Emily was in a rough place in her life and completely ready to drop everything and move to a small town in Maryland to help her older sister when she had a car accident that put her out of commission for a few months. Driving to appointments, chauffeuring her teenage niece Caite around, no problem. Emily (like so many of us) is way more comfortable fixing someone else's life than her own. Then she gets roped into volunteering with Caite at the town's annual Renaissance Faire and meets English teacher Simon. Simon sees the Faire as his brother's legacy and believes he's the only one who can run things the way they need to go. So Emily's relaxed approach to life and wenching don't go over well with him- which reminds her too much of her jerk ex-fiancé. They seem to clash every time they meet: until the Faire is on. Because Simon's sexy pirate and Emily's tavern wench hit things off a lot better than their mundane counterparts. Can Faire and real life mix into a happily ever after or is this a well met summer fling that will end when summer is over?

Debut author Jen DeLuca gives readers a romance that is both familiar and fresh. Emily and Simon can't seem to get along, always say the wrong things, and poor first impressions make it look like it's going to be a long summer for them both. Using the Renaissance Faire as the way for the two to get to know each other in new ways is a great twist and tons of fun. DeLuca's own Faire experiences come through loud and clear and whisks readers into a weekend world where suddenly far more is possible than in mundane life. Emily, who has always felt like an outsider, slowly becomes a part of the Faire world and through the Faire she becomes a part of small Willow Creek town life. She's friendly and caring, always willing to do what she can to help others, always putting others first. At the same time she feels like the odd one out, who others let do things for them but forget as soon as she isn't needed. Her jerk ex-fiancé used her and left her wondering if she deserves to come first in anyone's life- from family to friends to herself. It's wonderful watching Em begin to regain the confidence she must have once had and grow into herself over the course of the book.

Simon is a little harder to get to know because Well Met is told through Emily's point of view, so we only see him through her eyes. But she's not too proud to admit when she starts to see beneath Simon's surface and who he could be if he gives himself the chance. Simon has lived in his older brother's shadow all his life and now Sean is gone and Simon has to figure out what happens next for him. Like Em, the reader can't help but be attracted to Simon's pirate alter-ego during the Faire, and you can't help but be thrilled when she gives the growing chemistry between them a chance.

Deluca thrills is this wonderful romantic debut, full of sparkling, snarky dialogue; delightful, laugh out loud humor; delicious chemistry; and two main characters you're cheering for each step of the way as they find themselves behind the shadows of uncertainty and the expectations of others. Well Met is a definite must read for fans of romantic comedy like Christina Lauren and Janet Evanovich and is a book that's probably going to become one of my staple, feel good rereads. DeLuca has set a high bar for her future books- I can't wait to see what she brings us next!


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This was a great debut book from Jen DeLuca. I knew from the cover and the blurb for Well Met I was going to love it and I wasn’t wrong. This book had me smiling a lot and turning the pages as fast as I could. I have never been to a Renaissance Faire and now I want to go.

Emily moved to help her sisters after she was in an accident. Her niece decides she wants to be part of the Renaissance faire her aunt gets her there but didn’t expect she would have to participate. Simon is now in charge of running the faire. Simon and Emily’s banter and their attraction were off the charts. Emily has to decide what she wants to do with her life after her sister doesn’t need her help anymore.

I loved this book so much. If you are looking for a funny fast paced read that will grab your attention this is it. Must read!

Well Met by Jen DeLuca is a delightful 'enemies to lovers' romance with a unique setting – a summer spent cosplaying at a Renaissance Faire where the two main characters discover their antagonism towards each other melts away when they have to play a courting couple.

When Emily relocates to Willow Creek, the small town where her sister April and her niece Caitlin live to help her sister after she's injured in a car accident, it's a chance to clear her head and make some decisions about the future. She's just gone through a bad breakup and had to move out of her home so a summer spent with her family taking a day at a time is just the ticket to get her bearings. Caitlin has signed up for the local Renaissance Faire, a popular summer fundraising event held over six weeks and needs an adult to join with her. Since April is out of commission that leaves Emily as a 'volunteer'. She doesn't know the first thing about fairs but she is a Shakespeare fan and she's worked in a bar so playing a tavern wench in an Elizabethan time period won't be too hard.

