Early Reader Review: Rolls and Rivalry by Kristy Boyce

Source: From Netgalley and the Publisher in Exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Rolls and Rivalry by Kristy Boyce 

Series: Gaming and Romance #3
Publisher: Delacorte Romance
Publication Date: May 5, 2026 

 

Format: Ebook
 
Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Roll the dice, strike up the band, and get ready for a swoon-worthy summer! A charming gaming romance that blends the magic of D&D with the camaraderie of band camp—from the bestselling author of Dating and Dragons!

Questing for love . . .

Hazel Buchanan has her senior year mapped out: Win respect as color guard captain, kick off her first D&D campaign, and steer clear of distractions. But her plan takes a critical hit when Max—her former best friend and longtime crush—returns to town with drumsticks in hand and an unexplained chip on his shoulder.

Hazel and Max can’t help bickering every time they’re together, and thanks to meddling parents, he’s invading her D&D game too. As Dungeon Master, she’s ready to shut him down, but D&D has a way of bringing people together like nothing else. Is this rivalry masking something more? With dice rolling and emotions spinning, Hazel might be in for more than she planned . . .

Review: 

I really enjoyed this one. Hazel heads into her senior year with a plan...and a lot of pressure riding on it. Much of that pressure is self-imposed, shaped by expectations from her mother who is always nerding out over band achievements, and Hazel is determined to prove herself. Both as color guard captain and while finally getting to reconnect with her former best friend, Max. Unfortunately, that reunion is anything but smooth.

Max comes back different; he is guarded, combative, and firmly planted on the “enemy” side as part of the rival drumline of their schools band. The first half of the book leans into that tension, with sharp banter, pranks, and a rivalry that feels equal parts frustrating and fun. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear there’s much more beneath the surface of their falling out, some of it not on them, and that most of it comes down to a lack of communication.

I loved the forced proximity element in this teen romance. The way their shared D&D campaign becomes both an escape and a bridge between them was especially well done. As Dungeon Master, Hazel creates a space where they can reconnect indirectly, and those parallel layers, fantasy/ real life, add a lot of charm to their relationship development.

Both characters felt realistic and grounded, even if the intensity of the band dynamics felt a bit heightened compared to my own high school experience (but I also wasn't in band). That said, the emotional drama rang true in a very familiar, teenage way.

Overall, this was a fun read with strong character relationships, a sweet (and slightly chaotic) romance, and a great use of D&D as a storytelling device. You also don't have to read this one in order. There is a cameo of some of the other characters... so that might be a slight spoiler, but they all exist in the same world versus being fully interconnected.