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New Game, Start
Reclusive medieval scholar, Edgar Royal, has a crush. On a guy. Not a big deal, except that said guy, Walter Chase, is a famous online gamer who has no idea Edgar even exists. Edgar has harbored these feelings for nearly a year, and when Walter announces on Twitter that he’ll be visiting New York City as a guest at the GamerOn convention, Edgar decides he’ll be one of the thousands of fans who responds to the message. He definitely doesn’t expect to be singled out by the humble, gorgeous, out-and-proud heartthrob.
When it comes to dealing with people, Edgar’s skills are pretty nonexistent, even with Walter giving all the right signals. Edgar lacks the courage to do anything about the mutual attraction growing through their online courtship, but then again, he’s always been better with the written word. So maybe the perfect Christmas gift will say what he cannot. But if Edgar can’t get the present to Walter before the convention ends, he may miss out on the boyfriend of a lifetime.
When it comes to dealing with people, Edgar’s skills are pretty nonexistent, even with Walter giving all the right signals. Edgar lacks the courage to do anything about the mutual attraction growing through their online courtship, but then again, he’s always been better with the written word. So maybe the perfect Christmas gift will say what he cannot. But if Edgar can’t get the present to Walter before the convention ends, he may miss out on the boyfriend of a lifetime.
38 pages, ebook
First published December 1, 2017
15 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Poe
40books1,161followersC.S. Poe is an author of gay mystery, romance, and speculative fiction. She is a winner of the FAPA, Next Generation, and e-Lit book awards, as well as a finalist of the Lambda Literary and EPIC awards.
She resides in New York City, but has also called Key West and Ibaraki, Japan, home. She’s a Gilded Age New York historian, loves Romanticism artwork, the films of Buster Keaton, coffee in the morning and whiskey in the evening, true crime, and cats. She’s rescued two cats—Milo and Kasper do their best to distract her from work on a daily basis.
C.S. is an alumna of the School of Visual Arts.
Her debut novel, The Mystery of Nevermore, was published 2016.
cspoe.com
She resides in New York City, but has also called Key West and Ibaraki, Japan, home. She’s a Gilded Age New York historian, loves Romanticism artwork, the films of Buster Keaton, coffee in the morning and whiskey in the evening, true crime, and cats. She’s rescued two cats—Milo and Kasper do their best to distract her from work on a daily basis.
C.S. is an alumna of the School of Visual Arts.
Her debut novel, The Mystery of Nevermore, was published 2016.
cspoe.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
December 8, 2019
4.5 Stars
In my opinion, this hardly constitutes as a holiday story, with nary a Christmas celebration in sight, but I've decided I DO NOT CARE, because this precious little gem of a story, with its gaming geeks seeking online romantic pursuits, engrossed me to the max and made my heart happy.
tells the story of Edgar Royal, a geeky, shy scholar, who works from home as a freelance translator of rare texts, and who harbors a crush on popular online gaming personality Walter Chase.
Edgar doesn't get out much and his social skills are rusty at best, but when he unexpectedly receives a reply from Walter to one of his tweets, the two begin an adorably cute online courtship, including many a joint gaming session and lots of long getting-to-know-your-adorable-geek conversations over Skype.
When Walter heads to New York City - Edgar's home - for a GameOn convention, he expresses a keen interest in meeting Edgar face-to-face, making his romantic intentions clear. Edgar decides to throw caution to the wind, rallying his low stores of self-esteem and confidence to go after his hot geek!
I adored this story. I enjoyed the sweet and slightly unconventional way Edgar and Walter got to know each other online. The themes of geeks and gamers are smack dab in my entertainment wheelhouse. To me, this was like a way less angsty and way shorter version of one of Hassell and Erickson's Cyberlove stories - stories I love with all my fangirl heart, so you know the comparison is ripe with positive enthusiasm.
Ultimately, I'm rating so high because Poe's advent story is adorkably cute and engaged me more fully than any of the other stories I've read this holiday season.
In my opinion, this hardly constitutes as a holiday story, with nary a Christmas celebration in sight, but I've decided I DO NOT CARE, because this precious little gem of a story, with its gaming geeks seeking online romantic pursuits, engrossed me to the max and made my heart happy.
tells the story of Edgar Royal, a geeky, shy scholar, who works from home as a freelance translator of rare texts, and who harbors a crush on popular online gaming personality Walter Chase.
