"Immersing herself in it, with Felix alongside her, was like learning to fly. No, it was like remembering that once upon a time she had known how to fly and realizing she still had wings."

Not to be dramatic, but this book is exactly why I love reading! This book made me feel the same way I felt reading Jen DeLuca's Well Met. In Stewart's case it's Monsters & Mythology (read: Dungeons & Dragons), in DeLuca's it's a Ren Faire, but both books are letting me experience something that I'll probably never experience in my real life. (shoutout to you, social anxiety!)

I was completely immersed in this world, in loooove with these characters, and just plain smiled through the whole story. This is sexy and delightfully nerdy. And hallelujah - no frustrating miscommunication plot! Just a very realistic portrayal of two people who have been through some sheeet trying to make things work. And even though this does have a happily ever after, it's not the kind where they just pretend that nothing is hard anymore after you fall in love. And I really, really love an author who can balance that. Elle, I'll read anything you write!

Thank you NetGalley and Elle Stewart for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a wonderfully nerdy read! An enjoyable jump into the world of tabletop gameplay and character building. And talk about realistically written solutions to conflicts! Say it with me now - Therapy. Is. Valid!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy to review!

i found this one in netgalley’s “reader recommended” section and am SO glad people sang its praises so that i’d end up reading it! i loved it! i really liked both leads — felix is such a sensitive and thoughtful mmc.

the reviews i read mentioned it being spicer than anticipated, and those scenes i thought were done very well and to my liking! when they got to the con (and decisions were made in the lobby), i got that warm feeling in my chest that sometimes comes from reading a really good romance novel!

i don’t know anything about dnd (mnm in this book), but i enjoyed reading this story all the same. would highly recommend if you’re looking for something heartwarming and/or emotionally intelligent.

#netgalley

this book wasn't for me.

I don't mind (actually love) a nerdy fmc, but I went into this hoping for a nerdy mmc, and that's not what I got.

what sealed the deal for me was the author's use of a writing technique that comes across as lazy to me: when a character has a traumatic past, and the author is trying to show the reader a flashback. I think flashbacks are for the most part an inherently lazy writing tool, but especially in the way it was executed here. the character stops engaging mid-conversation and has a that's so raven level dissociative vision about their past before tuning back into the conversation as if they just had an absence seizure.

This was such a great romance read. The characters are very adult (in their mid 30s, and acting like it), the problems they’re having are adult problems, they handle them like adults - I love a classic 20s romance as much as anyone, but this was such a refreshing read!

There’s also a really fun nerdy element to this book. The entire plot centers around D&D games, and we see the characters really come into their own through the gaming community.

This book has all the small town vibes, cute librarians, cats - I really enjoyed this story, and I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author!

Thank you to Elle M. Stewart and NetGalley for letting me read the ARC of Taking Initiative! I loved the plot of this book and the inspiration from Dungeons and Dragons. It was such a unique story. The relationship between Jo and Felix starts out very casual but slowly transforms into the sweetest relationship! I love how much they truly care for each other. This is a great debut novel and I cant wait to read what Elle M. Stewart puts out next! 🖤

ARC Book Review!

Taking initiative by Elle. M. Stewart

4 / 5⭐️

3 /5 🔥

Right off the bat I loved the dynamic of the MMC and FMC. She’s a bit nerdy and he’s a bit awkward and together they are so endearing.

I think the characters should have been made a younger age though. Between their mannerisms and inexperience having them in their thirties felt unrealistic. It gave the book a juvenile feel that was slightly off putting.

Overall though this was a really enjoyable read.



This book is for you if you like:

Slow burn
DnD
Small town

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#book #bookstagram #booklover
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I really liked it! For once, a male librarian where usually the FMC is the librarian. I also love the growth from both characters.

What an absolute love letter to the TTRPG community in a book- reading this made me fall in love with D&D all over again while being completely enamored with Jo and Felix. After a hard breakup, Jo is a nurse looking for a fresh start (somewhere less expensive than California) but the thing she misses most is her MnM (basically D&D) group. Felix is a librarian who is living life in a bit of a holding pattern to be close to his grandfather. When the library director decides they need to start a regular game night, Felix gets voluntold it's his responsibility... and Jo is the only person to show up hoping to reconnect with the MnM community in this new place.

Felix is in over his head immediately with MnM and Jo sees a small window to share something she loves without it over taking her life, so she offers to help him get a handle on the whole MnM thing before trying library game night again. They explore the world of monsters and mythology together, while also mutually finding home a little bit more in this small town where they landed. The question is, can both of them climb over their own trauma and personal challenges to find real connection and community together?

I didn’t know much about game playing and the whole world around it before reading this romance. I knew a rad bit but was willing to dive in and learn more around a romance and a MC growing out of a traumatic past. The two MCs were a bit more polite than my normal reads, but they cared deeply about the opposing reactions and not diving in too hard or too fast, which I thought was a major difference from most plot lines I read, so I appreciated the uniqueness of the story. All in all, a recommendation for sure.

