Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I can't really put into words how much I enjoyed this book simply because the end threw me off so much. But not so much that I can say I felt anything but pure enjoyment for the entirety of the read.

Did anyone else feel completely gobsmacked by the end?? Someone please message me about it. I need someone to talk to about it.

While the romance was fun, I think the friendships really took center stage in this story for me. I was thoroughly entertained by their shenanigans, the way they fell into each other. It was ridiculous and heart warming all at the same time. High stakes, historical, and hysterical. A true comedy inside some fantastical re-telling of a King Arthur story. I'm thinking about buying it on audio just to get the full experience (especially now that I know all the punch lines). I had so much fun with these kiddos.

I officially need more queer, romantic comedies?? I've read so many good ones this year. I never get bored, never get lost, can never get enough.

Best of all, was how this book made me feel when I finished it. I tend to ruminate on fiction these days, wonder how much of reality can fit into it. When you find a queer love story that takes place in a time where to be public about who you were was punishable by death, you wonder how on earth stories like that could be buried by time and history for so long. Sometimes, always. There are so many brave people we never got to hear stories from.

Fiction likes this allows those voices to be heard in a way they never could be. It's beautiful, and lovely, and reminds us how not-alone we have always been. There's always been someone just like us sometime in time, we just need to find them.

& oh how special it is when we do!

Out November 28th, 2023
5 🌟

this was a delight. A queer, YA medieval rom-com following a betrothal between Gwendoline, the Princess of England and Arthur, the descendant of King Arthur, that neither of them want. After being forced to spend the summer together at Camelot leading up to their wedding, Gwen discovers Arthur kissing a boy, and Arthur finds out that Gwen has a crush on the lady knight, Bridget Leclair. When they realize begrudgingly that they make better allies than enemies, they make a pact to cover for each other.

From there begins so much fun banter and relationships between such heartwarming and hilarious characters. It was such an easy read, and I felt very immersed into the world.

Lex Croucher’s story made me laugh and cry. I really enjoyed this one.

thank you netgalley and wednesday books for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In a tale as old as time, a prim princess and dapper young lord who despise each other are paired together for marriage by the greater powers (politics), and enter a fake relationship to satisfy those greater powers (who are also their parents). However, in this anachronistic romantic comedy, our two spirited leads quickly realize they will never fall in love and in fact, have very specific lovers who are not each other in mind.

What ensues is a journey of self-discovery for our two leads - Gwen, the sheltered English princess who sticks to meticulously planned routines to cope with her loneliness, and Arthur, the irrascible rake escaping his lord father’s vehement and suffocating expectations. The author could’ve easily neglected their friendship in favor of both romances, but did not, which I found very refreshing. As they reluctantly become friends, each plays a role in pulling the other out of their shells; Arthur gleefully plays wingman between Gwen and her childhood crush, the trailblazing knight Bridget, while Gwen acts as Arthur’s caution, urging him to reflect on how his losses have shaped him. One of the book’s strongest traits is the author’s willingness to dive into both leads’ anxieties and pick at them, before pushing the other lead in to provide some solid advice.

Besides the budding trust between our leads, we get plenty of awkward flirting, first kisses and heartfelt promises when they meet their romantic interest. Both romantic interests managed to walk the fine line between being swoon-worthy and grounded characters on their own journeys of seeking purpose. Bridget comes off as a confident warrior immune to the harassment she faces as the realm’s first female knight, but has somewhat lost her ability to see life outside her goal. When Gwen enters her life, she is forced to learn how to find balance. Gabriel is a reserved prince who stays carefully neutral and pursues knowledge in preparation for rulership. Meeting Arthur forces him to realize how stifling his life is. But they also drive the leads’ own arcs, as Bridget helps Gwen see the power her title could hold, while Gabriel assures Arthur that Arthur is a much more brave and loyal man than he thinks he is.

However, this wonderful development is somewhat derailed by the inevitable plot. We get to know these characters against a backdrop of political tension between the king’s supporters and nobles supporting Arthurian “cultists.” But the betrayals and heartbreak our lovely cast goes through are pretty easy to guess. There were also some intriguing threads about King Arthur and the Round Table that could’ve led to some dissection of history and religion, but were barely explored, which might disappoint Arthurian legend fans. Even the book’s deux ex machina (in a sense) is discussed once before being brought out in the ending to solve the remaining dilemma. I really want to believe that the optimistic solution will work in this setting so our cast gets a happily ever after, but it requires some suspension of disbelief.

