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Roll for Romance #3
Mead Cute
Readers love the Roll for Romance series!
The summer encounter that's a critical hit… / Level up in life and in love…/Levelling up in life means falling in love…
Each book in the Roll for Romance series can be read as a standalone.
Chloe’s sabbatical is almost over but the most she’s achieved is a new high score in her favourite video game.
So when a job comes up on a rural honey farm in Wales, she jumps at the opportunity, only to discover that the owner’s niece, Teddy – and the usual summer help – is an all-too-familiar face. With just one job on the line, they must team up despite their clashing visions… and undeniable chemistry.
As summer goes on, things heat up, until the end of the season brings an impossible decision – love or ambition?
The summer encounter that's a critical hit… / Level up in life and in love…/Levelling up in life means falling in love…
Each book in the Roll for Romance series can be read as a standalone.
Chloe’s sabbatical is almost over but the most she’s achieved is a new high score in her favourite video game.
So when a job comes up on a rural honey farm in Wales, she jumps at the opportunity, only to discover that the owner’s niece, Teddy – and the usual summer help – is an all-too-familiar face. With just one job on the line, they must team up despite their clashing visions… and undeniable chemistry.
As summer goes on, things heat up, until the end of the season brings an impossible decision – love or ambition?
438 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
rating: 3.75★ rounded up to 4
"𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦. 𝘨𝘰𝘥, 𝘪 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳."
when chloe visits the united states for a ren faire the last thing she expects is to essentially be read to filth by a stranger. worse? she starts to believe the stranger might be right. once she returns home she finds herself offered a job on a honey farm after a taking a mead making class. desperate for change, she accepts the job only to find out that the niece of her boss, teddy is the girl she had the run in with at the ren faire months ago. forced to work together despite their history, they are both determined to make the farm flourish. before either of them know it, chemistry beyond working together starts brewing.
god, i absolutely ate up the "will they or won't they" aspect of this story. the chemistry between teddy and chloe was undeniable. having the somewhat forced proximity of the workplace was perfect, throwing them together enough for the tension to continue to rise with every interaction. not to mention the little touches of social media comments were perfect because we all know we were thinking the same things. 👀🤭
the conflict was realistic and entirely believeable, especially in combination with the internal battles both chloe and teddy were fighting. teddy with the loss of her mom and alcoholic father and chloe with her cynical, unsupportive mother. while there isnt a ton of growth in the personal problem areas, we do get to see them learn how to live with those problems a little bit more.
the sprinkles of D&D throughout the story were also fun, even as someone who isn't an avid D&D player.
while mead cute is an interconnected standalone series this was actually the first book i've read in the series and i had no trouble diving in! i do however want to go back and read the first book of the series.
𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⋆˚࿔
excited to continue my pride tbr with this one. 😌
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘶𝘬 / 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 💖
"𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦. 𝘨𝘰𝘥, 𝘪 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳."
when chloe visits the united states for a ren faire the last thing she expects is to essentially be read to filth by a stranger. worse? she starts to believe the stranger might be right. once she returns home she finds herself offered a job on a honey farm after a taking a mead making class. desperate for change, she accepts the job only to find out that the niece of her boss, teddy is the girl she had the run in with at the ren faire months ago. forced to work together despite their history, they are both determined to make the farm flourish. before either of them know it, chemistry beyond working together starts brewing.
god, i absolutely ate up the "will they or won't they" aspect of this story. the chemistry between teddy and chloe was undeniable. having the somewhat forced proximity of the workplace was perfect, throwing them together enough for the tension to continue to rise with every interaction. not to mention the little touches of social media comments were perfect because we all know we were thinking the same things. 👀🤭
the conflict was realistic and entirely believeable, especially in combination with the internal battles both chloe and teddy were fighting. teddy with the loss of her mom and alcoholic father and chloe with her cynical, unsupportive mother. while there isnt a ton of growth in the personal problem areas, we do get to see them learn how to live with those problems a little bit more.
the sprinkles of D&D throughout the story were also fun, even as someone who isn't an avid D&D player.
while mead cute is an interconnected standalone series this was actually the first book i've read in the series and i had no trouble diving in! i do however want to go back and read the first book of the series.
𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⋆˚࿔
excited to continue my pride tbr with this one. 😌
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘶𝘬 / 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 💖
June 26, 2026
So cute!! I had so much fun reading this. The story and characters felt believable, and it had just the right amount of bee and honey metaphors 🐝
July 5, 2026
*3.75 stars*
I really enjoyed this book, It’s something I’ve never read before. A mix of D&D, Ren Faire’s and saving a beloved farm.
Chloe and Teddy absolutely get off on the wrong foot, but when they’re thrown together in the workplace they have no choice but to work together and as time passes they both realise that maybe their first judgements of each other may have been wrong.
The friend group really stand out in this book too, they’re Chloe’s found family and Teddy opens up for the first time in a while.
Overall I enjoyed this book, between Chloe and Teddy working together to save the farm and their growing relationship. It was a cute and fun read.
Thank you to One More Chapter for giving me the chance to read Mead Cute as an arc.
I really enjoyed this book, It’s something I’ve never read before. A mix of D&D, Ren Faire’s and saving a beloved farm.
Chloe and Teddy absolutely get off on the wrong foot, but when they’re thrown together in the workplace they have no choice but to work together and as time passes they both realise that maybe their first judgements of each other may have been wrong.
The friend group really stand out in this book too, they’re Chloe’s found family and Teddy opens up for the first time in a while.
Overall I enjoyed this book, between Chloe and Teddy working together to save the farm and their growing relationship. It was a cute and fun read.
Thank you to One More Chapter for giving me the chance to read Mead Cute as an arc.
July 29, 2026
I haven't read the prior books to this series and I can say you can jump into this book and not feel that you've missed out on much. It isn't essential to have read those first two books. With that, I really enjoyed this book! It was a fun romp into romance after reading more heavier books. As a D&D player and ren faire goer, I enjoyed the aspect of that world written into the book. I loved the imagery of the farm and details of event and social media planning (being one myself for a small, local bookstore). It had my attention all the way through and I would be willing to read the other books!
May 30, 2026
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓛;𝓓𝓡 ✧˖°
A sapphic workplace romance perfect for readers looking for a uniquely idealistic honey farm setting, dashes of Ren Faires and D&D campaigns, and a love story full of rivals to friends to lovers tension.
° ˖✧ 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
4 ⭐
2 🌶️
° ˖✧ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
Why Teddy Cooper Needs to Stop Being a Stubborn Arse: a Longitudinal Study
“We could plant some of the varieties you like. For next spring.”
“Are they good for bees?”
“Not everything has to be about the bees.”
"You know," she said, "you don't have to have some huge milestone to tell people about for it to be worth sharing."
This woman who didn't run for anything if she could help it was running full pelt to me. For me. God, I loved her.
° ˖✧ 𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✧˖°
When D&D player Chloe is offered a job at a honey farm following a mead-making workshop, she leaps at the chance! But when owner’s niece Teddy returns, she’s not pleased to be replaced - especially at the cost of her visa sponsorship...
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
🏢 Workplace Romance
🌈 Sapphic Romance
💘 Rivals to Friends to Lovers
🔗 Forced Proximity
👑 Renaissance Faires
🎲 Dungeons & Dragons
✨ Dual Timeline (ish)
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
🍺 Alcoholic Father
🪦 Parental Grief
💥 Family Conflict
° ˖✧ 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
+ Strong Believable Conflict
+ Personal Issues outside Romance
+ Honey Farm Setting
+ Will-They-Won't-They Moments
+ Standalone Friendly
+ Sweet Romance and Hot Spice
+ Lovely Ending
° ˖✧ 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
- Too Many Side Characters (plus D&D Names)
- Repetitive Miscommunication
- Would've loved an Epilogue for MCs not just D&D
° ˖✧ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✧˖°
This was my first D&D read! I've never played the game personally but I thought it'd be interested to see how it was used in this read and it was pretty cool! I enjoyed seeing the parallels between the main characters in real life versus in game and while it definitely slowed the pacing at times, the chapters were at least shorter than the rest of the story.
As for the main characters Chloe and Teddy, I loved their tension! Their initial interaction occurred a few months before the start of their actual story and it was interesting to see how that influenced future moments. Chloe's brought on as an event planner temporarily at the farm Teddy works at 6 months out the year, but she doesn't realise it's because they used Teddy's visa fund to hire her AND without Teddy's sign off.
As a result, there's a lot of believable conflict between the two despite Chloe's best efforts. I also appreciated that they had their own personal conflicts too - Teddy with the loss of her mum and her drunk father, and Chloe with her mum that never supports her. These personal issues don't develop too much but Chloe and Teddy do get better at dealing with them.
However, it was just really fun watching their time on the honey farm. Chloe's influencer mindset for marketing along meant we saw plenty of moments of the pair working together, especially when they have to attend weekend festivals too! There were lots of will-they-won't-they scenes that had me quickly turning the page for more! And when the tension eventually snapped, well I certainly wasn't complaining!
