[ARC Review] Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca

Publisher's synopsis: 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?

My thoughts: No one makes me crave a trip to a Ren Faire like Jen DeLuca. I thought I'd hit the peak of wanting to run away from life and join a traveling act in Well Played and hit my peak kilt fangirling in Well Matched, but DeLuca combined all that yearning into one rom com this time around. 

I'll admit, I was pretty jealous of Lulu by chapter five. And we hadn't even gotten to the romance stuff at that point.

I loved Lulu's journey in this book. It's probably the most harrowing journey any of our Ren Faire leading ladies have had to go on - one full of skepticism, the unknown, and (gasp!) going offline and completely disconnecting from her previous life. It's the sort of journey I wish I was brave enough to even contemplate. 

Likewise, Dex was anything but a one-dimensional character. At first seemingly just the "Ren Faire Lothario," Dex had so many layers that I loved seeing as Lulu got to know him. And even more than that, I loved seeing Lulu start to stand up for Dex when even his own family couldn't see past his playboy reputation. 

DeLuca's writing has always been one I could easily get lost in, and Well Traveled was no exception. Even people who have never been to a Ren Faire can easily imagine the sights and experiences based on DeLuca's vivid descriptions. DeLuca doesn't shy away from the ups and downs of a Ren Faire life, and I love the story even more for it. 

As much as I enjoyed every page of Dex and Lulu's romance, their story wouldn't even be close to what it was without some of my favorite past main characters making return appearances. While readers could technically read Lulu and Dex's story as a standalone (or out of series order), the conversations and interactions between our main characters and all the supporting characters mean so much more when you already have the backstory. DeLuca does an excellent job at providing details where needed, but I highly recommend at least reading Well Played and Well Matched before embarking on this adventure. 

DeLuca knows how to take men in kilts, life on the road, and long, hot days in a corset and make it thoroughly entertaining. I loved this rom com, and especially Lulu's journey, and I can't wait to see what new adventures await at the faire in Jen DeLuca's next book.

**A huge thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing a review copy of this title! My review is completely voluntary and all opinions are my own.** 

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Release date: 12/6/22
Format: eARC
eARC provided via: NetGalley