Overall, it was an enjoyable story with plenty of fun banter and sweet moments among our cast. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for the review.

The book is often funny but has these moments that are incredibly relatable and real. I went in expecting much more humor and hilarity but found that there were actually high stakes and a larger plot than just potential marriage. We’re talking world changing historical finds, actual life and death. It’s interesting that the magic and societal expectations of Merlin’s time are completely gone by the time we reach the present day. There isn’t an explanation for this; perhaps it’s Merlin’s absence, or Arthur’s sacrifice. Or maybe the magic didn’t exist at all. A lot of the records from that time were burned or otherwise lost. I would like to know more about the actual history. Perhaps if the story had had Gabriel’s point of view as well, since he was always buried in his books. We get so very little about him, and about his and Art’s budding relationship, and I find it to be quite sad.

I love how Gwen and Art slowly begin to understand each other as people, putting aside whatever rivalry they had when they were children. It was reluctant at first, each held back by their previous notions and also society, but then they become real friends. Because of society, they are convinced they have to marry each other but, after they become more friendly, it’s not a point of contention for the two of them. While they never seem to discuss the future after they are married, it seems like each would allow the other to take on a partner on the side, so long as they maintain the show. They both understand the supposed need for such a thing, and neither would run away from duty. They’re kind of stupid and loyal like that. Which, at least Gwen isn’t going to take the throne so the pressure isn’t as great. She could very well have run away.

Gwen’s confidence grows, with Art’s help, and with the help of Bridget, a female knight and Gwen’s crush. Gwen finally begins to see herself and her actions from an outsider’s point of view and she realizes how cowardly and removed from her own life she has been. She’s not even real friends with her ladies maid, nor does she have a close confidant, beyond her brother Gabriel. And even in that, she can’t tell him that she likes women because it would disrupt her whole worldview to admit it out loud. The main cast of characters are wonderful, especially Art and Bridget. Bridget’s family sounds great and supportive of her becoming a knight, and she proves herself over and over again yet it’s never enough for the people. She’s absolutely amazing and I can definitely see why Gwen fell for her. We do see more of Gabriel, since he’s Gwen’s brother, than we do of Bridget, so Bridget feels a little pushed aside to me. But her amazingness speaks for itself, especially in the end scenes. She’s true to herself and honest to Gwen, even if Gwen does feel a little slighted because she perceived things differently through sheer force of will.

The story is set hundreds of years after the time of Merlin and Arthur. It was real but this is not a retelling or a second coming. In fact, it pokes fun at the names people are given in memory of the golden age of Albion. I mean, Gwen and Arthur? Arthur and Guinivere? I kind of thought the story was gearing up for a second coming of Arthur but am glad it didn’t, though I would give anything for a BBC Merlin revival where that’s the plot. I’ve read more than my fair share of continuation fics.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is fun and genuine, a story set in the world of Merlin, in a world of magic, but not reliant on that story. It holds up well, all the uncertainties of being in love with the wrong person, the wrong gender, but set against a medieval background. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants queer romance set against a medieval background, to people who enjoy witty repartee, and to people who enjoy character transformations and facing one’s own faults.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher is a captivating historical romance that is both hilarious and filled with witty banter. This enchanting novel is guaranteed to sweep readers off their feet with its swoon-worthy storyline.

I want to start this by saying that overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters — especially the supporting characters — were all well-rounded and a lot of fun. There were several quips and one-liners that left me laughing, and even though Gwen and Art themselves were rather unlikable at the beginning, I feel like it added to the story.

The difficulty with this book is that it is trying to tell two stories at once. With the dual POVs, the reader gets glimpses into the lives Gwen and Art as they work to not only form a bond themselves, but win over Bridget and Gabriel in the process. While there was technically a lot going on, the seemingly sporadic POV shifts made it hard to really get into either side of the story, and I was left wanting more.

The overall narrative was creative and fun. I can see how it’s being referenced as a modern A Knight’s Tale, but I feel the story would have benefited by being split into a duology.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review

I think that I may have overhyped this book for myself due to seeing other people review it really well. That being said, I still really liked it. It had the perfect mix of funny and serious moments throughout, and I loved the dynamics between each of the characters. This has easily become a favorite read.

overall, this book + characters gave me such a heartstopper vibe, fans of alice oseman will totally love this one when it's released. reading a book with characters that are on both sides of the spectrum when it comes to accepting parts of their identity that can either be a joyous or terrifying experience was so refreshing to see alongside a ton of silly shenanigans. i already know so many queer readers, young and old, will read this and feel so many feelings. I can't wait to see everyone experience this fun book! reading this with its audiobook (also from netgalley) was such a fun experience and I would 100% recommend listening along with the book!

