In this follow-up to Well Met, we follow 27 year-old Stacey. Stacey lives for summer when she can turn into Beatrice at the local Ren Faire. The rest of the year she pretends to be happy in her day-to-day life but it’s becoming clear that something is missing from her life. A budding virtual romance with a former fling may turn things around.the only problem is that her new love interest isn’t who he says he is.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to get over the Catfish part of this story. I was pleasantly surprised that I could. Well Played is a light Rom-Com but it doesn’t quite live up to the first book. For me the characters weren’t as easy to connect to but still enjoyable.

I somehow missed the earlier book in this series but was delighted to find this one every bit as geeky, funny, and romantic as I’d hoped. Wholly original and a pleasure to read.

This really was closer to 3.5 stars, but I rounded down because I just wasn't as taken with this sequel as I was with the DeLuca's first book. I was excited to follow Stacey, and I was excited to be back at Faire, but I was less than impressed with that MacLean boy. While I was rooting for them, I just couldn't shake the feeling that as a leading man he was a little... off. I wasn't taken in by their chemistry. Stacey deserved someone to fight for her, gosh darn it! Plus, there's a thin line between reinventing Cyrano and straight-up lying, and I feel like this plot danced on the wrong side of that line. I do appreciate that DeLuca did well with character continuity. I hate when my favorite characters in the initial book are unrecognizable in the second book, and I didn't feel that way at all. I would certainly recommend Well Met, and if you're looking to revisit Willow Creek, Well Played is a good option. However, I do not feel that it stands well on its own.

...all that being said, if Mitch and/or April find themselves as the main characters in the next novel, I am HERE FOR IT.

Oh my goodness! I don’t even have the words! Well Met is my favorite romance of all time, and so I’ve been dying to read Well Played! Especially because I loved Stacey in Well Met, and so I was so excited to get to delve deeper into her mind and her story! As a plus size woman, I always love it when the heroine in my romance novel is plus sized, there’s definitely not enough plus size representation in novels, and particularly in romance. So right off the bat I was loving it. Stacey was such an easy character to relate to, and watching her grow as a character throughout the novel was so wonderful. And I really loved the way the relationship developed as well! I just enjoyed it non stop, and now I cannot wait for Mitch’s story in Well Matched! Thank you so much to Jen for giving me and eARC, I completely and totally loved it!!

This was another fun read by Jen DeLuca. I read Well Met earlier this year and when I received this ARC I immediately started reading and ended up finishing it in one. Those sleepless hours were lost but not regreted. I love that this story tied in with the characters of Well Met and focused on Emily's friend Stacy (Anastasia). I laughed out loud many times trying not to wake my husband sleeping next me. It was such a cute and fast paced read!

Another trip to the Ren Faire with another sweet romance is the perfect way to spend the day! Jen DeLuca’s Well Played, a highly anticipated sequel to Well Met, does not disappoint in the slightest!

Upon hearing of Simon and Emily’s engagement, best friend Stacey is jolted into reevaluating her own life and her lack of “going anywhere.” Feeling spontaneous, and maaaaybe a little drunk, Stacey decides to reach out via social media to her old Ren Faire flame, Dex. But what Stacey doesn’t know is that who she really gets on the other line in Daniel, Dex’s complete polar opposite of a cousin. When their friendly messages turn into something more, Stacey is faced with a huge surprise upon learning of the identity of her online paramour.

I loved this novel! Well Met was one of my favorite books of 2019, so Well Played was a highly anticipated 2020 release for me. Stacey and Daniel are both so sweet and I loved the epistolary format of their relationship in its beginning stages. Of course, I was yelling at my Kindle for Daniel to come clean much earlier that he did, (like maybe right in the beginning, when Stacey first mistook him for Dex) but I appreciated that it didn’t take until the end of the novel for Stacey to find out. It basically says in the plot summary that when Faire returns to Willow Creek and Daniel along with it, Stacey comes face to face with who she’s really been talking to and I like that that occurred at the half way point and Daniel was able to explain himself and the two were able to communicate about it effectively. They were very cute together and I was rooting for the happy ending throughout reading.

