Book Review: "Well Met" by Jen DeLuca
Synopsis: All's faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author Jen DeLuca.
Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident, but who could anticipate getting roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenaged niece? Or that the irritating and inscrutable schoolteacher in charge of the volunteers would be so annoying that she finds it impossible to stop thinking about him?
The faire is Simon's family legacy and from the start he makes clear he doesn't have time for Emily's lighthearted approach to life, her oddball Shakespeare conspiracy theories, or her endless suggestions for new acts to shake things up. Yet on the faire grounds he becomes a different person, flirting freely with Emily when she's in her revealing wench's costume. But is this attraction real, or just part of the characters they're portraying?
This summer was only ever supposed to be a pit stop on the way to somewhere else for Emily, but soon she can't seem to shake the fantasy of establishing something more with Simon or a permanent home of her own in Willow Creek. - Berkley Romance
Rating (out of 5): 4
Review: I knew I was going to enjoy this book when I read the first line: “I didn’t choose the wench life. The wench life chose me.” Recently, I have found myself reaching for what I’d call “romance light” books — the rom-coms of the book world. 2019 has been rough in many ways, and it’s frequently nice to read the equivalent of brain candy. “Well Met” is a great entry into this genre, and one that I would wholeheartedly recommend if this type of book is something that appeals to you.
Emily moves home to help care for her big sister and niece, and soon thereafter ends up voluntold that she will be a part of the Renaissance Faire in this town. Simon is the traditional uptight overseer in this instance, but we soon learn that he has more than a bit of swagger. I honestly never put much thought into how much goes into putting on a Ren Faire, and I loved those behind the scenes aspects.
This is a love story, to be sure, but it’s not just about romantic love - it’s about learning to love yourself, and about love between family and friends. It’s about learning to trust yourself and your choices, and how your life may take you on meandering paths in the woods, but you’ll still end up in the right place for you.
“Well Met” is one of those books where every character has depth — not just Emily and Simon (or should I say Emma and our Pirate captain?) but all of the people in the small town of Willow Creek, MD. Yes, I also did find myself googling if there was a “Willow Creek Ren Faire” at least twice during the reading of this book. I loved Gilmore Girls as a teenager, and let’s just say the crazy inhabitants of Stars Hollow would be natural residents of Willow Creek. That’s the best corollary (and highest compliment) I can draw.*
As I mentioned earlier, this is a great entry into “light romance” — it’s well-written and believable, and while there is some Ren Faire romping, it isn’t so steamy that you’ll get red-faced reading it in public (looking at you, “The Idea of You”). I don’t mind reading less-serious books sometimes, but I do mind when they are poorly written and have no plot; luckily, this has an amusing plot and is well-written.
I can’t give anything more away, but suffice it to say there are hijinks and over-the-top declarations of love and a happy ending, and after all, isn’t that what everyone came here for?
*I want to specify I am talking about WB Gilmore Girls, not Netflix Gilmore Girls reboot.
TL;DR: A fun romance with some slightly serious notes — you’ll want to be friends with Emily, spar with Simon, and see under a certain gym teacher’s kilt.
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Note: Well Met was my August Book of the Month club choice, and it makes me want to recommend BOTM again, if you’re a fan of new releases! I got this one almost a whole month early, and there’s nothing I love more than being ahead of the trends.
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