When I saw that there was a book to I was extremely excited. I loved well met so much that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. However this book did not make me laugh or feel the same way. Granted they’re different books so I totally get that. But I had very high expectations and unfortunately I felt like they were not met. I don’t know that that’s the authors fault she wrote a fabulous first book. Now with that said I still enjoyed this book overall. And I am looking forward to the next book. I kind of have an inclination as to who the couple is going to be in that book.

The setting of the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire is definitely a huge factor in why I enjoy this series so much. I've never been to a Faire but wow, Jen DeLuca makes me wish I was part of one!

There were things that I feel Deluca really improves on from her first book. I loved both our main characters so much and I felt more connected to them. Stacey is relateble and Daniel is the sweetest cinnamon roll ever. Their chemistry was 🔥 .

Just like Well Met — this book was such a fun easy read that I devoured in less than 24 hours. No joke. I could not stop reading!

The only thing that I didn't like (which made me knock off a star) was the whole catfishing thing. I love a book that features a written correspondence and this did give more insight to the male mc character and fleshed out his personality better, which I thought book 1 lacked. BUT, the fact that the main guy knEW she thought he was someone else made me really uncomfortable.

I'm sure it won't be a problem for other readers, it's just something I personally don't appreciate.

The ending was so heartwarming and I am dying for the next one. I'm totally shipping April and Mitch. I just know that couple is going to blow us away!

Stacey has participated in her town's Renaissance Faire since she was a teen, and the last few years she has been hooking up with Dex Maclean, a performer who travels from Ren Faire to Ren Faire. After her town's Faire has ended and Dex has left town, she messages him, hoping to learn more about him, and they end up emailing and texting back and forth for the next 11 months. When her town's next Ren Faire rolls around, though, Stacey finds out she may not have actually been talking to Dex, and instead may have fallen for another man.

Everything about this felt like it had been done before (and done better, to be honest). The only distinguishing part of the book is that it takes place at a Ren Faire, so they're in old-timey outfits but live in the modern world. I don't care for Renaissance Faires, so I skipped through a lot of the book - so much of the dialogue and plot really centers on it, and I found it boring. Another major plot point is planning and executing Emily's wedding, after she got her HEA in the previous book in the series, and so I skipped a lot of wedding talk. The jokes also don't match my sense of humor, so I didn't laugh through the entire book, and the dialogue felt clunky and awkward.

Well Played continues in the world that Well Met established, with the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire as the primary setting. But this time the romance is about Stacey, local town girl who never got the chance whose big dreams took a back seat when her Mom got sick. With her friends marriage coming up, Stacey's realized that maybe it's time to take her life off pause.

And maybe one way she can do it is to turn her hot summer fling with musician Dex into the real thing. Only problem is that Dex is only in town for the Faire and lives the nomad life.

Stacey takes a gamble and reaches out via email and receives a sweet response. A bit surprising given Dex's monosyllabic proclivities. Many months and many missives later a startling revelation occurs which has Stacey questioning everything she knew about the man she's come to love.

This was cute. Not as good as the first, and the reveal is highly predictable but it was fun to revisit Willow Creek. DeLuca also sets readers up for the next book well.

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

I absolutely loved Well Met last year, but unfortunately Well Played was disappointing. Others seem to be enjoying it more than I did, but ultimately the story structure and some specifics about the relationship kept me from liking or rooting for the romance. I did think the character work for the heroine was great and enjoyed the parts involving the renaissance faire, but the pacing and not liking the romance really brought this one down for me.

Well Played follows Stacey (aka Beatrice, the other barmaid from book 1) and involves the hero basically catfishing her for an entire year to think he was someone else. And almost the first half of the book is spent on that with only emails and texts between them. And then there's ANOTHER lie being withheld from her. None of which I liked, but I thought maybe we would at least get a really good grovel and grand gesture from him and it would push it to a three. But nope. The heroine, who was GRAVELY WRONGED is the one to make a grand gesture!??? Noooo.....sorry I just didn't get it. I didn't feel the chemistry, too long was spent on this year of virtual messaging, and then the hero never redeemed himself adequately. *sigh*

That said, I will definitely read on in the series because Well Met was my favorite romance of last year and I do love all the corsetry and medieval japes. Also the wedding in this one was fun! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Another enjoyable romance from Jen DeLuca. I did side eye Stacey a bit for being so forgiving but this book was entertaining

Thank you so much for an arc of Well Played in exchange for a review!

I love Well Met, it was one of my favourite reads last year so I was super excited to read Well Played - I didn’t even read the synopsis but knew I wanted to read more of DeLuca’s writing.
.
Now...lying and catfishing is one of my least favourite aspects in any romance. It is explained here a bit but I wish it wasn’t included in this novel...I actually really liked the main male character and really think the romance and story line would have worked without this trope. I did love the writing and really enjoyed visiting the faire again!! There is actually a set up for what I am assuming will be book 3 and I am really excited to explore that story line!

My favorite Renaissance fair romance series is back! Well Played features Stacey, our favorite tavern wench, and her online love affair with a person she is sure is Dex, her last summer fling, but alas- it is not! So who exactly has she been talking to and falling for?? Read the latest by Jen DeLuca and find out!

I really enjoyed this book and reconnecting with favorite characters from the first book. It is a nice continuation of the series.

This book was such a fun romp. Jen DeLuca is the master of balancing the fun with the difficult, the sexy with the internal personal struggles that can define characters so thoroughly.

It was fun to see a new side of our favorite Ren Faire, and to see beloved characters from the first book continue on in their own character arcs. Can't wait for the next one and keeping my fingers crossed that we get to stay in the Willowcreek Ren Faire for many years to come!!!

I am completely mourning my inability to go to the Ohio Ren Fest this year (thanks, 2020!), so it was so lovely to have the second in the Well Met series to help fill that gap. I really liked finding out more about Stacey from the first book. She seems like a complex person in some areas, particularly those that involve her feelings about leaving her mom behind, but in others, she seemed kind of cartooney-- I think it was the descriptions of her social media activities. Either way, I am a SUUUUCK-ER for mistaken identity over digital communication, so I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her and "Dex" evolve their relationship. And I have to admit to being slightly jealous of Stacey running away to join the Ren Fest circuit. Sigh...

This book was almost amazing. I love when a hero pines for the heroine and she has no idea, but the catfishing ruined everything for me. The hero did NOT grovel near enough. He has so many issues he needs to work out before pursuing a relationship - number one being his self-esteem issues. It was so hard to forgive all the lies and the fact that he kept going with it for SO LONG.

I adored the heroine, though. I related to her so much and there was just so much potential in this book that was ruined by the awful lies and not near enough groveling.

this is the follow-up to Well Met, a cute and fun rom com centered around a renaissance faire. This one didn’t have quite the same sparkle as the first, and I had the plot twist totally figured out which made it less interesting (it was super obvious) but it was sweet and more on the PG side of romances, if you like love stories without as much steam!

I would like to thank Berkley Publishing and Jen DeLuca for an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Jen DeLuca is one of those authors that has quickly became an auto buy author for me. I recently read Well Met earlier this month and absolutely fell in love with the who Renaissance Faire idea and I adored Emily and Simon. This book follows Stacey who is Emily’s best friend and fellow tavern wench at the Ren Faire. I was so excited for Stacey’s story because I loved her character in Well Met. This story really delivered on the Renaissance Faire incorporations and made me feel like I was in Willow Creek walking along with Simon, Mitch, Emily, and Stacey. I really enjoyed the romance between Stacey and Daniel, I felt like they had a lot of chemistry and loved how he brought her out of her shell. The only reason this book isn’t getting a full five stars is because in the synopsis, it’s mentioned that she thinks she’s messaging Daniel’s cousin Dex, when really she is messaging Daniel and I felt like that could’ve been left out since it was almost like a spoiler. Other than that, I think this is a fun, lighthearted fall read with tons of romance and the perfect setting!

I feel like I may be one of the few that hasn't read Well Met, but went straight for this one and I am not disappointed.

Since Stacey moved back home to Willow Cove to help take care of her sick mother, the highlight of her summer is working at the Renaissance Faire that comes to town. Her best friends, Emily and Simon get engaged and it pushes her to realize she wants more out of life and maybe by their wedding next summer she can find her perfect match! Can a drunken message to her summer fling be a step in the right direction?

