."

"They figured it out somehow!"

UGHHH I HATE HER SO MUCHHH she acts like she's the only one that can do things IT'S SO FRUSTRATING ok i need to calm down.

nathan
the only good character 🙏🏼 if there was no nathan, this book would get a 1 star, easily. i wish he never liked riley at all, he deserves so much better. i enjoyed the parts when he used to roast her sm but unfortunately that part didn't last ☹️

"“Believe me, I was trying to ignore you, but your clothes are so loud you might as well be walking around with a bullhorn to announce your presence.”"

"“Your dad was about two seconds away from securing a church for our wedding.”"
"Nathan shifts a little closer. “Maybe we should…I mean…What if we stopped turning it on and off? What if we just faked it all the time?”"

"He lets go of my hand but leans against the locker next to mine, looking so calm and gorgeous that I want to throw myself at him and kiss him until he forgets Sophia’s name."

love nathan sm <33

ok i don't want to continue this anm it's been torture, at least ending on a high with nathan xx

tldr: 1 star for the cover, half a star for nathan

pre-read 🐉🎭
omg, i'm finally starting on this one besties!! 🤭💓 the cover has been calling out to me ever since i've added it to my tbr as it just looks like the cutest read ever!! 💐

argh i'm so excited to start this with paula bb! 💌

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡]

pre-read:

starting yet another ya book!! the last book i’ve read was so good that i just have to read another ya lol! a huge thanks to the big bang theory because i wouldn’t have any idea about D&D if it wasn’t because of them lmao

[Flo Camus · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.8⭐] 𝘿𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙯𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙨 es una novela juvenil escrita por Kristy Boyce en el año 2024. La historia se centra en Riley, una chica apasionada por el teatro y los musicales, cuyo sueño es convertirse en directora de Broadway. Sin embargo, tras "tomar prestado" el auto familiar, es castigada a trabajar en la tienda de juegos de mesa de su padre, un lugar en el que no quiere estar. Ahí conoce a Nathan, un friki de los juegos de rol con quien hace un trato: ella fingirá estar interesada en él para poner celosa a Sophia, su amor platónico, a cambio de que él la ayude con su ex.


Voy a ser muy poco objetiva con este libro porque la razón principal por la que lo leí es que los protagonistas me recordaban demasiado a mi pareja y a mí. Mi novio AMA los juegos de mesa y las cartas; los colecciona, juega con sus amigos en persona y hasta a la distancia por Discord (graban sus manos y los mazos para que no haya trampas). También, juega LOL todos los días y, básicamente, es igual de friki que Nathan. En cambio, yo soy Riley. No tenía ni idea de juegos de mesa hasta que mi pareja me fue metiendo poco a poco en su mundo. Me hizo mucha gracia cuando Nathan le pregunta a Riley si conoce algún juego de mesa y ella responde que solo conoce el Monopoly porque fue exactamente lo que yo le dije a mi novio la primera vez que me preguntó lo mismo.

Pero más allá de la anécdota personal, es un libro entretenido y ligero, con una historia de fake dating que, aunque sigue la típica fórmula, se siente fresca por la ambientación y la dinámica de los protagonistas. Me encantó la parte de las referencias a los musicales porque, como Riley, amo el teatro (voy siempre a ver obras y estuve durante 8 años en clases de actuación) y los musicales (estuve durante 2 años en coro). Entendí todas las referencias que Riley menciona y me sentí demasiado representada en ese aspecto. Respecto a esto, quiero agregar que mi pareja odia los musicales con toda su alma y los ve conmigo en contra de su voluntad.
Además, algo inesperado para mí fue que, gracias a este libro, pude comprender mejor los juegos de rol y ahora mi novio está emocionado porque quiere que juguemos juntos a Calabozos y Dragones. Hasta se emocionaba cuando le hacía preguntas para entender mejor el libro. Así que, por ese lado, la novela no solo me dio una lectura entretenida, sino que logró que mi pareja y yo conectáramos más. Incluso, él me preguntaba cómo iba avanzando el juego de rol en la historia.

Punto extra (y muy personal): en un momento mencionan la Fundación Rotaria y yo formo parte de ella en mi país. Me emocioné muchísimo cuando lo leí porque no es algo que suela aparecer en libros juveniles. Sentí que este libro estaba escrito para mí.

