This was absolutely fantastic. Queer romance, historical fiction, fantasy, Arthurian cults, drama, witter banter, pining... What more could you ask for?

I absolutely loved Gwen, Arthur, Gabriel and the gang. I do wish we had some of Gabriel's perspective, as I felt myself wanting to know him better. Nevertheless, this was a 5 star read I couldn't put down!

For fans of Heartstopper and Red, White and Royal Blue, you'll love Gwen & Art Are Not In Love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lex Croucher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

This was a fun book! Gwen and Art are betrothed but haven't really seen each other since they were little. There is some fun chemistry among the main characters, including Gwen's brother Gabriel and a knight, Bridget Leclair.

This was a fairly lighthearted read, and it was enjoyable to step back in time to read this one. Thanks to Netgalley for the book!

4.5/5 rounded up
It's time for me to confess that I absolutely judge books by their cover. Normally, <i> Gwen & Art Are Not in Love </i> is not the book I would pick up at the library or bookstore because 1) I don't love books that are primarily romance centered and 2) I absolutely cannot stand this new trend of book covers with the monochrome cartoon drawings on EVERY. SINGLE. COVER. I've never been so happy to be so wrong and humbled, this book really was an absolute pleasure to read.

The story takes place in Medieval England with heavy influence from King Arthur's mythology. The story is centered around Gwen, a princess, who is betrothed to Arthur, a son of a lord, and their engagement they had no choice in. Turns out, both of them not only cannot stand each other but are also not straight! The story follows the hijinx and antics that ensues with a lavender marriage. While the plot wasn't the most groundbreaking, it was such a fun story to read. The characters, while sometimes grating, are horribly endearing and hilarious (especially Arthur). The book, while formulaic at times, was heartwarming as our cast of oddballs become like family to each other as the story progresses. I was shocked at how much the characters grew on me until I was sobbing reading later in the book. While the m/m romance in the book was well-developed and interesting to read, I found the f/f romance lacking. Despite this, it was such a fun read and tugged at my emotions in a surprising way. I enjoyed reading every minute of this book, and it may have me rethinking my stance on book covers.

I'm settling on a 3 star for this book. I struggled through the first 40%, but will say this was a book that I'm glad I stuck it out for. The second half did grab my attention and I thought overall it was a fun read. I enjoyed the modern take, set in the Arthurian world. I really wish the characters and romantic relationships were fleshed out better, they fell flat for me unfortunately. The most developed relationship we get is Gwen and Art, I did love the development of their friendship. I just really wanted more from the love interests.

GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE is a really interesting book for a variety of reasons. I think what I was expecting was not what I got, but in a great way. With concepts of found family, finding your identity, and being faithful and true to yourself, you have a great story that, while there is action with sword fighting, also focuses on how a person can live authentically, even if they are not within the "norms" (because, really, what does normal truly mean anyway?) of what society values.

Part of what makes this book so special, as I've stated, is that this book considers the idea of living as your true self. We meet Gwen, who has been engaged to Arthur since childhood, as a princess in Medieval England where the legend of King Arthur has become just that: a myth . They despise each other. Yet they find common ground in the fact that they are both gay in a time where that is frowned upon or that needs to be hidden. While this seems heavy, and it is in some places, it is more about becoming who you were always meant to be, to be accepting of what makes you unique, and to go for what you truly want to live as you see fit, not as society tells you. Mix that in with some really fun banter and you've got yourself a novel that was an enjoyable read. And the interactions with side characters like Sidney and Arthur? They were just incredibly well written and so much fun.

While I loved those aspects of the story, it does get a little repetitive between Gwen and Arthur and their hatred of one another. And because this is more an introspective, character growth novel, I would say the plot moves a bit slow at times and then rushes towards the end. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think the length could be reduced a bit to have that be more balanced.

