Today’s review is about LEVEL UP FOR LOVE by Lenora Woods. It’s a standalone D&D-inspired contemporary romance. Reagan and Wesley were rivals in college, but lost touch when he ghosted her after a hookup at graduation. Six years later, Reagan joins a new D&D group with her sister only to find out the Dungeon Master is Wesley.
Author: Lenora Woods
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Dell
Publish Date: September 8, 2026
Print Length: 368
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Level Up For Love Synopsis
Synopsis
Sparks fly as two former college rivals are forced together for a new D&D campaignāclashing both in and out of the gameāin this fusion of contemporary second-chance romance and fantasy from the author of Roll for Romance.
In college, Reagan Riley and Wesley Locke were constantly at each otherās throats, competing to be the best in their video game design programāuntil Wesley ghosts her after their unexpected hookup, severing their ties for good.
Six years later, Reagan has set aside her game design dreams, opting instead to stay close to her family in Connecticut and channel her creative energy into D&D. When her longstanding group falls apart, she and her sister join their local game store’s new advanced campaignāonly to find the demanding Dungeon Master at the helm is none other than Wesley. In the game, he is Vadrien, a merciless, power-hungry vampire lord, and Reagan is Sindra, the sword-wielding lady knight who will stop at nothing to cut him down.
When a game design opportunity opens up in the real world, Reagan and Wesley find themselves doubly pitted against each other. But as their buried spark reignites and Reagan starts to question why Wesley left all those years ago, can they find a way to play niceāand are they playing for more than just to win?
Level Up For Love Review
I received a free, digital, advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is my own and reflects my honest opinion about this book.
In LEVEL UP FOR LOVE, a college rivalry fires back up six years after graduation. Reagan and Wesley were always at each other’s throats and competing to be the best in their video game design program. Unexpectedly, they had a connection at Reagan’s graduation party. But Wesley ghosted her, so she did her best to forget him. Now Reagan works in healthcare software design, a distant cry from the creativity of her college days. Her friend group also recently imploded, so she’s nursing her wounds by seeking casual flings and nights out on the town. But her sister encourages her to join a new D&D campaign at their local game store. Once there, they find out that the Dungeon Master is none other than Wesley.
LEVEL UP FOR LOVE is probably one of or my favorite of the D&D-inspired contemporary romances I’ve read. The story alternates between Reagan’s POV and the D&D campaign. I found the campaign very interesting campaign when usually I tend to skim it by the end. The advanced campaign involves quite a bit of risk and danger, which happily kept me reading. The overall plot of the D&D campaign is to take down Vadrien, played by Wesley, a vampire lord who’s brought a curse to the land. Reagan’s character is a tiefling named Sindra and, naturally, has some chemistry with Vadrien.
I liked reading about the D&D party dynamics as their real-life friendship grew. Reagan’s dislike of Wesley and what he did in the past creates some tension amongst the party at first. But as everyone continues to play D&D and Reagan and Wesley slowly hash things out, the group dynamic blossoms. This is a real boon for Reagan whose original D&D crew imploded, which devastated her because she had poured her heart into it. So to find a new D&D group is both cathartic and healing for Reagan.
I also enjoyed reading Reagan’s and Wesley’s interactions. The chemistry between them is well defined and enhanced by their natural desire to compete with each other. Wesley is more willing than Reagan to trust and start over again. Then again, he’s the one who ghosted her, not the other way around. Reagan had also just gone through a messy break up, so she is slower to want to commit emotionally. There is a little miscommunication trope which honestly is all because of Reagan’s fear to open up to love again. I wasn’t a huge fan of the miscommunication, nor the reason Wesley gave for ghosting her that night back in college because I didn’t find it all that believable.
However, the pace of their reconciliation is good. They also decide, independently at first, to compete in their local game design contest. Though it took some persuading on Wesley’s part, they exchange games in order to provide each other with feedback. I think this was a good exercise in trust. Another smaller aspect of the story I liked is Reagan’s eventual reconciliation with her father. The reader initially meets Reagan when she still has not forgiven her father for the car crash he caused that severely injured her younger sister.
Overall, I really enjoyed LEVEL UP FOR LOVE. Definitely give this one a go if you’re a fantasy reader who also likes romance. I look forward to more work by this author (and hopefully more D&D romances!).
Rating: 4.25
Content warnings: sexual content, infidelity, alcohol
Reading format: e-ARC
If you liked this book, you may also enjoy ROLL FOR ROMANCE by Lenora Woods.
This sounds cute and fun! I love the idea of one of the perspectives being the campaign and bonus that it kept your attentionš