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. (Goodreads)
Review
While I personally am not a frequent attendee of Renaissance Fairs myself, this book made me want to rethink that. I really enjoyed the concept of Well Met. Two people who let their past affect their present. One who can’t get out of his dead brother’s shadow, and another who thinks everyone sees her the same way her ex did.
Emily is a strong woman, who just got out of a bad relationship. She’s exceptionally sweet and giving, but her a**hole of an ex is always in the back of her mind telling her she isn’t good enough. I loved seeing her character grow and begin to believe in herself. I also don’t blame Emily for falling for the usually uptight Simon’s, swoony pirate Renaissance Fair character. I really enjoyed Emily and Simons interactions, it certainly gives the book an enemies to lovers vibe, which Is one of my favorite tropes.
My only complaint is that I would have liked to spend a little more time watching Simon and Emily’s relationship grow. This book was a very cute romantic comedy with absolutely delightful characters!