What do you think?
Rate this book
My Faire Lady
Rowena Duncan is a thoroughly modern girl with big plans for her summer—until she catches her boyfriend making out with another girl. Heartbroken, she applies to an out-of-town job posting and finds herself somewhere she never expected: the Renaissance Faire.
As a face-painter doubling as a serving wench, Ro is thrown headfirst into a vibrant community of artists and performers. She feels like a fish out of water until Will, a quick-witted whip cracker, takes her under his wing. Then there’s Christian, a blue-eyed stunt jouster who makes Ro weak in the knees. Soon, it’s not just her gown that’s tripping her up.
Trading in the internet and electricity for stars and campfires was supposed to make life simpler, but Ro is finding that love is the ultimate complication. Can she let the past make way for her future?
As a face-painter doubling as a serving wench, Ro is thrown headfirst into a vibrant community of artists and performers. She feels like a fish out of water until Will, a quick-witted whip cracker, takes her under his wing. Then there’s Christian, a blue-eyed stunt jouster who makes Ro weak in the knees. Soon, it’s not just her gown that’s tripping her up.
Trading in the internet and electricity for stars and campfires was supposed to make life simpler, but Ro is finding that love is the ultimate complication. Can she let the past make way for her future?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 3, 2014
16 people are currently reading
2745 people want to read
About the author
Laura Wettersten
1 book71 followersLaura Wettersten lives in Ohio with her wonderful husband, their adorable baby son, and their two neurotic dogs. She has degrees in both music education and library science, and when she’s not writing or teaching she enjoys directing middle school musicals, dancing awkwardly around her kitchen, and watching WIPEOUT and 30 ROCK reruns. Her debut novel, MY FAIRE LADY, releases from Simon & Schuster BFYR in 2014.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
October 6, 2013
It's nearly impossible to write a review of your bff's first published novel. I mean, no one is going to believe you when you say you stayed up all night with the ARC, but it's totally true. Ro and company passed The Test. I hit the half way mark at 10:30 tonight, and I knew there would be no sleeping until it was finished.
It was well worth the late bed time. Fun, sexy, and full of characters I just want to hug. I can't wait to be able to pass this one around in my library.
It was well worth the late bed time. Fun, sexy, and full of characters I just want to hug. I can't wait to be able to pass this one around in my library.
January 11, 2015
I was looking for something adorable and not too heavy, and this completely fit the bill. My Faire Lady follows a teenager who's getting over a terrible breakup, and instead of taking a summer job at the mall as she was planning to (and having to face her ex-boyfriend every day), she takes a job as a face-painter for a Renaissance Faire, where she learns about herself and figures out her course in life. Definitely recommended.
June 18, 2014
Can't tell you how excited I was to finally get my hands on my online-bestie's debut novel!
And boy, did Laura deliver.
I'll dispense with the summary and just say what a great read MY FAIRE LADY is! I've always loved Renaissance Festivals, but the characters seemed so authentic to me that I never thought about who these folks might be after the faire closes.
I already knew that Laura did a fair (pun intended) amount of research for this book, and it shows in the authenticity of the characters, especially the newbie Ro, and the culture we get to experience through her fresh eyes. The knights, the wenches, the street performers, all portrayed brilliantly in this fun novel.
And might I add there's a bit of romance, perfectly suited for a YA audience, but intriguing enough for adults to enjoy as well.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book! And I can't wait to see what Laura comes up with next!
And boy, did Laura deliver.
I'll dispense with the summary and just say what a great read MY FAIRE LADY is! I've always loved Renaissance Festivals, but the characters seemed so authentic to me that I never thought about who these folks might be after the faire closes.
I already knew that Laura did a fair (pun intended) amount of research for this book, and it shows in the authenticity of the characters, especially the newbie Ro, and the culture we get to experience through her fresh eyes. The knights, the wenches, the street performers, all portrayed brilliantly in this fun novel.
And might I add there's a bit of romance, perfectly suited for a YA audience, but intriguing enough for adults to enjoy as well.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book! And I can't wait to see what Laura comes up with next!
July 9, 2014
I read this for a change of something light after finishing something with a darker more serious tone and even thought it was fluff, it took me days to finish it. Just wasn't quite involving for me.
I didn't much love the main character, Rowena or Ro. She is fairly full of herself and simply everyone likes her and does things for her. One co-worker seems to not like her and she doesn't like not being liked for no reason(although there is a pretty definite reason as it turns out). And Ro is unkind to her friends, more than once, both her old and new friends, knowingly unkind. Since it is first person present tense(one of my least favorite styles), she says she says this snappy or angrily. I don't like that.
I really wanted the flavor of the Renaissance Fair and I don't think it is as well done as it could be. Ro puts up Polaroid photos in her face-painting booth(is face painting a Renaissance activity?) after we're told that everything is supposed to be authentic. She takes weeks to actually buy the shoes she is supposed to wear, saying she hasn't had time, but she has had time to follow the boy she wants around, etc. We are told everyone has to speak properly for the time, but absolutely no one does, including Ro when she interacts with the people at her booth or the tavern where we are told she also works. She also seems to take time off whenever she feels like it. I can't see that being something that would go on a job like that.
And she goes off to the showers draped in just a towel. No. Just no. I thought this showed her to be stupid beyond my ability to suspend my disbelief. Even in all girl college dorms no one parades to the showers and back in just a towel.
Additionally, Ro says she is spending the summer with the Faire, but she is there three to four weeks, barely the month of June. She laments how she is missing on her beach time and all with her friends, but she will be gone only a few weeks. This didn't make sense.
It is an okay read. First time author, so all in all, I'd say give it a try.
I didn't much love the main character, Rowena or Ro. She is fairly full of herself and simply everyone likes her and does things for her. One co-worker seems to not like her and she doesn't like not being liked for no reason(although there is a pretty definite reason as it turns out). And Ro is unkind to her friends, more than once, both her old and new friends, knowingly unkind. Since it is first person present tense(one of my least favorite styles), she says she says this snappy or angrily. I don't like that.
I really wanted the flavor of the Renaissance Fair and I don't think it is as well done as it could be. Ro puts up Polaroid photos in her face-painting booth(is face painting a Renaissance activity?) after we're told that everything is supposed to be authentic. She takes weeks to actually buy the shoes she is supposed to wear, saying she hasn't had time, but she has had time to follow the boy she wants around, etc. We are told everyone has to speak properly for the time, but absolutely no one does, including Ro when she interacts with the people at her booth or the tavern where we are told she also works. She also seems to take time off whenever she feels like it. I can't see that being something that would go on a job like that.
And she goes off to the showers draped in just a towel. No. Just no. I thought this showed her to be stupid beyond my ability to suspend my disbelief. Even in all girl college dorms no one parades to the showers and back in just a towel.
Additionally, Ro says she is spending the summer with the Faire, but she is there three to four weeks, barely the month of June. She laments how she is missing on her beach time and all with her friends, but she will be gone only a few weeks. This didn't make sense.
It is an okay read. First time author, so all in all, I'd say give it a try.
November 27, 2013
This was a very fun and charming read. I work in a little indie bookstore and picked up this book pretty much at random from the pile of advanced reader's editions that we get from the publishers (So no I am not friends with the author). This was a cut above most of the stuff I pull out of that pile. I loved the Renaissance faire premise, which not only introduced the reader to a very unusual community but lent the novel its overarching spirit of fun. The narrator was relatable with very realistic teenage concerns and romances. Moreover Wettersten manages to create a clear point of conflict without overdoing the teen drama. I very entertaining story for anyone who wants something light, funny and romantic, but without the melodrama and whiny characters that can sometimes plague YA fiction.
May 20, 2015
I have no idea why I landed on this book -- OH RIGHT -- I was curious if the title had been used. Short answer: yes. But then I saw this and thought WELP, I'M ONE CLICKING. Because I grew up with a lot of friends who did the faire circuit and I still go (though not in costume) on an almost yearly basis. And this was like stepping back into that culture (albeit a slightly sanitized version).
There's a love triangle because OF COURSE THERE IS but that didn't put me off. And the story was a lot more GIRLPOWAH than the cutesy cover will make you think. Like the big conflict wasn't "Which of these penises will be hers????" but "Will she decide on the right sort of career path for herself?"
Which, come on. You didn't see that coming, and that made it amazeballs.
There's a love triangle because OF COURSE THERE IS but that didn't put me off. And the story was a lot more GIRLPOWAH than the cutesy cover will make you think. Like the big conflict wasn't "Which of these penises will be hers????" but "Will she decide on the right sort of career path for herself?"
Which, come on. You didn't see that coming, and that made it amazeballs.
