Well Met set the bar really high for this series (it was on my top ten list of 2019) so it stands to reason that any followup will have a hard time topping that. And indeed, while I enjoyed Well Matched and seeing Mitch get his HEA, it didn't quite have the 'can't put this down' feel that Well Met did. I found it started out a bit slowly for April and Mitch as they navigate a fake relationship. It seemed to me that they didn't have a lot of chemistry, at least until later in the story. There is a side plot where April's ex-husband (and Caitlin, her daughter's, very absent father) shows up for Caitlin's graduation that seemed haphazardly thrown in as an opportunity for Mitch to return the favour posing as April's date, after she posed as his girlfriend for a family event. (The ex is in and then out of the picture pretty quickly).

I had no problem with the age difference between April and Mitch (she's 10 years older) and I understood her concerns about children and depriving Mitch of having his own if he stayed with her. Because it's told from only April's point of view, we don't get to see Mitch's side of the story except through her eyes. In some parts this felt like a women's fiction novel where April's growth and change as a character was the real focus of the plot. By the end though, I bought into Mitch and April as a couple and shed a few tears as they worked their way to a satisfying ending. Mitch really is the quintessential nice guy hero, a playboy with a good heart, and I've enjoyed his appearance in every book of this series. Both of their families play an important role in the story and while the Renaissance Faire only shows up really in the second half, I still enjoyed those scenes and wished for more. I'm rating this one a 3.5 and hoping that there will be more in this world to come.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the Well Met Series, which in itself is amazing, and this new one is out right now!

Review:

If you're a fan of a good fake relationship trope, then I have just the one for you! While it is very subtle in this book, this book has other elements such as banter and spice that will keep you quite entertained as well. Well Matched is about a reverse age gap pairing between single mom April and kilt-wearing stud named Mitch. When Mitch wants to all of a sudden bring a girlfriend to a family dinner to make his family take him more seriously, April is up for the challenge. However, April in exchange wants Mitch to help her fix up her house to get it ready to sell since her daughter is graduating soon and she's ready to leave this small town forever. Both have something to gain, but it may be more than intended! Get into this swoony-worthy book filled with chemistry and love, and let me know what you think!

This 3rd book in the Well Met series wasn’t nearly as good as the first two. It’s an exhausted trope, fake dating, and the only difference in this one is that April is 9 years older than Mitch. I really couldn’t enjoy this because I didn’t like April. She’s an anxiety-ridden introvert who has spent 18 years as a single mom after her ex-husband left her when she got pregnant. She not only closed herself off from future romantic relationships, but also purposely avoided building any connections with her neighbors. So when Mitch, the optimistic, smiling, handsome 31 year old friend of her sister’s asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend and passion flares between them, she refuses to believe that he’d want a mundane 40 year old girlfriend who is past her childbearing stage. Unfortunately, based on her behavior and lack of self-esteem, I had to agree with her. I truly didn’t see what attracted him to her.

I really warmed to Mitch in the first two books and would have liked to see his love story play out with someone more deserving of him. Since DeLuca made the choice for him to fall in love with an older woman, it would have made more sense to pair him with someone with positive attributes. Other than loyalty and inner strength (not to be confused with a low self-image), we learn very little about April. We don’t even know what she does for work (which is presumably in DC). She’s pretty much a one-dimensional character who blossoms under Mitch’s sunshine, but can’t seem to shed her baggage. There are no surprises and only a ho hum finish. Disappointing!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I absolutely adored this book! It quickly became my favorite of this series for two reasons :
1. MITCH. Omg I just love him so stinkin much. He’s sweet, athletic, patient, and most importantly- handy with home repairs *swoon*
2. April. Sometimes when reading you identify hard with a character and I felt all of April’s emotions down to my bones. Her single mom of teenager struggles, plans for the future, being 40 … I found myself in tears at the most random times while reading. @jendelucawrites - you really hit the nail on the head here ♥️

A few other reasons to read:
•age gap
•small town
•fake dating
•ONE BED!!!!!!!!

April Parker has been focused on three things in her life: raising her daughter well, keeping her head low, and when all is said and done, getting out of her tiny Maryland town and back to the city. Well, her daughter is grown and all that seems to be just on the horizon. Until Mitch Malone waltzes his way into her house, offering to help ready it for the market in exchange for her to be his 'girlfriend' at the next family get together. April believes it will be a breeze, but what happens when she's too good at the role, or when Mitch rolls into bed with her? And what will happen when his family arrives at the Ren Faire looking to see her in his arms?

