There’s an entire generation of teens that grew up watching the MTV series Catfish. Originally hosted by Nev Schulman and Max Joseph, it helped individuals meet someone they were talking to online. Was that person always who they claimed to be? No, but at least then everyone was on the same page.
The show isn’t the only piece of media to feature the now universally-known concept. Well Played by Jen DeLuca is the second book in a series of four set around renaissance faires. Everyone in Willow Creek, Maryland is involved with the faire in some way, from teens at the high school to the older bookstore owner. It brings the town together and creates the perfect environment to meet someone new, even if they might leave town at the end of the season to move on to the next faire.
Unlike many romance books, Well Played’s key conflict is rooted in catfishing. While the first book of the series, Well Met, took place entirely during the faire season, the second mostly takes place in the year between them as Stacey, a Willow Creek native, communicates with who she believes is Dex MacLean, a member of one of the faire’s regular acts, The Dueling Kilts. The two have had flings before when he comes to town, but one night after the faire season, Stacey decides to take a chance and message him on Facebook. What comes next is a year of her falling for someone who isn’t actually on the other end of the emails and texts.
Well Played is unmatched not just in how it handles the catfishing narrative, but when the reveal happens in the story. While it is the primary conflict, it isn’t the third-act conflict contemporary romances are known for. Instead of learning who is really behind the screen toward the end of the book, it happens earlier, giving readers time to enjoy how Stacey handles it and the possible fallout as the real story behind the catfishing comes to light. Once she realizes who's behind the messages, she has the upper hand in the situationship, deciding how to proceed and if she wants to entertain the catfisher and his story. It’s a fantastic way to flip what could’ve been a particularly crushing blow into a more empowering moment, especially for a character who is trying to determine her path forward with her life at a crossroads.
Stacey’s story also has reread appeal, making it an ideal addition to your reading list. Even though you know who is behind the phone, it’s fun to pick out the obvious signs, the tone that doesn't quite line up with what we know about Dex so far, and trying to pick up when the shift between pretending to be Dex and giving up the ruse takes place. And, if you read Dex’s story, Well Traveled, before rereading Well Played, it becomes even more fun to notice the differences.