While I figured out the situation that was going on rather quickly, I still was happy to jump on the ride! This was the perfect palette cleansing read and I I enjoyed this more than I thought. Now I want to go back and read Well Met and am feeling like there might just be another trip back to Ren Faire next year!

I absolutely adoresd Well Met when it came out and was eagerly looking forward to the sequel. Well Played did not disappoint! It was just as cute, just as romantic and I absolutely adored the twist on the story. Daniel is a perfect book boyfriend.

Je DeLuca did it again!!! I *loved* Well Met, so when I saw this go up on Netgally I IMMEDIATELY requested it😍 and I was lucky enough to snag an ARC!! Well Played is essentially Renaissance Faire goodness meets You’ve Got Mail, and I’m a sucker for a good pining pen-pal situation🙏🏻

Well Played picks up right where Well Met leaves off, with fall signaling the end of Faire season. But for Stacey, going back to reality & the apartment above her parents garage is hitting ~different~ this year. Feeling stuck and lonely (and quite a bit wine drunk lol) Stacey messages her Faire hookup Dex Maclean on his band’s instagram page & admits to wanting more 🤦🏼‍♀️ Obviously Stacey is *mortified* when she sobers up the next day, and the last thing she expects is a response. But when one lands in her inbox she can’t help but respond, starting a year long cyber correspondence. And the more she learns about “Dex Maclean,” the more his playboy image falls away to reveal someone she might be in danger of falling for…

I so enjoyed this one!! Stacey is ~painfully~ relatable, and her journey to rediscover what she wants after dropping everything for family was really moving. And DAVID!!! Besides the whole Cyrano shit (which as someone who’s fav 90’s romcom is You’ve Got Mail, wasnt a dealbreaker🤷🏼‍♀️) was lovely and charming and so gone for her💚If you’re looking for something light, funny, and with a sneakily poignant emotional core, I totally reccomend this one🥰

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review💚

I didn’t love Well met so I don’t know why I tried thus book...
there was no chemistry and I didn’t like the fair one bit. I Alonso discovered I dont like the way Jen Deluca writes. I will recommend to people because I know some will enjoy this but it wasn’t for me. Thanks so much!

I absolutely adored Well Met, so I was extremely excited to hear about and read the sequel, Well Played. Unfortunately, the book employs my least favorite trope: mistaken identity (aka catfishing). Because of this, I found the story really difficult to get through – a relationship built on lies doesn’t sit well for me! That being said, I’m still going to give a plot summary and a short review – because although it personally wasn’t for me, the trope is a popular one, and I know there are those out there that like it! So it might still be the book for you!

Well Played follows Stacey, Emily’s “wench” friend from faire in the first book, and her journey to love. When Emily and Simon get engaged, Stacey comes to the sudden realization that her life has been on hold from when she turned down a job in the city years ago to care for her mother in Willow Creek. She lives in an apartment attached to her parents house, and goes through the motions every year until Faire rolls around each summer. Stacey vows to get her life together by the time Emily and Simon get married next summer, starting with her love life. So, on one drunken night, she sends a confessional email to her Faire-time fling, Dex, asking if there’s more to their relationship than their physical connection. When he responds with a heartfelt email, she is pleasantly surprised, and they begin a long-distance digital pen-pal relationship, forming an emotional connection. By the time next summer comes around, Stacey is excited to finally see Dex face-to-face again… but is Dex the one she’s been falling in love with?

From the blurb on goodreads, I knew going into the story that it would be mistaken identity, so I really shouldn’t have been too surprised that I disliked the book lol. The first half was tense and I struggled through it because of the whole “reader knows what the main character doesn’t” aspect, but once the catfishing was revealed the story moved a lot faster and I was able to enjoy it more. The love interest, Daniel, despite his lying, was a sweet and unexpected romance hero. My favorite parts of the book were the glimpses into Emily and Simon’s relationship from an outside perspective, and the small hints of setup for the next book – April and Mitch’s story.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for fans of the mistaken identity trope, but it was personally not for me! Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for access to this ARC!

