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Gaming and Romance #3
Dados & Disputas – Um romance para fãs de RPG do mesmo universo de "Dungeons & Drama"
Roll the dice, strike up the band, and get ready for a swoon-worthy summer! A charming gaming romance that blends the magic of D&D with the camaraderie of band camp--from the bestselling author of Dating and Dragons!
Hazel’s senior year at band camp is set to be epic—until Max, her childhood crush turned drum-playing troublemaker, waltzes back into town.Their sections have always been rivals, but a shared love for Dungeons & Dragons pulls them together, sparking a romance Hazel never saw coming.
Just when things feel perfect, rumors Did Max ask her out because of a lost bet? With band drama mounting and her first D&D game spiraling, Hazel must prove their love—and her leadership—are the real deal.A swoony, nerdy romance full of rivalry, redemption, and roll-the-dice chemistry from the bestselling author of Dating and Dragons!
Hazel’s senior year at band camp is set to be epic—until Max, her childhood crush turned drum-playing troublemaker, waltzes back into town.Their sections have always been rivals, but a shared love for Dungeons & Dragons pulls them together, sparking a romance Hazel never saw coming.
Just when things feel perfect, rumors Did Max ask her out because of a lost bet? With band drama mounting and her first D&D game spiraling, Hazel must prove their love—and her leadership—are the real deal.A swoony, nerdy romance full of rivalry, redemption, and roll-the-dice chemistry from the bestselling author of Dating and Dragons!
375 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Kristy Boyce
7 books1,717 followersKristy Boyce lives in Columbus, OH and teaches psychology as a senior lecturer at The Ohio State University.
When she’s not spending time with her husband and son, she’s usually writing, reading, putting together fairy gardens, or watching happy reality TV (The Great British Bake-Off and So You Think You Can Dance are perennial favorites).
Kristy is the social media coordinator for Central and Southern Ohio SCBWI.
When she’s not spending time with her husband and son, she’s usually writing, reading, putting together fairy gardens, or watching happy reality TV (The Great British Bake-Off and So You Think You Can Dance are perennial favorites).
Kristy is the social media coordinator for Central and Southern Ohio SCBWI.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,029 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 stars
after thinking about it, i decided to raise my rating to 4 stars because this was SO CUTE 😭💗 (is 2026 going to be the year for me?!?) i felt like i was getting wrapped in a warm hug the entire time 🥹 THIS is what YA romances should strive to be — adorable, nostalgic, fun, and a little bit cheesy are all you need
’rolls and rivalry’ follows max and hazel, two members of the marching band.. but they’re in different sections that hate each other. when they meet again when max moves back to hazel’s city, their personalities clash, which is just fueled by their sections’ feud in band. throughout the book, we follow their journey in getting to know each other again. and let me say firsthand it was so cute! 💛 the book starts when they’re in a band camp over the summer and the vibes that that camp already gave off was amazing. having water balloon fights, playing childish games together, etc. warmed my heart. this book gave me such a pure sense of nostalgia and a yearning for the “american highschool experience”.
there were several moments that were cringy (e.g. the fmc saying “omigod” multiple times) but honestly, when i think about this book, the overall sentiment is pure happiness — so i’m willing to overlook those instances.
but overall, this was such a cute and fun book! i’m definitely going to be reading all of Kristy boyce’s backlist now 🫶🏻
thank you so much to netgalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹
ᝰ ⋆ ── preread ✶
time for a cute romance in the midst of all these depressing reads ! and i have the honor of reading this with my beautiful girl rei 💛.
thank you to netgalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
after thinking about it, i decided to raise my rating to 4 stars because this was SO CUTE 😭💗 (is 2026 going to be the year for me?!?) i felt like i was getting wrapped in a warm hug the entire time 🥹 THIS is what YA romances should strive to be — adorable, nostalgic, fun, and a little bit cheesy are all you need
’rolls and rivalry’ follows max and hazel, two members of the marching band.. but they’re in different sections that hate each other. when they meet again when max moves back to hazel’s city, their personalities clash, which is just fueled by their sections’ feud in band. throughout the book, we follow their journey in getting to know each other again. and let me say firsthand it was so cute! 💛 the book starts when they’re in a band camp over the summer and the vibes that that camp already gave off was amazing. having water balloon fights, playing childish games together, etc. warmed my heart. this book gave me such a pure sense of nostalgia and a yearning for the “american highschool experience”.
there were several moments that were cringy (e.g. the fmc saying “omigod” multiple times) but honestly, when i think about this book, the overall sentiment is pure happiness — so i’m willing to overlook those instances.
but overall, this was such a cute and fun book! i’m definitely going to be reading all of Kristy boyce’s backlist now 🫶🏻
thank you so much to netgalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹
ᝰ ⋆ ── preread ✶
time for a cute romance in the midst of all these depressing reads ! and i have the honor of reading this with my beautiful girl rei 💛.
thank you to netgalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2026
╰┈➤4 stars!
this book is finally out! read it read it read it!
alexa play ruin the friendship by taylor swift 💛✨🫧🥹
kristy boyce did it for the 3rd time around, y’all! can someone just please play D&D with me? this is just screaming YA vibes and i’m so sat for it! so excited for this to be out because it’s such a great book, i’m not even kidding!
୨ৎ hazel. she’s the eldest daughter, and i am too. i feel like that says enough already but, oh my gosh, i feel so seen. the pressure she feels is so real, and i truly can relate to her to another level!
୨ৎ max. i understand him for acting like a jerk, honestly. i’m just glad he redeemed himself before i fully turned my back on him and dislike him forever. he has his own struggles, and you’ll truly understand him once you get the full context as to “why” he acts the way he is.
hazel and max are honestly the cutest! the way she describes how max looks at him, i knew that he was down bad for her and is only hiding it behind the bets they make! i looooove high school romances so much because it’s just so adorable and endearing, you know? the little hope you get when you see them looking at you, when they interact with you, and just basically everything in between!
this book is just the perfect book for anyone who puts way too much pressure on themselves because of the fear of disappointing the people around them. it gives such a message on how it affects us, and our relationships with the people we don’t want to disappoint.
life doesn’t end after high school, and it’s okay to not win everything. high school is high school, live in it but don’t make your world revolve around it. give yourself time to have fun with your friends, and not be all serious with the extra-curricular activities. in the end, it’s meant to really give us a break from the academics we do! 💛✨
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review!