Lo malo (y lo que me desesperó) fue el padre de Riley. Señor, ya está grandecito para ser tan inmaduro. En vez de apoyar a su hija y demostrar interés por sus sueños, está más preocupado de jugar con sus amigos y de su tienda de juegos de mesa. ¿Qué es esa excusa de "no me sentía incluido con el amor al teatro de Riley y su (ex) esposa"? No es un niño, no tiene por qué hacer sentir mal a su hija solo porque no comparten los mismos gustos. Hay padres que no deberían ser padres y este señor entra en esa lista. Me frustró mucho su actitud porque parecía que Riley tenía que ganarse su atención cuando debería haber sido al revés.


Finalmente, puedo decir que 𝘿𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙯𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙨 es una lectura divertida, con protagonistas carismáticos y una trama tierna. Me hizo reír, me hizo sentir representada y hasta me abrió la puerta a los juegos de rol. Igual lo recomiendo, sobre todo si les gustan los musicales, los juegos de mesa o las historias con fake dating que terminan en algo más (porque, obvio, sabemos a dónde va todo desde la primera página).

[almas. · Rating 3 out of 5]

read on: (03.10.24.)

꒰🎸꒱ dungeons and drama by kristy boyce

↪ ★★★ cutesy stars

🤍 | the review.
this book was adorable, nerdy, short and unexpectedly emotional as well! the friend group was super fun and supportive (as it should be) and i loved how they were ready to support riley with the musical at the end of the book. i have no idea how to play dungeons & dragons but it seems fun, ig! the romance was super cute, asw. the fake dating trope being incorporated was a nice addition but the other girl being involved was annoying ngl. nathan's glasses>>>

yeah, that's my review.

xx
almas

─────────────────── 𝜗𝜚 ───────────────────

-ˏˋ⋆ pre-review ⋆ˊˎ-
ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh WHAT??? I LOVE THIS rtc <3

-ˏˋ⋆ pre-read ⋆ˊˎ-
last day of september and i have only 2 read books this month and we cannot let that stay the same!! gonna binge it till 11:59 pm folks bcs we need those 3 read books this month <3

update (at 11:54 pm, 30th sept): MY SOLDIERS, WE FAILED IN COMPLETING OUR MISSION. I FEAR THE EXAMS HAVE MADE MY READING SLOW!! but i'll try to finish it tmrw TRUST

update (at 09:20 am, 1st oct): it's time we continue this!! if i can get through it'll be proof i'm not in a slump!!

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✩ 4.25 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Fake Dating
➼ Coworkers
➼ Dislike-to-Love
➼ Grumpy x Sunshine
➼ Musical Theatre x D&D
➼ Mutual Pining
➼ High School Romance
➼ YA Rom-Com
➼ First Person POV

“I would have faked it forever rather than give you up.”

This was so wholesome and adorable! I put this off for a long time because I didn’t think I would connect with it, honestly because I wasn’t in Musical Theatre and I’ve never played D&D. 😅 I was worried there would be lots of obscure references, but both were talked about at a very elementary level and I was never bored or confused.

Most of the focus of the story was on the fake dating romance and her relationship with her parents. After she takes her mom’s car out of town without asking, her divorced parents decided that she should work at her father’s game shop after school as a punishment. She didn’t live with her dad and had always struggled to connect with him and his interests, so it was really touching to watch her develop a love for D&D and find that they did fit in each others worlds. 💖

Something I really loved about this story was that since she was an actress, she viewed their faking dating through the lens of playing a role. When she started to develop feelings, she continued to “play the part”and assumed that he was doing the same. There were some really sweet moments when the people closest to him explained that the MMC was actually a terrible actor and therefore, wasn’t acting at all. 🥰 Of course being an insecure teenager, she didn’t believe them, but it was a really clever inclusion.

Sometimes I think I’m too old for YA and then a book like this comes around. This is a book I would recommend to pretty much anyone that loves romance! Squeeze this in between your fantasy reads friends! I promise you won’t regret it. 🫶🏻

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: I actually requested this because I thought Roll for Romance was the third book in this series. Turns out it’s not even the same author, but I’m still gonna read it. 😆

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

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[kella · Rating 4 out of 5]

જ⁀➴°⋆. 4.5 stars

“It's like method acting, right? We fall so deep into the roles we're playing that it doesn't feel like we're faking it anymore.”