However, I think that this story is definitely worth reading, especially if you love the idea of living authentically, love some Medieval LGBTQIA+ love (with a lady knight and a prince!), and character driven novels.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE by Lex Croucher. I've enjoyed all of Croucher's books I've read so far, though this one was different in age category, genre, and tone. It was full of so much witty banter and had A Knight's Tale/Spamalot kind of anachronistic, goofy humor that I found delightful. I was surprised that it was not an Arthurian retelling, but more Medieval, hundreds of years after Arthur's time in a society that's kind of obsessed with the legend. It also wasn't really a romance, though there was plenty of that. Because while Gwen and Art are definitely not in love, their enemies-to-friends relationship and how it helps them grow and develop as characters is the main focus on the story. It was fun and light-hearted and I overall enjoyed myself.

I'm a huge fan of Lex Croucher, and this did not disappoint.

I love these LGBTQ historical fictions, and Croucher is a master at them. The hilarious characters, bickering over their expected marriage and any other topic within reach, resent each other for the circumstances they are in. Once they start to get to know one another and realize this is not initially what either would have chosen, they start to work together and form a friendship.

⭐️ 4 1/2 stars

This book was super cute. Arthur and Gwen have such a fun dynamic. They’re annoying to each other and just have jabs at each other left and right. And of course their love interests are also amazing.

I think the main thing that made this book so wonderful was its humor. Plotwise it was very slow burn and not much was happening outside of politics and their love story (until the last quarter of the book). Its humor carried the book to the end but not in a bad way. The main reason this is 4 and a half stars is bc of the climax of the book. It salvages itself after the fact but the actual climax left like there wasn’t enough foreshadowing or build up to truly fit in. It makes sense in the world but not in with the vibes of the books.

Overall, though, it was a throughly enjoyable book, full of queer romantic goodness (and of the token straight couple). Would not mind if a sequel of fluff was made.

An enchanting tale of love and courage set in a time of knights and kings. Finally a cute LGBT book with renaissance flare! a heartwarming journey through a world of passion.

I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

This take on King Arthur and the knights of the round table was a fun fast paced read that I laughed a lot when I read it

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love was nothing like I expected in the best way! I love historical romance and contemporary rom coms, and this was a fresh, exciting mixture of both. I appreciate that the author kept the dialogue more modern, despite the historical setting. Art is hilarious, and it's so fun to see all of the other characters love to hate and then eventually love to love him. Gwen is complex and nuanced and relatable, despite being a princess in medieval England. I enjoyed the complexity with which the characters experience and share their sexuality, given the historical considerations. Despite the large cast of characters, each character is well-developed and unique. I was never confused, and enjoyed how each character jumped off the page in different ways. This book was fun and funny and heartfelt. Don't miss it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

If you like Arthurian lore, knights and assassins, queer love stories, and snarky narration, read this book!

Gwen and Art have been betrothed since they were born, but they loathe each other. At the start of the king’s tournament, their families begin to pressure them to mend their relationship. Happenstance presents them with an opportunity to find common ground and work together in pretending to be falling in love.

I loved this book! I’ve heard it described as A Knight’s Tale but queer, and that is pretty spot on. It is the perfect blend of action and romance, and the narration is hilarious, especially Art’s POV chapters. It is an original story, not a retelling of Arthurian lore, and I loved the characters and setting. While it is laugh-out-loud funny at times, it also delves into deeper and more emotional topics. It was so lovely to watch these characters grow and their relationships develop.

I also recommend the audiobook version! The narrators were great!

An enchanting tale of love and courage set in a time of knights and kings, this cute LGBT book is a heartwarming journey through a world of chivalry and passion

I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

This book has no reason to be as funny as it is. Because it's absolutely HILARIOUS. I laughed, I cried while laughing, and overall it was a wonderful experience for me. This is a medieval romcom in the best ways. Having never read Lex before, after this book, I am absolutely a fan.

