Jen DeLuca had big shoes to fill with her follow up to the beloved debut WELL MET, and WELL PLAYED almost filled them. I was not a huge fan of first half of the book, as the acts of deceit from the male protagonist turned me off. If I wasn't such a fan of DeLuca's writing I would have stopped reading. It went on too long and got so deep that it was hard for me to come back from it.

I loved the character Stacey and the world that DeLuca built in the first book, and it was that love that kept me going. The second half of the book, if taken on it's own and you disregard how they came together, was entertaining to read.

This one was a little bit of a miss for me in terms of plot, but I'm greatly looking forward to the next book in the series.

Well Played had big shoes to step into. Straight off the bat, the magic of the Renfest was still rampant. With our state Renfaire closed for Covid, this is the closest I’m going to get and I devoured it.

On the other hand…
I wasn’t quite as taken with Stacey’s love story.

It wasn’t about the Catfishing hook either. The issue was more to do with the lack of passion. I liked David. I did. I liked how he was just a normal guy. I liked that he was confident in himself, even when he knew he wasn’t who girls gazes went to first. And I liked it when Stacey finally saw him.

But, that’s kinda where it ended. The romantic side of the story quickly got boring, and I wasn’t ecstatic to continue picking up the book.

This doesn’t mean I’m finished with this series. Far from it.

I liked this, but it wasn't my favorite romance of the past few months. I read the first book in this series and wasn't mad about it. However, both of these book are solid reads. I am interested in the next book because I'd like to read more about those characters.

While I still enjoyed Well Played, the main characters didn’t quite have the same chemistry that Emily and Simon did. Plus I wasn’t a huge fan of the lying that went on during Stacey and “Dex’s” relationship (not saying who because that’s a spoiler!). I did come around to the romance in the end but, in general, I’m just not a fan of Cyrano de Bergerac retellings.

However, I loved being back in the small town of Willow Creek. And Stacey was actually a super relatable character. Plus the female friendships were excellent. If you loved Well Met, definitely check this one out!

I enjoyed Well Met by Jen DeLuca and was excited to return to Willow Creek in Well Played. In the second book in the series, after Emily and Simon get engaged and her best friend from high school has a baby, Stacey Lindholm begins to consider her own life. She lives in the same town where she grew up, in an apartment in her parents’ house. Impulsively, she sends an email to swoonworthy Dex MacLean of the Dueling Kilts, one of the popular acts at the Renaissance Faire. He’s been a reliable summer fling, but they’ve always been too busy with other things (ahem, ahem) to really get to know each other. She’s surprised to receive a thoughtful response, uncharacteristic of his normal communication style. Over the next several months, she and Dex exchange emails and text messages, and Stacey can’t wait to reunite at the Renaissance Faire—but when she finally comes face to face with her correspondent, it’s not Dex at all.

In general, I find Stacey a likeable character with a positive body image which I appreciate. Her cat was also adorable. Additionally, I was happy to have an update on Simon and Emily. I felt the book had enough of them to satisfy me but not to overwhelm Stacey’s narrative.

One of the things I liked most about the first novel was the Renaissance Faire setting, and I was disappointed that so little of this installment took place there. Also, that the relationship hinges on catfishing is a bit problematic, especially since it is clear to the reader who Stacey is corresponding with from the beginning. Once his identity was revealed to Stacey, at any point of conflict, he withdrew instead of fighting for her which made him seem like HE wasn’t worth fighting for. Their chemistry really didn’t develop and seemed forced to me. Overall, she seemed way too forgiving of both the catfishing and his subsequent behavior, and she was the one who always had to make the effort.

I will still likely read the third book because April is my favorite character, and I hope there is more of the Renaissance Faire in it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

hello pals. I am very behind on reviews, so I will do my best to catch up!

