“Good morrow and well met” is a standard greeting every year I go to our local medieval faire. I have considered joining a Renaissance faire group as an active participant, so I fell in love with this book from the first meeting the heroine has with her small town’s Faire group. DeLuca’s expertise with how the Faire performances go and her love of all things Renaissance allows her to give the reader an intimate and immersive experience with the story and that is a rare gift.

With two characters showing growth from darkness to light in their own lives and also in their relationship, character development could be challenging and messy. But this is where the book shines. While allowing them and their relationship to grow, DeLuca handles the delicate power balance between them — who is feeling what and when, who is compromising and who is asserting themself — with a deftness and assuredness you don’t usually see in a début author.

DeLuca has made a splash on the contemporary romance scene with her first book, Well Met, and I can’t wait for her next book. She’s an author to watch!

https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-well-met-by-jen-deluca/

Best romcom I’ve read this year!!!

I loved absolutely everything about this book! Jen DeLuca stole my heart with this charming romance. Emily’s life has kind of fallen apart so when her sister April needs her help she sees it as a perfect opportunity to regroup, her intention was never to stay in small town Maryland. It also was not part of her plans to spend her summer volunteering at a Renaissance Fair. But when her 14-year-old niece needs a parent to supervise her volunteering she feels forced. Also volunteering will give her the opportunity to see Mitch the hot gym teacher in a kilt, that is if she doesn’t get fired from her volunteer position by the uptight Simon. After many Saturdays of rehearsal it is finally time for the fair opening and who is that hot pirate in those tight leather pants? Oh no it cannot possibly be Simon! Ah but it is Captain Ian Blackthorn (Simon’s alter ego) and he is quite fond of Emma (Emily’s alter ego) the tavern wench. I’m certain you know where this is going and let me tell you what it was so much fun getting to that delicious HEA!

Emily was such an amazing character, she had such a generous heart and a beautiful spirit. The chemistry between Emily and Simon was undeniable and the banter was divine. The renaissance Fair offered the perfect backdrop to the story. This really actually surprised me I am not a big Renaissance fair person, never been to one, never want to go to one, but I was completely intrigued with the goings-on at the fair. I think it really showcased the sense of community in this small town in Maryland, and added a little extra sparkle to the story. All the secondary characters were delightful! Mitch, stacey, and April in particular. Loved how supportive and kind these characters were. This was just a feel good story that still has me smiling a week later!

This book in three emojis: 🏴‍☠️ 💑 ♟

*** Big thanks to Berkley for my copy of this book ***

I'm not an avid romance lover but have started to dip my toes into the shallow end of the Romance pool. So far, I've found some entertaining, light reads with memorable characters and a side of sass.

Well Met, the debut novel from Jen DeLuca, has a few things going for it. First, it has a unique setting. The small-town Renaissance faire is described in detail bringing readers into the heart of the festival - its food, fashion and entertainment. There's also a bookstore (always a plus!), complicated family dynamics and a will-they-won't-they kind of romance.

But there are a few things that I didn't love. There is too much 'telling versus showing', the plot was predictable, and the cast were a bit bland. I wanted to see the budding relationship between Simon and Emily build. Instead, we're given weak reasons for their dislike for each other (based on misinterpretations of each other's actions/words) and when we do get to the big moment, the change in their feelings for each other pivoted too quickly without explaining this drastic change of heart.

While I prefer my romances with a bit more depth and realistic tension between the characters, this is a decent debut for readers who enjoy a light, predictable romance that takes place within a unique setting.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Berkley Books for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really cute read! I really enjoyed the two main characters, Emily and Simon, and the enemies to lovers storyline. I found Emily to be a very relatable character and I enjoyed seeing the progression of her relationship with Simon. The supporting characters really rounded out the story and I really liked the Ren Faire setting.

