4.5. I enjoyed this far more than Lex Croucher's debut novel--Reputation--which feels mean-spirited and mired in angst. This has plenty of angst (especially from Gwen), but it's relatable and appealing. (Who among us does not remember our first allegedly unrequited crush?) Arthur is snarky without being annoying, and his relationship with Sidney is my favorite platonic pairing I've read in quite a while. There's an element of found family here among the leads and their love interests that warmed my heart as I read; I wish the romance had played out slightly more, but I didn't mind the amount that Croucher included.

Unfortunately, this book was a huge miss for me. I read the description and saw the book cover and thought that this would be one of my favorites of the year. Once I started reading the book though, I could see where I would be disappointed and how the book just didn't hit for me. For one, the book is way too long for what it is. Also, there were so many loose ends; things that were mentioned in the beginning of the book that were never mentioned again. And I guess I was just hoping for something a little different than what I got.

No shade to the author, but I think if you want to advertise a book as a Gwen & Arthur retelling, then it should be a retelling.

I am participating in the St. Martin's Press boycott. I will not be publicly reviewing this title until St. Martin's Press addresses reader concerns.

The characters really fell flat as the book progressed. I enjoyed it from the beginning and loved the plot line conceptually, however I feel like the character development just wasn’t there. This was a 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

I really love the concept of this book! Camelot-inspired LGBTQ+ romances; what a great idea! As for the story itself, it ended up being a 3* read for me. At the beginning, I was very interested in the characters and their pairings. But as the book continued, I felt that the relationships fell a bit flat for me—maybe because it’s hard to give two pairings enough depth when the book is on the shorter end. I especially wanted more from Bridget’s character; I loved the idea of her at the beginning and I loved Gwen’s crush on her, but once their relationship blossomed, I was left feeling underwhelmed. I liked Arthur and Gabriel as well, but again, felt underwhelmed by their storyline. The pacing toward the end of the book felt weird as well. When the climax of the story was happening, I should have been more interested, but instead I found myself skimming pages. All of this isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy the book at all; it’s a cute, medieval LGBTQ+ story. It just wasn’t my favorite.

i absolutely loved the beginning of this book. the characters were so fun and i was really rooting for them. the banter between friends and love-interests was spot on, and even made me giggle at times you get three different relationships to swoon over, which was a plus.

the last 25-30% is where she lost me. i was never really interested in the tournament scenes which became more prevalent as the book went on. the final conflict genuinely caught me off guard and escalated very quickly. given the length of the book, i'd say more foreshadowing could have been woven in to/taken place of part of the middle where the activities got pretty mundane and repetitive.

i loved all of the relationships, but i really wish i got to see more of art's. there was a lot of opportunity for character development (and ANGST) on both sides of his relationship and we just never got to see that -- i was still rooting for them nonetheless.

overall, i really enjoyed this book primarily for the characters. if you're a plot-driven reader, this may not be the book for you. the pacing could've been a little better, it goes from fairly low stakes to high stakes pretty quickly and feels out of place compared to the beginning of the book.

final rating: 3.75 rounded up (goodreads, PLEASE update and give us partial star ratings, thx!)

thank you netgalley for the eARC.

A sweet LGBTQ young adult romance! I love seeing and reading stories that are inclusive but also unique to the genre. Definitely read if you love inclusive romances and historical romances.

The best thing about this book is the collection of the characters as a whole. They are well-written and each plays a vital role in the story, which is often not the case leaving the MCs to carry the book and keep readers interested. The first part of the book is a slow burn, but the last 10% seems to fly by too fast; maybe I just didn't want it to end.
If you like historical novels with a lovely twist then this book is for you. There are knights and tournaments, political intrigue, secret desires, cultist, really there is something for everyone that likes the genre.

Taking place in a kingdom where a princess is betrothed to a man she doesn’t get along with, but turns out they have more in common than they think. Without giving toooo much away, this is a queer story full of twists and jokes that’s entertaining. Ending fell a little flat for me.

Gwen & Art is a hilarious and sweet queer romantic comedy in a vaguely medieval setting hundreds of years after King Arthur’s reign.

