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Leveled Up Love
Dating Evolution is the next generation of relationship gaming with a real world twist! Did you ever wish your online skills translated into the real world? Now they can! Follow our quests to level up your love life and earn real life rewards!
Life was good for Zack Moore until his trustee managed to con him into signing up for DaEvo. Now, the buggy app has taken over his life, forcing him to leave his condo, interact with people in the real world and eat healthy to gain any gaming time.
Problem is, Zack has the biggest tournament of his life coming up. The Star Fury tournament is Zack and his team's chance of going pro and making a name for themselves.
Now, Zack's swapping women around like the components of his starship; trying to find the balance between love and DaEvo. Good thing Zack's a pro at gaming.
But some things can't be quantified.
Like love.
Leveled Up Love! is a Gamelit comedy romance written by Tao Wong, author of the bestselling System Apocalypse LitRPG and A Thousand Li series, and A.G. Marshall, author of the Fairy Tale Adventures series of books.
Life was good for Zack Moore until his trustee managed to con him into signing up for DaEvo. Now, the buggy app has taken over his life, forcing him to leave his condo, interact with people in the real world and eat healthy to gain any gaming time.
Problem is, Zack has the biggest tournament of his life coming up. The Star Fury tournament is Zack and his team's chance of going pro and making a name for themselves.
Now, Zack's swapping women around like the components of his starship; trying to find the balance between love and DaEvo. Good thing Zack's a pro at gaming.
But some things can't be quantified.
Like love.
Leveled Up Love! is a Gamelit comedy romance written by Tao Wong, author of the bestselling System Apocalypse LitRPG and A Thousand Li series, and A.G. Marshall, author of the Fairy Tale Adventures series of books.
604 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2020
77 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Tao Wong
146 books984 followersTao Wong is the author of the A Thousand Li progression fantasy series and the System Apocalypse LitRPG series, among others. His work has been released in audio, paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats, and translated into German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and several other languages. He was shortlisted for the UK Kindle Storyteller Award in 2021 for A Thousand Li: The Second Sect. In 2026, the first three books in the A Thousand Li series will be republished in hardcover by Ace Books.
When he’s not writing or working, he enjoys practicing martial arts, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. He lives in Toronto, Canada.
When he’s not writing or working, he enjoys practicing martial arts, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. He lives in Toronto, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 24, 2021
I've never read any gamelit before, but then my chum and esteemed colleague AG Marshall told me the story of how she, a fairytale romance author, unexpectedly found herself agreeing to cowrite a gamelit romantic comedy. I'm already a big fan of AG's work - it's not just funny and diverting, it's also wonderfully thoughtful with real hidden depths - so I was agog to see how this book turned out.
I couldn't put it down. Despite the book's length, I flew through it in a handful of sittings.
I can't say much about the gamelit elements, except that they made the story all that much more addictive to me. As for the romantic comedy elements, I'm so thoroughly impressed. Zack starts out as a terrible, yet sympathetic protagonist, and he goes on a truly epic character arc. I laughed, I cringed, I awwww'd, I couldn't stop turning pages.
The premise of the story (a slobbish gamer is forced to change his life in order to find love with the help of an insistent game app) seemed at first to hold some pretty troubling implications. Potential romantic partners given a numerical rating? An app that chivvies our protagonist into conversing with and eventually building relationships with women transactionally, as a way to "buy" gaming time? This and a host of other issues had me looking sideways at the book at first, a bit cautious. But I trusted Marshall, and IN FACT, every single one of these issues was tackled head-on before the book ended, in a totally satisfying way. I particularly loved that before the book ended our protagonist had built two lovely and meaningful nonromantic friendships with women in addition to his romantic efforts.
It isn't often that I discover a book so well-crafted: LEVELLED UP LOVE is not just an addictive story with characters who'll win your heart with all their flaws, it's one of those books that pulls no punches when it comes to facing the protagonist with the consequences of his actions. (PLUS IT TAKES FASHION SERIOUSLY). I loved every minute of this story. Huge congratulations to AG Marshall and Tao Wong for a brilliantly successful collaboration, and I really hope this book finds the audience it deserves!
I couldn't put it down. Despite the book's length, I flew through it in a handful of sittings.
I can't say much about the gamelit elements, except that they made the story all that much more addictive to me. As for the romantic comedy elements, I'm so thoroughly impressed. Zack starts out as a terrible, yet sympathetic protagonist, and he goes on a truly epic character arc. I laughed, I cringed, I awwww'd, I couldn't stop turning pages.
The premise of the story (a slobbish gamer is forced to change his life in order to find love with the help of an insistent game app) seemed at first to hold some pretty troubling implications. Potential romantic partners given a numerical rating? An app that chivvies our protagonist into conversing with and eventually building relationships with women transactionally, as a way to "buy" gaming time? This and a host of other issues had me looking sideways at the book at first, a bit cautious. But I trusted Marshall, and IN FACT, every single one of these issues was tackled head-on before the book ended, in a totally satisfying way. I particularly loved that before the book ended our protagonist had built two lovely and meaningful nonromantic friendships with women in addition to his romantic efforts.