Mead Cute is an interconnected standalone and while I hadn't read the rest in the series, I still was able to immerse myself in the story more or less unscathed. The only point to note is that there are a LOT of side characters. Add to that the D&D chapters sprinkled throughout and the names get confusing fast.
Also, the back and forth between Chloe and Teddy does get a little repetitive and frustrating towards the end of the book. They're both not communicating with each other where it counts and I wish they'd just acted like adults - though I recognise they both have their own issues to deal with.
Regardless, this was a really fun, light-hearted read that made me want to be right their on the honey farm with them! The romance was sweet and the spice was burning after a slow lead up, and the ending was wonderful! Though it would've been nice to have an epilogue not just for the D&D characters but for Chloe and Teddy too!
Thank you to Sam Parks and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A sapphic workplace romance perfect for readers looking for a uniquely idealistic honey farm setting, dashes of Ren Faires and D&D campaigns, and a love story full of rivals to friends to lovers tension.
° ˖✧ 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
4 ⭐
2 🌶️
° ˖✧ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
Why Teddy Cooper Needs to Stop Being a Stubborn Arse: a Longitudinal Study
“We could plant some of the varieties you like. For next spring.”
“Are they good for bees?”
“Not everything has to be about the bees.”
"You know," she said, "you don't have to have some huge milestone to tell people about for it to be worth sharing."
This woman who didn't run for anything if she could help it was running full pelt to me. For me. God, I loved her.
° ˖✧ 𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✧˖°
When D&D player Chloe is offered a job at a honey farm following a mead-making workshop, she leaps at the chance! But when owner’s niece Teddy returns, she’s not pleased to be replaced - especially at the cost of her visa sponsorship...
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
🏢 Workplace Romance
🌈 Sapphic Romance
💘 Rivals to Friends to Lovers
🔗 Forced Proximity
👑 Renaissance Faires
🎲 Dungeons & Dragons
✨ Dual Timeline (ish)
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
🍺 Alcoholic Father
🪦 Parental Grief
💥 Family Conflict
° ˖✧ 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
+ Strong Believable Conflict
+ Personal Issues outside Romance
+ Honey Farm Setting
+ Will-They-Won't-They Moments
+ Standalone Friendly
+ Sweet Romance and Hot Spice
+ Lovely Ending
° ˖✧ 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
- Too Many Side Characters (plus D&D Names)
- Repetitive Miscommunication
- Would've loved an Epilogue for MCs not just D&D
° ˖✧ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✧˖°
This was my first D&D read! I've never played the game personally but I thought it'd be interested to see how it was used in this read and it was pretty cool! I enjoyed seeing the parallels between the main characters in real life versus in game and while it definitely slowed the pacing at times, the chapters were at least shorter than the rest of the story.
As for the main characters Chloe and Teddy, I loved their tension! Their initial interaction occurred a few months before the start of their actual story and it was interesting to see how that influenced future moments. Chloe's brought on as an event planner temporarily at the farm Teddy works at 6 months out the year, but she doesn't realise it's because they used Teddy's visa fund to hire her AND without Teddy's sign off.
As a result, there's a lot of believable conflict between the two despite Chloe's best efforts. I also appreciated that they had their own personal conflicts too - Teddy with the loss of her mum and her drunk father, and Chloe with her mum that never supports her. These personal issues don't develop too much but Chloe and Teddy do get better at dealing with them.
However, it was just really fun watching their time on the honey farm. Chloe's influencer mindset for marketing along meant we saw plenty of moments of the pair working together, especially when they have to attend weekend festivals too! There were lots of will-they-won't-they scenes that had me quickly turning the page for more! And when the tension eventually snapped, well I certainly wasn't complaining!
Mead Cute is an interconnected standalone and while I hadn't read the rest in the series, I still was able to immerse myself in the story more or less unscathed. The only point to note is that there are a LOT of side characters. Add to that the D&D chapters sprinkled throughout and the names get confusing fast.
Also, the back and forth between Chloe and Teddy does get a little repetitive and frustrating towards the end of the book. They're both not communicating with each other where it counts and I wish they'd just acted like adults - though I recognise they both have their own issues to deal with.
Regardless, this was a really fun, light-hearted read that made me want to be right their on the honey farm with them! The romance was sweet and the spice was burning after a slow lead up, and the ending was wonderful! Though it would've been nice to have an epilogue not just for the D&D characters but for Chloe and Teddy too!
Thank you to Sam Parks and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The sexual tension in this one!
Mead Cute is the third in the Roll for Romance series but can very easily be read as a standalone. The set up was a bit clunky and possibly a bit too far fetched to really be believable. Teddy and Chloe meet at a ren faire in California where Chloe is attending as a guest and Teddy there working the faire. They meet when Chloe runs into Teddy, causing Teddy to drop and spill the mead she is carrying, intimately costing Teddy the job. It could have easily been put behind them, but somehow Chloe ends up with a job at Teddy's farm in Wales, where Chloe lives year round but Teddy can only be there 6 months out of the year due to visa protocol.
Once we get past that very intricate way for two characters to meet and then end up working together, we get to some great sexual tension because Teddy has been trying her hardest to be able to get in a position where she can stay on the farm year round, but Chloe being added to the payroll win a marketing capacity seems to create a competition between the two to see who will end up with a full-time year-round job on the farm.
While Teddy and Chloe are each other competition, they do have the same goal in mind: grow the farm and make it more of a success. They have to work together, all the while the sexual tension builds.
Mead Cute is an endearing love story between Teddy & Chloe, but what was extra heartwarming was the addition of the friendships. I felt seen in Teddy, someone who would really like friendships but just hasn't been in a position to be able to make them. Chloe bringing her into the friend group was a big highlight of the story as platonic love can be just as powerful as romantic love in ways.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Mead Cute is the third in the Roll for Romance series but can very easily be read as a standalone. The set up was a bit clunky and possibly a bit too far fetched to really be believable. Teddy and Chloe meet at a ren faire in California where Chloe is attending as a guest and Teddy there working the faire. They meet when Chloe runs into Teddy, causing Teddy to drop and spill the mead she is carrying, intimately costing Teddy the job. It could have easily been put behind them, but somehow Chloe ends up with a job at Teddy's farm in Wales, where Chloe lives year round but Teddy can only be there 6 months out of the year due to visa protocol.
Once we get past that very intricate way for two characters to meet and then end up working together, we get to some great sexual tension because Teddy has been trying her hardest to be able to get in a position where she can stay on the farm year round, but Chloe being added to the payroll win a marketing capacity seems to create a competition between the two to see who will end up with a full-time year-round job on the farm.
While Teddy and Chloe are each other competition, they do have the same goal in mind: grow the farm and make it more of a success. They have to work together, all the while the sexual tension builds.
Mead Cute is an endearing love story between Teddy & Chloe, but what was extra heartwarming was the addition of the friendships. I felt seen in Teddy, someone who would really like friendships but just hasn't been in a position to be able to make them. Chloe bringing her into the friend group was a big highlight of the story as platonic love can be just as powerful as romantic love in ways.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2026
I wish I could have said I liked this book a little bit more, but I have to admit that the “cosy romance” side might have been a little too strong for me.
The setting itself was incredible—D&D and bees keepers? YES, please? But the execution felt a little bit flat for me unfortunately. This book would have been better off with 100/150 pages less, because 360 pages was way too long and there was little to no action and disruptive elements brought to the table.
I loved that Teddy and Chloe were sort of enemies at first, but this side was brushed off and cleared out within the first 100 pages, and their relationship felt a little under developed after that. The D&D aspect was nice, but VERY confusing as we’re brought up into the game with no warning whatsoever and no introduction to either characters. And there was little to no drama overall, which made the ending of this book fall a little flat, if not rushed a bit.
Still, it was an easy and nice book to binge read, and I loved the idea of it very much.
3 ⭐️
The setting itself was incredible—D&D and bees keepers? YES, please? But the execution felt a little bit flat for me unfortunately. This book would have been better off with 100/150 pages less, because 360 pages was way too long and there was little to no action and disruptive elements brought to the table.
I loved that Teddy and Chloe were sort of enemies at first, but this side was brushed off and cleared out within the first 100 pages, and their relationship felt a little under developed after that. The D&D aspect was nice, but VERY confusing as we’re brought up into the game with no warning whatsoever and no introduction to either characters. And there was little to no drama overall, which made the ending of this book fall a little flat, if not rushed a bit.
Still, it was an easy and nice book to binge read, and I loved the idea of it very much.
3 ⭐️
July 5, 2026
this was cute!! i love the romance and the business, festival/ren faire, and d&d aspect of it! my heart melted when we found out teddy's gift for chloe... it was so thoughtful and showed how much she cared and loved her :")))
i do wish the epilogue were more about them as a couple though instead of their d&d characters... but overall this is a solid read
i do wish the epilogue were more about them as a couple though instead of their d&d characters... but overall this is a solid read
May 30, 2026
ARC Review- I tried to like this story I really did. The cover is so cute and the description as well so I was very excited to read it. The story has another story inside of it that uses the characters D&D characters to tell it and that took me out of the actual story every time one of those chapters came up. I also did not like the use of the term “gold star lesbian.” The beginning of the main story is very jumpy but that does settle down further into the book. I didn’t find the main characters very likable and the side characters were forgettable. The attraction between the main characters seems more like proximity attraction as opposed to actual attraction and I just was not feeling the heat through the page like the reader should. Also the words “breasting boobily” do not belong in any book even as a joke.