🎧 | house of cards by radiohead
I don't want to be your friend
I just want to be your lover
No matter how it ends
No matter how it starts
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine

— 🐉 overall thoughts
this was an ADORABLE read! i’ve been wanting to read this one ever since it came out and i’m glad i finally caved and bought it 😚
some aspects of this book actually reminded me a little of ‘better than the movies’—one of my favourite ya romances! like the fake dating, the characters, the high school dance…
some parts were slightly cringey, but i was kind of expecting that and it didn’t bother me too much tbh. like when riley started bursting out into song (literally) for the d&d game, like bsfr 💀 but ig it’s part of her character’s charm—that she doesn’t get embarrassed about it—so love that for her. (plus, the way nathan was so mortified was kinda funny).
even though i have practically no knowledge of riley and nathan’s worlds of drama and d&d, i didn’t feel too lost or confused thankfully. pretty clever with the whole fake-dating thing because they’re “acting” or “role-playing” in real life too. it was also nice getting a glimpse into unfamiliar territory :)

— ♥️ romance
“My heart is going to collapse if I have to spend one more moment with Nathan while he pretends he likes me and I pretend I don't love him. Because I do.”

i always eat up the fake-dating trope every time and this was no exception 🤭 although i will admit it got a bit frustrating towards the end, and a little messy because the lines between real and fake were blurring, of course. at one point i was like “ugh just get together already! can’t you see you love each other?” the misunderstandings were breaking my heart. but then that way, when they do get together, it's more rewarding ofc. i absolutely ate up the banter and “fake” flirting between these two! it had me giggling and swooning. and their confessions at the end—they’re such cuties and i love them 🥹

— 🎭 characters
➳ riley
"Things are always decided until you find a way around them”

i loved riley! i admired her passion, boldness, and confidence that could brighten a whole room. her personality and flamboyant outfits reminded me a little of liz buxbaum from bttm! i loved how persevering she was trying to save their high school's musical from being cancelled. she was a fun character :)

➳ nathan
"I like when you mess with me. I like everything you do with me."

nathan was such a cutie ugh 🤭 lowkey a dork but i still love him sm. i feel like his geekiness added to his charm a little. and he knew what he was doing when he was “flirting” with riley oml. i loved how thoughtful he could also be. and omg the way he knew he loved riley for so long even when they were still faking it, ugh i feel for him ☹️🫶🏻

➳ hoshiko and lucas
no bc i actually adored these two so much, it’s like they were made for each other. lucas was tripping over himself for hoshiko, it was so cute 😭 and i loved them both individually as well. i especially loved hoshiko; she’s the kind of best friend every girlie needs!

➳ sophia and paul
do these characters even deserve a mention… they were both so annoying and—just ick. the way sophia kept leading nathan on and then even using him for his money was disgusting. and paul had such a massive ego. and bro broke up with his ex just to stay hung up on her while he had another gf 🤨 it was fun watching him get jealous when nathan was flirting with riley lol.

— 🎬 concluding thoughts
to end on a positive note, i’m glad i finally checked this book out! it was a cute and sweet read and i loved it 🩷

🎲 | pre-read
i’m kind of in love with this cover; it’s so cute! i’ve been wanting to get to this one for a bit and i’ve heard overall good things about this one! i feel like a short and sweet read especially with my reading goal glaring at me… i’m neither a theatre kid nor a dnd player so i probably won’t understand most of the references but it’s fine 😭 as a side note, i lowkey have a thing for nerdy guys… don’t judge me 🫣

[emma ⚘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

this was just as cute as i thought it’d be! i literally feel so single now 🥲 i don’t remember the last time i read a book this fast.

this was nerdy, relatable, short, and adorable. surprisingly emotional as well! i nearly cried at one point when she was talking to her dad. i don’t have divorced parents myself, but i can imagine what it’s like. riley’s relationship with her mom was, at first, stronger than the one with her dad. however, the parent’s incompatibility should have nothing to do with their relationship with their child. as the book went on, riley realized she was loved and supported by both of her parents and should cherish every moment she spends with them. i loved that she was able to find an interest in D&D, not just for her dad, but for herself and as an opportunity to make new friends.

