This did not have the same charm and heart that the first book in the series had. I was disappointed! I didn't connect the same with the characters.

Well Played by Jen DeLuca has done it again, I have never had any desire to want to go to a Ren Faire before reading her books but I definitely do now! I really enjoyed watching Stacey fall in love. Similar to Stacey I often question the direction that my life has taken and wonder if there is more for me out there! I also enjoy a good bottle of Rose.

Daniel was so sweet to her when he was messaging her that I couldnt help but root for him even through all that he did.

It took me a while to read the book, not because of the book itself, but more so because of my school schedule. I cannot wait to continue to read the rest of the books in this series. See how April and Mitch fall in love!

I personally love Dual POVs and would have loved that here but I can see how it would take away from the plot line of the story!

IT WAS SO WONDERFUL BEING BACK IN WILLOW CREEK!!! I needed something light and fun and decided to reread one of my FAVORITES, Well Met then right after I picked up Well Played and absolutely devoured it. I loved seeing Simon and Emily again and actually enjoying their HEA and then seeing Stacey get hers!! Ahh it was so adorable!! I love the Renaissance theme to these books, there is something so enchanting about this world and Jen Delucas writing style. It flows so perfectly. I will say the second half of this book is when I fell completely in love with it. Catfishing in books can be a hit or a miss for me but luckily this one hit it perfectly because I really loved Daniel. I loved his connection with Stacey and they were so sweet, I ended this installment with a happy smile on my face!!

WELL PLAYED was very disappointing for me, which is why I never publicly reviewed it. I love Jen DeLuca and adore WELL MET and handsell it all the time. I just read WELL MATCHED and was so happy that it felt more like the first book and revived my love for the series after reading this last year. I'm really excited to pick up the next book!

I also think it is probably a "me" issue and have never dissuaded a customer from buying Stacey's story. I have always struggled with books that are epistolary, because I always want to skip the letters/ emails/ texts/etc, so it is harder for me when a huge chunk of the book is in that format before we really get to the story.

I enjoyed Well Played about as much as Well Met (reviewed here). It is a sweet story with a cozy feel. I could easily see myself being friends with Stacey and she reminds me of myself in some ways. I still love how the Ren Faire was used throughout the story and could picture everything really well. I had just gone to a local Ren Fest, so that helped. There were some great romantic and steamy moments that definitely kept my attention. The story was easygoing and engaging the entire time.

My only issue is that the synopsis spoiled some of the surprise element. Some other aspects also made it easy to guess what was happening, but I'm glad the reveal happened early on instead of getting dragged out. It was great to have a follow up on the characters from Well Met, but read that book first! I'm excited to read Well Matched soon and hopefully there will be some updates on Stacey's life.

Movie casting suggestions:
Stacey: Samantha Hanratty (re-cast from the previous book since I didn't know her age)
Stacey's mom: Kathleen Turner
Dex: Chase Stokes
Daniel: Calum Worthy
Emily: Molly Gordon
Simon: Munro Chambers
Mitch: Graham Rogers
April: Gillian Jacobs
Caitlin: Caroline Grossman

Great series. Wonderful writing. Fantastic characters. Can’t wait for more from this author as the books are super fun

Well, I’m not at all surprised at how much I loved Well Played. Jen knows what she’s doing where the #renfaire is involved and I. Am. Here. For. It. 👏🏻
Same medieval vibes as Well Met, same lovable characters, with an all new story and all the #swoonworthy moments.

I loved Well Met but didn’t feel great about the whole cat fishing setup of this one. Can’t wait for the next one as I’m hoping that will be more reminiscent of the first.

Unfortunately this one fell short compared to the first book but I still love the fair and the writing and the town. I can't wait to continue with April and Mitch's story!

Well Met was one of my favorite romance books, so I was excited to see a sequel coming out. Sadly this book did not have the same feeling and joy as Well Met. This story reminded me a little bit of the movie You've Got Mail, but sadly it lacked the charm. I absolutely adored the Ren Faire setting and wish there was more of it in this book.

I am terribly sad to say I didn't love this book. Well Met was one of my favorite books from last year, so I had high expectations for Stacey's story. But unfortunately the catfishing aspect left a bad taste in my mouth considering how it played out. One lie was bad enough, but the "hero" kept screwing up and then running away from the problems he caused. Stacey's tendency to forgive him, (but only in her head, and then get mad when he didn't read her mind) just made her seem like a doormat. I wanted her to hold him accountable for his actions and not have to chase after her own happy ending.