Well Played: ★★½

Disclaimer about this book- I went into it knowing that it was a sequel, and I haven’t read the first one. I think I would’ve enjoyed it a little more if I had read the first one just because the main characters were a large part in this book, but I still followed along just fine without having read the previous one. It’s kinda like how you can read any of Jasmine Guillory’s books in any order, but it’s just more fun if you read them in order because you know how all of the characters connect. Anyways.

Stacey is starting to feel #foreveralone while she helps her best friend plan her wedding. She’s been stuck in her small town for forever, and the only thing she looks forward to is the Renaissance Faire every summer. She’s had a summer fling with a guy, and one night when she’s drinking and feeling extra lonely, she messages him. They start up an exchange and write each other almost daily- but what will happen when they see each other in person for the first time after pouring their hearts out over the internet for so long?

To be honest, half the reason I never read the first book is because I didn’t think the Ren Faire scene would be my favorite, but it honestly didn’t play THAT huge of a role here. I saw the first plot twist coming from the moment Stacey began her online exchange, but she figured it out about halfway through the book, which pleasantly surprised me because it left a lot of room for other things to play out in the second half.

It wasn’t my favorite romance novel of all time, but it was cute. Just didn’t stand out much, apart from the Ren Faire stuff.

thanks to @netgalley and @berkleyromance for the e-pub!

3.5 stars=Good+
I enjoyed being back at the RenFaire and seeing how things were developing for the characters from Well Met. I liked Stacey and Daniel, the focus of this book. The conflict for the couple was based on a lie, which isn't my favorite sort of conflict in general, but without it there really isn't a story. I was happy with how things played out in the end, and I'm looking forward to book 3. (Language, sex)

Well Met was one of my favorite romances of 2019 and this follow up was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Unfortunately, this one did not hold up to my expectations. Stacy was not as enjoyable as a main character when compared to Emily and we did not get as much time with Stacy and Daniel as we could've. While I personally didn't have as much of an issue with the catfishing as other readers, I still felt like it could've been handled differently. I also feel like the incorporation of email made it so the scenario wouldn't have worked as it should have given away who Stacy was talking to. Also, I felt like once the revelation was made, Daniel didn't have to work as hard to regain Stacy's trust, despite the fact he lied to her for about a year.

I did find myself relating to Stacy and some of her struggles with moving out of her small town vs. staying with her family. As I'm around the same age as Stacy, I definitely resonated with her worries of not have accomplishing as much as she would've like.

Once the main couple got together and we actually got some time with them, I felt like this book definitely improved, but unfortunately, it wasn't the cutesy Ren Faire romance I was hoping for. Here's to hope the next installment in the series can really wow us!

Well Played is the second book in the romantic comedy series, called Well Met by Jen DeLuca. Though I have not read book one, Well Met yet, I didn't have any problem following along and enjoying Well Played because each of the books in this series act as a standalone. There is some character crossover because they are set in the same town, but it wasn't anything that threw off the story for me. Well Played takes place at a renaissance fair, which is a setting that I completely love. It really lend itself well to the fun atmosphere of the book. Overall, Well Played is a fun contemporary romance. I enjoyed this one, but it did at times feel a bit generic and it didn't blow me away. I liked it, but I didn't love it.

In Well Played, we meet our main character Stacey. Stacey is a long time worker at the fair, and over the summers there she had a crush and a fling with one of the dueling kilts players, Dex. Though their fling ended last summer, our story starts with Stacey facebook messaging Dex and starting up a new texting relationship after the Fair has moved on for the summer. It was super cute and flirty and fun. The story line was predictable but in a comforting, satisfying way. Stacey learns that the person she is texting is not Dex after all. (not a spoiler, this was in the summary) There did manage to be a bit of a surprise twist in the story, which was fun for me to discover because I thought I had the whole book figured out pretty early on. 

Overall, I liked the characters well enough and I enjoyed the flirty banter with out couple. That was my favorite aspect of the book, but sometime was keeping me from completely falling head over heels in love. I'm not sure what it was. The writing was good, the characters were nice and the romance was fun but I still felt solidly in the good range while reading. Everything about this book felt steady and nice, but nothing was all that exciting. If you are in the mood for a cute rom com, and you love a Renaissance Fair setting, then Well Played might fit the bill for you. I enjoyed Well Played. It was a good read. Not my favorite of the year, but a good read nonetheless.

The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: Seeing her friends fall in love and get engaged has Stacey realizing that her life is passing her by, not that she regrets putting her life on hold to care for her sick mother but a girl's got to get a life of her own! After a drunken DM to her former Ren Faire fling Dex MacLean gets a reply, Stacey thinks he might be "The One." Only his messages don't sound like the Dex she knows but maybe he has a hidden poetic side right? When the Ren Faire comes back to Willow Creek, Stacey is shocked to find out that she's fallen not for Dex but for someone she barely knows!




Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? Well this book didn't exactly make a good first impression on me. It wasn't all bad but there was definitely something lacking when it came to grabbing my attention and the romance. And I didn't realize it was told in first person.


So I really loved the setting for Well Played. A Ren Faire? That's something you don't see everyday! But while I loved the setting, it was also part of the problem for me. Ren Faires happen once a year. A YEAR. So basically the relationship (If one can call it that) between Stacey and her "mystery" love (It's not a mystery to everyone who sees the cover or who pays attention to detail) doesn't get any real time to develop and mature. I wasn't buying their relationship since most of it was online! It really threw off the pacing for me too. It felt stilted and slow with too much filler material that could have been done away with. And of course there's the issue of this guy catfishing Stacey for a year. I had mixed feelings about that and maybe, just maybe I wouldn't have if it hadn't taken a year for things to play out and once they did I felt that the hero got off way too easy for having LIED to Stacey for a year.


That's the tricky thing about using catfishing as a method for how your characters meet. It can backfire pretty quick.


Another conflict for me as a reader was Stacey. I just didn't care for her that much. I couldn't connect with her as a character. She lacked that something that should have made her stand out since Well Played is her story.




Click It or Skip It? Skip It. I didn't care for the characters or the lengthy plot. I'm not writing this author off completely since I've heard good things about the first book in the series, but this one just wasn't for me.

Summary
After another Faire year draws to a close, Stacey feels like her life is still on hold. So after a few too many glasses of wine, she messages her long time Faire fling, Dex. She never felt an emotional connection with him, but when she receives a heartfelt response, she thinks maybe she underestimated him. As the months go by, their messages become more frequent and Stacey finds herself developing real feelings. But on the cusp of the next Faire season, Stacey discovers it isn't Dex she's been pouring her heart to.... she's been falling in love with a man she barely knows.

Overview
➸ POV: 1st Person, Stacey's POV

➸ Stacey: 27, Tavern Wench @ Rene Faire with Emily (book 1), Lives with parents after moving home to help take care of her mother

➸ Content Warnings: Heart Attack, Catfishing, Talk of infertility/difficulty conceiving, Lots of discussion on body image

My Thoughts
This didn't quite live up to book 1 but I still thought it was a really adorable rom-com! I loved being back at this Renaissance Faire and with these characters. This small-town romance series is just so much fun to read.

This entire book/series is full of witty fun banter. Not only between the main couple, but the side characters as well. I love the friendships, the romances, and the familial bonds. I honestly just want to move to Willow Creek.

Like in the first book, the Renn Faire itself was one of my favorite aspects. The setting is so vibrant and fun and feels almost like it's own main character. I loved wandering the faire with the characters and getting all the descriptions of shows, vendors, and costumes. Especially in 2020 when none of us can enjoy these things for ourself!...

I also loved the discussions of family and body image. Stacey struggles with finding a balance between going after what she wants and being there for those she loves. Which is something I think a lot of readers will be able to relate to. Stacey put her life on hold to help take care of her mother while she was sick, but eventually feels stuck and unable to let go or move on. Stacey is also plus sized and has a lot of conversation around body image, confidence, and self-acceptance.