Edgar doesn't get out much and his social skills are rusty at best, but when he unexpectedly receives a reply from Walter to one of his tweets, the two begin an adorably cute online courtship, including many a joint gaming session and lots of long getting-to-know-your-adorable-geek conversations over Skype.
When Walter heads to New York City - Edgar's home - for a GameOn convention, he expresses a keen interest in meeting Edgar face-to-face, making his romantic intentions clear. Edgar decides to throw caution to the wind, rallying his low stores of self-esteem and confidence to go after his hot geek!
I adored this story. I enjoyed the sweet and slightly unconventional way Edgar and Walter got to know each other online. The themes of geeks and gamers are smack dab in my entertainment wheelhouse. To me, this was like a way less angsty and way shorter version of one of Hassell and Erickson's Cyberlove stories - stories I love with all my fangirl heart, so you know the comparison is ripe with positive enthusiasm.
Ultimately, I'm rating so high because Poe's advent story is adorkably cute and engaged me more fully than any of the other stories I've read this holiday season.
November 25, 2017
A gamer geek + an awkward scholar =
a whirlwind courtship culminating in a very public kiss.
I had so much fun with this story!
The relationship develops via Skype, and the MCs barely meet before they say "I do" (to being the Big Spoon and Little Spoon that is), but this quirky story felt like the real deal.
An epilogue would have been nice, but we get a steamy scene, so I won't complain. Much.
P.S. This really isn't a holiday story. There's mention of a Christmas market, but that's about it.
a whirlwind courtship culminating in a very public kiss.
I had so much fun with this story!
The relationship develops via Skype, and the MCs barely meet before they say "I do" (to being the Big Spoon and Little Spoon that is), but this quirky story felt like the real deal.
An epilogue would have been nice, but we get a steamy scene, so I won't complain. Much.
P.S. This really isn't a holiday story. There's mention of a Christmas market, but that's about it.
December 31, 2019
4.5 Hearts!
Absolutely adorkable!!!
This truly appealed to my soft spot for awkward geeky nerds who just want to be loved like everyone else, and of course, rightly deserve their happy ending.
Edgar knows he’s socially inept, but when he sees his gamer crush Walter announcing he’s coming to New York for a video game con, he impulsively tweets him to meet up for a drink. He never would have done it if he thought he’d get a response, but a response is what he gets. Surely he’s being punked right? Well from there unfolds a really sweet, fun, funny back and forth, as he and Walter skype, play games, and get to know each other in the weeks before the convention.
Of course, when they meet up, they are each everything they are looking for and more.
This is easily in the top 3 of my favorite holiday reads for the year. What makes this stand out is the excellent writing allowing for the complete plausibility where an average Joe finds himself in the best fantasy he’s ever imagined AND it’s real!! This is when all the stars align and despite one’s insecurities, thing truly go off without a hitch.
A wonderful holiday miracle and dream come true, plus very nicely sexy!! Poe is definitely on my radar now!
Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
For more reviews on this week’s Advent releases, please check out the !!
Absolutely adorkable!!!
This truly appealed to my soft spot for awkward geeky nerds who just want to be loved like everyone else, and of course, rightly deserve their happy ending.
Edgar knows he’s socially inept, but when he sees his gamer crush Walter announcing he’s coming to New York for a video game con, he impulsively tweets him to meet up for a drink. He never would have done it if he thought he’d get a response, but a response is what he gets. Surely he’s being punked right? Well from there unfolds a really sweet, fun, funny back and forth, as he and Walter skype, play games, and get to know each other in the weeks before the convention.
Of course, when they meet up, they are each everything they are looking for and more.
This is easily in the top 3 of my favorite holiday reads for the year. What makes this stand out is the excellent writing allowing for the complete plausibility where an average Joe finds himself in the best fantasy he’s ever imagined AND it’s real!! This is when all the stars align and despite one’s insecurities, thing truly go off without a hitch.
A wonderful holiday miracle and dream come true, plus very nicely sexy!! Poe is definitely on my radar now!
Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
For more reviews on this week’s Advent releases, please check out the !!
November 16, 2017
3.5 Stars
New Game, Start is my favorite of the five stories I read from . I'm a gamer and a geek and I love that the MC's were both geeks.
Walter is a professional gamer with a whole lot of subscribers to watch him stream his games. Nice gig, if you can get it. Edgar is a medieval scholar and translator and he is crushing hard on Walter. A spur of the moment tweet and then meeting on Skype is the start to something meaningful.
Walter did come on a bit strong, truth be told, and the time frame is short and rather insta. However, I am going to forgive that because I liked the story a lot. I liked both MC's and the gamer aspect, plus we get a sex scene!
