One of my favorite debut romance novels this year!

Well Met by Jean Deluca surprised me with its originality and charm. I was taken by the characters early on. I was invested in their relationship and my wish was for a happy ending.

Things I enjoyed:

Enemies to lovers story: ✔
A love between a Pirate and a Wench: ✔
Good secondary characters: ✔
A Renaissance Faire: ✔
Hot guys fighting: ✔
A Kilt and Leather Pants: ✔

Emily moves to Willow Creek, a small town in Maryland to help her sister and her niece. Emily's sister, April was involved in a car accident and she's still recuperating. Emily is taking care of all the chores and driving her niece, Caitlin to school and April to the doctor's appointments and physical therapy.

Emily was able to be there for April because her own life had imploded. Her boyfriend of many years, Jake, had dumped her without a second thought. Without a home or a relationship, Emily takes the opportunity to forget about her problems by helping others, and hopefully, come up with a plan for her future too.

When Emily takes Caitlin to sign up to play a part in the Renaissance Faire, the last thing she thought was that she needed to sign up herself or Caitlin couldn't join it. Next thing she knows, Emily is going to be playing one of the tavern wenches.

"That was what I was there for. Be the cool aunt. Do the fun stuff. Distract her."


Emily likes the small-town people feel. Emily is enjoying making new friendships and the feeling of being accepted by everyone. Well, maybe not everyone. The English teacher is not too keen on her. Simon never appears happy to see her and he keeps on looking at her with disapproval. He's the Renaissance Faire organizer and wants everything done to perfection.

"I knew which of these two guys I was looking forward to getting to know better this summer, and it wasn’t the Ren Faire Killjoy."


However, when Emily turns into Emma, the local tavern wench and Simon Graham turns into a pirate, Captain Blackthorne, everything is different. Simon becomes flirtations, easy-going, and has a smile on his face. A smile that makes Emily forget about her first impressions of him.

“Well, love. I’d be fighting for you.”


Well Met was sweet, charming and left me with a smile on my face. I would love to read another book by Jen DeLuca set in the same town. Maybe one with Mitch and April.

"But then you came along, Emily, and you weren’t a should. You were a want."


4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"I didn't choose the wench life. The wench life chose me"

This was such a fast-paced and amazing read! I adored it to the fullest extent and it will probably be in my top books of 2019.

REVIEW
Emily's sister was recently in a serious car accident, and after being tragically dumped by her longtime boyfriend, she leaves her old life behind and moves in with her older sister to take care of her and her young niece for the summer. However, when her niece wants to participate in the yearly Renaissance Faire, Emily is stuck volunteering as well to be her chaperone.
In comes Simon, the head of the Ren Faire and stuck-up jerk. Simon and Emily clash from the get go with their differing personalities. But when Emily's Ren Faire persona, Emma the Tavern Wench, and Simon's Ren Faire persona, Ian Blackthorn Pirate Captain, cross paths... chemistry sparks. Their flirtations during the Ren Faire begin to seep out into their personal life, and emotions quickly become complicated. Just how different are Emily and Simon from Emma and Ian?

SUMMARY
From the first sentence I was laughing out loud. Well Met has so many fun and enjoyable moments where you are laughing alongside or at the characters. I always had a smile on my face … except for the one scene that caused me to lose a tear from my left eye.

This novel inflicted so many emotions and it is 100% an enemies-to-lovers romance (my favourite trope). I adored the banter between Emily and Simon and adored the Ren Faire aspect. Seeing their personas flirt and slip in sexual innuendos is hilarious and fun. It is made even better by all the steamy kisses we get! The smut in this is PERFECT and not too heavy. I think that if you are a romance fan and are at all interested in reading about Renaissance Faires (because it is a main part of this book), you should pick this up!

What really stood out to me, and the main reason why I think this book is amazing, is how easy it was to connect with Emily. She was burnt by her ex and it left a scar that she was trying hard to ignore. However, you saw how much of a toll it took on her self-confidence and how she was doubting her worth. I let loose a tear for Emily because I felt her pain and self-doubt in my heart. I resonated with her and it hurt - and I loved that. I also adored how Emily spent the novel healing from her pain. You got to see her build herself back up again and learn who she was. She spent so many years in the shadow of her ex and feeling like a lesser person that it was empowering to watch her come into her own and learn how to love herself again. Emily is for sure one of my new favourite characters.

