Level Up for Love: A Novel

by Lenora Woods

Forced together for a new D&D campaign, sparks fly as two former college rivals clash—both in and out of the game—in this blend of contemporary second-chance romance and fantasy from the author of Roll for Romance.

In college, Reagan Riley and Wesley Locke were constantly at each other's throats, competing to be the best in their video game design program, until their unexpected hookup and Wesley's sudden disappearance following it severed their ties for good.

Six years later, Reagan has set aside her game design dreams, opting instead to stay close to her family in Connecticut and channeling her creative energy into D&D. When her longstanding group falls apart, she and her sister join their local game store's new, advanced campaign—only to find the demanding Dungeon Master at the helm is none other than Wesley. In the game, he is Vadrien, a merciless, power-hungry vampire lord, and Reagan is Sindra, the sword-wielding lady knight who will stop at nothing to cut him down.

When a game design opportunity opens up in the real world, Reagan and Wesley find themselves doubly pitted against each other. But as their buried spark reignites and Reagan starts to question why Wesley left all those years ago, can they find a way to play nice—and are they playing for more than just to win?

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Enemies To Lovers, Second Chance

368 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 8, 2026

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow, I love discovering a new favorite author. Feels like a well deserved treat. Like, I'm already running to get her previous book right NOW.

I'm going to be honest — my knowledge for d&d only comes from baldur's gate 3, Dimension 20 and Stranger Things. Which is to say, not a whole lot. I still find myself obsessed with it. Like the vibes are perfect?? I love when authors who incorporate it make it easy to follow along.

And WOW, Lenora Woods did something so fun with this story. It's half a modern romance story about former college rivals to friends to lovers, and the other half is their campaign. Lenora fully immerses you in it and writes it in a way you slip so seamlessly right into the fantasy world before being dragged back to the real world. It was so much FUN.

The chemistry was on point. Had me going feral and crazy, begging them to just shut up and make out. The focus is definitely more on the plot than spice so that when the spice hits it's a nuclear bomb, so if that's your cup of tea this is perfect for you.

I fear this is also a case of loving the FMC too much. She was perfect and I won't take any slander against her. Reagan is my best friend. She can do no wrong. AND ALSO YES, Wesley is the perfect book boyfriend.

Thank you to Ballantine and netgalley for the arc!

[RootsfortheVillain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reagan and Wesley were college rivals, always trying to outdo each other in their video game design program. After an unexpected hookup, Wesley vanished without a word. Six years later, Reagan’s sister Mona convinces Reagan to join an advanced campaign at their local gaming store, since their last group fell apart. When they arrive for their first sessions, Reagan is shocked to see that the Dungeon Master is Wesley, who is staying with a friend after being laid off from his game design job. The two quickly revert to old rival habits when a game design opportunity arises. But will they be able to let go of the past and see if the old spark between them remains?

I loved Roll for Romance, so I was thrilled to see Lenora Woods had written another fun romance. What I enjoy most is that this book tells two stories. One follows Wesley and Reagan as rivals. The other is a gothic Dungeons & Dragons campaign with Vadrien, the vampire lord, and Sindra, the knight who wants to defeat him. I was just as eager to find out what would happen next in the campaign as I was to see if Wesley and Reagan could put aside their differences, work together, and maybe become something more. I fell in love with both stories and their characters. Readers who enjoy adult romances and are interested in Dungeons & Dragons or gaming in general will fall in love with Level Up for Love.

Level Up for Love is out September 8th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine for the opportunity to review Level Up for Love. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Dell for the advanced copy via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

I loved this one! After reading Roll for Romance, I was so excited for this one and it did not disappoint!! I thought Reagan and Wes had great tension and the reader could feel the tension rooted in their history. I feel like I learn so much about Dungeons and Dragons through Lenora Woods’ books! I loved how the storylines switched between the real world and the D&D world. It was such a great way of allowing the reader to get to know the characters better! Overall, this was a great read!!

[BookishKB]

🎲❤️ Level Up for Love ❤️🎲

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• Second Chance Romance
• College Rivals
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Nerdy Romance
• Forced Proximity
• Video Game Designers
• Enemies to Lovers
_ __ _

📅 Pub Date: September 8, 2026
Thank you to Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Mimi Schweid]

I fear this one's for meeee.

[katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLEASE this book was so good, so cute, so full of found family, and a yearning man who simps like no other!!!!! I loved roll for romance, so I was super excited to receive this ARC and I must say that Lenora has outdone herself with this one. Roller romance was a softer romance, and that it was two people meeting and falling in love pretty naturally whereas this book right out of the gate is rivals clashing with one another, but who have underlying chemistry and then, GASP! A BETRAYAL. Fast forward six years and they meet again still as rivals and still with that same underlying chemistry. And when I tell you this man is SO FOINE. Their banter and back-and-forth and tension was just so delicious and seeing the walls and inevitably crumble is one of the best parts of any good rivals to lovers. And I guess this is kind of also like a second chance if you think about it, which is one of my favorite tropes so really this was just a book made specifically for me as a lover of all these tropes and of Dungeons & Dragons.

Also, I must rave about the author’s ability to write essentially two books in one because half of this book is the contemporary romance and half of this book is the Dungeons & Dragons plot line written out like a fantasy novel. Both had me equally enraptured.

Also pretty much all of the characters in this book had dimension and were more than just sounding boards for the main characters, which is something that always bothers me in these kinds of books. Everyone had their own stuff going on and it just made the group feel more well-rounded.

I truly loved this book so much, and I look forward to anything that the author writes in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the advanced copy to review!

[Analisia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Level Up For Love by Lenora Woods ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely LOVED this book. I fell in love with this story and the way Lenora writes. The way she blended the main story with their D&D campaign was amazing. I found myself fully immersed in not only the main story, but also the characters’ campaign as well, it was just soooo freaking good. I found myself metaphorically sitting at the edge of my seat while reading the D&D campaign lol. This author knows ball when it comes to gaming, and this book shows it for sure, she’s someone I’d love to chat with about everything nerdy. She absolutely killed it with this book and I need more of her writing, especially the fantasy writing, like if Lenora announces she’s writing a fantasy book about a D&D campaign, I’m 100% buying it and reading it. I loved the two main characters so much, their rivalry being tangible and seeing the growth in both of them. The reality of change is so hard for people and seeing how change affects the characters was just so well done. I could NOT put this book down and read it in one day. I highly recommend this book, especially for the lovers of romance, nerdy things, and D&D.

✨Level Up For Love releases September 8th, 2026!✨

[Shameez Papathanasiou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book so good I’ve flooded the author’s DMs with reactions and begged for more.

ADD TO YOUR TBR.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolute 5 star read for me.
I haven’t been this invested in two people, and honestly a whole friend group, in a while. A perfect balance of an intricate D&D campaign with twists and turns and an equally balanced love story between two very misunderstood MCs.

Our FMC Reagan and MMC Wesley went to the same college together and were in the same major, video game development. TLDR after college they went their separate ways and had their own lives until 6 years later where this story takes place.
*brief vague spoilers*
Reagan and her sister (Ramona/ Mona) join a local D&D group that Mona’s girlfriend has been playing with and they’re starting a new campaign. I absolutely adored the push and pull between Wesley and Reagan. At first I found Reagan absolutely incredible rude how she acted after the first session and actually cringed thinking how I’d never let someone with that attitude back. But the more we got into the store the more Reagan (and Wesley’s) history and childhood start to paint the full picture
*no more spoilers*

I absolutely adored the D&D campaign story as well as our love story. Both of these being so well thought out and intricately detailed, I was enthralled through the whole book. I never wanted to put it down! Huge recommend this book (as well as the other D&D romance by Lenora Woods it’s incredible also)

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing/ Ballantine for this ARC!

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lenora woods does it again!!! and this time I was locked in the whole time. I felt more of a pull to these characters compared to her last novel. Using the same style as her last book; Lenora jumps back and forth between the d&d game with fantastical elements & combat into the real world with modern devices. She is able to seamlessly do these flips and shows her strength in both worlds. She had me tearing up towards the end too, and I do have a new favorite quote from it! (Will add after publication!)

only complaint is my anxiety regarding the third act conflict was so late in the book I was stressed. but I did love the ending and thought it was fitting and there was solid character development for the main characters.

thank you netgalley and Ballantine for the arc!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun mix of romance and fantasy! After really enjoying this author’s first book, I was excited to pick up her second. As with the first book, Roll for Romance, this book is centered on a Dungeons and Dragons campaign told on page, so it’s a neat combo of contemporary romance and a fantasy story.

This would be a good book to read in the coming months as it takes place in the fall in New England (always a special time) and the setting was perfect. There are not many books set in Connecticut so that was fun to read about…and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen my alma mater referenced in a fiction book before so that was really cool too!