It isn't often that I discover a book so well-crafted: LEVELLED UP LOVE is not just an addictive story with characters who'll win your heart with all their flaws, it's one of those books that pulls no punches when it comes to facing the protagonist with the consequences of his actions. (PLUS IT TAKES FASHION SERIOUSLY). I loved every minute of this story. Huge congratulations to AG Marshall and Tao Wong for a brilliantly successful collaboration, and I really hope this book finds the audience it deserves!
December 1, 2020
Tao Wong and A. G. Marshall managed to do what I would have thought impossible and seamlessly integrate Game Lit and Romance to create a compelling narrative that doesn’t allow one to feel like a gimmick tacked on to the other. The characters were wonderful, the romance was compelling (and this from someone who normally does not like romance at all!), the game system was interesting and added some hilarious moments while driving the plot. Zack’s growth as a person perfectly mirrored his growing understanding of both other people and the game system.
The conflicts in the story had great tension without ever devolving into the melodrama that can happen in both genres, and the lenses of both genres were used to deconstruct the others. Zack has to learn that people aren’t as simple as game romance trees make them out to be, and at the same time some of the cliches of romance were given fresh life and light deconstruction with the addition of the gamelit elements - and never without losing focus on the great characters and their interaction.
Take all that, and then mix in some high quality and well timed humor, and you’ve got a great book. One or both authors have excellent comedic timing, and I found myself laughing out loud while still turning the page because I couldn’t wait to see what happened
If you only read one genre and not the other, you’re going to love this! If you’re a fan of dating sim games and wish there was more gamelit for that, this is the book for you. And If you already read romance and game lit, this book is going to be everything you hoped for. Scratched an itch I never knew I had, and I hope these authors give us some more stories with the DaEvo system. I’m absolutely going to be checking out more books from both of them, and if they’re half as good as as this then both of them will have a lifelong reader from me.
The conflicts in the story had great tension without ever devolving into the melodrama that can happen in both genres, and the lenses of both genres were used to deconstruct the others. Zack has to learn that people aren’t as simple as game romance trees make them out to be, and at the same time some of the cliches of romance were given fresh life and light deconstruction with the addition of the gamelit elements - and never without losing focus on the great characters and their interaction.
Take all that, and then mix in some high quality and well timed humor, and you’ve got a great book. One or both authors have excellent comedic timing, and I found myself laughing out loud while still turning the page because I couldn’t wait to see what happened
If you only read one genre and not the other, you’re going to love this! If you’re a fan of dating sim games and wish there was more gamelit for that, this is the book for you. And If you already read romance and game lit, this book is going to be everything you hoped for. Scratched an itch I never knew I had, and I hope these authors give us some more stories with the DaEvo system. I’m absolutely going to be checking out more books from both of them, and if they’re half as good as as this then both of them will have a lifelong reader from me.
March 2, 2021
This was a super cute read. I won't say it was perfect, but it was a fun ride nevertheless. The premise was interesting, but execution was a bit wonky in parts. I think the story could have been at least 20 chapters shorter, because a lot of it was just Zack going through the same sort of cycle over and over again. It did indeed, feel like we were reading a dating sim, with day cycles and everything and while that's fun to play, not so fun to read.
I liked the supporting cast. Zack's male friends were pretty annoying, but Jenny was fun. They don't really dive into their stories at all, but they are good at supporting Zack's. Kayla and Zoe were really fun supporting cast - Zoe especially, and David Davidson was super entertaining as well. Phil was fun at first, but after a while got kind of annoying.
Now for Zack. He's...mixed for me. It got super frustrating to see him not get it and being super socially inept, but at the same time, I could totally see someone being like this in real life if they got super addicted to gaming. I liked the end result of the story though, showing that being addicted to tech is bad, especially if it interferes with your real life.
Not much else to say about this one. It was a cute romance, a funny read, and a story that in the end had a good message. I wish it had been a bit shorter, and gotten to the main conflict sooner as it took about 70% of the book before Zack started realizing his mistakes and the conflicts happened, but it didn't detract from the plot and characters for me personally, though I could see it being a problem for some readers.
This is a very light, fun read with a lot of heart, and an interesting premise. I say read it if you like a fluffy romance with a good message, and don't mind a story that takes it's time. I read this in audio book format, and the narrator does a good job with the performance. All in all, a very solid read.
I liked the supporting cast. Zack's male friends were pretty annoying, but Jenny was fun. They don't really dive into their stories at all, but they are good at supporting Zack's. Kayla and Zoe were really fun supporting cast - Zoe especially, and David Davidson was super entertaining as well. Phil was fun at first, but after a while got kind of annoying.
Now for Zack. He's...mixed for me. It got super frustrating to see him not get it and being super socially inept, but at the same time, I could totally see someone being like this in real life if they got super addicted to gaming. I liked the end result of the story though, showing that being addicted to tech is bad, especially if it interferes with your real life.
