The No-Girlfriend Rule

Gr 7 Up–Randall’s debut is a romance and a fantasy RPG all in one—both stories equally fleshed out and lovely to read. Hollis Beckwith wants senior year to be memorable, but ordinary, so her anxiety can stay under control. She wants to learn more about “Secrets & Sorcery,” the RPG her boyfriend Chris is deeply involved with, but his group decides there’s a “no-girlfriend at the table” policy. Hollis joins an all-girl group and hidden by the shield of her character, becomes more of her true self as her anxiety begins to take a back seat. Hollis also starts to feel detached from Chris and his group and closer to the girls, especially Aini Amin-Shaw, the girl who is role-playing the love interest to her character. Lines get blurred between the fantasy story and real life until suddenly, Hollis begins to suspect that all the flirting between the characters is something she wants in real life with Aini, too. The banter between the girls is quick and witty, and readers who love Dungeons & Dragons will love the immersive story Randall creates in the fully developed game. At the same time, the novel’s characters are so varied in representation and personality that the budding friendships/romance will appeal to those who can’t get enough of high school dramas or sweet joyful love stories. The descriptions of what someone with an anxiety disorder feels are well written, which will help those living with the disorder feel seen, and also cultivate empathy.