by Jen DeLuca
Part of Well Met, book 5
First published 2026
Caitlin Parker returns to the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire at twenty-four, unemployed and back in her childhood bedroom. She puts on her lady-in-waiting costume to help various substitute queens through the season. Six years ago, this same faire became the site of her first heartbreak when Alexander Wright ended their summer romance. Now Alex is back, older and still performing sword fights and Shakespeare. He realizes he made a mistake years ago when he dismissed their relationship as just a summer fling. He didn't understand how deeply he had hurt Caitlin or damaged her faith in love. This summer, Alex tries to make things right between them. As they spend time together, old feelings resurface. But summer always ends. Caitlin believes growing up means abandoning whimsy for adult responsibilities. Alex lives surrounded by stage combat and sonnets and cannot imagine any other life. They must decide whether they can build a future that honors both their dreams and their love.
Genres: romance, coming-of-age, contemporary, adult, adult-fiction, contemporary-romance
Vibes: bittersweet, emotional, hopeful, nostalgic, romantic, whimsical
Tropes: forced-proximity, friends-to-lovers, second-chance-romance, summer-romance
Setting: Willow Creek Renaissance Faire
Period: summer, contemporary
352 pages · Paperback · Berkley