A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy featuring kilted musicians, Renaissance Faire tavern wenches, and an unlikely love story.LibraryReads Pick Stacey is jolted when her friends Simon and Emily get engaged. She knew she was putting her life on hold when she stayed in Willow Creek to care for her sick mother, but it’s been years now, and even though Stacey loves spending her summers pouring drinks … spending her summers pouring drinks and flirting with patrons at the local Renaissance Faire, she wants more out of life. Stacey vows to have her life figured out by the time her friends get hitched at Faire next summer. Maybe she’ll even find The One.
When Stacey imagined “The One,” it never occurred to her that her summertime Faire fling, Dex MacLean, might fit the bill. While Dex is easy on the eyes onstage with his band The Dueling Kilts, Stacey has never felt an emotional connection with him. So when she receives a tender email from the typically monosyllabic hunk, she’s not sure what to make of it.
Faire returns to Willow Creek, and Stacey comes face-to-face with the man with whom she’s exchanged hundreds of online messages over the past nine months. To Stacey’s shock, it isn’t Dex—she’s been falling in love with a man she barely knows.
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I loved the first book by this author, Well Met. I read a physical copy of that one. For this one I decided I’d fit it in by listening to it. Unfortunately, I think it was one I would have enjoyed more by reading. Maybe, maybe not. I honestly started out really enjoying it. In fact one of my first thoughts was when Stacey drunk texted her fling Dex, was that I was glad I wasn’t a drinker, because there were times I have an ex that I might reach out to in the same way she did with him. A lot of the story made me think of my own sad, sad single life. I also watched that movie, The Social Dilemma, right about the time I was listening to this, so there was part of the story that reminded me of that, with having to check my phone all the time and the disappointment when there were no updates. I had some issues with why Stacey got upset at the end, and even some issues with how the man she’d actually been falling in love with handled things. Probably the reason I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first is that there was a lot of repetitiveness in the how she acted about things or her thoughts, and if I was reading a book I could have skimmed that much quicker than having to listen to it all. It wasn’t bad, and I’ll go back if there is another book in the series, but I’ll probably read instead of listen.
Well Played
By Jen DeLuca
I really enjoyed WELL MET and the story of Simon and Emily, I knew I had to read this follow up to the series and in this installment, our story is about Stacey, Emily’s best friend. Returning back to Willow Creek and the Renaissance Faire really got my heart swelling as I know that Jen DeLuca will make sure I get my fill of small town romance and for Stacy to find her “THE ONE” before Simon and Emily ties the knot.
I loved this endearing romance and of course DeLuca delivered in this fabulous series.
The sequel to last year’s very popular Ren Faire romcom Well Met, Well Played picks up with Stacey Lindholm, another devotee of the Willow Creek Ren Faire and a young woman who feels like she’s wasting her life still living in her small hometown with her parents at 27. Stacey spends her days playing with her cat, seeking validation on Instagram and looking forward to her town’s annual Ren Faire, the only time of year she gets to leave her life behind and pretend to be someone different. She strikes up an email correspondence and long distance romance with a travelling performer from the Faire, but he is not all that he appears. Honestly the romantic element of this book didn’t do a lot for me, the more interesting narrative thread here was Stacey gaining the courage to make changes and start living her life for herself. I was also disappointed by the smaller role that the actual Faire played in this one. I’m reading this for the jousts dammit.
Ahh…..Renn Faire…..it was so great being back in Willow Creek! I was texting a friend while I was reading and told her “I want to go to Renn Faire!!” That’s what Well Played evoked in me, the desire to go to Faire.
There were so many moments while reading that I could imagine myself walking thru Faire with Stacey and Emily (that’s right!!! Emily and Simon are there too!!!!!). Stacey and Daniel were the perfect combo….and I adored Benedick and his wings!!!!
And that little snippet of Well Matched…..gah!! Yes!!!!! The two people I was hoping for!!!!!
I absolutely love Jen’s books . The second was better than the first if that’s possible ?! Can’t believe I will have to wait till next fall for the next installment !
