Love, Kristy Boyce

Dear reader,

It’s cute to meet you! Welcome to Love, Underlined, your new online community for romance readers. Each month we invite one of our romance authors to answer a romance-themed Q&A. This month, Kristy Boyce, author of the swoon-worthy Dungeons and Drama, shares her favorite romance tropes, her book crushes, and more! Read on for the inside scoop.

Love,

Underlined

Do you remember the first romance novel you read?

I distinctly remember reading Twilight. I kept walking into bookstores and seeing the black covers, so I bought one just to know why it was everywhere. (Naturally, I was obsessed after that, haha!) In terms of contemporary YA romance, I think my first author was Kasie West!

What are you currently reading?

I just finished reading Witty in Pink by Erica George. It’s a YA Regency romance and I absolutely adored it! It’s like a YA version of Bridgerton. 😊

What are your favorite tropes?

I honestly love almost every trope, but I think a favorite has to be fake dating! That’s why I chose to include it in Dungeons and Drama—there’s just so much fun you can have with two people who need to pretend to be attracted to each other when they’re not . . . and then you get to make them realize they don’t need to fake it any longer!

Who’s your book crush?

Oh wow, pulling out the hard questions now! I’m going to stick with fantasy because it’s too hard to pick my favorites from YA rom-coms. For YA fantasy, I’d say Will Herondale from Cassandra Clare’s the Infernal Devices. For adult fantasy, it has to be Xaden Riorson from Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. What can I say, I love a brooding, tattooed love interest!

What inspires your writing?

My inspiration comes from many places, but I certainly pull from my own life and experiences. I love writing about my interests, whether it be D&D, musical theater, marching band, or European travel. Plus, I married my high school sweetheart, which makes it easier to write romances about teen characters! Having said that, I’m also inspired by music and movies and the world around me.

What is your favorite part about writing romance?

There’s something very special about finding another person who sees you and loves you for who you authentically are. I love writing those particular moments—where the main character is vulnerable or nervous and the love interest understands and validates them. So many people are searching for those experiences in real life, so it’s fun to give that to my characters!

Share with us an out of context quote from your book! (Bonus points for anything swoony or full of banter).

“I like when you mess with me. I like everything you do with me.”

Describe your book in three emojis.

🎲🎭💕

Love, Kristy Boyce

Read Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce

Dungeons and Drama

Dungeons and Drama

When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!

No one loves musicals more than Riley Morris—her dream is to be a Broadway director. But when the spring show is canceled, Riley has to figure out a way to bring it back. Easier said than done—she’s stuck working at her dad’s game store. The place that means more to him than his family does.

Riley can’t waste time at a dead-end job when her entire future is resting on making a name for herself. So she convinces her co-worker Nathan Wheeler—the floppy-haired, glasses-wearing guy she barely knows from school—to help her. In exchange, she’ll help him make his gamer-girl crush jealous. Plus it won’t hurt to show her egotistical ex, Paul, just what he’s missing without her.

Soon Riley and Nathan are “a couple,” and people seem to believe it. But selling the ruse means joining Nathan’s role-playing game. To Riley’s surprise, the game is almost fun. And even more surprising, flirting with Nathan doesn’t require as much acting as she thought it would. . . .

And don’t miss Kristy Boyce’s next gaming romance, Dating and Dragons, coming January 2025!

Coming Soon . . . Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce!

Dating and Dragons

Dating and Dragons

By Kristy Boyce

Coming 12.31.24

From the author of the nationally bestselling Dungeons and Drama comes another gaming romance that’s sure to win you over!

Quinn Norton is starting over at a new high school and hopes that joining a D&D game will be the trick to making friends. The plan sounds even better when she’s invited into a group that includes Logan Weber, the cute and charming guy she met on her first day of class. But this isn’t your average D&D campaign—this group livestreams their games and enforces strict rules: no phones allowed, and no dating other group members.

Quinn is willing to accept the rules, even if it makes Logan off-limits. And she quickly learns that doing so won’t be a problem, since Logan goes from charismatic to insufferable as soon as she agrees to  join. As their bickering—and bantering—intensifies inside and outside the game, Quinn can’t help wondering: Is Logan’s infuriating behavior a smokescreen for hidden feelings? Quinn is risking it all, and the twenty-sided dice are rolling!

Did you enjoy hearing from romance author Kristy Boyce? Discover more author Q&A’s here and don’t forget to follow us at @loveunderlined!

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