Pros: Mitch Malone finally has his own book. I've been gunning for him to have a book since the very first and now he has it and I loved his character depth and growth and honesty. The chemistry between April and Mitch feels real enough to spark off the page, even if it takes April so much of the book to come to terms with it. I liked that we got to see both of our previous couples and that they are both so supportive despite April's prickly nature.

Cons: I did not like our main character. Out of all the main characters in this Well Met series, April has irked me the most since the beginning. She's stubborn to a fault and mean. While I completely understand the need to have your life under the radar, it definitely felt a little too much to have her need that so desperately. It goes with her character motivations, but dear lord, for me it was too much. There wasn't enough Faire for me either. While the first book takes place entirely at the Faire and the second book dabbles with it, but this one ... it felt like an after thought.

6/10 would recommend if you like the Ren Faire, the 'fake girlfriend' trope, and kilts.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jen DeLuca, and Berkley Publishing for the ARC!

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/10/19/%f0%9f%8e%a7-well-matched-by-jen-deluca/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

I've been really enjoying the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/273593-well-met" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Well Met</strong></em></a> series with its small town setting and the summer renaissance fair.   The couple in <strong>Well Matched</strong> is two characters we have known throughout the series.  Mitch is an institution at the renfaire so I was thrilled to see him getting his development with a background and more personal view of him.  His "match" was more surprising being April, Emily's older sister, who is also about a decade older than Mitch.  The whole story is from April's point of view.

Mitch is a really nice guy.  He's great at his job and contributing to the community. He doesn't get credit from people and not his family for how well he has done.  He's like the pretty girl who no one believes it actually smart.  Because Mitch is gorgeous and has been a bit of a player when he was younger.

April is busy with her daughter in her senior year.  She's been planning for 12 years to move closer to her job, into the city where she can be anonymous. She can live her own life and not have to go to things if she doesn't want to go.  So she's getting the house ready to sell.  Mitch really helps her out with it.   Then she helps him with an event with his family as they have been after him to settle down.

April and Mitch end up really connecting, but she doesn't know how to date or have a relationship. It's been many years since she has tried.  And this is a little embarrassing because why would Mitch want an older woman even if he is ready to settle down, he will want kids and she is finished with children.   She can't trust that he actually wants her even when he says so.

My heart broke for April when she couldn't say what she wanted.  It also broke for Mitch because he was awesome and supportive of her in every way. She knew his family issues and hurt him anyway.   I loved them together, how they supported each other and were so happy, so I was glad they could grow and figure it out.

Capa fofa + Single parenting + Fake Dating? Você falou a minha língua!

April Parker casou e teve sua filha muito cedo, até que o seu ex- marido resolveu que não queria ser pai, pediu o divórcio e sumiu no mundo. Agora, na faixa dos quarenta, ela está vendo a filha de dezoito anos se formar e ir para a faculdade. Agora que o ninho está ficando vazio, ela resolve vender a casa e se mudar para uma cidade maior longe da pequena Willow Creek. Em uma noite de sexta-feira ela é salva de um cara incômodo por Mitch Malone, o professor gato de educação física da escola. Mitch é dez anos mais novo que ela, conhecido por ser uma pessoa de vida leve e que ajuda na feira Renascentista. Todas as mulheres de Willow Creek querem saber o que tem debaixo daquele kilt. E é por isso que April fica surpresa por ele propor a ela que seja sua namorada de mentira em uma reunião de família, em troca ele a ajuda na reforma da casa. Acontece que quanto mais eles se aproximam, mais descobrem o quanto é bom estar juntos.

Essa não é a minha primeira experiência com a escrita dessa autora, mas dessa vez ela conseguiu me deixar bastante satisfeita. Com uma protagonista mais velha e cheia de feridas e um mocinho que faz de tudo para conquistá-la, mas que não deita para as besteiras dela.

April é uma mulher cheia de feridas e traumas. Ela viveu a vida toda em função da filha, se distanciando de toda a vida social e do convívio de pessoas estranhas. Ela é fechada e isso de certa forma é um limite para ela. Mitch chega em sua vida e vai quebrando todas as barreiras, o que foi bem bonito de se ver. Uma coisa que eu achei bem legal também foi a relação dela com a filha, tirando a parte em que a filha dela foi completamente sem noção e a magoou deliberadamente por besteira.

Mitch, por sua vez, apesar de ser mais jovem e descontraído também tem suas dores. Sua família não o leva a sério e sempre que pode o humilha por ele ser professor de educação física em uma cidade pequena. E a intervenção de April nesse assunto foi uma das minhas cenas favoritas do livro. A maneira como eles se apoiam e como a amizade deles se desenvolve para algo mais é muito legal.

Há cenas mais quentes entre eles e não são poucas, mas na minha opinião elas começam no momento certo e são indispensáveis para a gente entender que a relação deles é também física e que isso é uma consequência da química que os persongens tem.

Os persongens dos livros anteriores também aparecem e temos um gostinho de como os casais dos livros anteriores estão lidando com suas relações. Apesar disso, esse livro pode ser lido como único sem problema nenhum.

Enfim, eu espero que Well Matched chegue ao Brasil em breve, pois é um ótimo romance.

Esse livro foi cedido como ARC para uma resenha honesta.

I have to admit that out of all the characters in this series, April and Mitch weren't my favourites. I definitely prefer pirates. However, I really enjoyed this story. The magic of the faire wasn't as prominent, since April isn't as involved. We do get a makeover scene and some cool faire fighting scenes, so I wasn't too mad about it.

April and Mitch have a good dynamic and I loved the tropes used in this book. I enjoyed getting to know April a bit better. She felt very cold in the first two books, but she warms up a lot in this book. She's been through some stuff and it makes her romance with Mitch even better. He's the cutest and in the end, I really rooted for them.

Overall I'm excited to be getting another book in this series. I can't wait to continue!

First off, I absolutely LOVE this series! The books are centered around the town’s annual Renaissance Faire and they are completely enchanting! The characters are fun and endearing… well except for April. Ugh. I have never wanted to shake a character more in my life than her. And I know why, because she is exactly like me. A single mom who’s been burned before and stays FAR and WIDE away from any mention or interest in the opposite sex for the purposes of dating and whatnot. But April’s got me beat in the hard-headed department. She was such a hard character to like.

Now our beloved high school gym teacher, coach and kilt-wearing Mitch is a different story. He’s funny and kind and has a heart of gold despite his hound dog persona. Although underneath all the fluff and the easy smiles, Mitch has a lot of depth and some hidden hurts that he hides so seamlessly, not even his closest friends realize it. He’s such an amazing guy and I think he can do better than April the cactus. Double ugh.

I have been struggling writing this review because I don’t like April’s character. At all. We first meet her in Well Met (Book 1). April is Emily’s older sister and she’s laid up recovering from a car accident so there’s a reason she’s a bit grumpy. April’s the hardened, skeptical character that humbugs things like magic and love… and fun. But it’s okay because she’s a secondary character.

In Well Played (Book 2) April is more prominent in the series, still a secondary character with the crusty attitude and an easy banter with Mitch. They support Stacey (main character) well and you’re not really affected much by April’s cynicism.

In Well Matched, April is front and center and so is her hard, inflexible demeanor. And April is NOT a fan of the Renaissance Faire and makes it clear in the previous books as well as this one. April’s character and her dislike of the Faire (and pretty much everything else) is like a cloud over the story and it feels like some of the original magic of the first two books is dampened in Well Matched. The book is not as fun or as joyful, it really made me sad. However, this in no way will stop me from reading future books in the series.

Side note: This book was also written during the pandemic so that could be a reason for the “gloominess” of the story.

Overall, I give the story 4 Stars because Mitch is amazing and the Renaissance Faire never fails to bring good cheer! Huzzah!

Single mom April Lane is used to doing things on her own. With her daughter going to college soon she decides to fix up her home to sell and asks her friend Mitch for some help. He says yes, but only if she’ll help him in return. He needs to bring a girlfriend home for a family reunion and her help would really get them off his back. What April doesn’t realize is that such close proximity has consequences and she and Mitch develop a new kind of friendship that makes her re-think her plans to leave Willow Creek.

Mitch is the brawny kilted character during the Renaissance Faire and best friend to Simon, the hero from the first novel in the series. He has always come across as a charming rogue with a twinkle in his eye, but in Well Matched we learn that while he is a pretty happy guy, there is a lot of depth to his character. He is so easy to like it was going to take a special woman to be his match and I wasn’t sure April was that woman. April has also been in the previous two books but she’s always been conservative, and well, kind of boring. Her identity was always tied to being a mom, but in Well Matched that identity was changing. Her daughter is graduating from high school and April realizes that she hasn’t had time to make lots of friends and put down roots. When she finally take a look around, she realizes that without meaning to those roots grew anyway. I really liked seeing April open up to emotions, having fun, and getting a little action! Mitch has such a big personality and is so well liked that it makes sense for his match to be a little older, more mature, and settled.

In Well Met the Renaissance Faire played a large part in my enjoyment of the novel and I was glad to see Jen DeLuca make the faire a central part of the story again. It made a perfect contrast to April’s more conservative nature and in the end worked it’s magic on her too.

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

This was completely bingeable and I am a big fan of Jen's writing style. I enjoyed how she used the Ren Faire in the series as a consistent backdrop and I will never complain about her great cast of characters.
What didn't work for me was a couple of things, which I'm strictly comparing to the first two books in the series. The chemistry is fire but the relationship arc was underdeveloped and lacked a strength of believability for me. I loved the concept of an age gap, single parent, fake relationship to more. It was the development of the love out of lusty affair that wasn't there for me. I struggled at the end of the book to know why they were "meant to be". April and Mitch didn't seem to grow as much individually. I expected to have more of an epiphany about Mitch and his machismo.
I could rant more, but I'll save my breath. I know that I'll still want to read more from Jen. This book isn't a "bad" book. However, I vastly prefer the first two in the series and my overly high expectations going into this read could be to blame.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This is the third book in the Well Met series by Jen DeLuca and I think it was my favorite so far!

April Parker is a single mother whose only child is going off to college. This is the moment April has been longing for.....to move on with her life which includes moving away from the small town of Willow Creek. April decides to accept her friend Mitch Malone's help in getting her house ready to sell. In exchange, Mitch wants April's help by pretending to be his girlfriend at a family weekend away. The fake relationship quickly turns into more, but only in secret. April loves spending time with Mitch. What's not to love....he's sweet, he's hot and he really knows how to fill out the kilt he wears at the Renaissance Faire. Part of the problem is that April is planning on moving....plus Mitch is almost 10 years younger than her. Well sometimes the best laid plans are not what we really want in the long run. After much deep down thinking, April realizes that what she really wants is Mitch and together they get the perfect happy ending.

I just loved Well Matched by Jen DeLuca. It was such a perfect fake to real relationship along with the age difference trope. I just adored Mitch! He was so fun and I couldn't get enough of him. Everyone only saw one side of Mitch, but deep down he had many other layers that he doesn't let many people see. It was also enjoyable watching April finally knock down those walls she built around her heart and let Mitch inside. Together these two made such a fun couple. I highly recommend this story. Between the wonderful characters and the entertaining story line, this story was just perfect!

I just loved this! I may be a little biased since I've gotten to hang out with Jen in real life... but I think this might be my favorite of the series! I love the sunshiney male lead / grumpy female lead combo. It's not common in romances, but it was super fun.

Through this whole series, I’ve felt the pull of Mitch and April.

There’s been a dance there, not so much a choreographed fight scene, but a slow push and pull between the two… and I am HERE FOR IT.

April hasn’t dated anyone in .. well, years. As a single mom, the focus is on her daughter, but with Caitlin going to college soon, she’s going to be free to live her dreams. Mitch dates a lot, but he’s really sick of not being taken seriously and even sicker of not having anyone to call home.

When a favor between friends becomes so much more, the walls April built around her heart begin to crumble, but will she be able to trust that someone like Mitch is in it forever?

These two! I got all the feels and just fell in love! I loved seeing so many old faces and the sisterly bond that April and Emily have.

I was excited to return to Willow Creek and the Renaissance Faire with the third book of the Well Met series!

Well Matched is a fake dating turned lovers book about April and Mitch. April is a single mother; her daughter is a senior in high school and she hasn’t been in a relationship or on a date in years. Mitch is the high school gym teacher and the stud of the Renaissance Faire, strutting around in his kilt and showing off his muscles. When April needs some help renovating her house and Mitch needs a “serious” girlfriend to take to a family dinner, they come to an agreement to help each other out. The more time they spend together, the more the sparks start to fly. But this isn’t what April signed up for, she’s not interested in being in a relationship and she’s definitely not expecting to fall in love.

This book was a little different than the other ones in the series with less focus on the Renaissance Faire. The plot followed April, a character who never was involved in the Faire in the other books. Instead, it was about her dealing with the emotions of becoming an empty nester with her daughter soon leaving for college and learning how to open her heart to Mitch. The Renaissance Faire was in the book, but it wasn’t a major point as in the others.

I have really enjoyed this series and Well Matched didn’t disappoint. It was a sweet small-town romance full of fun and hope that I highly recommend!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. Well Matched is a sweet and fun book about a single mom in her 40s, who is forced to re-examine her life plans as her daughter leaves the nest. It is refreshing to see a heroine who is grumpy, introverted, and does not magically still have the body of a 25 year old, but still manages to find love with the biggest cinnamon roll of them all. I adore Mitch wholeheartedly, and I really enjoyed watching April's growth. While I do think that you'll get slightly more out of this if you have read the previous two books, but it definitely can stand alone. This book is fun, sweet, and funny, and I enjoyed rooting for the two characters.

Well Matched is a delightful, swoon worthy, feel good read!

April agrees to be Mitch’s fake girlfriend at his family reunion in exchange for helping April to fix up her home so she can sell it. April is a single mom and has been raising her daughter in Willow Creek, but she never felt like this small town life was for her. Now that her daughter is graduating, April is ready to move on. As she gets to know more about Mitch and finally checks out the town’s annual Renaissance Faire, she starts to wonder if maybe she should stick around.

Well Matched is the third book in the Well Met series, but I haven’t read the previous books. It can definitely be read as a stand alone, but it would’ve been helpful to have more background on the characters. That being said, I really enjoyed this fun, heartwarming, and charming book! I especially loved the fake dating trope, the witty banter and steamy chemistry between Mitch and April, the guacamole contest, and the Ren Faire! Also, there’s a hot guy in a kilt - need I say more?

I recommend Well Matched for all rom-com lovers, especially if you’re a fan of the Well Met series! I’m definitely going to pick up the first two books and get to know these characters better!

Single mom April is about to have an empty nest. With her daughter Caitlin ready to graduate high school, April doesn't feel the need to stay in Willow Creek. April is ready to move on from small town living - maybe the big city or a change of scenery is up next. But she needs help renovating her home before she sells. And this is where her good friend Mitch offers his services. Mitch is willing to help April with her renovations if she returns a teensy tiny favor. If April can pretend to be his girlfriend for a weekend then he'll help with renovations! April isn't quite sure, but soon finds herself agreeing.

And that's when all the fun begins! I really enjoyed Well Matched. This charming friends to lovers/fake relationship romance was so sweet. I adored Mitch and how funny and sweet he was with April. While I'm not usually a fan of the age gap - I really didn't see the issue with April being older than Mitch. Mitch was mature and their interactions always felt sweet and romantic - never weird or forced.

Both April and Mitch have so many vulnerabilities and I loved how they were always there defending each other whether they asked for it or not. The moments with April and Caitlin really got to me. I don't read a lot of single parent romances, but felt like Jen Deluca did a wonderful job with this sweet mother and daughter in Well Matched.

If you're looking for a sweet romance that will sometimes transport you to the Renaissance Faire (I seriously loved these scenes) then grab your copy of Well Matched!

And we are back with the third installment of the Well Met series. Well Matched is the story of April, the single mom who is gearing up on how to navigate life after her daughter heads off to college in the fall. All of regular crew from the first two books are back and we are back in the Ren Faire. While Well Met will always be my favorite, this book was cute with all the same witty banter as the prior two books and I loved being back in Willow Creek. It was like being back with old friends. There is a fake dating trope and while we all know how those end, this romance is all warm fuzzies and gooeyness and made me fall in love with Mitch. Who knew he was so lovable? Not to mention that I totally related to the whole raising a teenage daughter storyline.

I love this series, and Well Matched made me smile and swoon just as much as the first two books did.

This time around, the romance trope is a fake relationship. The players involved are none other than Mitch Malone, the gym teacher/ ren fair kilt wearing hunk, and single mother, April, the older sister of Emily from book 1.

I loved seeing this romance slowly grow. There was some hot chemistry going on. 🥵 I also liked revisiting the characters from the first books. That’s always fun.

Also, RENAISSANCE FAIRE! ✨ That’s always, ALWAYS fun. I love how this series keeps evolving with each book but always circles back to the beloved fair.