I loved the fantasy story (the D&D game). Even though there are essentially two sets of characters in the book, I never had difficulty telling who was who between who they were in person vs in the game. I liked seeing the twists and turns and was just as annoyed as the characters were when their sessions ended on a cliffhanger!

The romance was enjoyable too. I liked both Wesley and Reagan as characters. Reagan has been through a lot and has difficulty letting people in. Wesley was her rival in college and so they have a bit of rivalry that has carried over into the present.

I also thought the book was really well written. I was drawn into this book almost immediately because it was so compelling and interesting yet also easy to read.

I will definitely keep an eye out for this author’s next book!



thank you to the publisher, Ballantine, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5!
Reagan's rival really raises her blood pressure. It's not enough that Wesley is the classmate who always had something to say about her game designs and builds, but now, he's shown up at her house party. They share a moment (you know) and he ghosts her completely. And stole her shirt!!
Years later, she's single after a tough breakup of both her boyfriend and the DnD group she ran. On a whim, she joins a local group with her sister (whose girlfriend is in the group) for a higher level campaign.
Can you guess who the DM is? Warlocke! Aka Wesley Locke, himself. Awkward and difficult, but they reach a truce! (And he runs a fun campaign!) Learning to play and work with Wesley is hard, but so is trying to keep her hands (and lips) off of him. The chemistry and pull is still there from six years ago, but so is the hurt and fear.
I loved Roll for Romance, but the tension and emotion that runs through this book makes it my favorite of the two! Lenora Woods effortlessly brings in the narrative of the DnD campaign, while still filling all of the characters with life and joy and emotion! I look forward to what she comes up with next!

[Sydney Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 Stars (I loved it!)
Level Up for Love by Lenora Woods is a great mix of heart and nerdy charm. The combination of geek culture, a fun D&D campaign, and falling in love made for a genuinely enjoyable read.
This is what some might call a "potato chip" book—it is easily binged, and the stakes are low enough that the third-act conflict doesn't feel earth-shattering. The characters are highly likable, relatable, and fundamentally well-crafted.
I especially loved the setting. Having a nerdy story take place in the Northeast was a refreshing change of pace, as D&D and video game-centric plots rarely seem to be set near bustling East Coast cities. As a massive fan of Vermont, the trip there earned major bonus points from me!
While I don't know if this story will heavily stand out to me over time, I had a wonderful time reading it. It is a fantastic palette cleanser for anyone who enjoys nerdy themes, and I will definitely be recommending it to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 5
💋 3
🌶️ 2

Having enjoyed Roll for Romance I knew I would enjoy Level Up For Love but I didn’t know that I would LOVE IT. Reagan and Wesley’s rivals to lovers story was so fun to read. Miscommunication is not a trope I usually enjoy but I think it works well for their story. I loved their banter, their tension, really everything about them. I related to Reagan and her struggles throughout the book. And Wesley … adore him. No notes on him other than I would like more … lol. I was not expecting to get hit in the feels but I was crying by the end of the book. Like with Roll for Romance the balance between the D&D story and main story felt very balanced. I really enjoyed how this book felt like the progression as a player. Roll for Romance is everyone first time playing and in Level Up For Love everyone is experienced players. It felt like the natural progression. Lenora is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I cannot wait to see what might come next.

[Jenn (myspookybookishlife) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
3🌶️

Wow I am absolutely loving these stories both the actual characters Wesley and Reagan and their D&D characters Sindra and Valdrien!! I’ve been totally sucked into this story from the beginning and can honestly say I loved seeing Reagan and Wesley’s banter. It legit felt like they were flirting the entire time even when they were fighting over something as silly as how Wes was running his campaign. And the amazing look into everything even the small things was beautiful. Watching these two come together again after how things ended and how much trauma Reagan had dealt with in the years they were apart was the most heartwarming experience ever. And the D&D adventure was absolutely incredible I’ve said it before but it makes you want to join a D&D campaign and go on your own adventure!!!

Thank you NetGalley, Dell and Lenora for allowing me to read this early!!!

[Anna DiCiurcio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a book that is outside the norm for me! This book is a rivals to lovers, second chance, and found family romance that follows Reagan and Wesley as they navigate having each other in their lives again. What I love about this book is it encompasses so much D&D in it. It’s one thing when a book follows characters through their lives and their interests, but it’s another to do it so impressively! The love story was so good and the spice was brief but great! I highly recommend this book if you want romance with a different plot!!

