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Gamer Boy #1
Level Me Up
This debut new adult romance brings you an even mix of nerdy and flirty in a story about a girl-next-door and her professional gamer boy.
Morgan Lawson wasn’t looking for love when attending Comic-Con. She just wanted a good time. But even before exchanging their first words, Morgan finds herself drawn to Dex. Before she realizes it, Morgan is caught up in the drop-dead sexy gamer.
Dex Roberts didn’t think falling in love was a big deal. But he knew the moment he saw Morgan, he wanted more. He fell hard and fast but wasn’t surprised when the downfalls of dating a professional video gamer became too much for Morgan. To Dex, video games are life. But he’ll bide his time because he doesn’t want anyone else.
It turns out a broken heart is harder to deal with than falling in love. Once Morgan decides what truly makes her happy, there’s no time to waste. But without any warning, life threatens to destroy what both Morgan and Dex want most...love with each other.
Morgan Lawson wasn’t looking for love when attending Comic-Con. She just wanted a good time. But even before exchanging their first words, Morgan finds herself drawn to Dex. Before she realizes it, Morgan is caught up in the drop-dead sexy gamer.
Dex Roberts didn’t think falling in love was a big deal. But he knew the moment he saw Morgan, he wanted more. He fell hard and fast but wasn’t surprised when the downfalls of dating a professional video gamer became too much for Morgan. To Dex, video games are life. But he’ll bide his time because he doesn’t want anyone else.
It turns out a broken heart is harder to deal with than falling in love. Once Morgan decides what truly makes her happy, there’s no time to waste. But without any warning, life threatens to destroy what both Morgan and Dex want most...love with each other.
Audiobook
Published February 12, 2018
34 people are currently reading
658 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Helms
16 books463 followersLauren Helms is a romance author her nerdy and flirty contemporary words. Lauren has forever been an avid reader from the beginning. After starting a book review website, that catapulted her fully into the book world, she knew that something was missing. While working for a video game strategy guide publisher, she decided to mix what she knew best--video games and romance. She decided to take the plunge and write her first novel, Level Me Up. Several published novels later, Lauren, with her book bestie, also formed PR company, Forever Write PR, to help other authors promote their books.
Lauren lives in Indianapolis, Indiana sharing her love of books and video games with her own Gamer Boy husband and three little kid nerds who will hopefully grow up to share the love of things that united Lauren and her husband on their own happily ever after.
You can connect with Lauren in the following ways:
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Lauren lives in Indianapolis, Indiana sharing her love of books and video games with her own Gamer Boy husband and three little kid nerds who will hopefully grow up to share the love of things that united Lauren and her husband on their own happily ever after.
You can connect with Lauren in the following ways:
Read her Books on Amazon!
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
June 10, 2017
My slump continues.
I'm sorry but while I loved the concept of this book, it was just a mess. I'm a little confused by all of the glowing reviews so I'm going to do my best to explain my many issues with this book.
Morgan's best friend Ruby attends Comic-Con every year with her brother. This year, her brother couldn't make it so Ruby brings Morgan. Morgan isn't really into most of it, but she gets to travel from Chicago to California with one of her best friends and have a good time. Because Ruby's brother is missing the whole thing, Morgan and Ruby get in line to have a shirt signed for him by a professional gaming team for the game Call of Battle. While they are getting their shirt signed Morgan meets Dex and promptly forgets how to speak. Dex only has eyes for Morgan and invites Morgan and Ruby to a party later. When Dex's team and Morgan/Ruby meet up at the party, they discover that they both live in Chicago and exchange numbers. Morgan is surprised when Dex actually calls her and they start to date. Everything is fine until Dex has to travel with his team for competitions. From there, Morgan starts to lose her shit and becomes a giant ball of insecurity with a side of whackadoodle.
Morgan. Oh, Morgan. She was so incredibly immature. From the way she thought, to the way she spoke, if I hadn't been told her age I would have guessed she was 15 or 16. She was a college graduate. I've never read a book with a character that was so insecure. I mean, I've read books with really insecure characters but they were supposed to be insecure. Morgan lacked any real self-awareness. She didn't see anything wrong with the way she was acting. Worst of all, her friends shrugged this off. The best they did was order pizza so that they could tempt her into eating again after a particularly nasty bout of self-pity. If Morgan was my friend, we would have had some words. Loud, either you get your head out of your ass or I'm taking you to therapy kind of words. I was just appalled by the way Morgan's mind worked. Dex had to leave for three days with his team for a tournament and by the second day, she was in the fetal position crying.
"It's not until the lights are off, and the quietness of my room starts to feel suffocating, that the feeling of defeat takes hold. I'm not the kind of girl who becomes clingy, but two days away from him and I can't handle it. I thought I was stronger than this. How am I going to survive this relationship if he's going to be nearly MIA every time he travels? I wipe a tear from my cheek and force my eyes closed."
That isn't clingy. That's unstable. I would like to add that 1) they'd only been dating for a matter of weeks 2)They'd only just starting sleeping together and 3) by “nearly MIA” she meant that he doesn't answer every text that she sent within five minutes.