Not much else to say about this one. It was a cute romance, a funny read, and a story that in the end had a good message. I wish it had been a bit shorter, and gotten to the main conflict sooner as it took about 70% of the book before Zack started realizing his mistakes and the conflicts happened, but it didn't detract from the plot and characters for me personally, though I could see it being a problem for some readers.
This is a very light, fun read with a lot of heart, and an interesting premise. I say read it if you like a fluffy romance with a good message, and don't mind a story that takes it's time. I read this in audio book format, and the narrator does a good job with the performance. All in all, a very solid read.
February 10, 2021
So it turns out I’m a sucker for romcoms (actually that wasn’t a surprise - see previous history of binging Helen Hoang books).
This was a really fun story, frustrating at times, but I’m glad that Zack came to the right decision at the end.
Very happy that it steers clear of anything from The Game.
This was a really fun story, frustrating at times, but I’m glad that Zack came to the right decision at the end.
Very happy that it steers clear of anything from The Game.
December 9, 2024
This book was pretty good, except somehow it slowed down as it got to the tournament parts at the end.
And the few times race/culture were mentioned as an identity for literally no reason. Why do we need to know Zack’s uber driver was Hispanic? Why do we need to know that Faz is sikh and his turban makes him tall enough to see through a crowd, when the next chapter he’s just easy to see because he’s tall. Like if we need to know more about Faz, maybe give him some background, don’t randomly throw out that he’s Sikh at like 84% in
And the few times race/culture were mentioned as an identity for literally no reason. Why do we need to know Zack’s uber driver was Hispanic? Why do we need to know that Faz is sikh and his turban makes him tall enough to see through a crowd, when the next chapter he’s just easy to see because he’s tall. Like if we need to know more about Faz, maybe give him some background, don’t randomly throw out that he’s Sikh at like 84% in
October 17, 2025
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S LEVELED UP LOVE ABOUT?
Zack Moore is living off the generous inheritance he received from his parents, occasionally (when forced) looking in on the charitable foundation they started, and playing video games. Primarily, he's playing Star Fury, and his team is gearing up for a big tournament that could lead to them playing on a professional circuit. He doesn't need the job or money—but his teammates do. Zack needs to be good at something, and Star Fury seems to be it.
But his gameplay is interrupted one day, and the trustee overseeing his accounts (and former guardian) is there to get him to sign some documents. One of those documents (that Zack doesn't read because he's in a rush to get back to the game), is an agreement to alpha test a new game—and progress in that game will affect things like access to his accounts, access to the rest of the world, and access to the internet. Zack's luxury condo (which looks like the sloppiest dorm room you've ever been in—without the textbooks) is so tied into smart technology that everything Zack owns or uses can be controlled by this software.
The game is Dating Evolution App, with the goal of a significant relationship with a romantic partner. Zack has to level up in various areas—like hygeine, personal style, employment, general reputation (several impassioned internet comments—all about Star Fury and its players—have to go, for example). If he wants to get the time online that he needs to help his team win the tournament, he has to start jumping through hoops—now.
General RomCom situations ensue.
AS A LITRPG
I've never read a LitRPG before, so I may be off base, but...according to the repository of all human knowledge, Wikipedia:
If that's the case, Wong & Marshall nailed it.
Zack's stats at the beginning of the game were:
He would get similar stats fed through his smart glasses, based on social media/other internet data on any woman he focused on for long, which was so creepy and invasive I shouldn't have to say (and yes, landed him in hot water not nearly as often as it should've).
He'd then get fed quests like:
Now, with access to non-essential internet usage—like the massive tournament he was preparing for, Zack had no little choice but to take on these quests (similar ones for Physique, Style, Reputation, and Occupation). That's what's driving him through almost this whole novel—not his health, not the way he looks/dresses/smells (he's not around people enough to care), or lack of relationship. It's about access to Star Fury.
AS A ROMCOM
This hit all the main points—a misunderstood, and loveable schlub (think of a social Sonny Koufax, without the girlfriend in the beginning), who (like Sandy) is wealthy. There's a cute, wholesome woman without all the advantages he has that befriends him, and they build a relationship. There's a knock-out bikini model neighbor who sees him as a nice guy that will buy her fancy clothes, nice jewelry (that matches whatever she has on), and will take her to expensive places and dinners.
Zack casually dates them both to get game points (although neither woman is aware of the other).
Meanwhile, he starts to grow in some ways through the other things the game has him work on, and he just might be growing up.
If you can't guess the rest of the plot from here—you really haven't spent much time with RomComs. Wong & Marshall get all the plot points right, deliver them in an entertaining and amusing way, and lead up to an emotionally satisfying resolution. Practically textbook.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT LEVELED UP LOVE
This reminded me of several books where a man-child is forced (by whatever) to change their lifestyle—exercise, eating right, concern for their appearance, and maybe even a better job—and along the way, they find that they like doing all that after all and get the girl. Does that make it bad? No. Predictable? Pretty much, yeah. But you don't pick up something like this to be blown away. You pick up something like this because you're curious about how it pulls it all off. How it hits all the conventions (in this case, both genres) marks in an entertaining way.
Or maybe because you love the conventions and you don't care how fresh this book's take is on it, you just want the familiarity.
Either works—and either will be satisfied with this book.
I liked all the characters—I wish we'd gotten to know a few better (particularly Zack's teammates). The overall atmosphere is pleasant—and it's one of the "cleanest" RomComs I remember reading. This just leaves you feeling warm and comfortable—it delivers some good smiles, and a chuckle or two, too.
I do think it could've been shorter—it was a lot longer than I expected when I started it (I really should glance at page counts for ebooks). But on this side of things, I don't really know what they could've cut. Still, it dragged a bit for me (just a bit).
All in all, a completely enjoyable experience—could it have been better? Sure, dial up the laughs a bit more—but that might have detracted from something else. Leveled Up Love. It delivers just what it tells you in the subtitle. If that seems like your kind of thing, you're right. Give it a try.
---
WHAT'S LEVELED UP LOVE ABOUT?
Zack Moore is living off the generous inheritance he received from his parents, occasionally (when forced) looking in on the charitable foundation they started, and playing video games. Primarily, he's playing Star Fury, and his team is gearing up for a big tournament that could lead to them playing on a professional circuit. He doesn't need the job or money—but his teammates do. Zack needs to be good at something, and Star Fury seems to be it.
But his gameplay is interrupted one day, and the trustee overseeing his accounts (and former guardian) is there to get him to sign some documents. One of those documents (that Zack doesn't read because he's in a rush to get back to the game), is an agreement to alpha test a new game—and progress in that game will affect things like access to his accounts, access to the rest of the world, and access to the internet. Zack's luxury condo (which looks like the sloppiest dorm room you've ever been in—without the textbooks) is so tied into smart technology that everything Zack owns or uses can be controlled by this software.
The game is Dating Evolution App, with the goal of a significant relationship with a romantic partner. Zack has to level up in various areas—like hygeine, personal style, employment, general reputation (several impassioned internet comments—all about Star Fury and its players—have to go, for example). If he wants to get the time online that he needs to help his team win the tournament, he has to start jumping through hoops—now.
General RomCom situations ensue.
AS A LITRPG
I've never read a LitRPG before, so I may be off base, but...according to the repository of all human knowledge, Wikipedia:
LitRPG, short for literary role-playing game, is a literary genre combining the conventions of computer RPGs with science-fiction and fantasy novels... In LitRPG, game-like elements form an essential part of the story, and visible RPG statistics (for example strength, intelligence, damage) are a significant part of the reading experience... Typically, the main character in a LitRPG novel is consciously interacting with the game or game-like world and attempting to progress within it.
If that's the case, Wong & Marshall nailed it.
Zack's stats at the beginning of the game were:
Zack Moore Current Attributes (Social Level 8)
Physique: 31
Style: 19
Reputation: -18
Occupation: 0
He would get similar stats fed through his smart glasses, based on social media/other internet data on any woman he focused on for long, which was so creepy and invasive I shouldn't have to say (and yes, landed him in hot water not nearly as often as it should've).
He'd then get fed quests like:
Quest Found!
Hold a conversation with a woman face-to-face!
Restrictions: In-person. Non-VR generated. Unpaid interaction.
Difficulty: Variable
Reward: Access to electronics and internet
Now, with access to non-essential internet usage—like the massive tournament he was preparing for, Zack had no little choice but to take on these quests (similar ones for Physique, Style, Reputation, and Occupation). That's what's driving him through almost this whole novel—not his health, not the way he looks/dresses/smells (he's not around people enough to care), or lack of relationship. It's about access to Star Fury.
AS A ROMCOM
This hit all the main points—a misunderstood, and loveable schlub (think of a social Sonny Koufax, without the girlfriend in the beginning), who (like Sandy) is wealthy. There's a cute, wholesome woman without all the advantages he has that befriends him, and they build a relationship. There's a knock-out bikini model neighbor who sees him as a nice guy that will buy her fancy clothes, nice jewelry (that matches whatever she has on), and will take her to expensive places and dinners.
Zack casually dates them both to get game points (although neither woman is aware of the other).
Meanwhile, he starts to grow in some ways through the other things the game has him work on, and he just might be growing up.
If you can't guess the rest of the plot from here—you really haven't spent much time with RomComs. Wong & Marshall get all the plot points right, deliver them in an entertaining and amusing way, and lead up to an emotionally satisfying resolution. Practically textbook.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT LEVELED UP LOVE
This reminded me of several books where a man-child is forced (by whatever) to change their lifestyle—exercise, eating right, concern for their appearance, and maybe even a better job—and along the way, they find that they like doing all that after all and get the girl. Does that make it bad? No. Predictable? Pretty much, yeah. But you don't pick up something like this to be blown away. You pick up something like this because you're curious about how it pulls it all off. How it hits all the conventions (in this case, both genres) marks in an entertaining way.
Or maybe because you love the conventions and you don't care how fresh this book's take is on it, you just want the familiarity.
Either works—and either will be satisfied with this book.
I liked all the characters—I wish we'd gotten to know a few better (particularly Zack's teammates). The overall atmosphere is pleasant—and it's one of the "cleanest" RomComs I remember reading. This just leaves you feeling warm and comfortable—it delivers some good smiles, and a chuckle or two, too.
I do think it could've been shorter—it was a lot longer than I expected when I started it (I really should glance at page counts for ebooks). But on this side of things, I don't really know what they could've cut. Still, it dragged a bit for me (just a bit).
All in all, a completely enjoyable experience—could it have been better? Sure, dial up the laughs a bit more—but that might have detracted from something else. Leveled Up Love. It delivers just what it tells you in the subtitle. If that seems like your kind of thing, you're right. Give it a try.
December 1, 2020
Zack just wants to game. He may have even become the live-in-his-parents-basement-and-do-nothing-but-game type of gamer, but since he lives quite well off his trust fund inherited from his parents, there's not really a problem with that, right? Besides, he's not gaming just for himself anymore. His team is depending on his analytical skills along with his gaming skills to get them into and win the Star Fury tournament, something that could really help the others with their financial struggles.
Unfortunately his trust fund manager doesn't see it that way. Phillip was Zach's former guardian and wants to see some changes in Zach's life. Changes like hygiene. And making better health choices. Not to mention doing his laundry and cleaning his apartment. Phillip also hopes to see Zach have relationships in real life and ultimately find love. He takes advantage of a clause in the trust to try to make this happen, using the beta of a new app to force Zach to make different decisions. And Zach has to go along with the buggy app's tasks in order to earn gaming time.
Regrettably, Zach sees the app as another game to level up in and beat, not understanding that his choices in the game now affect other people. Enter romantic comedy hijinks.
Leveled Up Love takes game lit and adds in romantic comedy for a fun story. The combination of genres works well. You can read it even if you're not a gamer, but it's more enjoyable if you're familiar with gaming terminology. On the flip side, if you typically read game lit or litrpg and not romance, the book would be satisfying on a gaming level with some entertaining romance as a bonus
Unfortunately his trust fund manager doesn't see it that way. Phillip was Zach's former guardian and wants to see some changes in Zach's life. Changes like hygiene. And making better health choices. Not to mention doing his laundry and cleaning his apartment. Phillip also hopes to see Zach have relationships in real life and ultimately find love. He takes advantage of a clause in the trust to try to make this happen, using the beta of a new app to force Zach to make different decisions. And Zach has to go along with the buggy app's tasks in order to earn gaming time.
Regrettably, Zach sees the app as another game to level up in and beat, not understanding that his choices in the game now affect other people. Enter romantic comedy hijinks.
Leveled Up Love takes game lit and adds in romantic comedy for a fun story. The combination of genres works well. You can read it even if you're not a gamer, but it's more enjoyable if you're familiar with gaming terminology. On the flip side, if you typically read game lit or litrpg and not romance, the book would be satisfying on a gaming level with some entertaining romance as a bonus
August 29, 2021
So I massively enjoyed this book! At University I studied Software Engineering Management and absolutely had several “Zacks” on my course! Overly obsessed geeky gamers. I was a gamer girl, not so much now as my Mummy duties have me so busy, but I could probably still hold my own on some of the games I played back in the day! My partner is still into his gaming but I tend to lean towards my books now a days whilst he plays.
This book had me laughing and completely hooked, I read it in 2 days! I can’t wait to see if this duo write together again! I’ve read other books by A. G. Marshall which I have loved, but nothing by Tao Wong until this book. It’s safe to say I will be looking them up and reading them, as I loved this book!
If you are a geeky gamer, you will love this book! The gamer stats and the obsession that comes with them to level up constantly is just so real, and the idea to translate this into a love app was just pure genius! I could see this becoming a real thing in the not to distant future!
5/5 ⭐️
Recommend ✅
#books #reading #bookworm #booklover #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookdragon #booklove #bookreview #booknerd #mummyreads #UKbookstagram #thereisalwaystimeforbooks #geekgirls #girlgamer #levelleduplove
This book had me laughing and completely hooked, I read it in 2 days! I can’t wait to see if this duo write together again! I’ve read other books by A. G. Marshall which I have loved, but nothing by Tao Wong until this book. It’s safe to say I will be looking them up and reading them, as I loved this book!
If you are a geeky gamer, you will love this book! The gamer stats and the obsession that comes with them to level up constantly is just so real, and the idea to translate this into a love app was just pure genius! I could see this becoming a real thing in the not to distant future!
5/5 ⭐️
Recommend ✅
#books #reading #bookworm #booklover #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookdragon #booklove #bookreview #booknerd #mummyreads #UKbookstagram #thereisalwaystimeforbooks #geekgirls #girlgamer #levelleduplove
December 15, 2020
Oh my goodness, I cannot recommend this book enough! It was such an original take on the romantic comedy genre, and it had me on the edge of my seat every step of the way! I knew it was bad news when the main character began dating two women to score more points on the dating app he was forced into playing, but I had no idea how he was going to work it out in the end. The story is hilarious when you read about it happening to someone else, but it would suck if it were happening to you. Trust fund baby Zack Moore is signed up for a dating app that severely limits his time on his favorite game, Star Fury, right on the heels of a major competition! It forces him to do some ridiculous things like wear a very silly cowboy outfit, spend thousands of dollars, drink some disgusting protein shakes, and follow women around until one of them accuses him of stalking. I love how it combines so many genres that wouldn't ordinarily go together such as gaming, fashion, and romance. The not-so-distant future world was such a delight to read about, and the awkward social situations were just as relatable as they were hilarious!
November 8, 2021
I tried this once and stopped at 30% through. I figured maybe I was just in a weird mood and should give it another shot. I got 50% of the way through this time before I quit.
MC is a trust fund baby who gets Brittany Speared in the sense that their life gets taken over because he sucks at stuff. He can’t play his game until he quits being a slob, takes care of himself and his charity, and interacts with the opposite sex.
At 1st glance this seems cool but it is anything but. Instead of a book where the MC changes and progresses for the better in cool ways you get someone who avoids all self care and instead tries to “game” the system and fails at it. It was super cringy and uncomfortable. Not interesting at all.
MC is a trust fund baby who gets Brittany Speared in the sense that their life gets taken over because he sucks at stuff. He can’t play his game until he quits being a slob, takes care of himself and his charity, and interacts with the opposite sex.
At 1st glance this seems cool but it is anything but. Instead of a book where the MC changes and progresses for the better in cool ways you get someone who avoids all self care and instead tries to “game” the system and fails at it. It was super cringy and uncomfortable. Not interesting at all.
December 11, 2020
Clever but
The concept is cool, the execution is excellent. But...
The MC is a gamer. He is given pretty clear signs of easy quests and childishly refuses them even though the pay off is exactly what he wants. I realize throwing money at his problems is bad...wait, he did exactly that. What took so long?!?
It’s like an SNL skit and a Lifetime movie had a baby. It’s funny.
But it’s so obvious and over structured it gets boring. Caricatures and stereotypes are fun, but they make for lousy reading after a while.
This is a short story concept in novel form.
DNF
The concept is cool, the execution is excellent. But...
The MC is a gamer. He is given pretty clear signs of easy quests and childishly refuses them even though the pay off is exactly what he wants. I realize throwing money at his problems is bad...wait, he did exactly that. What took so long?!?
It’s like an SNL skit and a Lifetime movie had a baby. It’s funny.
But it’s so obvious and over structured it gets boring. Caricatures and stereotypes are fun, but they make for lousy reading after a while.
This is a short story concept in novel form.
DNF
December 16, 2020
I had to give this book 5 stars even though Zach the main character annoyed me and piss me off to no end! I still thought it was very well written and funny as all hell. He whined and bitched about having to get his shit together more than half the book. I couldn’t believe that he really was OK with living like a slob and he wondered why The guy that manages his trust fund want him to straighten up and do better.
April 1, 2021
A fun and enjoyable read. Really the authors did a great job with the develpment of the main charatcer, his journy was fun, empathic, memorable and more. All the characters made a great contribution to the story on their own term.
September 8, 2021
If I judged a book solely on how much I screamed at the main character, then by that metric alone this would be the greatest story in the universe. Seriously, there were times I thought I would go hoarse venting my frustrations over some of the idiotic choices that Zack makes through the novel. My vicarious embarrassment was so bad, I actually had to go online to look up the term vicarious embarrassment so that I could properly describe the level of anguish I felt with each turn of the page. At one point my wife even asked me to stop reading for a while and go take a walk or something, because I was convulsing so badly she thought I was having a stroke.
Alright, jokes aside, this book was an epic read. If I've gotten to the point that I'm getting personally offended by a character's actions, that's usually a sign that the story has done its job properly drawing me in. I can't say I agree with all (or even most) of the choices the MC makes (because they're usually terrible ones), but the story is certainly entertaining, and it became almost impossible to put the book down near the end.
If I have any complaints, it was probably the gaming aspects of the story that were its weakest. To briefly summarize, Zack is a semi-pro gamer hoping to win big at his favorite game Star Fury, but ends up being tricked into participating in a augmented reality dating game which restricts his gaming time unless he does what it wants. So peppered between Zack's frantic and bumbling attempts to gain the attention of the opposite sex are sequences of him crunching numbers and playing with his teammates.
While I understand the need to show the depth of the game and its importance to the overall tale, far too much time is spent stressing about statistical minutia and how important parsing out all the fine details about every aspect of the game are. Honestly, playing Star Fury sounds more like work than fun. The extremity of its detail puts it slightly at odds with its supposed popularity. Unless this entire world is populated by spreadsheet junkies.
But don't let that minor hinderance stop you from reading. If you like gaming, and romance, and games about romance, then this is the book for you.
Just don't be surprised if you find yourself yelling a bit.
Alright, jokes aside, this book was an epic read. If I've gotten to the point that I'm getting personally offended by a character's actions, that's usually a sign that the story has done its job properly drawing me in. I can't say I agree with all (or even most) of the choices the MC makes (because they're usually terrible ones), but the story is certainly entertaining, and it became almost impossible to put the book down near the end.
If I have any complaints, it was probably the gaming aspects of the story that were its weakest. To briefly summarize, Zack is a semi-pro gamer hoping to win big at his favorite game Star Fury, but ends up being tricked into participating in a augmented reality dating game which restricts his gaming time unless he does what it wants. So peppered between Zack's frantic and bumbling attempts to gain the attention of the opposite sex are sequences of him crunching numbers and playing with his teammates.
While I understand the need to show the depth of the game and its importance to the overall tale, far too much time is spent stressing about statistical minutia and how important parsing out all the fine details about every aspect of the game are. Honestly, playing Star Fury sounds more like work than fun. The extremity of its detail puts it slightly at odds with its supposed popularity. Unless this entire world is populated by spreadsheet junkies.
But don't let that minor hinderance stop you from reading. If you like gaming, and romance, and games about romance, then this is the book for you.
Just don't be surprised if you find yourself yelling a bit.
April 17, 2021
4.5 stars :) A. G. Marshall is the reason this book even hit my TBR list! I'm a huge fairytale retelling fan and love her work, so her collab here was enough to give it a chance.
The premise didn't seem promising. Addicted gamer dude who's slobby and irresponsible? Being conned into improving his behavior? Relationships with women being facilitated by a dating app & women being condensed into statistics/ratings? The stereotypes kind of reeked.
I ended up really enjoying how things were pulled together. Zach's initial reaction rang true, his approach to complying with the requirements, and his approaching the dating app from a gaming perspective. I like that the resolution wasn't "addicted person gives up their vice and that fixes everything." The character development, the missteps, and the interplay to get to the resolution rang true to me. It feels cheesy to say it, but I found the story heartwarming, haha! If Zach had been a flatter character, I don't think I could have finished the book. There was an earnestness to him, though, as he navigated the contract he'd signed that locked him in to trying the dating app, and tried to figure out how to balance gaming time, fulfilling the dating app quests, and being a healthy human person, that was endearing. I was rooting for him to succeed, and it felt like the authors were, too.
This probably could've been shorter, but I enjoyed the pacing and getting to walk though gameplay sequences with his team and watching him struggle through the nuances of the app. I liked this read a lot and would definitely read another collaboration from this author team :)
The premise didn't seem promising. Addicted gamer dude who's slobby and irresponsible? Being conned into improving his behavior? Relationships with women being facilitated by a dating app & women being condensed into statistics/ratings? The stereotypes kind of reeked.
I ended up really enjoying how things were pulled together. Zach's initial reaction rang true, his approach to complying with the requirements, and his approaching the dating app from a gaming perspective. I like that the resolution wasn't "addicted person gives up their vice and that fixes everything." The character development, the missteps, and the interplay to get to the resolution rang true to me. It feels cheesy to say it, but I found the story heartwarming, haha! If Zach had been a flatter character, I don't think I could have finished the book. There was an earnestness to him, though, as he navigated the contract he'd signed that locked him in to trying the dating app, and tried to figure out how to balance gaming time, fulfilling the dating app quests, and being a healthy human person, that was endearing. I was rooting for him to succeed, and it felt like the authors were, too.
This probably could've been shorter, but I enjoyed the pacing and getting to walk though gameplay sequences with his team and watching him struggle through the nuances of the app. I liked this read a lot and would definitely read another collaboration from this author team :)
May 27, 2025
*audiobook review*
I was not sure what to expect from a litrpg romance. I figured it would just be a fun cozy read to kill the time driving to to work.
I was wrong.
I became extremely invested in the drama unfolding between these characters.
Zach's quest to level himself up checks all the right boxes for the litrpg genre, while his glaring flaws and adorkable personality hit all the right notes for a geek to chic romantic comedy. His incredible fortune only adds to the tension as he tries and fails to buy his way out of his problems.
The narrator for this book is incredibly talented at voice work. Not only does she give each human character a unique voice but her computer deadpan is on point for the dating AI that haunts Zach throughout the story.
Gamers and romantics should check out this take of how to get the girl while keeping your game time.
I was not sure what to expect from a litrpg romance. I figured it would just be a fun cozy read to kill the time driving to to work.
I was wrong.
I became extremely invested in the drama unfolding between these characters.
Zach's quest to level himself up checks all the right boxes for the litrpg genre, while his glaring flaws and adorkable personality hit all the right notes for a geek to chic romantic comedy. His incredible fortune only adds to the tension as he tries and fails to buy his way out of his problems.
The narrator for this book is incredibly talented at voice work. Not only does she give each human character a unique voice but her computer deadpan is on point for the dating AI that haunts Zach throughout the story.
Gamers and romantics should check out this take of how to get the girl while keeping your game time.
March 12, 2023
Gamelit comedy with challenging dating App
Interesting new dating style universe. Zack gets conned into upgrading his health and lifestyle due to his trustee and a dating App. Be aware there is some swearing. The audio on Spotify is done fairly well, but the voice of the Dating Evolution App gets annoying after awhile, which may be it’s purpose. Also, it is more difficult to not hear the swearing as you can’t see it coming. Cute story about good friends and bettering oneself, but I was ready to trash the “glasses” and the DaEvo App multiple times! I am leaving a review after having received a Spotify code from the authors. It is difficult to play back the story on Spotify, but the story itself was excellent.
Interesting new dating style universe. Zack gets conned into upgrading his health and lifestyle due to his trustee and a dating App. Be aware there is some swearing. The audio on Spotify is done fairly well, but the voice of the Dating Evolution App gets annoying after awhile, which may be it’s purpose. Also, it is more difficult to not hear the swearing as you can’t see it coming. Cute story about good friends and bettering oneself, but I was ready to trash the “glasses” and the DaEvo App multiple times! I am leaving a review after having received a Spotify code from the authors. It is difficult to play back the story on Spotify, but the story itself was excellent.
May 29, 2024
I was into this book, but I kept waiting for it to point out that for men to think of every woman, even ones literally just doing their jobs, as objects available for their gaze is disgusting. It implied that "this dating app is flawed" but to not have anyone come out and say "it's wrong for men to feel entitled this way and for them to sexualize every single woman they encounter" was a huge disappointment.
I thought the book was mostly entertaining (although it could have been trimmed IMO) and I liked the message that it SEEMED like it was trying to get at, but it never really got there which was a bummer.
I thought the book was mostly entertaining (although it could have been trimmed IMO) and I liked the message that it SEEMED like it was trying to get at, but it never really got there which was a bummer.
January 29, 2022
Level Up!
This was a long book: over 600 pages! I wondered if I would care about the plot for that long. I did! Zac Moore inherited his parent’s wealth after their untimely death. He doesn’t work. He barely leaves his luxury apartment. He plays video games all day. When his trustee gets fed up he sneaks a clause into a contract Zac is signing. His game time (and his life) are now limited by his completing quests in DateEvo a dating app. He now needs to level up in style, fitness, hygiene, and having in person conversations with women.
I loved the misadventures the app created. There were so many laugh out loud moments. I also loved the commentary from the developers.
Zac had a lot of growing to do, and I loved being along on that journey seeing him find more meaning in life.
This was a long book: over 600 pages! I wondered if I would care about the plot for that long. I did! Zac Moore inherited his parent’s wealth after their untimely death. He doesn’t work. He barely leaves his luxury apartment. He plays video games all day. When his trustee gets fed up he sneaks a clause into a contract Zac is signing. His game time (and his life) are now limited by his completing quests in DateEvo a dating app. He now needs to level up in style, fitness, hygiene, and having in person conversations with women.
I loved the misadventures the app created. There were so many laugh out loud moments. I also loved the commentary from the developers.
Zac had a lot of growing to do, and I loved being along on that journey seeing him find more meaning in life.
June 5, 2023
A fun litRPG romance. I really enjoyed the characters attempts to exploit bugs and cheat the system to do as little work as possible. The train wreck I saw coming was a little awkward, but the authors did a good job of explaining why the main character didn't see it coming. Would definitely read more books by this duo.
November 18, 2022
Couldn’t even finish this one, too frustrating trying to skip through all the irrelevant details, while the neckbeard “hero” repeats the same scenarios. Had potential, but this clearly was a short story the author padded out into novel-length.
January 11, 2025
Executed well but more painful than funny. Had a hard time rooting for, laughing at or wanting to know how it turned out for Zach. Big fan of Tao Wong & progression fantasy in general but this 1 didn't hit the low stakes cozy version I was hoping for.
December 5, 2020
Nice
I liked it but I think it went on a bit too long. I was really annoyed at the MC'S immaturity, but then I realised he could be me under different circumstances.
I liked it but I think it went on a bit too long. I was really annoyed at the MC'S immaturity, but then I realised he could be me under different circumstances.
December 9, 2020
An enjoyable read
I’m not one for long posts. This was a fun read. It had good characters and an enjoyably frustrating gaming system that provided plenty of entertainment.
I’m not one for long posts. This was a fun read. It had good characters and an enjoyably frustrating gaming system that provided plenty of entertainment.
May 25, 2021
This would have been quite good fun if they hadn’t overplayed the ‘Zack is a frustrating arsehole’ bit. Went on for much too long.
November 23, 2021
Book rating: 4 stars
Audiobook narration rating: 2.5 stars
Audiobook narration rating: 2.5 stars
June 5, 2023
This story had a lot of fun elements, though the main character was so clueless sometimes I wanted to shake him. I did enjoy seeing him get his life together.
December 22, 2023
This was a pretty funny story. I laughed so hard at many parts, though I could do without the curse words. It's just not my thing. In all it was an ok book.
May 28, 2024
3.5 stars
A bit too game technicality for this 58 years old. Almost didn't finish but I let the plot sinked in...
A bit too game technicality for this 58 years old. Almost didn't finish but I let the plot sinked in...
March 15, 2026
This novel is so long. The app & glasses got to be real annoying!
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