Well Matched

By Jen DeLuca

Series: Well Met #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: October 19,2021

Source: Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 4 Stars

Amazon Indiebound

Description:

A pretend relationship gives two friends more than they bargained for in a Renaissance Faire rom com filled with flower crowns, kilts, corsets, and sword fights.

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.

Review:

Even though I already went to a Renaissance Faire this year, as soon as I finished Well Matched, I wanted to go back. Both Mitch and April were introduced in the first book in the series, Well Met, and I’ve been waiting for their book even since. Mitch, especially, is a favorite character of mine. He’s so over the top and full of life. In Well Matched, we got to see underneath that carefree attitude a little bit and some of his vulnerability, especially when dealing with his family. This leads him to asking April to be his pretend girlfriend for a family weekend. April agrees in exchange for help sprucing up her house. Her daughter is going off to college and April is ready to sell her house and move away from the small town life, where she felt she never fit in. There’s about a ten year age gap between April and Mitch but I thought it was handled well. What I loved most about this book was seeing April come out of her shell and start to truly live life. It was even more enjoyable to see her do that through participating in the Renaissance Faire. It added an extra layer to the role the Renaissance Faires have played in this series.

Jen DeLuca does a phenomenal job of letting you see Mitch’s vulnerability as well as he’s easy-goingness throughout this book. However, my only lingering complaint from this series is that a dual POV would have made the stories even better. Overall, I loved this story and honestly did not want to put it down!

Published by SomewhereLostInBooks

I’m Melisa! I’m an avid reader. I love romance novels and decided, hey, why not write about what I love and hate about the genre. And my favorite books. And when I get to meet authors. And all round why romance novels are awesome. Expect a lot of fan-girling, laughter, and some tears. View all posts by SomewhereLostInBooks