Thank you NetGalley, Ballantine, and Lenora Woods for allowing me to read this book!!

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Level Up For Love by Lenora Woods

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I just love a D and D romcom 🥰🥰There was a few things I predicted like who the DM was. I love the tv and movie references such as Twilight and Game of thrones. There was mentions of vampires, necromancers, and dragons. Also Sadie from book one popping in for a second I love!! This was a hate love relationship. Raegan has a lot of things she had to work though to get where we wanted it to end.

[Bookish Baptist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. I absolutely loved getting the gameplay aspect of the story as well as the irl character development. It genuinely felt like being part of a campaign. Loved all the insider jokes and references too, it really made me connect with the story personally because I felt like I was spending time with my own friend group. This book is perfect for Ali Hazelwood fans who love gaming. Great banter, a steamy romance, and relatable characters.

[Danielle]

I really enjoyed this one! I thought it struck a better balance between the real life story and the fantasy D&D story than the author's previous book and I liked the characters, especially Reagan. I love a prickly female protagonist, what can I say? The ending of the real life story felt a bit rushed but overall I recommend!

Thanks to Ballantine and Netgalley for the ARC ✌️

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ || 2.5 🌶️
Ugh, she’s blended another perfect mix of TTRPG and romance! Level Up for Love has the same split world flow as the first installment, and I think I actually enjoyed this storyline better. The number of blonde men I’m growing to love is actually alarming.

Reagan and Wesley have their own adventure both on and off the table when they first meet in their college game design program. The competition flares up after an *almost* one night stand, and Reagan is left confused by their entanglement even years later. As fate has it, Wesley appears back in her life as their new DM. Can he withstand the damage? 👀

Thank you to the author and Dell for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Tropes: rivals to lovers, he falls first, competition, second chance romance, romantasy side quest, one night stand, miscommunication

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley.

This book was everything my nerdy little heart needed. I’m a total sucker for second-chance romance and rivals-to-lovers, so this one had me hooked from the very beginning. There’s something so satisfying about characters with history and the tension between them felt real, layered and just messy enough in the best way.

What really made this stand out for me was how seamlessly the D&D campaign was woven into the story. The in-game dynamics mirror and amplify what’s happening in real life and it creates this playful, clever contrast between fantasy and reality. Watching the characters interact at the table while they’re navigating their own rivalry and unresolved feelings outside of it added so much depth to their chemistry—it’s flirty, competitive and full of those little moments that make you root for them.

The character development was also such a highlight. You really get a strong sense of who each person is, not just on the surface but in what motivates them, what they’re afraid of and how they grow. Their individual journeys feel just as important as the romance, which makes everything hit even harder when those paths start to intertwine.

Overall, this was such a fun, heartfelt read with just the right mix of nerdy charm, emotional depth, and romantic tension. I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves D&D, character-driven stories, and a romance that feels both playful and meaningful.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I loved this book!! The switching perspective between first person with the FMC and then to third person inside a DND campaign was fantastic and new for me. I was just ad engrossed in the story between the FMC and MMC as well as the DND campaign!! I loved how progression of the romance/relationship between Wesley and Reagan. You could feel the chemistry between them come off the page in so any ways!

Really enjoyed! I recommend!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley

I loved everything about this book and I'm adding it to my top favorite books of the year! This was my first book by Lenora Woods and I will definitely be reading more. I loved how the story wasn’t just focused on the rivals-to-lovers romance between Reagan and Wes, but also friendship and community. I really enjoyed the side story of the Dungeons & Dragons game interwoven throughout. As someone who has never played D&D, that part was presented in a way that didn’t require an extensive knowledge of the game; it actually inspired me to want to learn how to play. :) However, a one page glossary upfront, giving a very brief overview of the concept and rules of D&D, would have been a great supplement to the book for any D&D novices!

As for the romance, the emotional connection and spice between Reagan and Wes was done perfectly IMO. The author doesn't just tell you about the romance between characters, she shows it a way that is balanced and intimate. I was captivated until the end. Five Stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

[Cadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Roll for Romance, so when I received an invitation on NetGalley to an ARC of Level Up for Love, I was delighted! After reading it, I can now say I've found my favorite book.

Roll for Romance was a lot softer tonally, whereas Level Up for Love had more bite (pun intended). Reagan had some hard walls up at the start of this book, and it took a lot of work to break them all down. They were realistic, though, and every time you wanted to just take her by the shoulders and shake her and say, "Get it together!", she did it on her own. Lenora Woods did such a fantastic job of making Reagan a real and relatable character, and despite her flaws, she was deeply loveable. She reminded me of me in a lot of ways - eldest daughters always understand something no one else will, and as an eldest daughter, Reagan really spoke to my heart.