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
my first ever buddy read with ivy bb 🥹💛 i saw that she got the e-arc for this as well and just messaged her and ask if she wants to br it 🤭 fortunately, she agreed to read it with me so here we are! ✨🫧 i really enjoyed the first two books of this series and i hope that we’ll both enjoy this one too ✨🤞🏼💛
this book is finally out! read it read it read it!
alexa play ruin the friendship by taylor swift 💛✨🫧🥹
kristy boyce did it for the 3rd time around, y’all! can someone just please play D&D with me? this is just screaming YA vibes and i’m so sat for it! so excited for this to be out because it’s such a great book, i’m not even kidding!
୨ৎ hazel. she’s the eldest daughter, and i am too. i feel like that says enough already but, oh my gosh, i feel so seen. the pressure she feels is so real, and i truly can relate to her to another level!
୨ৎ max. i understand him for acting like a jerk, honestly. i’m just glad he redeemed himself before i fully turned my back on him and dislike him forever. he has his own struggles, and you’ll truly understand him once you get the full context as to “why” he acts the way he is.
hazel and max are honestly the cutest! the way she describes how max looks at him, i knew that he was down bad for her and is only hiding it behind the bets they make! i looooove high school romances so much because it’s just so adorable and endearing, you know? the little hope you get when you see them looking at you, when they interact with you, and just basically everything in between!
this book is just the perfect book for anyone who puts way too much pressure on themselves because of the fear of disappointing the people around them. it gives such a message on how it affects us, and our relationships with the people we don’t want to disappoint.
life doesn’t end after high school, and it’s okay to not win everything. high school is high school, live in it but don’t make your world revolve around it. give yourself time to have fun with your friends, and not be all serious with the extra-curricular activities. in the end, it’s meant to really give us a break from the academics we do! 💛✨
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review!
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
my first ever buddy read with ivy bb 🥹💛 i saw that she got the e-arc for this as well and just messaged her and ask if she wants to br it 🤭 fortunately, she agreed to read it with me so here we are! ✨🫧 i really enjoyed the first two books of this series and i hope that we’ll both enjoy this one too ✨🤞🏼💛
May 16, 2026
One of these always brings me down from a book high were I find myself in such a slump it's depressing. This book was fun and easy, exactly what I needed. I actually liked the band geeks premise. Never played D&D before but thinking I might want to try it!
January 30, 2026
3.75 stars
𐙚 ˙ ˖
as someone who was in band in high school, this was such a comforting and nostalgic read 🥹 it’s bittersweet to be reminded of how simple life was back then, with all the silly rivalries and heart-fluttering crushes. highly recommend to anyone looking for a light read with wholesome characters <3
ⓘ thank you to netgalley and random house for the arc!
as someone who was in band in high school, this was such a comforting and nostalgic read 🥹 it’s bittersweet to be reminded of how simple life was back then, with all the silly rivalries and heart-fluttering crushes. highly recommend to anyone looking for a light read with wholesome characters <3
ⓘ thank you to netgalley and random house for the arc!
May 31, 2026
Rolls and Rivalry is the 3rd-book in Kristy Boyce's YA-Romance series now called Gaming and Romance. I could be mistaken, but I believe this series used to be known as the Dungeons and Drama series.
Regardless of the series title, these are a set of companion novels that all involve RPG-Gaming, in particular, as you might have assumed, Dungeons & Dragons.
These novels are companions really in theme-only, meaning there's not a lot of character crossover. Therefore, you are free to read them in any order.
There are very small cameos of past characters, but I don't feel like if you miss the reference it will cause you to enjoy the book any less. The cameos are more like Easter Egg bonuses for loyal Readers.
In this installment, we follow Hazel, who is getting ready to enter her Senior year in high school. Hazel has been an active participant in her high school Color Guard since she was a Freshman, and we start the novel with Band Camp.
Hazel is now Color Guard Captain and feels a lot of pressure in that role. She's striving to gain respect for herself and her fellow Guard members with the rest of the marching band, who seem to look down on them.
In the midst of all of this pressure, Hazel's best friend from childhood, Max, returns to their school after having moved away following his parent's divorce.
Hazel is initially excited to have him back, to have a chance to rekindle their friendship. Admittedly, Hazel had a bit of a crush on him when they were younger, and upon seeing him again, she can tell that hasn't changed.
But Max is a member of percussion, and those two groups, percussion and the Guard, do not get along. In fact, Max seems to be falling into the jerk percussion role well. He gives her the cold shoulder in front of everyone.
Unfortunately, Max is showing up at her house every Sunday, just like the old days, because his Mom has rejoined Hazel's parent's D&D group.
Hazel is finally at a point where she is ready to run her own D&D group, and since people aren't exactly lining up at her door to join, she offers to have Max join. He's super into D&D, and he's at her house on the weekends anyway. He's also easy on the eyes; it just makes sense.
Also joining them are Hazel's best friend, and two younger members of the band, one Guard member, and one percussion member. Look at Hazel, building bridges.
D&D is a fairly intimate game. You really come to mesh with the people you're playing with. You bond over the campaign as you batter around ideas and create whole new worlds with your joint creativity and imagination.
As you can imagine, with their preexisting relationship, Hazel and Max start to see each other again with fresh eyes. Maybe their constant bickering is masking other feelings they're too afraid to express...
This was so, so good. Kristy Boyce writes such fun and realistic characters. The relationships are also always so endearing and compelling.
I love how the D&D group was incorporated into this. There was just enough details of game nights and the campaign for my liking. It never overshadowed the rest of the story, which I appreciated.
I had moments where the marching band element seemed a bit too much for me. It's not something I could relate too as it wasn't part of my experience, but it was a huge part of Hazel's experience, and because I came to care about her so much, I came to care about the band's success.
I think around the 40%-point, that's when I was truly pulled in. I was waffling initially, but the cuteness soon started to come out and I was hooked.
I feel like Hazel showed a lot of positive growth over the course of the story. She started to stand up for herself more, including with her Mom, who was a bit overbearing. I also loved seeing Hazel and Max get their friendship back. Romance aside, being friends first is so important to me, and I love how Boyce developed it here.
I would highly recommend this to YA Romance Readers, or anyone who is looking for true to life representation of RPG in their stories. All of the books are super cute. Read one, read them all. I'm very happy that I have.
Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Romance, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to whatever Kristy Boyce releases next!
Regardless of the series title, these are a set of companion novels that all involve RPG-Gaming, in particular, as you might have assumed, Dungeons & Dragons.
These novels are companions really in theme-only, meaning there's not a lot of character crossover. Therefore, you are free to read them in any order.
There are very small cameos of past characters, but I don't feel like if you miss the reference it will cause you to enjoy the book any less. The cameos are more like Easter Egg bonuses for loyal Readers.
In this installment, we follow Hazel, who is getting ready to enter her Senior year in high school. Hazel has been an active participant in her high school Color Guard since she was a Freshman, and we start the novel with Band Camp.
Hazel is now Color Guard Captain and feels a lot of pressure in that role. She's striving to gain respect for herself and her fellow Guard members with the rest of the marching band, who seem to look down on them.
In the midst of all of this pressure, Hazel's best friend from childhood, Max, returns to their school after having moved away following his parent's divorce.
Hazel is initially excited to have him back, to have a chance to rekindle their friendship. Admittedly, Hazel had a bit of a crush on him when they were younger, and upon seeing him again, she can tell that hasn't changed.
But Max is a member of percussion, and those two groups, percussion and the Guard, do not get along. In fact, Max seems to be falling into the jerk percussion role well. He gives her the cold shoulder in front of everyone.
Unfortunately, Max is showing up at her house every Sunday, just like the old days, because his Mom has rejoined Hazel's parent's D&D group.
Hazel is finally at a point where she is ready to run her own D&D group, and since people aren't exactly lining up at her door to join, she offers to have Max join. He's super into D&D, and he's at her house on the weekends anyway. He's also easy on the eyes; it just makes sense.
Also joining them are Hazel's best friend, and two younger members of the band, one Guard member, and one percussion member. Look at Hazel, building bridges.
D&D is a fairly intimate game. You really come to mesh with the people you're playing with. You bond over the campaign as you batter around ideas and create whole new worlds with your joint creativity and imagination.
As you can imagine, with their preexisting relationship, Hazel and Max start to see each other again with fresh eyes. Maybe their constant bickering is masking other feelings they're too afraid to express...
This was so, so good. Kristy Boyce writes such fun and realistic characters. The relationships are also always so endearing and compelling.
I love how the D&D group was incorporated into this. There was just enough details of game nights and the campaign for my liking. It never overshadowed the rest of the story, which I appreciated.
I had moments where the marching band element seemed a bit too much for me. It's not something I could relate too as it wasn't part of my experience, but it was a huge part of Hazel's experience, and because I came to care about her so much, I came to care about the band's success.
I think around the 40%-point, that's when I was truly pulled in. I was waffling initially, but the cuteness soon started to come out and I was hooked.
I feel like Hazel showed a lot of positive growth over the course of the story. She started to stand up for herself more, including with her Mom, who was a bit overbearing. I also loved seeing Hazel and Max get their friendship back. Romance aside, being friends first is so important to me, and I love how Boyce developed it here.
I would highly recommend this to YA Romance Readers, or anyone who is looking for true to life representation of RPG in their stories. All of the books are super cute. Read one, read them all. I'm very happy that I have.
Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Romance, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to whatever Kristy Boyce releases next!
May 10, 2026
"I’ve missed everything about you. There’s no one else in the world like you..."
---
More of a band book than a game book.
Which is fine, but not what I was expecting.
I didn't like the bets, I didn't like that some things happened with no repercussions, I didn't like that our MFC only at the very end had the talk with her mom...
---
Bring on the fluffiness
---
More of a band book than a game book.
Which is fine, but not what I was expecting.
I didn't like the bets, I didn't like that some things happened with no repercussions, I didn't like that our MFC only at the very end had the talk with her mom...
---
Bring on the fluffiness
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Kristy Boyce, Random House Children's Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! Rolls and Rivalry releases on May 5th!
Overall Rating: 5 / 5 ⭐
Spice Rating: 0 / 5 (It's YA!)
Did I stay up until 3am to finish reading this? Yes. Yes I did.
Rolls and Rivalry was suuuuuch a heartwarming, nerdy, fun read that transported me back to high school.
As a former marching band kid, and a lover of Dungeons and Dragons, I knew this book would be right up my alley! Kristy Boyce truly showcased her knowledge of both worlds in this one!
Hazel, our FMC, is sooo resonant of people pleasing eldest daughters who just want to make their parents proud. I felt like I could relate to her so easily.
And Max, our MMC, starts off acting like... well, a jerk, due to his own issues. But he quickly becomes such a sweetheart once things finally kicked off.
Reading about these two butting heads, competing against eachother, wanting eachother to lose... Then slowly rekindling their friendship, falling in love, and rooting for eachother to win and do their best? That was such amazing progression. It all felt so organic and so heartfelt.
I cannot forget about the friendship and relationships made between the side characters! Hazel's friends and the rest of the colorguard were so sweet. It lowkey made me miss my old section back when I was in marching band too.
Also, the cameos from the other books in this series? I was so happy to see past characters returning.
Overall.. Such a good book. I can't wait to see what else Kristy Boyce has in store for us readers!
♡ pre-read ♡
I was OVERJOYED when I received this ARC. This series is the cutest. Can't wait to dig in!
Overall Rating: 5 / 5 ⭐
Spice Rating: 0 / 5 (It's YA!)
Did I stay up until 3am to finish reading this? Yes. Yes I did.
Rolls and Rivalry was suuuuuch a heartwarming, nerdy, fun read that transported me back to high school.
As a former marching band kid, and a lover of Dungeons and Dragons, I knew this book would be right up my alley! Kristy Boyce truly showcased her knowledge of both worlds in this one!
Hazel, our FMC, is sooo resonant of people pleasing eldest daughters who just want to make their parents proud. I felt like I could relate to her so easily.
And Max, our MMC, starts off acting like... well, a jerk, due to his own issues. But he quickly becomes such a sweetheart once things finally kicked off.
Reading about these two butting heads, competing against eachother, wanting eachother to lose... Then slowly rekindling their friendship, falling in love, and rooting for eachother to win and do their best? That was such amazing progression. It all felt so organic and so heartfelt.
I cannot forget about the friendship and relationships made between the side characters! Hazel's friends and the rest of the colorguard were so sweet. It lowkey made me miss my old section back when I was in marching band too.
