Ashley Schumacher is a wonderful storyteller. The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway explores the vulnerability of teens, both through Madeline's perspective and through what Arthur shares with her. This coming of age story about Madeline and Arthur takes place at a summer Ren Faire in Oklahoma. Madeline (Gwen to Arthur) is a plus-size girl who has grown up in the Ren Faire life and is experiencing her first summer at the last Ren Faire her mom participated in. She's still navigating life without her mom, figuring out how to help her dad, and doesn't understand why a boy like Arthur wants to spend time with her. Their friendship is adorable and I loved Arthur's persistence and patience when Madeline keeps telling him they're not really friends. The backdrop of all of this growth and self-discovery is the Ren Faire and it creates a fun balance in the book. I mean jousting, a princess, bejeweled dresses, a real castle...there is so much to love! This going to make me sound like such a mom, but by the end of this book, I just wanted to give Madeline and Arthur a big hug. 💕
Thank you to @Wednesdaybooks for a gifted copy of the book and a digital ARC. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Sometimes you grab a book based on it's cover, sometimes it's title, sometimes the author, sometimes the synopsis. For me it was the synopsis. I hadn't had the pleasure of reading anything by Amy Schumacher before, and now I found myself wanting to go back to read her previous works.

Maddie, or Gwen, is everything I needed in a FMC when I was a teenager, and also what I needed now in my 30s. In my teens (and still) I have been something who struggled with the idea of being plus size. Of being somehow forced into a version of me society had selected because of being plus size. The funny friend of the main character, the best friend of the male lead who helps him get the girl. And many more examples. In another way Maddie is who I needed in my late 20s when my dad died. They way she processes her grief over her mother dying is extremely relateable, in an almost painful way. Watching her process her emotions and feelings mirrored my own first year after my dad died.

Then in comes Arthur. Adorable, geeky, Arthur. Who also is a great example of how men (especially teenage boys) can have all the same body image issues as women. But somehow they are told even more that they are not allowed to have those thoughts and emotions. I loved watching their relationship grow into friends and clearly something more (even when Maddie wouldn't admit it even to herself). I found it so heartbreaking when Arthur would say things unintentionally hurtful to Maddie about her weight (which were few and far between) because that is real. Nobody (plus size or not) can know what is going to trigger negative thoughts in a plus size person. It was refreshing to see Arthur have these moments and allow them to work through it. Rather than him somehow magically know what he can say and what he cannot say.

Overall, I really loved this book. It was such a surprise, and so refreshing. I can't wait to read Amy's previous works, and look forward to what stories she creates in the future.

Finally an Ashley Schumacher book that doesn't make me want to curl up and sob. It's charming, wholesome, and COZY! I'm a sucker for any book set at a renaissance fair, especially when we get to see all of the behind the scenes action. Uh YES give me a moat that functions as a lazy river please. Maddie is still processing her mom's death when she gets to the faire, but she's quickly swept off her feet by an annoying bard who asks her to be the faire's princess. While coping with her grief and body image issues, she begins to fall back in love with Stormsworth (and Arthurrrrrr). I really enjoyed the discussion on the idea of fate and letting yourself be spontaneous. Also a huge shoutout to the Target saleswoman because being plus size in a dressing room is no joke. If you need a sweet and easy read, pick this up stat.

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I really liked The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway. It was a cute, funny, and quick young adult read. I loved watching Maddie grow and deal with the death of her mom.
And Arthur is the perfect book boyfriend and a very fitting name for the book.

I thought that the setting was at a renaissance faire was unique and totally worked for this contemporary romance.

I think the end of the book was my favorite part of the entire book 😍

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of The renaissance of Gwen Hathaway in exchange of an honest review.

Maddie and her dad work at different renaissance festivals throughout the year, and Maddie is miffed when her and her late mom's favorite faire undergoes major renovations, making it hard to keep hold of the memories she made with her mom. Though she wants to just mope around in her RV, Maddie somehow gets roped into being the princess of the faire by the ebullient and handsome son of the new faire owners. Could this be Maddie's chance to make new memories and finally see how beautiful and worthy she is?

This was adorable, uplifting, and had the perfect ending.

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway is for all those out there who love a good renaissance faire and who've watched BBC's Merlin at least twice. It follows Madeline "Gwen" Hathaway as she arrives at Stormsworth, the summer stop for the renaissance faire circuit she's lived in her entire life. Only this year, her mother's not there with them, and in her grief, Madeline is determined to have a quiet summer full of remembering and not missing out on the moments with the people she cares about. But a bard named Arthur dances in and blows all her careful planning awry.

This is the book I needed as a nerdy, chubby teenager.

Madeline’s being a plus size main character spoke to me even now, and how even as an adult I still worry about how my body looks and what other people will think of me. Her journey to love her body and make peace with it really tugged at my heartstrings, both the awkward 17 year old who lives inside of me, and the adult who wishes for universal body positivity.

But I also loved Arthur. He is so unapologetically himself, so unashamedly emotional and corny and sensitive and every bit the awkward teenage boy, but he has such a beautiful way of seeing others and the world, even when they’re not so beautiful. He helps Madeline to see and love the not pretty things, and gives her a ledge to stand on when she feels alone on her island of insecurities. He helps her see outside of herself and leave her comfort zone, which more importantly, Madeline knows she can do on her own. Even without Arthur by her side, she takes risks--her confidence doesn’t depend on a boy, and that thrills me.

Madeline learns to let people in again, too, without fear of them leaving her--or having this fear, but not letting it control her, but living and loving to the fullest despite that fear. This book is a healing journey from the wizened old wizard to the last flip of The Coin, and I love how it pulled all the parts of Madeline and the ren faire circuit she lives in together into a lighthearted and goofy story about love and loss.

Once again, Ashley Schumacher has blown it out of the park with her newest young adult novel!

In The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway, we are introduced to a junior in high school named Madeline who travels the Renaissance Faire circuit with her parents. After experiencing a tremendous loss, Madeline meets a boy her age named Arthur who she is drawn to. She has to decide if she is willing to open up her heart to his offer of friendship. However, she is afraid that to care about anyone means that she will have to chance losing them.

The characters are beautifully written! Teenagers and young adults will be able to relate to the internal struggles both Maddie and Arthur face throughout the book. The setting is is well described and would be fun to visit in real life.

I absolutely adored this novel as much as I did Schumacher’s first two books. I can’t wait to see what she will write next!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #St.Martin’sPublishing #WednesdayBooks for an eARC of #TheRenaissanceofGwenHathoway - 5 stars!!

TW: Death of a parent

I loved that this book was ultimately about transformation. Maddie’s mom shared her joy of renaissance fairs with Maddie and her dad. Sadly, she has passed away and Maddie is really struggling. She feels like if she notices everything, it will hurt less the next time someone dies.

Throughout the book, Maddie is working her way through her grief, and in some ways, it’s like a butterfly getting ready to emerge from a cocoon. She has no idea how beautiful and capable she will be when she finally breaks through from the deep deep depths of grief.

Arthur is pretty great for a teen too. He slowly becomes Maddie’s friend but he knows how to push her and when to give her space. What a friend.

Overall, just a beautiful, heartfelt book.

A big thank you to @stmartinspress and @wednesdaybooks for a @netgalley copy of this book. The review expresses my own personal opinion.

This story was an easy read that weaved human connection and grief into a sweet tale about a teen girl who lost her mother and gained a friend she wanted less than I would want a root canal. Though this story had many predictable moments, the relationship between Maddie and Arthur was heartwarming and entertaining. I appreciate the author making her characters realistic in their feelings and experiences. As a plus sized woman myself, I related to Maddie’s insecurities; the worry, the overthinking, the desire above all else to not think that way about yourself but it still being at the forefront of your mind regardless. This novel was excellent and I look forward to reading more stories by this author in the future.

I am giving this YA book a four star rating because I think most young adults will enjoy it. I enjoy YA, particularly when it transcends its genre and is beloved by readers of all ages. This was a cute story. The setting of a Renaissance Faire was charming. It had serious moments as Madeline dealt with grief for her mother. I enjoyed reading it, but more like three stars worth.

Schumacher is so good at writing about teens dealing with grief. Maddie lost her mom and is trying to figure out what comes next while living life in the Ren Faire circuit. If you’re a Renaissance Faire fan, I’m sure you’ll enjoy all of these details here. Maddie doesn’t quite know who she is and thankfully, finds a friend in Arthur who helps her be a teenager for the summer. This book balanced heavy and light topics well and had some teenage angst, which I always find to be fun.

Fun, REN faire book for younger adults. If you like the series well met, this book is for you. I liked the diverse set of characters, and the overarching plot.

Just a fun book when you want a YA romance.

This was a DNF for me, I was about 18% done. Its a great concept and love the plus sized rep, but the who faire circuit wasn't my scene. :(

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway is an unexpectedly good YA book about a girl who is raised on the Ren-faire circuit. After unexpectedly losing her mother, Madeline hopes to have a low key summer of noticing and working with her father, when her world gets turned upside down by a bard and the son of the new owners of her mother's favorite faire. This is a story filled with self-doubt, finding oneself, and letting go of the past. While this book doesn't shy away from hard topics, it is a quick read.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Madeline is struggling to find her place in the world after the death of her mother. Her family has also been part of the renaissance faire circuit and with the one-year anniversary of her mother's death fast approaching, Madeline is determined not to let anything else in her life change ever again. To ensure this she starts compulsively keeping a remembrance journal where she keeps to tallies to try and hold on to all the little moments in her life. They arrive at her mother's favorite stop on the circuit only to discover that it is under new management and that a lot of things have changed. When Maddie meets Arthur, a boy playing a bard who insists on calling her Gwen she somehow finds herself roped into playing the princess of the faire. It turns out Arthur is the son of the new owners and for some inexplicable reason he wants to be her friend. She finds herself spending more and more time with the boy and the two even take day adventures together. Despite her best efforts and her insistence that they are not friends, Maddie finds that she is actually having fun with Arthur and that maybe, caring for others might just be worth it in the end.

Just a pair of quirky, lovable insecure kids trying to make their way in the world.

Surprisingly charming, this book explores grief, loss, friendship, family, and first love.

Maddie and Arthur are the definition of a grump x sunshine romance.

Maddie starts out very guarded. She is still dealing with the loss of her mother a year prior, and she's resolved that the only way to never feel that way again it record every memory of the people close to her and avoid letting anyone else new into her life. Lest she start to care about them and risk losing them as well.

Yet upon their first meeting, Arthur is having none of that. He is determined to be her friend. And his persistence quickly has him worming himself through Maddie's defenses as they spend the summer working at his fathers' ren faire are taking road trips together.

This book is just a delight, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a cute, low-stakes YA romance.

This is just one of those books with all the feels. I wasn't sure about it at first, then if you could get past the grief, you will discover a really cute, wholesome story. This was my first book by this author and I can tell you it won't be my last.
I'll be gifting my little library with a copy of this one because I think everyone should read it.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.



I highly recommend if you have teen in your life go out and get this one for them.

Ashley Schumacher’s The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway, her third novel, centers on the story of Madeline Hathaway. Maddy’s life is just a bit unusual: since she was born, she’s traveled with her parents on the Renaissance Faire circuit. She’s never attended in-person school. Instead, her mother homeschooled her for a while, and then she shifted over to online school.

As the book opens, Maddy and her father are approaching the one-year mark since her mother’s death from cancer. Maddy has plans for how she’ll honor her loss: they’re returning to her mother’s favorite faire where Maddy plans to document what has changed and what has stayed just as her mother loved it. This is part of her ongoing project to “notice” things by documenting them in her journal, to keep track of everything that happens so that she’ll remember it in case she loses someone else. And she’s going to keep the circle of those who matter to her very, very small.

Life doesn’t work out quite the way she planned. The faire has changed. A lot. It was taken over by new owners who have completed a dramatic overhaul, creating a polished—but perhaps less charming—version of what Maddy’s family loved. The plan to not care about people? That comes up against an obstacle, too: the teenaged bard of the faire, Arthur, who also happens to be the new owners’ son and who declares upon first sight that Maddy shall be called “Gwen” and, soon after, that she should be the faire’s princess.

Soon Maddy is pulled into Arthur’s plans: she joins his fathers as the princess, despite her concerns that people will criticize her since she doesn’t fit the normal, svelte image of royalty. She also joins Arthur in a series of adventures that he declares will help her “find her Gwen.”

I really, really loved this book, which brought me back to the joy I felt after reading Schumacher’s first book, Amelia Unabridged. Maddy’s grief—and the ways that she tries to hold back the onslaught of that grief—is beautifully and empathetically portrayed. Maddy and Arthur are both basically kind and decent human beings who have insecurities and who make mistakes with each other, often as a result of those insecurities. While they’re really the focus of the novel, the secondary characters—their dads, Maddy’s best friend who left the faire circuit, and a few friends from Arthur’s high school—round out the story well. But it’s Maddy and Arthur’s growing friendship and the chances each takes in trusting someone else that warmed my heart.

"Sometimes there is nothing else to say but what has already been said."

Do you know how hard it was to get approved for an ARC in September '22 and hold off until closer to release day to read it? But it was worth the wait because I have so many feelings and nowhere to put them (except into the cat, the poor thing is sick of my smothering.)

Maddy, aka Gwen, lost her mother almost a year ago. Because of that loss, she's built some pretty thick walls. Her motto is: if she doesn't let anyone in, she can't get hurt when they leave. But now she and her father are headed back to Stormsworth, the Faire her mother loved best, and she's not dealing with it well. Used to keeping track of everything that happens, Arthur will blow into her life and get her to notice a little less and a lot more.

So here's the thing. I get that Maddy has tall, thick walls. But so often, she was mean for the sake of being mean. Walls don't explain her meanness, and I get she's hurting, but I just can't sometimes with her. Listen, I lost my parents in my senior year in high school. Yes, I built walls, but I wasn't mean. And my experience isn't everyone's, not in the slightest. Everyone has their own experiences with loss, and it's theirs alone. But sometimes, I didn't get her meanness. It doesn't change how much I love the book, it just didn't resonate with me.

Moving on...

Outside of the meanness, Schumacher is me as a teen in so many ways. I love her writing, and I love all of her books. Reflecting on this book, I see so many things that I highlighted along the way. The writing is so thoughtful. I loved Arthur and his dads. The Faire setting is so much fun, and I would have loved to see even more of it. (*cough* a book 2.) And I absolutely loved watching people come into Maddy's life. Bri and Noah were the icing on the cake and even more of a reason that I-need-more. Thank you, St. Martin's, for sending this along!

This was a very cute YA romance! Fans of ren fairs will love this. Perfect for readers who loved Well Met. It was easy to read with fun characters.