Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce Series: Dungeons and Drama #2
Published by Delacorte Press on December 31, 2024
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Source: NetGalley
Quinn Norton is starting over at a new high school and hopes that joining a D&D game will be the trick to making friends. The plan sounds even better when she’s invited into a group that includes Logan Weber, the cute and charming guy she met on her first day of class. But this isn’t your average D&D campaign— this group livestreams their games and enforces strict rules: no phones allowed, and no dating other group members.
Quinn is willing to accept the rules, even if it makes Logan off-limits. And she quickly learns that doing so won’t be a problem, since Logan goes from charismatic to insufferable as soon as she agrees to join. As their bickering—and bantering—intensifies inside and outside the game, Quinn can’t help wondering: Is Logan’s infuriating behavior a smokescreen for hidden feelings? Quinn is risking it all, and the twenty-sided dice are rolling!
Despite mostly avoiding YA novels at this point in my life, Dungeons and Drama was one of the most enjoyable books I read this year—so I simply had to read the next book in the series, Dating and Dragons. Though I liked Dating and Dragons, I found that I didn’t quite care for this second entry in the series as much as its predecessor. Despite the novel and its romance being cute, I found I preferred the cozier tone of the first novel more.
However, I really liked that Dating and Dragons showcases much more about Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). Despite being named Dungeons and Drama, the previous book really glossed over all of the “dungeons” part and there was very little detail about the actual game. So I was happy to see that Dating and Dragons takes the time to show a lot more about the game, such as how characters and campaigns are created and the forethought that goes into all of it. The personal experience of the author, Kristy Boyce, at D&D was really on display here and made the novel feel authentic.
“The dynamics between people in a D&D group are as important as the character builds or the campaign itself. Maybe even more important. It’s hard to find a group that gets along well and has chemistry—adding a new person could totally ruin the energy.”*
I also think it was great that the novel highlighted the different approaches to playing D&D, with some players taking it a lot more seriously than others. I could see that returning readers from Dungeons and Dramas or readers new to the series might be a little surprised to see all of this new detail about the game. Those reading Dating and Dragons simply for the romance and YA aspects may be a bit bored in these sections.
Personally I loved the added focus on D&D, but I wasn’t as crazy about the romance part of the novel. Logan and Quinn, the male and female leads respectively, had less chemistry than Riley and Nathan from Dungeons and Drama. What made that novel’s romance particularly charming was that these two seemingly opposite characters learned to appreciate the talents and interests of the other and found out that they had more in common then they ever thought was possible. In Dating and Dragons, Quinn and Logan already had tons in common, so it was really easy for them to find things to talk about and for them to relate to one another.
“Each time we see each other, the risks grow bigger. There’s so much at stake. For the D&D group, yes, but for me personally too….what if I pursue things with Logan and it all ends up imploding? If we started anything in earnest and it fell apart, it would decimate my heart. The way I feel about him, the level of trust I have in him already, it’s beyond anything I’ve felt before. I don’t know if I can open myself up to the possibility of that pain.”
Unfortunately, this ease between the two made the anti-dating rule for their D&D group seem even more contrived. At the beginning of the novel, the dating rule was somewhat understandable, as Quinn was new to the group and these high schoolers were trying to keep it professional for their livestream. However, at the time Quinn joins the group and their new campaign, the kids only have about 30 viewers for said stream…so it seems a little over the top that they can’t possibly date each other. And as Quinn and Logan are drawn to each other from the very first moment they meet and only grow closer as time goes on, it gets very redundant to hear them constantly lamenting that they couldn’t possibly date each other due to the group’s rule. It feels unnecessarily dramatic, especially when the potential for enough drama is already present.
I know it’s very hard to have conversations about feelings, especially for teenagers, but it seemed a little obvious that there needed to be a discussion with the new friends, especially considering Quinn’s contentious past with her old D&D group at her old school and the immediate attraction between Quinn and Logan. I honestly wish the focus had been on Quinn’s past trauma instead of the dating rule as the reason for why she and Logan couldn’t date. I think that would have felt more sincere and less forced.
“‘You can’t control how they’ll react.’
‘if it comes to that, then I’ll quit.’
‘What?’ I straighten so quickly the room spins. ‘You can’t do that, D&D is your favorite thing in the world.’
His hands come to my waist to steady me, ‘Not anymore, Quinn.’”
As a whole, I think Dating and Dragons is less whimsical and more realistic than Dungeons and Drama, but somehow, at the same time, it still felt shallower. I didn’t feel as connected to the characters—it didn’t really feel like I had the time to get to know them. For instance, Logan doesn’t have much going on—he lives on a farm with a cute baby cow, has a part-time job at an ice cream shop, and writes his own D&D campaigns in secret. This doesn’t offer a whole lot of depth to the character. The things he says and does to Quinn also seem way above the level of a typical high schooler and some suspension of disbelief is required.
Though Dating and Dragons is less of a wholesome celebration and discovery of geeky things and the sense of community it can provide, it highlights some of the recognizable problems that arise within the gaming community, like sexism, slut-shaming, jealousy, gaslighting, and more. It highlights that things can go horribly wrong even in a formerly trusted group of friends. I feel like these are great topics to bring attention to, especially for young readers, but that it also makes Dating and Dragons less of a light and fluffy read.
Despite it being a little more serious than Dungeons and Drama, I still really enjoyed every minute of Dating and Dragons. Other standouts of the novel include queer representation (the Dungeon Master of Quinn’s new group using they/them pronouns) and Quinn’s hilarious grandmother. I found myself laughing aloud at the hijinks of Quinn’s grandmother, who is a bit of a hellraiser, and hope that one day I have a quarter of her audacity. Regardless of how well this novel in the series worked for me personally, I really love seeing this type of representation—of both D&D and geek culture as a whole—featured in mainstream novels. Readers who haven’t read the first book in the series will be able to enjoy it as a standalone, which makes it very accessible. I really hope the author continues to write more works in this series and will definitely pick them up in the future.
*All quotes taken from an ARC and subject to change at time of publication.
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I didn’t know that this was, aomehow, a series! I am sorry that it wasn’t as good as the first one but at least it wasn’t a total loss!!
Yes, me either, at first! I hope she keeps writing them, since it’s such a fun idea 😊 And hopefully, the third will be as good as the first
I’m reading this right now, so I’ll come back to your review after I’ve written mine! But I did see the first few sentences of yours and I agree that, so far, I like the first one a little better.
Ah, I can’t wait to read all of your thoughts on it! Hope you still enjoy it, even if you don’t find it quite as charming as the first book. 😊
I rarely read YA or high school age main characters. Sometimes the drama is too much. My brother was big into D & D but I never learned it.
Anne – Books of My Heart
I definitely find it a lot harder to relate to the characters and their mindsets at my more advanced age, so I get it! 😂
Great review! I gave it 3 stars also.
Thank you so much! Yeah, it just didn’t hit quite the same as the first one for me, unfortunately.