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cassroberts89's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Cute!! I liked this better than Well Met. I’m glad I found Jen DeLuca to get me out of a reading slump.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
beth_s98's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While this story made me want to tear my hair out at times, I really enjoyed it! I thought the character growth Stacy displayed was both realistic and logical, and they made the tropes make sense. I’m still so in love with the Ren Faire setting!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
There are several moments throughout where Stacy is unhappy with her body size/looks; not enough for a fatphobia or eating disorder label, but if you’re someone who could be triggered by those thoughts, it might be worth skipping because there’s a lot of those moments.amberinpieces's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol
catherinedsharp's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A fun romantic comedy but it is quite tropey and also depicts a toxic relationship. The main tropes used are catfishing and miscommunication which can pretty much sum up the plot of this book. It was a good time and pretty enjoyable but was also highly predictable and had me cringing a lot. Would recommend as a book to not take too seriously but that’s all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Fatphobia
carlyjoann's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer
emilywemily6's review
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I like this one better than the first, and I think it’s because I was more behind this couple’s relationship. Stacey and Daniel were well written characters with consistent motivations, and I could see how great a fit they were for each other. There were some flaws in both Stacey and Daniel that bothered me (Stacey’s reluctance to tell her best friend about her relationship, or her mom about her dissatisfaction at home; Daniel not fighting for Stacey) but all those faults fit the characters. The spice was 👌 and I love the ending. I wish there was a little more depth to the characters, but overall I really like this book! The messaging back and forth, as well as the timeline spanning a year, made this an interesting read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Cursing
Minor: Body shaming and Medical trauma
aklovekorn's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content, and Alcohol
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The first book was gifted to me by Michael Joseph Penguin Publishing and I enjoyed it and I especially loved Stacey. I am a compulsive series finisher, so even if I didn’t like the first book or had no interest in carrying it on, if I find out it’s a series, I've got to read the series. When I found out the second book was from Stacey’s point of view, I was so pumped and . . . well, this book just sort of flopped and I was disappointed.
This book follows Stacey, who put her life on hold when she stayed in Willow Creek to care for her sick mother. But it’s been years now and she is still here. Even the local Renaissance Faire, where she spends her summer pouring drinks and flirting with patrons, is losing its attraction. She has vowed to have her life figured out by next summer’s Faire. It's about time she found The One. Her friends-with-Benefits Dex MacLean, does not fit the bill. Yes, he’s easy on the eye with is band The Dueling Kilts, but Stacey doesn’t love him. Then she receives a tender email from her hunk and she wonders whether she got him wrong. So when Faire finally returns to Willow Creek, Stacey hopes to at last come face-to-face with the man to whom she’s been exchanging hundreds of loving online messages.
I liked Stacey, she was amazing in the first book and getting to know her more and her struggles, I just wanted to hug her or drink with her. I love her mum; her mum saved this book from this book being two stars. Her mum was adorable but you could tell where Stacey got her fierceness from that we saw in the first book. I liked how Jen gets into the Ren Faire and how she describes it in so much detail that it feels like you are there. I liked Daniel but he wasn’t making me all hot and bothered and that’s not because he’s a redhead - I just didn’t connect with him, I get he was shy but he was very bland and had no personality expect for getting compared to his cousin.
Two tropes were in this book that I cannot stand, if it’s done for the right reason or done well then maybe. But this book has the miscommunication trope, which considering this whole storyline was set up on lies, just drove me nuts and Stacey forgave him way to quick for my liking – there was no grovelling, and third-act break up – which wasn’t needing considering they spent the whole story either avoiding each other or sleeping together. I just wanted more chemistry, more sexiness, more fierceness and I just didn’t get it.
I think Jen DeLuca is good at leading and setting up the new story and making you want more, but I think she just struggles to get an actual storyline once it’s set up. I was just wanted and waiting for more throughout this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma
Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical content, Body shaming, and Sexual content
Minor: Fatphobia and Infertility
browsingthebooks's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
If you prefer fade to black, skip pages 211-end of chapter.jg34's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Not as good as well met but also slightly less cheesy? I feel like Stacy was not a super interesting character and she should have been more mad about all the deception and catfishing and all that. Also felt like a lot of things were brought up and then never resolved, like it seemed there was going to be a dementia thing with her mom that didn’t play out. still pretty cute and enjoyable read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing