This month, we read “Well Met” by Jen Deluca — a cozy, enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance set at a small-town Renaissance fair. What makes this episode extra special though is that Jen joined us!
It was such a pleasure to chat with her and discuss everything from her journey to becoming a full-time writer to the inspiration behind the Well Met series and why she believes happily-ever-afters are so important.
Well Met is the first book in a series of interconnected standalones, and the fifth book, Well Versed, will be released on September 22.
We also discuss
- Jen’s personal experience in a small-town ren faire
- Our favorite scenes in Well Met and Jen’s favorite scenes to write
- Jen’s writing process and approach to balancing romance with other topics such as losing oneself or dealing with grief.
- Jen’s upcoming book and finale in the Well Met series, Well Versed
- Jen’s favorite romance movies, books, and authors
And we play a game of “Huzzah! or Nah.,” debating which bookish and ren faire favorites are worth the hype.
If you haven’t read this series yet, consider this your sign! It might just be the perfect cozy rom-com you’ve been looking for.
If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to follow the podcast and leave us a five-star review! @callmewhentheykiss
Xoxo, CMWTK 💕
“All's faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com…
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.”
Keywords: Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, Romance Novel, Romance Books, Renaissance Faire, Romance, Author, Author Interview, Ren Faire, Books, Book Recommendations, Romance Tropes, Enemies to Lovers