Also, the cameos from the other books in this series? I was so happy to see past characters returning.
Overall.. Such a good book. I can't wait to see what else Kristy Boyce has in store for us readers!
♡ pre-read ♡
I was OVERJOYED when I received this ARC. This series is the cutest. Can't wait to dig in!
June 19, 2026
3.5 stars!!!!
so cute 🤭🤭 perfect read for any age. it’s completely clean and so nostalgic.
so cute 🤭🤭 perfect read for any age. it’s completely clean and so nostalgic.
![Profile Image for Anna ʚɞ [Catching up on reviews ♡ semi-hiatus].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1727628240i/57906850._UY200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
June 20, 2026
✎ᝰ. Actual rating: 2.5☆, rounded up!
╰›“Because I was heartbroken when you moved away, and it seems like you're heartbroken to be back.” ✮⋆˙
𖹭 started: may 12th, 2026.
♥ finished: may 15th, 2026.
: ̗̀➛ Post-reading:
I didn’t really expect it to be so middle-grade-y as the main characters read sooo much younger than the ones in the other 2 books. While it came as a surprise, and I found them very cringey, I’m not letting that affect my rating as the book is marketed as YA. I still found it an important thing to note.
However, I really missed the prominence of D&D in this third book. The focus was so much more on the rivalry between percussion and colour guard that the D&D aspect of the story felt shoehorned in and majorly out of place imo. As someone who's not overly familiar with how marching bands work in USA (like I had to google what a colour guard was 😭), im ngl, this felt like you just had to relate to it to really enjoy it. And like I was in a marching band lmao don't get me wrong, but I think everything could have been more evened out plot wise so the D&D aspect could have shined a bit more.
The pranks and the bets were also just too much for my liking and I had such a hard time with Hazel’s parents. They were just so extra and especially her mother 😐
But my biggest issue was with our two MCs, Hazel and Max.
While they had some potential as a couple, I didn’t understand why they were interested in each other, and Max was also such a difficult MMC to root for, considering everything that happened!!
I also just felt like they showed a lot of inconsistent behaviour towards each other (and not in the exciting “will they/won’t they” kind of way, but rather more so that even the author didn’t know what direction she wanted to take them 😭), so I never knew if they disliked each other, liked each other or were totally indifferent towards each other -- which isn’t something you want to experience in a romantic novel.
· · ─ · 𝜗𝜚 · ─ · ·
: ̗̀➛ Pre-read:
One of my MOST anticipated books of the year and I’m sooo excited to just dive right in!! 🤭 I loved the other books in the series so I’m definitely going in with quite high hopes!! 😍
╰›“Because I was heartbroken when you moved away, and it seems like you're heartbroken to be back.” ✮⋆˙
𖹭 started: may 12th, 2026.
♥ finished: may 15th, 2026.
: ̗̀➛ Post-reading:
I didn’t really expect it to be so middle-grade-y as the main characters read sooo much younger than the ones in the other 2 books. While it came as a surprise, and I found them very cringey, I’m not letting that affect my rating as the book is marketed as YA. I still found it an important thing to note.
However, I really missed the prominence of D&D in this third book. The focus was so much more on the rivalry between percussion and colour guard that the D&D aspect of the story felt shoehorned in and majorly out of place imo. As someone who's not overly familiar with how marching bands work in USA (like I had to google what a colour guard was 😭), im ngl, this felt like you just had to relate to it to really enjoy it. And like I was in a marching band lmao don't get me wrong, but I think everything could have been more evened out plot wise so the D&D aspect could have shined a bit more.
The pranks and the bets were also just too much for my liking and I had such a hard time with Hazel’s parents. They were just so extra and especially her mother 😐
But my biggest issue was with our two MCs, Hazel and Max.
While they had some potential as a couple, I didn’t understand why they were interested in each other, and Max was also such a difficult MMC to root for, considering everything that happened!!
I also just felt like they showed a lot of inconsistent behaviour towards each other (and not in the exciting “will they/won’t they” kind of way, but rather more so that even the author didn’t know what direction she wanted to take them 😭), so I never knew if they disliked each other, liked each other or were totally indifferent towards each other -- which isn’t something you want to experience in a romantic novel.
· · ─ · 𝜗𝜚 · ─ · ·
: ̗̀➛ Pre-read:
One of my MOST anticipated books of the year and I’m sooo excited to just dive right in!! 🤭 I loved the other books in the series so I’m definitely going in with quite high hopes!! 😍
Want to Read
May 5, 2026release day :
aghh guys happy release day i cant wait to read this eek 🙂↕️
aghh guys happy release day i cant wait to read this eek 🙂↕️
May 10, 2026
This was definitely my least favorite book in this series. RTC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
age rating: 12+
spice: none
language: 0.5/5
i was absolutely thrilled to be approved for the arc, but i sadly didn’t love this book as much as i anticipated. the pacing felt wonky and for me it often read as a middle grade novel rather than the YA book it’s marketed as. however, the character cameos made me smile!!
the story followed hazel, a senior in high school desperate to prove herself in her final year of participating in the color guard. i loved the friendships that were created within the group, and their overall dynamic was enjoyable to read. this poor girl though—her over-controlling and pressuring mother was ticking even ME off. 💀
max—the MMC acted jerky for the majority of the book and despite his and hazel’s history, i found myself not wanting to root for him at all. his behavior was just something i couldn’t look past. minor spoiler: even after him and hazel were romantically involved, he ended up being guilty of something that hurt her credibility and reputation. like—dude??
there were definitely some cute moments, but overall the romance felt very underdeveloped. i get that guard and band were important plot lines for these characters, but there really weren’t that many scenes that strengthened their relationship in the romantic sense.
i liked how out of the three books in the series, this one went into more depth regarding D&D. as someone who’s not familiar with the game outside of stranger things, i feel like i understand it a bit more. 😂
thank you netgalley for providing me with an e-arc copy!!
🎵: long live - taylor swift
seems like old times - laufey
teenage dream - olivia rodrigo
spice: none
language: 0.5/5
i was absolutely thrilled to be approved for the arc, but i sadly didn’t love this book as much as i anticipated. the pacing felt wonky and for me it often read as a middle grade novel rather than the YA book it’s marketed as. however, the character cameos made me smile!!
the story followed hazel, a senior in high school desperate to prove herself in her final year of participating in the color guard. i loved the friendships that were created within the group, and their overall dynamic was enjoyable to read. this poor girl though—her over-controlling and pressuring mother was ticking even ME off. 💀
max—the MMC acted jerky for the majority of the book and despite his and hazel’s history, i found myself not wanting to root for him at all. his behavior was just something i couldn’t look past. minor spoiler: even after him and hazel were romantically involved, he ended up being guilty of something that hurt her credibility and reputation. like—dude??
there were definitely some cute moments, but overall the romance felt very underdeveloped. i get that guard and band were important plot lines for these characters, but there really weren’t that many scenes that strengthened their relationship in the romantic sense.
i liked how out of the three books in the series, this one went into more depth regarding D&D. as someone who’s not familiar with the game outside of stranger things, i feel like i understand it a bit more. 😂
thank you netgalley for providing me with an e-arc copy!!
🎵: long live - taylor swift
seems like old times - laufey
teenage dream - olivia rodrigo
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
4.4
*Review to come*
Pre-review comments below
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE WERE GOING TO GET ANOTHER DND ROMANCE
I literally didn't even read the synopsis before smashing that "request arc" button
edit the bat????? this cover is such a treat 😭😭😭😭😭😭
*Review to come*
Pre-review comments below
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE WERE GOING TO GET ANOTHER DND ROMANCE
I literally didn't even read the synopsis before smashing that "request arc" button
edit the bat????? this cover is such a treat 😭😭😭😭😭😭
June 6, 2026
Ce n’est pas mon préférée de la saga entre les trois, mais ça reste très mignon ! J’adore toujours autant l’ambiance et les messages et les relations et l’esprit dans les échanges… bref même si j’ai moins accroché aux personnages de celui-ci et que j’ai trouvé leur relation un peu moins AAAAAWWWWICOULDSELLMYSOULFORTHEM, bah c’était une super lecture !
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
❀° ┄───╮
review
╰───┄ °❀
thank you to netgalley, publisher, and author for this arc in exchange for my honest review! <3
✨✨✨✨ ~ 4.1 rounded to 4 stars
ok so i have had mixed opinions on this series. the first book was definitely better than the second (which was not so good), but i def liked this one! it wasn't the best, but it's also the third book in the series, so what can be expected? i loved how this one was about marching band, but since i'm not in it, there was some things i didn't get the reference, although most of the time it was explained or it wasn't important to the plot. it was very childhood-besties-to-lovers, which i am obsessed with and the banter and tension was running high the entire time which was just beautiful 🥹 overall i would recommend if you like slow burn and d & d!
thank you cece for buddy reading this with me 💗
❀° ┄───╮
pre-read
╰───┄ °❀
i got this arc, don't even remember requesting it and idk how i feel abt this series but its okkk
review
╰───┄ °❀
thank you to netgalley, publisher, and author for this arc in exchange for my honest review! <3
✨✨✨✨ ~ 4.1 rounded to 4 stars
ok so i have had mixed opinions on this series. the first book was definitely better than the second (which was not so good), but i def liked this one! it wasn't the best, but it's also the third book in the series, so what can be expected? i loved how this one was about marching band, but since i'm not in it, there was some things i didn't get the reference, although most of the time it was explained or it wasn't important to the plot. it was very childhood-besties-to-lovers, which i am obsessed with and the banter and tension was running high the entire time which was just beautiful 🥹 overall i would recommend if you like slow burn and d & d!
thank you cece for buddy reading this with me 💗
❀° ┄───╮
pre-read
╰───┄ °❀
i got this arc, don't even remember requesting it and idk how i feel abt this series but its okkk
February 19, 2026
4.5 🌟
I am a huge fan of Kristy Boyce's work. So, I knew going in to this book that I was going to like it. I was nervous about the marching band premise as that is not something that interested me in high school, or now to be honest. HOWEVER, I was pleasantly surprised. I loved this book so much!! My words never do a book justice. No words can describe Kristy Boyce's ability to capture the essence of high school love. Her work instantly sends me back to those feelings and the way everything felt so much more intense than it truly was. I'm sure Hazel felt like her life was ending going through that book, but from an outside perspective it's just normal high school things!
Anyways, I fell in love with this book and DEVOURED it. I truly could not put it down. This book has a little bit of every trope. Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Rivals to Lovers, the list just goes on really. As always, I love reading about characters playing D&D because it is such an underrated past time and it really adds to the romantic elements of the stories!
ALSOOOOO the Dating and Dragons cameo made me so excited. LOVED THAT!
Thank you to Random House Children's Books and Delacorte Romance for this e-ARC!! 🎲🩷🌟
I am a huge fan of Kristy Boyce's work. So, I knew going in to this book that I was going to like it. I was nervous about the marching band premise as that is not something that interested me in high school, or now to be honest. HOWEVER, I was pleasantly surprised. I loved this book so much!! My words never do a book justice. No words can describe Kristy Boyce's ability to capture the essence of high school love. Her work instantly sends me back to those feelings and the way everything felt so much more intense than it truly was. I'm sure Hazel felt like her life was ending going through that book, but from an outside perspective it's just normal high school things!
Anyways, I fell in love with this book and DEVOURED it. I truly could not put it down. This book has a little bit of every trope. Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Rivals to Lovers, the list just goes on really. As always, I love reading about characters playing D&D because it is such an underrated past time and it really adds to the romantic elements of the stories!
ALSOOOOO the Dating and Dragons cameo made me so excited. LOVED THAT!
Thank you to Random House Children's Books and Delacorte Romance for this e-ARC!! 🎲🩷🌟
May 22, 2026
I loved the last two books in this series but this one just fell flat. The main thing happening in this book is marching band, as you can clearly see from the cover. However it’s kinda a draw back because so much of the book revolves around band rather than D&D. I clearly must enjoy D&D romances, which is why I loved the last two. They really centered around it, whereas this one it felt like a fall back plan. Something about the lack of it made this really boring for me. I could not have cared much less about the marching band. I do think if you’re interested or in marching band, you might like this.
Now focusing on the actual romance. I honestly feel the same. It was boring, lacked depth, and just overall wasn’t that great. I wished I could have liked this one more.
Now focusing on the actual romance. I honestly feel the same. It was boring, lacked depth, and just overall wasn’t that great. I wished I could have liked this one more.