I am a huge fan of Morgana, a staple figure in the Arthurian legend, especially in BBC's Merlin (she was hot, queer-coded and played by Katie McGrath). But, she only symbolically exists in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love as this story takes place in the same world generations later; it is not a retelling. Although, I would not be opposed to gay Morgana fiction in the future.

“The path to love never did run straight.”

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a comedic queer medieval rom-com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history. Gwendolyn and Arthur have hated one another since they were children, have been betrothed for years and are forced to spend the summer together in Camelot leading up to their nuptials. When Gwen discovers Arthur kissing a boy and Arthur finds Gwen's childhood diary outing her crush on a girl they quickly realize they might make better allies than enemies.

Lex Croucher aimed to tell two romances at once and while I enjoyed both, I wish there was a primary focus. This would've worked better as a duology with each book dedicated to a pairing. While I enjoyed watching Gwen trip on her toes swooning over lady knight Bridget Leclair, we weren't given the space to see their relationship fully develop (although it was given way more growth than Gabriel and Art's romance). It almost tries to do too much in a short time. We lose out on the chance to explore each love interest's character in detail because the dual perspectives are between Gwendolyn and Arthur rather than between a main character and their romantic partner.

The medieval setting is very A Knight's Tale, especially with the princess, Gwen, catching the eye of a brave knight; Bridget competing in the King's tournament; and Arthur and Sidney embodying Heath Ledger and Alan Tudyk. Which brings me into the friendships, the best part by a long shot (okay maybe second to the sapphic pairing). I did not expect to enjoy Gwen and Art as co-conspirators and friends as much as I did. They were both annoying and bratty, and it was kind of perfect. The characters were all sublime.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is split into two clear halves. The second, being much darker. And the story isn't given enough time to recover/return to its charming, light feel we experienced in the first part. No one really felt completely happy by the end??? Overall, the story was sweet with found family, witty banter, well-written dialogue, lots of enemies-to-friends and a classic miscommunication trope snuck in. I would recommend reading this book despite my slight critiques. I really did enjoy it!

CW: Alcohol as a coping mechanism, internalized homophobia, violence, death, loss of limb, parental neglect.

This was such a fun read! The Arthurian retelling I never knew I needed.
Queer romance? Check. Found family? Check. Grumpy and sunshine? Check. Woman in armor? Check!
There were so many instances in Gwen and Art are Not in Love where I genuinely laughed out loud. Without spoilers - I would 10/10 recommend this for anyone who was a fan of Red, White and Royal Blue. Fun, witty writing and a the queer romances we deserve.

very sweet and funny at times, though i do feel like it went on for a little longer than was necessary, it's also hard to pin point the time period. the language can be pretty modern at times. i think the friendships were what really sold this. gwen and art's slow-burn friendship was probably the most interesting aspects of this story, and for that, i highly recommend!

This is not an Arthur and the roundtable retelling, or reimagining. The characters, while they share names with the legendary King, are not related to Arthur - well, actually one is.
This story follows Gwendolyn and Arthur, betrothed since birth and totally annoyed about it.

I loved this read and had such a fun time. I cried with the characters and loved with them. It had some very funny moments and great drama as well. I couldn't put the book down for the final act.

I am officially a Lex Croucher fan and will read anything she writes.

4.25

A queer, medieval rom-com where the two love interests from history hate each other.

“I don’t think doing a difficult thing and being happy are mutually exclusive, Gabriel. I think you could both have some of the things you want, if you’re brave enough to ask for them.”

The character's banter and their relationships with each other was such a fun and enjoyable read! I especially loved the depth of the friendships outside the main relationships, showing how great both platonic and romantic relationships can be. Sometimes the main characters Gwen and Art were a bit bratty to me, but I had to remember that this is a YA book and most of the characters are in their late teens- so it's understandable. However, I will reiterate, that the banter between everyone was so fun and felt like such a comfort read! The ending deals with heavy topics and darker imagery, different from the beginning of the book, so it was a bit unexpected and came a little sudden. The only thing I will say about the book is that I wish there was more of a transition from the beginning to the end.

Overall, the book was such a fun and gay read that I absolutely devoured it! I wasn't expecting to like it so much since I haven't been into rom-coms recently, but this was different than I expected. It's not your average rom-com or Arthurian retelling! I'm super excited for it to come out next month in November!

Thank you, NetGalley for the Arc!

“Gwen and Art Are Not In Love” was a wonderful exploration of love, friendship, history and self-discovery. I was fully engaged, laughing out loud, absolutely lost in the story and characters. I absolutely adored every single one of the characters, and they all felt like fully-formed, real people, and the banter felt like falling in with old friends. Gwen and Art were so cute with their enemies to best friends storyline. The love interests were so strong as well. Bridget was badass and ready to fight at the drop of a hat. I loved how loyal, strong, and independent she was. I did enjoy the development of the relationships in the story, but I wish we got more of the couples interacting. As much as I loved Gwen and Arthur’s banter, it seemed like we got them together more than their love interests. I understand they are the main characters, but I would have liked to see the relationships build a little more. I just wanted to see more because I loved them together so much. Overall, it’s a cute and fun LGBTQ+ romance book with coming of age characters. Thanks to Lex Croucher, Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts. I would recommend this book. I look forward to reading what Lex writes next!

I'm not usually one for historical stories but I loved this one so much! I found the characters were well-written and very lovable and the whole idea of the plot was super fun and I thought that was also written well. I loved seeing Gwen and Art go from enemies to allies and honestly they made quite the platonic pair. Also all of the character growth was wonderful to read, if anything I would've loved to see more from Gabriel since there was so much more growth that could've happened with his character. And the banter between all the characters, but especially Art and Gabriel. was just fantastic.
I will say this is NOT a retelling, it is inspired by Arthurian Legend but that's not the same thing.... not that I minded one bit. Having a story inspired by Arthurian Legend that's also queer af is is the absolute best.

thank you to netgalley for the ARC!

I cannot stress enough how freaking excited I was for this book!! it was practically hand-tailored to my interests: arranged marriage, queer in opposite directions, enemies-to-friends, arthurian legends, lady knights, useless lesbians, queer rich boys with daddy issues, medieval setting... oh YEAH. I was only maybe 20% in when I decided to add it to my "favorites" shelf (which I only created this year and has TWO total books on it, so that is high freaking praise from me.)

but as much as I loved the CONCEPT of this book......... the execution was even better! I didn't expect much from the plot, since I was absolutely willing to let it coast on vibes alone (and the vibes were in fact immaculate), but it actually blew me away. the back third of the book is all action and attack! I feel like this book totally took me back to the YA medieval fantasies I was reading in elementary school when I was way too young to fully understand them, and I love it so much for that. the hints of what's happening in the background of this romcom are beautifully placed, whispered conversations and casually-dropped clues that came out JUST often enough to keep reminding you that the protagonists don't have all the information. (I'm not going to spoil anything for y'all, but trust your gut as you read.) I love stories where the author is dropping hints the whole time -- I hate to feel blindsided by random *plot* happening in a romcom, but when I can tell the plot is coming... hehehe. I was sitting there rubbing my hands together like a disney villain.

seriously, I thought because of how much I loved the premise, I'd read this book in a single sitting. but I actually read this one incredibly slowly! I kept putting it DOWN because I didn't want it to end too soon! and literally as soon as I was done, I wanted to reread (instead I picked up Cleat Cute, because I was way behind on that ARC (whoops. look for that review next.) and desperately needed a distraction)!!

sidenote: I am getting real sick of writing my own summaries for ARCs because let's be honest, the goodreads' summary is RIGHT there, so unless I think it's a misleading/incomplete summary, I'm not gonna waste anymore time trying to summarize these books myself. instead I'm just going to focus on what I loved! (and for other books, what I didn't love... but not for this one lol.)

- the characters are all so loveable. they are totally spoiled royals with very little understanding of their own kingdoms, but their growth is everything to me. seriously you guys..... I need a physical copy of this so badly.

- the love stories are both soooooo cute. I need to see a sequel focusing on

- the world-building??? so cool??? I loved the between the Catholics and the cultists, and the references to the various cultures and religions found in Camelot.

