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"Centred on a group of female table-top gamers, this gloriously geeky, inclusive love story tingles with coming-of-age truths and the magic of self-acceptance."
Finding your tribe, finding love, finding the magic of female friendship, and finding confidence — Christen Randall’s The No-Girlfriend Rule has all the finds and all the feels! Following the stirring journey of an avid table-top gamer who discovers she has a place at the table in life and love — alongside being a badass queen at the gaming table — it’s heart- warming, true-to-life and alive with body positivity.
Frustrated by the “No Girlfriends at the Table” rule of her long-time boyfriend’s gaming group, seventeen-year-old Hollis steps out of her comfort zone when she joins a “new girl- friendly, LGBTQIA+-friendly campaign” i.e. a female gaming group led by the creative, inspirational Gloria Castañeda.
Though nervous and initially reluctant to unleash the fullness of her imagination (and self) as the girls play a “story-driven game of Secrets & Sorcery”, Hollis is welcomed with fulsome friendship and understanding. Meanwhile, back at the ranch of the guys’ group, Hollis has to put up with sexist snipes and homophobic remarks about her all-female gaming crew.
As the game intensifies and Hollis finds her flow, her in-game character develops a crush on another character, played by the impossibly cool Aini. When the lines between play and real-life are blurred, Hollis’ world is well and truly rocked.
Unsure of her feelings, Gloria comes to Hollis’ rescue in sisterly style, explaining, “When we can look at things in a different way, sometimes the things that would usually frighten us seem a little less frightening. The game can give us a safe space, with safe people, to explore parts of ourselves we might not be comfortable with”. And these sage words get to the heart of the magic of The No-Girlfriend Rule — it’s a joyous novel about self-discovery in the company of friends you can trust, alongside being a tingly love story.
Seventeen-year-old Hollis Beckwith is on a quest to conquer the world of tabletop gaming. But her boyfriend's 'No Girlfriends at the Table' rule means that Hollis will have to find her own group if she wants to join in.
Enter Gloria Castañeda and her all-girls game of S&S! Crowded at the table in Gloria's apartment, Hollis finds unexpected friendships and epic adventures. With her character as armour, Hollis starts to believe that maybe she can be more than just fat, anxious and a little lost.
When an in-game crush develops between Hollis's character and the bard played by cool, charismatic Aini Amin Shaw, the lines between the game and reality start to blur-and Hollis is left with a choice: keep pretending, or roll the dice on love.
With a diverse and inclusive cast of characters, epic fantasy world-building and a protagonist who learns to embrace her true self, this debut is a must-read for any YA reader looking for a fresh and engaging new voice in the genre.
The No-Girlfriend Rule features in the following genres: Young Adult Fiction, Debut Books of the Month, Romance / Relationship Stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: School stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Relationship stories, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Computer and video games, Narrative theme: Coming of age, Age groups: adolescents, Coping with / advice about body image issues, LGBTQ+ Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Recommendations, Fiction, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Hobbies, quizzes, toys and games, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Fiction: narrative themes, Age groups and generations, Social groups, communities and identities, Society and culture: general, Society and Social Sciences, Coping with / advice about personal, social and health topics, Family and health, Health & Fitness
The No-Girlfriend Rule is available in Paperback
The No-Girlfriend Rule was written by Christen Randall and published by Pushkin Children's Books
The No-Girlfriend Rule has 324 pages
£8.99