May 8, 2026
3.5 rounded up!
by no means was this book bad but it unfortunately wasnt my favorite compared to the other two. this one in particular felt very juvenile and while yes i know its YA and highschool but the MCs are seniors in highschool… there should have been a bit more maturity than there was through out the book.
honestly my favorite part of this book was the cameo from the other books characters!
by no means was this book bad but it unfortunately wasnt my favorite compared to the other two. this one in particular felt very juvenile and while yes i know its YA and highschool but the MCs are seniors in highschool… there should have been a bit more maturity than there was through out the book.
honestly my favorite part of this book was the cameo from the other books characters!
Want to Read
September 26, 2025YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH
December 4, 2025
I like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an early read.
It's so refreshing and nice to see a YA nerdy and cute story / series come out from this author. Each book gets better when it comes to characters, teen angst, D&D fun (without it sounded to obvious/easy). Books like this make me wish they were around when I was looking through the YA section for something to read.
I loved Hazel. I found her situation very authentic - she's a people pleaser and she also wants to feel like she has some self independence. Her confusion when it comes to Max, who is going through a lot regarding his mom and dad's divorce, gives some leverage to why he is acting distant and moody.
I loved seeing the previous characters from the other series show up or be mentioned!
I really recommend this series for the age group that it is written for. I can't wait to recommend this to some D&D teens I know!
It's so refreshing and nice to see a YA nerdy and cute story / series come out from this author. Each book gets better when it comes to characters, teen angst, D&D fun (without it sounded to obvious/easy). Books like this make me wish they were around when I was looking through the YA section for something to read.
I loved Hazel. I found her situation very authentic - she's a people pleaser and she also wants to feel like she has some self independence. Her confusion when it comes to Max, who is going through a lot regarding his mom and dad's divorce, gives some leverage to why he is acting distant and moody.
I loved seeing the previous characters from the other series show up or be mentioned!
I really recommend this series for the age group that it is written for. I can't wait to recommend this to some D&D teens I know!
May 29, 2026
Hazel is ready to have the best senior year ever: she's color guard captain and the Glen Dale marching band is poised for another award-winning season. But maybe she's in over her head: whether it's helping the guard bond, pleasing her ultra-involved parents, or DMing her first Dungeons and Dragons game, she's secretly worried that she might be failing in every aspect of her life. And if things weren't complicated enough, her childhood best friend Max has moved back to town, joining the band's drum line on the quads -- and in this band, color guard and percussion are sworn enemies. But can Max be her rival if she's crushing on him?
Well dang, I LOVED EVERY SECOND of this book! I'm already a big fan of this series by Kristy Boyce; Dungeons and Drama was especially fun, and I love the humor and heart in these sweet romances. But the marching band in this book takes it to the next level for me! I was a big band kid in high school (former drum major!) and now I love cheering on my own kids in band (hopefully I am not quite as overbearing as Hazel's mom is in this book). Marching band culture is definitely the main feature of this book -- it was obvious that the author knew what a band season looked like, from band camp to football games to competition season. I wish I could go see the Glen Dale Marching Knights perform their show (I am sure Nova rocked that clarinet solo!), and I definitely want to see a winter guard routine, too (I bet Hazel could get Max, Felix, and Nova to all try guard!). For all the books out there that center kids in theater or sports (there's really a lot!), it was a treat to see my own high school experience reflected in a book.
Only a few instances of the mildest profanities ("dammit" "omigod").
Spice rating: only kisses.
Well dang, I LOVED EVERY SECOND of this book! I'm already a big fan of this series by Kristy Boyce; Dungeons and Drama was especially fun, and I love the humor and heart in these sweet romances. But the marching band in this book takes it to the next level for me! I was a big band kid in high school (former drum major!) and now I love cheering on my own kids in band (hopefully I am not quite as overbearing as Hazel's mom is in this book). Marching band culture is definitely the main feature of this book -- it was obvious that the author knew what a band season looked like, from band camp to football games to competition season. I wish I could go see the Glen Dale Marching Knights perform their show (I am sure Nova rocked that clarinet solo!), and I definitely want to see a winter guard routine, too (I bet Hazel could get Max, Felix, and Nova to all try guard!). For all the books out there that center kids in theater or sports (there's really a lot!), it was a treat to see my own high school experience reflected in a book.
Only a few instances of the mildest profanities ("dammit" "omigod").
Spice rating: only kisses.
June 4, 2026
Thank you Random House Children’s Books & PRH Audio for the ARC & ALC, all opinions are my own.
This was a really cute read/listen!
I loved that Hazel & Max were childhood friends that got a second chance at friendship, and then more 🥹 & it was adorable that she had crush on him in the past 🥰
I’m not sure this was my kind of nerdy 😅 generally I like this kind of stuff, but band + D&D aren’t really my thing - I thought it wouldn’t really be an issue, but both of those were just not all that interesting to me.
EXCEPT when the band members were playing D&D, creating their characters and bonding, that was pretty cute.
I loved that they were both competitive, and those moments were fun.
Unfortunately I felt like this was lacking in banter. I didn’t highlight any quotes, and I don’t think I’ll remember much about it.
🎧 the audio was really enjoyable and an easy listen! I often find I prefer immersive reading (so I can follow along with the text), but I was able to just enjoy the audio mostly on it’s own. Louisa Zhu did a lovely job with the characters!
✦ tropes & more:
💛 childhood friends to rivals to lovers
💛 marching band
💛 Dungeons & Dragons
💛 forced proximity
💛 single 1st person pov
🎧 audio + ebook | ⭐️: 4 |
📖 Rolls and Rivalry by Kristy Boyce
📚 book 3 • Gaming and Romance series
💜: contemporary YA romance (mf)
🎙 narrated by: Louisa Zhu
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
This was a really cute read/listen!
I loved that Hazel & Max were childhood friends that got a second chance at friendship, and then more 🥹 & it was adorable that she had crush on him in the past 🥰
I’m not sure this was my kind of nerdy 😅 generally I like this kind of stuff, but band + D&D aren’t really my thing - I thought it wouldn’t really be an issue, but both of those were just not all that interesting to me.
EXCEPT when the band members were playing D&D, creating their characters and bonding, that was pretty cute.
I loved that they were both competitive, and those moments were fun.
Unfortunately I felt like this was lacking in banter. I didn’t highlight any quotes, and I don’t think I’ll remember much about it.
🎧 the audio was really enjoyable and an easy listen! I often find I prefer immersive reading (so I can follow along with the text), but I was able to just enjoy the audio mostly on it’s own. Louisa Zhu did a lovely job with the characters!
✦ tropes & more:
💛 childhood friends to rivals to lovers
💛 marching band
💛 Dungeons & Dragons
💛 forced proximity
💛 single 1st person pov
🎧 audio + ebook | ⭐️: 4 |
📖 Rolls and Rivalry by Kristy Boyce
📚 book 3 • Gaming and Romance series
💜: contemporary YA romance (mf)
🎙 narrated by: Louisa Zhu
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
May 4, 2026
I loved the first two installments in this series so I was really hoping this new one would be even better. Sadly this didn’t deliver for me.
What I loved: really enjoyed the DND component with Hazel being a newbie at leading a game, the short-term “rivalry” between band and color guard, and all the nerdy references. I also think the conflicts they’re each facing are super relatable. Love all the cameos too!
What I didn’t like as much: Hazel and Max read very young. This could’ve been categorized as a Middle Grade novel with the level of depth that was covered here. I wish they would’ve been aged down so that it read more realistic. At almost 360 pages we could’ve had so much more depth and layers added to Max and Hazel to raise the stakes. More scenes of their budding romance would’ve been great as well. Instead we get a lot of boring filler scenes that don’t really add to their development.
What I loved: really enjoyed the DND component with Hazel being a newbie at leading a game, the short-term “rivalry” between band and color guard, and all the nerdy references. I also think the conflicts they’re each facing are super relatable. Love all the cameos too!
What I didn’t like as much: Hazel and Max read very young. This could’ve been categorized as a Middle Grade novel with the level of depth that was covered here. I wish they would’ve been aged down so that it read more realistic. At almost 360 pages we could’ve had so much more depth and layers added to Max and Hazel to raise the stakes. More scenes of their budding romance would’ve been great as well. Instead we get a lot of boring filler scenes that don’t really add to their development.
June 5, 2026
Kristy Boyce has done it again. She has given us another adorably cute and nerdy YA romance. This time with BAND KIDS! I was in band in high school and college and this brought back so many memories of that time. Band is a huge reason why I pursed a career in sound, so this book filled my heart with so much joy. With this third book in the Gaming and Romance series, we get second chance romance, plenty of D&D gaming, and an exploration into a mother-daughter relationship. Kristy writes only bangers here.
We have Hazel, a senior who is the color guard captain fighting for her section with everything she has. She is so relatable to me, being a people pleasing eldest daughter. I understood the pressure she felt to always be perfect. Hazel and Max, our MMC, were childhood friends who bonded over their parent’s weekly D&D games until we moved away. Now that is he is back, old feelings start to reemerge, but there is a lot of tension between the two when they reunite. I admit, I was not the biggest fan of Max at the start. He slowly bur surely grew on me through his actions and learning about his struggles. He has such an amazing arc and I loved reading it.
I will always be a Kristy Boyce fan, and this book is no exception! If you enjoy YA romances with a bit of a nerdy D&D flare, pick this series up! They are chock full of wonderful relationships and heartwarming love. Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Romance, and Random House Children's Books for this advanced copy!
We have Hazel, a senior who is the color guard captain fighting for her section with everything she has. She is so relatable to me, being a people pleasing eldest daughter. I understood the pressure she felt to always be perfect. Hazel and Max, our MMC, were childhood friends who bonded over their parent’s weekly D&D games until we moved away. Now that is he is back, old feelings start to reemerge, but there is a lot of tension between the two when they reunite. I admit, I was not the biggest fan of Max at the start. He slowly bur surely grew on me through his actions and learning about his struggles. He has such an amazing arc and I loved reading it.
I will always be a Kristy Boyce fan, and this book is no exception! If you enjoy YA romances with a bit of a nerdy D&D flare, pick this series up! They are chock full of wonderful relationships and heartwarming love. Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Romance, and Random House Children's Books for this advanced copy!
May 6, 2026
I would have liked this more if I liked Max in the end, but alas.
Rtc
Thank you so much to Penguin and the author for a physical ARC and eARC!!
Rtc
Thank you so much to Penguin and the author for a physical ARC and eARC!!
May 29, 2026
ACTUALLY DONT PLAY! this was sooooooo good omg.......
May 11, 2026
* ੈ✩‧˚
⤷ Rolls and Rivalry by Kristy Boyce
* ੈ✩‧˚
⤷ find me as @abby.reads14 on YT <3
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
★★★★☆
⤷ 3.75
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
⤷ YA high school romance
⤷ childhood friends-to-lovers
⤷ rivals-to-lovers
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤:
⤷ profanity - none
⤷ romance - 1.5/4
⤷ violence - 0.5/3
⤷ trigger warnings - none that I could think of
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
⤷ As someone who liked the first book and was eh about the second book, I think this fell pretty well right into the middle of them; there were things that I liked, and things that I didn’t like, and I think they balanced each other out for the most part.
⤷ The Good: the romance, the setting/main plot point, and the side characters. I liked the romance—which is a lot coming from a not-so-fan of second chance/childhood friends-to-lovers romance. It was cute, and it made me smile, and isn’t that all we want from a romance? The setting, too, was good; I liked the band competition and the coming together of the color guard. Finally, the side characters were perfect: love to love them, love to hate them, I think they played their individual roles well.
⤷ The Bad: some of the writing, the characterization, and parts of the dialogue. I think some of the writing was a little awkward, and this goes for the dialogue too; at times, it just didn’t feel naturally like the mind of a high school girl, if that makes sense? The conversations, too, at times felt weird; not all the time, just in a few places. As for the characterization, I think some characters felt very flip-floppy; by that I mean, we were led to think their stage or viewpoint was one thing, and it changed quickly with no hints or anything leading up to it. Most prominently was the main character’s mom—I just think the resolution to one of the conflicts felt like a little bit of a cop out with her character.
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕?
⤷ If you liked the first or second (or both!) books in this series, then yes, I’d recommend it! I also think you can read this as a standalone, if you so please—if you want a cute, band-fueled read with a dash of D&D, then this book is for you!
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖:
⤷ Rolls and Rivalry releases May 5, 2026!!!
