The No-Girlfriend Rule (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781665939812)

An instant USA TODAY bestseller

Julie Murphy meets Casey McQuiston in this unforgettable queer romance about a teen girl whose foray into fantasy tabletop roleplaying brings her new confidence, true friends, and a shot at real, swoon-worthy love.

Hollis Beckwith isn't trying to get a girl--she's just trying to get by. For a fat, broke girl with anxiety, the start of senior year brings enough to worry about. And besides, she already has a boyfriend: Chris. Their relationship isn't particularly exciting, but it's comfortable and familiar, and Hollis wants it to survive beyond senior year. To prove she's a girlfriend worth keeping, Hollis decides to learn Chris's favorite tabletop roleplaying game, Secrets & Sorcery--but his unfortunate "No Girlfriends at the Table" rule means she'll need to find her own group if she wants in.

Enter: Gloria Castada and her all-girls game of S&S! Crowded at the table in Gloria's cozy Ohio apartment, the six girls battle twisted magic in-game and become fast friends outside it. With her character as armor, Hollis starts to believe that maybe she can be more than just fat, anxious, and a little lost.

But then an in-game crush develops between Hollis's character and the bard played by charismatic Aini Amin-Shaw, whose wide, cocky grin makes Hollis's stomach flutter. As their gentle flirting sparks into something deeper, Hollis is no longer sure what she wants...or if she's content to just play pretend.

Author: Christen Randall
ISBN-10: 1665939818
ISBN-13: 9781665939812
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Language: English
Published: 03/05/2024
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.70w x 1.30d

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 11/27/2023
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 02/01/2024 - Book Of Special Distinction
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2024
Booklist 02/15/2024 pg. 53