July 8, 2014
This book is a page turner! I could not put it down. I found myself really caring about the characters. I am 34 years old, and I love YA fiction! There, I said it. The characters are charming, funny, interesting, and sincere. It is obvious that Laura Wettersten did her Ren Faire homework, because the setting is so authentically described. Without spoiling anything, I will add that the metaphorical language and aspects of the plot that seem to parallel one another are expertly crafted. Bravo!
June 9, 2014
I loved this book i thought it was so cute. The main character Rowena was just a naturally good hearted person. I also really loved Will although he was not super swoon worthy. My favorite part of the whole book is the setting. The book takes place in a Renaissance faire which was so unique like when do you see that? So everyone had to dress and speak like the olden days which was fun. My favorite parts of the book were the face painting parts they were so much fun. I really loved Suze ,the girl Ro meets at the faire she was so much fun and just awesome. She's one of those characters you wish you had as a friend. I also loved Ramon and the Mulligan characters. This book had some really great secondary characters. The only thing i did not like is that Ro in the beginning was kind of obsessed with Christian and its one of those the right guy is right in front of you all along stories. In the beginning it is kind of hard to get into but stick it out trust me its worth it you don't want to miss out on such a great and unique story.
June 20, 2015
I don't need to write a long review to tell you guys my opinion: This novel was a funny and cute contemporary story. The idea of the fair was awesome =) There were two things though that bothered me though
1) Christian. I still don't get, why she liked him. Except for his looks of course, but that made her seem kinda shallow tbh.
2) The novel was SO predictable, it was actually kinda annoying. The moment Ro had met both Christian and Will I knew exactly what was going to happen. Which made point 1) even more annoying.
BUT the writing was actually quite good. And like I said, it was a light, funny and cute read. These are just the reasons, why it didn't get more stars.
1) Christian. I still don't get, why she liked him. Except for his looks of course, but that made her seem kinda shallow tbh.
2) The novel was SO predictable, it was actually kinda annoying. The moment Ro had met both Christian and Will I knew exactly what was going to happen. Which made point 1) even more annoying.
BUT the writing was actually quite good. And like I said, it was a light, funny and cute read. These are just the reasons, why it didn't get more stars.
Read
September 22, 2015Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Not Another Teen Cover
Drinking Buddy: More Mead!
Testosterone Estrogen Level: Summer Lovin'
Talky Talk: Huzzah!
Bonus Factors: Cast of Thousands
Bromance Status: Forsooth!
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Not Another Teen Cover
Drinking Buddy: More Mead!
Talky Talk: Huzzah!
Bonus Factors: Cast of Thousands
Bromance Status: Forsooth!
Read the full book report here.
July 5, 2024
Okay, I was obsessed with this book in high school and you know what, honestly I still am. I am 100% even more obsessed now knowing that the setting is inspired by the Ohio Renaissance Faire which I have been to… multiple times. 10/10 the perfect summer read.
August 18, 2019
I was less than enthralled with the love triangle, but I really liked the setting of the renaissance faire and seeing Rowena develop friendships. I loved Suze. She was really fun and a good friend to Ro. I enjoyed the descriptions of all the booths at the faire. Ro really grew and changed a lot, which I liked a lot. Overall a cute, fun, summery read.
June 9, 2014
I can't get enough of contemporary novels introducing the average teen to nerdy things. This time it's RenFest!
Sure, the novel starts in a stereotypical way: A girl is mourning her romance after her boyfriend is caught cheating (or appears to be caught cheating, though in this case it's true). So what does she do? She finds a new "thing" in her life, a way to hide from him and her feelings about the situation. In this book, the perfect place to hide comes in the form of a Renaissance Faire.
Of course, the usual love triangle arrives. Imagine my joy to learn that the love triangle was between two guys at the faire, though, instead of one at the faire and the return of the ex. So often in these cases, it turns out that the rumors about the ex were false and that what she thought she saw was wrong, or that the rumors were right and he either convinces her they weren't or he has some "reason" why it happened but it won't happen again. But, nope, the ex is out of the picture, although the recent break-up does complicate her attempts at Fairemance--that would be a no-strings-attached summer fling between faire workers.
Ro, our heroine, does struggle with more than just the romantic during the summer. I was surprised at the beginning that she wasn't invested in this art thing. So many YA main characters have that artsy thing that they're passionate about and wish they could go on with. Ro starts out thinking that art was this fun elective that she felt she was doing well at, and that might qualify her for this face-painting gig at the RenFest (Since the Renaissance faire in the book is based off Ohio Renaissance Festival, I'm going to keep calling it RenFest, hope you don't mind). Only through the reactions of those whose faces she paints does she find a true love for painting. Then the problem becomes her parents and their goals for their daughter, and then telling them what she wants to do with her life becomes a big source of conflict.
Will had my heart from the moment he showed up (chapter 2, I believe). So, when Ro starts pining after Christian simply because he's hot and plays a knight, I started rolling my eyes. But Christian did show her a lot of attention, and it was clear that he did want a Fairemance with her, so at least it wasn't a case of chasing the hot guy who doesn't notice her and ignoring the adorkable hottie who wants her. Will is pretty much an A-plus in my book, though. A guy who's nice and considerate around her, who she can carry a conversation with, who knows what he wants to major in in college and is passionate about it (physics, btw), who is funny, and who is strong enough to do whip tricks? All Christian has going for him is that he's hot.
The book is full of setting, obviously: a remote fairgrounds where the employees work and live. You had jousts, and sword-crafting, and wood-carved trolls, and a king, and the mud show, and troubadours, and lots of turkey legs. I could have used a few more details that I'm used to seeing at RenFest--girls with raccoon tails, belly-dancers, tavern songs at the tavern, fairy wings, and so on. Where were the customers in costume? And this is a probably a readability thing, but except for Will, the employees rarely played their part during faire hours. I wanted to see Ro's struggle with playing the Renaissance maiden, but all she had to deal with were clothes and turning off her cell phone.
Anyway, overall a light-hearted, fun read, especially for a nerd like me :)
Recommended for fans of: Renaissance festivals, love triangles, contemp YA, face-painting, jousting and/or whip tricks, adorkable love interests, coming-of-age in an artsy way, and wood-carved trolls.
Sure, the novel starts in a stereotypical way: A girl is mourning her romance after her boyfriend is caught cheating (or appears to be caught cheating, though in this case it's true). So what does she do? She finds a new "thing" in her life, a way to hide from him and her feelings about the situation. In this book, the perfect place to hide comes in the form of a Renaissance Faire.
Of course, the usual love triangle arrives. Imagine my joy to learn that the love triangle was between two guys at the faire, though, instead of one at the faire and the return of the ex. So often in these cases, it turns out that the rumors about the ex were false and that what she thought she saw was wrong, or that the rumors were right and he either convinces her they weren't or he has some "reason" why it happened but it won't happen again. But, nope, the ex is out of the picture, although the recent break-up does complicate her attempts at Fairemance--that would be a no-strings-attached summer fling between faire workers.
Ro, our heroine, does struggle with more than just the romantic during the summer. I was surprised at the beginning that she wasn't invested in this art thing. So many YA main characters have that artsy thing that they're passionate about and wish they could go on with. Ro starts out thinking that art was this fun elective that she felt she was doing well at, and that might qualify her for this face-painting gig at the RenFest (Since the Renaissance faire in the book is based off Ohio Renaissance Festival, I'm going to keep calling it RenFest, hope you don't mind). Only through the reactions of those whose faces she paints does she find a true love for painting. Then the problem becomes her parents and their goals for their daughter, and then telling them what she wants to do with her life becomes a big source of conflict.
Will had my heart from the moment he showed up (chapter 2, I believe). So, when Ro starts pining after Christian simply because he's hot and plays a knight, I started rolling my eyes. But Christian did show her a lot of attention, and it was clear that he did want a Fairemance with her, so at least it wasn't a case of chasing the hot guy who doesn't notice her and ignoring the adorkable hottie who wants her. Will is pretty much an A-plus in my book, though. A guy who's nice and considerate around her, who she can carry a conversation with, who knows what he wants to major in in college and is passionate about it (physics, btw), who is funny, and who is strong enough to do whip tricks? All Christian has going for him is that he's hot.
The book is full of setting, obviously: a remote fairgrounds where the employees work and live. You had jousts, and sword-crafting, and wood-carved trolls, and a king, and the mud show, and troubadours, and lots of turkey legs. I could have used a few more details that I'm used to seeing at RenFest--girls with raccoon tails, belly-dancers, tavern songs at the tavern, fairy wings, and so on. Where were the customers in costume? And this is a probably a readability thing, but except for Will, the employees rarely played their part during faire hours. I wanted to see Ro's struggle with playing the Renaissance maiden, but all she had to deal with were clothes and turning off her cell phone.