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕:
⤷ Thanks to the publisher, Delacorte Romance, and to NetGalley for giving me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own <3
⤷ Rolls and Rivalry by Kristy Boyce
* ੈ✩‧˚
⤷ find me as @abby.reads14 on YT <3
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
★★★★☆
⤷ 3.75
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
⤷ YA high school romance
⤷ childhood friends-to-lovers
⤷ rivals-to-lovers
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤:
⤷ profanity - none
⤷ romance - 1.5/4
⤷ violence - 0.5/3
⤷ trigger warnings - none that I could think of
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
⤷ As someone who liked the first book and was eh about the second book, I think this fell pretty well right into the middle of them; there were things that I liked, and things that I didn’t like, and I think they balanced each other out for the most part.
⤷ The Good: the romance, the setting/main plot point, and the side characters. I liked the romance—which is a lot coming from a not-so-fan of second chance/childhood friends-to-lovers romance. It was cute, and it made me smile, and isn’t that all we want from a romance? The setting, too, was good; I liked the band competition and the coming together of the color guard. Finally, the side characters were perfect: love to love them, love to hate them, I think they played their individual roles well.
⤷ The Bad: some of the writing, the characterization, and parts of the dialogue. I think some of the writing was a little awkward, and this goes for the dialogue too; at times, it just didn’t feel naturally like the mind of a high school girl, if that makes sense? The conversations, too, at times felt weird; not all the time, just in a few places. As for the characterization, I think some characters felt very flip-floppy; by that I mean, we were led to think their stage or viewpoint was one thing, and it changed quickly with no hints or anything leading up to it. Most prominently was the main character’s mom—I just think the resolution to one of the conflicts felt like a little bit of a cop out with her character.
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕?
⤷ If you liked the first or second (or both!) books in this series, then yes, I’d recommend it! I also think you can read this as a standalone, if you so please—if you want a cute, band-fueled read with a dash of D&D, then this book is for you!
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖:
⤷ Rolls and Rivalry releases May 5, 2026!!!
* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕:
⤷ Thanks to the publisher, Delacorte Romance, and to NetGalley for giving me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own <3
November 17, 2025
4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Random House Children's Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up Rolls and Rivalry on May 5, 2026.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Kristy Boyce is the queen of adorable YA nerdy D&D romances. Every time I pick up one of her books, I just sigh in relief because it feels so familiar and comforting and RELATABLE. Maybe that's a symptom of these books being set in the Midwest, too, because every time she manages to inject just enough original Midwestern experiences into the books that it feels like coming home.
But at the core of Rolls and Rivalry is a strained mother-daughter relationship, a new friend/mentee relationship, and a sizzling second-chance romance with an old crush who moved away and just moved back. Hazel, our perfectionist eldest daughter, is doing her best to succeed in her senior year marching band season, matching her mother's high school success. Said mother also excels as a D&D Dungeon Master, something Hazel has been thinking about doing for years but has never had a group to try it with. Enter Max, a former childhood friend turned hottie nerd.
Seeing Hazel and Max rekindle their relationship over D&D was adorable, especially given the tension between their two groups in marching band. Even when butting heads, you can tell both characters care about one another and wish things could go back to the way they were as kids, even as they've grown up and evolved over the years.
Hazel also had a heartwarming relationship with her new color guard member, Li, who also joined her D&D group. The little/big sister dynamic and Hazel showing her the ropes just solidified how Kristy excels with multiple types of relationships in her books. I always find myself rooting for these moments as much as the romantic tension!! It just makes Hazel feel like a true, well-rounded character who's dealing with other issues outside of her connection to Max.
Overall, if you love adorable YA romances with D&D nerds, band geeks, and wonderful character relationships, this is your book!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Kristy Boyce is the queen of adorable YA nerdy D&D romances. Every time I pick up one of her books, I just sigh in relief because it feels so familiar and comforting and RELATABLE. Maybe that's a symptom of these books being set in the Midwest, too, because every time she manages to inject just enough original Midwestern experiences into the books that it feels like coming home.
But at the core of Rolls and Rivalry is a strained mother-daughter relationship, a new friend/mentee relationship, and a sizzling second-chance romance with an old crush who moved away and just moved back. Hazel, our perfectionist eldest daughter, is doing her best to succeed in her senior year marching band season, matching her mother's high school success. Said mother also excels as a D&D Dungeon Master, something Hazel has been thinking about doing for years but has never had a group to try it with. Enter Max, a former childhood friend turned hottie nerd.
Seeing Hazel and Max rekindle their relationship over D&D was adorable, especially given the tension between their two groups in marching band. Even when butting heads, you can tell both characters care about one another and wish things could go back to the way they were as kids, even as they've grown up and evolved over the years.
Hazel also had a heartwarming relationship with her new color guard member, Li, who also joined her D&D group. The little/big sister dynamic and Hazel showing her the ropes just solidified how Kristy excels with multiple types of relationships in her books. I always find myself rooting for these moments as much as the romantic tension!! It just makes Hazel feel like a true, well-rounded character who's dealing with other issues outside of her connection to Max.
Overall, if you love adorable YA romances with D&D nerds, band geeks, and wonderful character relationships, this is your book!
March 9, 2026
This was such a cute entry in the series! As someone who was in the marching band myself, I loved experiencing it again here and I really enjoyed those scenes. And there were a lot of them! While the other volumes in the series have been more focused on the D&D game, those elements don’t come into the book until later. The book was much more focused on the marching band/color guard elements, and I was HERE FOR IT.
I didn’t love Max when he was first introduced because some of his pranks just seemed mean, but as the story progressed I liked him more. The friendship between Max and Hazel ended up being really cute, as was their relationship.
I really liked the friendship that developed between the D&D group and I also enjoyed seeing the members of the color guard begin to have confidence in their abilities as well.
The writing style was easy to read and made the story a really fast read. I have loved this series and this author has become a favorite of mine for YA contemporaries!
I didn’t love Max when he was first introduced because some of his pranks just seemed mean, but as the story progressed I liked him more. The friendship between Max and Hazel ended up being really cute, as was their relationship.
I really liked the friendship that developed between the D&D group and I also enjoyed seeing the members of the color guard begin to have confidence in their abilities as well.
The writing style was easy to read and made the story a really fast read. I have loved this series and this author has become a favorite of mine for YA contemporaries!
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