A small town renaissance fair is the setting for this book about a woman who gave up her dreams to help take care of her mother after an illness. Life has gone on for everyone else and she’s spending her days working at a dentist’s office instead of the career she was looking forward to in New York City. The only thing she looks forward to now is the yearly renaissance fair where she works during several weekends in the summer. The first delight here is the renaissance fair itself.
Stacey is out with friends when her best friend announces she is engaged. She is stunned to realize just how empty her life is even though she lives in an apartment over her parents garage. She is very active on social media and meets friends out on Friday nights at a local bar. Book club and her cat rounds out her life. Except when the fair comes around. That is definitely her happy place. She decides it’s time for a change-whatever that might be. Daniel comes to the fair every year as manager of a musical group that plays there annually. He watches as Stacey spends a couple of summers staying nights at times with his cousin Dex, also known as the front man of the group. Also known as a total man whore. When the fair ends, and the engagement is announced, a tipsy(drunk)Stacey goes home and writes a I miss you email to Dex even though she really doesn’t. Mortified the next day, she doesn’t expect an answer. But she gets one. What follows is ten months of emails and texts while they get to know each other. But who is she really talking to? Not really a spoiler since you figure it out pretty early on.
I really liked both of the main characters. Stacey is 26, isn’t model thin and is just a normal attractive small town girl. She has a college degree she’s not using and I could definitely relate to that! Daniel is 31, quiet and pretty shy. He does talk to Stacey when he sees her at Fair and is carrying a huge torch for her. But, sexy Dex gets all the girls when he’s around.
Sure, this type of story has been done before, for example, Cyrano de Bergarac or Steve Martin’s movie, Roxanne. But I thought this version was written well with quite a few differences. I’m not even saying it’s a re-imagining either. It just puts you in mind of both of them. Or at least it did me. The setting of the renaissance fair was new for me in a book and I enjoyed that aspect as well. I have been to one twice now and really loved my experiences. I could easily picture the fair and the atmosphere.
This was a fun read that I liked a lot. Unfortunately, I had not read book one because I wasn’t aware of it before I received this one. That one was about Stacey’s best friend Emily and her relationship with Simon, the director of the fair. It didn’t matter at all that I hadn’t read it first. Having said that, I did recently buy book one because I really liked that couple too. Other side characters were April, Emily’s sister, and high school friend, Mitch. That’s going to be book three. I’m sure I’ll be reading that one as well. Recommended to adult contemporary romance readers.
In Well Met, we were introduced to Emily as she becomes a member of the local Renaissance Faire in her sister’s hometown. In Well Played, we get a closer look into Stacey’s life, Emily’s friend, who is questioning her role in her family, her friendships and her town. Jen DeLuca writes another great story where I fell in love further with the characters. I also would love to go visit a Renaissance Faire after Jen DeLuca’s wonderful descriptions and scene setting
Stacey feels like everyone is growing and moving on except for her. After she drunkenly messages a guy, she is surprised to find he responds and seems so different from what she expected. After almost a year of emails and texts, Stacey realizes she’s been talking to his cousin, Daniel. Daniel has been there for her through thick and thin for months, but will his lie devastate what the pen pal relationship they built?
Stacey is quirky, positive, and fun. She goes out of her way to support those she loves without recognition.
Daniel is overlooked next to his brawny, swaggering cousins. It’s no surprise that he hides who he is in fear of rejection.
Just like with Well Met, the banter is high and it centers around the local Ren Faire. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read.
TW: language and skippable steam
I read Well Met by Jen Deluca last year, and absolutely loved it. It was one of my favorite romances from 2020! I was really looking forward to reading the second book in the series – Well Played, which features the story of Stacey, one of my favorite secondary characters from Well Met. Penguin Random House International & Berkley Romance were kind enough to send me a free review copy of Well Played in exchange of an honest review. <3
My thoughts on the book :
Sequels turn out to be disappointing most of the time (when rom-coms are part of the show) but thankfully this wasn't the case for Well Played. I already loved Stacey after reading about her from different scenes in Well Met, so I really enjoyed knowing her better. I literally flew threw the book because of how perfectly paced it was! The conversations between Stacey and her love interest (it's better to not reveal the name, it becomes a spoiler) were really enjoyable to read about. I loved seeing their relationship develop with witty dialogues and their chemistry was the highlight of Well Played for me. :’) I also loved seeing my favorite people from Well Met (especially Emily) come alive through the pages of Well Played again. Simon and Emily are my babies plus one of my favorite fictional couples ever, so getting to experience their wedding made me feel so happy.