Anyway, overall a light-hearted, fun read, especially for a nerd like me :)
Recommended for fans of: Renaissance festivals, love triangles, contemp YA, face-painting, jousting and/or whip tricks, adorkable love interests, coming-of-age in an artsy way, and wood-carved trolls.
December 10, 2018
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good great characters, and amazing story line.
Want to read
April 21, 2014
Is it just me or does the premise sound eerily the same as Going Vintage just with each protagonist living in different time periods?
Either way, this sounds right up my alley.
January 6, 2018
I first spotted this book on a bookshelf at Barnes and Noble. The title and the bright colors jumped out at me immediately and I'm not going to lie to you, my first thought was, "Oh my God, that looks so cheesy."
I'm no stranger to Renaissance Faires. I've been visiting them regularly since high school. My best friend even married a Knight that she met there and traveled the Ren Faire circuit with him, working jobs as an artist and a seamstress. As for me? I've never worked the circuit, though I have spent a few weekends as a merchant, selling and signing books or, in one instance, wind chimes.
Like I said, I've had more than my FAIRE share of experience with Renaissance world. It's because of that experience that I decided that, cheesy cover or not, I had to read this book.
And can I tell you something? It wasn't cheesy at all! I downright LOVED this book. It captured the atmosphere of the Renaissance Faire perfectly, from the smells to the sounds to the sights to the patrons. I felt like I was there the entire time. I also loved the characters, especially Suze and Will. God, I want a Will. He's wonderful. Ro's journey to self-acceptance also reminded me of why I've worked so hard to become an author. Back when I first started telling people I wanted to write, I was met with nothing but negativity and "you'll never make any money that way." Is that really how people live their lives? Is that really how I wanted to live my life?
I loved this book. It reminded me of the sheer joy of doing what I love and of how beautiful and colorful this world is. I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever followed their dreams. Or who can't resist a cute guy dressed in ye olde Renaissance garb.
I'm no stranger to Renaissance Faires. I've been visiting them regularly since high school. My best friend even married a Knight that she met there and traveled the Ren Faire circuit with him, working jobs as an artist and a seamstress. As for me? I've never worked the circuit, though I have spent a few weekends as a merchant, selling and signing books or, in one instance, wind chimes.
Like I said, I've had more than my FAIRE share of experience with Renaissance world. It's because of that experience that I decided that, cheesy cover or not, I had to read this book.
And can I tell you something? It wasn't cheesy at all! I downright LOVED this book. It captured the atmosphere of the Renaissance Faire perfectly, from the smells to the sounds to the sights to the patrons. I felt like I was there the entire time. I also loved the characters, especially Suze and Will. God, I want a Will. He's wonderful. Ro's journey to self-acceptance also reminded me of why I've worked so hard to become an author. Back when I first started telling people I wanted to write, I was met with nothing but negativity and "you'll never make any money that way." Is that really how people live their lives? Is that really how I wanted to live my life?
I loved this book. It reminded me of the sheer joy of doing what I love and of how beautiful and colorful this world is. I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever followed their dreams. Or who can't resist a cute guy dressed in ye olde Renaissance garb.
May 26, 2018
A Ren Fest Girl's Delight
For anyone who loves the Ren Fest and the idea of getting away from it all (and maybe finding true love), this cute romance is for you. Definitely geared toward teen girls, this book went behind the scenes at a Ren Fest where Ro--our heroine--hopes to get away from a broken heart and possibly find her knight in shining armor. The romance plot is very cookie cutter for a rom com (girl meets cute/dorky boy, girl meets hot guy, falls for hot guy when cute/dorky guy is so much better for her, etc) but Ro came into her tough skin quicker than some more head-bashing-against-a-wall heroines. Which I definitely appreciated. Such a cute read!! And definitely made me anxious to get back into Faire Season!
For anyone who loves the Ren Fest and the idea of getting away from it all (and maybe finding true love), this cute romance is for you. Definitely geared toward teen girls, this book went behind the scenes at a Ren Fest where Ro--our heroine--hopes to get away from a broken heart and possibly find her knight in shining armor. The romance plot is very cookie cutter for a rom com (girl meets cute/dorky boy, girl meets hot guy, falls for hot guy when cute/dorky guy is so much better for her, etc) but Ro came into her tough skin quicker than some more head-bashing-against-a-wall heroines. Which I definitely appreciated. Such a cute read!! And definitely made me anxious to get back into Faire Season!
May 31, 2022
I love a good coming of age story, and this is one of the most wholesome I’ve read. Ro started her summer depressed over a cheating boyfriend. On a whim, she decided to apply for a job at a Renaissance Faire where she would be living for the summer. At the Faire, she finds new friends, a second family, and has a cute summer romance. This book is also exactly why I love a good YA book. Simple writing that is not overdone.
January 11, 2025
This was a cute and comfy read, nothing exciting. But it was wholesome :)
December 29, 2014
Rowena Duncan is a thoroughly modern girl with big plans for her summer—until she catches her boyfriend making out with another girl. Heartbroken, she applies to an out-of-town job posting and finds herself somewhere she never expected: the Renaissance Faire.
As a face-painter doubling as a serving wench, Ro is thrown headfirst into a vibrant community of artists and performers. She feels like a fish out of water until Will, a quick-witted whip cracker, takes her under his wing. Then there’s Christian, a blue-eyed stunt jouster who makes Ro weak in the knees. Soon, it’s not just her gown that’s tripping her up.
Trading in the internet and electricity for stars and campfires was supposed to make life simpler, but Ro is finding that love is the ultimate complication. Can she let the past make way for her future?
This was a cute story and it had everything that I love about books. Who doesn’t love Renaissance Faire? I know that I do, I even went to Faire couple times when it came to my area, and I love them. It’s one of the reasons that I loved this book, because most of it took place at Renaissance Faire and since I been to one couple times, I could picture almost everything that was happening there. It’s what made My Faire Lady different from the other books that took place in that time, it wasn’t time travel, it was current period. There was always something happening there, and it makes the reader realize how much work the employees have to do every day. I noticed how much working there, changed Rowena, it’s like she became a completely different person after. Of course once I reached the end, I was wondering if she come back next summer, if Will and Rowena make the relationship work. My Faire Lady is a novel that will have you thinking about characters after it comes to end.
I loved Suze & Will, loved how the two of them accepted her, and took her under their wind from start. The three of them had an instant bond, especially Rowena & Suze. Of course you can’t help but love Suze, she was outgoing and made sure everyone having a good time. She’s a lot like my best friend, Mariah. Rowena & Suze are just like the two of us, like them, we had an instant connection. When the two of them fought, it actually made me sad and I hoped that they would make up. Once they did, I was smiling. Now Will is another story, I had feeling that she might like him from start, just way that she checked him out few times, I am pretty sure that just friends don’t do that. I think that she was concentrating so much on Christian, of wanting him to kiss her, that she pushed it on back of her mind. I was wondering when she would realize it. Even I realized it how he feels about her before she did.
Now Christian, I had a feeling that there was something off about him, expect I can’t really explain what it was. He seemed decent enough at first and I could see why she liked him, who wouldn’t? But moment he started taking calls and ditching her alone, I had a feeling that something was up. I felt bad for her, when she found that he was cheater just like her ex been, it seemed like she couldn’t escape from her past. In way I am glad that she found out when she did, before things gone too far. Her art, the descriptions of how she drew her art, it took my breath away. I might not be an artist but I love art. I pictured every single thing, and like Suze and Will I hope she would consider majoring in art. Her parents surprised me, they took her confession better that I thought they would, I was sure that they would be completely against it, considering how she mentioned how strict they were. I guess sometimes people surprise you.
My Faire Lady is a novel filled with humor, romance, adventure, acceptance, letting go. Plus it has quite bit history in a mix. A debut author that I will looking forward to the next adventure.
As a face-painter doubling as a serving wench, Ro is thrown headfirst into a vibrant community of artists and performers. She feels like a fish out of water until Will, a quick-witted whip cracker, takes her under his wing. Then there’s Christian, a blue-eyed stunt jouster who makes Ro weak in the knees. Soon, it’s not just her gown that’s tripping her up.
Trading in the internet and electricity for stars and campfires was supposed to make life simpler, but Ro is finding that love is the ultimate complication. Can she let the past make way for her future?
This was a cute story and it had everything that I love about books. Who doesn’t love Renaissance Faire? I know that I do, I even went to Faire couple times when it came to my area, and I love them. It’s one of the reasons that I loved this book, because most of it took place at Renaissance Faire and since I been to one couple times, I could picture almost everything that was happening there. It’s what made My Faire Lady different from the other books that took place in that time, it wasn’t time travel, it was current period. There was always something happening there, and it makes the reader realize how much work the employees have to do every day. I noticed how much working there, changed Rowena, it’s like she became a completely different person after. Of course once I reached the end, I was wondering if she come back next summer, if Will and Rowena make the relationship work. My Faire Lady is a novel that will have you thinking about characters after it comes to end.
I loved Suze & Will, loved how the two of them accepted her, and took her under their wind from start. The three of them had an instant bond, especially Rowena & Suze. Of course you can’t help but love Suze, she was outgoing and made sure everyone having a good time. She’s a lot like my best friend, Mariah. Rowena & Suze are just like the two of us, like them, we had an instant connection. When the two of them fought, it actually made me sad and I hoped that they would make up. Once they did, I was smiling. Now Will is another story, I had feeling that she might like him from start, just way that she checked him out few times, I am pretty sure that just friends don’t do that. I think that she was concentrating so much on Christian, of wanting him to kiss her, that she pushed it on back of her mind. I was wondering when she would realize it. Even I realized it how he feels about her before she did.
Now Christian, I had a feeling that there was something off about him, expect I can’t really explain what it was. He seemed decent enough at first and I could see why she liked him, who wouldn’t? But moment he started taking calls and ditching her alone, I had a feeling that something was up. I felt bad for her, when she found that he was cheater just like her ex been, it seemed like she couldn’t escape from her past. In way I am glad that she found out when she did, before things gone too far. Her art, the descriptions of how she drew her art, it took my breath away. I might not be an artist but I love art. I pictured every single thing, and like Suze and Will I hope she would consider majoring in art. Her parents surprised me, they took her confession better that I thought they would, I was sure that they would be completely against it, considering how she mentioned how strict they were. I guess sometimes people surprise you.
My Faire Lady is a novel filled with humor, romance, adventure, acceptance, letting go. Plus it has quite bit history in a mix. A debut author that I will looking forward to the next adventure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2021
Okay. I need to complain. A lot. This is gonna be some Virgin River-level griping, so either buckle up or keep scrolling because it’s gonna get rough.
Despite all the warning bells in my head, I was willing to overlook the Cute-Boy-vs-Hot-Boy YA trope for this book, because hello, it’s set in a freaking Renaissance Faire. And not only that, the author consulted my very own, very favorite, much-adored Ohio Renaissance Festival for her research. I was really hoping to be transported the way I am when attending Faire.
But maybe that closeness is what made some of the things in this book just flat out unforgivable. I may have been able to overlook more if there was a lot more distance there. It started small - the parking lot in the book had a sign that read “This way to the 15th century!” But, considering the cast spoke in English accents when in character, and the Renaissance in England was more a 16th-17th century thing, this was strike one. For claiming to be a bunch of history geeks, the folks running King Geoffery’s Faire were WRONG on that count. Still, small gripe, so I was willing to overlook it. Even though Jeff himself is SUCH a stickler for historical accuracy that he basically writes Rowena up for wearing flip-flops to one of her shifts (what a hypocrite, sheesh).
But then, we’re told that hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Faire attendees were dressed in modern clothes. Girl, have you ever BEEN to a Faire? Modern clothes are RARE. Most everyone is in some kind of garb. It’s a real feast for the eyes and my very favorite thing about Faire.
So now I had my serious doubts that she had ever even been to a Faire, despite mentioning in the acknowledgments that she had. Which seems like a basic pre-req for writing a book like this. Things were happening that kinda had that, “Uh, yeah, I guess they do stuff like this at these sort of events” ring to them, which felt clunky and disingenuous.
Somewhere in this mix, our two male leads are introduced. One is described as cute, the other is described as hot. No joke. So, the Cute-Boy-vs-Hot-Boy shtick got real SUPER fast.
And then. THEN.
Cute Boy had the, the AUDACITY, the GALL, to make disparaging remarks about what the rennies call “Ringers,” or Lord of the Rings fans, implying that it was unfortunate that they were there. UNFORTUNATE.
Ahem.
EXCUSE ME YOU LITTLE HOBBIT-HATING TURD, BUT REN FAIRES EXIST FOR PEOPLE LIKE “RINGERS” AND IF YOU DON’T LIKE THEM WHY DID YOU EVEN APPLY FOR THAT JOB YOU IGNORANT EMPTY-HEADED STUCK-UP JERK That would be like me, as a librarian, saying at work, “Yeah, you’ll see a fair number of people here who like to read. Unfortunately.” Like, the urge to throw the book at the wall was STRONG, y’all.
This was all before page 40. At this point, sheer anger is what motivated me to keep reading. I was just like, “Yeah?? What else you got to say about my people???”
So far the only thing she’s really gotten right is that turkey legs weirdly taste like ham.
Also, let’s talk about Rowena. Ro. What’s to like about her? Seriously asking. Other than being very good at her job both in the technical and personal sense, I can’t find a thing. She seems awfully full of herself. She has this habit of mentally rating guys on how good-looking they are, and nothing else - “Will was cute, but his rennie getup made it hard to tell.” “Christian was the hottest guy I’d ever seen.” “Grant was good-looking, but not as cute as Will.” “Not sure I liked Will in glasses, but at least he looked more hipster than nerd.” It’s annoying when boys do it to girls, so let’s maybe treat them with the same deference we want, mmkay? (Also, if you think someone is a nerd just because they need to put something on their face in order to SEE, that’s snobby at best and ableist at worst. Grow up.)
The thing that troubled me the most, though, is the way she - a MINOR - behaved around attractive men. SUPER problematic. Quick quiz: If you had just met a dude, even if he was very attractive, and you catch him looking at you (but not your eyes/face, to borrow the book’s own lewd implication), would you preen under his attention? Get your 17-year-old self drunk on mead and whiskey at a bonfire and let him try to make out with you in the woods after you’ve known him for maybe a full three minutes? Continue to throw yourself at him for weeks? Ignore him when he blatantly tells you he’s a rogue and a cad, then act surprised and hurt when it turns out he actually is?? I HOPE NOT. Life lesson time: If some guy you just met stares at your boobs, then gets you drunk and takes you out into the woods the next time you meet him, the proper thing to do is GET YOURSELF TO SAFETY BECAUSE HE IS A CREEEEEEEP. Don’t give him any opportunities for any of that other aforementioned stuff to happen.
I just can’t with this girl.
I will say, on a more positive note, that I like reading about her when she’s in full artist mode. It’s easy to tell that her passion for her artwork is the most genuine thing about her, whether she is drawing in her sketch pad or painting a child’s face, and on that side of things, I believe she is very good at her job. And I like the way she interacts with her customers in the face painting tent. The writing flowed the most naturally in these passages, too, so I must tip my hat to acknowledge this. I also applaud the fact that Ren Faire is described as being more than history geeks and pointy ears and children longing to see dragons - it is art and friendship and so much more. Definitely more to it than the disappearing notion that Ren Faires are for nerds.
Anyways. On the technical side of things, the writing as a whole was a bit too simplistic for my preferences, and the plot moved at a super leisurely pace with predictable outcomes at every turn. Oftentimes I felt impatient, like I wanted something to happen or a conflict turn into something bigger or see a character experience some development or, ya know, other stuff that makes a book engaging. Oh well. After treating her friends like absolute crap for 80% of the book, good things start happening and she starts to develop more nicely, but by then, we just had too much growth to accomplish and not enough pages left to do it in without it feeling rushed. I did manage to feel warmer towards the end than I did for most of the book, but still not enough to earn more than two stars.
All of these admittedly super grumpy and curmudgeonly opinions might have something to do with the fact that I am about twice as old as what the intended readers of this book are going to be. The main characters’ ex-boyfriend’s parents were described as being fans of the music that was popular when I was a kid (described as “music from a bygone era,” lol), so if that gives you any indication of what the target audience’s age is versus what MY age is…yeah. Not only that, the whole book seemed to have a slight subtextual tone that the people who attend these sorts of events (especially if they wear garb) are cringey nerds who should be embarrassed about their interests, which touched a nerve.
If it weren’t for a number of insurmountable obstacles to my enjoyment of this book, I might have seen myself recommending it to someone who is unfamiliar with/curious about Renaissance festivals in general. There’s enough here to at least give one a flavor of what it’s like (and make Faire veterans like myself hungry to go back), even if it’s WAY off the mark in a lot of ways, such as staff rolling their eyes at people who come in garb - arguably, the BEST. PART. of any Ren Fest is taking in all the costuming because people put SO MUCH into their clothing and festival characters, and the more attendees that are in garb/in character, the more immersive it is. I mean, shoot, if the people who run these events didn’t want you in garb, they wouldn’t fill the grounds to the brim with vendors selling garb and its accompanying accessories. However, Rowena’s overall selfish and shallow nature and the general artlessness of the writing make it a no-go for me. Just go to your nearest festival, support the vendors by making a few purchases, eat some good food, drink some good beer (or mead), enjoy some good music and showmanship, and support festivals that way instead. Oh, and WEAR YOUR GARB.