Wesley was a delight of an MMC. He challenged Reagan, but he also showed her kindness and patience. I liked that he could balance going head-to-head with her while also showing her that not everything has to be a battle. It was nice, as a reader, to only get the bits and pieces of him that Reagan was getting. Sometimes dual POV can be fun, but sometimes it can take the joy out of the characters discovering each other. With the story only being told through Reagan's eyes, we get to learn who Wesley is right along with her. Some things she doesn't learn until later in the book, and at the same time she was learning it, I realized, "Huh, I never realized I didn't know that either. There's more for us to learn about him!" It made uncovering the character of Wesley that much more fun.

Their love story was at times infuriating but always believable. I liked how realistic their relationship felt, especially with the walls Reagan had up and the way Wesley gently tried to reach her beyond them. Even though a certain plot point towards the end of the book made me a little annoyed and frustrated, I loved how and when Lenora resolved it.

The pacing throughout the book was spot-on. Lenora never let something linger for too long. Sometimes books will drop a hint at the FMC or MMC's mysterious past at the beginning, and they'll just hit the reader over the head with this secret over and over again for ages without actually revealing what it is. It almost feels like they're proud of themselves for the mystery they came up with and delight in keeping it a secret. But Lenora balanced mystery with pacing beautifully. Small details and hints are dropped right at the beginning, but they're fleshed out and given more depth and explanation early on and aren't dragged out forever.

The D&D campaign within this book was phenomenal. As I am currently playing Curse of Strahd with my own D&D group, this was a special treat for me! I loved the way Lenora wrote her own version of the vampire overlord curse plaguing a kingdom. She truly gave it a lot of depth and new ideas and twists and made it her own in such a unique way. The way she wrote the in-game portions of this book was pure perfection. It felt exactly as immersive as playing D&D feels, and she captured the magic and epic fantasy and battles and sweeping emotions so wonderfully!

The side characters were just as much of a treat as the rest of this book. They were all written well and given distinct personalities that brought a lot of life and dynamic energy to both the book as a whole and the D&D party.

I feel like I could write a dissertation on how much I loved this book. I've already pre-ordered with Lenora's exciting pre-order campaign through Lovestruck Books because I simply cannot wait to have this book physically in my hands and on my shelf. It is truly my new favorite book and I look forward to rereading it over and over again for years to come!

THANK YOU to NetGalley for the ARC! Please continue to send me an ARC for everything Lenora writes!

[Aamira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was just as fun as the first novel. I really enjoyed the story within a story and thought that Woods interwove them quite seamlessly. With a delightful motley crew of characters and witty banter, Level Up For Love is an enjoyable romance that you don’t want to put down.

Reagan and Wesley first meet in college. The two become fierce rivals who try to outmaneuver the other. After years of competing against each other, the fire between them burns hot when the pair hook up at Reagan’s graduation party. Thinking they’ve turned a corner, Reagan is shocked to find that Wesley disappears the following day without a word. Six years later, the two run into each other when Reagan’s sister invites her to join a new D&D group that Wesley is the DM of. Can the two move forward from their past and play nice?

The set up for Reagan and Wesley’s previous relationship was really well done. There’s no need to linger in the past longer than we need to, and I was glad that there wasn’t a dual timeline. We get a sense of who they were and the relationship dynamic, and I felt it was just enough for us to see the arc of their relationship as the story progresses. Both characters were great, though I would say that Reagan had the stronger character arc. Reagan has had a difficult past. When she was in high school she and her sister were involved in a horrific car accident caused by her father who had been drinking. The result of this accident left her sister in the hospital for weeks followed by intensive rehab. Shortly after this, their father abandons them. Add to the mix a huge betrayal by her former D&D group, and you have someone with a fear of abandonment. While it’s admirable that she’s close to her sister, she has closed herself off from her dream of designing video games because she believes loving someone means staying. Is it any wonder she would hold a grudge towards Wesley for leaving without a word after an intimate night together? No. What Woods does well is that she doesn’t drag this grudge out for long. Reagan does come to see Wesley as the person he is in the present and though things do start off rocky, the relationship unfolds at the perfect pace. That’s not easy to do.

I also think Woods struck the right chord as to the dynamic of their relationship. They were competitive with each other and fully acknowledged that they made each other better as a result, but they were never cruel to one another. I dislike enemies to lovers novels in which the MC’s are downright mean to each other because it makes you wonder how in the world are these two meant to fall in love. This had the perfect balance and witty banter to pull it off.

Wesley was a great character as well, though his backstory wasn’t as rich as Reagan’s. It makes sense as it’s told from her point of view, but I would’ve loved to know how he fell in love with D&D. That being said I enjoyed how much he believed in Reagan. Sure he egged her on, but it was never done maliciously. I particularly enjoyed the gym scene. It was a nice turning point in the novel.

The side characters were fun, and I enjoyed their alter egos. Reagan and Mona had such a lovely, supportive relationship. I genuinely enjoyed their shared love of D&D. It was heartwarming to see them be a part of something together. The camaraderie of the group really shines through even more in the D&D scenes. It was fun to see each in their characters, which I felt were realistic extensions of themselves in their real lives.

I’ve never played D&D, but this novel makes me want to try it out. The endings in both the D&D campaign and the novel were extremely satisfying. I can honestly say that I enjoyed both stories equally. That’s a credit to Woods’s talent.

[Rachel F · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded, with highlights for readability, enjoyment, and the setting/world building.

Reagan Riley lets her college rival Wesley Locke thaw her heart out just a little, only for him to disappear on her. Six years later, after her D&D party implodes in an event dubbed the Cataclysm, Reagan has her walls up and is coping poorly. To support her sister Ramona, Reagan joins her in a new D&D campaign only to find Wesley, her college rival and ghoster, is the beloved D&D Dungeon Master. The old sparks fly and competition heats up in and out of the dungeon room as old wounds resurface. Learning parallel lessons, the story follows both Reagan and her D&D character as they navigate new worlds, new relationships, old wounds, and determining when to fight when to let go.

This was a fun and nerdy book that was quite easy to read. The format is maybe 3/5 real world with Reagan and 2/5 in the D&D world which helped the plot go along well. Besides the fun of it, especially for the nerds out there, the world building is this book’s biggest strength. The real-world setting is in New Haven, CT, in the Fall, and the descriptors were great. The D&D campaign takes place in Moros which has fallen under a curse of some sort that physically has blighted and cast an oppressive air upon the land. Woods does a good job building Moros to the point that Wesley’s reputation as a great Dungeon Master is completely believable. Then, we see both Reagan and her D&D character go through their own stories which produce parallel lessons in the end.

That leads me to the things that I feel could have been better. The themes of the book were barely there until they were hit hard in the last 10%. While they are not bad in and of themselves, they could have been interwoven better. Shown rather than told. I think part of that, though, was due to how shallow the characters were. Clearly the FMC was relationally stunted and continued to make poor decisions for much of the book. While there was some growth and letting go in the end it felt fairly minor and pretty basic. The romance itself, though we were rooting for them, felt primarily based on attraction, intimacy, and shared hobbies rather than a relational connection. Meaning, this was an entertaining, yet somewhat shallow, book.

Content: recreational drug use, partying, casual sleeping around, swearing (1-5 words per chapter), devil worship and devil bargains in the gameplay, and a prominent LGBT relationship. Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 for me. Several open-door scenes but the descriptions were not crude. The decision to round down was mainly due to these considerations.

This book is great for the nerdy readers out there who enjoy gaming and happy endings. Not for someone who hates gaming or would be disappointed at the lack of relational depth.

Many thanks to Lenora Woods, Ballantine, and NetGalley for providing an electronic copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[PJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some niche romance novels rely on gimmick. Level Up for Love succeeds because it understands the niche from the inside. This is not simply a romance novel decorated with dice and dragons. It is a romance built with real affection for tabletop gaming culture, and that authenticity gives it real charm.

Lenora Woods once again delivers a reading experience that feels like getting two stories at once. On one side, there is a contemporary romance built around tension, chemistry, and emotional payoff. On the other, there is an imaginative tabletop campaign that runs alongside the relationship arc. Rather than competing with each other, the two threads strengthen one another. The fantasy adventure adds fun and momentum, while the real-world romance gives emotional stakes to what happens around the table.

Character work is one of the strongest aspects of the novel. Wesley is especially effective because of how aggressively unlikable he feels at the beginning. The story asks the reader to carry real frustration toward him, which makes the eventual reversal all the more satisfying. When an author can take a character from disliked to desirable without feeling manipulative, that is skill. His chemistry with Reagan is strong throughout, and once the emotional walls begin to drop, the relationship becomes easy to root for.