I insta-requested this arc because EVERYTHING in its description was like the recipe for the perfect book I didn't know I wanted: heroine who moves to a small town, isn't really feeling it. Gets roped into becoming a tavern wench at the local renaissance faire. Nieces... teachers! Turkey legs! ENEMIES TO LOVERS. And then when I actually did read the book, so much more!! This story was so fun and original, and for someone who's (tragically) never been to a renaissance faire, really made me want to pack my bags and move to Maryland. I actually loved 'experiencing' the faire so much that even if there hadn't been any romance I would have still really enjoyed this book. A really fantastic and charming debut title, and I'll be first in line for whatever Jen DeLuca writes next!

I can't wait to review this for BroadwayWorld in September and to recommend it at BN. I loved loved LOVED this book SO much!

I would love it if there were a bunch of companion novels. I need to see April+Mitch!! Stacey and her mystery date. Maybe even Chris! And maybe a YA or New Adult with Caitlin. #IWantAllTheThings
...I'd even be okay with more Ren Faire setting, lol!

I can't wait to submit a full review closer to release, but I LOVED this so much!

OFFICIAL REVIEW from https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwbooks/article/BWW-Review-WELL-MET-by-Jen-Deluca-20190902

Well met, dear readers! Are you looking for a fun, engaging read to end your summer and bring you into fall? Pick up brand-new release WELL MET by Jen Deluca this Tuesday! With Ren Faire season in full swing, the release of this book is timed perfectly. Whether you're a Ren Faire junkie, a casual fan, or know nothing about them, this book will keep you turning pages and becoming invested in the lives of all the characters.

Small town life isn't for everyone. Emily's sister April detests the way everyone knows everything about everyone else and keeps to herself as much as possible. When Emily comes to spend the summer taking care of her and April's daughter Caitlin, she doesn't realize that this town will become everything to her. She thought she'd get in and get out, spend some time recovering from a horrible break-up, and move on. Instead, her love becomes irrevocably changed by the Ren Faire she never wanted to do in the first place.

While April recovers, Emily is Caitlin's pseudo-guardian, forced to sign up for the town Ren Faire as Caitlin's chaperone. She plays the role of a tavern wench and goes from thinking the part will be ludicrous to having more fun than she ever thought possible. She quickly befriends fellow tavern wench Stacey, Ren Faire Queen and town bookstore owner Chris, and a gorgeously-toned, kilt-wearing teacher named Mitch. She's instantly at odds, however, with Simon, a swashbuckling pirate who knows how to push all her buttons. She thinks she can have a summer fling with Mitch and move on, but instead finds herself becoming more and more intrigued by Simon as the summer wears on. Can Emily leave and return to her former life as summer comes to a close and her sister no longer needs her help, or have the new connections she's made grounded her somewhere new?

Oftentimes, it's easy to fall in love with a book's main characters. It's harder to become as enamored with the supporting cast. Deluca fleshes out small time life and its residents in a way that will have readers caring for everyone in Willow Creek as deeply as they did for the inhabitants of Stars Hollow when Gilmore Girls was still on the air. I could read books about these characters forever. I want more novels where they become main characters in their own rights and we see reoccurring faces that bring back the nostalgia of earlier books. I want a sequel where April and Mitch get together because of a scene towards the end where they'd just be so gosh-darn-good-together. I want to see something pan out between Emily's friend Stacey and a mysterious date she won't talk about. I would even love to see a book starring Chris (Plus, books about books and bookstores are the best). I would even love a YA or New Adult title starring Emily's niece Caitlin when she's a little older. And of course, this bucket list includes as many of these tales as possible taking place during Ren Faire season become the setting is too delicious not to return to, even if it's only as a cameo.

What are secondary characters, however, without a strong lead and love interest? One of my favorite tropes when it comes to relationships is hate to love. The chemistry has to be spot-on and really ignore that slow-burn sensation, or it doesn't work. Emily and Simon are at odds from the day they meet. Simon is stand-offish with Emily when she drops off an application for the Ren Faire not really caring about her role in it, only wanting to help out her niece. The Ren Faire, however, is deeply important to Simon, and he doesn't like that she isn't going to take the summer seriously. They begin on uneven footing, but forced to work together in close proximity during rehearsals and the launch of the Ren Faire itself, grow closer and slowly form a connection. I couldn't get enough of these two and looked forward to each new scene they had together. I already want to go back and revisit this book because I miss this duo so much!