June 22, 2026
This romance novel started off on the wrong foot for me:
1. Dropped us straight into their D&D session, which was written like we were experiencing it in-universe. The problem is that I don't (yet) care about any of their characters or the stakes. Bad intro.
2. Gold star lesbian pride - I don't care for the label or its implications. There are better ways to talk about the fact that heteronormativity did not affect you growing up. It's also the only time the word lesbian is used to describe either of their identity. It has two lesbian leads.
3. Dramatic meet-ugly that set the tone for more miscommunication, and we haven't even had our second POV yet.
So yeah, I was on the struggle bus for the first 100 pages of this book.
I liked that both main characters had a lot going on in their lives (visa struggles/work problems, friends/loneliness, unhelpful parents) and that those issues were central to the development of the romance - all of them are points where Chloe and Teddy could connect and talk to each other once they got over their initial dislike.
But I was still put off by their initial introduction, and it took me longer to warm up to these characters. (I took a break from the book over the weekend and the distance definitely helped.) The writing was not helping matters, lingering too long on details I did not care for or overexplaining the character's thoughts.
Once I got over that hump, though, and we settled more into their will-they-won't-they dynamic, I was more into it. After Chloe starts being part of the honey farm alongside Teddy and Jen, the friction between our main couple allows for their interesting development as their feelings of animosity and misplaced anger turn into lust and later, romance.
I will be the first to admit I don't see the appeal of D&D much - but if you make it such a strong element of your marketing (just look at the series name!), then you have to do a better job of making all that relevant to the story. Or cut it out. The book technically has 3 POVs, the third one being Calamity, the tiefling Chloe plays, going on her adventure. Sadly, it's utterly irrelevant to the book.
What frustrates me the most is that the D&D sessions themselves are not irrelevant: they show Teddy making friends again and bonding over new interests, seeing Chloe in a new environment, and getting closer to her outside of work. Those scenes are important - so it baffles me that Parks made the choice to write their sessions from Calamity's perspective and not from the players point-of-view. Not only did I find their campaign to read like a very generic fantasy story, it also has no impact on the main couple. Yeah, you could draw a parallel between Chloe/Teddy and Calamity/Nashala but those are both obvious without the extra chapters and don't need to be overexplained - the author was already clear in the other two POVs what she was hinting at with their roleplaying choices.
The ending was also more dramatic than I found fitting. Not only does their major hiccup make no sense to me (), the resolution feels off.
I think if you like Renaissance fair visits, Dungeons &Dragons games, and/or are a fan of small businesses finding their stride in your romances, you could enjoy this one.
I received an advanced reading copy from One More Chapter through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
1. Dropped us straight into their D&D session, which was written like we were experiencing it in-universe. The problem is that I don't (yet) care about any of their characters or the stakes. Bad intro.
2. Gold star lesbian pride - I don't care for the label or its implications. There are better ways to talk about the fact that heteronormativity did not affect you growing up. It's also the only time the word lesbian is used to describe either of their identity. It has two lesbian leads.
3. Dramatic meet-ugly that set the tone for more miscommunication, and we haven't even had our second POV yet.
So yeah, I was on the struggle bus for the first 100 pages of this book.
I liked that both main characters had a lot going on in their lives (visa struggles/work problems, friends/loneliness, unhelpful parents) and that those issues were central to the development of the romance - all of them are points where Chloe and Teddy could connect and talk to each other once they got over their initial dislike.
But I was still put off by their initial introduction, and it took me longer to warm up to these characters. (I took a break from the book over the weekend and the distance definitely helped.) The writing was not helping matters, lingering too long on details I did not care for or overexplaining the character's thoughts.
Once I got over that hump, though, and we settled more into their will-they-won't-they dynamic, I was more into it. After Chloe starts being part of the honey farm alongside Teddy and Jen, the friction between our main couple allows for their interesting development as their feelings of animosity and misplaced anger turn into lust and later, romance.
I will be the first to admit I don't see the appeal of D&D much - but if you make it such a strong element of your marketing (just look at the series name!), then you have to do a better job of making all that relevant to the story. Or cut it out. The book technically has 3 POVs, the third one being Calamity, the tiefling Chloe plays, going on her adventure. Sadly, it's utterly irrelevant to the book.
What frustrates me the most is that the D&D sessions themselves are not irrelevant: they show Teddy making friends again and bonding over new interests, seeing Chloe in a new environment, and getting closer to her outside of work. Those scenes are important - so it baffles me that Parks made the choice to write their sessions from Calamity's perspective and not from the players point-of-view. Not only did I find their campaign to read like a very generic fantasy story, it also has no impact on the main couple. Yeah, you could draw a parallel between Chloe/Teddy and Calamity/Nashala but those are both obvious without the extra chapters and don't need to be overexplained - the author was already clear in the other two POVs what she was hinting at with their roleplaying choices.
The ending was also more dramatic than I found fitting. Not only does their major hiccup make no sense to me (), the resolution feels off.
I think if you like Renaissance fair visits, Dungeons &Dragons games, and/or are a fan of small businesses finding their stride in your romances, you could enjoy this one.
I received an advanced reading copy from One More Chapter through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The chemistry is CHEMISTRYING!
Chloe is with her friends at a ren faire in the US when she bumps, quite literally, into a girl carrying a keg that spills everywhere, costing the girl her job. Back home, she takes a mead making class and is offered a job at the farm to help with their marketing, only to find the girl, Teddy, working there - and both girls want the job. They are forced to work together to give the farm a new lease of life, but also to figure out what's going on in their own lives, as that job is more than just something to do all day for both of them. But their undeniable chemistry starts to get in the way...
I loved falling back into this world of nerdy and cosy friendships that aligns with the world I love so well. While I'm not a D&D player, over the past couple of years I've fallen in love with the fantasy world and have been to Fantasy Forest (which was the festival in the last book, and I believe the one in this book too) and have booked to go to my first ren faire this year too (which I believe the author will be at!). Sam, clearly being part of this world too, gives such life and vibrancy to it - she describes the community so well, the inclusivity and friendliness.
As I've just mentioned, the blurb mentions Chloe and Teddy's undeniable chemistry and you could totally feel that throughout the book. I don't think anything describes it any better than a comment on one of the social posts written into the book "the chemistry is CHEMISTRYING"! I really enjoyed that this was a sapphic relationship, where the other two books weren't - it made the inclusivity feel even more realistic as a whole book was dedicated to it, not just a token side character. I'm really hoping that Grey, the non-binary character, gets a book too at some point!
It was also really nice to see the job that I do (digital marketing) being shown as a REAL job in this book! Chloe’s mum’s opinions on what she does not being significant or important enough are a real part of life for me - I've literally had old teachers tell me that what I do isn't "real work". But here the day to day life in this type marketing is well represented, and not just as "taking a few pretty pictures and posting them on social". Chloe's struggles with her passions and frustrations with the way her brain worked also felt very real and hit a nerve with me - nothing was ever labelled, but I appreciated the way that her busy brain worked and her chaos gremlin ways. I highlighted a few lines that resonated strongly with me, putting into words how I often feel in a way that I couldn't have done.
I really love the way that pop culture is referenced in this book too. I think I said it about one of the other books in this series, but clearly the author and I align with our online worlds too as there are little asides that almost feel like in-jokes that it feels like not everyone would get, such as the male author writing breastily boobily!
I can't wait to read more from this author in the future, I hope there are more to come in the series!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for an ARC of this book.
Chloe is with her friends at a ren faire in the US when she bumps, quite literally, into a girl carrying a keg that spills everywhere, costing the girl her job. Back home, she takes a mead making class and is offered a job at the farm to help with their marketing, only to find the girl, Teddy, working there - and both girls want the job. They are forced to work together to give the farm a new lease of life, but also to figure out what's going on in their own lives, as that job is more than just something to do all day for both of them. But their undeniable chemistry starts to get in the way...
I loved falling back into this world of nerdy and cosy friendships that aligns with the world I love so well. While I'm not a D&D player, over the past couple of years I've fallen in love with the fantasy world and have been to Fantasy Forest (which was the festival in the last book, and I believe the one in this book too) and have booked to go to my first ren faire this year too (which I believe the author will be at!). Sam, clearly being part of this world too, gives such life and vibrancy to it - she describes the community so well, the inclusivity and friendliness.
As I've just mentioned, the blurb mentions Chloe and Teddy's undeniable chemistry and you could totally feel that throughout the book. I don't think anything describes it any better than a comment on one of the social posts written into the book "the chemistry is CHEMISTRYING"! I really enjoyed that this was a sapphic relationship, where the other two books weren't - it made the inclusivity feel even more realistic as a whole book was dedicated to it, not just a token side character. I'm really hoping that Grey, the non-binary character, gets a book too at some point!