“Boys come and go, but best friends are irreplaceable.”

the friend group was so fun to read about. every high schooler should find a group of friends that will stand by them and support them. riley’s best friend Hoshiko was the sweetest!! the fact that the whole group was willing to help with the musical for riley was the best.

the romance, of course, was so so cute. i can’t think of any other word to describe it. i LOVE the fake dating trope so much!! of course, the other girl being involved was a little annoying but it was clear nathan was obsessed. i do wish this was dual POV. but i wish every romance was, sooo..

i also loved that this was a high school romance. for those wondering, it is clean YA. the plot was way more fun to read about. high school is full of exciting events!! it made me nostalgic and i’m not even finished with high school yet. the homecoming dance, the school musical, and the prom…all moments that should be made memorable.

i overall would recommend this!! incredibly easy to binge and will have you giggling like a high school girl (if you aren’t already one lol).

quotes

He leans forward so his chest presses against my back. “I like when you mess with me. I like everything you do with me.”

“The dress is perfect. You look perfect.”

“I love your glasses,” I whisper. I gently lift them back up his nose, and he catches my hand in his.

[patrycja ୨୧ ‧₊˚ · Rating 2 out of 5]

— 2 ★

"I decided having something fake with you was better than having nothing at all. I would have faked it forever rather than give you up." ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ

the ya genre isn't cutting it for me anymore I fear. it wasn't bad by any means but it was just about...literally nothing.

[liv ❁ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a simple person - I see Dungeons and Dragons as a major part of a book & I want to read it immediately.

This is a cute little book where theatre kid Riley, our protagonist, is forced to work at her dad's game shop for two months after she steals her mom's car so she and her best friend can go see a musical a few hours away (Waitress, great choice). There she has to work with nerdy guy Nathan, who she does end up in a mutually beneficial fake dating/flirting sort of relationship with. She's also invited into Nathan's Dungeons and Dragons campaign, which she agrees to to get out of working. Obviously, none of this works out according to plan.

This book is a quintessential high school nerd romance. The fake dating and insane amount of miscommunication that comes from it is perfect for a high school situation where you don't really understand your own feelings and are a bit self-conscious and super unsure of everything, especially people's opinions of you.

When Riley is begrudgingly introduced to Dungeons and Dragons, her tune soon changes when she realizes "it's like improve meets choose your own adventure." She creates her human bard that is very obviously a self-insert (we've all been there) and starts on her tragic backstory like any respectable first time D&D player. The boys help her along the way and are super enthusiastic to have another player. There is a moment when the literal Dungeon Master (DM) mentions that he can't do all his accents BECAUSE he's the DM as if the best thing about being a DM isn't all of the incredibly silly accents you get to do. But that's fine and it's definitely not the biggest thing I've been thinking about after finishing this book last night...

I thought the Dungeons and Dragons and musical parts were done really well. This is only a 300 page book and fitting both of those interests, growing friendships, family issues AND fake dating drama was a lot so it did all feel a little rushed and underdeveloped at times (especially the family aspects). The side characters were all really wonderfully done, but I do wish we got to see a bit more of them. The big thing I feel like we missed out on was her bonding with her dad since 90% of it was done off page.

Highly recommend the audiobook, Eva Kaminsky does a great job.

[camille ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪(slight book slump) · Rating 4 out of 5]

overall rating: 4.25 ★
genre/tropes: young adult, found family, (dislike to) friends to lovers

the first few pages had me worried; i thought i was about to dive into yet another y/a (cough) with an immature fmc who has a severe “pick me” complex. but i was so relieved to be wrong! riley’s actually a teenager who behaves like one, without being insufferable 🙂‍↕️

it was such a fun read! i loved the D&D gameplay, and the found family dynamic. plus all the characters were just so adorable and geeky (my dorks & theater kids 🥹) and the romance between riley and nathan was absolutely cute. queue giggling and swooning 24/7.

actually, i think this book was written to be a better version of redacted lmao (for security purposes. no tomatoes thrown @ me plz). if only redacted was written with likable leads and a teenager's personality in mind, instead of focusing on an unlikable “pick me” character who acts twelve years old.

rant aside, i’ll be running to read the next book 🏃‍♀️



pre-read: watch me start another book while i have others in progress 🤩 okay so i just needed a fun, pick-me up book after the rollercoaster of emotions that i felt since Friday 😔