A sweet, cute follow-up to Well Met that contemporary romance readers will enjoy! Stacey is a relatable character who feels stuck in her hometown and afraid to move on. This mistaken identity romance leads to Stacey falling for the cousin of the hunk she thinks she's falling for.

This romance was cute, but some readers may find the catfishing plotline upsetting. While Daniel is portrayed as a likeable, sensitive love interest, the bulk of their relationship is initiated with dishonesty. I did miss the ren faire setting quite a bit--much of this book takes place in between faires--and wished that it had taken center stage as it did in Well Met.

As in Well Met, I would have loved to see a more diverse cast. There were brief mentions of minor characters who were queer, but for the most part, all of the main characters are cis, straight, white, and able-bodied. I'm hoping future books in this series will have a more diverse cast!

All in all, I didn't love Well Played quite as much as Well Met, but I still enjoyed it and will certainly recommend it to contemporary romance fans. I'll definitely read the next book in this series!

Official Rating: 3 1/2 stars.

Have you ever watched a movie with someone, and they complain about how something isn't realistic? Or say something like "that could never really happen, blah blah blah."
& you're sitting there like "well no shit, it's fiction. You're supposed to roll with it."
description
Well that's kind of how I felt sometimes while reading this book. I'm sad to clarify that I was the grumpy realist.

To break this down a bit, we return to Willow Creek coming off the end of the Renaissance Faire with Stacey "the small-town girl" feeling restless and stuck in rut. She's living in the studio above her parents garage, working part time at an entry level receptionist job, and feels like everyone she knows is moving on and progressing in life (with the typical weddings, babies, etc.) while she's still waiting for her life to start. Now that Faire is over she's reminded that the rest of the 11 months in the year she's just going through the motions while plastering a fake smile on her face for her friends and family. Everything in her life is pointing to change. & soon.
description

Too many drinks later she's writing her summer hookup, Dex, who has clearly been no strings attached (or words if were being honest) telling him she misses him, and is beyond pleasantly surprised when not only is he on board with everything she's saying, he's enthusiastic about getting to know each other. But the things is us, the reader, already know its not Dex from just reading the blurb. So as they exchange words over their screens, things get deeper between the two, but she's imaging the wrong face to go with the words.

Now here's what I did like. I really enjoyed getting to know Stacey and the reasons behind her staying in Willow Creek, when it is so obvious that she isn't happy there. Her feelings are completely relatable and her screen time admirer is understanding and steadfast as she divulges things she hasn't said out loud.
description
Mystery man, is caring, supportive, calming, a bit self deprecating, and a bit lost himself. He's so raw and I loved it. Someone being emotionally vulnerable is extremely brave.

But, and this a big but, at the end of the day he is still catfishing her! NOT OKAY. Now of course this is a romance novel, and of course, we all know this is going to be resolved before we get to the end. However, am I wrong in thinking that there should have been definitely been some type of grand reckoning? Like if this happened to me, and yes I may have some trust issues myself, but I think it is pretty universal to need to rebuild some of that trust before we just hold hands and move on? But we don't really get that. As it unfolded it was also fairly anticlimactic.
description

I mean Stacey tells us she's frustrated and feels betrayed but literally the same night she's like "okay, imma bust his balls about it, and then we'll go ahead and ride out into the sunset." Idk again I could just be prideful, and more jaded about the whole thing and would've missed out on my prince charming but this scenario couldn't have been me.
couldn't do it

But I get it. In this setting, time is of the essence because Willow Creeks' Faire is only 4 weekends, so I guess we can't get a cool down period. He's remorseful and they move forward. It's sweet and charming. Their interactions bring a smile to my face but after the unveiling of his identity we still have a good chunk of book left so I'm biding my time to see what the final obstacle will be. & once we have it again is up to Stacey to do something about the situation when she is the wronged party. Again. I know it written to give us the sense that "he" is giving her space, blah blah blah. But I just wasn't a fan. That's just me.
description

I feel like this book had great potential and overall I don't regret reading it. The way things were resolved just didn't work for me and I am fine with admitting that it's not the book, it was just me.
I'll still be tuning in for Mitch's and April's book next year.


Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for this eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion!