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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
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
mycatnorbert's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
Graphic: Medical content and Medical trauma
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Infertility
thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book, but at times it hit too close to home!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Alcohol
HP referencebookwormbullet's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Body shaming and Medical content
mswarning's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Kind of disappointing. It was just ok. I've done my share of text/email relationships, but they're not entertaining stories to read. The whole thing was super obvious and boring.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Body shaming
Minor: Medical content
hrtlss_grl's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Medical content and Body shaming
meganpbennett's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
Well Played is the second book in the Well Met series, this one featuring Stacy, the other tavern wench from Well Met. Drunk and melancholy, Stacy messages the Facebook page of the Dueling Kilts, a band that performs every year at the RenFaire, hoping to communicate with her FWB, Dex. She gets a message back and ends up emailing "Dex" a lot. And soon they're texting constantly. And something keeps coming up - "Dex" is rather out of character. Almost a year later, Stacy learns that's she hasn't been messaging and falling for the remarkably literate Dex, but his cousin, Daniel.
It's an interesting read, with Stacy trying to figure out what she wants out of life and how she can have what she wants out of life when she also fears leaving her parents. I wasn't sure what I thought of the ending, since it seemed remarkably abrupt. And seriously, how long had Stacy known Daniel when she makes that decision? Not long enough.
It's an interesting read, with Stacy trying to figure out what she wants out of life and how she can have what she wants out of life when she also fears leaving her parents. I wasn't sure what I thought of the ending, since it seemed remarkably abrupt. And seriously, how long had Stacy known Daniel when she makes that decision? Not long enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical content, and Body shaming
iamsammie27's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Body shaming
sami_leigh's review
funny
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
3.75
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
🌶️🌶️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
“I love it. The travel. Meeting new people, and basically living out of a couple duffel bags and a backpack. But it’s sort of one of those blessing-and-a-curse situations. Sometimes I miss home. And what’s weird is that I’m not sure that I know where home IS.”
💬 First Person POV (Stacey)
💬 Misunderstanding/mistaken identity
💬 Renaissance Faire; explores the pros & cons of nomadic life.
💬 Small town vibes
💬 Emails & texts
💬 Well established secondary characters; we still love Mitch.
💬 MC growth; history of insecurities, unhealthy relationships, and lack of body respect.
⚠️ Parent with chronic illness (medical content), body shaming, mention of parents’ struggles with fertility (MC is named a ‘miracle baby’).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical content, and Body shaming
Minor: Infertility