The book comes out today. Even though all the books in the Well Met series can be read as standalones, I highly recommend reading Well Met before picking Well Played up.
I NEED MITCH AND APRIL’S BOOK ASAP. CAN’T WAIT!
*happy sigh* Falling in love through letter writing is a very old trope that is vastly underused in modern day storytelling. Yes, it’s been updated to stay current with emails and text messages instead of snail mail – but this trope has always been one of my absolute favourites, so I’m over the moon.
It’s really nice how DeLuca was able to tell two unique and individual stories with the same setting and cast of characters (but with different POVs). I loved them both so much, and I can’t wait for book 3!
I wanted to love Well Played as much as I loved Well Met. I really did. And honestly, Well Played is a solid 4 star book. It just didn’t have that little extra oomph that pushed it to 5 stars like Well Met did. Part of that stems from this book being only from Stacey’s point of view. In Well Met, I felt like I was able to completely understand Simon despite it being from Emily’s POV. That didn’t feel true for Well Played. This review going to be difficult because even though you figure out who the hero is early in the book, I still don’t want to give it away. Without his POV, it’s hard to understand and relate to his reasonings and emotions. Which is okay but it means that he’s not the strongest character. I want more from the hero in Well Played. That being said, it leads to my favorite thing about the book and that is Well Played is completely Stacey’s story. And wow, did I relate to Stacey. We’re both around the same age, still living in the same town and with our parents basically, not using our college degree or major. I can go on and on. Basically, we’re both at the same stage in life, of wanting more and not sure at all how to find it. I’m not 100% Stacey, of course, but the feelings and desires she has are so absolutely familiar. Jen DeLuca put into words and a character on the page who so similar and has those same desires for something different that I’m feeling right now. While I don’t see myself going down the same road that Stacey does in Well Played and I definitely don’t have a cute pen-pal like she does, she may be my top heroine of 2020.
Like Well Met, Well Played has all the fun and humor of the Renaissance Faire setting although it does span past the faire. It was delightful and cheerful even with the moments of similarity I felt with Stacey. I enjoyed the literary references. There were stand out cute moments like Stacey having her social media friends guess how many Pumpkin Spice Lattes she would drink in the fall. And there were cute lines like:
He was looking at me the way that Simon looked at Emily. When I looked in his eyes, I didn’t feel restless. I didn’t feel melancholy. A lot had changed for me in a year.
Well Played by Jen DeLuca, Chapter 16
I’m not Cyrano. I’m just me. I may not be The One as far as you’re concerned. But Anastasia, you were The One for me. You still are. You always will be.
Well Played by Jen DeLuca, Chapter 20
I really like the whole email setup and the back and forth between Stacey and the hero as their virtual develop their relationship. It seemed accidentally fitting to the current COVID-19 world. Overall, a sweet book with an extremely personally relatable heroine and a delightful setting.
*Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Stacey Lindholm life is stuck in a rut. She had dreams of being in the fashion industry in New York City but her mom’s heart attack has kept her in Willow Creek. It’s been 5 years since the attack and now her mom is healthy, but Stacey still worries. At least she has the yearly Willow Creek Renaissance Faire to look forward to each year.
Stacey is hoping that this year will be her year and maybe she will find someone special just like her best friend, Emily. Imagine Stacey’s surprise when her summer fling for the past two years, Dex MacLean, from the Renaissance band, The Dueling Kilts, answers her drunken email. Something about his elegant words touches Stacey and this starts a 9 month correspondence back and forth really getting to know each other. As the Renaissance Faire approaches Stacey is excited to see Dex again. She thinks he may be “the One”!
When Stacey realizes it was not Dex she had been communicating with, but someone else, she feels hurt that he lied to her, but at the same time excited because she knows she has fallen in love with him. Now she just has to decide is she is ready to take that chance on love.
I really enjoyed this story. The characters were fun and I loved their conversations they had. I really loved the ending and how these two found their happiness.