'Dungeons and Drama' by Kristy Boyce

5 stars!!

Book Blurb:

"When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn't hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she's grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

Riley can't waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan's Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn't require as much acting as she would've thought..."


My Review:

Talented Theater Kid, Riley, and Gamer Nerd, Nathan, have the sweetest YA slow-burn relationship I’ve ever read. They begin fake-dating when they become co-workers at Riley’s father’s game store, and as they come closer to achieving their original goals for the fake relationship, Riley’s real feelings for Nathan catch her by surprise.

'Dungeons and Drama' is a YA coming of age novel in which we follow Riley as she learns that there are more important things in life than driving to a musical theater show without a driver’s license, in the dark.  We get to watch Riley join Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game and learn that role-playing is quite similar to singing and acting, and like all the musical shows she so enjoys. This brings her some relief as she endeavors to convince her high school to not cut the funding for their Spring musical.

Riley and Nathan have been living in my head rent-free since I finished reading. I couldn't put this one down, it's so very good! This is my favorite book by author Kristy Boyce, and I love all 3 of her Contemporary YA novels.  Releasing on January 9, 2024, grab a copy!

#DungeonsandDrama #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'‘Reign’ (American Royals #4) by Katharine McGee

5 stars!!

Book Blurb:

"A queen's life hangs in the balance, and her siblings’ decisions—about what to do, and most of all, who to love—could change the course of history. Romance. Duty. Power...only one can triumph in this stunning conclusion to the New York Times bestselling American Royals series.

America's royal family is in shambles. Queen Beatrice is in a coma and Princess Samantha has gone missing—from the look of things, she ran away with her boyfriend, Lord Marshall Davis. Which means that Prince Jefferson is currently on the throne. For some in America, it's exactly what they wanted: a King ruling the country. And for Daphne Deighton, who has tricked Jefferson into dating her again, it's the ultimate dream come true.

Surely this is all just temporary. Won’t Beatrice wake up and reclaim her rightful place? Samantha can't really be gone…can she? And Prince Jefferson will never truly be over his childhood crush, Nina Gonzalez. Right?

For the Washington family, the stakes are higher than ever. Love might save the throne….if secrets don’t destroy everything first."


My Review:

As the final entry in the ‘American Royals’ series, ‘Reign’ brings us to the end of a year in the life of America's royal family. We've followed them closely from one December to the next, with detailed glimpses of the June before and the June after. We've learned a lot about their lives prior to when the narration begins, and we have detailed accounts of the June prior to this series beginning, the fateful night of the Washington twins high school graduation party where so much changed. The epilogue gives us a glimpse of where our beloved characters end up the following June, and provides hints of where they're heading.

But it's that year in the life of the Washington royal family that we follow closely. The year that so much changes for each of our narrating ladies, and for the royal family at large.

I really enjoyed this fourth and final installment in the ‘American Royals’ series! It was great to be back with these characters and to watch (even more) drama, secrets, and young romances unfold. My favorite parts were the growth for so many of these beloved characters; both the narrating ladies and the gentlemen in their inner circle.

Though we follow the same four ladies as narrators, readers also get to spend quite a lot of time with Prince Jefferson in this book, and that might be my absolute favorite part of ‘Reign’ – that Prince Jefferson is on the page nearly as much as any of the narrators, and that we get to watch him grow and mature, too.

Grab a copy!

Book 1 - 'American Royals'

Book 2 - 'Majesty'

Book 3 - 'Rivals'

Book 4 - 'Reign'

#AmericanRoyalsIVReign #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'The Borrow a Boyfriend Club' by Page Powars

5 stars!

Book Blurb:

"A feel-good, coming-of-age rom-com from debut author Page Powars that follows a trans teen who joins a boyfriend borrowing service masquerading as an Italian Club to prove that he’s one of the guys, especially to its frustratingly handsome leader.
Noah Byrd is the perfect boy. At least, that’s what he needs to convince his new classmates of to prove his gender. His plan? Join the school’s illustrious (and secret) Borrow a Boyfriend Club, whose members rent themselves out for dates. Once he’s accepted among the bros, the “slip-ups” end.

But Noah’s interview is a flop. Desperate, he strikes a deal with the club’s prickly but attractive president, Asher. Noah will help them win an annual talent show—and in return, he’ll get a second shot to demonstrate his boyfriend skills in a series of tests that include romancing Asher himself.

If Noah can’t bring home the win, his best chance to prove that he’s man enough is gone. Yet even if he succeeds, he still loses . . . because the most important rule of the Borrow a Boyfriend Club is simple: no real boyfriends (or girlfriends) allowed.

And as long as the club remains standing as high as Asher’s man bun, Noah and Asher can never explore their growing feelings for one another."


My Review:

Greatly enjoyed this coming-of-age story in which we follow Noah as he tries to prove himself 'man enough' to everyone in his life, and learns to accept himself along the way. His new high school's Borrow A Boyfriend Club fronts as a Football and Lamborghini Club, and it's so much fun to watch all the ways they hide its true purpose from the teachers.

Noah starts out on the wrong foot with the club's President, the prickly Asher Price. Unfortunately, it's Asher who will decide if Noah can join, and one of the challenges on the way to achieving membership is 'Romancing the President'.

How will Noah come to accept that he is, in fact, man enough? How does he win over the club's members and president? Grab a copy - it's a lot of fun to follow along and find out!

#TheBorrowaBoyfriendClub #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.