Gwen and Art have been engaged since childhood, and neither one of them is happy about it. Gwen thinks Arthur is an annoying little shit and Arthur still hasn't forgiven Gwen for the time she broke his wrist when they were kids. But for the good of the kingdom they must wed. Despite neither one of them wanting it. But Gwen catches Art kissing a boy and Art find's Gwen's diary where she laments being in love with the dashing lady knight Bridget Le Clair. And a tentative alliance is born. After that, things start to go to shit but not before an assassin tries to kill Gwen's brother. Is this just a one off or are there more sinister things at play?

Despite the dip into the dark at the end this book just takes you by the arms and just keeps GOING. the shenanigans these characters get into makes this one of my favorite reads this year. Don't wait. Pick this up immediately!

I absolutely loved the premise of this story and had high hopes for it. After reading it, I can definitely say it lived up to the hype! I really liked the "retelling" (although not exactly retelling) feeling of King Arthur. Arthur, Gwendoline, Bridget and Gabriel (and let's be honest Sidney and Agnes too) were such dynamic and interesting characters. They each had their own voice and wants throughout the story. I loved seeing all of these characters form a friendship and support each other throughout the book. And to have the setting be similar to King Arthur's time period? It was fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book so incredibly much! This is a story of found families and queer solidarity that hit the mark for me in every aspect. The growth and development throughout the book between the characters and their relationships with each other are beautiful. I can’t tell you how excited I was to read that Gwen’s love interest was a female knight, and really I thought that would be the main selling point for me, but the friendship and love between Gwen and Art as two queer people was my favorite thing about this book. Their entire arc from enemies to best friends warmed my heart. I need more of that gay and lesbian solidarity in books! Gwen and Bridget were adorable, and Art and Gabriel were equally as sweet. Overall, I cannot sing this book’s praises enough and I can’t wait to see what’s next from Lex Croucher!

“To be truly brave, first you must be afraid–and to be afraid, you must have something you cannot bear to lose.”
~~~~
I thought this book was absolutely adorable. There is awesome representation here, and let’s not forget it’s a RomCom. Was it one of my top favorites, I won’t lie, it wasn’t. But it was cute and quirky. I love the idea for Gwen and King Arthur. Then with that there was all the different details that had to be just right. We also got some great action scenes in the book.
I can’t say too much cause I was given this as an eARC thanks to Lex Croucher,St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley. So if you all want to know more about Gwen and Arthur in this twistful and representational tale, look for it 7/27/23!

Lex Croucher is a savant with characters. They create their characters so well that I feel like I have known them my whole life, as if I could run into Arthur and Gwen at the library.
The book felt a tad long but I enjoyed every moment reading it. The chemistry between characters, the handling of queerness, the atmosphere, all of it was such a delight.
Consistently enjoy Croucher’s work and will continue reading from them.

Gwen's parents are insisting she marry, because that's what princesses do to support their houses. Extra-unfortunately, they're insisting she marry Arthur, a lord she's known and hated since childhood. And the feeling is mutual. When Arthur arrives in Camelot, drunk and stumbling, he and Gwen will forge an unlikely alliance based on blackmail, pretending they're getting along in order to mollify their parents and pursue their actual love interests. But real danger is lurking in Camelot, and the two of them will need to band together to protect everyone they love.

A few caveats before my review:
1. I am not a romance reader — I read 1 romcom or so a month, maybe.
2. I adore Arthurian lore and am generally biased in favor of fiction around it.

All that to say, I loved this book. It made me laugh aloud several times. The banter between the characters (especially involving Sidney) is truly delightful, and I really enjoyed myself. Gwen's romance is a little more fleshed out than Arthur's, but I didn't mind that at all. I do, however, long to know how this little cadre of characters got along after the ending of the book. I miss them.

There is a shift from lighthearted romcom into dangerous skirmish (including some pretty severe injuries) in the last third of the book, so be prepared for that. I think it added a dose of reality and suspense to the plot, and I enjoyed it, but as I said before I'm not really a romance reader. I definitely recommend this book if you need a good laugh and you're into queer romance stories!!

Thank you to Lex Croucher, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

This was a fun read. Quick and easy. It was entertaining and kept me interested through the whole story. Well written. Would recommend to others.