What do you think?
Rate this book
Level Up, Love
Despite some abrupt life changes, bouts of grief, and overall chaos in her past, things were turning around for Sage Moon.
She had a successful video game streaming career, a new sponsor, and just inherited a house!
Oh, and she has a stalker.
Or a crazy fan.
Or someone who thought it was fun to throw bricks through her window.
That’s when Sage’s new sponsor stepped in and hired a protection agency for Sage so she could focus on preparing for a big competition.
Enter Leo professional protector and by-the-book bodyguard. He also happens to already know Sage and their history isn’t great.
Tempers run high between these two as they both try to do their jobs. Can they eventually put their differences aside to help each other reach their career goals? And who is stalking Sage? And why do they keep looking at each other like that?
She had a successful video game streaming career, a new sponsor, and just inherited a house!
Oh, and she has a stalker.
Or a crazy fan.
Or someone who thought it was fun to throw bricks through her window.
That’s when Sage’s new sponsor stepped in and hired a protection agency for Sage so she could focus on preparing for a big competition.
Enter Leo professional protector and by-the-book bodyguard. He also happens to already know Sage and their history isn’t great.
Tempers run high between these two as they both try to do their jobs. Can they eventually put their differences aside to help each other reach their career goals? And who is stalking Sage? And why do they keep looking at each other like that?
388 pages, Paperback
Published September 13, 2024
165 people are currently reading
528 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 8, 2025
not it
Normally like bodyguard romances but this is not it. First no smex which derails a book for me. Someone is trying to tell me that 20 year olds are not having smex when stuck in the same house, pleassseeee. Next there was never a resolution to the past bullying only a half baked apology that was REJECTED by the FMC, nor groveling for forgiveness nothing. Uggggggg
Normally like bodyguard romances but this is not it. First no smex which derails a book for me. Someone is trying to tell me that 20 year olds are not having smex when stuck in the same house, pleassseeee. Next there was never a resolution to the past bullying only a half baked apology that was REJECTED by the FMC, nor groveling for forgiveness nothing. Uggggggg
April 3, 2025
Very sweet book
Booktok made me read this. However, I could not stop reading very cute story. The ending was one of my favorite endings in a long time.
Booktok made me read this. However, I could not stop reading very cute story. The ending was one of my favorite endings in a long time.
July 20, 2025
I’ve tried to like the book. I love a bodyguard romance, but he was putting her her career, her pet and her choices down . Plus, after he bullied her in high school there was no growling. He apologized once and she didn’t accept it because it wasn’t genuine and that’s it.
He also called himself a cool guy and her a nerd. I couldn’t get over that.
I Apologies for my grammar English is my first language
He also called himself a cool guy and her a nerd. I couldn’t get over that.
I Apologies for my grammar English is my first language
December 16, 2024
This was such a cute, funny and nerdy romcom filled with adorable moments and some laugh out loud scenes. Sage and Leo had me kicking my feet whilst also wanting to bash their heads together, the slow burn romance was honestly brutal, but it was all worth it for the sweet HEA they got. Their banter and back and forth bickering was so humorous, as well as seeing them fall for each other. I enjoyed the protectiveness from bodyguard/childhood enemy Leo, and the quirkiness of Sage, who's an online gamer/streamer. The shown struggles of being a female gamer were really well highlighted, along with the differences in the streaming and convention industry. Squash the chihuahua deserves some love in this review, she was an absolute icon. Whilst I didn't adore this book due to a few pacing and writing issues, it still had me twirling my hair and grinning when the last page came.
4/5 🌟
4/5 🌟
October 12, 2024
Let's get right into this. I absolutely adored this book. Coming from a gaming background, the premise hooked me instantly, and I was gripped by how real the characters felt from the moment we're introduced to them. The author has such an easy way of writing characters that they feel real, behave in ways that make sense and it keeps you completely immersed while the intriguing plot develops. I loved the unlikely couple who we follow throughout the story. The "will they, won't they" is again done with a really fresh take that felt organic and very sweet. This is honestly a flawless book if you're in the mood for a cute romance, I can't recommend it highly enough.
August 7, 2025
2/5
I honestly felt like it was AI for more than half the book. I didn’t like the writing, the were so many points missed in the plot, very tell not show kind of book, and all of the characters were insufferable, etc.
It was an interesting trope of a bully turned bodyguard that had so so so much potential that was absolutely wasted.
I honestly felt like it was AI for more than half the book. I didn’t like the writing, the were so many points missed in the plot, very tell not show kind of book, and all of the characters were insufferable, etc.
It was an interesting trope of a bully turned bodyguard that had so so so much potential that was absolutely wasted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2024
I don’t consider this cheating to write a review of a book I read like five thousand times 😅 it’s cute. You’ll like it.
August 9, 2025
Yeah, this really wasn’t it at all.
Leo was kinda mean and treating Sage like a child
Wtf was that apology???
Leo was kinda mean and treating Sage like a child
Wtf was that apology???
October 14, 2024
Thank you, Bethany, for the gifted copy!
I enjoyed the banter between Leo and Sage, but it was too slow burn for me and then bam suddenly we get a happy ending. I guess I am not too satisfied; it feels like their relationship lacked depth for me.
I also wanted more of the gaming. It felt more like telling than showing and that didn't work well for me. Again, thank you so much for the gifted copy. 3 stars for Leo, Sage and Squash!
I enjoyed the banter between Leo and Sage, but it was too slow burn for me and then bam suddenly we get a happy ending. I guess I am not too satisfied; it feels like their relationship lacked depth for me.
I also wanted more of the gaming. It felt more like telling than showing and that didn't work well for me. Again, thank you so much for the gifted copy. 3 stars for Leo, Sage and Squash!
October 19, 2024
Loved it
Absolutely brilliant rom com. Made me laugh and the twists and turns were wonderful! Loved every minute reading this and can't wait for the next book by this author.
Absolutely brilliant rom com. Made me laugh and the twists and turns were wonderful! Loved every minute reading this and can't wait for the next book by this author.
March 14, 2025
Cute and sweet bodyguard/gamer romance. No spice which is always a plus. BUT I wish we got more cute and intimate moments of the couple. Like I get slow burn but it lacked intensity. I wanted more moments with the couple. There was no yearning or angst so I knocked off a star.
Summary:
Sage is a pro gamer and streamer who has a competition coming up in 6 months. She however has been continuously harassed at her home by a stalker throwing bricks and leaving creepy letters so her sponsor Lily hires her a bodyguard who just so happens to be her high school bully (they don’t really touch on this much in the book which is a shame). They start off not standing each other but after a few very dumb moments on Sage’s part, Leo moves in. They establish a routine and have a sort of understanding and mutual respect between each other which slowly turns into love even though we don’t really see any romantic moments. On the day of Sage’s competition, Leo gives her a good luck kiss just before she’s kidnapped by her social media manager. Leo gets her back and she plays in the competition and gets 7th place. They spend the night together. The next morning they both act like the night before never happened even tho they’re both in love with each other and they go home to different states. 3? months later Sage calls Leo and asks him to turn the cameras he installed back on because she feels uneasy still even when her kidnapper is in jail. Leo freaks out and goes to her and fights off an intruder. The epilogue is Leo proposing to Sage on the beach and they live HEA I guess!
I wish there was more tension and yearning and angst!
Summary:
Sage is a pro gamer and streamer who has a competition coming up in 6 months. She however has been continuously harassed at her home by a stalker throwing bricks and leaving creepy letters so her sponsor Lily hires her a bodyguard who just so happens to be her high school bully (they don’t really touch on this much in the book which is a shame). They start off not standing each other but after a few very dumb moments on Sage’s part, Leo moves in. They establish a routine and have a sort of understanding and mutual respect between each other which slowly turns into love even though we don’t really see any romantic moments. On the day of Sage’s competition, Leo gives her a good luck kiss just before she’s kidnapped by her social media manager. Leo gets her back and she plays in the competition and gets 7th place. They spend the night together. The next morning they both act like the night before never happened even tho they’re both in love with each other and they go home to different states. 3? months later Sage calls Leo and asks him to turn the cameras he installed back on because she feels uneasy still even when her kidnapper is in jail. Leo freaks out and goes to her and fights off an intruder. The epilogue is Leo proposing to Sage on the beach and they live HEA I guess!
I wish there was more tension and yearning and angst!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2025
Honestly? Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It was such a fast and cozy read. Even with the added suspense of a stalker, it didn't feel like it was high stakes. I absolutely loved Sage as a character. Is it because I, too, find myself living as basically a hermit in my home, only venturing out when I postively cannot avoid it? Probably. But she was just so unabashedly nerdy and comfortable in her nerdiness despite Leo being a complete prick about it.
Leo. . . Leo was not my favorite. He was a dick in high school. Frankly, the "prank" that he pulled on Sage because she smelled like cigarettes and essential oils (all due to her mother being a piece of shit) and being a little weird (she was new and not popular) was unforgiveable. I have grudges from high school that I will take to my grave and they weren't born from anything remotely as heinous as Leo's act. There also didn't seem to be a lot of character development on his part. He was still a health nut that judged Sage for her choices on food, activity level, and job. He didn't really ever admit that what she did was actually work. It just irritated me that he spent the entirety of the book basically thinking like he did in high school and being shocked that Sage didn't accept his half-assed apology. I'm more shocked when she did finally forgive him.
Anyway, the pacing was perfection. I flew threw this in a single sitting. The writing is a bit amateur. But I'm here for a good time, not a long time. And since I enjoyed the story overall, a 4 star review it shall receive.
Leo. . . Leo was not my favorite. He was a dick in high school. Frankly, the "prank" that he pulled on Sage because she smelled like cigarettes and essential oils (all due to her mother being a piece of shit) and being a little weird (she was new and not popular) was unforgiveable. I have grudges from high school that I will take to my grave and they weren't born from anything remotely as heinous as Leo's act. There also didn't seem to be a lot of character development on his part. He was still a health nut that judged Sage for her choices on food, activity level, and job. He didn't really ever admit that what she did was actually work. It just irritated me that he spent the entirety of the book basically thinking like he did in high school and being shocked that Sage didn't accept his half-assed apology. I'm more shocked when she did finally forgive him.
Anyway, the pacing was perfection. I flew threw this in a single sitting. The writing is a bit amateur. But I'm here for a good time, not a long time. And since I enjoyed the story overall, a 4 star review it shall receive.
August 6, 2025
This debut had some ups and downs for me, but I’m glad I stuck with it because the second half won me over.
The story is told in third-person POV, which isn’t usually my favorite, but once I adjusted, I started to enjoy the dynamics between the characters. At first, Leo’s personality made it a little hard for me to warm up to him, but as the story progressed, he showed growth and depth, and I ended up liking where his arc went.
The romance here is a slow shift from tension to genuine connection. I especially loved that the emotional side of the relationship took center stage, with attraction present but not overwhelming the story.
One thing I enjoyed was how the book hinted at possible future stories for other characters — it makes me curious to see what Bethany Joy will do next!
While the start was a bit bumpy for me, the latter half delivered heart, growth, and the kind of ending that leaves you smiling.
The story is told in third-person POV, which isn’t usually my favorite, but once I adjusted, I started to enjoy the dynamics between the characters. At first, Leo’s personality made it a little hard for me to warm up to him, but as the story progressed, he showed growth and depth, and I ended up liking where his arc went.
The romance here is a slow shift from tension to genuine connection. I especially loved that the emotional side of the relationship took center stage, with attraction present but not overwhelming the story.
One thing I enjoyed was how the book hinted at possible future stories for other characters — it makes me curious to see what Bethany Joy will do next!
While the start was a bit bumpy for me, the latter half delivered heart, growth, and the kind of ending that leaves you smiling.