With all that being said, I wasn't the biggest fan of the main conflict and in turn, Stacey's character. So much of the conflict between Stacey and her love interest was self inflicted. First, I didn't think the male MC did nearly enough apologizing or groveling for his actions. And two, Stacey stood in her own way to the point of frustration. By the end, I was annoyed by her self-inflicted sentencing. She kept complaining about all these made up obligations and I justwanted to shake her. I prefer the stakes to feel higher rather than unnecessary, self-inflicted barriers.

Overall this was a solid sequel. And when I say I'm excited for April and Mitch's story. I just... I need it!!!

Well Played is the latest from Jen DeLuca and it’s another wonderful story set at the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire.⁣ I love that because of its setting, the book has a touch of the historical fiction vibe with all the best parts of a modern romance too. I also loved that this romance had a lot of texts and emails. Don’t you just love reading those sorts of communications in books? ⁣ This is Stacey’s story, but we get to see a little of Simon and Emily’s love story too! Now I’m even more excited to read the third book in the series which is about April! ⁣3.5 Stars

In Well Played we’re brought back into the Renaissance Faire life and this time Stacey, Emily’s friend, takes center stage. She helped Emily navigate all things Ren Faire as a longtime Faire participant, both as an actor in the events and helper behind the scenes.

Stacey finds out her best friend, Emily, is getting married, and that combined with the Faire ending and the regulars packing it up and moving on stirs up a bit of melancholy. Stacey needs a change. In a drunken moment she messages her Faire hookup, hottie, and star of the Dueling Kilts, Dex, and to her surprise, he messages back. She didn’t remember Dex being so insightful and easy to talk to, but soon they’re emailing and texting back and forth, getting to know each other, and Stacey finds herself falling for Dex’s mind, not just his looks. Unfortunately, it’s not Dex emailing and texting.

Falling in love through emails and texts was fun, even though Stacey didn’t realize who she was talking to for some time. I’m happy it didn’t take long for the truth to come out and that there wasn’t much drama when it did.

Really enjoyed Stacey and our hero’s story! He was such a sweetheart, and a hottie in his own right! Confession: <spoiler>I’ve always had a thing for redheads! </spoiler>

This was such a good follow-up to Well Met! I really loved the characters, Stacey and Daniel, and I thought their romance was sweet. And once again, the Ren Fair setting was amazing! I was bummed to have to miss out on going this year (thanks, Covid) and reading this gave me my fix, even through all the bittersweet nostalgia. My only issue was that a good chunk of the book was dedicated to Stacey’s online exchanges and therefore there wasn’t much else going on during those portions, causing me to be a little bored. But other than that, I found their relationship to be well-written and believable.

DNF at 40%.
Sooo let down by this one! I absolutely loved Well Met. This sequel/spin off did not hold up, for many reasons.
First - I really tried to like Stacey but she was so annoying. You're seriously going to be bitter that your best friend is putting more energy into planning her wedding than the Ren Faire? GROW UP
Second - her whole romance starts out as a long elaborate catfishing. Big yikes. Not okay. Not romantic.
Third - part of why I loved Well Met so much was because of the sexual tension that slowly built between Simon and Emily and eventually got real steamy. This one was just slow, and boring. No tension. I'm guessing there is some steam at some point but I don't care enough to get there.

Sad face.

We are back at the Willow Creek Faire with Stacey taking the leading lady. Except Stacey, is unsure of her place. When she gets drunk and gets the liquid courage to reach out to Dex MacLean, the yummy summer booty call, asking if he wanted more. She is surprised with his answer.

Staceys insecurities about her life, her job, her relationship and so real. So much so that at times, I was wanted to shake her. A lot of the book is an internal dialogue with breaks between text and email with MacLean. I personally love dialogue heavy books, and I definitely missed that part through the section of long-distance.

The catfishing was expected but I also wanted Stacey to have a few suspicions. I was very happy to be back in this series and I think Stacey and Daniel were perfect.

I loved Well Met and I loved Well Played too! It was a delightful romp through Ren Faire fun, which was especially needed since COVID has taken away regular Ren Faire events. It’s funny and sweet and a delightful escape. I can’t wait to sell this title to customers!

I really want to visit a Renaissance Faire! I liked the characters in this book a lot-the dilemma Stacey faced felt real, so her relationship angst was relatable to me. I also appreciated that she didn't just shut down, she had an internal dialogue that showed how she was challenging herself and how she could move forward-that is missing from so many romances. Excellent dialogue and character development. I can't wait for the next installment.

It’s a pleasure to return to Ye Olde Renaissance Faire in Well Played, the sequel to last year’s Well Met.

In Well Met, the love story centered on Emily and Simon. In Well Played, Emily’s best friend Stacey takes center stage. Stacey is a home town girl, born and raised in Willow Creek, Maryland. While she once had the prospect of a fashion internship in New York, she gave it up when her mother had a sudden heart attack. Now, years later, Stacey lives in the apartment above her parents’ garage, works as a dental office receptionist, and lives for the few weeks each summer when she volunteers at Faire.

This year, things feel decidedly off for Stacey. Emily and Simon have announced their engagement, Faire is over, and she faces a long year ahead until she can break out her wench’s costume once again. After a few too many glasses of wine, she sends a drunken message to Dex McLean, the hottie musician with whom she’s had no-strings hook-ups the past two Faire seasons.

Of course, she’s horrified the next morning, until she sees that Dex has actually replied, and what’s more, sent a really appreciative message in return. From there, the two begin to text and email, and as the months go by, their communication becomes more personal and intimate. Stacey is shocked but delighted — could Dex really be this deep? Could he really be ready for a more serious connection?

I’m sure you can see where this is going. I certainly did from their first exchange. So…

Minor spoiler ahoy!

It’s not really Dex with whom she’s been texting and emailing all this time, but his cousin Daniel, the cute redhead who manages Dex’s band. Stacey and Daniel had been casually friendly over the years, but she never really noticed him, being so wowed by Dex’s glamor. A minor slip-up in an email right before Faire starts the next summer leads Stacey to realize that she’s been fooled all these months — but was this cruel catfishing, or is there a reasonable explanation?

I’ll be honest — no matter the explanation, this felt too uncomfortably on the catfishing side of the line, even though Daniel was coming from a place of misguided good intentions. Yes, there might be an element of Cyrano here (as the characters discuss), but at the end of the day, he just wasn’t being honest with her.

Do these two lovebirds overcome their obstacles? This is a romance — what do you think?

Once they get past the initial arguments, Stacey and Daniel become even more deeply connected, but naturally there are some major miscommunications that lead to a huge fall-out and break-up. And as in Well Met, I was wishing for some good old adult conversation rather than emotional storms where no one quite manages to say what they mean or what they want.

Still, the book is lots of rom-com fun. On a more serious side, I thought Stacey’s dilemma about wanting to see the world but feeling tied to her hometown and and worrying about her mother’s health felt realistic and very sympathetic. Stacey is a great character, and her journey through this book says a lot about growing up, finding independence, leaving the nest, and figuring out the right balance between dreams and obligations.

Of course, the Ren Faire setting is just as great as in the first book, even though there’s much less time spent there in Well Played. A good portion of the book takes place during the year in between Faires, and I missed spending more time on Faire preparation, costumes, and the day-to-day experience of the glories of Faire.

I really enjoy the characters and the relationships in this series, and I’m excited that a third book is on the way! Lots of fun for anyone in the mood for light, upbeat romance with a memorable setting. (Plus, kilts and corsets!)

I won this ebook from Berkeley Romance. Thank you!! I really enjoyed the continuation of the characters from Well Met. This book was about Stacey-Emily’s friend. Such a good read and quite honestly it kept me guessing as to which way the story would go. The friendships in this book are amazing and I can’t wait to see what Jen DeLuca has in store for another Ren Faire story.