Dex even comes home early to surprise her and crawls into bed with her. When Morgan turns to him and asks him why he's home early, he said it was because he missed her. Her response is an angry and sarcastic “Really? I couldn't tell.” Yes, Morgan. Yes, he missed you. He took an early flight after only being gone for two days and the first place he went was to your apartment so he could surprise you. She was constantly wondering when he was going to dump her and panicked over the fact that she wasn't sure she would survive the breakup. Maybe this is just me but as a military brat that ended up marrying someone in the army, the idea of my world screeching to a halt because someone has been away for 48 hours is just unfathomable to me. She quite literally stopped wanting to eat. No. Just no.
When Dex has to leave again for just three days, Morgan just goes full-on crazy.
"They aren't due back for another three days. I really hate when he travels. At least, he has made an effort to contact me more this time. He has texted me several times and called a few. Definitely progress."
If a male character reacted this way to his girlfriend leaving, I would tell her to run not walk to the nearest exit.
Dex seemed like a really decent guy. He put up with way more than I ever would from anyone. He was kind, understanding, patient, and willing to do anything to make Morgan happy. Anything. I have no idea what exactly made him fall for Morgan except for the fact that she was apparently very pretty.
Unfortunately, to top all of this off, the writing was just...not good. This book is need of extensive editing. It was riddled with poor sentence structure, grammar mistakes, improper English (example: “unsuccessfully able”), and even duplicate paragraphs. There were random commas thrown everywhere and most of the phrasing was just downright awkward.
I meant what I said earlier, I really did love the premise. It was unique and refreshing. I think with a lot of editing and revision this could be a great book. It just isn't there yet.
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I'm sorry but while I loved the concept of this book, it was just a mess. I'm a little confused by all of the glowing reviews so I'm going to do my best to explain my many issues with this book.
Morgan's best friend Ruby attends Comic-Con every year with her brother. This year, her brother couldn't make it so Ruby brings Morgan. Morgan isn't really into most of it, but she gets to travel from Chicago to California with one of her best friends and have a good time. Because Ruby's brother is missing the whole thing, Morgan and Ruby get in line to have a shirt signed for him by a professional gaming team for the game Call of Battle. While they are getting their shirt signed Morgan meets Dex and promptly forgets how to speak. Dex only has eyes for Morgan and invites Morgan and Ruby to a party later. When Dex's team and Morgan/Ruby meet up at the party, they discover that they both live in Chicago and exchange numbers. Morgan is surprised when Dex actually calls her and they start to date. Everything is fine until Dex has to travel with his team for competitions. From there, Morgan starts to lose her shit and becomes a giant ball of insecurity with a side of whackadoodle.
Morgan. Oh, Morgan. She was so incredibly immature. From the way she thought, to the way she spoke, if I hadn't been told her age I would have guessed she was 15 or 16. She was a college graduate. I've never read a book with a character that was so insecure. I mean, I've read books with really insecure characters but they were supposed to be insecure. Morgan lacked any real self-awareness. She didn't see anything wrong with the way she was acting. Worst of all, her friends shrugged this off. The best they did was order pizza so that they could tempt her into eating again after a particularly nasty bout of self-pity. If Morgan was my friend, we would have had some words. Loud, either you get your head out of your ass or I'm taking you to therapy kind of words. I was just appalled by the way Morgan's mind worked. Dex had to leave for three days with his team for a tournament and by the second day, she was in the fetal position crying.
"It's not until the lights are off, and the quietness of my room starts to feel suffocating, that the feeling of defeat takes hold. I'm not the kind of girl who becomes clingy, but two days away from him and I can't handle it. I thought I was stronger than this. How am I going to survive this relationship if he's going to be nearly MIA every time he travels? I wipe a tear from my cheek and force my eyes closed."
That isn't clingy. That's unstable. I would like to add that 1) they'd only been dating for a matter of weeks 2)They'd only just starting sleeping together and 3) by “nearly MIA” she meant that he doesn't answer every text that she sent within five minutes.
Dex even comes home early to surprise her and crawls into bed with her. When Morgan turns to him and asks him why he's home early, he said it was because he missed her. Her response is an angry and sarcastic “Really? I couldn't tell.” Yes, Morgan. Yes, he missed you. He took an early flight after only being gone for two days and the first place he went was to your apartment so he could surprise you. She was constantly wondering when he was going to dump her and panicked over the fact that she wasn't sure she would survive the breakup. Maybe this is just me but as a military brat that ended up marrying someone in the army, the idea of my world screeching to a halt because someone has been away for 48 hours is just unfathomable to me. She quite literally stopped wanting to eat. No. Just no.
When Dex has to leave again for just three days, Morgan just goes full-on crazy.
"They aren't due back for another three days. I really hate when he travels. At least, he has made an effort to contact me more this time. He has texted me several times and called a few. Definitely progress."
If a male character reacted this way to his girlfriend leaving, I would tell her to run not walk to the nearest exit.
Dex seemed like a really decent guy. He put up with way more than I ever would from anyone. He was kind, understanding, patient, and willing to do anything to make Morgan happy. Anything. I have no idea what exactly made him fall for Morgan except for the fact that she was apparently very pretty.
Unfortunately, to top all of this off, the writing was just...not good. This book is need of extensive editing. It was riddled with poor sentence structure, grammar mistakes, improper English (example: “unsuccessfully able”), and even duplicate paragraphs. There were random commas thrown everywhere and most of the phrasing was just downright awkward.
I meant what I said earlier, I really did love the premise. It was unique and refreshing. I think with a lot of editing and revision this could be a great book. It just isn't there yet.
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 22, 2017
Reviewed on behalf of Amo and Sarah’s Book Corner
4 Stars
This was a great book.
Morgan has gone with one of her best friends to Comin-Con, it is not her usual scene but she is happy to spend time with her friend.
She never expects to see a guy and be instantly attracted to him, especially since he a gamer.
Dex’s life is video games, he plays in the top team and loves his life, he just feels like something is missing. When he meets Morgan he realises she is what he has been missing.
These two have a great relationship, they are funny, sweet and have a great group of friends. At one point in the book I didn’t like Morgan very much, she was whiny and indecisive and broke Dex’s heart but she quickly redeemed herself and I found myself liking her again within the next few chapters.
Easy read would recommend.
4 Stars
This was a great book.
Morgan has gone with one of her best friends to Comin-Con, it is not her usual scene but she is happy to spend time with her friend.
She never expects to see a guy and be instantly attracted to him, especially since he a gamer.
Dex’s life is video games, he plays in the top team and loves his life, he just feels like something is missing. When he meets Morgan he realises she is what he has been missing.
These two have a great relationship, they are funny, sweet and have a great group of friends. At one point in the book I didn’t like Morgan very much, she was whiny and indecisive and broke Dex’s heart but she quickly redeemed herself and I found myself liking her again within the next few chapters.
Easy read would recommend.
September 24, 2019
What a fun story! I've never read a romance with a professional video game male protagonist. It made the book interesting and unique. I really enjoyed all the fandom references and the secondary characters were wonderful. Hopefully Ms. Helms next books will include these great characters.
March 21, 2018
Audio Review:
The blurb of the story caught my eye and I was curious to read about a gamer romance as I have never read one before in all my years of reading. The story started off strong but I had a hard time feeling the connection between Morgan and Dex. At times I felt like the author was telling us about their relationship and I wanted to feel it and fall in love right along with the characters. At times I felt Morgan to be a little wishy washy and slightly immature for my liking. She was very hot and cold and Dex had the patience of a Saint! I liked Dex’s character and he was a sweetheart and I enjoyed getting his point of view as well during this story. As the story progresses Morgan matures and I ended up really liking her character by the time I was done with the audio book. WE had a good introduction to the secondary characters and I am looking forward to reading about them as well. This was my first time “reading” this author and I did enjoy the story. I loved the narrator Lacey Gilleran and the way she was able to capture the various emotions throughout this story. I can’t wait to read and listen to more of these ladies in the future.
"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."
The blurb of the story caught my eye and I was curious to read about a gamer romance as I have never read one before in all my years of reading. The story started off strong but I had a hard time feeling the connection between Morgan and Dex. At times I felt like the author was telling us about their relationship and I wanted to feel it and fall in love right along with the characters. At times I felt Morgan to be a little wishy washy and slightly immature for my liking. She was very hot and cold and Dex had the patience of a Saint! I liked Dex’s character and he was a sweetheart and I enjoyed getting his point of view as well during this story. As the story progresses Morgan matures and I ended up really liking her character by the time I was done with the audio book. WE had a good introduction to the secondary characters and I am looking forward to reading about them as well. This was my first time “reading” this author and I did enjoy the story. I loved the narrator Lacey Gilleran and the way she was able to capture the various emotions throughout this story. I can’t wait to read and listen to more of these ladies in the future.
"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."
June 2, 2017
I absolutely loved this book, I couldn't put it down. It was my frst Lauren Helms read but I will definitely be looking for more. It was beautifully written, easy to read and had my emotions on a rollacoaster. The author was able to make me feel what the characters were going through.
This is the story of Morgan and Dex, he is a video game professional and she has no idea where to even start a conversation on anything video game related. They meet in passing at a signing at Comic Con in LA, their chemistry is through the roof from the start, they share an evening at a host party the next evening and their attraction gets hotter. Finding they both live in Chicago Dex asks Morgan if she will go out to dinner with him. Their relationship develops from there. Both have little experience with actual relationships but the feeling expressed through the author will make you melt. Morgan starts to become insecure due to the emotions she is feeling and pushed Dex away. But ......
Reviewed for Amo & Sarah's Book Corner
I recieved a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This is the story of Morgan and Dex, he is a video game professional and she has no idea where to even start a conversation on anything video game related. They meet in passing at a signing at Comic Con in LA, their chemistry is through the roof from the start, they share an evening at a host party the next evening and their attraction gets hotter. Finding they both live in Chicago Dex asks Morgan if she will go out to dinner with him. Their relationship develops from there. Both have little experience with actual relationships but the feeling expressed through the author will make you melt. Morgan starts to become insecure due to the emotions she is feeling and pushed Dex away. But ......
Reviewed for Amo & Sarah's Book Corner
I recieved a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Read
June 5, 2017The relationship between Dex and Morgan is great. They're funny, sweet with each other and both have great groups of friends. It doesn't take much to like Dex and Morgan, I thought. This was a great read that I would recommend to all. I didn't want to put the book down when I started reading it. It was my first Lauren Helms book that I've read and I totally enjoyed it. My emotions were on a rollercoaster while reading this book. This story could have been about my husband and I when we first met. He knew video games, I had no clue about most except for Mario games. I had no clue where to start a conversation with him. Now, we play video games together. Dex and Morgan met at a signing at Comic-Con and you could tell their chemistry was there right from the first "hello". Thank you to Enticing Journey Book Promotions for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
June 5, 2017
Y'all. This book.
4 Stars for this debut novel. Seriously, Lauren Helms hit a home run with her first book. Hmmm, maybe a sports analogy isn't right for a book about a gamer. Maybe I should say she... leveled up... see what I did there?
I adored Dex from the start. I mean, who doesn't love a nerd with a heart of gold.
Now, Morgan... I had to warm up to. At times she drove me a little cray... but such is life. How I can fault an author for making a character real? <3
LMU is a sweet, nerdy, feely-feels read, and I'm looking forward to see what Lauren Helms puts out next.
4 Stars for this debut novel. Seriously, Lauren Helms hit a home run with her first book. Hmmm, maybe a sports analogy isn't right for a book about a gamer. Maybe I should say she... leveled up... see what I did there?
I adored Dex from the start. I mean, who doesn't love a nerd with a heart of gold.
Now, Morgan... I had to warm up to. At times she drove me a little cray... but such is life. How I can fault an author for making a character real? <3
LMU is a sweet, nerdy, feely-feels read, and I'm looking forward to see what Lauren Helms puts out next.
Did Not Finish
June 8, 2017DNF @13%
Umm I honestly couldn't continue reading the book. Seriously? It hasn't even been 3 minutes since he'd seen her and he was eager for her to become real to him!? It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. The writing-style is a little cringe-worthy and the protagonist has this frustrating attitude. This book just isn't for me.
I was at war with myself during the minutes it took for it to be my turn to sign her stuff. On one hand, I wanted my turn with her so I could talk to her. I was eager to speak with her-for her to become real to me...
Umm I honestly couldn't continue reading the book. Seriously? It hasn't even been 3 minutes since he'd seen her and he was eager for her to become real to him!? It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. The writing-style is a little cringe-worthy and the protagonist has this frustrating attitude. This book just isn't for me.
June 3, 2017
I'm typically not a romance reader (nor am I into gaming), but I couldn't wait to get back to this book. The last two novels I started reading are still in my nightstand partially read.
I felt as though the author did a great job of introducing the characters as real life people that I found myself thinking about during my workday. Dex and Morgan are a fun couple who found each other when they both least expected it. There were some undisclosed relationships involving some of the other characters. I hope to be able to learn more about them in future Gamer Boy books! I can't wait for book #2.
I felt as though the author did a great job of introducing the characters as real life people that I found myself thinking about during my workday. Dex and Morgan are a fun couple who found each other when they both least expected it. There were some undisclosed relationships involving some of the other characters. I hope to be able to learn more about them in future Gamer Boy books! I can't wait for book #2.
June 5, 2017
I think that this is the first book by Lauren Helms. I liked it so much that when I tried to find more books by her to check out this was the only one listed. Way to go Lauren, you knocked it out of the park! Will be following her to see what comes next.
June 4, 2017
I enjoyed reading this book. I have heard my own children talking about many of the gaming activities happening in this book and felt like I was listening to them talk. I also enjoyed the relationships and wonder where they will go in the next book. I am looking forward to reading more.
May 31, 2017
This is such a fun summer read. Morgan and Dex are memorable characters that hold your interest. I found myself laughing out loud during several parts of this book, and thinking about the characters throughout the day when I wasn't reading. I can't wait to see how the author develops the other character relationships from this book in upcoming novels.
June 7, 2017
Level Me Up (Gamer Boy #1) by Lauren Helms was an enjoyable read. It was my first book by this author and I enjoyed the realistic approach in this romance. The story really could happen like this (well maybe except one plot string towards the end). I have visited several convention myself (unfortunately not this one yet) so I know how it feels and I liked the way the author transferred that feeling to the reader.
Unfortunately what was good for one side of the plot was also slightly negative for another. The realistic approach also felt a little shallow when it came to the depth of the characters and more important it made the pace of the story feel slow.
And towards the end it was as if the author noticed that the story needed a pinnacle so she created one … that while it actually might be possible still felt too far away from the realistic way the story was written until then.
Also the story somehow focused on to many of the characters at once. At times I was unsure if it was to introduce the other characters for further books or a planning of finishing their story in addition to the story of the leads in this book.
But still I enjoyed the story in total, also because it was the first one I read that was set in that specific environment. And while my edition still contained some mistakes I am pretty sure that the final version will be one the readers will enjoy
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June 6, 2017
Excellent debut from Lauren Helms. I was super excited to read Level Me Up because my husband has been into gaming since I've known him. Although Lauren doesn't make it difficult to understand gamer lingo, I loved the fact that I knew what the shorthand words and abbreviations stood for.
Morgan was relatable. She was annoying at times, but it's understandable when you're not lucky in life or love.
Dex was an amazing character. He knew what he wanted in life and he went for it. And he knew what was missing in his life and he went for that too.
Ruby, Morgan's closest friend, was awesome. I love when the secondary characters are more than that. When they are truly a part of the story rather than just a blip here and there. Really, the whole group of friends was just amazing. I'd love to see a few of them with their own books.
If you've read my reviews before, you know I love a dual POV. When an author can give you the scene twice, but almost everything is felt differently from each character, it makes my heart (and mind) happy. To see how Morgan feels about Dex and to see how he feels about her, but neither know how they feel about each other...it's such a nice, slow burn. And even when they do know, it's still incredible to me to see how they react to one another and how they interpret those reactions in their own minds.