- romance with plot - my favorite kind of romance! this so easily could have just been about Gwen, Art, and their crushes with no effort put into the greater universe they're in, but like I said before, the plot was beautifully developed and once I got to the back third of the book I really couldn't put it down despite my best efforts to savor this book as long as I could. this is without a doubt a romcom first and foremost, but it holds up as a medieval fantasy, too. (please don't ask me if it's romantasy. I do not know what that term means. maybe??)

- siblings!!!!! Gwen and Gabriel are the best siblings, they're so believable, and their relationship just about broke my heart at times. (I should call my sister.) the way they teased each other, relied on each other, HURT EACH OTHER (a little bit).... ugh. they were so real. no notes

- the VOICE. (voices, I guess. two narrators.) Gwen and Art were both so interesting and full of life and color and I'm SERIOUS you guys I need a sequel STAT. I need more of them!!!

really, you guys, I am COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS until november 28th. it is not a want but I need. will be buying in hardcover and paperback asap. (I need a shelf copy and a tote bag copy, what can I say??). RUN DON'T WALK TO PREORDER!!

Where to start? This book has everything that makes a good young adult fantasy novel. From knights in shining armor (bridget ily) to leading lads who are just one-hair-away from falling apart (arthur you lovable little fool).

The dual POV between Gwen and Art worked really well. In the beginning, Gwen’s POVs were a little stale and I found it hard to relate to her but I loved seeing her growth throughout the novel. By the end I appreciated how much Gwen had changed and her willingness to try new things and be more open were huge improvements from her abrasive personality when Arthur first showed up in Camelot.

Arthur! So sorry to the author who continuously described him as dark haired but all I could see was Bradley James’ Arthur from the BBC show, Merlin. Lex Croucher’s Arthur was just as witty and flirty and fun as show Arthur and it’s so refreshing to see a “retelling” that adds its own flair to the character while still staying true to their core traits. (yes the show is my holy grail of prince arthur retellings).

Both love interests were developed really nicely; I could separate them from their other halves and still like the characters by themselves. Often in romance novels the side characters are just kinda thrown in to support the main characters but both Sidney and Agnes had their own motivations and personalities that made them easy to support and love.

My only gripe (and it’s a very little one) is the political motivations. This is just my personal taste but I would’ve liked the final conflict to be hyped up a little more, especially the political ramifications of the event. (I’m trying so hard to keep this spoiler free guys). I know that this book is mostly categorized as a romance, so it’s not too big of an issue.

Overall, highly recommend!! Cute romance, fun setting, goofy MCs make this book worth reading.

Wow! This was a GREAT book! It has romance, friendships, action, humor and LGBTQ+ representation. This will definitely be one of my favorite reads of the year.

Gwen & Art Art Not in Love was one of my most anticipated books of 2023! I was excepting a cute, sapphic love story, but did not know quite what to expect. I am happy to report that this book was SO CUTE, and I had a blast reading it. I do not want to give any spoilers, but Gwen & Art truly filled the "Merlin" hole in my heart. It is full of LGBTQIA+ rep, and I thought that all of the relationship felt organic and genuine. I would (and have been) recommending this book to all of my friends.

If you’ve ever watched an episode of Merlin or picked up any Arthurian remix, you know by the end that Lancelot belongs with Arthur. Now, while “Gwen & Art are Not in Love” by Lex Croucher doesn’t strictly follow the lives of Lancelot and King Arthur, these characters find their courage to be authentically themselves while embroiled in a similar situation. Croucher’s novel follows Princess Gwendoline and Lord Arthur, two young adults destined for an arranged marriage that neither of them wants – especially since they’ve been enemies since childhood. But when opportunity presents itself, these two hatch a plan to get everything they want while surviving the marriage their parents set up for them.

After all, it’s awfully difficult to fall in love with each other when neither one of you has eyes for the opposite sex. As Gwendoline begins to woo Bridget Leclair, the kingdom’s only female knight, Arthur sets his sights on Gwen’s brother, who just so happens to be the future King.

Croucher does a wonderful job taking the audience through the ups and downs of hidden relationships, combining romance and humor along the way, even sprinkling in some heartache when appropriate. I was an enthusiastic reader going into this, and I came out the other side feeling just as entertained, if not more so, by the end of this novel.

This novel is well worth the read, and with a release date of November, it’ll make the perfect holiday gift for any of the people in your life who enjoy a queer romcom without the typical ‘bury your gays’ trope that often plagues us.

I received an arc of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review. Rounded down from 4.5 stars.