★ “Randall’s debut is a romance and a fantasy RPG all in one—both stories equally fleshed out and lovely to read. . . . The banter between the girls is quick and witty, and readers who love Dungeons & Dragons will love the immersive story Randall creates in the fully developed game. At the same time, the novel’s characters are so varied in representation and personality that the budding friendships/romance will appeal to those who can’t get enough of high school dramas or sweet joyful love stories.”
Description
An instant USA TODAY bestseller
Four starred reviews!
Julie Murphy meets Heartstopper with a D&D twist in this “magical, heartwarming” (Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of She Gets the Girl) queer romance about a teen girl whose foray into fantasy tabletop roleplaying brings her new confidence, true friends, and a shot at real, swoon-worthy love.
Hollis Beckwith isn’t trying to get a girl—she’s just trying to get by. For a fat, broke girl with anxiety, the start of senior year brings enough to worry about. And besides, she already has a boyfriend: Chris. Their relationship isn’t particularly exciting, but it’s comfortable and familiar, and Hollis wants it to survive beyond senior year. To prove she’s a girlfriend worth keeping, Hollis decides to learn Chris’s favorite tabletop roleplaying game, Secrets & Sorcery—but his unfortunate “No Girlfriends at the Table” rule means she’ll need to find her own group if she wants in.
Enter: Gloria Castañeda and her all-girls game of S&S! Crowded at the table in Gloria’s cozy Ohio apartment, the six girls battle twisted magic in-game and become fast friends outside it. With her character as armor, Hollis starts to believe that maybe she can be more than just fat, anxious, and a little lost.
But then an in-game crush develops between Hollis’s character and the bard played by charismatic Aini Amin-Shaw, whose wide, cocky grin makes Hollis’s stomach flutter. As their gentle flirting sparks into something deeper, Hollis is no longer sure what she wants…or if she’s content to just play pretend.
Reviews
★ "This sparkling debut is a love letter to queer, fat, neurodivergent girls and to the importance of friendship, chosen family, and LGBTQ-inclusive spaces. The romance between Hollis and Aini is endearing and joyous, and it’s underscored by the depth of the friendships that Hollis makes among the entire S&S crew."
★ "Fans of Dungeons & Dragons and Amy Spalding’s No Boy Summer will cheer for Hollis in this joyful and inspiring coming-of-age romance."
★ "In this dazzling debut, Randall navigates serious topics such as mental health and toxic masculinity alongside joyful themes surrounding self-realization and cultivating genuine camaraderie and affirming safe spaces. A fully realized cast helps to flesh out Hollis and Aini’s developing connection and their individual quests for happiness against a lived-in-feeling gaming backdrop."