Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca | Book Review

Posted January 12, 2023 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 1 Comment

Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca | Book ReviewWell Traveled by Jen DeLuca
Series: Well Met #4
Also in this series: Well Met, Well Played, Well Matched
Published by Berkley on December 6, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 304
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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The Renaissance Faire is on the move, and Lulu and Dex are along for the ride, in the next utterly charming rom-com from Jen DeLuca.

A high-powered attorney from a success-oriented family, Louisa "Lulu" Malone lives to work, and everything seems to be going right, until the day she realizes it’s all wrong. Lulu’s cousin Mitch introduced her to the world of Renaissance Faires, and when she spies one at a time just when she needs an escape, she leaps into the welcoming environment of turkey legs, taverns, and tarot readers. The only drawback? Dex MacLean: a guitarist with a killer smile, the Casanova of the Faire… and her traveling companion for the summer.

Dex has never had to work for much in his life, and why should he? Touring with his brothers as The Dueling Kilts is going great, and he always finds a woman at every Faire. But when Lulu proves indifferent to his many plaid charms and a shake-up threatens the fate of the band, Dex must confront something he never has before: his future.

Forced to spend days and nights together on the road, Lulu’s interest in the kilted bad boy grows as he shows her a side of himself no one else has seen. The stresses of her old lifestyle fade away as she learns to trust her intuition and follow her heart instead of her head. But when her time on the road is over, will Lulu go with her gut, or are she and Dex destined for separate paths?

I love Jen DeLuca’s Well Met series! I love taking a trip to a Renaissance Faire through her stories, seeing the little skits and shows, the costumes, and the fun booths where people sell things. I never wanted to visit one of these faires until I started reading these books. What a dream it would be to see one in real life! Especially if there’s as many opportunities to fall in love as this series makes it seem! Well Traveled is the 4th (and final) book in this series, and while it does stand on its own I recommend reading the other books because characters from the earlier books show up in this one. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. Lulu comes onto the scene in a previous book for just a little bit, but she made an impression and I was so excited to find out she was going to get her own story in this series! Lulu is Mitch’s cousin, and if you’ve read the other books in this series you’ll remember Mitch as the kilted life of the party, who plays a role in the human chess match at every Faire. She’s an attorney, has a bit of a crisis, and runs off to the Faire where she meets a group of brothers who spend their summers traveling from Faire to Faire playing their music. Lulu goes through a lot of personal growth in this book, more so than we saw with the leading ladies in DeLuca’s other stories. She grapples with work/life balance, figuring out what she wants out of life, and letting loose a little in order to find her happiness. She tosses her phone into a wash bin, hands off her laptop to a friend for safekeeping, and goes off the grid in order to reset. That takes bravery and determination, and I loved this journey for her.

2. Dex, swoony member of the band The Dueling Kilts, is just… *dreamy sigh*. He’s a rake, who seems to be ready to find someone to settle down with. He just doesn’t know it yet. And he surprises himself when he starts realizing that the idea of having one someone to love is appealing after all. The way he looks at Lulu and the things he thinks about her had me swooning. I love it when the bad boy starts to soften because he starts thinking about the big picture instead of only living in the moment.

3. The romance between Lulu and Dex blooms at a very slow and tender rate. It was so nice to luxuriate in all their little moments together. I just feel like these two are going to make it. They went from relatively indifferent to one another, to friends, to more and it felt so genuine and authentic. There’s some steamy scenes (hello RV moment, I’m looking at you), which haven’t been too prominent in DeLuca’s other books. That being said, this almost felt more women’s fiction than romance for the bulk of the book. Which is FINE. I would have liked a little more banter and flirting between our two leads, though. The romance takes a bit of a backseat to the growth Lulu goes through until later on in the book. But I didn’t mind!

4. The secondary characters were wonderful. Lulu finds a group of card readers and develops a friendship that helps her along her way. I liked that friendship aspect. I also loved the friendships she formed with the other members of the band/team.

5. There’s SO much Renn Faire in this, and I loved it. I loved all the descriptions of the Faire, what life is like when you travel from one to the next, etc. It was so much fun.

6. I loved catching up with the couples and characters from the previous books, and seeing where their lives have taken them. I’m going to miss everyone!

7. Jen’s writing is so good. Her descriptions, the things she has her characters say to each other, and the small moments that add up to such a wonderful story are all perfection.