Gwen and Art are betrothed, but each has a crush on someone else: Gwen likes a lady knight and Art’s into Gwen’s brother, prince of England. Gwen and Art hate each other but make a pact to pretend to be in love and cover for each other’s queer romance.

The banter in this one is hilarious.  It’s goofy and good-natured and made me laugh out loud several times.  The romances were sweet and believable, and the couples faced real challenges.

I’m not sure if the last quarter of the novel worked for me. I don’t think the world-building was strong enough that I understood the stakes of various battles and betrayals.  But overall, the book was so much fun that I decided not to care.

This is definitely a fluffy romcom rather than a historical fiction or fantasy novel.  The dialogue often feels intentionally modern, so go into it with that perspective and it’s a delightful treat.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for my review copy of this book.

I'm starting the Bridget fan club! Knight-ettes let's go!!
This exceeded all expectations! It was a charming little romance easily enough. But I didn’t anticipate the glittering personalities and hilarious banter.

This takes place in a fictional history, generations after King Arthur and his knights. The current King of England has spent his entire reign rebuilding Camelot in hopes of managing the tension between the Old beliefs and New faiths. And that means a betrothal between a son of the Old nobilities to his daughter. The children were even named Arthur and Gwen. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Gwen and Art are not in love. Oh and they’re gay.

When Art notices Gwen’s feelings for a female knight, he becomes her boisterous guide on the journey to coming out. Or at least, owning up to your feelings. They build a begrudging friendship as they fake court to keep the peace, and discover who they truly are outside of their parents’ expectations. It’s a comical and swoony misadventure that crosses all the gendered constructs.

I think a wide range of readers would treasure this book. I’ve already ordered a special edition for myself. There’s tons of play on the original Arthurian legends. Vibrant worldbuilding and political machinations. Bridget, the female knight, was the most interesting personality to me. She becomes the unknowing protector of this band of misfits. And you watch them all love and defend each other in different ways. It’s very endearing & one of my favorite reads this year.

I am completely in love with this book!

This is one of the best books I've read this year when it comes to characters and character growth! You can't help but love and root for Art, Gabe, Gwen, and Bridget as they navigate personal journeys and political upheaval! In a time when duty and responsibility was valued over things like personal feelings and love, it was an absolute delight to watch these characters form a newer, safer, world where they could exist in their relationships and friendships without fear.

Speaking of friendships- I LOVED the way this story focused on platonic relationships as well as romantic ones! I honestly couldn't choose a favorite character or couple as they were all just the merriest little band of goofballs!

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love has the Arthurian stories as the background for this book, but its not a true retelling, which I loved! This allowed this story to blossom into something softer, fresher... something more fun and really rather brilliant. This book is marketed as a YA, but I will happily be pushing this story on adults as well!

Read this if you like:
-Arthurian inspiration
-witty banter and laugh out loud moments
-lovable characters
-fake dating
-found family
-love.. just, so much pure love!

If you're anything like me, you saw the cover of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love and swooned immediately. And the story matches the promise of the cover.

This was a fun romp through a nondescript historical England, rife with political turmoil and Arthurian legend. An arranged marriage where a betrothed Gwen and Art fall for the wrong people- the groom fails for the bride's brother and the bride falls for a knight competing in the local tournament.

I loved the one-liners, and the idiocy of Gwen and Arthur as enemies-to-besties, but I think the love interests could have been a bit more developed. Poor Gabriel and Bridget were neglected a bit in favor of Gwen and Arthur, and while they are the titular characters, let's be honest... Gabriel and Bridget are the only reason the castle didn't burn to the ground.

Overall, this book has the tender touch and character flaws of Becky Albertalli and the zingy wit of Alexis Hall. A fun time in the medieval age with a group of juveniles worthy of their legendary names and more.

This book was so freaking cute!!

This was my first read by Lex Croucher and it absolutely won't be my last. I thought that Lex did a fantastic job of taking the tale of King Arthur and Gweneviere that we all know and flipping it on its head.