[chloé ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was never a theater kid but i was (and am) a gaming nerd and this appealed so much to my geeky little soul. 🥹

what an absolutely wholesome, cutesy, nerdy good time 🤍 reminded me a little of Better Than The Movies. i adored all main/side characters and loved the setting. i loved the d&d gameplay (but knowing any background on d&d isn’t necessary) and i loved our fmc’s passion for theater.

definitely an adorable palette cleanser especially for my fellow gamer or musical-loving girlies.

honestly sometimes there’s nothing better than a quick YA romance to make me smile and this was the perfect book for the job. 🫶🏻 can’t wait to read book two!

[Lyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4★

꒰ ° 𝙸 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕. 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚞𝚙. ꒱

: ̗̀➛ fake dating ·˚ ༘
: ̗̀➛ banter ·˚ ༘
: ̗̀➛ grumpy x sunshine ·˚ ༘
: ̗̀➛ not-quite-enemies-but-they-don’t-like-each-other to lovers ·˚ ༘
: ̗̀➛ dungeons and dragons ·˚ ༘
: ̗̀➛ musical references ·˚ ༘

are you kidding me?? the main character loves musicals, that should be enough to pull in all the musical loving readers because I KNOW we’ve got a bunch on this platform.

but here’s the thing, what happens when the colorful, cheery, bubbly, happy go lucky musical theater nerd meets a not-so-colorful, not-so-cheery, not at all bubbly, kinda sarcastic and grumpy but funny, sappy go mucky gaming nerd? well.. they fall in love, duh.

after our main character, Riley, stole her parents car to drive to a musical with her best friend, her punishment was working in her dads shop. little did we know that in that shop was a moody teenage boy with glasses and brown hair (except, we did know that.. cause he’s on the cover) BUT this opens up such an adorable love story. not just a love story, but one with fake dating.

ok ok, I know some of your ears perked up at the mention of fake dating, but I also know that some of you immediately said no thank you. but hear me out, Kristy Boyce did it RIGHT. Nathan wanted his crush to notice him, and Riley wanted her ex boyfriend to leave her alone. which sounds familiar and basic, but Nathan’s crush actually fits the self obsessed and narcissistic personality that would be necessary for this plan to actually work. It’s not like other fake dating instances where the idea is plain stupid and feels like it’s for the sake of the plot.

that’s what makes this a 4 star book. there was never an “and then this happened” there was always a “this happened BECAUSE” or “but then” or “therefore” there was always something that created a cause and effect scenario, it wasn’t random or out of place. you move with the story and digest everything as it’s given, the way you would in real life.

minor spoilers or quotes below, read with caution!!

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “Why do guys have to look so good when they’re leaning against things?”

Riley
╰┈➤ I loved Riley so much, as someone who is also obsessed with musicals I was literally jumping up and down over the references, even noted down some of the musicals that I haven’t watched yet. while Riley is a bubble and fun person, she’s also snarky and sassy and absolutely hilarious. she most definitely knows how to carry herself, and I loved every single bit of her confidence and silliness. I also loved that this book touched into her relationship with her dad.

when your parents are divorced, it’s easy to villainize one and glorify the other, and that’s exactly what she did. watching her mend her relationship with her father felt so rewarding as a reader and product of divorce, it felt like the book was something more than a romance book focusing solely on the couple at hand. It dove into Riley’s character, her feelings, the dynamic she had with other people in the book. It made her likable, it made the story enticing.

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ "You'd be willing to stay after school? Because of me?"
"I'm willing to try a lot of new things because of you, Riley."

Nathan
╰┈➤ this man was down bad, you could EASILY see that he started liking her like halfway through the book. I definitely liked Nathan, he was funny and bantered with Riley in a way that 100% showed this guy has personality. I wish this book included his pov because I’m SO curious about what he was thinking during all this. but, even without his pov, you can tell how thoughtful and witty he is. I didn’t connect with his character the way I did Riley’s, buuut honestly that’s just because the whole book was from her perspective.

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ "You know, I started hoping Sophia would come to the store every night just so I could do this." He brushes my hair behind my ear. "And this." He presses a kiss to my temple.

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆Nathan squeezes my hand under the table. "Can you not drive because your dress is so fluffy you won't fit in the driver's seat?" he whispers.

Nathan & Riley
╰┈➤ I cannot stress enough how much I loved these two together. we spent the whole book waiting for them to just shut up and confess and live happily ever after, the slow burned truly burned in this one. one thing I particularly loved is that he REALLYYY KNEW HERRRR oh my gosh, to be loved is to be known. and this boy KNEW HER. he bought her pretty dice for dungeons and dragons, he knew she’d wear a fluffy dress, he loved every whimsical happy fun thing about her even though they were complete opposites. i guess this book proves once again that opposites really do attract. their first interaction was LITERALLY her accusing him of stealing because she wasn’t aware he worked at the shop, it was hilarious. embarrassing.. but funny nonetheless.

final thoughts
this book was adorable, I loved it. If you love fake dating, banter that’ll make you laugh, and a grumpy guy falling for a generally happy girl, this is for you. can’t wait to read the sequel!!

꒰ ° 𝚙𝚛𝚎-𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 ꒱

THIS WAS SO CUUUUUUUTEEEE
absolutely adorable, loved the characters, and I cannot wait to yap in my review about Nathan and Riley because I was internally SCREAMING about them 🙈

꒰ ° 𝚙𝚛𝚎-𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 ꒱

i keep hearing about how cute this book is and i refuse to be left out, i WILL start this book tonight and finish it by tomorrow i swear

[Victor Almeida · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5

[Dawn Solaris · Rating 3 out of 5]

★彡 3.25 stars 彡★

── .✦

✎ᝰ. ᏖᏒᎧᎮᏋᏕ ᏗᏖ ᏇᎧᏒᏦ ✎ᝰ.

♖ Grumpy X Sunshine (¬_¬")

♘ Enemies To Lovers

♕ Fake Dating

♔ D&D (let’s pretend it’s a trope of it’s own)

── .✦

🃚🃖🃁 ᎷᎩ ᏖᏂᎧᏬᎶᏂᏖᏕ 🃜🃚🃖

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ Oh, how precious. This was insanely cute and very much what I needed - a simple and adorable thing with quirky characters and musical references! I understood none of those gaming stuff though, sacrilege? I know

Funnily, this reminded me so much of My Mechanical Romance, from Riley’s unconventional dressing style to her goofiness, one would think her and Bel are one and the same. Well, except for how My Mechanical Romance is for the STEM girlies whereas this one is for Theatre kids and gamers (boy, do I love generalising - don’t kill me for it!)!

Safe to say that the banter scored, because I cackled like a witch one too many times reading this ◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜ my beef with this, however was Nathan crushing over that Sophia girl for way too long, for my liking.

Really. I couldn’t take it at all! WAS IT NECESSARY? Some may say yes. I say, NOPE.

Anyways, final note on this would be that I imagined Nathan as Harry Potter. Green eyes, messy black hair, and circular glasses? Boy might as well have a lightning shaped scar on that forehead of his (¬ᴗ ´¬ )

Point to be noted that I found Nathan a very bland character, so please listen oh authors: enough with broody MMCs

Overall, it was a lovely read! Had the time of my life, buddy-reading with sweetheart Maria!

P.S. Both of us might be sentenced to death for it, but we were hoping Riley had fake-dated Anthony, the charmer, instead (,,>﹏<,,)

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ ʚɞ ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆

[dee ౨ৎ [ia] · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars ★
⊱ young adult romance
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

this was such a cute easy read that helped me get out of my reading slump. it may not be the greatest piece of literature ever written but i enjoyed it and that’s all that matters. the friendships and bonds formed through playing D&D were so nice to see. even though I don't know much about D&D, the book explained it just enough for me to understand. nathan and riley's relationship was so adorable, i was giggling and kicking my feet 🤭🤍.

the writing was simple and the book was pretty well paced although at times it was a little slow and dragged out, mostly towards the end.

it may not be the most exciting or well-written book, but it captures the joy of discovering new interests, making friends, and falling in love.

bottom-line ┆if you want a quick and refreshing read that's still a little different from other young adult rom-coms, give this book a try.

