Common Sense Media Review
By Sage Moreaux
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun, empowering, heartfelt coming-of-age queer romance.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THE NO-GIRLFRIEND RULE, Hollis Beckwith is a fat girl with anxiety who is trying to navigate the stress of her senior year of high school. She wants to join her boyfriend's weekly session of the tabletop role playing game, Secrets & Sorcery, thinking this will keep at least their relationship from changing too much. But his group's "No-Girlfriends" rule bars her from his game, so she joins an all-girl S&S group instead. There she finds really awesome players, and discovers a newfound confidence, and her weekly game becomes more than just a way to impress her boyfriend. But when her feelings for one of the other girls blossoms into something more than friendship, Hollis has to decide what's real, and what's not.
Is It Any Good?
This fun, heartfelt story lets readers experience the highs and lows as Hollis struggles to find her place in the world. With rich, diverse characters that are celebrated for embracing their true selves, The No-Girlfriend Rule reminds us of the importance of loving ourselves loudly. Hollis' weekly roleplaying session is vital to her character growth, and while author Christen Randall does a wonderful job of weaving the two worlds together, a lot of time is spent describing game mechanics and the in-game storyline. If you are a fan of tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons, you will love this. If you have limited experience with these types of games, you may find the time spent describing dice rolls takes away from your enjoyment of the story. Still, there's plenty of quirky characters, clever banter, and genuine self-growth to make it a fun read and to appeal to many teen readers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the friendships in The No-Girlfriend Rule. How does Hollis' new friendships impact her existing relationships? What makes a good friend?
Hollis found bravery through roleplaying her game character, Honoria. How can pretending to be someone else have positive or negative effects on your life?
It took Hollis a long time to stand up to Landon and Chris. What gave her the courage to finally do so?
How does anxiety affect Hollis' life and relationships?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Atheneum Books For Young Readers
- Publication date : March 5, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 336
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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