Pacing is the one area where the novel occasionally loses some momentum. The opening is engaging, and the payoff is rewarding, but the middle section drifted for me more than I expected. I never disliked the book, but there were stretches where I felt less urgency to keep turning pages. That is a minor issue rather than a major flaw, but it keeps the book just below top-tier status.

Where Lenora Woods truly separates herself is in voice and authenticity. The references to class-specific abilities, premium gaming tables like Wyrmwood, and virtual tabletops never feel forced or performative. They feel lived in. This book reads like it was written by someone who genuinely knows the joy of a home game and understands why those spaces matter. That makes the story feel welcoming rather than market-tested.

⭐ Category Breakdown ⭐
Storytelling: 5.0
Two stories in one: a strong romance and a fun tabletop adventure.

Character Work: 4.0
Wesley’s full reversal arc works beautifully, and the chemistry lands.

Pacing: 3.5
Mid-book loses some urgency, though the ending rewards sticking with it.

Prose & Style: 5.0
Authentic, warm, and full of real gaming culture details.

Emotional Impact: 4.0
Easy to recommend, especially for romance readers and gamers alike.

⭐ Final Rating ⭐
Average: 4.3 -> 4.0 stars

Final Thoughts
Lenora Woods is quickly becoming an auto-read author because she understands something many crossover novels miss: loving a hobby matters more than referencing it.

This book has heart, humor, and enough tabletop soul to feel genuine. If you enjoyed Roll for Romance, this one deserves a spot on your radar immediately.

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
video games 🤝 fake dating 🤝 "we're definitely just pretending... right?"
okay but...give me a romance that revolves around gaming and i'm already halfway convinced.
add fake dating some nerdy references, convention vibes and two people who are clearly catching feelings while insisting they're "just helping each other"...yeah, this was absolutely my kind of fun.
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what i loved was THE NERDY REPRESENTATION.
this book embraces gaming culture without making it feel like a gimmick.
the references, the community and the passion the characters have for games all felt genuine and i really appreciated that.
as someone who loves when hobbies become an important part of a romance, this completely worked for me.
the chemistry between the main characters was also really sweet, their relationship grows naturally through shared interests and spending time together which made it easy to root for them.
i'm always a sucker for fake dating because everyone except the characters seems to know exactly where things are headed...and this book definitely delivered on those moments.
there were plenty of scenes that had me smiling.
i also liked that the story wasn't just about romance.
it touches on confidence, finding your place, chasing your passions and learning that it's okay to be unapologetically yourself.
those quieter moments gave the story a lot of heart.
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BUT...
i did think the pacing slowed down a little in the middle.
there were a few sections where the relationship seemed to circle the same emotional conflict before finally moving forward.
i also would've loved just a little more tension between the characters.
the romance is undeniably cute, but i wanted a few more moments that really made my heart ache before everything came together and while the gaming aspect was one of my favorite parts, readers who aren't familiar with gaming culture might not connect with it quite as much.
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overall this was such a charming, feel-good romance.
it's cozy, nerdy and full of heart, with characters that are easy to root for and a romance that left me smiling.
sometimes i don't need the most dramatic love story...
sometimes i just want two adorable nerds falling for each other over a shared hobby.
and this delivered exactly that.
so if you like fake dating, gamer romance, fandom and convention settings, cozy contemporary romance and books that celebrate being unapologetically nerdy...i think you'll have a great time with this one.

My final thoughts;
i came for the fake dating...
i stayed because apparently two gamers accidentally falling in love is a guaranteed way to win me over. 🎮🩷✨

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

[Rachael Jakubowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Ballantine and Netgalley for the arc!

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️ Nat Twenties all around

Lenora Woods’ Level Up for Love is an absolute triumph of contemporary romantic fiction, deftly executing a dual-narrative structure that bridges the mundane realities of adult compromise with the vivid, high-stakes topography of a Dungeons & Dragons tabletop campaign. It is, to borrow a phrase from game design itself, a masterclass in ludonarrative resonance—where the mechanics of the characters' fictional gameplay perfectly mirror their psychological friction in the real world.

At its core, the novel interrogates the classic enemies-to-lovers trope through the specialized lens of academic and professional rivalry. Six years post-grad, Reagan Riley is a protagonist defined by her sublimated ambitions; having anchored herself to Connecticut for family reasons, her creative agency has been compartmentalized into the safe, structured confines of TTRPGs (Tabletop Role-Playing Games).

Enter Wesley Locke: the ghost of her collegiate past, former academic competitor, and the architect of her most profound vulnerability. When Wesley resurfaces not just as an adversary for a coveted game design position, but as the literal Dungeon Master of her new campaign, Woods brilliantly establishes a dual battlefield:

* The Macrocosm (The Real World): A tense, zero-sum competition for professional validation and answers to a six-year-old abandonment.
* The Microcosm (The Tabletop): A metaphorical blood-feud between Wesley’s villainous, control-freak vampire lord, Vadrien, and Reagan’s relentless, righteous paladin-archetype knight, Sindra.

What elevates Level Up for Love above standard contemporary romance fare is Woods’ refusal to treat the gaming elements as mere window dressing. The D&D sessions function as a psychological sandbox. Safe behind the shields of their respective character sheets, Reagan and Wesley engage in a subtextual dialogue that they are too proud, or too wounded, to initiate in reality.

The prose is sharp, witty, and deeply steeped in the lexicon of the subculture without ever becoming exclusionary. Woods understands that a great Dungeon Master manipulates the environment to test the players, but a great author manipulates the environment to break the characters' emotional defenses.

The tension is palpable, balanced beautifully between the cerebral thrill of intellectual combat and the agonizing, slow-burn heat of unresolved attraction. When the narrative inevitably forces them to question the validity of their past rivalry, the resolution feels earned—less like a concession of defeat, and more like a perfectly executed cooperative campaign.

For readers who appreciate a romance with a high intelligence quotient, meticulous pacing, and an authentic reverence for nerd culture, this book is an essential addition to your shelves. It is a poignant exploration of second chances, the terrifying vulnerability of laying down one's armour, and the realisation that sometimes, the ultimate endgame isn't winning—it's finding a co-op partner for life.

[Jazelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Level Up for Love Book Review 🦇

What's your favorite video game?❓
What kind of character would you make for a DND campaign?❓

My Thoughts 🦇
So, fun fact: I finished reading this book a DAY before creating my first DND (Obojima) character. The timing was absolutely perfect; this book really immersed me in that fantasy feeling. I LOVED swapping between the real-life second chance romance and the DND adventure; both felt real and immersive.

There's a line at the beginning of this book that captures it all so effectively: "We're both very good, but we play very differently. We've got different strengths. If we were playing a game where we didn't have to kill each other, we'd make a great team." Reagan and Wes are well-balanced, either as enemies or lovers. When they come together

I have three younger sisters, so I COMPLETELY feel all of Reagan's protectiveness. I adored that character motivations; it gave her such realistic depth while explaining so much about her choices.

The slow burn in this second chance romance is TANTALIZING. It sizzles on every page, and the character development / growth makes that long-going tension well worth it.

Lenora Woods does an amazing job of speaking directly to her readers through her characters: "Regardless of the game you're playing, I believe the best stories are told only when you connect with the characters in them." These characters, EVERY character, are so easy to connect with.

As always, I ADORED the found family aspect. It doesn't come instanteously, either; Reagan has to learn how to open herself up to it.

I'm SO glad we don't find out the reason for Wes' disappearance until we're deep into the story. That hold out really let the tension built. Unfortunately, I don't find his excuse a convincing enough reason for his actions (I do, however, understand and empathize with the depth of hurt it causes Reagan). Not admitting the reason does speak to his regret, though; he recognizes it's a faulty reason now that time has passed.

Recommended to fans of Dungeons and Drama, Fan Service, The Rival, or Dungeon Crawler Carl (but with romance). 🦇

The Vibes ✨
College / Academic Rivals to Lovers (Kinda)
Enemies to Lovers
Second Chance Romance
Dual Stories (Real Life vs a DND Campaign)
Yearning
Slow Burn
Competition
Interconnected Standalone Romance
Found Family
Forgiveness and Healing
Contemporary Romance
Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Quest
Forced Proximity
Video Game Designers
DM & Player
Black Cat x Black Cat
Lady Knight x Evil Yet Redeemable Vampire

Major thanks to Lenora Woods and Ballantine / Dell for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #LevelUpforLove 🦇

Quotes 💬
We're both very good, but we play very differently. We've got different strengths. If we were playing a game where we didn't have to kill each other, we'd make a great team.

Regardless of the game you're playing, I believe the best stories are told only when you connect with the characters in them.

"I want as much as you'll give me."