I wasn’t expecting a lot from this Ren Faire romance, just a simple but sweet story with whimsical vibes and cute connections. Instead, Well Met by Jen Deluca had me in a chokehold and I cannot describe it more clearly than a surprising but well-deserved 5 star romance.

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.

There are more serious themes in Well Met than just fanciful cosplay, and it is these points that had me feeling like this book was more than meets the eye. Themes of loss, grief, trauma, lost identities, and family above all else. I love it when romances have this heavier, more serious undercurrant running through them as it creates a great opportunity for serious dialogue, moments of true conflict, and dynamics that feel more wholesome and significant than they first appear.

I also think Simon is amazing. He is definitely knocking on the door of my bookish boyfriends and husbands household holding a golden ticket for admission. He’s not perfect, but he is incredibly hardworking, dedicated, attentive, soft, sweet, and charasmatic. There are many sides to Simon, and we see them unfold throughout Well Met like layers of his carefully currated persona. His grief and internal conflicts are so raw and intense, but as he learns to return to himself and focus on what he truly wants out of life he becomes a more confident, accepting, and mindful Simon who is all the more attractive.

I love the dynamics between Emily and April and Emily and Caitlin too, especially considering their family labels are a little blurry. By that, I simple mean the twelve-year age gap between sisters and the ten-year age gap between aunt and niece means that there is more of a big sister energy between Emily and Caitlin which is really sweet and heartfelt. I know that the events of the book make it seem like Emily had little choice in the matter, but you can tell she loves her family dearly and that while everything else going on is a lot and has been for some months, she doesn’t mind it.

And perhaps my favourite detail of all, though it is more setting and atmosphere than a small detail, is the Ren Faire itself. I need to find out if there is something similar in Aotearoa New Zealand because I was vibing with all of the scenes at the faire. The whole thing just sounds magical and out of a fantasy novel, so of course I am going to be interested in seeing if there is an in-person experience like this in my homeland. I love a good fair, fete, gala, or show, and I can just imagine the impact this would have on little kids – how special and exciting it would be, and how possibly they may be an uptick in children’s reading as a result. Who wouldn’t want that?

Well Met is a gorgeous and charming little novel that is sure to enchant all you cosy romance and light fantasy readers out there. There is a wonderful balance of sweet and whimsy with some spice and a little conflict here and there to keep you on your toes. I do recommend it as a spring or summer read as it has those light and airy vibes within the novel and it is just a perfect afternoon read.