It is rare for me to fall so deeply for a contemporary novel, as I read more fantasy than I do anything else, but when the writing and characters are strong, I fall hard and fast and the book becomes an instant favorite. WELL MET is some of the most fun I've had reading a contemporary in a while, and I am actively looking forward to more novels from Deluca. Unfortunately for me, this is her debut, so I can't dive into her backlist, but happily, since her career is still young, she'll have many more books to come. Hopefully there will be many more books set in this world with these characters, but I would also welcome something brand-new. Deluca is definitely on my auto-read radar now, knowing nothing about her future books, because I enjoyed this one so very much. Definitely pick up WELL MET when it releases this month and meet your next reading obsession!

A thoroughly charming YA romcom from a fresh debut voice, WELL MET's world feels fully lived in and its characters are multidimensional and fresh. The story's unique setting lends a lot of levity and interest to a relatively standard plot structure, twisting familiar story beats with unique elements that really make the world come alive.

I have never been interested in Renaissance Faires and honestly, thought they were pretty cheesy, until I read this book. The rom-com style of writing made me love the characters, but the thought and attention to detail that goes into the production of a faire makes me want to attend one. Loved it!

4.5 Stars

Fantastic debut novel. The unique setting and well-developed characters had me turning the pages with enthusiasm and longing to get back to the book when real-life got in the way.

Simone is my favorite type of hero. A sort of broken, subtly attractive curmudgeon with a big heart that tends to get overlooked in favor of the charismatic, more obvious attractive guys.

Hope was not quite the sun to his shade but she was definitely more on the positive, happy side despite experiencing a bit of a rough patch and finding herself moving to help out her sister in her time of need.

Together they had a ton of chemistry, even if it was a bit negative in the beginning. Their seemingly instant dislike of each other felt so great for no apparent reason which only made it feel like their passion and attraction to each other scared them both so much that they did everything they could to fight it. I simply loved them together.

The secondary characters and the renaissance faire setting added such a fun and unique aspect to the book that I just had a good time reading this story. I can’t wait to read more from this author!!

I received a digital advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


I.LOVE.THIS.BOOK. Jen Deluca, you have no idea how much I adore your writing style. You are a gem to contemporary literature and I will read any and everything you ever pushlish.


This story follows Emily, a 20 something millennial who has just had a really rough go of things. Emily comes to the small town of Willow Creek to help her sister recover from a terrible accident and to care for her teenage niece. Her niece desperately wants to sign up to the in the Ren Faire but needs a guardian to sign up with her due to her age. Emily reluctantly signs up to be a tavern wench. I won't go into tooooo many details, but a certain stubborn english teacher changes Emily’s life and makes her want to make her home in Willow creek more of a permanent situation.


My main question for Deluca…is why can’t every guy be like Simon? Where can I get a Simon of my own?? He is an absolute heartthrob for this little nerd. I mean who doesn’t love a Shakespere quoting hunk of man?


I found Emily super relatable and I enjoyed tagging along on her journey through self discovery. If you want an easy read, then make sure you pick this up. It was absolutely FANTASTIC.


I want to thank Jen Deluca, NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing Group for the change to review this title. It was so enjoyable!

First time reader of this author and a fan. Ms. DeLuca knows how to draw a reader in with cute and humorous antics between characters. Well Met is a fun romantic comedy and I loved both Emily and Simon’s character and devoured this book in one day. It’s the perfect enemies-to-lover romance set with a backdrop of a small town and Renaissance Faire. Looking forward for more from this author!

Be still, my heart. This really was the romcom of my dreams. My whole life, I’ve been obsessed with going to renaissance fairs every fall in Michigan. My heart (and my nostalgia) is just so strong thinking about the memories I have from each year I went, numerous times. But never have I ever read a book where the setting was a renaissance fair! Well, that is until Jen DeLuca decided to give me everything I’ve ever wanted.

➽ Emily 24, travels across the country, to a very small town, after a breakup to help out her sister and niece while her sister recovers from an accident. Her niece, Caitlin, very much wants to be a part of the renaissance fair this year, but she needs a parental guardian to volunteer as well! Emily soon turns into Emma, the tavern wench.

➽ Simon 27, a high school English teacher, and very protective of his town’s renaissance fair, that he helps run every year, while he also becomes Ian Blackthorn, the hottest pirate ever.

“Emma the Tavern Wench was turned on by Captain Blackthorn, Pirate. This could be a problem.”

I mean, you all know where this is going. But the ride? One of the best I’ve been on for all of 2019. I fell so in love with both of these characters and everything they were going through, while also wishing that Willow Creek, Maryland, was a real town, because I fell in love with the entire community, on and off the fairgrounds.

I loved the themes of family and community throughout this story too. The unconditional love between Emily and her sister and niece was the stuff of dreams, and it was a treat to read. The angst between Emily and Simon was the stuff of magic.

“Let us love you, and remind you that you’re worth it until you figure out what you’re going to do next.”

Overall, I just adored this one. From the romance, to the witty banter, to the sex, to the small-town setting, to the unconditional love of family, it was just everything. I couldn’t stop smiling while reading this one. This is such a unique gift to the romcom world, and I hope you all pick it up and fall in love with it soon.

(Full review is posted to Goodreads, my blog, Amazon, Tumblr, and Barnes and Noble)

This book is addictive, and while that definitely had to do with the great plot and characterss, I also have to give credit to the writing and setting. Jen DeLuca’s writing style is so easy to be absorbed by, and the immersive setting of the Renaissance Faire hooks you the second you start. Although that could just be me, because I absolutely love the idea of Ren Faires. It’s because of this book that I’lll actually be going to my first one soon! Okay, but back to the writing. It’s very well done, with such a relatable tone that allows the book to feel both lighthearted and fun while also heartbreaking when necessary.

I know I already said this book is addictive, but I just need to say it again. I could not put it down. There was always something interesting happening, between the romance plotline, the family dynamics, and the Ren Faire itself.

Partially why this book is so good is the characters in it. Emily is a great protagonist. She’s strong, smart, and organized, with painfully relatable insecurities that she is trying to work through. I really loved her character development, and how she grows over the course of the book. As for our love interest, I really don’t want to say too much because it’s best to learn more about him over the course of the book. I know that’s one of my personal favorite parts of enemies-to-lovers romance. There were also some great side characters, I especially loved Emily’s dynamic with her sister and her niece.

WELL MET is everything I wanted it to be and more. With an adorable and steamy romance, the perfect setting, and amazing characters, you do not want to miss this.

Well Met is a book I picked up because all of my romance reader friends have been raving about it. Since they all loved it, I figured I would as well. I was right! It was so good. I couldn't believe Well Met is Jen DeLuca's début novel. It was so well written. It felt like a book by a seasoned author. It packed so much emotion -- it even brought tears to my eyes. I was impressed by this début.

Normally, I like my romances to have dual points of view. Well Met didn't have that. The entire story was told through Emily's eyes. I was surprised at how well this worked for me. I think it's because the romance, while a big part, wasn't the complete focus of the story. It was more about how Emily was healing from a break up, moving to a small town, reuniting with her sister and niece, and working through what was next for her. I loved experiencing her figuring it all out.

I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about the Renaissance Faire theme. I wasn't sure if this setting would work for me or not. It did. I found myself loving the scenes at the faire. They added another level to Emily and Simon's relationship that I wasn't expecting.

As for Emily and Simon... I really liked them together. I liked them together so much that I was a little sad that there wasn't as much to it as I was hoping. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of deep and important moments between them. It's hard to explain, but their romance was a slow burn that felt kind of like insta-love. It took a while for them to get together, but they were in love the minute they were finally together. I felt like I missed something in between those stages. Maybe I just had a hard time combining their acting at the faire with their real life romance.

Overall, this was a strong début novel. It was filled with memorable characters and a great story line. It's made me very excited to find out what's next for Jen DeLuca. Selfishly, I'm hoping this novel becomes a series and I get to know more of the other characters better.

Jen DeLuca's debut novel, Well Met, is a definite must-read, and she has a permanent spot on my t0-be-read list. Well Met is thoroughly entertaining and low-angst enemies-to-lovers romance with the a unique and interesting peak behind the scenes at a renaissance festival. With charming characters, laugh out loud humor, steamy love scenes and clever world building, Well Met is a 5-star read.

In this delightful contemporary romance, Emily finds herself volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire so her teenage niece can fulfill a summer dream. It's a good chance for her to meet new people because she's new to town and she enjoys the other people in the cast - except for Simon, one of the leaders of the cast who seems to disagree with everything Emily says. But when the Faire begins, Emily finds herself flirting (and more) with Simon and she starts to wonder if this is all part of the act or something more. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Adorable does not even begin to describe this book! I first heard about it from Brighton Walsh. When I found out about the Renaissance faire setting and it had a hate-to-love romance, I knew in my soul that Well Met and I would get along swimmingly. I've read the book twice since I first picked it up in May and I have to say, my second experience with the book was even better than the first. Well Met was just the loveliest and sweetest romance novel that is sure to leave readers with a smile on their faces.

When Emily's sister is hurt in a car accident, she moves in with her to help out with her niece, Caitlin. This is the perfect opportunity for Emily to try and heal from her recent breakup. In Willowcreek, through Caitlin, Emily finds herself volunteering with the local Renaissance faire, playing a bar wench. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for her, she is being bossed around by the grumpy leader, Simon, who plays the role of a swoony pirate. Emily is a character many readers will find relatable. She's just like every other girl not wanting to be hurt in love again. She is also at a standstill in life and isn't sure what she wants to do with her future. All of us at some point have gone through periods of stagnancy, so it's easy to relate to her doubts and concerns. For me, the fact that Emily was willing to move to help her sister during her recovery spoke volumes about the kind and genuine person she was. She loves her sister and her niece and their relationships were beautifully written. There was an openness and comfort to Emily and April's relationship that reminded me of my own relationship with my sister. They know they could trust and count on each other. Emily's bond with Caitlin is also one that was adorable and was filled with heartwarming moments. Honestly, I could read about books devoted to family all day long and Well Met satisfied that need for me.

I'm sure you are all dying to know what I thought of the swoony pirate. You guys know what a big sucker I am for grumpy heroes and boy was Simon an endearing curmudgeon. He is very anal about his Renaissance faire and his reasons don't become clear until later on, but they are understandable and very sad. You'll want to give Simon a hug! Despite his grouchy, controlling ways, I immediately grew a soft spot for his character. His pirate persona just took things to a whole other panty-dropping level! The boy had MOVES and was not afraid to unleash them on the bar wench that tormented him. They constantly bicker and you can't help but be amused at their antics. I wound up really enjoying the romance. The build up to their first kiss is so hot! I have to say, their relationship is an absolute rollercoaster. There are ups and downs that will have you feeling a range of emotions from happiness to frustration. At one point, I was ready to shake these silly stubborn kids by their shoulders to put some sense into them. While Well Met has a good cast of characters, it is the Renaissance faire setting that makes this book shine. I really adored all the vivid details and appreciated the research that went into making the setting come to life.

Well Met is the perfect romance novel for readers looking for a cute and feel-good story. I'm excited to see if Jen DeLuca will write other stories set in Willow Creek. Whatever she releases next though, I will be first in line to read it.

This was on the top of my want to read right now list and I was so thrilled to get a copy of it. I devoured it as soon as I could, and I loved every minute of it. It is SUCH a fun, sweet hate-to-love book and I need a movie adaptation of it as soon as possible, please and thank you. While there are a few notes that fall flat, this is a great debut that every rom-com lover should get their hands on as soon as they can.

I've never been to a Renaissance Faire, but after reading Well Met I feel like I have. I think it was the cutest setting for a rom-com and I very much enjoyed the detail that was put into bringing the reader inside of one. Volunteers at the Faire learned period appropriate culture, language, wore costumes and put on shows for entertainment. And of course, we can't forget the food. What's a Faire without turkey legs and funnel cakes? A very sad a-faire indeed.

Emily Parker wasn't planning on volunteering for the summer, but reluctantly agrees in order for her teenage niece to be able to take part. After her fiancée selfishly used her and then dumped her like the heartless jerk he is, her life was in shambles. Running to Willow Creek with her tail between her legs, she had two primary goals. Figuring out what in the world she was going to do next, and helping her sister out while she's recovering from a serious accident.

My first impression of Emily was pretty good. I liked her sense of humor and her voice was an entertaining narrative. She's a nurturer, organizer, and fixer which all lead her to be a take charge kind of woman by nature. She can pretty well step into a leadership role without even thinking about it and find ways to make improvements. It's only in her personal life that she feels lost. And though she loves her sister April very much, their relationship is somewhat distant because of their age gap. They'd never been what you'd call close friends and confidants, but perhaps this summer would help bridge the gap while she's living with her.

Simon...well let's just say that he's an acquired taste. From their very first conversation he seems to size her up and immediately find her wanting. And he certainly isn't afraid to show it. His scowls and disapproving looks were plentiful, not to mention his cutting comments when her attitude seemed too lackadaisical to him. As the organizer of the faire, he doesn't take much pride or joy in putting it together. In fact, it seems to be the last place he would like to be during the organization stages. He acted pretty stuck up, but at the same time, there were hints that he was going through some personal emotional turmoil that could be contributing to his actions. So I withheld judgement in the beginning stages.

Simon doesn't have a lot of conversation with Emily in the first half of the book and that became somewhat of a problem for me. The thing is, when they did talk to each other it was to bicker most of the time. Then came the hot and cold attitude. Emily wasn't sure from one minute to the next if she would be getting vulnerable Simon or aloof Simon. The lack of communication between the two of them led to some hurt feelings and misunderstandings. They both played a part while they were there: she was a tavern wench and he was a roguish pirate. Her role wasn't that much of a stretch from real life, but in his case he was able to let go of his worries and sense of responsibility and have fun with it. Something that he sorely needed in my opinion.

As the summer wore on, Emily was starting to feel more at home in this small town. And I think that's what she was looking for just as much as finding a new direction in life. She wanted to plant roots and belong somewhere. To find someone whom she could share it with who would love and accept her just as she was. Mistakes and all.

The plot really took off in the last 30% of the book when they shed the "enemies" part of the enemies-to-lovers trope. They were really sweet together and he grew on me quite a bit. Surprisingly so, once they really started opening up to each other. He had to work through some lingering grief and unresolved issues with his self-image but when he does, he goes out of his way to make her feel special. In summary, This wasn't a bad book by any means. I connected to the author's style very easily, and think many others will as well. This could very well be the light and entertaining read you've been looking for.

This was such a fun book! When I read the synopsis (a modern-day romance that involves the characters working at a Renaissance Faire!) I knew it was a must-read.

I loved the progression of the relationship between Emily and Simon. It was definitely a slow burn which I appreciated. And as someone who has never been to a Renaissance Faire before, it has me excited to go to one now!

Seeing these characters as characters themselves at the Renaissance Faire was so fun. I loved getting that new side of usually buttoned-up Simon as Captain Blackthorne (think Hook from Once Upon a Time!). He had some things he had to work through just like the heroine did. It was nice to see neither of these characters were perfect.

I do wish Emily would have spoken up about her wants and desires sooner, but I really like how her character developed and became more confident in herself. I also loved that she learned to make decisions for herself not based around a significant other. She wasn’t going to let a sour situation keep her from ultimately doing what would make her happiest. Her journey was difficult to see unfold at times, but it all paid off for her in the end.

A super fun and addictive rom-com that’ll have you giggling and swooning the whole way through.