It was also really nice to see the job that I do (digital marketing) being shown as a REAL job in this book! Chloe’s mum’s opinions on what she does not being significant or important enough are a real part of life for me - I've literally had old teachers tell me that what I do isn't "real work". But here the day to day life in this type marketing is well represented, and not just as "taking a few pretty pictures and posting them on social". Chloe's struggles with her passions and frustrations with the way her brain worked also felt very real and hit a nerve with me - nothing was ever labelled, but I appreciated the way that her busy brain worked and her chaos gremlin ways. I highlighted a few lines that resonated strongly with me, putting into words how I often feel in a way that I couldn't have done.
I really love the way that pop culture is referenced in this book too. I think I said it about one of the other books in this series, but clearly the author and I align with our online worlds too as there are little asides that almost feel like in-jokes that it feels like not everyone would get, such as the male author writing breastily boobily!
I can't wait to read more from this author in the future, I hope there are more to come in the series!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5/5
I appreciate the way Sam Parks creates true conflict in her stories that doesn't just feel like a miscommunication. While towards the end I wished they would just fully open up, there were real barriers to the conversation surrounding Teddy's visa and the job. I know next to nothing about D&D, but it only factors into the story in smaller chapters in between some of the "real life" chapters. Parks has written another sweet love story that feels balanced and real. You don't need to read the prior books in the series to read or enjoy this, but I highly recommend them as they have the same level of happiness, story of found family, and the emotional depth that Parks seems to specialize in.
Teddy is hoping this year will be the year her aunt can bring her on as a fulltime employee at the Welsh honey farm and Meadery her mom and aunt created. When her mom passed, Teddy began spending six months of the year with her father at 'home' in California, looking forward to going to what felt like home, the farm with her aunt. Teddy needs the farm to make enough money to sponsor her visa to be able to live there year-round. After losing her job in California during a mishap at a Ren Faire, Teddy focuses on the farm and her hopes. But when she shows up for the summer, she learns the farm has hired someone to help with marketing, and not only does this mean they can't sponsor her visa this year, but it's the same woman she encountered at the Ren Faire and blames for losing her job.
Chloe feels unmoored. She loves her friends weekly D&D games and their love of Ren Faires, especially when they let her plan an international trip all the way to California to enjoy a specific experience (Hot women pouring mead directly down her throat and whispering filthy nothings), but an encounter leaves her realizing that her life is feeling lackluster. She's working a dead-end job she doesn't love and playing videogames all weekend. Her friends buy her a mead making workshop nearby and while her mead making skills leave much to be desired, she gets an opportunity to feel more passionate about her work. But when the owner's niece shows up for the summer, Chloe is shocked to find it is the same woman who made her reconsider her life in the first place, and she isn't happy to see Chloe.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
I appreciate the way Sam Parks creates true conflict in her stories that doesn't just feel like a miscommunication. While towards the end I wished they would just fully open up, there were real barriers to the conversation surrounding Teddy's visa and the job. I know next to nothing about D&D, but it only factors into the story in smaller chapters in between some of the "real life" chapters. Parks has written another sweet love story that feels balanced and real. You don't need to read the prior books in the series to read or enjoy this, but I highly recommend them as they have the same level of happiness, story of found family, and the emotional depth that Parks seems to specialize in.
Teddy is hoping this year will be the year her aunt can bring her on as a fulltime employee at the Welsh honey farm and Meadery her mom and aunt created. When her mom passed, Teddy began spending six months of the year with her father at 'home' in California, looking forward to going to what felt like home, the farm with her aunt. Teddy needs the farm to make enough money to sponsor her visa to be able to live there year-round. After losing her job in California during a mishap at a Ren Faire, Teddy focuses on the farm and her hopes. But when she shows up for the summer, she learns the farm has hired someone to help with marketing, and not only does this mean they can't sponsor her visa this year, but it's the same woman she encountered at the Ren Faire and blames for losing her job.
Chloe feels unmoored. She loves her friends weekly D&D games and their love of Ren Faires, especially when they let her plan an international trip all the way to California to enjoy a specific experience (Hot women pouring mead directly down her throat and whispering filthy nothings), but an encounter leaves her realizing that her life is feeling lackluster. She's working a dead-end job she doesn't love and playing videogames all weekend. Her friends buy her a mead making workshop nearby and while her mead making skills leave much to be desired, she gets an opportunity to feel more passionate about her work. But when the owner's niece shows up for the summer, Chloe is shocked to find it is the same woman who made her reconsider her life in the first place, and she isn't happy to see Chloe.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
June 19, 2026
Title: Mead Cute-Roll for Romance #3 (can be read as standalone)
Author: Sam Parks-new to me author
Publication date: 6/18/26 | Read: 6/18/26
Format: e-Book 384 pgs.
Genre:
*LGBTQIA+
*Adult Fic
*Romance
*Fantasy/Sci Fi
Tropes:
*workplace romance
*sapphic romance
*rivals to lovers
*D&D campaign/cosplay/Renaissance Faires
*forced proximity
POV: 1st person dual
TW: family drama, death of parent, grief, parental alcoholism
Setting: Wales
Summary: Chloe is an event planner at an animal rescue in California who goes to a festival in the UK with her friends. She accidentally bumps into Teddy-an employee at the faire- and spills a keg of mead causing her to lose her job. Three months later, they meet again as work nemesis at Gwenynen Maxwell Honey Farm & Meadery. Chloe has been hired as digital marketing expert for the farm events, while Teddy serves as a farm hand for the owner, her aunt. Teddy works six months in the UK and returns to CA living in her van working temp jobs rather than going home to her father. She has a visa sponsorship, but Aunt Jen used the money for it to hire Chloe. They are forced to work together as they deal with their attraction to each other.
Heroine: Theodora "Teddy" Cooper
Heroine: Chloe Barlow
Other Characters
*Jennifer Maxwell-Teddy's maternal aunt, owns a honey farm for 14 years
*Patricia-works at the farm
*Chloe's parents
*Teddy's parents-Mom died when she was 19
*Calamity-demon lord's daughter, prophesied to give her father a key to end his exile
*Trulnuroth-prince of Pandemonium
*Maggie-farm manager
*Willow-Teddy's dog
My Thoughts/Likes: I didn't read any other books in the series but never felt like I missed something. I've read a few romances with D&D campaigns where reality and fiction intersected. I appreciated Teddy's hustle but didn't connect with Chloe. She came off pretentious along with her friends. Their chemistry was unmatched, and a great HEA!
Rating: 3.5/5
Spice level: 3/5
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK One More Chapter| One More Chapters, and Sam Parks for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.
Author: Sam Parks-new to me author
Publication date: 6/18/26 | Read: 6/18/26
Format: e-Book 384 pgs.
Genre:
*LGBTQIA+
*Adult Fic
*Romance
*Fantasy/Sci Fi
Tropes:
*workplace romance
*sapphic romance
*rivals to lovers
*D&D campaign/cosplay/Renaissance Faires
*forced proximity
POV: 1st person dual
TW: family drama, death of parent, grief, parental alcoholism
Setting: Wales
Summary: Chloe is an event planner at an animal rescue in California who goes to a festival in the UK with her friends. She accidentally bumps into Teddy-an employee at the faire- and spills a keg of mead causing her to lose her job. Three months later, they meet again as work nemesis at Gwenynen Maxwell Honey Farm & Meadery. Chloe has been hired as digital marketing expert for the farm events, while Teddy serves as a farm hand for the owner, her aunt. Teddy works six months in the UK and returns to CA living in her van working temp jobs rather than going home to her father. She has a visa sponsorship, but Aunt Jen used the money for it to hire Chloe. They are forced to work together as they deal with their attraction to each other.
Heroine: Theodora "Teddy" Cooper
Heroine: Chloe Barlow
Other Characters
*Jennifer Maxwell-Teddy's maternal aunt, owns a honey farm for 14 years
*Patricia-works at the farm
*Chloe's parents
*Teddy's parents-Mom died when she was 19
*Calamity-demon lord's daughter, prophesied to give her father a key to end his exile
*Trulnuroth-prince of Pandemonium
*Maggie-farm manager
*Willow-Teddy's dog
My Thoughts/Likes: I didn't read any other books in the series but never felt like I missed something. I've read a few romances with D&D campaigns where reality and fiction intersected. I appreciated Teddy's hustle but didn't connect with Chloe. She came off pretentious along with her friends. Their chemistry was unmatched, and a great HEA!
Rating: 3.5/5
Spice level: 3/5
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK One More Chapter| One More Chapters, and Sam Parks for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
***Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter Harpercollins UK for an unsolicited e-arc of Mead Cute by Sam Parks! All thought are my own!***
Chloe goes with her friends to the States to go to a Ren Faire in California, when she literally bumps into a girl with a keg of mead, costing the girl her job. When Chloe returns back to the UK, she decides to take a mead making class, which she has fun doing, even though it doesn't work as planned. When the owner of the honey farm gets to talking to Chloe about the farm, Chloe gets offered a job being their digital marketing manager. On her first day on the job, she meets Teddy, who she realizes is the girl she ran into at the Ren Faire moths prior. Teddy, who works for her aunt in Wales at the farm during the summer, hoping that she will be able to stay and not return to the States. But Teddy realizes there is no way the farm can fund both of them working there long term, even with a grant helping funding.
Let me start of by saying, this book was just such a fun time! I love escaping into this world Sam has written. Now that we are three books into this series, it is so great to see how the writing has evolved.
One thing I really love about this whole series in general is the fact that the campaign keeps going and along the way, we are adding new members to the party and it really enhances the story. The world building throughout the campaign is so well done. It feels so fluid even though we are going from book to book and taking a different perspective in each book in the campaign. When the roleplaying between characters in game lead to their chemistry in the story, I love seeing that. The cast of characters are so tight knit in the best way, and are so welcoming to Teddy, especially Fatima.
I really enjoy how much of the story consists of Chloe finding her passion in digital marketing, and the conflict she encounters of which job she wants to have. As much as she enjoys working at the animal sanctuary, she feels working at the farm is more fulfilling. She is able to help their social media presence, accompanies Teddy to different markets, getting people to try their mead.
The chemistry between Teddy and Chloe is such critical success! It is a slow burn, but the underlying flirting and tension are perfect for the story.
If you are looking for a nerdy, sapphic romance with an amazing friend group, this is definitely one you will want to pick up this summer!
Thanks again to Netgalley and One More Chapter Harpercollins UK for an unsolicited e-arc of this book! Mead Cute by Sam Parks releases June 18th, 2026!
Chloe goes with her friends to the States to go to a Ren Faire in California, when she literally bumps into a girl with a keg of mead, costing the girl her job. When Chloe returns back to the UK, she decides to take a mead making class, which she has fun doing, even though it doesn't work as planned. When the owner of the honey farm gets to talking to Chloe about the farm, Chloe gets offered a job being their digital marketing manager. On her first day on the job, she meets Teddy, who she realizes is the girl she ran into at the Ren Faire moths prior. Teddy, who works for her aunt in Wales at the farm during the summer, hoping that she will be able to stay and not return to the States. But Teddy realizes there is no way the farm can fund both of them working there long term, even with a grant helping funding.
Let me start of by saying, this book was just such a fun time! I love escaping into this world Sam has written. Now that we are three books into this series, it is so great to see how the writing has evolved.
One thing I really love about this whole series in general is the fact that the campaign keeps going and along the way, we are adding new members to the party and it really enhances the story. The world building throughout the campaign is so well done. It feels so fluid even though we are going from book to book and taking a different perspective in each book in the campaign. When the roleplaying between characters in game lead to their chemistry in the story, I love seeing that. The cast of characters are so tight knit in the best way, and are so welcoming to Teddy, especially Fatima.
I really enjoy how much of the story consists of Chloe finding her passion in digital marketing, and the conflict she encounters of which job she wants to have. As much as she enjoys working at the animal sanctuary, she feels working at the farm is more fulfilling. She is able to help their social media presence, accompanies Teddy to different markets, getting people to try their mead.
The chemistry between Teddy and Chloe is such critical success! It is a slow burn, but the underlying flirting and tension are perfect for the story.
If you are looking for a nerdy, sapphic romance with an amazing friend group, this is definitely one you will want to pick up this summer!
Thanks again to Netgalley and One More Chapter Harpercollins UK for an unsolicited e-arc of this book! Mead Cute by Sam Parks releases June 18th, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The setting of this book was so beautiful and well thought out that I am now desperately craving starting my own bee farm and making mead. Do I think I could actually do that? Yaknow, maybe not, but this book gave me the confidence to try 🫡 I don’t even drink, and can’t say I have heard of mead ever outside of reference in dnd, but my next mission in life (before the bee farm) is to source a bottle of this stuff and appreciate even further what this book was all about.
However, mead might be my second biggest obsession from this book after Teddy. Teddy, who knows all the words to fergalicious, hangs fairy lights in the middle of the night, and hand whittles birthday presents. Teddy, who holds so much pain inside her, and deserves every single second of softness and good thing that comes her way 🥹 I am an absolute Teddy STAN!!! (Tbh, didn’t love Chloe. She was interesting and resilient and was so kind to her friends, don’t get me wrong, but pushing away Teddy is actually a top crime in books for me from right now so she gets deducted several points 🤷♀️)
Outside of the main couple, the side characters were fantastic and had so much depth - I loved reading about them and their stories and think they played a big part in how alive the book felt! The chosen family in this book is top notch 🤌🏻
My final note, and part of why this book isn’t a five star read for me, is that the phrase “gold-star lesbian” should not be used in contemporary fiction publishing in 2026. It was used in the first sentence read in Chloe’s POV and I so nearly DNFed because of it. The sentence makes just as much sense if you remove the “gold-star”, and didn’t need the superiority complex associated with the phrase. Gold-star lesbianism is harmful to those who didn’t come out until later in life (whether they were unsafe to, were raised religious, or just never realised) and any lesbian who has been a victim of specific SA. I highly suggest removing this phrase before publication.
As always, thank you NetGalley for the early access read! ✨
However, mead might be my second biggest obsession from this book after Teddy. Teddy, who knows all the words to fergalicious, hangs fairy lights in the middle of the night, and hand whittles birthday presents. Teddy, who holds so much pain inside her, and deserves every single second of softness and good thing that comes her way 🥹 I am an absolute Teddy STAN!!! (Tbh, didn’t love Chloe. She was interesting and resilient and was so kind to her friends, don’t get me wrong, but pushing away Teddy is actually a top crime in books for me from right now so she gets deducted several points 🤷♀️)
Outside of the main couple, the side characters were fantastic and had so much depth - I loved reading about them and their stories and think they played a big part in how alive the book felt! The chosen family in this book is top notch 🤌🏻
My final note, and part of why this book isn’t a five star read for me, is that the phrase “gold-star lesbian” should not be used in contemporary fiction publishing in 2026. It was used in the first sentence read in Chloe’s POV and I so nearly DNFed because of it. The sentence makes just as much sense if you remove the “gold-star”, and didn’t need the superiority complex associated with the phrase. Gold-star lesbianism is harmful to those who didn’t come out until later in life (whether they were unsafe to, were raised religious, or just never realised) and any lesbian who has been a victim of specific SA. I highly suggest removing this phrase before publication.
As always, thank you NetGalley for the early access read! ✨
June 22, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✦✧✦ 𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓖𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓐𝓻𝓬 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 ✦✧✦
Such a sweet (and spicy) workplace romance with a setting described with such beauty that I’m now wishing for my very own love story to enfold at a bee farm while making mead.
𝒮𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎
Chloe is trying her best… until she wonders, is she really living her best life?
All it took was bumping into one girl—the wrong girl—at a Renaissance Festival in California to realize it’s about time she stops leveling up in her favorite video games, and starts leveling up in her career.
So when a job comes up on a rural honey farm in Wales, she leaps at the opportunity, only to discover that the owner’s niece is no other than Teddy.
As the summer goes on, things heat up, and Chloe has a new question on her mind—love or ambition?
✦⋆✧⋆✦
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐻𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓈
I was initially drawn in by the Renaissance-inspired aesthetic and unique premise, especially the Dungeons & Dragons chapters and shifting perspectives, which felt creative and engaging. Not to mention the fun play with the title, “Mead Cute.” I love a good pun.
The setting—particularly the farm, honey, and bees—added a cozy, grounded charm that I really enjoyed.
Emotionally, the story has a lot of heart. It’s very much about finding home in people and choosing your own path even when the future feels uncertain, and that message really stuck with me.
✦⋆✧⋆✦
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝓌𝓈
That said, I struggled a bit with the writing style at times. It leaned heavily on telling rather than showing, which occasionally made it harder for me to stay fully immersed in the emotion of the story.
✦⋆✧⋆✦
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒
Perfect for readers who love the spicy tension of enemies to lovers and cozy, folkish vibes with character-driven storytelling.
✦⋆✧⋆✦
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall, this wasn’t a typical read for me, but I’m glad I picked it up. It was a solid beach read.
✦✧✦ 𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓖𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓐𝓻𝓬 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 ✦✧✦
Such a sweet (and spicy) workplace romance with a setting described with such beauty that I’m now wishing for my very own love story to enfold at a bee farm while making mead.
𝒮𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎
Chloe is trying her best… until she wonders, is she really living her best life?
All it took was bumping into one girl—the wrong girl—at a Renaissance Festival in California to realize it’s about time she stops leveling up in her favorite video games, and starts leveling up in her career.
So when a job comes up on a rural honey farm in Wales, she leaps at the opportunity, only to discover that the owner’s niece is no other than Teddy.
As the summer goes on, things heat up, and Chloe has a new question on her mind—love or ambition?
✦⋆✧⋆✦
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐻𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓈
I was initially drawn in by the Renaissance-inspired aesthetic and unique premise, especially the Dungeons & Dragons chapters and shifting perspectives, which felt creative and engaging. Not to mention the fun play with the title, “Mead Cute.” I love a good pun.
The setting—particularly the farm, honey, and bees—added a cozy, grounded charm that I really enjoyed.
Emotionally, the story has a lot of heart. It’s very much about finding home in people and choosing your own path even when the future feels uncertain, and that message really stuck with me.
✦⋆✧⋆✦
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝓌𝓈
That said, I struggled a bit with the writing style at times. It leaned heavily on telling rather than showing, which occasionally made it harder for me to stay fully immersed in the emotion of the story.
✦⋆✧⋆✦
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒
Perfect for readers who love the spicy tension of enemies to lovers and cozy, folkish vibes with character-driven storytelling.
✦⋆✧⋆✦
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall, this wasn’t a typical read for me, but I’m glad I picked it up. It was a solid beach read.
July 17, 2026
🎲 Critical hit! I just found my new favorite romance series, and I am officially obsessed. 💖✨
I recently dove into the Roll for Romance series by Sam Parks, and let me tell you, my nerdy little heart has never been happier. If you love cozy vibes, tabletop RPGs, and romance that gives you all the butterflies, you need these books on your TBR immediately! 📚✨
Here is my honest breakdown of this incredible trilogy, and yes, they can all be read as standalones, but why would you want to miss out on any of this magic:
🗡️ You've Got Chain Mail
This one gives major Olivia Dade meets A Knight’s Tale vibes! We follow Morgan and Jack, who are both feeling a bit stuck in life and trying to write new chapters for themselves through weekly role-playing games and Ren Faire planning. Watching them embrace their alter egos while slowly falling for each other in real life was absolute perfection. It’s spicy, sweet, and made me want to grab a d20 immediately.
🛡️ Date Knight
Fake dating + best friend’s sister + forced proximity? Say less! Phil is a total hero in his RPG group, but real life is a bit messie, especially when his best friend’s sister, Amy, joins the game. When Amy needs a fake boyfriend for three months to handle an ex, Phil steps up for the ultimate side quest. The tension? Incredible. The banter? Loved it!
🍯 Mead Cute
A sapphic, rivals-to-lovers summer romance set on a rural honey farm in Wales? Swoon. Chloe is on a sabbatical that hasn't gone to plan, so she takes a job at a honey farm, only to end up competing/teaming up with Teddy, an all-too-familiar face. Their clashing visions and undeniable chemistry made this such a cozy, comforting, and heartwarming read about balancing ambition with love.
🙌 A massive thank you to One More Chapter and Sam Parks for sharing these gorgeous books with me! I had the absolute best time getting lost in this world.
I recently dove into the Roll for Romance series by Sam Parks, and let me tell you, my nerdy little heart has never been happier. If you love cozy vibes, tabletop RPGs, and romance that gives you all the butterflies, you need these books on your TBR immediately! 📚✨
Here is my honest breakdown of this incredible trilogy, and yes, they can all be read as standalones, but why would you want to miss out on any of this magic:
🗡️ You've Got Chain Mail
This one gives major Olivia Dade meets A Knight’s Tale vibes! We follow Morgan and Jack, who are both feeling a bit stuck in life and trying to write new chapters for themselves through weekly role-playing games and Ren Faire planning. Watching them embrace their alter egos while slowly falling for each other in real life was absolute perfection. It’s spicy, sweet, and made me want to grab a d20 immediately.
🛡️ Date Knight
Fake dating + best friend’s sister + forced proximity? Say less! Phil is a total hero in his RPG group, but real life is a bit messie, especially when his best friend’s sister, Amy, joins the game. When Amy needs a fake boyfriend for three months to handle an ex, Phil steps up for the ultimate side quest. The tension? Incredible. The banter? Loved it!
🍯 Mead Cute
A sapphic, rivals-to-lovers summer romance set on a rural honey farm in Wales? Swoon. Chloe is on a sabbatical that hasn't gone to plan, so she takes a job at a honey farm, only to end up competing/teaming up with Teddy, an all-too-familiar face. Their clashing visions and undeniable chemistry made this such a cozy, comforting, and heartwarming read about balancing ambition with love.
🙌 A massive thank you to One More Chapter and Sam Parks for sharing these gorgeous books with me! I had the absolute best time getting lost in this world.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was so excited for this one as I prep for my first Ren Faire this summer, and it definitely delivered.
I found it a little slow to get into at first, and it wasn’t until about the 50% mark that I really got hooked, but I kept going and I’m so glad I did. I looooved the whole environment of bee keeping, mead making, farm life, etc. I think my favourite aspect was Teddy not really having connections and seeing her journey toward finding a solid group of friends. I loved every scene where they were all together.
Chloe was sooooo cute. I absolutely loved her. Like her friends said, she was so passionate about everything, and it truly radiated off the page. She was such a likeable FMC, and I loved her friend group too.
Teddy was a bit harder for me to warm up to. I found her pretty unlikeable for a good portion of the book, but once we started to see her soften that “honey-crusted heart,” I completely came around.
Overall, I really loved this. It was such a great sapphic read — not overly spicy, not heavily leaning into stereotypical lesbian tropes, and just an overall perfect comfort read.
I took away a star because it felt difficult to get into. I personally could have gone without the whole beginning intro at Ren Faire and began the book with Teddy landing at the farm. I understand the whole back story of Teddy and Chloe, but it ended up being such a small piece of the story that I believe their relationship would have stood just fine without that beginning information.
I found it a little slow to get into at first, and it wasn’t until about the 50% mark that I really got hooked, but I kept going and I’m so glad I did. I looooved the whole environment of bee keeping, mead making, farm life, etc. I think my favourite aspect was Teddy not really having connections and seeing her journey toward finding a solid group of friends. I loved every scene where they were all together.
Chloe was sooooo cute. I absolutely loved her. Like her friends said, she was so passionate about everything, and it truly radiated off the page. She was such a likeable FMC, and I loved her friend group too.
Teddy was a bit harder for me to warm up to. I found her pretty unlikeable for a good portion of the book, but once we started to see her soften that “honey-crusted heart,” I completely came around.
Overall, I really loved this. It was such a great sapphic read — not overly spicy, not heavily leaning into stereotypical lesbian tropes, and just an overall perfect comfort read.
I took away a star because it felt difficult to get into. I personally could have gone without the whole beginning intro at Ren Faire and began the book with Teddy landing at the farm. I understand the whole back story of Teddy and Chloe, but it ended up being such a small piece of the story that I believe their relationship would have stood just fine without that beginning information.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Sam Parks and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC.
The third installment in the D&D series, a slow-burn enemies to lovers romance. It can be read as a standalone, as each character has their own charm and personality, and you can see it without reading previous books. A classic grumpy black cat meets chaotic golden retriever.
I loved how the D&D sessions mirrored how reality was going, giving us bits and clues on what to expect. It even explains in short how D&D works, for those like me who never played it.
The moments of tension were nice, giving us a look into their personalities, and how they mesh or oppose each other. But be prepared for too much miscommunication. That is a trope I do not like at all. So be warned.
Loved the descriptions of fairs, the farm stuff, how community and friends come together for each other, how fun it can be if you go out there to do stuff you like and live.
Can't say I vibed much with Chloe, mostly because I could never see a 'Staff only' sign and ignore it just to look for places good for pictures. She had her moments of awesomeness, but both her and Teddy need to learn how to communicate both their needs and wants. Most of their enmity would've worked out quicker if they communicated, my opinion.
It's a nice read for a slow day otherwise, especially if you love D&D, farms, fairs of all kind, bees and animals.
The third installment in the D&D series, a slow-burn enemies to lovers romance. It can be read as a standalone, as each character has their own charm and personality, and you can see it without reading previous books. A classic grumpy black cat meets chaotic golden retriever.
I loved how the D&D sessions mirrored how reality was going, giving us bits and clues on what to expect. It even explains in short how D&D works, for those like me who never played it.
The moments of tension were nice, giving us a look into their personalities, and how they mesh or oppose each other. But be prepared for too much miscommunication. That is a trope I do not like at all. So be warned.
Loved the descriptions of fairs, the farm stuff, how community and friends come together for each other, how fun it can be if you go out there to do stuff you like and live.
Can't say I vibed much with Chloe, mostly because I could never see a 'Staff only' sign and ignore it just to look for places good for pictures. She had her moments of awesomeness, but both her and Teddy need to learn how to communicate both their needs and wants. Most of their enmity would've worked out quicker if they communicated, my opinion.
It's a nice read for a slow day otherwise, especially if you love D&D, farms, fairs of all kind, bees and animals.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**My thanks to HarperCollins UK for providing me with an advanced review copy via NetGalley**
3 stars
Mead Cute is a perfectly serviceable slow-burn contemporary romance about two women who fall in love trying to make their meadery financially viable. There’s great chemistry between the two leads, who are quite different on paper but whose work and personalities prove quite complementary: Chloe is a late bloomer, a brilliant but aimless events organizer who feels left behind by her friends pursuing big career and family moves. Teddy is laser-focused on her life goal of making her aunt’s meadery successful enough to sponsor her visa as a full-time worker. At first the two struggle to rub shoulders without stepping on each other’s toes, but as Chloe develops a passion for the meadery and Teddy overcomes her first impressions of Chloe as flighty and dangerous, the two start to fall in love.