────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆────

𓏲 .𖥔 ݁ ˖ pre-read ⊹ someone recommended this as a good book to get out of a slump, soo i’m reading it 🤭 it’s as simple as that

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

One day Kristy Boyce woke up and decided she wanted to write a book FOR ME!! This not only met my expectations but exceeded them, I love this book so much. It's a very nerdy romance, something along the lines of the Once Upon a Con series by Ashley Poston, so if you loved that you'll love this too.

It was so sweet and felt like a proper teen read (as in the characters acted like teens and it's a ya book that actually feels ya instead of older). The romance was adorable and made me feel nice and warm inside, that's how it should be. They did have issues with communicating near the end, but it made sense with the story and their ages so I didn't mind.

I'm also not a huge fan of the fake dating trope outside of fanfics, but it was perfectly done here so I have to mention it. Authors take notes!!

The characters were all so lovable, I want to give them a big hug. Truly amazing writing there.

I also appreciate how the D&D campaigns were described, so even if someone's unfamiliar with D&D they can still follow along with no issue.

Lastly, I 100% recommend the audiobook, the narrator did such a good job, I didn't feel lost for a moment.

[maria ₊˚ෆ is back? · Rating 3 out of 5]

: ̗̀➛ 3 stars ˚ · .

“I decided having something fake with you was better than having nothing at all. I would have faked it forever rather than give you up.”

˚ · .┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ my thoughts ☁️
This was such a fun cutesy light romance, really fast-paced and full of fluff. But at the same time, it was really plain. The characters didn't have that much depth and the plot was basic. But it was cute and I enjoyed it!! 🤭 It still annoyed me at some parts, but you can't have them all in life :)


˚ · .┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ characters 💌
𓍯𓂃 Riley - she was nice, I loved the theater aspects of it, as I was an avid theater kid too and can gladly say I understood most of the musicals references and now I just want to watch some too. I liked her style, even if it was a little bit too extra at times, but that's the fun of it!


𓍯𓂃 Nathan - he was ok? Maybe if he didn't mention Sophia or Paul every 2 pages, it could have been all just a happy little romance, but he chose not to do that yeeey 🤦🏼‍♀️ it just sucks that we didn't get to know him that well, we just know he likes D&D, Pop-Tarts (guys, what is that please help a non-american friend) and red and that's all.

Dawn, I had the best time reading this with you and sharing my thoughts on it and you letting me spam your dms was really appreciated, thank you for doing this br with me ❤️‍🩹🫂


──★ ˙🎮 ̟ preread !!
cute pink covers just get me and this was no exception (I've got no idea what's it about) 🤭 br with the lovely pookie Dawn (my first br here so super excited!!! 💓)

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally cute read about fake dating in high school. Though I have to admit, it's a bit jarring to read high school level romances nowadays since I've really transitioned to mostly adult. Makes it a little harder to really get behind younger, more immature characters, but this was cute.

[lilly ♡ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 ★

my heart is pure 😭

--

not as busy today but nervous to start this!! i've seen nothing but good reviews so a little excited

[Estíbaliz Montero Iniesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

4'5 ⭐YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM

Por favoooor, qué historia adolescente tan cuqui, sana, bonita y divertida.

La he disfrutado un montón. Para empezar, por los personajes, que me parecen muy bien construidos. Son adolescentes normales y realistas, con los que es fácil identificarse, sobre todo por el frikismo que llevan incorporado. Me identifico más con la parte del teatro musical de Riley (que su nombre en D&D sea Elphaba es una fantasía), pero también me han hecho muchísima gracia las referencias a los juegos de rol y otros juegos de mesa, porque también es un tema que más o menos conozco. Pese a ello, debo decir que, si no eres fan del mundillo del rol o los musicales, tampoco pasa nada, se explica perfectamente lo que es necesario para la trama y lo demás son detalles muy simpáticos que ayudan a contextualizar los gustos y pasiones de los personajes.

Los personajes secundarios también son majísimos y carismáticos, y entre todos se crea una sensación de familia encontrada que resulta enternecedora. Ojalá todos los grupos de amigos adolescentes fuesen así.

El cliché del fake-dating está muy bien llevado, la tensión entre Nathan y Riley va constantemente en aumento y me ha encantado la química que tienen. He disfrutado muchísimo de la evolución de su relación, de cómo pasan de no llevarse demasiado bien y de chocar constantemente a disfrutar cada vez más de la compañía del otro y cómo se buscan constantemente a menudo que avanza la historia.
Como minipega, debo decir me habría encantado contar también con la perspectiva de Nathan en la historia, aunque entiendo por qué solo narra Riley.

Además, tiene la dosis justa de drama, cosa que aprecio, porque el teatro musical me encanta, pero el drama puro y duro no tanto🙈.

En resumen, una historia adorable y tierna, que se lee en un santiamén y eh, ¡nos demuestra que los frikis también encontramos el amor!😜

P.D.: No, no tiene escenas 🌶️🌶️, ¡y no las necesita! Aunque algún beso más no me habría importado jejeje (Lo aclaro porque es algo que me suelen preguntar mucho, y con los libros para adolescentes a veces existe esa duda).

[ray ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars ! 𓏲𓂃
ya contemporary romance ┆12+┆side lgbt couples

➛ tropes
♡ found family
♡ fake dating
♡ musical theater fmc
♡ gamer mmc
♡ grumpy x sunshine

˗ˏˋ this was such a cute read!! i was kinda bored for a little bit at the beginning but once i got into it i couldn’t put it down. it was such a fast-paced read and def recommend as a palette cleanser. it’s also the perf rom-com if ur looking for fluffy and completely clean ya books 🫶🏻

———౨ৎ ———

꒰ 🎲 ꒱ plot !
after riley steals her mom’s car in order to drive her and her friend to a musical her punishment is to work at her dad’s gaming shop, which gives her no time to figure out how to convince her school to keep doing the annual spring musical, so she convinces her annoying coworker nathan to cover her shifts, and in exchange they fake date to make his crush jealous and join his d&d group

———౨ৎ ———

꒰ 🪕꒱ characters !
riley. love love love her 🤭 she’s a theater kid and i love how she was so passionate ab theater even tho she’s a techie. also the musical references she made>>>>

nathan. WHERE CAN I FIND A GUY LIKE HIM?? he’s so sweet, introduces riley to monty python movies, and even tho he’s grumpy he’s such a softie at heart 🫶🏻 he also genuinely cared ab riley and even tho the fake dating was riley’s idea still asked ab consent before he even agreed to it!! he’s not a green flag, he’s a whole dang forest fr

———౨ৎ ———

꒰ 💐 ꒱ conclusion !
if you take anything from this review take this: pick this up IMMEDIATELY after a dnf, thick fantasy, or if ur in a slump bc this is so cute<3

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of my favorite fake dating books i’ve read in a bit

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not prepared for the epic level of cuteness this book has going for it. Remember those book fair posters that had the kittens on them and said things like Hang in there? That is the level of cute I’m talking about… Mega-Cuteness. 🥰

If Julie Andrews and Rainbow Brite had a love child it would be the protagonist, Riley, from Dungeons and Drama. This theatre loving, show tune singing, kid dresses in more colors than a bag of Skittles and has spunk. She has a can do spirit when it comes to saving the school’s musical, but is still an emotionally vulnerable kid when it comes to the raw wounds left by her parents’ divorce.

Riley has been grounded for eight weeks and must work in her dad’s game store afterschool. She has also been through a breakup with a guy, who just keeps throwing it in her face.

Nathan works in Riley’s dad’s game store. He’s into Dungeons and Dragons and considers the shop and its regulars his found family. He has a huge crush on a fellow gamer who barely acknowledges him. Riley proposes that they fake date/flirt to deal with both of their issues.

The supporting cast was fantastic and I loved Riley’s best friend. Lots of laughs, but loads of supportive discussions between the best friends. It’s nice to see two teenage girl characters truly have each other’s backs.

The plot thread involving Riley’s dad awkwardly trying to repair their relationship was great. I liked that it was shown as a process and not an instant fix.

I needn’t have wondered if it was too narrow of a niche to find relatable. It’s about believing in yourself enough to dare to reach towards big dreams and learning to lean on the friends you find along the way when obstacles rise up to block your path.

This is a joyful book that gave me a sense of happiness while I read it and plastered a smile on my face even though I know nothing about Dungeons and Dragons.

This quirky little book had so much heart it ended up stealing mine.

[brianna ♱ · Rating 4 out of 5]

AW 😭

I avoided this book for a while bc my experience with dnd players left me salty… but it was soso cute !! I NEED a nathan