Review: Well Matched by Jen Deluca
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for my copy of Well Played! All thoughts are my own.
I read Well Met during the Summer of 2019 and LOVED it. I picked it up thinking it was a Shakespeare retelling, aka one of my favorite kinds of retellings, due to the title. “Well met by moonlight, proud Titania” is a line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. But it ended up being a small town romance with lot of charm, the enemies to lovers trope, and whole lot of tension. I still think about it!
Then last summer, I was so excited to read Well Played, the second book in the universe, But it just fell flat for me. I missed being in Willow Creek. I was happy to read Stacey’s story since she was a plus sized heroine, but the story took us too far from what I loved about Well Met—that dang Ren Faire!
So I was hesitant to try Well Matched, but I loved the character of Mitch Malone so much from Well Met that I decided to give it a try. And was very pleasantly surprised to find my way back to Willow Creek in this one.
Synopsis:
“Single mother April Parker has lived in Willow Creek for twelve years with a wall around her heart. On the verge of being an empty nester, she's decided to move on from her quaint little town, and asks her friend Mitch for his help with some home improvement projects to get her house ready to sell.
Mitch Malone is known for being the life of every party, but mostly for the attire he wears to the local Renaissance Faire--a kilt (and not much else) that shows off his muscled form to perfection. While he agrees to help April, he needs a favor too: she'll pretend to be his girlfriend at an upcoming family dinner, so that he can avoid the lectures about settling down and having a more "serious" career than high school coach and gym teacher. April reluctantly agrees, but when dinner turns into a weekend trip, it becomes hard to tell what's real and what's been just for show. But when the weekend ends, so must their fake relationship.
As summer begins, Faire returns to Willow Creek, and April volunteers for the first time. When Mitch's family shows up unexpectedly, April pretends to be Mitch's girlfriend again...and it doesn't feel so fake anymore. Despite their obvious connection, April insists they've just been putting on an act. But when there's the chance for something real, she has to decide whether to change her plans--and open her heart--for the kilt-wearing hunk who might just be the love of her life.” —Bookshop.org
What I Liked:
Returning to the Ren Faire—Like I said, I was SO happy to return to the Renaissance Faire. Maybe it’s the actor in me, but seeing April get swept up in the magic of the costumes, accents, and faire grounds just made me so happy.
The Fake Dating Trope—I love the fake dating trope and thought this was a great trope to try in this series, especially since it’s set in a small town! Also…the kilt. Mitch is a blonde Jamie Fraiser and I’m here for it.
The Friendships—Again, another thing that made Well Met so great was the closeness of the community. It was great to see that again!
What Didn’t Work:
The Beginning—The opening couple chapters felt a little clunky, but that was quickly sorted out.
Loose Ends—It felt like we had a couple plot points introduced that weren’t resolved (Caitlin’s dad, mainly) and maybe the plot could have worked without them? I’m not sure.
Content Warnings:
car accident recovery (minor)
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Steam Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
What I Liked:
Returning to the Ren Faire—Like I said, I was SO happy to return to the Renaissance Faire. Maybe it’s the actor in me, but seeing April get swept up in the magic of the costumes, accents, and faire grounds just made me so happy.
The Fake Dating Trope—I love the fake dating trope and thought this was a great trope to try in this series, especially since it’s set in a small town! Also…the kilt. Mitch is a blonde Jamie Fraiser and I’m here for it.
The Friendships—Again, another thing that made Well Met so great was the closeness of the community. It was great to see that again!
What Didn’t Work:
The Beginning—The opening couple chapters felt a little clunky, but that was quickly sorted out.
Loose Ends—It felt like we had a couple plot points introduced that weren’t resolved (Caitlin’s dad, mainly) and maybe the plot could have worked without them? I’m not sure.
Content Warnings:
car accident recovery (minor)