Despite all the warning bells in my head, I was willing to overlook the Cute-Boy-vs-Hot-Boy YA trope for this book, because hello, it’s set in a freaking Renaissance Faire. And not only that, the author consulted my very own, very favorite, much-adored Ohio Renaissance Festival for her research. I was really hoping to be transported the way I am when attending Faire.
But maybe that closeness is what made some of the things in this book just flat out unforgivable. I may have been able to overlook more if there was a lot more distance there. It started small - the parking lot in the book had a sign that read “This way to the 15th century!” But, considering the cast spoke in English accents when in character, and the Renaissance in England was more a 16th-17th century thing, this was strike one. For claiming to be a bunch of history geeks, the folks running King Geoffery’s Faire were WRONG on that count. Still, small gripe, so I was willing to overlook it. Even though Jeff himself is SUCH a stickler for historical accuracy that he basically writes Rowena up for wearing flip-flops to one of her shifts (what a hypocrite, sheesh).
But then, we’re told that hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Faire attendees were dressed in modern clothes. Girl, have you ever BEEN to a Faire? Modern clothes are RARE. Most everyone is in some kind of garb. It’s a real feast for the eyes and my very favorite thing about Faire.
So now I had my serious doubts that she had ever even been to a Faire, despite mentioning in the acknowledgments that she had. Which seems like a basic pre-req for writing a book like this. Things were happening that kinda had that, “Uh, yeah, I guess they do stuff like this at these sort of events” ring to them, which felt clunky and disingenuous.
Somewhere in this mix, our two male leads are introduced. One is described as cute, the other is described as hot. No joke. So, the Cute-Boy-vs-Hot-Boy shtick got real SUPER fast.
And then. THEN.
Cute Boy had the, the AUDACITY, the GALL, to make disparaging remarks about what the rennies call “Ringers,” or Lord of the Rings fans, implying that it was unfortunate that they were there. UNFORTUNATE.
Ahem.
EXCUSE ME YOU LITTLE HOBBIT-HATING TURD, BUT REN FAIRES EXIST FOR PEOPLE LIKE “RINGERS” AND IF YOU DON’T LIKE THEM WHY DID YOU EVEN APPLY FOR THAT JOB YOU IGNORANT EMPTY-HEADED STUCK-UP JERK That would be like me, as a librarian, saying at work, “Yeah, you’ll see a fair number of people here who like to read. Unfortunately.” Like, the urge to throw the book at the wall was STRONG, y’all.
This was all before page 40. At this point, sheer anger is what motivated me to keep reading. I was just like, “Yeah?? What else you got to say about my people???”
So far the only thing she’s really gotten right is that turkey legs weirdly taste like ham.
Also, let’s talk about Rowena. Ro. What’s to like about her? Seriously asking. Other than being very good at her job both in the technical and personal sense, I can’t find a thing. She seems awfully full of herself. She has this habit of mentally rating guys on how good-looking they are, and nothing else - “Will was cute, but his rennie getup made it hard to tell.” “Christian was the hottest guy I’d ever seen.” “Grant was good-looking, but not as cute as Will.” “Not sure I liked Will in glasses, but at least he looked more hipster than nerd.” It’s annoying when boys do it to girls, so let’s maybe treat them with the same deference we want, mmkay? (Also, if you think someone is a nerd just because they need to put something on their face in order to SEE, that’s snobby at best and ableist at worst. Grow up.)
The thing that troubled me the most, though, is the way she - a MINOR - behaved around attractive men. SUPER problematic. Quick quiz: If you had just met a dude, even if he was very attractive, and you catch him looking at you (but not your eyes/face, to borrow the book’s own lewd implication), would you preen under his attention? Get your 17-year-old self drunk on mead and whiskey at a bonfire and let him try to make out with you in the woods after you’ve known him for maybe a full three minutes? Continue to throw yourself at him for weeks? Ignore him when he blatantly tells you he’s a rogue and a cad, then act surprised and hurt when it turns out he actually is?? I HOPE NOT. Life lesson time: If some guy you just met stares at your boobs, then gets you drunk and takes you out into the woods the next time you meet him, the proper thing to do is GET YOURSELF TO SAFETY BECAUSE HE IS A CREEEEEEEP. Don’t give him any opportunities for any of that other aforementioned stuff to happen.
I just can’t with this girl.
I will say, on a more positive note, that I like reading about her when she’s in full artist mode. It’s easy to tell that her passion for her artwork is the most genuine thing about her, whether she is drawing in her sketch pad or painting a child’s face, and on that side of things, I believe she is very good at her job. And I like the way she interacts with her customers in the face painting tent. The writing flowed the most naturally in these passages, too, so I must tip my hat to acknowledge this. I also applaud the fact that Ren Faire is described as being more than history geeks and pointy ears and children longing to see dragons - it is art and friendship and so much more. Definitely more to it than the disappearing notion that Ren Faires are for nerds.
Anyways. On the technical side of things, the writing as a whole was a bit too simplistic for my preferences, and the plot moved at a super leisurely pace with predictable outcomes at every turn. Oftentimes I felt impatient, like I wanted something to happen or a conflict turn into something bigger or see a character experience some development or, ya know, other stuff that makes a book engaging. Oh well. After treating her friends like absolute crap for 80% of the book, good things start happening and she starts to develop more nicely, but by then, we just had too much growth to accomplish and not enough pages left to do it in without it feeling rushed. I did manage to feel warmer towards the end than I did for most of the book, but still not enough to earn more than two stars.
All of these admittedly super grumpy and curmudgeonly opinions might have something to do with the fact that I am about twice as old as what the intended readers of this book are going to be. The main characters’ ex-boyfriend’s parents were described as being fans of the music that was popular when I was a kid (described as “music from a bygone era,” lol), so if that gives you any indication of what the target audience’s age is versus what MY age is…yeah. Not only that, the whole book seemed to have a slight subtextual tone that the people who attend these sorts of events (especially if they wear garb) are cringey nerds who should be embarrassed about their interests, which touched a nerve.
If it weren’t for a number of insurmountable obstacles to my enjoyment of this book, I might have seen myself recommending it to someone who is unfamiliar with/curious about Renaissance festivals in general. There’s enough here to at least give one a flavor of what it’s like (and make Faire veterans like myself hungry to go back), even if it’s WAY off the mark in a lot of ways, such as staff rolling their eyes at people who come in garb - arguably, the BEST. PART. of any Ren Fest is taking in all the costuming because people put SO MUCH into their clothing and festival characters, and the more attendees that are in garb/in character, the more immersive it is. I mean, shoot, if the people who run these events didn’t want you in garb, they wouldn’t fill the grounds to the brim with vendors selling garb and its accompanying accessories. However, Rowena’s overall selfish and shallow nature and the general artlessness of the writing make it a no-go for me. Just go to your nearest festival, support the vendors by making a few purchases, eat some good food, drink some good beer (or mead), enjoy some good music and showmanship, and support festivals that way instead. Oh, and WEAR YOUR GARB.
October 13, 2014
I don't read contemporary often, so I picked this book up on a total whim. I'm glad I did. I was looking for something fun and light and that is exactly what I got with My Faire Lady. The story, the characters, the plot; everything was just wonderful.
The story centers around Rowena "Ro" Duncan who, in an effort to get over the boyfriend who broke her heart, takes a job as a face painter/serving wench at a Renaissance Faire. There she meets cute boys, makes friends and discovers her true passion has always been art. Through many ups and downs, Ro grows as a character, making mature decisions and some not so mature decisions over the course of four weeks. I really liked Ro. For the most part, she had a good head on her shoulders and was smart and capable. Her interactions with the supporting characters were usually fun to read. Her interaction with the two boys she grows close to, Will and Christian, were good to, but Will was definitely the better man.
Will is the "whip-cracker" at the faire. He does tricks with a whip, more or less. He's super sweet and kind, with a heart of gold, and he always manages to help Ro when she needs him. He was one of my favorite characters. For the most part, Christian is a mystery. He stays that way until almost the end of the book when Ro discovers the truth about him.
The first friend she makes is Suze, a fellow serving wench, who's parents also work at the faire. Suze is the friend everyone wants to have: funny, bold, outgoing, and kind. I liked her a lot, too.
But my favorite character, by far, was the character of Ramon, the faire cook. Ramon puts on a show of being angry all the time, but underneath all that anger is a wise soul who's seen it all. His sage advice to Ro was beautiful and his scenes in the book were gold.
The remaining characters are all unique and well characterized. I wouldn't mind going to King Geoffrey's Faire myself!
As a standalone contemporary, this book is excellent, but I can't help feeling that I need a second book. I loved these characters, the setting, the story itself so much, I want to know what happens to everyone after the book ends. I believe this is the author's debut novel (not sure) and I'm happy to say that the book is wonderful and a great read. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone! I'll be keeping an eye out for more books by this author!
The story centers around Rowena "Ro" Duncan who, in an effort to get over the boyfriend who broke her heart, takes a job as a face painter/serving wench at a Renaissance Faire. There she meets cute boys, makes friends and discovers her true passion has always been art. Through many ups and downs, Ro grows as a character, making mature decisions and some not so mature decisions over the course of four weeks. I really liked Ro. For the most part, she had a good head on her shoulders and was smart and capable. Her interactions with the supporting characters were usually fun to read. Her interaction with the two boys she grows close to, Will and Christian, were good to, but Will was definitely the better man.
Will is the "whip-cracker" at the faire. He does tricks with a whip, more or less. He's super sweet and kind, with a heart of gold, and he always manages to help Ro when she needs him. He was one of my favorite characters. For the most part, Christian is a mystery. He stays that way until almost the end of the book when Ro discovers the truth about him.
The first friend she makes is Suze, a fellow serving wench, who's parents also work at the faire. Suze is the friend everyone wants to have: funny, bold, outgoing, and kind. I liked her a lot, too.
But my favorite character, by far, was the character of Ramon, the faire cook. Ramon puts on a show of being angry all the time, but underneath all that anger is a wise soul who's seen it all. His sage advice to Ro was beautiful and his scenes in the book were gold.
The remaining characters are all unique and well characterized. I wouldn't mind going to King Geoffrey's Faire myself!
As a standalone contemporary, this book is excellent, but I can't help feeling that I need a second book. I loved these characters, the setting, the story itself so much, I want to know what happens to everyone after the book ends. I believe this is the author's debut novel (not sure) and I'm happy to say that the book is wonderful and a great read. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone! I'll be keeping an eye out for more books by this author!
June 9, 2017
This book was a pleasure to read, which is saying something since I am hardly Laura Wettersten's target audience. You know what? Scratch that; when a book is well written, its target audience is everybody (or it should be), and 'My Faire Lady' is indeed well written. The characters are engaging (no stale tropes here, thank you very much), and the dialog rings true. Good characters and good dialog are no small things. They are, in fact, the first things I look for when starting a book, and when I don't find them after the first dozen pages or so, I can be pretty sure that I won't be finishing that book (life is too short to read bad books). I finished 'My Faire Lady' with a smile on my face. Thank you, Laura.
On the opening pages we meet a heartbroken Rowena Duncan as she leaves for a summer job at King Geoffrey's Renaissance Faire, far away from her hometown and her cheating boyfriend. The heartbreak doesn't last forever, Ro is too strong a girl for that, and soon we meet a colorful group of friends and frenemies as Ro embarks on her summer adventure. I liked Ro Duncan a lot - she's a real, honest to God teenager, a refreshing change from the usual 'Young Adult' types (impossibly glib, tragically hip, annoyingly witty, wise, and winsome - like we all were at seventeen, right?) Laura Wettersten, a witty and winsome writer herself, deftly sidesteps that pothole by allowing her kids to be kids. Yes, Ro is smart, funny, and certainly she is likable...but she also makes her share of mistakes. She even gets downright petulant once and a while (you know, like we all did at seventeen). We pull for Ro, and Suze, and Will, precisely because they are genuine. Adult readers of this book will certainly remember what it was to stand at that wonderful-mysterious-sexy-scary threshold between childhood and adulthood. As for younger readers, they will meet a good friend in Ro, one they can no doubt relate to.
Good characters, good dialog, and a refreshingly REAL story, what more can a reader ask for? I end my review of 'My Faire Lady' as I began it; this book was a pleasure to read.
On the opening pages we meet a heartbroken Rowena Duncan as she leaves for a summer job at King Geoffrey's Renaissance Faire, far away from her hometown and her cheating boyfriend. The heartbreak doesn't last forever, Ro is too strong a girl for that, and soon we meet a colorful group of friends and frenemies as Ro embarks on her summer adventure. I liked Ro Duncan a lot - she's a real, honest to God teenager, a refreshing change from the usual 'Young Adult' types (impossibly glib, tragically hip, annoyingly witty, wise, and winsome - like we all were at seventeen, right?) Laura Wettersten, a witty and winsome writer herself, deftly sidesteps that pothole by allowing her kids to be kids. Yes, Ro is smart, funny, and certainly she is likable...but she also makes her share of mistakes. She even gets downright petulant once and a while (you know, like we all did at seventeen). We pull for Ro, and Suze, and Will, precisely because they are genuine. Adult readers of this book will certainly remember what it was to stand at that wonderful-mysterious-sexy-scary threshold between childhood and adulthood. As for younger readers, they will meet a good friend in Ro, one they can no doubt relate to.
Good characters, good dialog, and a refreshingly REAL story, what more can a reader ask for? I end my review of 'My Faire Lady' as I began it; this book was a pleasure to read.
August 9, 2014
So I'll just start by saying that I thought it was adorable. It was really what I pictured it would be. It's a cute story about a girl who wants to get away and ends up finding a job in a Ren faire. It's funny, it's insightful, and it's cute.
It really was funny. There's a good amount of sass in the story and a lot of funny quips. I actually laughed out loud in some parts because they were totally worth that. (I wasn't in public, but even if I was, I still would have laughed.)
I think the setting of this is really unique. I can't say I run across books about Ren faires on a daily basis. It was fun to read about something that is different yet still slightly familiar to me. (While I've never been to a Ren faire, a couple of my friends work in a living history museum, so they pretend all summer that they're from 1836.) And the characters in this were just as fun.
And the whole thing is just cute. I was looking for something with a dash of a cute romance in it and this served my purposes well. The guys...yum. The only qualm I had with the cuteness was that it was somewhat predictable. I mean, right from the beginning I picked who Ro would like best.
I struggled somewhat with the reading because I felt that there were places that lacked continuity. For example, the titles of each chapter tell you how long Ro's been there. By the end of the book, the chapters say she's been there just under 4 weeks. But if you pay attention to the wording in the story, it's been "all summer". So that seriously bugged me. I'm not really sure if it's something that I'm just not getting because I'm not from New England (do seasons work differently there?) or if it was an editing issue. That wasn't the only continuity issue I found, but it was the biggest.
Even through all of this, I really enjoyed this book. The humor and the adorableness really got me. Such fun.
It really was funny. There's a good amount of sass in the story and a lot of funny quips. I actually laughed out loud in some parts because they were totally worth that. (I wasn't in public, but even if I was, I still would have laughed.)
I think the setting of this is really unique. I can't say I run across books about Ren faires on a daily basis. It was fun to read about something that is different yet still slightly familiar to me. (While I've never been to a Ren faire, a couple of my friends work in a living history museum, so they pretend all summer that they're from 1836.) And the characters in this were just as fun.
And the whole thing is just cute. I was looking for something with a dash of a cute romance in it and this served my purposes well. The guys...yum. The only qualm I had with the cuteness was that it was somewhat predictable. I mean, right from the beginning I picked who Ro would like best.
I struggled somewhat with the reading because I felt that there were places that lacked continuity. For example, the titles of each chapter tell you how long Ro's been there. By the end of the book, the chapters say she's been there just under 4 weeks. But if you pay attention to the wording in the story, it's been "all summer". So that seriously bugged me. I'm not really sure if it's something that I'm just not getting because I'm not from New England (do seasons work differently there?) or if it was an editing issue. That wasn't the only continuity issue I found, but it was the biggest.
Even through all of this, I really enjoyed this book. The humor and the adorableness really got me. Such fun.
March 18, 2015
This was a book I found misplaced on a shelf at Barnes & Noble. What drew me in is the Renaissance Faire setting, it's not a typical setting and I found it really interesting. The author does a good job making you feel like an insider at a RenFaire, and you can tell she's researched working at one (which was in her acknowledgements). The main character Rowena (or Ro as she is called throughout and sometimes the nickname bothered me phonetically)accepts a job as a face painter to escape seeing her cheater ex-boyfriend at a mall job. The main character is likeable, and to me relatable, because I love to paint as well. What stood out to me though were all the wonderful secondary characters! Each one has an interesting backstory and personality. I loved how Ramón was always gruff, but in one on one conversations with Rowena we see his sweet side. Sage was the only female knight and I found her character intriquing, since if I were to work at a RenFaire, her's is the job I'd like to have. She gets to joust and participate in an otherwise male dominant sport-plus, she goes horseback riding and cares for the horses. My favorites have to be Will and Suze though. Suze is the daughter of "lifers" so she is able to show Ro the ropes and they become fast friends. She seems like the older sister type of person and all girls would like to have as a best friend. Will's humor and witty conversations with Ro were enjoyable and actually made me chuckle a bit while I was reading (which I hardly ever do).Right from when Will first appeared, I immediately liked his character. Ro thinks of him as a friend and instead spends the whole time chasing after a dreamy knight named Christian. Even though from the beginning I could predict which romantic interest Ro would choose, the journey was still very much enjoyable. A nice, personal discovery story and one I think would make a sweet romantic comedy movie!
June 26, 2014
Review to come!
Update: 6/25/14
Actual rating: 4.0 stars
My Faire Lady was a quick, cute read that will appeal to many readers. The story was very well written, with a main character that is quick, sarcastic, and hilarious, and side characters that you fall in love with. You can easily tell that Ms. Wettersten did her research in order to accurately describe the details of a Renaissance Faire, and I love when authors make the story as true-to-life as possible!
Rowena was a very charming character that was both realistic and relatable. She experiences a tremendous amount of growth over the course of the novel, and it was very nice to watch. Ms. Wettersten did a remarkable job at integrating both teen drama, but also not overdoing it. It was a nice balance that few authors can achieve, especially when writing contemporary novels. The romance was light and you easily fall in love with Will. Will was hilarious, cute, and sharp as a whip (you'll get that after you read the book). I was rooting for him from the very beginning, and you will be too. However, one of my favorite characters in this book is Suze. She had me cracking up, and is the exact type of friend you want in your life. From the minute she shows up in the book, you will fall in love with her character. There are plenty of characters to love in this book, and each had their own distinct personality that makes for a fun read.
I highly recommend checking this book out if you're looking for a quick, light-hearted love story that is also about finding yourself and having fun along the way. You get to experience new things along with Rowena, and will definitely feel like running away to the Renaissance Faire afterwards! Happy reading :)
Update: 6/25/14
Actual rating: 4.0 stars
My Faire Lady was a quick, cute read that will appeal to many readers. The story was very well written, with a main character that is quick, sarcastic, and hilarious, and side characters that you fall in love with. You can easily tell that Ms. Wettersten did her research in order to accurately describe the details of a Renaissance Faire, and I love when authors make the story as true-to-life as possible!
Rowena was a very charming character that was both realistic and relatable. She experiences a tremendous amount of growth over the course of the novel, and it was very nice to watch. Ms. Wettersten did a remarkable job at integrating both teen drama, but also not overdoing it. It was a nice balance that few authors can achieve, especially when writing contemporary novels. The romance was light and you easily fall in love with Will. Will was hilarious, cute, and sharp as a whip (you'll get that after you read the book). I was rooting for him from the very beginning, and you will be too. However, one of my favorite characters in this book is Suze. She had me cracking up, and is the exact type of friend you want in your life. From the minute she shows up in the book, you will fall in love with her character. There are plenty of characters to love in this book, and each had their own distinct personality that makes for a fun read.
I highly recommend checking this book out if you're looking for a quick, light-hearted love story that is also about finding yourself and having fun along the way. You get to experience new things along with Rowena, and will definitely feel like running away to the Renaissance Faire afterwards! Happy reading :)
December 13, 2024
This was a classic case of being drawn in by a cover but being left less than thrilled about the contents within. This cover is so cute and shouts summer fun. And while the story can at times be cute and is definitely a summery read, it falls squarely into the YA vein thanks to its juvenile tone and characters.
I will say that the idea of setting the story in a Renaissance Faire was a fun idea, and populating this world are some equally fun characters albeit not the lead character, Rowena (Ro for short) Duncan, who, for me, wasn't that enjoyable. I suppose this goes back to my age but her juvenile behavior and banter grated on my nerves at times, though I wouldn't say she was a stupid character. She's a teen who acts like a teen, thinks like a teen, and makes immature decisions like a teen. But to her credit, she is ambitious and, while hesitant about leaving all vestiges of modern life behind (as no technology or contemporary clothes are allowed inside the faire), she meets these challenges head on and seems determined to learn something positive from them. That being said, I would have loved to have seen more interactions between her and the faire-goers in her face-painting tent or even when she doubles as a serving wench. As it is, despite the fact her role as a face-painter is her summer job, and the novel's blurb implies it's going to focus on that, it doesn't get much attention. Instead, the novel decides to turn its attention to the typical trope-filled "love" triangle, which constitutes as the plot's backbone.
What encourages Ro to even seek a remote summer job in the first place is that she catches her boyfriend cheating on her with another (younger) girl. Honestly, I thought these drama-filled moments were eye-roll inducing, and, sadly, this is the plot's initial catalyst. This is a bit of a shame because it causes the novel's focus to veer directly into teen tropes, something that could have been avoided if it had devised a different reason for Ro's change of summer jobs, even something as simple as she wanted a change of pace to her life. But no, her reason is to escape the mall where she normally works because she doesn't want to run into her ex and his new squeeze. Maybe teen readers can better relate to this, but for me I thought it was annoyingly immature because, essentially, Ro wants to start drama by switching jobs just to avoid drama yet drama ensues.
So basically a large degree of the plot can best be summed up as follows:
In the same way, the rest of the novel dives into "love" triangle territory as it pairs Ro up with two young men who work at the faire, Will, a whip cracker, and Christian, a jouster. Immediately, I could tell the tropes Will and Christian were meant to fulfill the moment we're introduced to them: one is the kind, helpful, boy-next-door and the other is the hot "bad" boy. (I say "bad" in quotes because nothing this character does is morally unforgiving; instead, he just reveals himself to be a jerk.) For the sake of not revealing spoilers, I won't say which boy is which, but this reliance on tropes does take away from any sense of strong character development. I pretty much predicted how both of these boys would respond to events and who Ro would choose, and in the end I was right without any surprises.
Granted, Ro does learn how to stand up for herself and gain a better appreciation for life after unplugging herself from technology and modern conveniences. However, that's as deep as this novel gets in terms of any kind of a theme or message. My Faire Lady is akin to a summer popcorn flick in that it offers a light story, serves up some fun moments, and is as fluffy as cotton candy without much left to think about after it's over. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, I appreciate teen characters who aren't quite so on-the-nose juvenile and prone to drama at the drop of a hat. For that reason, I couldn't fully immerse myself in this story, and I sense it's appeal won't reach beyond the teenage demographic.
Overall, My Faire Lady is a fluffy summer read that, to its credit, has a fun atmosphere and setting. However, I sense this will appeal strictly to teens due to its writing style and characters who are too juvenile for an adult audience to tolerate for very long. That being said, there are several moments of teenage drinking that, while not a major plot focus, do cast a cloud over an otherwise relatively sunny tale. In the end, this novel is perfectly summed up in its cover - young, fun, summery, and colorful - but perhaps a bit too young for everyone.
Content:
Language - Profanity isn't pervasive and stays confined to PG/light-PG-13 words and terms.
Violence - None. There are demonstrations of jousting and other activities but nothing becomes violent. Also, teen characters sometimes display bad attitudes and juvenile antics ensue, but no one ever gets hurt.
Sexual Content - While there are no sex scenes, there is obvious chemistry between Ro and the two male leads. At times, Ro places herself in tempting situations though nothing leads to sex, at least not openly. However, one such scene has Ro and a boy falling asleep and waking up together; and while the story doesn't seem to imply anything more occurred, this was a compromising situation. In another scene, Ro returns from a shower area wearing just a towel and runs into some boys who, while not being openly crude, do make some snarky suggestive comments in jest. Lastly, Ro pines for and whines about her ex-boyfriend for quite some time, even to the point of spending days on a couch in a depressed state and wanting to exact revenge upon him later on.
Substance Abuse - The story depicts underage drinking without consequence. It's no secret that spirits flow freely at the faire. However, Ro does more than just serve faire-goers alcohol - she consumes some of it herself when the faire's denizens gather around an evening campfire for some downtime. Ro is a teenager, hence not 21 years of age; therefore, these scenes qualify as underage drinking and lead to some of the above-mentioned compromising moments. Granted, Ro's experience with alcohol isn't positive, but she never decides that she shouldn't be partaking in it. The fact Ro drinks is depicted as a norm for faire workers and no one seems to take issue with the fact that she's under 21 and it's the adult characters who provide Ro with the alcohol in the first place. Legal ramifications aside, the plot assumes a "what happens at the faire stays at the faire" mentality, which may not sit well with some readers.
I will say that the idea of setting the story in a Renaissance Faire was a fun idea, and populating this world are some equally fun characters albeit not the lead character, Rowena (Ro for short) Duncan, who, for me, wasn't that enjoyable. I suppose this goes back to my age but her juvenile behavior and banter grated on my nerves at times, though I wouldn't say she was a stupid character. She's a teen who acts like a teen, thinks like a teen, and makes immature decisions like a teen. But to her credit, she is ambitious and, while hesitant about leaving all vestiges of modern life behind (as no technology or contemporary clothes are allowed inside the faire), she meets these challenges head on and seems determined to learn something positive from them. That being said, I would have loved to have seen more interactions between her and the faire-goers in her face-painting tent or even when she doubles as a serving wench. As it is, despite the fact her role as a face-painter is her summer job, and the novel's blurb implies it's going to focus on that, it doesn't get much attention. Instead, the novel decides to turn its attention to the typical trope-filled "love" triangle, which constitutes as the plot's backbone.
What encourages Ro to even seek a remote summer job in the first place is that she catches her boyfriend cheating on her with another (younger) girl. Honestly, I thought these drama-filled moments were eye-roll inducing, and, sadly, this is the plot's initial catalyst. This is a bit of a shame because it causes the novel's focus to veer directly into teen tropes, something that could have been avoided if it had devised a different reason for Ro's change of summer jobs, even something as simple as she wanted a change of pace to her life. But no, her reason is to escape the mall where she normally works because she doesn't want to run into her ex and his new squeeze. Maybe teen readers can better relate to this, but for me I thought it was annoyingly immature because, essentially, Ro wants to start drama by switching jobs just to avoid drama yet drama ensues.
So basically a large degree of the plot can best be summed up as follows:
In the same way, the rest of the novel dives into "love" triangle territory as it pairs Ro up with two young men who work at the faire, Will, a whip cracker, and Christian, a jouster. Immediately, I could tell the tropes Will and Christian were meant to fulfill the moment we're introduced to them: one is the kind, helpful, boy-next-door and the other is the hot "bad" boy. (I say "bad" in quotes because nothing this character does is morally unforgiving; instead, he just reveals himself to be a jerk.) For the sake of not revealing spoilers, I won't say which boy is which, but this reliance on tropes does take away from any sense of strong character development. I pretty much predicted how both of these boys would respond to events and who Ro would choose, and in the end I was right without any surprises.
Granted, Ro does learn how to stand up for herself and gain a better appreciation for life after unplugging herself from technology and modern conveniences. However, that's as deep as this novel gets in terms of any kind of a theme or message. My Faire Lady is akin to a summer popcorn flick in that it offers a light story, serves up some fun moments, and is as fluffy as cotton candy without much left to think about after it's over. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, I appreciate teen characters who aren't quite so on-the-nose juvenile and prone to drama at the drop of a hat. For that reason, I couldn't fully immerse myself in this story, and I sense it's appeal won't reach beyond the teenage demographic.
Overall, My Faire Lady is a fluffy summer read that, to its credit, has a fun atmosphere and setting. However, I sense this will appeal strictly to teens due to its writing style and characters who are too juvenile for an adult audience to tolerate for very long. That being said, there are several moments of teenage drinking that, while not a major plot focus, do cast a cloud over an otherwise relatively sunny tale. In the end, this novel is perfectly summed up in its cover - young, fun, summery, and colorful - but perhaps a bit too young for everyone.
Content:
Language - Profanity isn't pervasive and stays confined to PG/light-PG-13 words and terms.
Violence - None. There are demonstrations of jousting and other activities but nothing becomes violent. Also, teen characters sometimes display bad attitudes and juvenile antics ensue, but no one ever gets hurt.
Sexual Content - While there are no sex scenes, there is obvious chemistry between Ro and the two male leads. At times, Ro places herself in tempting situations though nothing leads to sex, at least not openly. However, one such scene has Ro and a boy falling asleep and waking up together; and while the story doesn't seem to imply anything more occurred, this was a compromising situation. In another scene, Ro returns from a shower area wearing just a towel and runs into some boys who, while not being openly crude, do make some snarky suggestive comments in jest. Lastly, Ro pines for and whines about her ex-boyfriend for quite some time, even to the point of spending days on a couch in a depressed state and wanting to exact revenge upon him later on.
Substance Abuse - The story depicts underage drinking without consequence. It's no secret that spirits flow freely at the faire. However, Ro does more than just serve faire-goers alcohol - she consumes some of it herself when the faire's denizens gather around an evening campfire for some downtime. Ro is a teenager, hence not 21 years of age; therefore, these scenes qualify as underage drinking and lead to some of the above-mentioned compromising moments. Granted, Ro's experience with alcohol isn't positive, but she never decides that she shouldn't be partaking in it. The fact Ro drinks is depicted as a norm for faire workers and no one seems to take issue with the fact that she's under 21 and it's the adult characters who provide Ro with the alcohol in the first place. Legal ramifications aside, the plot assumes a "what happens at the faire stays at the faire" mentality, which may not sit well with some readers.
March 11, 2016
3 Stars
For the first couple of pages of My Faire Lady, I was a little off-put by how simplistic the writing seemed. But I will admit that once I got into the story, I enjoyed it overall. It was certainly cuter than the recently read debacle of Prom and Prejudice. Although very on par with most coming of age chick lit stories, My Faire Lady at least had the fun difference of being set in a Renaissance fair.
The characters were fun. They could have used a little more depth in some places. But even the predictable parts were still enjoyable to read. Although I did find it odd how the characters kept talking about the "whole summer" going by when they are actually only there for four weeks. They must have a tragically short summer break. Still, at least the story was not crammed into a couple of days the way some stories are. It allows for more believable development of relationships (both romantic and platonic). They could have toned down all the teenage drinking though.
I had no trouble reading My Faire Lady in one day. It's a cute, easy read perfect for lightening things up.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
For the first couple of pages of My Faire Lady, I was a little off-put by how simplistic the writing seemed. But I will admit that once I got into the story, I enjoyed it overall. It was certainly cuter than the recently read debacle of Prom and Prejudice. Although very on par with most coming of age chick lit stories, My Faire Lady at least had the fun difference of being set in a Renaissance fair.
The characters were fun. They could have used a little more depth in some places. But even the predictable parts were still enjoyable to read. Although I did find it odd how the characters kept talking about the "whole summer" going by when they are actually only there for four weeks. They must have a tragically short summer break. Still, at least the story was not crammed into a couple of days the way some stories are. It allows for more believable development of relationships (both romantic and platonic). They could have toned down all the teenage drinking though.
I had no trouble reading My Faire Lady in one day. It's a cute, easy read perfect for lightening things up.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
July 4, 2014
My Faire Lady by Laura Vettersten follows Rowena who takes a summer job working at a Renaissance Faire as a face painter after a bad breakup. Ro is soon thrown back into the Renaissance where she meets hunky knight Christian and funny whip cracker Will.
I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and the Renaissance Faire setting was perfect for a light summer romance. The author did a fantastic job of integrating multiple characters into the story allowing the reader to feel the community of the faire. The female relationship between Ro and her roommate was as important to the story as the romantic ones. I also loved that Ro learned about herself during the summer and that was as important to the story as her love life.
I'd also like to compliment the cover art, it's nice to see a cover artist that actually reads the book as the cover artist got everything right down to the rainbow toe nail polish.
Appropriateness: This is a YA romance that is written for older teens (despite what the cover might make you think). Rowena is seventeen and acts her age. The teens get drunk and share tents with their boyfriends. I did like that during one of those overnights it's stated that the couple did not have sex (which is nice compared to a lot of trope out there that a guy can't spend the night with a girl without having sex). I would recommend this book to readers 14+
I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and the Renaissance Faire setting was perfect for a light summer romance. The author did a fantastic job of integrating multiple characters into the story allowing the reader to feel the community of the faire. The female relationship between Ro and her roommate was as important to the story as the romantic ones. I also loved that Ro learned about herself during the summer and that was as important to the story as her love life.
I'd also like to compliment the cover art, it's nice to see a cover artist that actually reads the book as the cover artist got everything right down to the rainbow toe nail polish.
Appropriateness: This is a YA romance that is written for older teens (despite what the cover might make you think). Rowena is seventeen and acts her age. The teens get drunk and share tents with their boyfriends. I did like that during one of those overnights it's stated that the couple did not have sex (which is nice compared to a lot of trope out there that a guy can't spend the night with a girl without having sex). I would recommend this book to readers 14+
Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews