What do you think?
Rate this book
Dungeons & Dragon Dating
WHAT KIND OF DRAGON SENDS A BLIND DATE TO A CURSED FOREST?!
Quiet café owner Lyra Stranglevine knows that she’s too broken for romance. So, she never expected to wind up killing zombified bugbears with her Great Gram’s favorite sewing machine on a first date. And especially not with an adventure-hardened battle mage. Even if she is distractingly gorgeous…
Fire mage Kiara Mefysta DOES NOT date—no one deserves to have a partner who risks her life on a regular basis—and no “love dragon” matchmaking service is going to change that. But the curvy café owner who keeps descending from cursed vines like a sylvan goddess is seriously testing Kiara’s resolve...
One thing Kiara and Lyra both agree on, though, is having words with the tiny purple and green dragon who trapped them in this cursed forest to begin with. If they survive, that is.
This sapphic, cozy, fantasy romance is perfect for fans of Travis Baldree and T. Kingfisher.
Quiet café owner Lyra Stranglevine knows that she’s too broken for romance. So, she never expected to wind up killing zombified bugbears with her Great Gram’s favorite sewing machine on a first date. And especially not with an adventure-hardened battle mage. Even if she is distractingly gorgeous…
Fire mage Kiara Mefysta DOES NOT date—no one deserves to have a partner who risks her life on a regular basis—and no “love dragon” matchmaking service is going to change that. But the curvy café owner who keeps descending from cursed vines like a sylvan goddess is seriously testing Kiara’s resolve...
One thing Kiara and Lyra both agree on, though, is having words with the tiny purple and green dragon who trapped them in this cursed forest to begin with. If they survive, that is.
This sapphic, cozy, fantasy romance is perfect for fans of Travis Baldree and T. Kingfisher.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2024
9 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Virginia McClain
14 books176 followersVirginia McClain is an author who recently stopped daylighting as a Spanish teacher in Arizona and switched to writing full time in Winnipeg, Manitoba. When she's not writing she can often be found climbing to the top of large rocks, running on trails, backpacking, and generally engaging in any excuse to go play outside. Now that she has moved to the Great White North she will probably add snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and ice skating to her list of outdoor adventures, but as it's still warm out she'll start with canoeing (something she hasn't done in years) and see how it goes from there. She lives with her husband and their furry, canine companion Artemis.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 12, 2025
This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog
3.5 stars (rounded up)
Blind dating has never been more high stakes than in Dungeons & Dragon Dating. Featuring dangerous DnD adventuring, fighting zombie bugbears in a cursed forest, forced proximity in a pocket dimension, and delicious banter and sapphic yearning, this is the light-hearted queer fantasy romance romp you never knew you needed.
A grumpy battle mage who doesn’t believe in love and a curvy café owner with a giant panther companion find themselves on a blind date from hell after reluctantly being set up by a deceptively innocent tiny dragon matchmaker; it might sound like the start to a bad joke, but it’s actually the hysterical and surprisingly genius premise of Dungeons & Dragon Dating.
Right from the very first page, McClain just set the tone and completely pulled me into the delightful chaos. Both Lyra and Kiara are absolute disaster queers in the best way possible, and I loved seeing them reluctantly bond throughout this unhinged first date. Sure, sometimes they were maybe a bit TOO INTENSE in their feelings and reactions (or maybe I just hate all caps in inner monologue/dialogue), but ultimately I was just utterly charmed by their delightful grumpy/sunshine dynamic.
Though as fun and cheeky as Dungeons & Dragon Dating is, I would personally hesitate to label it as cozy fantasy. See, not only do we have quite a bit of relentless gory action, but it’s also got a deeply emotional undercurrent exploring themes of grief, self-worth, and the trauma of toxic past relationships. Personally, I would not have minded a bit less action to let both these heavy themes and the fun romantic shenanigans shine even more, but I can’t deny that McClain balanced the darkness with the silly, giddy joy surprisingly well.