I was initially attracted to the D&D element of the story, but Chloe and Teddy’s D&D campaign ended up feeling superfluous to what’s already a well plotted contemporary romance. I found myself feeling like I was ‘getting through’ the chapters detailing their characters’ actions in the campaign in order to get back to what Chloe and Teddy were doing IRL.
I liked the book, and think anyone with an interest in a nerdy-flavored sapphic romance will as well, but it failed to stand out for me as anything particularly special or memorable.
3 stars
Mead Cute is a perfectly serviceable slow-burn contemporary romance about two women who fall in love trying to make their meadery financially viable. There’s great chemistry between the two leads, who are quite different on paper but whose work and personalities prove quite complementary: Chloe is a late bloomer, a brilliant but aimless events organizer who feels left behind by her friends pursuing big career and family moves. Teddy is laser-focused on her life goal of making her aunt’s meadery successful enough to sponsor her visa as a full-time worker. At first the two struggle to rub shoulders without stepping on each other’s toes, but as Chloe develops a passion for the meadery and Teddy overcomes her first impressions of Chloe as flighty and dangerous, the two start to fall in love.
I was initially attracted to the D&D element of the story, but Chloe and Teddy’s D&D campaign ended up feeling superfluous to what’s already a well plotted contemporary romance. I found myself feeling like I was ‘getting through’ the chapters detailing their characters’ actions in the campaign in order to get back to what Chloe and Teddy were doing IRL.
I liked the book, and think anyone with an interest in a nerdy-flavored sapphic romance will as well, but it failed to stand out for me as anything particularly special or memorable.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh no this was SO CUTE. I was definitely drawn in the Ren-faire vibes of the cover and the pun of the title, but it was so worth picking up! Even as the third installment of a series, it works well as a standalone and even if you can tell that the others in the friend group also had their own D&D romcom adventures, they're balanced and it doesn't feel like you're completely missing information by not having read the other books. With how much I enjoyed this, though, I definitely see myself going back and reading the first two though!
Everything about this felt so warm and comforting, from the way Chloe's friend group is so supporting and loves their hobbies (I also completely loved that while the D&D plotline does reflect some of the tension out of game, the characters are dealing with very different issues and it wasn't a 1:1 parallel of their relationship. It felt exactly like how in playing tabletop games with friends, it's both an escape but also a way to explore things that are on your mind in a different way) to how fascinating the meadery and all of the activities on the farm were presented to watching both Teddy and Chloe become more comfortable in what they want and moving forward with that. Everyone felt so realistic and like this was really a group of friends I knew and was rooting for all of them. I want to join their Thursday game!
Everything about this felt so warm and comforting, from the way Chloe's friend group is so supporting and loves their hobbies (I also completely loved that while the D&D plotline does reflect some of the tension out of game, the characters are dealing with very different issues and it wasn't a 1:1 parallel of their relationship. It felt exactly like how in playing tabletop games with friends, it's both an escape but also a way to explore things that are on your mind in a different way) to how fascinating the meadery and all of the activities on the farm were presented to watching both Teddy and Chloe become more comfortable in what they want and moving forward with that. Everyone felt so realistic and like this was really a group of friends I knew and was rooting for all of them. I want to join their Thursday game!
June 16, 2026
Mead Cute is an adorable summer rom-com, following Chloe, who gets a job on a honey farm, and Teddy, the farm owner’s grumpy niece. However they have history from a Ren Faire several months ago and need to put that aside to work together.
First of all I loved Chloe and Teddy! This was a great rivals to lovers where you can see the chemistry grow and develop between the two characters. It’s also not rushed throughout the book. The conflicts between Chloe and Teddy are realistic and don’t feel forced either.
Both Chloe and Teddy have a lot of emotional baggage and history they have to work through. I loved the level of depth this brought to both the characters, while also tugging at your heartstrings.
The overall plot of the honey farm too was great! I loved also getting glimpses at honey farming and mead making!
I haven’t read the other books in the series but that didn’t take anything away from this book and it worked well as a standalone. However fans of the series were will love the cameos from the characters in previous books. I also loved the format of the book, having chapters from the POV of Chloe’s character in the D&D campaign.
A sweet (pun intended) rom com with mead making, honey, Ren Faires and D&D. A great summer read!
Thank you to the NetGalley and Harper Collin’s UK for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First of all I loved Chloe and Teddy! This was a great rivals to lovers where you can see the chemistry grow and develop between the two characters. It’s also not rushed throughout the book. The conflicts between Chloe and Teddy are realistic and don’t feel forced either.
Both Chloe and Teddy have a lot of emotional baggage and history they have to work through. I loved the level of depth this brought to both the characters, while also tugging at your heartstrings.
The overall plot of the honey farm too was great! I loved also getting glimpses at honey farming and mead making!
I haven’t read the other books in the series but that didn’t take anything away from this book and it worked well as a standalone. However fans of the series were will love the cameos from the characters in previous books. I also loved the format of the book, having chapters from the POV of Chloe’s character in the D&D campaign.
A sweet (pun intended) rom com with mead making, honey, Ren Faires and D&D. A great summer read!
Thank you to the NetGalley and Harper Collin’s UK for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2026
I was pleasantly surprised by Mead Cute. I don't typically read a lot of happy contemporary novels much anymore. But this one looked like such a warm hug, I had to read it.
I was so right!
This book was all the happy butterfly love story feelings I could want in a story. Our two leading ladies were sarcastic and biting at times, but they truly cared about what they were doing. They just misunderstood each other. And isn't that how the best love stories go?
We get enemies-to-lovers, an amazing dog named Willow, AND a Dungeons and Dragons game where there are chapters interspersed with the story of said game? Sign me the heck up.
Chloe and Teddy are perfect for each other. Chloe: the head-in-the-clouds dreamer with a true talent for marketing and a passion for making things she can be proud of may be a bit "flighty" at times, but she is there when you need her. Teddy is a bit rough around the edges and doesn't have the best people skills, but her care for the apiary farm, her family, and creating the best mead she possibly can gives a glimpse into her soft, teddy bear core.
The characterization is very well done, each having a distinct voice and tone. The plot is interesting and engaging throughout. I almost wish I could forget the story to read it again for the first time.
I would very much recommend this to everyone and anyone.
I was so right!
This book was all the happy butterfly love story feelings I could want in a story. Our two leading ladies were sarcastic and biting at times, but they truly cared about what they were doing. They just misunderstood each other. And isn't that how the best love stories go?
We get enemies-to-lovers, an amazing dog named Willow, AND a Dungeons and Dragons game where there are chapters interspersed with the story of said game? Sign me the heck up.
Chloe and Teddy are perfect for each other. Chloe: the head-in-the-clouds dreamer with a true talent for marketing and a passion for making things she can be proud of may be a bit "flighty" at times, but she is there when you need her. Teddy is a bit rough around the edges and doesn't have the best people skills, but her care for the apiary farm, her family, and creating the best mead she possibly can gives a glimpse into her soft, teddy bear core.
The characterization is very well done, each having a distinct voice and tone. The plot is interesting and engaging throughout. I almost wish I could forget the story to read it again for the first time.
I would very much recommend this to everyone and anyone.
July 9, 2026
In the third book in this standalone series of Dungeons and Dragons-inspired romance novels, readers follow Chloe, who’s stuck in a dead-end job and only has her weekly games to look forward to, and nomadic Teddy, who wants nothing more to stay at the family honey farm permanently, as they collide on the farm when Chloe takes on a new job with the farm. Teddy is not thrilled that Chloe seems to be replacing her at the farms he loves so much, and the two continue to butt heads over the summer even as the farm and business thrive. The chemistry between the characters is absolutely fascinating, and readers will love the complicated situations both women work themselves through. The emotional beats are well-written and detailed, and fans will really enjoy the tropes and tension between Teddy and Chloe. The alternating perspectives really bring their personalities to the forefront of the narrative, while the close quarters of their shared job really force them to interact and evolve over the course of the narrative. Entertaining, tropey, and romantic, readers will love the latest book in this romance series from Sam Parks and the future waiting for Teddy and Chloe if they finally reach the lovers stage of enemies-to-lovers.
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, and One More Chapter for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, and One More Chapter for the advance copy.
July 13, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Mead Cute is my favorite of the three so far — it has the strongest flow, the most grounded emotional beats, and a relationship that finally feels like it has real depth. Where Date Knight already showed how charming Samantha Parks’ blend of humor, romance, and nerdy whimsy can be, this installment takes all of that and smooths it into something warmer, richer, and more satisfying.
The pacing is noticeably better here. The story moves with an ease that makes it simple to sink into, never dragging, never rushing — just a comfortable, cozy rhythm that lets the characters breathe. And the romance? Easily the standout. It feels more lived‑in, more layered, and more emotionally honest than the previous books. The connection between the leads has weight this time, something tender and real that gives the entire story a stronger foundation.
The charm is still very much present — the humor, the sweetness, the gentle fantasy touches — but now it’s paired with a relationship that feels genuinely meaningful. It’s still lighthearted and fun, but with a depth that makes it linger a little longer after you finish.
If Date Knight was a solid, heartfelt step forward, Mead Cute is the book where everything finally clicks. Cozy, cute, and wonderfully warm.
Mead Cute is my favorite of the three so far — it has the strongest flow, the most grounded emotional beats, and a relationship that finally feels like it has real depth. Where Date Knight already showed how charming Samantha Parks’ blend of humor, romance, and nerdy whimsy can be, this installment takes all of that and smooths it into something warmer, richer, and more satisfying.
The pacing is noticeably better here. The story moves with an ease that makes it simple to sink into, never dragging, never rushing — just a comfortable, cozy rhythm that lets the characters breathe. And the romance? Easily the standout. It feels more lived‑in, more layered, and more emotionally honest than the previous books. The connection between the leads has weight this time, something tender and real that gives the entire story a stronger foundation.
The charm is still very much present — the humor, the sweetness, the gentle fantasy touches — but now it’s paired with a relationship that feels genuinely meaningful. It’s still lighthearted and fun, but with a depth that makes it linger a little longer after you finish.
If Date Knight was a solid, heartfelt step forward, Mead Cute is the book where everything finally clicks. Cozy, cute, and wonderfully warm.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
💖 Blurb-
The summer encounter that's a critical hit… / Level up in life and in love…/Levelling up in life means falling in love…
Each book in the Roll for Romance series can be read as a standalone.
Chloe’s sabbatical is almost over but the most she’s achieved is a new high score in her favourite video game.
So when a job comes up on a rural honey farm in Wales, she jumps at the opportunity, only to discover that the owner’s niece, Teddy – and the usual summer help – is an all-too-familiar face. With just one job on the line, they must team up despite their clashing visions… and undeniable chemistry.
As summer goes on, things heat up, until the end of the season brings an impossible decision – love or ambition?
🩵 Review -
Mead Cute is the third book in the roll for romance series. This was such a cute read. I feel that romance novel fans and fans of the D&D game will love it. From the very first page I was hooked and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. I loved Chloe and Teddy's chemistry and I wanted them to have the happy ending that they deserved. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to One More Chapter, the author Sam Parks and Netgalley for my e arc copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The summer encounter that's a critical hit… / Level up in life and in love…/Levelling up in life means falling in love…
Each book in the Roll for Romance series can be read as a standalone.
Chloe’s sabbatical is almost over but the most she’s achieved is a new high score in her favourite video game.
So when a job comes up on a rural honey farm in Wales, she jumps at the opportunity, only to discover that the owner’s niece, Teddy – and the usual summer help – is an all-too-familiar face. With just one job on the line, they must team up despite their clashing visions… and undeniable chemistry.
As summer goes on, things heat up, until the end of the season brings an impossible decision – love or ambition?
🩵 Review -
Mead Cute is the third book in the roll for romance series. This was such a cute read. I feel that romance novel fans and fans of the D&D game will love it. From the very first page I was hooked and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. I loved Chloe and Teddy's chemistry and I wanted them to have the happy ending that they deserved. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to One More Chapter, the author Sam Parks and Netgalley for my e arc copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Chloe feels adrift in life until an unexpected job offer at a local farm gives her the sense of purpose she’s been missing. Teddy, meanwhile, dreams of building her future at her aunt’s farm, Gwenynen Hollow, but despite her determination, she can’t find a way to stay. When her aunt uses Teddy’s visa sponsorship funds to hire Chloe instead, the two begin at odds - but their relationship soon starts to shift.
I adored this book. Gwenynen Hollow was the perfect cosy summer setting, and it was fascinating getting to learn a little more about bees and mead-making throughout the story.
Chloe and Teddy had such great chemistry, and it was a joy to watch them grow closer, even as they both tried to keep their distance. And Chloe’s friend group immediately taking Teddy under their wing? My heart. I would like to be part of that friend group please. Though I probably wouldn't cope very well with Fatima's meddling!
The D&D sections were another highlight - they fit perfectly into the story, mirroring what was happening to the characters in real life and adding an extra layer of depth.
Highly recommend for anyone looking for a cosy summer romance. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the arc <3
I adored this book. Gwenynen Hollow was the perfect cosy summer setting, and it was fascinating getting to learn a little more about bees and mead-making throughout the story.
Chloe and Teddy had such great chemistry, and it was a joy to watch them grow closer, even as they both tried to keep their distance. And Chloe’s friend group immediately taking Teddy under their wing? My heart. I would like to be part of that friend group please. Though I probably wouldn't cope very well with Fatima's meddling!
The D&D sections were another highlight - they fit perfectly into the story, mirroring what was happening to the characters in real life and adding an extra layer of depth.
Highly recommend for anyone looking for a cosy summer romance. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the arc <3
July 13, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
If you like pastoral, cozy, sapphic romances, than this is for you! I really enjoyed the tension of the "will they won't they" work place romance, especially since the work place is a bee apiary in the Welsh country side! How fun?!
This book is a part of a series I have not read, so the side characters seemed too established with their cameos. Though I'm sure if you read the series in publication order that wouldn't be an issue. There's chapters of the character's in world D&D game. This is usually something I enjoy in nerdy romances, but I didn't like it's use in Mead Cute. The D&D characters felt too separate from the two main characters and the drama that unfolded in the D&D interstitials didn't match the pacing of the main plot.
I enjoyed Teddy and Chloe. The tension was well paced with a good amount of payoff and "happy endings". I enjoyed their opposites attract dynamic a lot. I think Chloe had more character growth than Teddy, and I do wish there was more conflict resolution between Teddy and her dad.
Overall I had a fun time reading this novel. I'm a sucker for any romance with renaissance faire scenes! I could picture this as a quite, Netflix romcom.
If you like pastoral, cozy, sapphic romances, than this is for you! I really enjoyed the tension of the "will they won't they" work place romance, especially since the work place is a bee apiary in the Welsh country side! How fun?!
This book is a part of a series I have not read, so the side characters seemed too established with their cameos. Though I'm sure if you read the series in publication order that wouldn't be an issue. There's chapters of the character's in world D&D game. This is usually something I enjoy in nerdy romances, but I didn't like it's use in Mead Cute. The D&D characters felt too separate from the two main characters and the drama that unfolded in the D&D interstitials didn't match the pacing of the main plot.
I enjoyed Teddy and Chloe. The tension was well paced with a good amount of payoff and "happy endings". I enjoyed their opposites attract dynamic a lot. I think Chloe had more character growth than Teddy, and I do wish there was more conflict resolution between Teddy and her dad.
Overall I had a fun time reading this novel. I'm a sucker for any romance with renaissance faire scenes! I could picture this as a quite, Netflix romcom.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mead Cute is the third book in this D and D based romance series. I really enjoyed the previous book so this one had a lot to live up to. One of my favorite things about this series is that it allows its characters to be exactly who they are: a bit nerdy and a bit flawed. I also like the queer representation and that this Sapphic romance is perfectly timed to release during Pride Month. The D and D in this book mirrors the dynamics of its characters which is cool. The romance is definitely a slow burn. It is also enemies to lovers, but the enemies was due to a miscommunication trope, which is not my favorite. I had a slow burn in my affection for Teddy. Chloe was more accessible since we already met her in the previous books. I think this can be read as a standalone but there are a lot of characters who are made richer through the backstory of the previous two novels. It's certainly a cozy read. If you enjoyed Honey, Bee Mine by Sarah Dubb or Roll for Romance by Lenora Wood would enjoy this book. Thank you to Sam Parks and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for reaching out with this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Okay this one was actually such a good time!!! 🤩 Mead Cute is a sapphic workplace romance with mead making, ren faire vibes, and D&D woven throughout the story.
I’ve never personally played D&D, so I wasn’t totally sure how I’d feel about it or how it would even work... but OMG 😱!!! While I will say, they slowed things down for me a little at times, I honestly really liked how they added something different to the story, and relationships and I genuinely really vibed it.
The romance itself was really enjoyable and super cute, i loved the tension. I loved the WLW rep, the workplace dynamic, and the humour throughout. It had plenty of tension, genuinely funny moments, and just felt refreshing to read.
My only little ick was the miscommunication at times (which is usually not my favourite trope 🫠), but I ended up moving past it because I was still having such a good time with the story overall.
Definitely recommend if you’re after a cute sapphic romance ✨
🎲 WLW workplace romance
🍯 Meadery setting
⚔️ Ren faire vibes + D&D
🥰 Humour & Tension
I’ve never personally played D&D, so I wasn’t totally sure how I’d feel about it or how it would even work... but OMG 😱!!! While I will say, they slowed things down for me a little at times, I honestly really liked how they added something different to the story, and relationships and I genuinely really vibed it.
The romance itself was really enjoyable and super cute, i loved the tension. I loved the WLW rep, the workplace dynamic, and the humour throughout. It had plenty of tension, genuinely funny moments, and just felt refreshing to read.
My only little ick was the miscommunication at times (which is usually not my favourite trope 🫠), but I ended up moving past it because I was still having such a good time with the story overall.
Definitely recommend if you’re after a cute sapphic romance ✨
🎲 WLW workplace romance
🍯 Meadery setting
⚔️ Ren faire vibes + D&D
🥰 Humour & Tension
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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