I received an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of Roll for Love by M. K. England. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In Roll for Love, Harper and Ollie were childhood best friends, from when they would spend every summer together when Harper visited her grandfather’s farm in Virginia. Now, her grandfather has passed away and she and her mother are moving back to take care of the farm. But this, of course, brings her back into Ollie’s orbit, which is daunting, as Ollie was Harper’s first crush. Meanwhile, Ollie, now aware that she’s bisexual, hardly knows what to do in Harper’s presence. But the two of them become fast friends again, and Harper joins the D&D group that Ollie’s part of. So as their two characters start to fall for each other during the game, the girls wonder if any of those feelings might stem from something real.

This is so cute! I know a little bit about Dungeons & Dragons, but am far from an expert. Luckily, England makes this famous game accessible to even those who know nothing, as the basics of the game are touched on—but the real plot doesn’t have to do with the game.

Rather, the focus is on Harper’s and Ollie’s journeys. And I really liked the two of them! Harper’s drive and ambition to pursue carpentry after school is offset by her uncertainty around moving across the country for her senior year, plus her grief over her grandfather’s passing and the tension between herself and her mother. And Ollie, while her mind is filled with dreams of making a stable life in this small town by starting a daycare, has a lot of insecurity about her sexuality and being out in a rural setting. I think England balanced the more serious aspects of their lives with levity and connection.

Much of this connection comes from their bond with each other, but also with their friends Ev, Brooks, and Colton, who make up a wonderful supporting cast. Each of them feels fleshed out too, and they sound like the sort of people I would have liked to be friends with in high school.

I also appreciated how this book shines a light on what it’s like to be queer and/or a person of color in a rural Southern town in America. In reading this story through Harper’s and Ollie’s eyes, it’s apparent how, even in a community that you’ve known for years, there’s doubt when it comes to being your authentic self—especially when that self goes against the accepted norm of that community. It’s moving and painful to see these characters’ worry and fear, while they also seek reasons to have hope. And that’s ultimately what this book is saying: there’s hope in community and in genuine human connection, and that difficult situations can be best resolved with good communication.

In the end, I thought that Roll for Love was a super charming read. The characters are great, the themes are lovely, and the D&D aspects are really fun. I especially enjoyed the scenes written from the campaign characters’ perspectives, giving a glimpse into what it’s like to be immersed in a tabletop game’s story. This book is a sweet, heartfelt look at the struggles that come with being yourself, and a call for empathy even in seemingly hostile places. The love story is great, and the friendships equally so. I need to read more books by M. K. England, evidently!

Roll for Love will be published on April 8th, 2025!