Leveled Up Love
by Tao Wong & A. G. Marshall
DETAILS:
Publisher: Starlit Publishing
Publication Date: June 20, 2021
Format: e-Book
Length: 604 pg.
Read Date: August 18-19, 2025
What’s Leveled Up Love About?
Zack Moore is living off the generous inheritance he received from his parents, occasionally (when forced) looking in on the charitable foundation they started, and playing video games. Primarily, he’s playing Star Fury, and his team is gearing up for a big tournament that could lead to them playing on a professional circuit. He doesn’t need the job or money—but his teammates do. Zack needs to be good at something, and Star Fury seems to be it.
But his gameplay is interrupted one day, and the trustee overseeing his accounts (and former guardian) is there to get him to sign some documents. One of those documents (that Zack doesn’t read because he’s in a rush to get back to the game), is an agreement to alpha test a new game—and progress in that game will affect things like access to his accounts, access to the rest of the world, and access to the internet. Zack’s luxury condo (which looks like the sloppiest dorm room you’ve ever been in—without the textbooks) is so tied into smart technology that everything Zack owns or uses can be controlled by this software.
The game is Dating Evolution App, with the goal of a significant relationship with a romantic partner. Zack has to level up in various areas—like hygeine, personal style, employment, general reputation (several impassioned internet comments—all about Star Fury and its players—have to go, for example). If he wants to get the time online that he needs to help his team win the tournament, he has to start jumping through hoops—now.
General RomCom situations ensue.
As a LitRPG
I’ve never read a LitRPG before, so I may be off base, but…according to the repository of all human knowledge, Wikipedia:
LitRPG, short for literary role-playing game, is a literary genre combining the conventions of computer RPGs with science-fiction and fantasy novels… In LitRPG, game-like elements form an essential part of the story, and visible RPG statistics (for example strength, intelligence, damage) are a significant part of the reading experience… Typically, the main character in a LitRPG novel is consciously interacting with the game or game-like world and attempting to progress within it.
If that’s the case, Wong & Marshall nailed it.
Zack’s stats at the beginning of the game were:
Zack Moore Current Attributes (Social Level 8)
Physique: 31
Style: 19
Reputation: -18
Occupation: 0
He would get similar stats fed through his smart glasses, based on social media/other internet data on any woman he focused on for long, which was so creepy and invasive I shouldn’t have to say (and yes, landed him in hot water not nearly as often as it should’ve).
He’d then get fed quests like:
Quest Found!
Hold a conversation with a woman face-to-face!
Restrictions: In-person. Non-VR generated. Unpaid interaction.
Difficulty: Variable
Reward: Access to electronics and internet
Now, with access to non-essential internet usage—like the massive tournament he was preparing for, Zack had no little choice but to take on these quests (similar ones for Physique, Style, Reputation, and Occupation). That’s what’s driving him through almost this whole novel—not his health, not the way he looks/dresses/smells (he’s not around people enough to care), or lack of relationship. It’s about access to Star Fury.
As a RomCom
This hit all the main points—a misunderstood, and loveable schlub (think of a social Sonny Koufax, without the girlfriend in the beginning), who (like Sandy) is wealthy. There’s a cute, wholesome woman without all the advantages he has that befriends him, and they build a relationship. There’s a knock-out bikini model neighbor who sees him as a nice guy that will buy her fancy clothes, nice jewelry (that matches whatever she has on), and will take her to expensive places and dinners.
Zack casually dates them both to get game points (although neither woman is aware of the other).
Meanwhile, he starts to grow in some ways through the other things the game has him work on, and he just might be growing up.
If you can’t guess the rest of the plot from here—you really haven’t spent much time with RomComs. Wong & Marshall get all the plot points right, deliver them in an entertaining and amusing way, and lead up to an emotionally satisfying resolution. Practically textbook.
So, what did I think about Leveled Up Love?
This reminded me of several books where a man-child is forced (by whatever) to change their lifestyle—exercise, eating right, concern for their appearance, and maybe even a better job—and along the way, they find that they like doing all that after all and get the girl. Does that make it bad? No. Predictable? Pretty much, yeah. But you don’t pick up something like this to be blown away. You pick up something like this because you’re curious about how it pulls it all off. How it hits all the conventions (in this case, both genres) marks in an entertaining way.
Or maybe because you love the conventions and you don’t care how fresh this book’s take is on it, you just want the familiarity.
Either works—and either will be satisfied with this book.
I liked all the characters—I wish we’d gotten to know a few better (particularly Zack’s teammates). The overall atmosphere is pleasant—and it’s one of the “cleanest” RomComs I remember reading. This just leaves you feeling warm and comfortable—it delivers some good smiles, and a chuckle or two, too.
I do think it could’ve been shorter—it was a lot longer than I expected when I started it (I really should glance at page counts for ebooks). But on this side of things, I don’t really know what they could’ve cut. Still, it dragged a bit for me (just a bit).
All in all, a completely enjoyable experience—could it have been better? Sure, dial up the laughs a bit more—but that might have detracted from something else. Leveled Up Love. It delivers just what it tells you in the subtitle. If that seems like your kind of thing, you’re right. Give it a try.
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