Like many of the short stories I read, I'd love to see them expanded into full length novels, so that there was adequate time for relationship and story development. Even still, I think CS Poe did a fantastic job on this one for it being so short.
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ARC of New Game, Start was generously provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
New Game, Start is my favorite of the five stories I read from . I'm a gamer and a geek and I love that the MC's were both geeks.
Walter is a professional gamer with a whole lot of subscribers to watch him stream his games. Nice gig, if you can get it. Edgar is a medieval scholar and translator and he is crushing hard on Walter. A spur of the moment tweet and then meeting on Skype is the start to something meaningful.
Walter did come on a bit strong, truth be told, and the time frame is short and rather insta. However, I am going to forgive that because I liked the story a lot. I liked both MC's and the gamer aspect, plus we get a sex scene!
Like many of the short stories I read, I'd love to see them expanded into full length novels, so that there was adequate time for relationship and story development. Even still, I think CS Poe did a fantastic job on this one for it being so short.
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ARC of New Game, Start was generously provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
November 27, 2021
What's not to love? C.S. Poe writing about adorably clueless gamers gettin' together for some loving. A unique (and super sweet) courtship ends in a smoking hot (and thoroughly charming) happily ever after.
October 30, 2018
Oh my gods! This short was beyond adorable!!! I think I have a geeky intellectual fetish. What is it about hot geeks who have no idea they're hot? Ya, I know it's tropey, but it does it for me. Anyway, this short was that....a classic geek and a gamer geek hit it off online and come together IRL. So fun!
December 11, 2017
So cute!
March 31, 2018
For once I’m glad to go first because we start out this year’s Dreamspinner Advent Calendar with on hell of an adorable story.
C.S. Poe–who is quickly becoming a favorite of mine–gifts us this year with the story of Edgar Royal and Walter Chase. Edgar, a medieval scholar and translator, is a bit of a loner. Which works for him most of the time. That is until he, on a whim, replies to a tweet from one of his favorite online gamers, Walter, and ends up in a flirtation that seems more fantasy than reality to the down-to-earth Edgar. A proposed meet-up during a gaming convention could mean that the flirtation has a chance to become something more…or it could mean that Walter finally figures out just how much of a nobody that Edgar is and sends him wandering off into better pixulated pastures.
I’ll have the chance to review Poe’s novel length story later in December, but for now I am more than willing to settle for this tasty little bit of fluff. I might not know a whole lot about gamer culture, but that didn’t really matter here since both Edgar and Walter were written so well. And despite the fact that it could have come off a bit stalkery, it never did. It was sweet and adorable and you never stopped wanting the two to come together.
This was an utterly enjoyable little bite of a story and a great way to kick off this year’s Advent collection.
4.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
C.S. Poe–who is quickly becoming a favorite of mine–gifts us this year with the story of Edgar Royal and Walter Chase. Edgar, a medieval scholar and translator, is a bit of a loner. Which works for him most of the time. That is until he, on a whim, replies to a tweet from one of his favorite online gamers, Walter, and ends up in a flirtation that seems more fantasy than reality to the down-to-earth Edgar. A proposed meet-up during a gaming convention could mean that the flirtation has a chance to become something more…or it could mean that Walter finally figures out just how much of a nobody that Edgar is and sends him wandering off into better pixulated pastures.
I’ll have the chance to review Poe’s novel length story later in December, but for now I am more than willing to settle for this tasty little bit of fluff. I might not know a whole lot about gamer culture, but that didn’t really matter here since both Edgar and Walter were written so well. And despite the fact that it could have come off a bit stalkery, it never did. It was sweet and adorable and you never stopped wanting the two to come together.
This was an utterly enjoyable little bite of a story and a great way to kick off this year’s Advent collection.
4.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
December 31, 2017
3.75 stars rounded up
First of all, Edgar, the main character is a MEDIEVAL SCHOLAR. I repeat, MEDIEVAL SCHOLAR. How cool is that?!? I haven’t encountered a lot of characters with such a job description before so this fact alone makes me happy. Then Edgar also recites Beowulf in Old English �
Of course, Edgar’s crush towards Walter (and fanboy-ing at him!) is adorable to read. I read this in an afternoon while drinking a Piccolo Latte at a nearby café and all the time I was smiling with how cute Edgar was when Walter was communicating with him. All anxious and a bit dramatic!
I may not understand the fascination towards games. I also thought the ‘fall in love� part to be rather quick. But overall, this is VERY entertaining.
A Guest Review for
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
First of all, Edgar, the main character is a MEDIEVAL SCHOLAR. I repeat, MEDIEVAL SCHOLAR. How cool is that?!? I haven’t encountered a lot of characters with such a job description before so this fact alone makes me happy. Then Edgar also recites Beowulf in Old English �
Of course, Edgar’s crush towards Walter (and fanboy-ing at him!) is adorable to read. I read this in an afternoon while drinking a Piccolo Latte at a nearby café and all the time I was smiling with how cute Edgar was when Walter was communicating with him. All anxious and a bit dramatic!
I may not understand the fascination towards games. I also thought the ‘fall in love� part to be rather quick. But overall, this is VERY entertaining.
A Guest Review for
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
December 19, 2024
Thanks to One-Click-a-Holic Elf in the 2024 goodreads holiday exchange! I devoured this short while stuck on a long haul flight delay on a tarmac! Excellent gift and just the right level of nerd. I wish there were more, but hey, it’s a holiday short
January 17, 2018
Awwww So lovely (and sadly short) xmas story xD !!!!
Is so cute how the meet by tweeter and ends together !
I really would love this was longerr !
Is so cute how the meet by tweeter and ends together !
I really would love this was longerr !
November 26, 2017
This was adorkable. It was sweet & funny & I enjoyed every page of it. I've read 8 of the stories in this anthology so far & this is by far my favorite.
November 17, 2017
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
5 stars.
C.S. Poe is a new-to-me author, and New Game, Start was the perfect introduction to get a feel for the author's writing style. This short story packed punch, reading as a complete story, with a start/middle/finish, leaving me completely satisfied. Even though it didn't take me much time to read, I was fully immersed, time not even on my radar while inside the story.
The awkward, undateable Edgar is a fan of an online gamer celebrity. Walter has a gigantic following, and is as attractive as he is charismatic. Edgar is intimidated, but replies to a tweet about Walter visiting NYC for a gamer con, thinking it would get lost in the mix of other fans' replies.... not only does Walter tweet Edgar back, he private messages him too.
New Game, Start was sweet, cute, romantic, and awkwardly adorable. I'm a sucker for a gamer story, for geek stories, and for celebrity stories, so this hit all those notes for me. What I enjoyed the most was how so few pages packed so much, without any of the filler and unnecessary detailing larger novels use to draw it out for readers.
All payoff, no filler, for those of us without a lot of time on our hands wanting to be entertained by a full story. The author managed to fit the romance and sexy time in there too, without overpowering any other facet of the storytelling, and it was all tied up in a holiday bow.
Highly recommend, and I look forward to more by this author in the future.
5 stars.
C.S. Poe is a new-to-me author, and New Game, Start was the perfect introduction to get a feel for the author's writing style. This short story packed punch, reading as a complete story, with a start/middle/finish, leaving me completely satisfied. Even though it didn't take me much time to read, I was fully immersed, time not even on my radar while inside the story.
The awkward, undateable Edgar is a fan of an online gamer celebrity. Walter has a gigantic following, and is as attractive as he is charismatic. Edgar is intimidated, but replies to a tweet about Walter visiting NYC for a gamer con, thinking it would get lost in the mix of other fans' replies.... not only does Walter tweet Edgar back, he private messages him too.
New Game, Start was sweet, cute, romantic, and awkwardly adorable. I'm a sucker for a gamer story, for geek stories, and for celebrity stories, so this hit all those notes for me. What I enjoyed the most was how so few pages packed so much, without any of the filler and unnecessary detailing larger novels use to draw it out for readers.
All payoff, no filler, for those of us without a lot of time on our hands wanting to be entertained by a full story. The author managed to fit the romance and sexy time in there too, without overpowering any other facet of the storytelling, and it was all tied up in a holiday bow.
Highly recommend, and I look forward to more by this author in the future.
November 3, 2018
This was just adorkable! I love the gamers theme, and this is everything I want in a holiday read: cute, fluffy, no angst, and fun. Yes, it was short, and yes, “I love you� was said in a week, and it’s probably not believable for an internet celebrity to message a random fan out of nowhere, but I didn’t really mind it at all.
The only thing I really felt was lacking was really, anything about Walter. We know he's a popular game streamer, and that's it. We learned much more about Edgar, that he's awkward and lonely, that he doesn't get out much or interact with many people, what he does for a living, and even some hobbies.
I'd love to see a little mini sequel, from Walter's POV this time, just to see how they are doing, especially considering they lived on opposite sides of the country, but had just decided to start dating.
The only thing I really felt was lacking was really, anything about Walter. We know he's a popular game streamer, and that's it. We learned much more about Edgar, that he's awkward and lonely, that he doesn't get out much or interact with many people, what he does for a living, and even some hobbies.
I'd love to see a little mini sequel, from Walter's POV this time, just to see how they are doing, especially considering they lived on opposite sides of the country, but had just decided to start dating.
November 9, 2018
Week 1 Completion Post: by , 38 pgs/GR
Rating: 4 Stars
Game On!
C.S. Poe stole my heart with all the pop culture/game references. I loved everything from Die Hard being the perfect Christmas movie to the classic Addams Family's unison finger-snap.
As a person who grew up a "nerd" in addition to being a rabid reader, I was able to connect to Edgar right off. He feels boring "as drying paint" -in his own words- alongside the likes of an internet personality like "Waldere" who has millions of followers for his playthroughs. I loved how Edgar felt relaxed watching someone else play since I feel the same way myself. (I am far too high-strung to be a gamer, but I do love watching them!) His reactions to getting to meet his "crush" were believable, heart-warming, and endearing. I laughed more than a little as Edgar came to take chances on connecting with someone he considered hopelessly out of his league.
Walter -online persona: "Waldere"- reminded me of so many YouTube personalities and Stream users while remaining personable, easy to relate to, and amused at his own "celebrity" status. I would 10-out-of-10 watch his channel. He doesn't tolerate homophobia of any kind as an out-and-proud gay man and he likes literature? Yeah. I'd hang out with him.
I do wish I'd gotten at least a scene from Walter's POV, but New Game, Start was a great short filled with holiday references which made me yearn for Christmas to already be happening right now for me. I'd rec it to anyone who wanted a sweet M/M read for a hot chocolate break at the holidays.
Rating: 4 Stars
Game On!
C.S. Poe stole my heart with all the pop culture/game references. I loved everything from Die Hard being the perfect Christmas movie to the classic Addams Family's unison finger-snap.
As a person who grew up a "nerd" in addition to being a rabid reader, I was able to connect to Edgar right off. He feels boring "as drying paint" -in his own words- alongside the likes of an internet personality like "Waldere" who has millions of followers for his playthroughs. I loved how Edgar felt relaxed watching someone else play since I feel the same way myself. (I am far too high-strung to be a gamer, but I do love watching them!) His reactions to getting to meet his "crush" were believable, heart-warming, and endearing. I laughed more than a little as Edgar came to take chances on connecting with someone he considered hopelessly out of his league.
Walter -online persona: "Waldere"- reminded me of so many YouTube personalities and Stream users while remaining personable, easy to relate to, and amused at his own "celebrity" status. I would 10-out-of-10 watch his channel. He doesn't tolerate homophobia of any kind as an out-and-proud gay man and he likes literature? Yeah. I'd hang out with him.
I do wish I'd gotten at least a scene from Walter's POV, but New Game, Start was a great short filled with holiday references which made me yearn for Christmas to already be happening right now for me. I'd rec it to anyone who wanted a sweet M/M read for a hot chocolate break at the holidays.
April 9, 2020
This is such a sweet short story with a semi-holiday theme. It’s a quick read and has all the warm, cuddly feels. The MCs, Edgar and Walter, are quirky and different. Obviously in this format there isn’t a lot of background and character development but I still felt like I had a good feel for them, especially Edgar as the story is told from his POV. And anyone who has tried to get anywhere is a hurry in NYC in the days before Christmas will certainly relate to Edgar’s frustrations!!
I especially liked it because I love this author’s work and this is different from the series she is most well known for. Poe executes this story with the same ability to cut right to your emotions and your gut as her other works possess. If you haven’t already, you should read her other short stories as well. Highly recommend!
**I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review.**
I especially liked it because I love this author’s work and this is different from the series she is most well known for. Poe executes this story with the same ability to cut right to your emotions and your gut as her other works possess. If you haven’t already, you should read her other short stories as well. Highly recommend!
**I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review.**
December 18, 2017
4 stars
March 4, 2018
I loved this! She's becoming one of my favorite authors to read. They were both so sweet.
December 25, 2019
Cute! Short, no real story. Just an adorable read about a guy who is awkward and likes a celeb, who it turns out is a kind guy. 😊 👍👍
December 31, 2017
*4.5 stars*
Talk about big things coming in small packages! Quirky, sweet, and SO swoony, New Game, Start by C.S. Poe was an absolute delight! Walter Chase and Edgar Royal are two of the most endearing characters I've read in some time and I completely fell in love with them from page one. If you're looking for a story full of Santa, stockings, and snow you won't find that here, but what you will find is a perfect gem that will leave you with the biggest smile on your face and feeling all warm and gooey inside at the end.
Edgar Royal is a nerdy bookworm who spends his time translating medieval texts ...that is when he's not taking a break to do some online gaming. It's through this that Edgar develops a rather large crush on online gamer, Walter Chase. Walter has millions of followers and Edgar pines from afar until an innocent tweet (that he makes on a whim) brings the two together. I LOVED how this all played out. Edgar's adorable awkwardness, Walter's charm that shines through in everything he says, their connection, it all just worked for me. What starts out as tweets back and forth and then moves to Skyping was just so much fun.
This is a really short story, but Poe packs so much in it. The thing that's so great is that you never feel like it's rushed or anything is missing. Sure you fall in love with these two right from the get go and you want more, but that's just because they're so awesome, not because you feel cheated. The humor, the swoon, the magic of finding that one person against all odds is all here in New Game, Start. This is a feel good, warm and fuzzy story that will leave you happy and satisfied so make sure you check it out.
*this review will also be posted on *
Talk about big things coming in small packages! Quirky, sweet, and SO swoony, New Game, Start by C.S. Poe was an absolute delight! Walter Chase and Edgar Royal are two of the most endearing characters I've read in some time and I completely fell in love with them from page one. If you're looking for a story full of Santa, stockings, and snow you won't find that here, but what you will find is a perfect gem that will leave you with the biggest smile on your face and feeling all warm and gooey inside at the end.
Edgar Royal is a nerdy bookworm who spends his time translating medieval texts ...that is when he's not taking a break to do some online gaming. It's through this that Edgar develops a rather large crush on online gamer, Walter Chase. Walter has millions of followers and Edgar pines from afar until an innocent tweet (that he makes on a whim) brings the two together. I LOVED how this all played out. Edgar's adorable awkwardness, Walter's charm that shines through in everything he says, their connection, it all just worked for me. What starts out as tweets back and forth and then moves to Skyping was just so much fun.
This is a really short story, but Poe packs so much in it. The thing that's so great is that you never feel like it's rushed or anything is missing. Sure you fall in love with these two right from the get go and you want more, but that's just because they're so awesome, not because you feel cheated. The humor, the swoon, the magic of finding that one person against all odds is all here in New Game, Start. This is a feel good, warm and fuzzy story that will leave you happy and satisfied so make sure you check it out.
*this review will also be posted on *
December 12, 2017
Completely adorable and just wonderfully fun to read.
Some Favorite Quotes:
I'd never had a Twitter notification before, on account of not being someone worth notifying, so I didn't even realize what the alert meant
"I haven't heard anyone describe my intense awkwardness as adorable. But thanks."
I wanted to find the same safety in someone's arms that I found in books.
Some Favorite Quotes:
I'd never had a Twitter notification before, on account of not being someone worth notifying, so I didn't even realize what the alert meant
"I haven't heard anyone describe my intense awkwardness as adorable. But thanks."
I wanted to find the same safety in someone's arms that I found in books.
December 10, 2017
4.5 Stars
I’ve been toiling over this review for three days. Whyyy are some reviews so difficult to write? Even more so, for me anyway, for books that I loved. And, I LOVED this book!! I’ve read it three times in those three days! New Game, Start is an adorable, funny, romantic story about an online gamer and a bookworm who fall in love. I just had a huge smile on my face when I typed that. These two were So. Freaking. Adorable, you guys. I literally smiled through the entire story.
Walter Chase—known online by his popular gaming alter-ego, Waldere—has thousands of adoring fans, one of whom is Edgar Royal. Considering that he has PhD in medieval studies and languages, the name Walter chose for his gaming persona of course intrigued Edgar, but the possibility of a shared love of Old English poetry isn’t the only reason he has been pining after Waldere for over a year. Online, Waldere is charming, down-to-earth, funny, and kind-hearted. And after exchanging a series of tweets, DMs, and Skype sessions, Edgar finds out that Walter is all those things as well.
Pretty much everything about this worked for me. I absolutely love Poe’s writing style. It’s current, fun, sharp…just so easy to lose yourself in and enjoy. I wanted to bang my head against my desk and shake Edgar for his actions that cause the tiny misunderstanding conflict—but, the author makes a little tongue-in-cheek reference to it, and the resolution was so perfect I couldn’t really stay annoyed. And, the resolution truly was perfect; Edgar’s present to Walter, which is mentioned in the blurb, comes into play in the best way. *hearty eyes*
It’s hard to believe this story was only thirty-eight pages long. There was so much originality and awesome packed into those pages, I didn’t find it lacking; in fact, I would have gladly read two hundred pages more of these guys. Maybe C.S. Poe will gift us with more Waldere and Princess Edgar in the future, but in the meantime, New Game, Start is sure to be one of my favorite Christmas stories this year.
Reviewed by Jules for
I’ve been toiling over this review for three days. Whyyy are some reviews so difficult to write? Even more so, for me anyway, for books that I loved. And, I LOVED this book!! I’ve read it three times in those three days! New Game, Start is an adorable, funny, romantic story about an online gamer and a bookworm who fall in love. I just had a huge smile on my face when I typed that. These two were So. Freaking. Adorable, you guys. I literally smiled through the entire story.
Walter Chase—known online by his popular gaming alter-ego, Waldere—has thousands of adoring fans, one of whom is Edgar Royal. Considering that he has PhD in medieval studies and languages, the name Walter chose for his gaming persona of course intrigued Edgar, but the possibility of a shared love of Old English poetry isn’t the only reason he has been pining after Waldere for over a year. Online, Waldere is charming, down-to-earth, funny, and kind-hearted. And after exchanging a series of tweets, DMs, and Skype sessions, Edgar finds out that Walter is all those things as well.
Pretty much everything about this worked for me. I absolutely love Poe’s writing style. It’s current, fun, sharp…just so easy to lose yourself in and enjoy. I wanted to bang my head against my desk and shake Edgar for his actions that cause the tiny misunderstanding conflict—but, the author makes a little tongue-in-cheek reference to it, and the resolution was so perfect I couldn’t really stay annoyed. And, the resolution truly was perfect; Edgar’s present to Walter, which is mentioned in the blurb, comes into play in the best way. *hearty eyes*
It’s hard to believe this story was only thirty-eight pages long. There was so much originality and awesome packed into those pages, I didn’t find it lacking; in fact, I would have gladly read two hundred pages more of these guys. Maybe C.S. Poe will gift us with more Waldere and Princess Edgar in the future, but in the meantime, New Game, Start is sure to be one of my favorite Christmas stories this year.
Reviewed by Jules for
December 31, 2017
4.5 stars- Adorable gamer/online romance perfect for anytime of the year
Although I’ve heard a lot of praise about this author, I had yet to read anything by Miss Poe. New Game, Start was an incredibly cute story that had me smiling all the way through. I really liked the characters, enjoyed the fresh dialogue, and loved the humor interspersed throughout the story. Miss Poe’s style was smooth with a rhythmic pacing that kept the story moving and made it hard to put this short down.
New Game, Start is a riff on a gamer/online romance, with Walter being a popular gamer and online personality and Edgar being one of his many fans. I really liked the meet-cute via Twitter between Edgar and Walter. The thoughts and emotions Edgar experiences when Walter first responds to his tweet are ones I think most readers who frequent social media could empathize with and the interactions, especially Edgar’s internal critiques, had me laughing often. The two meet in person pretty quickly, but that is equally adorable. There is a slight misunderstanding thrown into the plot for some extra conflict, but I loved how the author plays it off and the ending is as cute as this couple.
Beyond taking place in December, I wouldn’t consider New Game, Start the typical holiday story as the plot isn’t holiday centric at all. However, it was a really cute story with a good amount of humor that’s sure to put a smile on your face any time of year.
Reviewed by Annie from
Although I’ve heard a lot of praise about this author, I had yet to read anything by Miss Poe. New Game, Start was an incredibly cute story that had me smiling all the way through. I really liked the characters, enjoyed the fresh dialogue, and loved the humor interspersed throughout the story. Miss Poe’s style was smooth with a rhythmic pacing that kept the story moving and made it hard to put this short down.
New Game, Start is a riff on a gamer/online romance, with Walter being a popular gamer and online personality and Edgar being one of his many fans. I really liked the meet-cute via Twitter between Edgar and Walter. The thoughts and emotions Edgar experiences when Walter first responds to his tweet are ones I think most readers who frequent social media could empathize with and the interactions, especially Edgar’s internal critiques, had me laughing often. The two meet in person pretty quickly, but that is equally adorable. There is a slight misunderstanding thrown into the plot for some extra conflict, but I loved how the author plays it off and the ending is as cute as this couple.
Beyond taking place in December, I wouldn’t consider New Game, Start the typical holiday story as the plot isn’t holiday centric at all. However, it was a really cute story with a good amount of humor that’s sure to put a smile on your face any time of year.
Reviewed by Annie from
December 21, 2017
This was one of the first advent ones I read that I really liked. It was very light and very fluffy and very short, and honestly just what I needed this week. When life is rough, you can always count on happy fluffy books to take your mind off, and this one succeeded marvelously.
It's super insta-love, but I didn't mind so much. With a story this short, it's either insta-love, starts in the middle where you feel like you're missing half the story, or second chance and second chance always manages to be so flipping angsty.
I'm sure part of why I liked it was the nerddom of it all. This time we're talking lit nerd and computer nerd - mmorpgs, dating sims, and coding. I like all these things.
One of the main characters laments about there being no gay dating sims in English, and I wanted to be like, BUT THERE IS and tell him all about Coming Out On Top, which is kind of like a dating sim, but more like a Choose Your Own Adventure adult visual novel/dating sim with surprisingly good story telling.
But that's neither here nor there.
The point is when I want to sit down with a character and tell them about things, the author's done a pretty damn good job with making them feel like real people. And that's especially notable in something this short.
It's super insta-love, but I didn't mind so much. With a story this short, it's either insta-love, starts in the middle where you feel like you're missing half the story, or second chance and second chance always manages to be so flipping angsty.
I'm sure part of why I liked it was the nerddom of it all. This time we're talking lit nerd and computer nerd - mmorpgs, dating sims, and coding. I like all these things.
One of the main characters laments about there being no gay dating sims in English, and I wanted to be like, BUT THERE IS and tell him all about Coming Out On Top, which is kind of like a dating sim, but more like a Choose Your Own Adventure adult visual novel/dating sim with surprisingly good story telling.
But that's neither here nor there.
The point is when I want to sit down with a character and tell them about things, the author's done a pretty damn good job with making them feel like real people. And that's especially notable in something this short.
August 21, 2022
3.5
Cute, fluffy feel-good short story.
It is not clear to me why the celebrity gamer with millions of followers should suddenly engage with the Medieval scholar and translator Edgar, beside their shared passion for Medieval stuff. And there was a fair bit of insta-love.
A professional note as a translator: Edgar says that he translates from French and German, but then he mentions a romance novel he has to translate «into French». I wonder if this is a mistake for «from French» because professional translators only translate in the mother tongue, unless they are bilingual.
Cute, fluffy feel-good short story.
It is not clear to me why the celebrity gamer with millions of followers should suddenly engage with the Medieval scholar and translator Edgar, beside their shared passion for Medieval stuff. And there was a fair bit of insta-love.
A professional note as a translator: Edgar says that he translates from French and German, but then he mentions a romance novel he has to translate «into French». I wonder if this is a mistake for «from French» because professional translators only translate in the mother tongue, unless they are bilingual.
December 5, 2017
This is so freaking adorable, and cute! With a holiday spirit and insta-love and the gamers!
I'm so enjoying this, laughing so much, and I never really often seeing myself happy while I'm reading. And Walter and Edgar made me happy! Because there so right for each other.
I can't recommend you enough to pick this one!
December 28, 2017
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit on 12/29
From that review: " I enjoy stories about gamer nerds so combining that with a holiday theme is a definite draw. C.S. Poe gets the gaming aspects spot on while creating a sweet romance for Edgar and Walter, two gamers looking for love at a convention in NYC."
For all our reviews, author interviews and such, visit us at
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit on 12/29
From that review: " I enjoy stories about gamer nerds so combining that with a holiday theme is a definite draw. C.S. Poe gets the gaming aspects spot on while creating a sweet romance for Edgar and Walter, two gamers looking for love at a convention in NYC."
For all our reviews, author interviews and such, visit us at
December 23, 2017
Cute. I enjoyed this. It's easy and pleasant and cheerful.
January 15, 2018
Maybe you could call this story a bit too sweet or too predictable, but I sure didn't care. I loved it. Great romance!
June 18, 2018
I’m on an adorable geek kick in my reading, and this definitely fit the bill. It’s a short story, so it’s all very whirlwind, but it’s about as feel-good as you can get.
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