Ultimately, I could not stop myself from devouring this charmingly messy romp in a single day, and I already can’t wait for more instalments in this series to warm my heart and soothe my soul. If you like fantasy romances in the vein of T. Kingfisher’s Swordheart and Saint of Steel series or Rebecca Thorne’s Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, except with maybe a bit more amusing profanity, then I can’t recommend Dungeons & Dragon Dating highly enough.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Dungeons & Dragon Dating is scheduled for release on February 3, 2025.
3.5 stars (rounded up)
Blind dating has never been more high stakes than in Dungeons & Dragon Dating. Featuring dangerous DnD adventuring, fighting zombie bugbears in a cursed forest, forced proximity in a pocket dimension, and delicious banter and sapphic yearning, this is the light-hearted queer fantasy romance romp you never knew you needed.
A grumpy battle mage who doesn’t believe in love and a curvy café owner with a giant panther companion find themselves on a blind date from hell after reluctantly being set up by a deceptively innocent tiny dragon matchmaker; it might sound like the start to a bad joke, but it’s actually the hysterical and surprisingly genius premise of Dungeons & Dragon Dating.
Right from the very first page, McClain just set the tone and completely pulled me into the delightful chaos. Both Lyra and Kiara are absolute disaster queers in the best way possible, and I loved seeing them reluctantly bond throughout this unhinged first date. Sure, sometimes they were maybe a bit TOO INTENSE in their feelings and reactions (or maybe I just hate all caps in inner monologue/dialogue), but ultimately I was just utterly charmed by their delightful grumpy/sunshine dynamic.
Though as fun and cheeky as Dungeons & Dragon Dating is, I would personally hesitate to label it as cozy fantasy. See, not only do we have quite a bit of relentless gory action, but it’s also got a deeply emotional undercurrent exploring themes of grief, self-worth, and the trauma of toxic past relationships. Personally, I would not have minded a bit less action to let both these heavy themes and the fun romantic shenanigans shine even more, but I can’t deny that McClain balanced the darkness with the silly, giddy joy surprisingly well.
Ultimately, I could not stop myself from devouring this charmingly messy romp in a single day, and I already can’t wait for more instalments in this series to warm my heart and soothe my soul. If you like fantasy romances in the vein of T. Kingfisher’s Swordheart and Saint of Steel series or Rebecca Thorne’s Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, except with maybe a bit more amusing profanity, then I can’t recommend Dungeons & Dragon Dating highly enough.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Dungeons & Dragon Dating is scheduled for release on February 3, 2025.
August 24, 2025
A very entertaining and humorous cosy queer fantasy adventure with interesting characters.
It's a sapphic dating adventure with zero spice (unless you count kissing as such - which I do not, that's not even cinnamon level spice in my book ;-) and plenty of queer characters.
What I loved about this the most is that, despite the books humble length, even a lot of side-characters got an impressive backstory that brought them to life, and as they and their backstories are essential to the main story there is also no lack of plot to the latter.
I enjoyed it a lot and had a good couple of laughs along the way.
Can absolutely recommend it for readers who loves a good cosy old school adventure fantasy story and don't mind the MCs a) being female - and still kick arse in style - and b) it being a queer story.
I am very much looking forward to the 2nd book coming out next year.
It's a sapphic dating adventure with zero spice (unless you count kissing as such - which I do not, that's not even cinnamon level spice in my book ;-) and plenty of queer characters.
What I loved about this the most is that, despite the books humble length, even a lot of side-characters got an impressive backstory that brought them to life, and as they and their backstories are essential to the main story there is also no lack of plot to the latter.
I enjoyed it a lot and had a good couple of laughs along the way.
Can absolutely recommend it for readers who loves a good cosy old school adventure fantasy story and don't mind the MCs a) being female - and still kick arse in style - and b) it being a queer story.
I am very much looking forward to the 2nd book coming out next year.
January 6, 2025
A cozy romance and fantasy novel, Dungeons & Dragon Dating is the story of two wonderful women who have sworn off dating but end up on a first date together in a cursed forest full of monsters.
It's a light, fun read that nevertheless tackles big topics such as grief and the damage the wrong partner can do to a person's self-perception and confidence
For anyone who enjoyed Legends & Lattes.
5* highly recommend
It's a light, fun read that nevertheless tackles big topics such as grief and the damage the wrong partner can do to a person's self-perception and confidence
For anyone who enjoyed Legends & Lattes.
5* highly recommend
Read
July 27, 2024I wrote this book, so I cannot possibly write an objective review of it. That said, I enjoyed writing it, and I even enjoyed reading it again for editing, and I hope you enjoy it too!
February 7, 2025
Aerialists, dragon blind dates, LGBTQIA+ rep, oh my! I think I tried a similar opening in a different book review and it was also a bit…mixed. You know what isn’t mixed? Dungeons & Dragons Dating by Virginia McClain. This little book was pure cute!
We have our two MCs, Lyra and Kiara, who both come with their own baggage on why they don’t date. Not to be confused with Kyle who doesn’t date because he is ‘clearly very content without any romantic partners and who will live a wonderful, fulfilling life without ever having a single romantic entanglement if everyone would just leave him in peace.’ But like Estvalyn, I am also not talking about Kyle. I am also not talking about the 900-lb ethereal panther named Gwen that ended up part of the party. She lives in a necklace, don’t worry about it.
So, Lyra is in the throes of grief after losing her last related family member, the very woman that raised her. Kiara is dealing with the lingering words of her ex, who made her question whether it’s right to have a partner that risks her life as a Battle Mage. You might think that two women that clearly have things to work through should probably sort them out before trying a matchmaking service coordinated by a tiny dragon that shouts the fine print at you while going through a portal like some kind of US medication advert. Some of those side effects were wild in those adverts!
Turns out for our MCs, the best way to work through their baggage is to be thrown into a magic dungeon by the tiny matchmaking dragon, Auryl. There is a part of me that wondered when you took away the zombie bugbears, pocket dimensions and magic spiders, would the attraction still be there? It’s like a much more intense version of the rope bridge attraction study some psychologists did. Anyway, the cursed forest did provide a chance for Kiara to unapologetically bust out her fire-magic, Battle Mage skills, which were very cool and to lust over Lyra as she navigated the cursed forest’s vines with the grace only an aerialist can - by which I mean in a hipkey/hiplock.
Admittedly, when I see a book that has an aerialist and aerial skills as a fairly key plot point, my hackles are immediately raised. And despite being disappointed Virginia didn’t have Lyra in a footlock at any point, what I got was a character where the aerialist skills work in the world, make sense to the story and are accurate. Because good things happen when circus people write circus books! So circus lovers can dive in without reservation on that note. If you’re not a circus or aerial arts lover, look Lyra drops a 200-lb sewing machine on a zombie bugbear when she runs out of ideas and slaps a woman with a frying pan. Kiara’s stilettos don’t sink into the ground because MAGIC! Virginia thought of everything! What more can you possibly ask for?!
What a lot these ramblings should allude to is that this is a book that spreads the spectrum of emotions. There is loss, there is self-doubt, there are questions about what we deserve in our lives and it’s all mixed in with moments of humour, resilience, loyalty and a lot of spiraling neurotic anxiety wondering if the other person actually likes them. That last bit has reminded me that I am so glad I am done with dating. I am also disappointed that no tiny dragons are coordinating dates in the real world. Truly we have the worst reality.
So why not instead Ignore our terrible reality, particularly with this fun, cosy fantasy! Seriously, if you need a refreshing read to reset things, dive into the broom cupboard and let Auryl find your perfect match. But remember: safetyandsurvivalnotguaranteedtrueloveonlyexperiecnedifbothpartiesfindeachotheracceptable
We have our two MCs, Lyra and Kiara, who both come with their own baggage on why they don’t date. Not to be confused with Kyle who doesn’t date because he is ‘clearly very content without any romantic partners and who will live a wonderful, fulfilling life without ever having a single romantic entanglement if everyone would just leave him in peace.’ But like Estvalyn, I am also not talking about Kyle. I am also not talking about the 900-lb ethereal panther named Gwen that ended up part of the party. She lives in a necklace, don’t worry about it.
So, Lyra is in the throes of grief after losing her last related family member, the very woman that raised her. Kiara is dealing with the lingering words of her ex, who made her question whether it’s right to have a partner that risks her life as a Battle Mage. You might think that two women that clearly have things to work through should probably sort them out before trying a matchmaking service coordinated by a tiny dragon that shouts the fine print at you while going through a portal like some kind of US medication advert. Some of those side effects were wild in those adverts!
Turns out for our MCs, the best way to work through their baggage is to be thrown into a magic dungeon by the tiny matchmaking dragon, Auryl. There is a part of me that wondered when you took away the zombie bugbears, pocket dimensions and magic spiders, would the attraction still be there? It’s like a much more intense version of the rope bridge attraction study some psychologists did. Anyway, the cursed forest did provide a chance for Kiara to unapologetically bust out her fire-magic, Battle Mage skills, which were very cool and to lust over Lyra as she navigated the cursed forest’s vines with the grace only an aerialist can - by which I mean in a hipkey/hiplock.
Admittedly, when I see a book that has an aerialist and aerial skills as a fairly key plot point, my hackles are immediately raised. And despite being disappointed Virginia didn’t have Lyra in a footlock at any point, what I got was a character where the aerialist skills work in the world, make sense to the story and are accurate. Because good things happen when circus people write circus books! So circus lovers can dive in without reservation on that note. If you’re not a circus or aerial arts lover, look Lyra drops a 200-lb sewing machine on a zombie bugbear when she runs out of ideas and slaps a woman with a frying pan. Kiara’s stilettos don’t sink into the ground because MAGIC! Virginia thought of everything! What more can you possibly ask for?!
What a lot these ramblings should allude to is that this is a book that spreads the spectrum of emotions. There is loss, there is self-doubt, there are questions about what we deserve in our lives and it’s all mixed in with moments of humour, resilience, loyalty and a lot of spiraling neurotic anxiety wondering if the other person actually likes them. That last bit has reminded me that I am so glad I am done with dating. I am also disappointed that no tiny dragons are coordinating dates in the real world. Truly we have the worst reality.
So why not instead Ignore our terrible reality, particularly with this fun, cosy fantasy! Seriously, if you need a refreshing read to reset things, dive into the broom cupboard and let Auryl find your perfect match. But remember: safetyandsurvivalnotguaranteedtrueloveonlyexperiecnedifbothpartiesfindeachotheracceptable
Read
February 4, 2025This is SUCH a delightful sapphic romantasy / romcom following a witchy cafe owner and a hardened battle mage as they go on a blind date set up by a miniature dragon matchmaker... and end up being thrown in a cursed forest "dungeon" that they have to battle their way out of together. The humor in this is fabulous, as are the emotional arcs and growth. You can't help rooting for these two women as they let down their defenses and address their own brokeness... all while evading bugbear zombies, dropping gram-gram's sewing machine on said zombies, and lighting everything on fire. Repeatedly. Oh, and there's a snarky 900 pound ethereal panther.
If you're looking for an escape that will make you laugh and leave you with the warm fuzzies, you've found it!
If you're looking for an escape that will make you laugh and leave you with the warm fuzzies, you've found it!
April 5, 2025
3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 for GR
Given that the plot of the story is focused around the two main characters having their blind date in a cursed forest where they're attacked by monsters, it feels a little weird to describe this as cozy. It's not the kind of cozy like Legends and Lattes where there's no stakes, but Dungeons & Dragon Dating still manages to feel cozy to me. I'm saying that as someone who considers T. Kingfisher and Emily Wilde cozy so that's the tone I'm talking about here.
On the one hand, Dungeons & Dragon Dating is a very cute sapphic romance with two women who have experienced difficult relationships in the past and have each convinced themselves that they're unloveable in one way or another. It was truly delightful to see them come around and find someone that might be able to fit into their lives despite the less than ideal circumstances of that first date. And I honestly really enjoyed the humor in the storytelling and the clever ways that McClain plays with fantasy and specifically D&D style adventuring tropes but also does silly fun things involving bags of holding and sewing machines. It was exactly the kind of mostly light, humorous fun time that I went in hoping for.
But as someone who doesn't always love a cozy story, there were parts that lagged for me. I feel like folks who really love the slower pace and more meandering plot of cozies will enjoy this a bit more. There were a couple spots were the plot started to feel a bit repetitive and the issues that Kiara and Lyra were working through felt a little rehashed but they're minor gripes.
Overall, Dungeons & Dragons is the kind of cozy I enjoy, where there's enough threat and dark humor to balance out the cute vibes and sweet romance that develops. I also really loved the inclusion of burlesque and partners accepting you for who you are. I'll likely be picking up any romances that McClain writes in the future since this one was definitely the kind of vibe I enjoy.
Given that the plot of the story is focused around the two main characters having their blind date in a cursed forest where they're attacked by monsters, it feels a little weird to describe this as cozy. It's not the kind of cozy like Legends and Lattes where there's no stakes, but Dungeons & Dragon Dating still manages to feel cozy to me. I'm saying that as someone who considers T. Kingfisher and Emily Wilde cozy so that's the tone I'm talking about here.
On the one hand, Dungeons & Dragon Dating is a very cute sapphic romance with two women who have experienced difficult relationships in the past and have each convinced themselves that they're unloveable in one way or another. It was truly delightful to see them come around and find someone that might be able to fit into their lives despite the less than ideal circumstances of that first date. And I honestly really enjoyed the humor in the storytelling and the clever ways that McClain plays with fantasy and specifically D&D style adventuring tropes but also does silly fun things involving bags of holding and sewing machines. It was exactly the kind of mostly light, humorous fun time that I went in hoping for.
But as someone who doesn't always love a cozy story, there were parts that lagged for me. I feel like folks who really love the slower pace and more meandering plot of cozies will enjoy this a bit more. There were a couple spots were the plot started to feel a bit repetitive and the issues that Kiara and Lyra were working through felt a little rehashed but they're minor gripes.
Overall, Dungeons & Dragons is the kind of cozy I enjoy, where there's enough threat and dark humor to balance out the cute vibes and sweet romance that develops. I also really loved the inclusion of burlesque and partners accepting you for who you are. I'll likely be picking up any romances that McClain writes in the future since this one was definitely the kind of vibe I enjoy.
January 20, 2025
Dungeons & Dragon Dating sounded like the kind of light-hearted read I like to pick up to break up my more serious books. And this didn’t disappoint.
The setup and the adventure of the two narrating POVs was quite chaotic in a good way. I was prepared for this to not be entirely serious, which allowed me to look past some of the details that I usually prefer to be developed in more depth in a romance. Though I felt like the grumpy mage gave in a little easily to the lovey feelings, I did enjoy the characters getting to know each other better while trying not to die in the cursed woods they got stuck in together. The chaos and trouble switched back and forth between being really serious and really silly and showcased the strengths and weaknesses of the characters quite well.
Despite the silliness of the book, I also enjoyed having more serious moments related to mental health and memories of past experiences. It added a good balance to the story.
I really enjoyed the entire cast of the book. They all felt like they’d have interesting stories to tell and like they really belonged there. This was a fun first installation in this new series and I’m eager for more.
The setup and the adventure of the two narrating POVs was quite chaotic in a good way. I was prepared for this to not be entirely serious, which allowed me to look past some of the details that I usually prefer to be developed in more depth in a romance. Though I felt like the grumpy mage gave in a little easily to the lovey feelings, I did enjoy the characters getting to know each other better while trying not to die in the cursed woods they got stuck in together. The chaos and trouble switched back and forth between being really serious and really silly and showcased the strengths and weaknesses of the characters quite well.
Despite the silliness of the book, I also enjoyed having more serious moments related to mental health and memories of past experiences. It added a good balance to the story.
I really enjoyed the entire cast of the book. They all felt like they’d have interesting stories to tell and like they really belonged there. This was a fun first installation in this new series and I’m eager for more.
December 25, 2025
A delightfully cosy sapphic romantasy that kept me reading far too late and which managed to hit on grief, toxic relationships, and personhood in the process. I really enjoyed this and the range of rep inside - ace, poly, and possibly bi. I think I'd quite enjoy reading more about this world and these characters, though I hope Lyra and Kiara get their happy ending
August 23, 2024
I picked this up at Gen Con 2024 and I absolutely loved it!! Such a cute idea and very well written. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan on letting people borrow my copy so more people can enjoy it..as long as I get it back! ❤️
February 3, 2025
Oh this book was so much fun!
A delightfully cosy D&D adventure set in a wonderfully queer-normative world. There's a tiny dragon who's not quite as adorable as they seem. Aerial silks rep, which is amazing to see! And an appreciation of cheese in emergency situations that is spot on!
It has a lot to say about grief and expresses it wonderfully.
Highly recommend to all cosy fantasy fans and D&D fans alike!
A delightfully cosy D&D adventure set in a wonderfully queer-normative world. There's a tiny dragon who's not quite as adorable as they seem. Aerial silks rep, which is amazing to see! And an appreciation of cheese in emergency situations that is spot on!
It has a lot to say about grief and expresses it wonderfully.
Highly recommend to all cosy fantasy fans and D&D fans alike!
September 29, 2025
4.5 stars
August 27, 2024
This was a charming little story and I'm very much looking forward to more!
February 17, 2025
This is a delightfully cozy marriage of sapphic Fantasy and Rom-Com made into a fabulously fun and enjoyable novel, Dungeons & Dragon Dating is the story of two wonderful women (a witchy cafe owner and a battle mage) who have each sworn off dating but end up on a on a blind date (set up by a miniature dragon matchmaker) and thrown together into a cursed forest "dungeon" full of monsters.
While this is a light read, it has emotional arcs and have our MCs tackling topics like grief and the damage the wrong partner can do to one's own sense of self and confidence. These two women need to battle through the reasons they have refused to open themselves to love, all while trying to stay and keep each other alive when facing bugbear zombies, and other deadly forces.
Recommended for those who enjoy cozy LGBTQ fantasy romances like, Legends & Lattes, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea or Cursed Cocktails. It's utterly charming.
While this is a light read, it has emotional arcs and have our MCs tackling topics like grief and the damage the wrong partner can do to one's own sense of self and confidence. These two women need to battle through the reasons they have refused to open themselves to love, all while trying to stay and keep each other alive when facing bugbear zombies, and other deadly forces.
Recommended for those who enjoy cozy LGBTQ fantasy romances like, Legends & Lattes, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea or Cursed Cocktails. It's utterly charming.
December 30, 2024
When a battle mage and a hearth witch are both talked into (reluctantly) trying out a new matchmaking service (run by a small and deceptively innocent-APPEARING dragon), they find themselves thrown into a cursed forest and battling monsters in an unusual and potentially lethal first date. Both women are great characters, the banter is really fun, and this is a perfect lighthearted romantic adventure for any fans of DnD!
The only (very subjective) reason why this one was 4 rather than 5 stars for me, personally, was that one element of the final battle was so (intentionally) gross that it actually took me out of the romance-mood for a bit - but that is very much a YMMV situation (I bet a lot of readers would just find it hilarious), and I enjoyed everything that came before and afterwards. So I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, and I'm looking forward to it!
The only (very subjective) reason why this one was 4 rather than 5 stars for me, personally, was that one element of the final battle was so (intentionally) gross that it actually took me out of the romance-mood for a bit - but that is very much a YMMV situation (I bet a lot of readers would just find it hilarious), and I enjoyed everything that came before and afterwards. So I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, and I'm looking forward to it!
August 25, 2025
Enjoyable cozy, fun read. No spice in this one for those that matters to.
Lyra and Kiara are engaging leads who both have a bit of baggage around romance.
Both of them are kind and thoughtful women. They also have alot more connecting them than they realised.
The story itself is fun and low stakes. It's just about them bonding and discussing some of the things that hold them back.
Lyra and Kiara are engaging leads who both have a bit of baggage around romance.
Both of them are kind and thoughtful women. They also have alot more connecting them than they realised.
The story itself is fun and low stakes. It's just about them bonding and discussing some of the things that hold them back.
May 4, 2025
A cute and enjoyable story, with a premise that is both amusing and has some depth, and a date that is so much more than anyone expected. It's a fun journey, seeing the two women both heal and get closer, and I'm very curious to see where the series goes as a whole.
February 11, 2025
Neat story
A tiny dragon that wants to run a dating service and the trials of his first clients.
A tiny dragon that wants to run a dating service and the trials of his first clients.
December 24, 2025
Cheesey, but entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews