by Lenora Woods
First published 2026
Reagan Riley thought she had left her video game design dreams behind six years ago when Wesley Locke ghosted her after their college hookup. Now she channels her creativity into D&D campaigns in Connecticut, staying close to family. When her regular gaming group dissolves, Reagan and her sister join an advanced campaign at the local game store. The demanding Dungeon Master turns out to be Wesley himself. In their fantasy roles, Reagan plays Sindra, a determined knight, while Wesley embodies Vadrien, a ruthless vampire lord bent on power. Their characters clash just as fiercely as they once did in their college video game design program. When a real world game design opportunity emerges, Reagan and Wesley compete once again outside the gaming table. Their old attraction resurfaces as they battle both in character and in person. Reagan begins questioning why Wesley disappeared from her life years earlier. She must decide whether they can move past their rivalry and discover if they are fighting for something deeper than victory.
Genres: fiction, fantasy, adult, adult-fiction, contemporary-romance
Vibes: character-driven, competitive, emotional, romantic, witty
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity, rivals-to-lovers, second-chance-romance
Setting: Connecticut
368 pages · Paperback · Dell