Book Review: Well Met

Emily has relocated temporarily to the small town of Willow Creek to help her sister out as she recovers from an accident. This works out very well for her, as she’s still trying to figure out what she wants to do going forward after the future with her ex that she’s been planning for and working towards has fallen apart. But the summer appears to have more in store for Emily than she bargained on, including being roped into the local Renaissance Faire alongside her niece and finding herself attracted to Simon, the teacher in charge of the faire. Even as Simon and Emily butt heads in real life (over the faire and Shakespearean theories, to name a couple of things), their characters at the faire are flirting and falling in love. But is it all just for show? Or will Emily be able to figure out if she really has a place in Willow Creek and in Simon’s life? 

A rom-com set at a Renaissance Faire – that very basic description of Well Met was what caused me to add the book to my TBR immediately after I learned about it. I’m happy to report, this contemporary romance is an utter delight! Well Met has so many elements that I love, including:

• a relatable main character in Emily, who is at a personal crossroads as she determine what to with the rest of her life now that her former dreams have been dashed (and she’s also bookish, clever dedicated to hard work and helping out and is game to do new things) 
• a swoon-worthy love interest in Simon, who is not only bookish and smart, but also happens to be extremely dedicated to and passionate about the tradition of the Renn Faire, capable of handling the variety of people involved in the production… and surprisingly vulnerable due to parts of his past that are revealed as the novel goes on 
• a hate-to-love romance that was so easy to root for, and between the banter that they exchange as themselves and as their Renn Faire counterparts and the moments that they share, you will be hard-pressed not to giggle or swoon as you read (and I know I did plenty of both) 
• a set of lovable secondary characters who popped off the page just as much as the main couple did (and I would totally read about them in future books)
• a small town setting, which felt cozy and familiar to me as someone who grew up primarily in a small town too and I loved the fact that this small town happened to boast of a local Renn Faire (and though I’ve never been to one, this novel just further convinced me that I need to go at least once someday) and their own indie bookstore 

I really and truly had the best time reading Well Met (which I buddy read with Melanie)! It brought me such joy to read all about Emily, Simon and the rest of the residents of Willow Creek as the summer flew by. It made me laugh, it made me swoon, it even brought me to tears, and the fact that I felt all the things really confirmed just how much I adored this book. I’m thrilled that this one lived up to my personal expectations, and that I can say with confidence that Well Met is one of my favorite romances I’ve read this year. Add this one to your TBR if you haven’t already – I’d highly recommend it! 

Well Met was released on September 3, 2019 from Berkley. 

I received an ARC from the publisher for review.