ARC Review: ‘From Drummer to Gamer’ by Emberlynn Raine
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from The Author Agency in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog earns a small commission at no extra cost to you from any purchases made through these links. You can read the full disclosure underneath the Privacy Policy.
From Drummer to Gamer
by Emberlynn RaineSeries: Four Foxes #5
Published by Self-Published on May 23, 2025
SubGenres: New Adult and College Romance, New Adult Romance
Format: eArc
Pages: 343
Source: The Author Agency
Audience: 18+/Adult
Add to Goodreads
Purchase at Amazon
I was Matty Evans’s number one fan girl. The problem? He didn’t know the gamer he was obsessed with was me…The bigger problem? I just moved into his place…The biggest problem? He was a grumpy grouch, and his presence was a cautious warning to my heart. But did my heart ever listen? No…
Sierra ChanSecrets and lies, how far can one take them?I was the worst liar in the world, yet I conveniently fooled my family to make my dream come true,Only I had no clue how I was going to execute said dream…But then the impossible happened…something I’d never imagined would happen to a girl from a middle-of-nowhere town,To come eye to eye with Matt Evans, The Grumpy Drummer, whose face was plastered all over my bedroom walls.One thing led to another and now I’m living in his apartment and sharing the same air as him, acting like a calm collected girl when internally I was freaking out, But all my focus was on winning the tournament that would decide my fate,To eventually win my parents’ acceptance to follow my dream as a professional e-gamer,But what I didn’t plan was on Matty Evans winning my heart…Underneath all that hard exterior was a man I craved knowing more,So I decided to play a little game with my drummer, But those sharp green eyes caught me, and now, rather than drowning in my lies,I was drowning in him…
TropesGrumpy x SunshineDrummer x E-gamerSecret IdentityFan girl x celebrityAge gap
From Drummer to Gamer is a complete standalone with HEA, and the previous books don’t have to be read to understand. It is intended for mature audiences, containing themes of mental health situations, abuse, and mentions of death.
From Drummer to Gamer is the fifth installment in Emberlynn Raine’s Four Foxes series. This book can technically be read as stand-alone since it primarily focuses on Matty Evans, the drummer of Four Foxes, with some appearances from the other band members. Having read the previous installments, I was eager to dive into Matty’s story. He had always been the mysterious and reserved member of the Four Foxes, so I didn’t know much about him. In this book, I got to learn more about his character, and he may very well be my favorite Four Foxes member after reading his book.
I really loved Matty’s character in this book, especially how protective he was of Raphael and Sierra when they came to live with him. At the beginning, he was also volunteering with kids, showing what a caring and sweet person he is, even though he initially came off as grumpy to Raphael and Sierra. As the story progressed, he opened up, revealing another side of himself even more, which surprised Sierra and even others. Let’s just say he’s a very respectful and reserved character, but he also knows how to be a dirty talker.
I admired Sierra Chan because she was a young adult who discovered her passion for video games and had a close-knit group of friends with whom she played. She also had a dedicated fan base that enjoyed watching her gameplay, and there might even have been someone among them that she had no clue watched her play until it was revealed in the book. The challenge she faced, however, was her inability to tell her parents that she wanted to pursue a professional career in gaming instead of attending college, as she feared she would disappoint them. I understood her hesitation to share this with them because they came off as very strict, and they had certain expectations of their children. What frustrated me about Sierra’s parents was their acceptance of their son’s dream of becoming a famous musician, while they remained skeptical about Sierra’s passion for gaming.
From Drummer to Gamer was an enjoyable read, featuring a grumpy drummer and a cheerful video gamer. You will find yourself rooting for them to finally admit their feelings for each other once you start reading the book. Once they did, their chemistry was immediate, and I loved how Matty wouldn’t date Sierra until he spoke to her parents first. His respect for her was evident, and it was clear how much he cared for her.
Overall, I give this book four stars, and I’m eager to read the next installment in the series featuring Katy and Lan. I hope to finally uncover what’s been going on with these two characters, as it has been driving me crazy wondering why they are separate most of the time in the series.
Single/Dual POV: Dual POV
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s an interconnected standalone in the Four Foxes series.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you love reading Rockstar Romance stories, the Four Foxes series is a must-read that should be added to your TBR list immediately.
What to Expect:
✔️Rockstar Romance
✔️Age Gap Romance
✔️Grumpy/Sunshine
✔️Secret Identities
✔️Celebrity x FanGirl
✔️Drummer x Video Gamer
About Emberlynn Raine
Emberlynn Raine is an indie author/writer. She writes books for all her fellow hopeless romantics forever in love with a fictional man. When she's not writing she's procrastinating while drinking coffee and listening to Taylor Swift.
Related Posts
My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)
- Review: ‘Torian’ by Eden Summers - June 14, 2025
- Book Blitz + Giveaway: ‘Adding Love to Attraction’ by Christine Miles - June 13, 2025
- Review: ‘City of Glass’ by Cassandra Clare - June 12, 2025