But clearly some people take this fair thing much too seriously – case in point, the main organizer Simon with whom she gets off on the wrong foot from the very start. Simon is a teacher at the local high school but he's also very strict that things at the fair go a certain way and Emily's casual attitude and questions put them at odds. Still, the show must go on. Once the faire starts, Emily, now 'Emma' has her hands full with drinks, bar patrons, and all of a sudden a fake relationship with Simon as his flirtatiously handsome faire alter ego whom to her dismay she finds rather attractive. Pretending to be a courting couple means time spent together and discovering that maybe their 'dislike' of each other isn't so strong after all. A whirlwind romance will certainly help Emily get over her broken heart, but what will happen when the fair, and summer, are over?

If you've ever wondered what it's like behind the scenes of a Renaissance Faire, this is the perfect read for you! The author has first hand knowledge of the setting and has translated that into a very readable and enjoyable experience from the stage hands crafting the sets to the costuming to the lessons in Elizabethan language and mannerisms. With the setting down pat, the author has also created believable and thoroughly enjoyable characters who are dealing with life's ever present ups and downs.

Simon's older brother Sean who died of cancer a few years earlier was the original fair organizer and it's in his memory that Simon keeps it going. But it's become more of an obligation than a joy for him and Emily's presence as a newcomer, with her questions and suggestions are not welcome. But once Emily finds out why Simon is so uptight about keeping things exactly as they've always been, she can empathize. It doesn't stop her from wanting to help make the fair a success for all of them and if it means getting Simon to admit that he can't keep things going the same way indefinitely, so be it.

Under the freedom of their faire guises, Emily and Simon discover a mutual attraction and there are some absolutely swoonworthy and sexy scenes as the couple find that the here and now has some definite advantages. I love a good enemies to lovers romance and the author does a fabulous job with the evolution of their relationship as the summer turns to fall. Simon isn't the only one with issues however. Emily had only planned to stay with her sister as long as she was needed but she's planted roots in the community and is contemplating staying. She's gotten a summer job with a local bookstore coffee shop owner, a perfect spot to spend her non-faire hours, and going back to school to finish her English degree is tempting. She's enjoyed getting to know her sister and her niece better. But even though the fake relationship she has with Simon feels decidedly real when they are in their faire garb she's not sure it will translate into anything more when the faire is over.

There are a couple of 'big miscommunications', the kind that would have easily been solved with a few conversations that form the basis of the conflicts that push Simon and Emily apart before the grand gesture and grovelling that leads to their happy ending. Fortunately it didn't take up too much of the plot so while it isn't my favorite conflict device, it didn't detract from the overall story for me. With plenty of laugh out loud moments, some marvelously crafted love scenes, relatively low angst and immersive worldbuilding, Well Met is truly delightful. Congrats to the author on a fabulous debut – she's definitely found a spot on my to-read list!

This review has been posted at Harlequin Junkie and feedback updated with the link.

This is a fun and mostly lighthearted romance set at a Renaissance Fair in a small town. Emily has suffered a bad breakup and lost her home when she heads to Willow Creek, Maryland to help out her sister, bedridden after a serious car crash, and her niece. Teenage Caitlin (somewhat inexplicably) wants to participate in the Fair and needs an accompanying adult, so Emily signs up with her. Skeptical at the start, Emily winds up throwing herself into the role-playing as a beer-serving wench and becomes romantically involved with one of the Fair's movers and shakers. Both she and Simon have issues and insecurities that threaten to derail their romance but Emily is determined to learn from her mistakes and refuses to give up easily.

I love Shakespeare, I love Emily, I love Simon (even from his prickly beginning), and I LOVE this book! This book is about more than just romance at a Ren Faire. Emily learned to choose herself and that she deserved to be first. And Simon learned that he was allowed to choose something for himself for once, despite all of his obligations. It was simply spectacular, and I hope to read more about the side characters in future books!

I loved this one! The setting was unique and I loved the background characters! Simon and Emily has a nice relationship and the slow development of the romance worked well!

Well Met by Jen DeLuca was a delightful debut novel. All is fair in love and war with this angsty enemies to lovers story.

Jen had me at Renaissance Faire. I remember we had one in high school and it was exciting to be apart of the reenactments, so much so that I've been wanting to attend one ever since.

Simon is a bit of an introvert and closed off for obvious reasons. He shoulders the burden of running the faire the way his brother used to.

Emily is the new girl and she doesn't always go along with what Simon wants and that frustrates him to no end. Emily is attracted to Simon right away but Simon acts standoffish and like a complete jerk. It was in those moments that I wanted to be inside Simon's head.

As their slow burn relationship progresses, Simon opens up to Emily. It's sexy and sweet, and just the kind of romance you want! However, I needed more scenes of them together. Regardless, you will definitely fall for both Emily & Simon, Emma the Wench & Captain Blackthorne the Pirate–Shakespeare has nothing on them.

I really enjoyed this book. It was heartfelt and truly wonderful yet it had the potential to be more. Even so, I'm really looking forward to reading more of what Jen writes! That being said, can we please have Mitch's book next! Kay, thanks 💜


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

A sweet, simple story about two people who need each other to help them move on from their pasts. I enjoyed Emily as she goes from hating being in the faire to becoming an integral part of it, and Simon’s blossoming as a romantic hero as he learns to let go and move on from his brother’s death. The love of Shakespeare written throughout the book with make English majors smile.

Three stars may see low but I still enjoyed this book! I'm just gonna do pros and cons with this book.

Cons:
1. The beginning just felt really slow for me which is the main factor as to why I only gave this book three stars.
2. Both the H and h can get annoying and stubborn.
3. I wish I got to know the H and h a little bit better. I wanted a bit more details.

Pros:
1. Light and funny! I love a book that can make me laugh and/or smile and this did just that.
2. Despite the main characters being stubborn, they grow in the book.
3. I love love looove Emily and her sister's relationship as well as with her niece. They're just a cute little bunch. She and her sister have a 12 year age gap so they were never particularly close but that gap disappeared when they spent time together. And man, her relationship with her niece is the cutest! She's the cool aunt, the one who is more like a sister or friend.
4. Small town setting. This setting is starting to grow on me because I like how almost everyone in town knows each other and it just seems more personal.

When Emily moves to a small town in the middle of nowhere to help take care of her sister and niece as her sister recovers from a bad car accident, she does so with little options left in her life. She gave up her own plans to support an up-and-coming lawyer boyfriend, only for him to break up with her so he could find someone that fit his new status. So now she's giving up her life once again, this time for an ailing sister who she hasn't had much of a relationship with in the past. Little does Emily realize, but as she becomes more involved in her sister's and niece's lives, she's create a new life of her own. Volunteering for the Renaissance Faire her niece wants to take part in is yet another choice she didn't get to make, but Emily finds herself enjoying being with these people who are dedicated to putting on a good show and having a good time. And when a certain good-looking-but-far-too-uptight English teacher-turned-Faire coordinator challenges her in ways she never expected, she just may find herself rooting herself to this town and these people without even realizing it. Finally feeling like she has options she wants laid out in front of her, it's time for Emily to start asking the right questions.

Thoughts: Okay, so I really wasn't sure about this book at first. The beginning was a bit superficial, with Emily being the quintessential 24-year-old who is easily distracted by a handsome face and is struggling to be the dependable adult her sister and her niece need. I was pleasantly surprised, though, how quickly the story turned into something much deeper and how much I began to enjoy it. Yes, the plot was predictable at times, but even though readers could imagine where the story might go, DeLuca creates scenes that are so sweet and at times LOL-worthy that the ride was worth it even when you guess where it might end up. I was also very touched by the depth of the two main characters, Emily and Simon, and how realistic DeLuca created them. Emily is not only helping her family but is coping with an ex-boyfriend who left her high-and-dry in hypocritical fashion when she gave up her own plans to help support him, getting to know a sister twelve years her senior whom she didn't have much of a relationship with growing up, and figuring out what she truly wants to do with her life and discovering options for her future -- she's struggling to discover herself and her own self-worth. Simon comes with his own baggage weighing him down: what Emily mistakes for surliness turns out to be a much heavier cases of responsibility and of Simon living in the shadow of his brother. Simon has had his options taken away from him, as well, and Emily could be the first choice he is actually allowed to make for himself. Simon must learn how to let go and break free from the obligations he puts on himself and that others ask of him while also honoring the past. Let's not forget the secondary characters -- each comes with their own backgrounds that enhance the story instead of detract, and each is so likable that I wish I had more of their stories, as well. The realism of this novel will keep readers smiling as they fall in love with Emily, Simon, their friends, and this story.

Well, this was just as satisfying and as adorable as I wanted it to be. This contemporary, Ren Faire set romance was fun, with great characters and a wildly entertaining setting. I've shockingly never actually attended a Renaissance Faire, despite knowing many people over the years who have worked at one (or many), but I don't think that readers will need to be familiar with that setting to enjoy this story. This story was only improved by the sword-fighting, costume wearing style. I loved Emily and her desire to find her home and place after having given up so much of herself over the years to support a selfish boyfriend, and Simon was a great book boyfriend in and out of pirate attire. It's not all the time that a book ends up being just what you wanted it to be, but Well Met delivered.

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.