My only issue with this debut was that it was a bit repetitive and wordy, but that doesn't take away from the awesomeness. Lauren opened me up to a whole new type of romance, and that's so much more important to me than a few repeated or extra words. If the story pulls you in, then she's done her job. And it's a job well done.
I loved Level Me Up and I'm excited to see what Lauren has coming next.
Morgan was relatable. She was annoying at times, but it's understandable when you're not lucky in life or love.
Dex was an amazing character. He knew what he wanted in life and he went for it. And he knew what was missing in his life and he went for that too.
Ruby, Morgan's closest friend, was awesome. I love when the secondary characters are more than that. When they are truly a part of the story rather than just a blip here and there. Really, the whole group of friends was just amazing. I'd love to see a few of them with their own books.
If you've read my reviews before, you know I love a dual POV. When an author can give you the scene twice, but almost everything is felt differently from each character, it makes my heart (and mind) happy. To see how Morgan feels about Dex and to see how he feels about her, but neither know how they feel about each other...it's such a nice, slow burn. And even when they do know, it's still incredible to me to see how they react to one another and how they interpret those reactions in their own minds.
My only issue with this debut was that it was a bit repetitive and wordy, but that doesn't take away from the awesomeness. Lauren opened me up to a whole new type of romance, and that's so much more important to me than a few repeated or extra words. If the story pulls you in, then she's done her job. And it's a job well done.
I loved Level Me Up and I'm excited to see what Lauren has coming next.
June 8, 2017
Just a side note to start out, I have torn my rotator cuff so I fell asleep from meds in the middle of this review, so very sorry Lauren Helms. So now I'm finishing it. Morgan Lawson is attending Comic-Con as she loves it, but the last thing that she's looking for is love. However, love doesn't discriminate certain times, nor places, and Morgan finds herself extremely drawn to the super hot sexy gamer boy, who lives and breathes gaming, (like I breathe sports). Dex Roberts knows the moment that he first sets eyes on Morgan, that he's going to have to make her his. But no matter the time frame, real love has a way of sending us on another path, but it does take a toll on their jobs. Level Me Up is the first book by Lauren Helms (Obviously) that I've read, and I really enjoyed it. It took me a bit to become seriously engrossed, ( please understand that this is my issue, so other readers may not have that same issue), but once I did, then I devoured the rest like it was my last book ever. Lauren Helms has a very promising career a head of her, as her writing style already shines with talent. She pulled out my dramatic emotions, while making forgetting where I was when the last page was finished. I'm super excited to watch her evolve even more, so I will be waiting to read all future works, as I'm positive that 5 Stars will follow her for a very long time! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
June 7, 2017
Gamer boys, FTW! (My babe is a gamer, so I was down for this book right away!)
That being said, this new adult aged romance was a sweet little game of 'does he love me, or does he not'... which I can admit is how relationships in your early twenties usually go. That is, until you realize that your feelings are involved much more than you wanted them to be. A perfect debut novel for someone just breaking into the new adult romance genre!
Morgan isn't ready to settle down, she is emotionally all over the place, a bit insecure, and still loving her little bit of a party life with her friends. She decides to tag along to a Comic Con convention with her best friend, and ends up meeting Dex. He's a handsome and sweet guy that plays video games literally for a living. there was some instant chemistry, but I wouldn't call it love... yet.
There are a lot of twists and turns in their lives that pull them apart and shove them back to each other, but all in all, a very realistic look at love in your twenties and how one might navigate those feelings of insecurity and dealing with some lack of maturity as well. I just loved how real these characters were, and it felt like a fun new version of the Big Bang Theory kids without all the science geek talk! I loved the secondary characters just as much as the main characters, and I hope there will be more books coming soon!
That being said, this new adult aged romance was a sweet little game of 'does he love me, or does he not'... which I can admit is how relationships in your early twenties usually go. That is, until you realize that your feelings are involved much more than you wanted them to be. A perfect debut novel for someone just breaking into the new adult romance genre!
Morgan isn't ready to settle down, she is emotionally all over the place, a bit insecure, and still loving her little bit of a party life with her friends. She decides to tag along to a Comic Con convention with her best friend, and ends up meeting Dex. He's a handsome and sweet guy that plays video games literally for a living. there was some instant chemistry, but I wouldn't call it love... yet.
There are a lot of twists and turns in their lives that pull them apart and shove them back to each other, but all in all, a very realistic look at love in your twenties and how one might navigate those feelings of insecurity and dealing with some lack of maturity as well. I just loved how real these characters were, and it felt like a fun new version of the Big Bang Theory kids without all the science geek talk! I loved the secondary characters just as much as the main characters, and I hope there will be more books coming soon!
June 8, 2017
Lover's of sexy, nerdy-boys will absolutely adore Lauren Helms' Level Me Up. With a writing style that easily flows and is often times laugh out loud hilarious, Helms' has created a book world I'd love to reside in...at least for a little while. Helms' characters have deep friendships with all the intricacies of a family. You know, that fun one down the street you always wished you were a part of? Dex has quickly become my new book-boyfriend! He's edgy enough to be enticing while maintaining a sweet and sensitive core. Morgan, the heroine, is awkward at times and at others so incredibly strong and sure of herself, which makes her by far the most interesting character in the book. The support characters are as equally interesting as the main characters and left me hoping that Helms will be writing spin-offs...fingers crossed!
June 28, 2017
Reviewed with Smut Lovers Wonderland for a honest review
If you like a read with a BOV's from the main characters then you may enjoy this.
I liked the characters but Morgan not the type of girl I would find myself hanging out with and Dex with he's gaming could be a bit of a put off (personal experience with a boyfriend) But I generally did enjoy their crazy up and downs relationship plus also very funny at times and also emotional.
I loved the idea of the story concidering of personal experance of a gamer boyfriend. Plus I'm a geek at heart too
#geekie #funny #emotional #greatquickread
If you like a read with a BOV's from the main characters then you may enjoy this.
I liked the characters but Morgan not the type of girl I would find myself hanging out with and Dex with he's gaming could be a bit of a put off (personal experience with a boyfriend) But I generally did enjoy their crazy up and downs relationship plus also very funny at times and also emotional.
I loved the idea of the story concidering of personal experance of a gamer boyfriend. Plus I'm a geek at heart too
#geekie #funny #emotional #greatquickread
December 14, 2017
“Level Me Up” is a cannot-put-down, relatable, fun-loving read that captured my heart, soul and mind and took me to another level!
Lauren Helms took me to another level with her amazing book, “Level Me Up”. This is the first book in her “Gamer Boy” series, and I will undoubtedly be picking up every other book as this series continues. I was captivated from page one, and I didn’t want to set it down. I was somewhat apprehensive reading a book that sounded like it was all going to be related to gamers, gaming, and/or something I didn’t think I would relate to. How wrong I was!!! This story encompasses so much more than gaming, and Lauren Helms did a superb job proving that to me. This was the first book I’ve ever read of Lauren’s, and just like I said about grabbing all of the subsequent books in this series, I will also be buying all of her other books, too. “Level Me Up” was that pivotal for me. This book gave me a glance into Helms’s writing, and I absolutely have to read more! I was so thrilled to be wrapped up in this crazy-good storyline; I felt like I was there, involved with the characters and their conversations, making decisions like I knew what was going to happen, being emotionally invested in this. I don’t think there is anything more powerful than the author writing for their readers and making them feel like they are enveloped in the story. When I am able to be transported from the basic black and white letters on a page to a beauty of a story, I know the author has written for me, the reader. I think it is so, incredibly impressive when I can FEEL the storyline, the characters, their lives, hopes and dreams. I was enraptured with this book, and I am extremely thankful I picked this up to read.
The dynamics between Morgan and Dex, what they brought out in each other, and what they find in themselves is stunning. It was magical how Dex brought Morgan out of her proverbial shell, made her comfortable and satisfied, helped her realize who she was, what she wanted, and proved their relationship was worth having. In my eyes, Dex gave Morgan wings and helped her learn to fly. They fit very well with one another. Everything that happened between them was relatable. Their relationship was REAL to me. I think the level of relatability is what drew me in closer and closer as I turned each page. Being able to relate to the characters and their stories made this book an easy, fluid, fun and charming read. I didn’t want it to end, and the layout of the book certainly lended options for further books in this series. I thoroughly enjoyed “Level Me Up”, and I am thankful to have picked up an author new to me, read her work, and in doing so have found another amazing artist and author in Lauren Helms. Thank you, Lauren, for giving your characters and their stories life. I greatly appreciated the structure, emotion, depth and relatability you laid out in this book. It was smart, fluid and fun, and you gained a reader for life in me. “Level Me Up” had layers and LEVELS that mesmerized me, and I am genuinely excited to be taken to “The Next Level” in this series. (Hint, hint...maybe a good name for the next one...hahaha😉)
Lauren Helms took me to another level with her amazing book, “Level Me Up”. This is the first book in her “Gamer Boy” series, and I will undoubtedly be picking up every other book as this series continues. I was captivated from page one, and I didn’t want to set it down. I was somewhat apprehensive reading a book that sounded like it was all going to be related to gamers, gaming, and/or something I didn’t think I would relate to. How wrong I was!!! This story encompasses so much more than gaming, and Lauren Helms did a superb job proving that to me. This was the first book I’ve ever read of Lauren’s, and just like I said about grabbing all of the subsequent books in this series, I will also be buying all of her other books, too. “Level Me Up” was that pivotal for me. This book gave me a glance into Helms’s writing, and I absolutely have to read more! I was so thrilled to be wrapped up in this crazy-good storyline; I felt like I was there, involved with the characters and their conversations, making decisions like I knew what was going to happen, being emotionally invested in this. I don’t think there is anything more powerful than the author writing for their readers and making them feel like they are enveloped in the story. When I am able to be transported from the basic black and white letters on a page to a beauty of a story, I know the author has written for me, the reader. I think it is so, incredibly impressive when I can FEEL the storyline, the characters, their lives, hopes and dreams. I was enraptured with this book, and I am extremely thankful I picked this up to read.
The dynamics between Morgan and Dex, what they brought out in each other, and what they find in themselves is stunning. It was magical how Dex brought Morgan out of her proverbial shell, made her comfortable and satisfied, helped her realize who she was, what she wanted, and proved their relationship was worth having. In my eyes, Dex gave Morgan wings and helped her learn to fly. They fit very well with one another. Everything that happened between them was relatable. Their relationship was REAL to me. I think the level of relatability is what drew me in closer and closer as I turned each page. Being able to relate to the characters and their stories made this book an easy, fluid, fun and charming read. I didn’t want it to end, and the layout of the book certainly lended options for further books in this series. I thoroughly enjoyed “Level Me Up”, and I am thankful to have picked up an author new to me, read her work, and in doing so have found another amazing artist and author in Lauren Helms. Thank you, Lauren, for giving your characters and their stories life. I greatly appreciated the structure, emotion, depth and relatability you laid out in this book. It was smart, fluid and fun, and you gained a reader for life in me. “Level Me Up” had layers and LEVELS that mesmerized me, and I am genuinely excited to be taken to “The Next Level” in this series. (Hint, hint...maybe a good name for the next one...hahaha😉)
June 11, 2017
On the whole, I enjoyed reading this book but I wasn't sure for a long time whether it would be four or three stars. Despite the story being well-plotted and interesting, it was easy to put the book away for some time due to the moderate tempo of the book and the hero's lengthy inner dialogues at the beginning of the book.
It all seems to happen rather slowly and even though I liked the hero and the heroine a lot, I didn't really get emotionally involved that much. Considering the fact that our heroine and our hero, as in Morgan and Dex, have some really hard times to pass and things in the book get rather emotional more than once that is unusual for me.
Apart from that though, I liked the story and the characters, I loved to see Morgan have her "I carried a watermelon-moment" when she met Dex for the first time and I loved the interaction between the characters. Due to the interesting characters whom I would love to have as friends as well, as they are a really great lot. It's nice to see them care for each other and kick each other when some "inspiration" is needed.
Morgan's emotional baggage is not easy to digest when worst comes to worst but they are understandable when you know her story and I love to see her friends help her realize that she should try to leave that behind and to trust more.
Dex is sweet, even when he messes things up because, well, he is a guy, right, it's really not his fault that he makes a mess of all this emotional stuff.
In the end, I found that I was looking forward to hearing more about the other members of the team in future books, so that's why I decided to give the book four stars despite those points that I mentioned.
It all seems to happen rather slowly and even though I liked the hero and the heroine a lot, I didn't really get emotionally involved that much. Considering the fact that our heroine and our hero, as in Morgan and Dex, have some really hard times to pass and things in the book get rather emotional more than once that is unusual for me.
Apart from that though, I liked the story and the characters, I loved to see Morgan have her "I carried a watermelon-moment" when she met Dex for the first time and I loved the interaction between the characters. Due to the interesting characters whom I would love to have as friends as well, as they are a really great lot. It's nice to see them care for each other and kick each other when some "inspiration" is needed.
Morgan's emotional baggage is not easy to digest when worst comes to worst but they are understandable when you know her story and I love to see her friends help her realize that she should try to leave that behind and to trust more.
Dex is sweet, even when he messes things up because, well, he is a guy, right, it's really not his fault that he makes a mess of all this emotional stuff.
In the end, I found that I was looking forward to hearing more about the other members of the team in future books, so that's why I decided to give the book four stars despite those points that I mentioned.
June 18, 2017
As the wife of a gamer who is semi-professional I was really intrigued by the idea of this book. It's something I've never seen done in a romance before. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. The start seemed a bit slow and young for my personal taste but I kept with it and was glad I did. This was a really good sweet romance between Dex and Morgan.
June 9, 2017
*I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I was so excited to get picked to read this book! I swear I'm always complaining about how most romance novels feature the bulky muscular guy, but rarely the normal dude. This is pretty close to a normal dude romance and I liked it even more because I like gamer guys ^_^
I also have a little bit of knowledge with video games and the scene because of my fiance who plays games (recreationally) and watches twitch streams. Unfortunately, one of the guys he watches is Summit1G.... a pro CoD player and therefore for half of the book I kept putting Summit's face in as Dex's face hahaha. It was a bit awkward.
Anyhow on to my feelings about the book lol
I was a bit frustrated with this book. Mostly because a lot was being told rather than shown... for example, I don't need to know upfront about a character's home life, it should come up naturally in conversation between characters. Let us get to know them as other characters do! So, some topics (Morgan's family) was brought up so often and repeated. It wasn't necessary. Honestly, the 'telling' was what almost made me drop this book even though I so wanted to read it!!
What kept in interested? The Characters.
I really enjoyed the group and their hangout sessions. I loved the sass and the bullshitting around. Although, with pro gamers their definitely needs to be more shit talking haha.
I liked how Morgan had flaws and knew about them, then confronted them...kinda. I liked how even though there was drama, there were always level-headed people around going 'wtf are you doing?'.
Link and Ruby are probably my favorite, although I'm surprised The Legend of Zelda has not been brought up yet.
I'm also a huge fan of cheesy actions or gestures, which this included!
As much as I complained about the book, I did enjoy my time reading it. I am seriously looking forward to the sequel, which I hope focuses on Ruby and Link (and possibly a third on Gia and Simon???? I need to know what happened!)
I was so excited to get picked to read this book! I swear I'm always complaining about how most romance novels feature the bulky muscular guy, but rarely the normal dude. This is pretty close to a normal dude romance and I liked it even more because I like gamer guys ^_^
I also have a little bit of knowledge with video games and the scene because of my fiance who plays games (recreationally) and watches twitch streams. Unfortunately, one of the guys he watches is Summit1G.... a pro CoD player and therefore for half of the book I kept putting Summit's face in as Dex's face hahaha. It was a bit awkward.
Anyhow on to my feelings about the book lol
I was a bit frustrated with this book. Mostly because a lot was being told rather than shown... for example, I don't need to know upfront about a character's home life, it should come up naturally in conversation between characters. Let us get to know them as other characters do! So, some topics (Morgan's family) was brought up so often and repeated. It wasn't necessary. Honestly, the 'telling' was what almost made me drop this book even though I so wanted to read it!!
What kept in interested? The Characters.
I really enjoyed the group and their hangout sessions. I loved the sass and the bullshitting around. Although, with pro gamers their definitely needs to be more shit talking haha.
I liked how Morgan had flaws and knew about them, then confronted them...kinda. I liked how even though there was drama, there were always level-headed people around going 'wtf are you doing?'.
Link and Ruby are probably my favorite, although I'm surprised The Legend of Zelda has not been brought up yet.
I'm also a huge fan of cheesy actions or gestures, which this included!
As much as I complained about the book, I did enjoy my time reading it. I am seriously looking forward to the sequel, which I hope focuses on Ruby and Link (and possibly a third on Gia and Simon???? I need to know what happened!)
June 12, 2017
Level me up is the first in the series and I have to say I love video games and books. But it's not always done right. Dex is a professional gamer. Morgan is a girl who grew up kinda secluded...especially with her later years in life..... now she's experiencing new things with her friends. Basically their story is love at first sight.
It's a cute romance and you can't help but pull for them to make it through. But when insecurities, distrust, and past issues arise They are going to have quite a rocky journey. It was good and I didn't want to put it down. i can't wait for the next book in the series.
It's a cute romance and you can't help but pull for them to make it through. But when insecurities, distrust, and past issues arise They are going to have quite a rocky journey. It was good and I didn't want to put it down. i can't wait for the next book in the series.
March 20, 2018
Don’t tell but I read this at work. And somehow still got work done... anywho, I was immediately sucked in to Morgan and Dex’s world. Well and all the other friends.
I totally related to Morgan being so out of place at a ComiCon because that would be me if I was ever to go to one.
Morgan’s insecurities are totally legit and relatable. And I can understand how she sort of closets herself away to protect herself. Don’t we all do that somewhat?
All in all, I was sucked into the Gamer world and really hope there will be more coming soon!!!
I totally related to Morgan being so out of place at a ComiCon because that would be me if I was ever to go to one.
Morgan’s insecurities are totally legit and relatable. And I can understand how she sort of closets herself away to protect herself. Don’t we all do that somewhat?
All in all, I was sucked into the Gamer world and really hope there will be more coming soon!!!
June 13, 2017
netgalley
Really liked this book.
Really liked this book.
March 2, 2018
I simply loved this book!
Level me up is the first book in the Gamer Boy series. The storyline is a. quite simple one. A love story that is found in the least expected place in the world.
Two friends, set up to go at Comic-Con event and several gamer boys that will make appearance there. Nothing unusual here.
Morgan, our main character, a strong girl is about to find the love of her life at this event.
Their relationships evolves quickly and. he wants her to meet his parents, but puts Morgan's feelings first.
The relationship, doesn't go on for far. too long, but they will both try to find their way Back to each other. One turn of events, will bring all of them together.
I loved the dual POV's and the narrator did a fine job with Lauren's debut masterpiece.I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it, and am looking forward to the next in the series.
Level me up is the first book in the Gamer Boy series. The storyline is a. quite simple one. A love story that is found in the least expected place in the world.
Two friends, set up to go at Comic-Con event and several gamer boys that will make appearance there. Nothing unusual here.
Morgan, our main character, a strong girl is about to find the love of her life at this event.
Their relationships evolves quickly and. he wants her to meet his parents, but puts Morgan's feelings first.
The relationship, doesn't go on for far. too long, but they will both try to find their way Back to each other. One turn of events, will bring all of them together.
I loved the dual POV's and the narrator did a fine job with Lauren's debut masterpiece.I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it, and am looking forward to the next in the series.
November 9, 2017
Lauren Helms is a newly discovered author for me. I enjoy finding new book series and authors because each experience is so different. This is the first book that I have read about a professional gamer and I was thoroughly enthralled with this book. I fell in the with Morgan and Dex. This book had so many scenes that were fun, sexy, romantic, and just enjoyable. I could actually see this as very relatable book at that made it that more fun to read. Once I started reading this book I did not want to stop until I found out what happened. I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in this series. Thank you or allowing me to read this amazing book and write a honest unbiased review.
March 8, 2018
Lauren Helms hit on the perfect metaphor for Morgan's life. Level Me Up is one woman's struggle to navigate life, love, loss and insecurities. There is always an awkward stage before a person comes into their own. The fact that she stumbles into a relationship with a sexy gamer helps her let go of the past and start rebuilding her future. Lacey Gilleran brings an old school angst to a modern tale with her brand of girl power that borders on clueless, but ends up being adorable. Whether ebook or audio book the humor and heart shine through.
October 21, 2018
This is a new author to me, but goodness, I will certainly be looking out for her work in the future. This is the first book in a new series, and is the story of Morgan and Dex, who are both characters that are relatable and believable. This is a well written story, which has me hooked and intrigued throughout, and I look forward to reading the next book in this series, and I recommend for all readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this novel from BMBB.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this novel from BMBB.
November 8, 2017
I loved loved loved this book. I am not one to play video games so I instantly figured I would have a hard time relating to the characters. I loved Morgan and Dex, and all of the secondary characters in this book. I read this book in one sitting and cant wait to read more from this author.
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