I was excited to return to Willow Creek with this book! I absolutely adored Well Met and couldn't wait for this sequel! While still a great read, this one didn't quite hold my attention as much as the first one. I found myself putting this down for significant periods of time. Towards the middle, it started to pick up for me and I was wanting to keep reading. I also absolutely adored the ending! This was also a great lead up to book 3! Overall, if you enjoyed Well Met, I still recommend reading this one!

The magic I felt for the first book wasn’t around in this story. I don’t think I was as invested in Daniel and Stacey’s relationship—Mostly because 50% of it Stacey believes she’s falling in love with someone else. The catfishing element went on way longer than I liked, making the relationship feel less organic (or healthy, honestly), and I had a hard time rooting for Stacey and Daniel as characters and as a couple. Stacey was able to bounce back from Daniel’s deception and forgive him a lot faster than I ever realistically could, which added another level of disconnect between me and our MC. Overall the book still retained a bit of the warm, small-town charm from Well Met and I enjoyed the scenes where the supporting characters are together and the fair is taking place, but alone I didn’t feel like Stacey or her relationship with Daniel/”Dex” could keep the book afloat.

Another cute Ren Faire love story from Jen DeLuca! As evidenced by the fact that the next installment comes out in, oh, three weeks or so, I’m a little behind. But better late than never, I suppose! Just like last time, I really enjoyed DeLuca’s writing, as well as that charming Faire setting within Willow Creek. What a cute one.

Stacey is feeling stuck. While all her friends move on with their lives, getting married, having children, having the jobs they’ve always wanted, Stacey sticks to Willow Creek and to Faire. Not that she has a choice: ever since her mom’s first heart attack five years ago, she’s had to be there for her family, the dutiful daughter, just in case something happens.

Ready for a change and drunk on tequila and destiny, she texts her summer hookup, Dex MacLean, over Facebook. To her more sober surprise, she gets an answer – and it launches a year of emails and texts messages that have her falling deeper and deeper for a man she thought was shallow. But when Ren Faire season comes back around, it becomes clear that these messages aren’t from who she thought they were from…Stacey has been catfished.

I didn’t love Stacey. I thought her true and authentic self was lovely, and the moments she spends with her friends or just reading with her cat made me feel like I got her. It’s the fake smiling and the persona that made me dislike her, just a little. Stacey has managed to maintain a facade as a separate personality she thinks people want her to be, and it’s inauthentic and boring. The more time she spends getting closer to herself and who she really is, the better a character she becomes. And this story really isn’t just a romance: it’s a coming of age, where Stacey learns to love herself and smile for real all over again.

Something about a relationship that blooms through text and email brings me back to my teenage days. That’s certainly how my own romance began, but further, I think there’s a disconnect highlighted in this book by falling in love through a screen. This romance blossoms when our two main characters finally end up in the same room. Like, the sparks are electric. I certainly can’t say that DeLuca lacks that. But the fact that Stacey didn’t even know who was on the other end of her exchanges creates some big problems, and some big modern issues. It’s very well brought into our current age, but in a way that isn’t obnoxious or judgey, just cautionary.

I love a good Ren Faire read in the fall. I remember when I first read Well Met (see full review here) I was actually skeptical of the plot. I knew little to nothing about Renaissance Faires and wasn’t sure I wanted to know. However, after that first book, not only did I know more, but I was absolutely charmed. And here we are two years later, and my friends and I are talking about hopping in the car and attending one ourselves. It’s kind of a weird fall thing, but I definitely think it adds to the spirit. This series is like a fun way to explore the whole concept, if you’re interested but don’t know too much about it.

You’re going to love the end to this book. It’s sweet as pie and exactly what you’re hoping for. I hope you pick it up and come to love the characters as much as I do.

A copy of Well Played was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It was released on September 22, 2020 (oops!). I do recommend the book, but what I really can’t wait for is Well Matched, coming October 19, 2021! Well Matched will be telling April and Mitch’s story. Stay tuned for that review…hopefully not a year late. 😉

Have a wonderful rest of your week friends, and I’ll see you on the flipside!

Well Played was interesting sequel to Well Met that revolved around Stacey’s love story. It was about friendship, family, spreading wings, living for yourself once in a while, trust, betrayal, and love.

Writing was the best part of the book. It was gripping and fast paced with first person narrative from Stacey’s POV. Like first book the setting of Renaissance Faire was amazing.

Unlike Well Met, this took place over the course of the year, starting from Faire and ending with it. Plot was simple but I think that synopsis wasn’t that good. First, Stacey didn’t receive email out of blue, she was the one who wanted to contact him and got reply. Second, it already says man she was talking to for most of the book wasn’t Dex. Also, the description of team of Duelling Kilts and that cover in first chapter only made it pretty obvious who Stacey was talking to so when the twist arrived in middle of the book it didn’t surprise me.

It started with Stacey realising how boring her life was. She was stuck behind in Willow Creek still living in her parents’ house while everyone’s life moved on and something exciting happening in their life. The feeling cemented even more when she heard the news of Emily and Simon’s marriage. In drunken haze and desperation, she comments on Duelling Knight’s page hoping hot and sexy playboy Dex, she was sleeping around with no string attached, would reply her message and they can find connection deeper than physical relationship they had. When Dex, to her surprise really message her and they start talking with each other over emails and text messages for months, she found emotional connection and started to fall for the man more because of his words than his looks.

But just when the Faire was starting, she discovered she wasn’t talking to Dex. It was his cousin Daniel. (We know that from the first chapter so I don’t think that’s spoiler) It was interesting to read what she would so now with this jarring (for her of course, not for readers) truth, was it really Daniel or was he just voice of Dex, would she give Daniel a second chance, and what would she do when the faire ends with her love traveling across the country while she was stuck in Willow Creek.

I enjoyed seeing characters from the first book specially Emily, April and Mitch. They were amazing friends to Stacey. They all were secondary characters here but it was interesting to see them from Stacey’s perspective and it only gave more shine to their character.

But main characters of this story Stacey and Daniel were not as good as Emily and Simon. I remembered Stacey from the first book playing Beatrice character in faire for long time, always smiling and cheerful. What I liked most in this book was knowing her more closely, seeing side of her that wasn’t there in first book.

Stacey was lively, food loving, cheerful, with amazing fashion sense plus-size heroine. I admired her for not leaving Willow Creek to chase her dreams and stayed behind to take care of her mother when she had heart attack after her graduation. I loved her for not regretting that decision ever. It was genuine to feel tired of monotonous life, need for excitement and adventure that she only got during Faire season, wanting to move on or at least a romantic love of life. But problem was that feeling of hers got a bit repetitive in the story. I didn’t like her for assuming that her parents wanted her to stay than just talk about it and get it cleared with them and when she actually got the chance to get out of the town her instant response was ‘No’. Another thing I didn’t like, she was easily forgiving and easily giving away second or third chances instead of making man work to earn her trust and love.

Daniel was understanding, caring, responsible who loved Stacey for long time but could only express it under name of his cousin Dex. Reading his explanation for that even made sense. I could understand what it’s like to be invisible because of Dex’s look and always compared to handsome looking talented cousin while he didn’t have any other talent than organising his cousin’s band. But god, man didn’t even fight to win Stacey’s trust when he broke it, he couldn’t even think about big gesture and tried to make things clear through email!

Romance was okay. I loved Stacey and Daniel’s conversation, all that getting to know each other chat and understanding between them but I didn’t feel that chemistry.

Best part of the book was– Like I said, knowing Stacey better, email and text conversations between Stacey and Daniel, Emily’s wedding, and obviously Renaissance Faire and not just of Willow Creek but also Maryland Ren Fest and everything related to faire. I also enjoyed Daniel’s thoughts on nomadic life, its upside and downside.

Climax was interesting. I was expecting something dramatic was going to happen but not this. I was thinking they were past that and I didn’t like Daniel for that. End was good.

Why 3 Stars-

Like I explained, big twist was revealed in synopsis, cover and also in just first chapter. I didn’t feel the chemistry and didn’t like main characters as much as I expected.

Overall, Well Played was enjoyable, interesting in some parts and entertaining romance with amazing setting.

I recommend this if you like,
Catfishing arc
plus-size heroine book
Renaissance Faire setting
Small town setting
Close-knit community
entertaining and enjoyable moments

I like the conversations that happen between Stacey and the male protagonist. But I dont know if I would forgive a man who assumes the identity of another guy. Stacey thinks she is talking to her summer hookup but she isnt. Also if they think they are in love why doesnt he fight for her? I still liked the book and plan on reading the third book. I would recommend it more to people who like fluff and light romances. I have also told people that I think they read better in order.

In a surprising turn of events, I actually ended up enjoying this one more than Well Met (which seems entirely contrary to most reviews I've read). Although the cat-fishing element wasn't my favorite, it was still a fun romance to read. I can't wait to read Well Matched, the final installment in this series!

This just didn't do it for me. I didn't feel the connection between the two leads...and I didn't like the main character.

2.5 Stars

CWs: Some exploration of internalized fatphobia; brief references to chronic illness; sexual content

As someone who really enjoyed Well Met, I'm surprised to say that I was somewhat disappointed with Well Played.

While the first book heavily revolves around Emily discovering the Renaissance Faire circuit and becoming part of a vibrant community that helps her find a new purpose in life, Well Played takes a very different route in that a large portion of the story takes place during the off-season. Because the Faire is what ties this romance trilogy together, I was hoping to see more of it, and without that draw, there isn't anything particularly compelling about this companion/sequel, at least for me.

The main element I struggled with was the "mysterious messenger" trope. While I think it's fun to explore the trope of mistaken identity and the phenomenon of falling in love with "the wrong person," the problem lies in that the true identity of Stacey's suitor is entirely obvious from the first chapter. I will couch that criticism by clarifying that I don't think that "predictability" is a bad thing or an indication of "bad writing," in any sense. As readers, we have to believe a story when something is revealed to us, and if we're able to predict what's going to happen, that means the writing is doing what it's supposed to do.

So, no, I don't think it's inherently a bad thing to know who's the real love interest, but I also think it's hard for the story to maintain that kind of narrative tension when it's no secret who's really behind these "love notes." And because the love interest is obvious, it feels like the courting portion of the story goes on for entirely too long. You already know there's going to be a confrontation where Stacey and her love interest hash out their miscommunication, and because it's obvious that the romance can't go forward *without* that confrontation, it's hard to stay invested in this prolonged courtship.

And then, frankly, when they do inevitably get together, it's sweet and endearing, but it's ultimately not much of a standout romance—again, at least for me. So the pay-off ultimately doesn't balance out the prolonged waiting.

I also wanted to see more personal progression with Stacey *outside* of the romance. Her main conflict is that she feels lost in life because she put off her career to stay home and help her mom work through her illness. But it feels like that choice, that confusion, is sanctified or validated only *because* she made a selfless choice, and not because the corporate ladder and our definitions of "success" are not a conducive framework for everyone's well-being or happiness. Then it seems like the romantic relationship she falls into acts as a solution to her conflict. She doesn't change anything about herself or her situation; instead her life is changed or "improved" after she falls in love with a guy and molds her life to fit his. I thought that conflict could've been pushed further and I didn't really vibe with the latent messages underscoring how it was handled.

If I'm being honest, I think this book is merely acting as connective tissue between Books 1 and 3, which are about the two sisters. All I can say is that if I do pick up the third book (which I'm only considering because A) fake dating is my favorite trope and B) I tend to be a completionist) it will have to be through my library.

Ultimately, this story still has sweet, heartwarming, and even funny moments, and it definitely wasn't the worst way to spend a couple of days, either. I'm sad to report that I didn't love it as much as the first book, but I'm still glad I gave it a chance.

I loved, loved Well Met. I was not expecting to love Well Played even more. But oh boy did I.

Finally, FINALLY, I got my ginger boy. I could almost cry. Daniel is perfect. Perfection. He wouldn’t have to ask me twice to come on the road with him. I could see myself living the Renaissance life. No problem.

And Stacey. Wow. I see myself in her so, so much. Her figure, her cat, her insecurities. ITS ME. She is officially one of my favorite MCs ever now.

And I love that we got to see more of Emily and Simon. Simon still is swoon worthy.

I also love we get to see April and more of her sense of humor. Along with Mitch.

Most definitely 5 out of 5. Recommended to anyone who loves romcoms.