September 26, 2024
Level Up, Love follows Sage Moon, a quirky, shy gamer who has built a massive online following by live streaming. However, she now needs protection from a stalker determined to make her life miserable. Enter gorgeous bodyguard Leo, who just happens to have a past with his new client!
This story made me laugh and gave me all the feels. I loved that this wasn't installed; there was a genuine connection between these two that developed over the course of the book. It was cozy, romantic, and fun, and by the end of it, I was flipping the pages, desperate for these two to get together. They butt heads a lot, there's a lot of tension, and Sage doesn't give Leo an easy time of it, but he wears her down.
If you love a romantic, fluffy, slow burn, then pick this up!!
This story made me laugh and gave me all the feels. I loved that this wasn't installed; there was a genuine connection between these two that developed over the course of the book. It was cozy, romantic, and fun, and by the end of it, I was flipping the pages, desperate for these two to get together. They butt heads a lot, there's a lot of tension, and Sage doesn't give Leo an easy time of it, but he wears her down.
If you love a romantic, fluffy, slow burn, then pick this up!!
October 20, 2024
LOVE! The love-able characters, the forced proximity, the enemies to lovers, the slow burn, the tension, the banter, the angst! Everything I love in a light hearted adorable rom-com. Seriously so funny (Filbert is hilarious). Will be recommending to all my romance reader friends! And I will never think of clam chowder the same way again!
October 23, 2024
For me, what makes a great book is the amount of detail that goes into making the characters. I loved how much the characters in this book come to life when reading this book. In my opinion it’s a pretty difficult task to create characters that leave such an imprinted impression in your mind. Looking forward to the next one!
September 22, 2024
did not predict over half the shit that went on in this book. Which is what made it such a great read. It's such a fun read to lift the spirits. This book is a HEA 💜 The plot is something I definitely enjoyed. Loved this book and defo recommend it. 🕹️👾💻⌨️👩💻🎮
November 24, 2024
This was such a cute fun read! It was a very unique romance and even though it touched on a lot of classic troupes it was fun to add in some more modern twists and the complications of parasocial relationships and gaming. And of course the nearly dead rat dog is a classic.
April 29, 2025
Honestly probably more of a 2.5 star. It’s definitely cute, but there were a lot of spelling and grammar issues. It felt very clichè, the ending felt very rushed, left with a few questions that didn’t seem to get answered. I think it’s a cute idea, just could have been written better.
June 2, 2025
Started this book as it was gifted by a friend, and not my typical genre. Turns out to be a fun story with a relevant subject matter to today's young adults. Easy to get yourself hooked and the pages turn by quickly!
July 2, 2025
Loved it
I loved this book and the banter and how funny it was and that it made me laugh a lot. I hated what the MMC did to the FMC in high school but other than that I loved this book.
I loved this book and the banter and how funny it was and that it made me laugh a lot. I hated what the MMC did to the FMC in high school but other than that I loved this book.
July 23, 2025
This one started off as a really promising read, but I feel like it sort of just . . . fizzled out halfway through. I love the way Leo talks about Squash. That was one of my favourite parts of the book. I feel like this had so much potential so I’m a little disappointed.
January 19, 2025
Fun quick read. Loved the banter between the two main characters. Added in some good laughs!
March 3, 2025
Around 3.5-4. I enjoyed the slow-burn element - cute and liked the mystery of her stalker.
April 4, 2025
Adorable slow burn
August 14, 2025
Hilarious and Sweet
This was such an awesome and funny romance! The character and relationship growth was there, the romance and tension was there, the humor was there. Loved it!
This was such an awesome and funny romance! The character and relationship growth was there, the romance and tension was there, the humor was there. Loved it!
October 10, 2025
3.5 rounded up
he was condescending for too long, and she was a pushover the whole book.
he was condescending for too long, and she was a pushover the whole book.
January 2, 2026
This was such a good read! Love starting my year off with this.
October 25, 2025
Wtf did I just read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews