Huzzah to Jen DeLuca...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

I read Well Met a while back and really enjoyed it. (See my review.) So I'm excited to have Jen DeLuca here to talk about her third book in this series, Well Matched. (The second is Well Played, which is in my Kindle queue.) The books can be read as standalones, even though there may be some spoilers for the other ones the further you go. Well Met got me in the mood to go to the local Renaissance Faire again and I'm hoping tickets will be available for next weekend, as they were sold out for this past one. If you're looking to get in a Ren Faire mood, Berkley has one copy of Well Matched to give away!

Jen DeLuca was born and raised in Virginia, and has recently swapped Florida for the Arizona desert, where she lives with her husband and a houseful of rescue pets.

She’s worked as an ice-show dresser, a wardrobe master, a makeup consultant, and a paralegal. She likes latte-flavored lattes, Hokies football, and the Oxford comma. (Bio courtesy of Jen's website.)

Visit Jen online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
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. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"A great comfort read. Warm, sweet, and hopeful, Well Matched is about daring to come out of your shell and building the life you always wanted."
--Helen Hoang, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Heart Principle

“This series is one of my ultimate comfort reads. I knew I’d adore April and Mitch together, but I didn’t realize how deeply obsessed with them I’d be. Well Matched is for anyone whose life hasn’t gone according to plan, and about all the joys that come with veering off course. Warm and witty, sweet and sexy—this tender hug of a book is Jen DeLuca at her best.”
--Rachel Lynn Solomon, national bestselling author of The Ex Talk

"Well Matched is completely charming and delightfully touching. DeLuca delivers a love story that leaves you feeling as warm and fuzzy as you are hot and bothered. April's vulnerability and humor are endearing and Mitch is book boyfriend goals in a kilt--I couldn't put it down."
--Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
In these pandemic times, I’ve heard from a number of readers that my books have been a comfort read, helping distract them from Everything That’s Going On. And as someone who turns to books for escapism myself, I can't think of a better compliment. 

How did you decide to use a Renaissance Faire as the setting for your novels?
I volunteered as a tavern wench with my local Renaissance Faire for two seasons. It’s such a romantic setting full of opportunity that I wondered why more books weren’t written with a Faire as a backdrop. I also noticed how, in my costume, I felt like a completely different person, more extroverted than usual. So I imagined an enemies to lovers story with two people who didn’t like each other, suddenly being attracted to each other in their Faire personas, and it went from there! 

If your Ren Faire novels were made into a TV series, what music would you use for the theme song?
There are some great bands who tour Renaissance Faires, whose music I think often listen to while writing my books, so I think their music would be GREAT for a series! They include The Black Velvet Band, Sirena, The Jackdaws, and Cu Dubh. They’re all available on Spotify if you’re interested in checking them out!

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I’m currently reading BIG BAD WOLF by Suleikha Snyder. It’s a gritty paranormal romance, and her worldbuilding is excellent. It reads like a contemporary, and the paranormal elements are woven in so seamlessly that I find myself forgetting that shifters don’t really exist (as far as I know).  

What is something you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?

That I’m definitely an introvert! For the first few months I had NO PROBLEM staying home and not seeing anyone. It wasn’t much different than my day to day life anyway!

With Halloween around the corner, tell us about something that scared you recently.

While I live with anxiety as a constant companion, I don’t get legitimately scared very often. But this time last year my husband got COVID. We had just moved across the country to a new city and I legitimately knew no one. Of course I got it eventually too, and while we were pretty sick, it was mild enough that we stayed out of the hospital. But those first couple days of worry were the most frightened I’ve been in a long time. 

Thanks to Jen for visiting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

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Giveaway ends October 24th at midnight EST.

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