Thanks to NetGalley and Elle Stewart for the ARC.

Light hearted, very easy read, 3.5 stars, rounded slightly down, a bit too fluffy and as I’m not into the fantasy world of MnM or DnD or anything like that the lengthy descriptions were hard to keep up with but if it’s your thing you’d love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the digital ARC of this book!

Okay, this book was fantastic, and I loved every moment. It completely absorbed me, and I ended up reading it in only a few hours. Felix and Jo were the PERFECT couple, and I couldn't find a fault with either of them.

This whole book was a love story to Dungeon and Dragons and all the nerds out there in the world. Be warned, if you don't like, or are at least interested in, reading about people nerding out over stuff (and talks about role playing games), then you might not like this. But I'd fully recommend trying it anyway because it's FANTASTIC.

Jo loves Mythology and Magic—basically the DnD of this world—alongside everything nerdy, including fantasy and beloved favourites such as Star Wars. Felix, on the other hand, is much more grounded and not as interested in stuff like fantasy. What gets him off (lol) is all things rare books and facts. He loves his job in the library and wants to work with rare books in the future, and his favourite thing to read is a nonfiction book.

Despite this, they end up meeting when he's made to put on an MnM night to try and increase the library's patronage. Of course, he meets Jo, who's trying to find a new life after a hard breakup in California. They end up spending a lot more time together, and their chemistry is immediate.

I love how Jo is so obsessed with MnM, and when she's with her friends, she's more than happy to let her geek flag fly. She does have some trauma surrounding this, thanks to her ex, but the book works through it with both herself and Felix. Felix, on the other hand, adores her passion for games and is adorably sweet with her. This is a man who thinks his girlfriend is the best thing since sliced bread, and it's wonderful to read.

Felix was so open-minded and nonjudgmental. He really wanted to understand why people like this stuff and was open to trying it himself. His grandfather, Tito, was a fantastic character, and you could really feel the relationship between them both.

The side characters were equally fantastic, from Jo's best friend and the rest of her California MnM group to the newer friends she made, such as Vanessa and Leni. I particularly liked how all the characters were open about their nerdy habits - Vanessa's love of all things 'Stars' was great to read. I loved how this book made it normal and perfectly fine to have these loves because this is exactly what life is like.

I also loved how these were two mid-30s characters comfortable in their own skin and sexuality. The sex scenes were spicy but also full of confidence. There was no messing around for them; they both knew what they liked and were willing to vocalise it. There was also plenty of body positivity and casual mentions of things like body dimples, body rolls, body hair and more. Alongside this, the cast was very diverse and varied, featuring people of all ethnicities, nationalities, genders and sexual identities. Felix is Spanish, Aida (Jo's best friend), is Middle Eastern, Aida's fiancé is black, a Korean non-binary person in their gaming group and so much more. It noted how a game like MnM (and, by extension, DnD) is meant to be inclusive, as the whole point is to role-play as someone you're not.

So, after all this waffling...it's safe to say I loved this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Author, Elle M. Stewart for providing me with an ARC of this debut novel.

As someone who has never played Dungeons & Dragons, I was worried I wouldn't enjoy this book. However, the author's explanations of the game were clear and helpful, and I found myself engrossed in the story. The main characters, both in their 30s, were refreshingly mature and handled challenges with grace. The side characters added depth and interest to the narrative, making this a great choice for anyone looking for a unique and engaging romance novel. And yes, the spice was perfect!

Huge thank you to the author, Elle M. Stewart and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

As a huge TTRPG fan and romance reader, I was immediately drawn into this debut as soon as I saw the title and cover, and so glad to say that it did not disappoint!

Jo is a skilled nurse at a senior care facility and huge “Monsters and Mythology” nerd. The novel begins with her moving cross country from California to a small Kansas town to find a new beginning following the devastating end of a decade long toxic relationship. There, she meets Felix, a 36 year old librarian who has been tasked with starting up a weekly game night to help boost traffic at the library and avoid cuts to their funding. Felix is an introverted, type A, all-around sweet guy who seems to have found himself in a bit of a life-rut, having moved to Kansas following the death of his beloved grandmother, his life currently revolves around work and caring for his delightful Grandfather Tito.

Their relationship starts off slow, as two shy somewhat co-workers when Jo volunteers to help Felix get his program off the ground, but quickly evolves into a tender, and steamy romance that allows them both to learn more about each other and themselves as they evolve together as a couple.

First, I loved that this story featured a couple who were in their mid to late thirties! More of this please! Next, the side-characters including the library staff, Felix’s grandfather, and Jo’s band of nerdy friends were delightful. The story also didn’t shy away from portraying Jo’s difficulties allowing herself to accept love and start anew with someone else after the emotional abuse she went through. The spice was also great! I mean, TTRPGs and a hot librarian with a praise kink!? Sign me up !

The passages describing Jo’s joy gaming were also so wonderful and relatable!

All in all, this was such a fun read and I would love to read more from this author hopefully soon!

This is a romance novel with a fantasy slant, as the main character is a Dungeons and Dragons fanatic. She meets her Person when she shows up for a D&D session that he has put on at the library. D&D (safely renamed) is a central topic throughout the book; the characters even attend a gaming conference.

If you’re into gaming, fantasy, and romance, this could be a fun book. I am really not, so I found it a bit of a drag. But the story was good enough, the writing decent. Characters had depth and backstories, but I wasn’t that invested in them, which I generally attribute to a flaw in the writing. I’m not sure, in this case, what maintained the distance.

Jo has moved from L.A. to Kansas and is taking it slow after a recent heartbreak. Trying to find her way in a new town, she stops by the library for a RPG night and instead of finding like-minded individuals, she finds a good looking librarian floundering over the Monsters & Mythology program. Romance ensues.

Ugh! I want to like this book because I LOVE that RPG games and libraries are at the heart of the plotline. The first bit of the book is so awkward - so much telling and zero showing - and I feel like it could benefit from a good edit; it needs to be more dynamic. I feel like some of the people/plotlines/tropes that show up at first seem like they are just boxes that have been checked off to get the novel started. Best friend on the phone, check, dramatic back story, check, multi-racial names/genders/identities included, check. I think that ALL of these things are wonderful be included, but they don’t have to be so obvious/hit you over the head. There’s something forced about it. I also wonder if this is really aimed at Gen Z, and maybe it isn’t my style? There’s something about the tone that’s dismissive and strange and I just don’t like it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is a cute book about a gamer girl and hot librarian. She shares her love of tabletop RPG with him and helps him out with programming at the library. They form a great friendship and both learn how to take initiative with facets of their life. The chemistry between Felix and Jo is so great. I love that there is so much representation throughout the entire book. It’s a feel good book that is just so fun to read. This one is for the people who just want someone to love all parts of them.

This book started out kind of slow and it took me about 20% to really get into it but once I did, I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed that both Felix and Jo are older MCs and that they both are interested in getting better while still supporting one another. With their ages, I think it was a more realistic 3rd act breakup and I enjoyed that it wasn't because of a stupid reason, but because they knew each of them deserved to feel better. All in all, it is a very cute story with main characters who have realistic flaws.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6558426665

First of all, thank you so much Elle M. Stewart and NetGalley for giving the joy and opportunity of reading this arc/debut novel.

This book is about Jo and Felix. Jo who just moved to a very small town to try to figure out her life after a long term relationship break up and Felix who is trying to discover what makes him happy. Elements of RPG are incorporated. My first time reading about it and loved it!

In my opinion, this was a great debut novel. I loved that the characters were around their 30s and were still trying to figure out who they were and all the things they wanted to do in their lives. I absolutely loved Jo. She showed us that it’s okay to have hobbies that people might think they’re weird or odd, but that the right people will always support you no matter what.

The connection between Felix and Jo is beautiful. I do wish that once they were together we would’ve gotten more about their date or that they would’ve spent more time together. The spicy scenes were good, but I needed more from their actual relationship POV. But I still enjoyed it so much. I literally could not put it down.

Tropes present:
- he falls first
- small town romance
- friends to lovers

Again, thank you for the opportunity. It was a great read.

Synopsis: Jo is ready for a fresh start. After a painful breakup from a long time boyfriend, she is ready to start over in Kansas. While looking for friendship in her new town, Jo attends an M&M gaming night at her local library. Instead of finding a group of dedicated M&M players, she finds Felix, a handsome librarian, trying to save the funding for his library by starting an M&M gaming night. Unfortunately, Felix knows nothing about M&M and cannot seem to understand the appeal. What if Jo could help Felix get this gaming night off to a good start?

My Thoughts: I was so ready for another DnD style romance after picking up Dungeons and Drama earlier this year. I am not personally a DnD player but many of my friends are so I really enjoyed the nods to the role playing game world. The romance was cute and this was much more spicy than I anticipated. However, Jo’s character really bothered me. She felt extremely immature for her age and that was constantly taking me out of the story. Seems that some folks like this though so if you are looking for a DnD inspired romance be sure to pick this one up June 25th

3.5⭐️ rounded up

A super cute and slightly nerdy rom com with lots of spice.I loved the relationship between Jo & Felix and how realistic the characters were especially in regards to their communication about personal struggles.

For me there was a little too much focus on the game but even for someone who doesn’t play those sort of games I think this is still such a good rom com.