I also loved getting to experience the atmosphere of the Ren Faire once again, and of course the addition of more Simon and Emily, as well as Mitch and all the other great supporting characters from Well Met. The Willow Creek universe is always just so fun to visit!

Well Played is such a great sequel/companion novel, and I will now be counting down the days until Mitch’s book next year!

*Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

This was a pretty good story. I really liked the setting, it was fun that it was at a Renaissance Fair. I don't think I've seen that very much in any book. I do enjoy going to the Ren Fair in my local area, but they are usually just one weekend things, so it was interesting to see one that was four weeks long. I didn't really care for the hero. I don't think his grovel was good enough. I'm glad that he didn't keep bugging her about their problems. But she was then made to be the one to continually forgive and reach out. However, I love books where they connect over letters. It's not quite an epistolary story, since the whole book isn't in letters, but quite a bit of their romance is over letters, which I adore.

Every bit as sweet and charming as the first. A recommended purchase for collections where contemporary romances are popular.

This book unfortunately was not as good as the first for me however I still very much enjoyed it and will read her again :)

This is... fine? It feels extra disappointing not to love WELL PLAYED because I liked WELL MET so much. I think the main issue is that I couldn't get past the premise: why did the hero lie for an entire year and deceive the heroine? I felt very uncomfortable with the setup and never really got over it.

Well Played is a delightful and satisfying follow up to Well Met. It is so nice to be back at the faire in Willow Creek! This time we we get Stacey and Daniel's story and it is wonderful. Stacey is a great character and Daniel is perfect for her. Their story is relatively angst free which I really love. Their relationship feels so authentic and there is no drama for drama's sake which is refreshing. I also enjoyed seeing Emily and Simon's relationship continue to develop. I am hoping Mitch might meet his match in the next book!

So this is probably more like a 3.5 honestly. I enjoyed Well Played, but something about it fell a little short for me.

I think part of it was the whole catfishing trope, which I realize is the premise of the book, but I feel like it kind of just happened. There were absolutely no consequences. Stacey found out she was being catfished and after one conversation she was in love again. I liked the parts where Stacey and Daniel were actually together- the two of them at the wedding, dancing and running from the storm was absolutely adorable. I think I just had a hard time getting past the deception.

That being said, I did still enjoy this book and I loved the glimpses into Simon and Emily. Their wedding was perfect and adorable and I love them. I also can't wait to see how Mitch and April's relationship develops. Obviously, I love Benedick. The whole time I was picturing Fat Louie from the Princess Diaries movie.

I liked how relatable Stacey was for me. She is a little insecure about herself and unsure of what to do with her life. She's just kind of stuck in Willow Creek. Her relationship with her mom is great and I totally got her feelings of wanting to leave Willow Creek, but also not wanting to leave her mom for fear that something might happen.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and the chemistry between Daniel and Stacey- I just wish there had been a little more conflict over the email situation.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Perfect for readers who love the slow-burn and friends-to-lovers trope!

Well Played follows Stacey, a woman who has put her life on hold for years to care for her sick mother. Although she loves spending her summer pouring drinks and flirting with patrons at the local Renaissance Faire, she wants more. She's determined to have her life together by the time her good friends Simon and Emily get engaged at Faire next summer.

One evening, Stacey drinks a little too much and texts Dex, her summer fling from the Dueling Kilts, and is completely surprised when he messages back. They exchange flirty messages and emails that grow into something deeper, and more personal. When the faire rolls around again, it's time for the two of them to reunite, but things don't get exactly as expected.

Well Played was an entertaining, fast-paced read. I really enjoyed the characters and the romance. There were a few twists and turns throughout the story, which kept me turning the pages. I'm really happy I got to read this one.

Joy is in pretty short supply in the real world, so thank God for Jen DeLuca's sequel "Well Played." I adored the original "Well Met," so this was already at the top of my must-read list this summer. I'm so delighted to say that it more than lived up to all the hopes I had for it!

The book spins off one of "Well Met"'s supporting characters: "bar wench" Stacey, whose cheerfulness and casual attitude hides plenty of personal frustrations. When she accidentally sends an emotional message to a casual hookup, she's shocked to hear back and start corresponding with him - but the truth about their messages turns out very differently than Stacey expects.