I cannot discount Simon though. He is a man who also doubts himself and was so used to being "the serious, no-fun younger brother". Watching him drop down his wall of protection for Emily was heart-warming. He was not a man without flaws and that made him all the more loveable. I kind of wished we got to see chapters in his perspective because that would have been awesome.

Honestly, all of our characters are VERY WELL fleshed out. Which is surprising from a rom-com. I find that sometimes the side-characters lack, but that is not the case here. In fact, I whole-heartedly adored our supporting cast. They were hilarious and their addition to the novel just strengthened it. (side note: one of our men is described as having the ass of Captain America, so if that doesn't intrigue you... I don't know what will)

Overall, this is 100% without a doubt a 5 star read and the epitome of a rom-com. PICK IT UP!

Here's the thing about Well Met: it was really good. Like, Read For Two Hours In A Row good. Curse The Fact That You Have Plans And Can't Keep Reading good. Finish The Book On Your Phone Because You Literally Cannot Wait Until You Get Home good. It was Laugh Out Loud good. Curl Your Toes And Sigh good. Maybe I Should Read This Again It Was So Good good.

On the surface, Well Met is a romantic comedy set amongst a renaissance fair—featuring our disagreeable protagonists Emily and Simon, who are pushed into roleplaying a summer romance for their fair characters, wench Emma and pirate Captain Blackthorne—but it is also so much more than that, too. Both Emily and Simon find a sense of self and individual agency through their participation in the fair as well as from their eventual relationship. Jen DeLuca also fully utilizes the small-town setting, Emily's sister and niece, and the fair to further beef up the plot. It would be so easy to focus on just Emily and Simon and neglect everything else, but where's the fun in that? Having a rich background and fully developed secondary characters only makes the central plot more vibrant.

I don't know what I expected from Well Met before I started reading, but I'm sure the bar was pretty low—and that's a shame. It was an uber-cute contemporary romance and y'all better not make the same mistake I did. Looks can be deceiving.

Adorable romance that puts the leads in dual roles thanks to a Renaissance Faire wedding. Emily doesn’t like Simon, but her Faire character Emma certainly likes Simon’s Captain Blackthorn. What to do?

While I could have sidestepped the misunderstanding plot line concerning Mitch, this was a solid hit. Will look for more from this author.

Emily has moved to help her sister's recovery after a bad car accident. The call came just as her long term boyfriend unceremoniously dumped her and their lease ended, so she packs up everything and moves into April's spare bedroom to help out. An adult has to volunteer with anyone under a certain age at the faire, so Emily volunteers to help her niece out and has her first encounter with Simon, who can't believe she filled out the volunteer form without a role. Could this guy lighten up, already? Do volunteers grow on trees, Simon? No.

Emily gets to know the town and various people in it through the faire. She makes friends with Mitch and Stacey, other volunteers. Stacey is another wench who takes Emily under her wing on the whole wardrobe and behaviour of wenches. Emily gets a job working with Chris, the local bookstore owner, throughout the week as well.

For an event with lots of drama, one of my favourite things about this book was that there wasn't unnecessary drama. April is cranky sometimes because of her injuries (normal). Emily and Simon argue regularly until they realize their assumptions are getting in the way of them knowing each other. There's no secret backstabbing or anything; people are genuinely nice. It was refreshing. The characters aren't cookie cutter, either. I liked the little details that made them stand out.

The character development in this book is what makes it steadily build into a fantastic story and romance. It's realistic growth, with some stumbles along the way as Emily and Simon second-guess themselves, and their improved communication - from flirting at the faire to talking outside of it. Both of them are stuck in certain mindsets about themselves because of other relationships (romantic and family relationships). Is this a summer (faire) thing? Or could it be more?

One thing about this was the faire and the town seem pretty white and heterosexual. I did find it strange that Emily doesn't seem to have any friends from Boston or college, but she was working two jobs and maybe was isolated in her previous relationship to the point where she gave them up.

Well Met has such a satisfying HEA. I believe in it, nothing is suddenly perfect, they work well together as a couple and still have their controversies (I'm with Emily on the Shakespeare thing, Simon is missing out). The first thing I did when I finished this book was tell my book club they NEED to read it.

I was expecting a cute, atmospheric romance. I was not prepared for how much I related to and enjoyed this story. This has become one of my new all time favorite books and I can't imagine life before this book. Every single character was dimensional, the problems and resolutions were realistic, and it was just pure fun to read. The moment I finished the book I wanted to pick it back up and restart it. I will forever read anything that Jen DeLuca publishes after such a phenomenal debut.

This was such a delight! This book was one of my most anticipated romances of the year, and I was definitely not disappointed!

The hate-to-love trope is one of my favorites, and Well Met is a perfect example as to why. Our main characters Emily and Simon had so much chemistry, I was just LIVING for their banter! They are both witty and strong-headed, which just made their conversations a lot more fun and interesting.

I related a lot to our protagonist, Emily. I don't know if it's because our names are similar, but I could see myself a lot in her. She is this strong, driven woman who has been through a lot, and I love how the author explored her character. We dive deeper into the backstory of both our main character, which helps us understand them better. The author really pushes Simon and Emily to open up and have faith in themselves and each other, and I loved how it was done.

One thing that I appreciated a lot about this book is the characters. I fell in love with Willowcreek and its people. I loved how all of the characters were important to the development of the story. Everyone involved, whether that is Stacey, Chris, Mitch, April, or the rest of the Faire people, had an impact and made the story move forward. As Emily forged connections with all of these characters, she got to know herself better and understood what she wanted in life.

I cannot write a review and not mention the setting. I've never really been into the whole Renaissance faire thing, but it worked so well for this story! It made me wish I could visit Willowcreek and see what our characters were up to. But the faire ambiance is not the only thing that I loved. I also fell in love with Willowcreek in itself. I wanted to visit Read It and Weep, Jackson's and Simon's home. The author did such an incredible job at creating this small town that even this big city-loving gal wanted to live in Willowcreek.

The only thing that disappointed me was the conflicts in this book. The reason that pushes Emily to hate Simon as soon as she meets him made me roll my eyes so hard, and if I'm being completely honest, I just didn't understand it. I feel like she was just looking for an excuse to hate him, and that's the first one that she could think of. Later on, Simon gives her more reasons to dislike him, but their initial clash made little sense in my eyes. But then, there's also the final conflict. I hate when authors try to create some kind of big final fight between our main characters so that they can kiss and make up at the end. I rarely see the point in doing that, and it was no different with this story. The big conflict between Emily and Simon just jumped out of nowhere, and it could have been easily avoided had our characters talked a little more about it. I guess things were just going too well for our happy couple?

I also things some things that Emily had to figure out were quite obvious, which made me roll my eyes a couple of times. Sometimes, she would try to figure out things that I could see coming a mile away, and I couldn't help but want to shake out of it her a little. Those things she couldn't figure out often made her anxious and create scenarios that made little to no sense, and it just made things worse for everyone around her.

Overall, this was such a delightful story. I grew to really love and care for all of our characters, and I can totally see myself rereading this in the future. I'm really looking forward to what Jen DeLuca is going to come up with next!

Emily moved in with her sister and niece in order to help her sister recover from a bad car accident. Part of that help is squiring around her teenage niece Caitlin to audition for a part in Willow Creek’s hometown Renaissance Faire. What she didn’t know was that her under age niece needs an adult to sign up with her. Guess what? Emily will be playing Bar Wench for the summer. When she meets high school English teacher, and man in charge of the Faire, Simon, they immediately butt heads. He’s a know it all with a stick up his butt and Emily has just had it with “that” kind of man! Well Met is a rom-com where two people go from enemies who don’t think they have anything in common to confidants and lovers. I laughed out loud and sniffled away a couple of tears. My favorite kind of romance!

Emily just got dumped and admittedly has a chip on her shoulder for men who think they know everything. Simon’s definitely got an attitude that pushes all of her buttons. I’m a sucker for this trope and loved the Renaissance Faire set up. I can remember going to one of these Faire’s with my mom and aunt when I was a kid and remember how the actor’s really got into playing their parts. This book gave you a behind the scenes look into putting on one of these events and really brought back some fun memories!

Simon’s character had an interesting mix of vulnerability and bravado. I loved the way the author contrasted Simon with the pirate Captain he played in the Faire. It allowed him to act on some of his fantasies through the Captain’s antics. This sped the plot along while also creating conflicting emotions that made this a lot more interesting than it might have been. Emily’s confusion at what were real feelings and what weren’t added tension as well as a little comic relief.

This novel also had a great supporting cast. Mitch the brawny, kilt wearing hunk, her friend Stacey who helped strap her into her bar wench costume, and her sister April who’s injuries gave Emily a sense of purpose. All of these characters helped add comic relief, but also depth to Emily’s character making her more 3-D and not so two dimensional.

I can’t really think of anything I disliked about this novel. Yes, there was a miscommunication that went on a little too long, but i understood how that helped establish why these two characters needed each other. Maybe it was my own memories of a Renaissance Faire that made me like this so much? Who knows! I just know that I read it at the right time, it hit my sweet spot, and I really enjoyed the journey. You can’t ask for more than that!

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

I received a copy of this ARC through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it was honest.

When Emily’s sister is in a terrible car accident that shatters her leg, Emily comes to her aid to help take care of her niece and become the adult in charge. Her niece want to be part of the local Renaissance Faire and can only take part if Emily volunteers too. A summer in a wench costume doesn’t sound that terrible, but volunteer coordinator, Simon, has become her sworn enemy. But if he’s that bad then why is she attracted to him? Maybe this summer will have more promise that Emily bargained for.

Enemies to lovers, witty dialogue, fun characters, entertaining banter -- this book has it all!
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC of this book.

I had been hearing lots of good things about Jen DeLuca's Well Met and I am happy to report that the buzz was justified!

DeLuca gives readers a story that is familiar - the old enemies-to-lovers trope - and packages it with something fresh that includes folks who dress up in Renaissance garb. Like many other folks, this really worked for me. Emily and Simon's romance, set against the backdrop of a Renaissance Faire was brilliant, lending lots of colourful and amusing moments, especially when you consider that Emily's a wench and the uptight Simon is a pirate. I think this lighthearted setup worked so well because the author was able to give this story depth - Emily is trying to find herself again after getting out of a bad relationship, she's trying to build a closer relationship with her sister. The Renaissance Faire thing could have been over the top, but the author balances out the unexpected with great character development and fantastic character relationships.

Readers looking for a lighthearted romance will not be disappointed. Let's go to the Renaissance Faire!

Jen DeLuca’s Well Met is one of the most adorable books I’ve read in a while. It follows a young woman named Emily, who is going through a rough patch when we first meet her. She has dropped out of college, lost her job, and her long-term, live-in boyfriend wants to end things, which has also left her basically homeless.

When her sister is severely injured in a car accident and needs someone to help care for her, Emily agrees to move to her sister’s place in the tiny town of Willow Creek, Maryland for the summer. While Emily knew she would also be helping out with her teenage niece, Caitlyn, driving her around, etc, what she didn’t realize was that she would find herself roped into volunteering at the local Renaissance Faire all summer too. Even though she’s completely dreading having to take part in the Faire, especially after encountering Simon, the horribly gruff Faire coordinator, whom she immediately dubs the “RenFaire Killjoy,” Emily has no idea that this whole experience could end up being exactly the thing she needs to get her life back on track.

I honestly loved everything about this book. Emily was such a fantastic character, one of those messy, complicated characters that I love so much because she just seems so authentic. She could easily be me or any one of my friends. I loved getting inside of her head as she dreads the whole Faire experience but then gradually starts to warm up to it as she gets into the groove and starts making friends. I also loved that even though she and her sister have never been close, she was truly willing to put her entire life on hold to come and help out. I think that says a lot about her.

Speaking of which, I also loved the family vibe of the book. Yes, I think the book is primarily meant to be a romance, but it also has this wonderful dynamic between Emily and her sister, and of course, between Emily and her niece. It’s really sweet watching them all bond as a family as they spend more and more time together. And again, speaking to Emily’s character, I thought it was wonderful that she agreed to participate in the Faire, just because it was so important to her niece.

As much as I adored Emily, I actually think Simon, aka the RenFaire Killjoy, was my favorite character. Yes, he’s grouchy and pretty awful to Emily when she first joins the Faire, but once we learn more of his story and how heartbreaking it truly is, I just wanted to give Simon a hug. I thought the author did a wonderful job of peeling back the layers of this character each time Emily encounters him, letting her and us really get to see the real Simon and what a caring person he is. The more I got to know Simon, the more I wanted him and Emily to move forward together.

I also adored the charming small town setting and the whole atmosphere of the Renaissance Faire. It provided such a fun backdrop to offset some of the more emotional scenes between Simon and Emily. I loved the jousting, the hand binding ceremonies, the tavern atmosphere, and especially the laugh out loud moments that frequently took place between Faire castmates who were all about having a good time and making the most of their Faire experience. I’ve been to my share of Faires and DeLuca captures the whole atmosphere perfectly and really makes you feel like you’re there.

Well Met is truly a delightful novel about family, love, and finding your place in the world. It made me laugh, it made me shed a tear or two, and it was just all around a wonderful reading experience. I highly recommend it to everyone!

I heard about this book last year when I was tweeting about going to the Maryland Renaissance Faire for the first time ever. So basically I have been waiting for a year to read it.

It was good but not great. The heroine is 24. This was a let down to me. I mostly read the book imagining Emily was older. It is well documented that I like older characters.

Emily and Simon meet when Emily volunteers to work at the local Ren Faire. Simon starts off being gruff and rude to Emily and she decides she dislikes him. We only get Emily’s POV and it takes quite some time before we learn more about Simon and what is making him so cranky.

There is a really cute scene that is also filled with tension where Emma and Captain Blackthorne, their Faire alter egos, participate in a handfasting ceremony.

While Emily slowly (this is a slow burn romance) falls for Simon, she also falls for the small town in Maryland where she has moved to help her sister and niece. I enjoyed Emily’s solo journey just as much as I enjoyed her love journey with Simon.

My main complaint with the book is that the first 30% felt very slow and that not a lot was happening. Once Emily and Simon get together and declare themselves together it goes quickly before the conflict. I did feel that the grovel was good and appropriate for the characters.

DeLuca also lays some groundwork for the next book and I am looking forward to the next one. Well Met also made me look forward to attending Ren Faire again this year.

CW: grief

What a pleasant surprise. I had no expectations for this book and received an ARC for an honest review from Netgalley. And I really really enjoyed this book. I loved the premise- small town, madrigal Faire, and a courtship that wasn't the obvious. And I wanted Simon and Emily to work and rooted for them throughout. And yay, they had their HEA in the end, though not without misunderstandings and working through each other's hangups and quirks.
Simon was nerd sexy, my favorite - and I believed their journey. How they didn't hit it off on the right foot at first, but then were forced together through this festival Emily had to volunteer for, in order for her niece to also volunteer.

Jen DeLuca has a new fan and I look forward to reading her next book :)

This book was absolute perfection for me y’all. While I wouldn’t exactly say I’m picky about romance novels, for one to be five stars for me it has to have the perfect balance of sweetness and spice, and for me that’s not exactly no steam but I definitely want more romantic moments than just straight up sex scenes. I also want it to be funny and warm and I want both a hero and heroine that I adore, this is not asking too much, is it?! I say no, but it’s pretty rare for me to find all the elements I want and this one had all of them and more!

Emily was adorable and totally relatable, her hesitation about the Faire at the start of the book rivaled my own, so I knew she was my kind of people. Simon may as well be called Swoonworthy Simon, my lord this man knows how to woo a lady. Throw in a supporting cast of characters that are just as lovable, sizzling chemistry between Em and Simon and an absolutely adorable and heartwarming story and I’m done 😍 If you haven’t already guessed, this one comes highly recommended by me, did I mention this is a debut?! I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next, I feel like there could easily be a follow up focusing on some secondary characters, but whatever she writes I’m reading!

Well Met in three words: Adorable, Sweet and Charming

Summary
After a painful breakup, Emily receives a call that her sister and niece were in a terrible car accident. She immediately leaves NYC and moves to the small town of Willow Creek to help take care of her sister, April, and cart around her teenage niece, Caitlin.
To help her niece, Emily is roped into volunteering for the yearly Renaissance Faire. Which means she has to spend her entire summer with stuffy, rude Simon. But once they are on the Faire grounds, Simon transforms into a flirtatious pirate. Making Emily question everything - which version of Simon is real?

Overview
This is a low drama, rom-com with plenty of witty banter and a unique, fun setting.

➸ POV - This is told in 1st person from Emily's POV.

➸ Simon - 27. Willow Creek High School English teacher. Ian Blackthorn, Pirate. Runs, organizes, and protects the town's yearly Renaissance Faire.

➸ Emily - 24. Unemployed. Emma, Tavern Wench. Recently lost her apartment and long term boyfriend when she got the call about her sister's car accident. Now she's living in Willow Creek to take care of her older sister, April, and niece, Caitlin.

➸ Content Warnings: Death of a family member

What I Liked
➸ I loved the family dynamic in this story. Emily and her sister April did not grow up together because they are so far apart in age. So they never really got to experience life with a sister. It was so heartwarming seeing them learn to trust and rely on each other.
➸ This had such healthy, wonderful depictions of friendship!! There was no back-stabbing or jealously to be seen. Everyone was welcoming and supportive, even when Emily was the newcomer. It was so refreshing to read not only about strong female friendships but also platonic M-F friendships. What a concept!
➸ I was SWOONING for this relationship by the end. This was definitely a lot lighter on the steamy scenes than I normally read, but the chemistry was palpable I didn't even mind. There were just so many cute moments. That first kiss scene.. I mean. Damn.
➸ The setting in this was so unique and so much fun. I was completely swept away by the Faire and immediately had the urge to go to one of my own. This is the perfect summer romance!

What I Didn't Like
➸ This did have a pretty slow start in my opinion. I wasn't pulled into this story or attached to the characters until about 100 pages in - and this book is only 300ish pages long. Once we got to the Faire is was SOLD. I just wish we had gotten there a little quicker.
➸ I also felt like I want to see more of Emily and Simon's relationship. I loved their banter and chemistry on page, I just wish we had more time with them. I felt like the "lovers" portion of the enemies-to-lovers romance didn't get as much attention as the enemy portion.

Overall this is one of my favorite romances of the summer! I absolutely plan to read everything that Jen Deluca writes in the future! If you're looking for one final, swoon-worthy romance before the cool weather hits, definitely pick this one up!

Review posted to Goodreads on 8/27/19
Review posted to blog on 8/28/19

WELL MET was adorable! If you say ‘hate to love’ I’m in 100%. Throw in a Renaissance Faire and a pirate, and it’s even more exciting. This book was a bit slow for me to connect with - I struggled with the conflict over Emily’s Faire name (I still don’t get why Emma was such a sticking point). But the more she and Simon bantered, the more I fell for this book and these two. When Captain Blackthorne put on his leather pants and guy liner, well, I was completely hooked. Most of the conflict comes from insecurities and lack of communication, at least initially (not my fave, though it did fit with these characters), but I enjoyed watching Emily gain confidence and go after what she wanted, and Simon, step out of the shadow of his past and begin to move forward too. I loved their sweet growing romance! This book was also funny - I laughed a lot, and enjoyed so many of the characters. I wish I could be walking through the woods this weekend, seeing the Renn Faire for myself. I hear a rumor that there’s going to be a second book in this series. Hopefully a companion to swoon over! I can’t wait to find out more. This is a new author not to miss!

LOVE TRIANGLE FACTOR: None
CLIFFHANGER SCALE: Standalone

I will be posting this review on my blog www.loveisnotatriangle.com and Amazon, during release week!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Emily's life sort of imploded, after she lost her boyfriend, her home, and her job. Therefore, when her sister was injured in a car accident, she didn't hesitate to pickup and relocate to Willow Creek in order to care for April. Emily may not have realized it, but moving to Willow Creek was one of the best decisions she had ever made.

Huzzah! I adored this book! I laughed and smiled and simply had a wonderful time reading Well Met. I am not sure what I loved best about it, but here's a rundown of things that delighted me.

• I loved being at the Renaissance Faire! I used to see commercials on TV when I was a kid, and always wanted to go. Now, I sort of feel like I did, because DeLuca did such a wonderful job depicting it for me, and immersing me in the Ren Faire life.

• Small towns never fail to win my heart, and Willow Creek was one special place. There's something about the way everyone knows each other, and how they share so much history. DeLuca was honest, and exposed some of the negatives, but those positive things held so much more weight, and seeing the town rally around their own was a thing of beauty.

• What happened to Emily was horrible. My heart broke for her, but I was overjoyed to see her making connections and planting some roots in Willow Creek. I know people felt like she was second guessing herself a lot, but can you blame her with what happened with her last boyfriend? I had a lot empathy for her, and could relate to those feelings of inadequacy.

• The relationship between Emily and her niece, Cait, was quite wonderful. I liked seeing it growing stronger and stronger with each chapter. I was also happy to see her being able to connect with her older sister. They were separated by quite a few years, but it warmed my heart seeing their friendship blossom and grow during April's recovery.

• I have a soft spot for grumpy heroes, and Simon definitely qualified as one, though, once I learned why he was so grumpy, I wanted to wrapped my arms around him and give him a hug. He had had a few tough years, and I so wanted him and Emily to work out, because he deserved that level of happiness.

• I have mentioned how amusing and funny this book was, but it was also quite emotional at times. Both Emily and Simon were dealing with some open wounds, and they were having a hard time moving forward. It was fantastic that they were able to help the other see the situation from a different perspective, because that insight made all the difference.

I have nothing but love for this book. It made me laugh, swoon, and smile. My face hurt, while I was reading it, as it does right now, as I pen this review, because it made me so happy. Well Met was an utter delight, and I will eagerly await more from Jen DeLuca.

I was so hesitant to read this book simply because of the premise – love at a Renaissance fair. I know nothing about Renaissance fairs, really, and it seemed pretty specific and niche to me. I was pleasantly surprised by DeLuca’s approach, and the genuine-ness of the characters that came out of it!

Emily Parker has just left behind a bad breakup in order to take care of her sister and niece in small town Willow Creek. Her sister, April, has been in a bad car accident, and now needs someone to help her and her daughter Caitlin get through day to day life. Emily sees this as the perfect opportunity to get away: until she’s made to sign up for a Renaissance fair that Caitlin wants to participate in, and she’s forced to deal with the cranky and brooding Simon.

Simon feels an obligation to the Ren fair – his brother started it ten years ago, and he must keep it running exactly as is. But it’s not fun anymore…until he meets Emily. Soon their Renaissance characters Captain Blackthorne and Emma are endlessly flirting, and Emily doesn’t know what’s real anymore.

After reading Well Met I can assure you the Ren fair backdrop is not a plot ruiner. In fact, I found it real fun and unique, giving the story’s plot a major hand but also adding to the whimsy of it all. I’ll even admit, it kind of made me want to go to one. 😉

Simon and Emily had a lot of that good enemies-to-lovers tension. I really liked their relationship and interactions in the way that they clearly cared about one another, but were letting their biases stand in the way of having a positive relationship. Through their ren fair characters, they were really able to open up, pretending there wasn’t barriers to being with one another – the characters they played were merely sub-parts of themselves, but when they let out these positive, unflawed personalities, their relationship blossomed. That’s why it became really difficult for Simon and Emily to understand where the line was drawn for Emma and Captain Blackthorne – where did they end and Simon and Emily begin?

I loved the backdrop of Emily’s life as well. As she’s growing from her breakup and taking care of her sister, she’s forming bonds with April and Caitlin (who are wonderful and supportive additions to this cast that made me smile!), making new friends with the Ren fair cast, growing as an employee when taking a job at the bookstore, and learning to call Willow Creek home. It was a feel good plot line for someone who clearly had a lot of growing to do after her past, and for her story alone, this book is worth the read.

What really kept me from loving this book to a five-star rating was Simon and Emily’s fight – the climax of this story. All romances have these points where the new relationship is being tested – either by an outside force they have to weather together or by a fight internally. It’s the story arc of the genre, but I almost didn’t think Well Met was going to have one! I kept seeing the progress on my Kindle creep closer toward the end and they still hadn’t fought. I thought I was in the clear: they have the perfect relationship! They were tested by overcoming their disdain for each other in the beginning! Everything is good now!

Not so much. Their blowup was a rough one. Some may say, irredeemable (it’s me. I’m “some”). I just couldn’t get over some of the things that were said during this climax, even after it seems as though they come to a resolution at the end with apologies (is it really a spoiler if we all know it’s going to happen?), I wasn’t left satisfied. Both of their points were so valid, I didn’t think they were a good match anymore. All it did was reveal some of the problems in their relationship, with no noticeable fix.

All in all, I would still tell any contemporary romance reader to pick up a copy of Well Met when it’s released next week. You’re going to love it. 😉

Three things you need to know about me. 1) I love romance books. 2) I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope. 3) I love Renaissance Faires. So safe to say, I had a small hunch that I was going to love <i>Well Met</i>, and I was absolutely right.

I loved that our main character, Emily, is kind of roped into volunteering for the town's annual Ren Faire. She's not totally comfortable with it, but she wants to be there for her older sister while she is recovering from a car accident and that means making sure her niece is happy. Emily also just went through a horrible relationship where she was unappreciated and belittled. So volunteering for the Ren Faire and taking care of her sister seems like a good enough distraction while she tries to figure out what to do with her life. It made me appreciate the Ren Faire aspects of the story even more since we are seeing them through her eyes as a first-time participant and attendee.

"This whole thing took a quick left turn into culty. I'd been planning to coast through this: wear a cute costume and hang out in a bar so Caitlin could participate. I hadn't intended to spend the next few months in some king of live-action method-acting exercise."

Then we meet Simon who is 100% all about that Ren Faire life. His older brother started the festival in their town years ago and now the responsibility of running the faire is on Simon's shoulders. He takes his role very seriously so when Emily comes in with her "This is dorky, but whatever" attitude, Simon is annoyed since he thinks Emily isn't taking her role as a cast member for the faire seriously. Emily thinks Simon is just overbearing, controlling, and doesn't know how to relax.

So we see them bicker here and there as preparations for the faire are underway. And while my favorite types of enemies-to-lovers tropes are when the two characters have known each other and hated each other for a while, this one is more of Emily and Simon having bad first impressions and prejudices against each other.

Once the Renaissance Faire begins, Emily is now Emma, the tavern wench. And Simon becomes Captain Blackthorne, the confident and charismatic pirate who flirts shamelessly with Emma. Emily is shocked by the change in personality and questions Simon's intentions. Is it Simon or Captain Blackthorne, and why can't Emily stop thinking about him? Is it role-playing for the sake of the faire, or is it real? Seriously, the romantic development between these two was so good.

"I took a shuddering breath as I faced forward again, stunned by this new realization. Emma the Tavern Wench was turned on by Captain Blackthorne, Pirate. This could be a problem."

Now, no spoilers, but I'm sure you know where the story is going if you've read any romantic comedy book before. And honestly, I loved every single moment of it. I loved Emily's kindness and compassionate heart. I loved how deeply Simon loves his friends and family. I loved the backdrop of the Renaissance Faire in a small-town setting. This one just gave me all the warm fuzzies and I can't recommend it enough.

This was such a good debut! I really enjoyed the focus around the Renaissance Faire and the characters.

What really shocked me was that this didn’t read like a debut to me. Not in the slightest! If this is the first book that we get from Jen DeLuca, then I can’t wait for what else she writes. We all know that enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. This actually gave me the vibes I was wanting. The hate vibes were so on point.

I need to say first that I adored the small town here. It seriously felt like a Stars Hollow type of town. Basically, the best kinds. All of the people in this town made their own personalities and made it come to life. While I haven’t been to a Renaissance Faire, I seriously want to look up when the closest one to Houston is so I can go. I loved reading about everyone getting into character and the ins and outs of it.

I really loved our main character Emily. Some of her insecurities hit home for me. Not to dwell too much, but am I the only one who thought they weren’t enough? She came off so relatable and someone that you could be friends with. While you wanted to shake her loose from those self doubting thoughts, that’s what made her seem real and honest. Reading about her gaining her strength was the best thing about this book.

Simon, I have to admit that he rubbed me the wrong way when were first introduced to him. I needed someone to really take the stick from his *ahem* butt. I didn’t really understand him at all and need to know what his problem was. He won me over down the line and I have to admit that I love him more than I ever thought I would.

While these two did take a while to admit their feelings, the wait was worth it! You guys, the sex scenes gave me life. The tension crackled like fireworks and it was everything that I ever wanted. I knew from the banter at the faire that there was chemistry but I was blown away by how much.

All in all, I adored this debut and can’t wait to see what else Jen DeLuca writes. If you are a fan of contemporary romance and the enemies to lovers trope, then pick this one up!