The banter was immaculate, and I loved how witty and smart the dialogue was throughout the novel. I loved the queer representation, and it truly made my heart so happy.

I will say that towards the end of the novel, I was taken aback by the surprising violence. I wasn't expecting it and I felt that it was an entirely different story.

Other than that, I thought that this was truly a joy and a wonderful modern twist on the Arthurian legend.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I wish this was better. It feels like a really good concept that needed a substantial amount of editing. It was way too long, some of the main characters were very off-putting, the relationships felt forced, and the anachronisms drove me insane. Some of the scenes were cute and I liked the twist on Arthurian legend (indirectly), but it just wasn’t as good as it could have been given the premise.

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pacing of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is medium-paced. The book does pick up towards the end, but the pacing for the rest is medium.

POV: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a 3rd person, dual POV storyline. The book is told through Gwen and Art’s POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Violence (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
Death of parent (moderate, on and off page)
War (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
Injury/Injury Detail (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
Death (graphic, on and off page)
Homophobia (minor to moderate, on and off page)
Blood (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
Alcohol (moderate, on and off page)
Alcoholism (moderate, on and off page)
Murder (minor, on page)
Emotional Abuse (moderate, on page)
Misogyny (moderate, on and off page)
Sexism (moderate, on and off page)
Grief (moderate, on and off page)
Religious Bigotry (moderate, on and off page)
Hate Crime (minor, off page)
Classism (moderate, on and off page)
Mental Health Struggles (moderate, on and off page)
Child Abuse (moderate, on and off page)
Sexual Content: There is sexual content in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. There are sex scenes, but the author uses the fade to afterward, and they are not graphic.

Language: There is mild swearing in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. There are also some scenes that people might find offensive.

Setting: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is set in Camelot, England.

Age Range: I recommend Gwen & Art Are Not in Love to anyone over 16.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Hundreds of years after King Arthur pulled Excalibur from the stone, his namesake, Lord Arthur, is betrothed to Lady Gwendoline. At odds with each other since they were toddlers, both were surprised when their fathers announced that a wedding would be happening after Camelot’s annual royal tournament.

Within hours of Art arriving, Gwen finds him kissing another boy. And, to her horror, Art finds her hidden diary. Her longing for the kingdom’s only knight, Bridgid Leclair, is written in that diary. But, when events make them realize they are better allies than enemies, Art and Gwen vow to cover for each other. But, with the tournament heating up, Art recognizing he is attracted to Gwen’s older brother, and cultists poised to try and overthrow the king, can they both uphold their pact? Or will everything they have worked to hide be out in the open?

Main Characters

Princess Gwendoline: I might be the odd one out on this, but I didn’t care for Gwen. Her attitude and inability to decide didn’t endear her to me. She was unbelievably waspish towards Art (even though he did deserve some of it) and Agnes (she didn’t deserve that at all). But, by the middle of the book, I did see her change. It was when she accepted herself that she started to become likable. She still had her moments, but her character changed for the better overall.

Lord Arthur Delacey: I liked Art right away. He comes off as a drunken fool in the book’s first few chapters. He delights in needling Gwen (his opinion of her was spot on). But, as the book went on and his backstory was revealed, I started to see how horrible his life at home was. I was a little surprised at his attraction to Gabe, but it didn’t surprise me. Also, what didn’t surprise me was the battle scene and what he did.

Prince Gabriel: Out of everyone listed here, I didn’t have an opinion of him. He had a lot to deal with. Gabe was the heir to the kingdom and came across as stern and cold. But his true nature shone through during the scenes where he was one-on-one with Gwen and Arthur. Gabe was a nerd. All he wanted to be was a scholar and hide within the library.

Bridgid Leclair: I thought he had a thankless job. He was Art’s babysitter (aka bodyguard). He did a great job protecting Art when Art didn’t shake him off. He was Art’s wingman and the closest thing to a true family that Art had. Sidney fell head over heels for Agnes (which cracked me up). During the last half of the book, he did a couple of things that surprised me. But it went hand in hand with his character. His actions showed what a great and loyal person he was.