The wonderful thing about DeLuca's books is that they're not "just" light, snarky, sexy fluff - although they're that too! There's a real undercurrent of fear and insecurity running through all the characters, and not the kind of "easy" insecurities that could be solved with a single conversation. The books are so charming because the characters feel like real people. They feel like the readers, and then they get a happy ending (or, more accurately, a happy beginning) - and isn't that what we all want?

Jen Deluca takes us back Willow Creek in Well Played which centers on Stacey, the original "tavern wench."

Stacey has been "taking her time" ever since she put her career and life on hold to stay in Willow Creek. While she doesn't regret the choice, she can't deny that she's feeling increasingly restless these days, especially as she watches her friends Simon and Emily traverse the milestones of falling in love, getting engaged and planning a wedding. One evening Stacey tipsily messages her summer fling from the Dueling Kilts, and is pleasantly surprised when this initial message sparks a flurry emails and texts that grow from casual to deeply personal. What will happen when the Willow Creek Ren Faire resumes and brings her face-to-face with the man she's being communicating with all year?

Well Played serves some You've Got Mail and Cyrano de Bergerac vibes for sure! Stacey is a lovable character, and you're definitely rooting for her to get her HEA. It's also fun to catch up with our lovebirds from Well Met and to get a potential sneak preview of the pairing for DeLuca's third book. However, I just didn't get as many swoony feelings from Well Played as I did in Well Met. Some of this is likely due to the fact that our leads aren't really in the same place for much of the novel. All in all though, fans of Well Met will likely still in enjoy this return to Willow Creek!

Thank you to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I was really excited to head back to Willow Creek for this follow up to Well Met and I liked it overall. It is a slow burn romance with a cat fishing plot line so you know the beginning will be all done via text/emails. Personally, there just aren't enough interactions between Daniel and Stacey to make this story believable. They spent a lot of time interacting via emails/texts which is great and emphasizes the idea that you should get to know someone on a deeper level than just the physical. I am totally on board with that idea and reminds me of The Happy Ever After Playlist but I need to see more between them in real life to make me fall in love with them as a couple. I also liked seeing Emily and Simon in this book but I think it focuses too much on them. One thing I do love is the body positive message in this book!

Overall, a cute and quick romance that I flew through and enjoyed. I'm looking forward to Well Match!

I wanted to love this book! Charming premise, great beach read. But I would have loved a little more depth in our protagonist. Maybe this just isn't my genre, but she could have had a little more personality than just pumpkin spice lattes!

****Four stars****
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. DeLuca has a special way of writing that makes it feel like you're hanging out with one of your best girlfriends. I love Renaissance faires and am a sucker for romance, so I liked this book. I didn't fall quite as deep into this story as Well Met, but I still would recommend this to an interested reader. Thank you for the opportunity to read it in advance!

Stacey loves Faire season in Willow Creek. As fair season comes to an end this year though, Stacey feels dissatisfied. Her best friend Emily has just gotten engaged, her childhood friends have moved away and living fabulous lives, and she is just stuck in Willow Creek living above her parents' garage and working in a dentist office. After a few drinks Stacey sends an emotional message to her faire hook-up the last 2 seasons, Dex. And so begins a long distance romance built on texts and emails. But when faire rolls around again and it is almost time for the 2 to reunite, things don't go how Stacey expected.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

The second book

I would recommend this book if you're looking for

-Friends to lovers
-Flirty e-mails/texts
-More renaissance faire fun
-A curvy heroine, who likes her life but feels stuck
-Slow burn
-Lots of glimpses of Emily and Simon
-An adorable cat
-The use of Hemsworth as an adjective

Stacey sends a drunken e-mail to the one she thought got away which turns into an e-mail and texting relationship. But the person at the other end of the phone is not who she thought she was communicating with. I really enjoyed Stacey's story, conflicted between her family and growing up. She is figuring things out about herself as she revels herself to her online relationship. Daniel is a sweet, insecure love interest. He may not make all the right choices, but it made him more realistic to me.

The story that was starting to develop between April and Mitch has me so excited for Well Matched, third book expected out next year.