Reviews

Well Played by Jen DeLuca

khermy's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

hellobookbird's review against another edition

2.0

One necklace wasn't enough retail therapy to keep this melancholy at bay.

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 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.

I love cats [...] they’ve always fascinated me. They’re these perfect little predators, yet we let them curl up on our laps like they wouldn’t eat our faces if we died in the night.

DNF @ 50%.

I picked this book up on a whim. It had a cute cover, was about Ren Fest (past Rennie here), and was a romcom? Sign me up. I was sure it would be a winner. It could have been. A winner, that is. But there were two very major problems that completely held this back from being a cute and funny romance.

Stacey. The synopsis states that she feels like she's put her life on hold and she wants more out of life but this is honestly such a contrived reason to create some drama. Instead, it comes off in a mopey, woe is me, I can't do anything, waiting for the world to rescue me vibe and this is just something I can't stand. I'll put up with it for a little while because we all have to decide to do something about it but she never does. All that happens is she whines about it and then continues to do the exact same things that she's not happy about. This is the very definition of insanity. She used to be driven when she was younger. Where did that ambition go? Even if she took a break to take care of her mom (who still has her Dad to help by the way), I feel a truly ambitious woman would be ready to at least get back on the train as best she can once things had settled. But this could just be a me thing.

The farce. "A man she barely knows" is a load of hog hooey. You know within the first ten pages just who the mystery man is going to be. It takes a whole lot of the tension out of the book. Talk about disappointing. And when she figures it out on her own? She feels betrayed, then decides she's okay with it, then comes up with a way to start the conversation for clarity--understandable. What isn't understandable is the way she phrased things that specifically inferred she wasn't interested (but she was) and when he left she didn't go chasing after him to clear up the misunderstanding.

At this point, I'm so mad I really want to punt the book across the room.

So while I DNF'd here, let me tell you how I think the rest of this is going to go: there's going to be a series of misunderstandings where they're avoiding conversations and they're pining from afar and then at the end she decides (after her faire is over and they're on to the next circuit) that the only way to repair it is to travel to the larger faire they're at to confess her love and it's going to be this grand misadventure.

Spoiler

Give me a few minutes while I flip to the end...oh, look. WHAT DO YOU KNOW? I was right.

Shame, but this is a definite pass.

giuliawithag07's review against another edition

lighthearted

4.0

caroreads97's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.25

katsventures's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

happyjackiep's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

shereadsmut's review against another edition

3.0

I love a good series, so I will be finishing this one.

Ren faire, is a new concept to me - and sometimes it gets a little lost on me, but I really love these characters in these books.

sarsarsarsarsar's review against another edition

1.0

I liked the first book in the series ENOUGH bc of the banter and descriptions that I decided to read this one. A mistake.
The character had so many self confidence issues, except she didn’t. Couldn’t be herself, except she could. Felt like a burden, except when she wasn’t and literally inserts herself into a big thing!!!!!


This was ridiculously bad. Cringe virtual correspondences.
The messages between the characters didn’t even make much sense or build to anything.

Literally none of the issues were resolved not to mention explored even slightly

Also this was barely about ren faire at all… which was what was fun about the first book.

Will not be continuing.

I’d say I’m disappointed in this book, but I’m more disappointed that I forced myself to finish. I should have stopped 50 pages in. I did end up skimming so much of this book.

kaytay35235's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

readingsunshine's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0