Sidney: I thought he had a thankless job. He was Art’s babysitter (aka bodyguard). He did a great job protecting Art when Art didn’t shake him off. He was Art’s wingman and, if I am going to be honest, the closest thing to true family that Art had. He fell head over heels for Agnes (which cracked me up). During the last half of the book, he did a couple of things that surprised me. But it went hand in hand with his character. His actions showed what a great and loyal person he was.

Lady Agnes: I felt bad for her at first. She was one of Gwen’s ladies in waiting. That meant she got the sharp edge of Gwen’s temper and tongue. But she dealt with it all with a grace that I know I wouldn’t have had. She had the same reaction to Sidney that he had to her. It was funny to see them making out all over the castle. When she finally stood up to Gwen, I almost cheered!!

My review:

The main storyline in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love focuses on Gwen, Art, their pseudo engagement, love interests, and the events during and after the tourney. It was well written. While it wasn’t historically accurate, I could have cared less about that. I was more interested in the storyline and seeing if Gwen and Art would get their HEAs.

I was intrigued by the main storyline in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. The storyline focuses on Gwen, Art, their relationship, their love interests, and, eventually, the events at the end of the book. As stated in the Main Character section, I liked seeing Gwen’s character growth. Even though I didn’t like her, she did become somewhat likable. I also liked seeing Art’s character growth and his healing.

I liked the romance angle of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. I liked seeing Art/Gabe and Gwen/Brighid’s relationship flourish. I thought they both were sweet. I loved seeing Art’s gradual realization that he had feelings for Gabe. Gwen’s feelings for Brighid weren’t as hidden, but seeing that relationship bloom was still sweet.

The last half of the book did take me by surprise. Looking back, hints dropped about what was going to happen. I didn’t notice them. So, when the shit hit the fan, I was shocked. There were a couple of scenes that broke my heart. In a warning, this is the most graphic part of the book and the saddest. But it explains so much and sets up for what happens ultimately.

The end of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love was bittersweet. I loved that the characters got their HEAs, but there was a considerable price that I am sure none of them wanted.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Lex Croucher for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

What a fun, queer romp! Croucher's tale is so, so entertaining and the characters are so pure and wonderful. I loved this world and the queering of history - this was campy and adventurous with so, so much heart. I really loved this book and I think it's a perfect addition to the queer YA canon.

I personally love historical novels that are like. not really that historical. Don't get me wrong, this book does take place in historical times, but it's got a kind of modern vibe. And it was. so. much. fun. It was so funny and kind of ridiculous and I had such a good time. This book is unapologetically gay and meme-y and I thought it was hilarious. It subverts a lot of currently very popular tropes (like enemies to lovers) so well. I loved the characters and the home-y feel of the friend group. I just really loved this honestly.

"Gwen & Art are Not in Love" by Lex Croucher is a fantasy rom-com set in medieval England. It follows the dual romances between the princess and a female knight, and the prince and the princess’s betrothed.

Where this book excels is as a comedy. I enjoyed the book most when it was openly silly with goofy gay shenanigans and thinly-veiled references to modern memes. The book also hilariously subverts and combines tropes such as enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and arranged marriage. The two romances were fine, with some swoony parts, but the heart of the story is the enemies-to-besties storyline between the princess, Gwen, and her betrothed, Arthur. Their friendship was the most well-developed of any relationship in the book.

There are some more serious topics presented, such as the abuse Arthur faces from his father as well as his struggles with mental health and addiction. These were handled very well, though I would’ve liked to see a bit more of Arthur learning his own value by the end. However, without spoilers, there are some very dark aspects at the end of the book which surprised me and were quite a drastic turn from the levity of most of the novel. I wasn’t expecting this so I didn’t enjoy it as much as the funnier parts.

Overall, "Gwen and Art" is an enjoyable and fun book to read. I’d recommend it to rom-com lovers and fans of the BBC’s Merlin.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so cute. Very well written. I wasn’t quite prepared for the twist. It got a little dark a little fast. But overall enjoyed the story.

The queer rep is phenomenal. Gwen’s character arc is nice. To see her go from kinda annoying to a more understanding person was great.