What a wonderful conclusion to this series. I’ve been saying for quite some time that Well Played is my favorite book in this series, but Well Traveled might have taken its place now. I highly recommend Jen DeLuca’s books, and can’t wait to see what she does next!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023

Posted January 9, 2023 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 16 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023 (that I’m aware of at this point). I’ve been dealing with intermittent power outages today, so this will be short and sweet! Can’t wait to see what you all are excited about this year!

1. The Rom-Com Agenda by Jayne Denker
2. Take the Lead by Alexis Daria
3. The Counterfeit Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath
4. Yours Truly, The Duke by Amelia Grey
5. Where Are the Children Now? by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
6. Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
7. Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
8. Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron (It’s my name!!)
9. The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
10. The Only Game in Town by Lacie Waldon

Top Ten Favorite Books of 2022

Posted January 2, 2023 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 27 Comments

Welcome to another TTT, and Happy New Year!!! I wish you all the best 2023 has to offer. But before we start looking ahead, let’s reflect on 2022! I love sharing my top ten favorite books every year because I can look back on them years later and remember all the great books I’ve read. I enjoy keeping records like this! I read a lot of really great books (and binged some amazing series) this year, so here we go! I’m sharing these in the order I read them. I hope it’s just as hard for me to narrow my list down to 10 this time next year!

Eighty Days to Elsewhere by K.C. Dyer
The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
Enemies Abroad by R.S. Grey
Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas
Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca
The Huntress by Kate Quinn
Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel
Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

Did you love any of these as much as I did?
Tell me a couple of your favorite books of 2022! I’d love some recommendations.

Happy reading in 2023!

OH. I have a little request. Please, please submit any TTT topic requests you have through this form!
After nearly 700 topics, it’s becoming a little difficult for me to keep coming up with new ones!

2022 End of Year Book Survey

Posted December 30, 2022 by Jana in About Me, Personal / 16 Comments

I love doing Jamie’s End of Year Book Survey every year, although I’ve added a few of my own questions and removed some of hers in order to make it work a little better for me. This survey helps me look back and remember all the wonderful (and terrible) books I’ve read throughout the year! Also… buh bye 2022. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Can 2023 please be better?

2022 Reading Stats

Number of books you read: 64
Number of re-reads: 2
Number of books you DNFed: 67
Number of pages you read: 20,775 (not counting the books I DNFed)
Most read genre: Adult historical romance. I read 22 of them!
Number of new-to-you authors you discovered: 28

Firsts and Lasts

First book you read: Eighty Days to Elsewhere by K.C. Dyer
Last book you read: The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne
First 2022 release you read: On a Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk

Best In Books

1. Best book you read in 2022:
This is REALLY hard. Because I was so willing to DNF this year, I loved so many books! So… my FAVORITE book of the year is probably Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas because it basically made me go on a huge LK reading spree and I found my new favorite author.

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t:
Doctor Dearest by R.S. Grey. I have loved nearly everything I’ve read by this author, and Hotshot Doc was my first of her books (and one of my favorites ever). I loved the doctor aspect of that book, so when I saw that there was another one I actually saved it for a long time for when I really needed a good romance and this one was a major disappointment. I gave it one star, but almost DNFed. And I can now honestly say I remember nothing about it other than that I hated it. lol.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read:
Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle. I’m not going to lie, I was surprised that Sarah Hogle could craft such a wild, zany story that both warmed my heart and confused me greatly at times. What a trip!

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did):
Probably The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams. I got two friends to read it, and they loved it as much as I did! And my mom plans to read it soon!

5. Best first book in a series you started in 2022. Best sequel of 2022. Best series ender of 2022.
Started: Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas (I read this entire series this year and loved it so much.)
Sequel: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (re-read)
Ender: Well Traveled by Jenn DeLuca (end of the Well Met series)

6. Favorite new-to-you author you discovered in 2022:
Lisa Kleypas! Without question!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone:
The Huntress by Kate Quinn. I’ve never been much of a historical fiction reader, but this was enthralling. I loved it and could not stop listening to it!

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year:
Eighty Days to Elsewhere by K.C. Dyer. This was action-packed not in the way most people would expect. It’s basically Around the World in Eighty Days, Amazing Race style. The characters are flitting all over the world, rushing around to various destinations and it was amazing! So thrilling and exciting and I could not turn the pages fast enough to learn where they ended up next.

9. Book you read in 2022 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
This is a super hard question because this was a great reading year for me. I will definitely listen to The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams again because it’s a hug in a book. Enemies Abroad by R.S. Grey was also amazing, and full of Italy and swoons. And I will definitely be re-reading The Ravenels series soon because I love it so so much. Oh, and Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel because it’s perfect festive goodness and I know I’ll be craving it next holiday season.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2022:
I adore the cover of Holiday With You by Claudia Burgoa and Graham Claire because it’s so cozy and festive.

11. Most memorable character of 2022:
It has to be Hall from Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle. He’s the actual Christmas spirit personified, and he’s so happy and sweet and precious and wholesome. I couldn’t help but beam when I read about him.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2022:
Honestly, my first thought is A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. Her worldbuilding and descriptions are so stunning. I never get tired of reading and re-reading her books!

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2022:
Nothing hit me that hard this year, actually. Books taught me things, but nothing really changed my life or made me think overly deeply.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2022 to finally read:
Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas. lol.

15. Favorite quote from a book you read in 2022:
“Building a generation is like building a wall—one good well-made brick at a time, one good well-made child at a time. Enough good bricks, you have a good wall. Enough good children, you have a generation that won’t start a world-enveloping war.”
― Kate Quinn, The Huntress

16. Shortest and longest books you read in 2022:
Shortest: Making Merry by Erica Ridley (37 pages)
Longest: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (624 pages)

17. Book that shocked you the most:
I was shocked at how bad Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne was. I expected it to be a little strange, but this book was extremely uncomfortable and honestly pretty gross for me. Angelika creates her ideal man from body parts she steals from the morgue. She finds a handsome man’s body, but his manhood is way too small for her so she finds a big one from another corpse and sews it on. After he comes to life, he’s in excruciating pain from what she has done. And apparently the fact that she forces him into a relationship with her that he doesn’t want, objectifies him, strips away his humanity, and will not allow him to not love her is supposed to be funny and romantic. This is in no way, shape, or form romantic. It’s disgusting. This man is not a new person like in Mary Shelley’s book, which this book is very loosely inspired by. He recovers memories from his former life and mourns for that loss. The physical and emotional pain of coming back to life but to one he did not want, where he has not consented to surgical enhancements, and is not allowed to make any of his own decisions is, quite frankly, upsetting. Everything he feels for and about Angelika is quite literally against his will. I was honestly worried I was going to get to a scene where she actually forces him to consummate their relationship. I DNFed at 15%. I just never expected this from this author.

18. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!):
Dr. Garrett Gibson and Ethan Ransom from Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas. Garrett is the most amazing woman, and Ethan is a swoony, mysterious, kind of dangerous man. I loved them together.

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
The friendships in Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison are amazing. I also love the strong friendships and support found in the sweet group of wallflowers from Lisa Kleypas’s Wallflowers series.

20. Favorite book you read in 2022 from an author you’ve read previously:
Enemies Abroad by R.S. Grey. I DNFed a few books by this author this year, which broke my heart because I have loved everything of hers I’ve read until now, but this was AMAZING and so so wonderful.

21. Best book you read in 2022 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else:
The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen. I’d kind of been considering this one, but several of my friends pushed it on me when I was looking for adult romantic fantasy and so I did it! I read the entire collection of currently-released books back to back to back, and it was so much fun!

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2022:
Miles Taylor from Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel. He’s perfect. He’s sarcastic and sweet and adorable, and so caring and loving. The way he treats Olive, and the things he says… and the kissing… the heartwarming moments between the two of them. I have no words! I’m such a jumble of thoughts.

23. Best 2022 debut you read:
*sigh* I only read one 2022 debut this year, and I didn’t love it. A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings. The writing was fine, and I love following this author on social media because she is a gem. But I didn’t love the characters very much.

24. Most vivid setting you read this year:
I really, really REALLY love the Night Court in A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. Like, I LOVE it so much. I would go visit right away if I could (especially if Rhys were there)! But since it’s a re-read, I felt like I needed to pick something else and well! The landscape in Something Wilder by Christina Lauren was so beautifully described, and came to life even though I live in Utah and have seen a lot of it before. lol.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read:
Well oops. lol. I try not to re-use answers, much less in back-to-back questions, but I felt like the adventure in Something Wilder by Christina Lauren was so much fun. There was some suspense and mystery, plus love and great characters. It was just what I needed, when I needed it!

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2022:
As is always my goal, I did not cry this year. lol.

27. Hidden gem of the year:
Take Me Back by Meghan March! It wasn’t released this year, but I had never heard of this book until I stumbled across it on Audible while I was looking for books read by narrators I love. This was so much fun! It’s romantic suspense and a bit of a second chance love story as well. I was very entertained, and would definitely listen to it again.

28. Most unique book you read in 2022:
Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle. I have never read a book like this, and I don’t think I will ever find another book this unique again!

39. Book that made you the maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it):
LOL. I’m not sure it’s in my best interest to discuss the book that made me so mad all over again, so just refer to my answer for question number 17!.

My Blogging/Bookish Life

1. Favorite review that you wrote in 2022:
My review of Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas wasn’t anything super special, but it perfectly showcases my feelings of elation when I find a book or an author I love. I love reading about the joy I felt reading this series this year.

2. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog:
My Top Ten Tuesday post on my favorite Ukrainian-owned Etsy shops made me really happy. I loved writing it. I follow so many of these shop owners on Instagram, and their stories and updates have touched my heart so much. They are going through unimaginable pain, loss, and fear, but their hope and faith is astounding. The Ukrainian people truly inspire me, and I think about them everyday. I hope and pray for their freedom.

3. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.):
No events this year.

6. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views):
My Top Ten Dynamic Duos in Literature got the most comments this year! 44!

8. Post you wished got a little more love:
All of my reviews, really. Blogs aren’t as popular as they used to be, and now that Google has officially discontinued Feedburner and I don’t have an alternative, I’ve lost traffic that came from my email subscribers.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.):
It’s not a discovery, but I got Kindle Unlimited this year (the first time I got it for like a dollar a month for 3 months and the second time I got three free months with my new Kindle Paperwhite I got for Christmas!)!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year:
I surpassed my Goodreads goal of 52 books by reading 64!

Looking Ahead

1. Book you are most anticipating in 2023 (non-debut):
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren and Practice Makers Perfect by Sarah Adams! And I already have review copies of both, so yay!

2. 2023 debut you are most anticipating:
You, with a View by Jessica Joyce. Fun fact: This is the author who made me read Lisa Kleypas. So I am SO EXCITED about her book!

3. Sequel you are most anticipating in 2023:
I’m very excited for Graphic Audio to release A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas. Does that count?

4. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2023?
Post more reviews! I have not loved writing them lately. lol.

Do we have any answers in common?

Pick a question or two and answer them in the comments! Let’s discuss!

The Ten Most Recent Additions to My Bookshelf (Christmas 2022 Book Haul)

Posted December 26, 2022 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 10 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and got lots of books (or money to spend on books!)! This topic is a fun way to be able to share what we all received this year. I got the brand new Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas, which I’m so excited about! Mine (from 2015) has been on its last leg for the last 6 months or so, and I’m so excited about this new one! I also received some great books from friends and family! Here’s a few!

From Friends

1. Merry Ex-Mas by Courtney Walsh
Thank you so much to Andi @ Radiant Light, who sent me this from last week’s TTT topic! It looks like so much fun, and I’m hoping I have time to squeeze it in before the New Year!

2. Baggage Claim by Juliana Smith
Thank you to Lisa @ The Plain-Spoken Pen for sending me this! It sounds so good, and I cannot wait to dive right in!

3. Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel
Thank you to Nicole @ Bookwyrm Knits, who sent me this book for my personal collection! This has been my favorite Christmas read this year, and I’m so excited to have my own copy so I can re-read it for Christmas next year!

4. Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath
Thank you to Angela @ Angel’s Guilty Pleasures! This was a nice, short Christmas treat that I read on Christmas Eve and Christmas night! It was so fun!

From My Mom

5. Finding Love in Positano by Lucy Coleman

6. A Scot Is Not Enough by Gina Conkle

7. Three Weddings and a Kiss by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Catherine Anderson, Loretta Chase, and Lisa Kleypas

8. How to Tame Your Duke by Juliana Gray

9. Star Dust by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner

10. Lost and Found In Paris by Lian Dolan

What books have you added to your collection lately?

I will see you next week in 2023! Have a very happy New Year!