Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC!

This was really fun! It was easy to read and the banter was funny, and the characters were charming. While it definitely has its hands in Arthurian legend this book definitely isn't a retelling, so if that's what you're looking for, this one isn't going to scratch that itch! I really enjoyed that it wasn't a retelling because it felt less like I had to know all the details of Arthurian legend. I know some but not a TON and I didn't feel like I was lost while I was reading this.

It was a LOT of banter (and some of it was very uncharacteristic for the time period I was picturing this in, but it still managed to be fun?) and the characters had really great chemistry. It really was just a super fun, easy-to-read romp.

The characters had decent development (especially Gwen, who I wasn't super fond of at the start!) and I liked seeing their motivations and relationships shift. Gabriel has my whole heart.

My only criticism is that the final climax of the book felt a little like it was stuffed into the end--there was a ton of very lighthearted interactions and developments throughout the first 85% of the book, and I think the mystery or the Uh Oh! moments could have started slightly sooner or been a little more present in the earlier portions of the story.

Definitely recommend! Gay historical fiction is the only kind of historical fiction you can make me read!

J'ai aimé l'histoire et le contexte du roman. Cependant, je n'ai vraiment pas accroché aux personnages. J'aime habituellement bien les personnages ambigu (cough cough Cardan), mais je n'ai pas réussi à aimer Arthur. Il était méchant envers Gwen pour aucune raison. De plus, il avait une certain air hautain que je ne pouvais pas supporter. Bridget était aussi un autre personnage que je n'ai pas aimé. Je la trouvais tellement négative et un peu i'm not like other girl vibe (ce que je n'aime habituellement pas.) Cependant, j'ai vraiment aimé Gwen et Gabriel. J'ai beaucoup aimé leur relation (enfin une histoire où frère et soeur se supporte!) Point positif, je trouve que c'est une très belle histoire pour les gens qui recherche des livres LGBTQ+ YA avec une touche histoire. J'ai aussi aimé la plume de l'auteure. Bref, ce livre est un 3 étoiles pour moi.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this title in exchange for this honest review.

I was super excited for this book, but i sadly didnt enjoy it as much as i had expected to. It was very sweet, but also a bit mediocre.

So I've been sitting on reviewing this for a bit now, and... I've honestly forgotten most details of what happened in the book. 😅

But let's consult my notes! We've got...

• Banter! So much good banter! I genuinely loved the characters' interactions. I highlighted so many sections of dialogue that my kindle flagged my notebook document when I went to export it.
• An incredibly queer cast of characters. Gwen in particular is demi bi, and I always love to see demi rep.
• The barest amount of Muslim rep ‐ it's mentioned like once that Art's mom was Muslim - but it's there, so I guess it counts for something?
• Period pain. Bridget can walk away from being run through with a sword, but period cramps can take her down, and I can respect that.
• Dagger-to-the-throat, hurt-comfort, and miscommunication tropes.

Now this is largely a light-hearted, humorous young adult / coming of age book, but there is a dramatic and abrupt tone shift at the ~70% mark where it becomes decidedly darker. Like hate crimes and gory war battles darker. I personally didn't care for this and felt it did the book a disservice, but maybe you'll have a better time with it now that you're forewarned.

I would recommend this book to anyone who's up for a queer, historical, young adult, romantic comedy, keeping in mind the warning about the content in the last ~30% of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc! 💌

4.5/5
I've grown rather fond of this book and enjoyed every second of it (except when my feelings took a direct hit iykyk). I was laughing, crying, squealing, and kicking my feet throughout. The characters were as relatable as they could be, considering they're royalty. One unique thing about this book is that it follows two love stories, one sapphic and one mlm, which I really enjoyed and I think it will be easy for people to find a character that they can relate to and see themselves in!
I think the only thing that didn't sit quite right with me was towards the end, it felt like an abrupt change compared to the rest of the book leading up to that moment but I won't go into details in order to keep this spoil free. Despite that, I will still be recommending this book to my friends and anyone willing to listen.
Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book on November 28th if you haven't preordered it already <3

I’m sad to say that I didn’t love this book the way I was hoping I would when I first started reading it. I really loved the premise and thought it sounded like a lot of fun! It wasn’t bad but it just didn’t give what I thought it would. I liked the characters and both the main relationships fine but wished we had gotten more from them. I wasn’t really attached to the idea of either of them being together.
I also didn’t love the last part of the book. The battle didn’t capture my attention at all and honestly, I could’ve done without it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me access to this book!

I finished this one in two days. This book took me by suprise at points because I was really thinking it would be more historical or to follow more of the King Arthur story. I suppose I went into this thinking it was going to be a twist on the King Arthur Camelot story, like a remix AU type thing. It was really more of a romcommy book playing into cameos of the Camelot story. It was still good just not what I was expecting. The story is really cute at first following Gwen betrothed to the disastrous Arthur who hate each other and yet form a truce after a particular event land them in a (No spoiler) situation. My favorite character was actually Arthur who I feel was written in the first half to be an unlikeable character, This is mostly because we are seeing him through Gwen's eyes. I love their eventual friendship and I love Arthur and Sidney's as well. Gabriel and Arthur were my favorite characters however because you can see the shift in Arthur's personality around him, which tells a lot more about his character that is not expressly told through the Author or through the various point of views. His edge and demeanor soften in the presence of Gabriel and you watch him soften towards everyone else as the book continues. I did not expect the last 80 pages however, and while I didn't think they were entirely necessary it was still good in furthering the characters bonds.

This book is fantastic. Gwen and Art begin this story alone, with few confidants and throughout they just keep expanding their circles and growing as people. It can be heart breaking but also healing. I loved the entire main cast and how they also grew! This book is sweet but adventurous and so very fun.

This was a fun book! I loved the characters and the plot, and it was funny. I liked this book a lot and it was a great take on the myths of King Arthur and the impacts they might have on generations down the line. 4.5/5

This book is a bit slow getting off the ground but once it does it's good. I like the characters and the plot.

I didn’t really know what to expect going into this one because queer historical romance is sometimes hard for me to get behind since it’s always a little sad when they have to hide their relationship, but this ended up being a fun surprise. I loved that this book didn’t take itself too seriously and leaned into the fun, silly vibes but also was able to have more emotional moments between all the characters. The romances were super cute but I really enjoyed the found family aspect of the friend group the most.

This was entirely delightful. I thought the added rainbow mafia elements were deftly woven into the known history and/or legend, so it stands as a very convincing story. I was never able to spot where the holes could be, so good job Lex!
I did find that there were points that were very saturated with action, which was a bit confusing, and I found myself occasionally unclear about what was happening, or supposed to be happening. For the most part, the context clues were enough to bring me back in, but sometimes I simply had to wait for the story to unmurk itself again.
But that was a grand old time, it made me laugh so much!

If you enjoyed the movie A Knight's Tale you'll love this book. I enjoyed reading the book's lighthearted approach to Camelot without getting too caught up in being historically accurate. The characters are warm and humorous - several times I found myself chuckling at a character's actions. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick, lighthearted romcom.

Honestly, just when I think I can’t possibly find more books to be absolutely bonkers about! This! When I first came across this novel earlier this year I hadn’t read any of Lex Croucher’s backlist, and yet I knew I'd love this story. Now, having read two of their (brilliant) adult novels, I'm thrilled to say that they have delivered just as much fantastical flair and fun for their young adult audience.

Gwen and Art’s story is filled with delightful tensions, queer panic (the fun kind), Arthurian legend, so much mayhem, and just a dash (or two, or five) of mishaps.

While marketed as a romance, and it very much is a romance, I was pleasantly surprised by the exploration of relationships beyond the romantic nature; friendship, family, and even the relationship with oneself. Other themes that are well explored include queer identity, sexuality, and coming out, familial expectations, and the legacy we want to leave behind, especially in the face of adversity.

I personally anticipated this read to be all fluff and giggles, but Croucher is a genius, so naturally I was also crying and nearly started up my nail biting habit again in the last 20% of the book. Which is to say, an outstanding novel.

Fans of Ella Enchanted and Heartstopper, prepare to be absolutely kicking your toes in the air for this charming reimagining.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC of Gwen & Art Are Not In Love – get your copy Nov 28th!

Gwen and Art have been betrothed since infancy and have grown up hating each other. When Gwen catches Art kissing a boy and Art realizes Gwen too likes someone of the same sex, they come to an understanding.

The antics of the characters made me laugh quite a bit but I struggled to connect to either character. Their personalities were so loud they clashed in big ways that came off as obnoxious.

Another challenge I had was the ending. There was very little foreshadowing for the big plot twist and while it played out fine, it felt rushed and then over.

Overall Gwen & Art Are Not In Love is an okay book. I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t the worst.

Arthur and Gwendoline have been betrothed since their birth, but unfortunately, they can’t stand each other. As they get closer to their impending wedding, they are forced to spend a summer together at Camelot. But it’s not the summer either one of them anticipated.

On the first day, Gwen catches Arthur kissing another book. So Arthur does some digging and finds out about Gwen’s crush on the lady knight, Bridget Leclair. The two make a pact to cover for each other as they’re both swept up in different romances. Until a threat to the kingdom puts their new alliance in danger.

Thanks to Wednesday books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher to review! Being pitched as Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale, I knew that I absolutely had to read this. And what a delight it ended up being! I’d say that description is actually a pretty accurate description of this book.

First of all, the whole cast of characters in this is just a riot. They get themselves into ridiculous situations, especially as Gwen and Arthur are both falling in love with different people. Arthur in particular is just so entertaining. With the banter and the setting and everything that’s happening at court, you’ll just have a great time reading this book.

At least, for the first half to ¾ of the book. For the most part, this book has a very lighthearted tone, leaning heavily into the romances and the somewhat complex web they are weaving for themselves. Towards the end, the book takes a slightly odd turn toward a more violent storyline that feels like it comes a bit out of left field. Not that it doesn’t necessarily fit with the overall time period, but it did feel out of place with the tone of the rest of the book.

Nonetheless, this didn’t take away my enjoyment from the story. I still very much enjoyed the characters and the plot/setting. Teens will definitely enjoy it, especially those that love stories set during the King Arthur times.

If you’re looking for a book that will (mostly) be a good time while you’re reading it, I definitely recommend this one when it comes out in November.

Gwen & Art Are Not In Love is a fun, charming, queer, medieval romp.

Gwen and Art are betrothed but have hated each other since childhood. When their betrothal becomes a striking reality, they decide that they would make better allies than enemies to get what they want.

This tells two love stories in one, which did end up affecting my enjoyment. There’s a lot of cute repartee but having both love stories seemed to spread the story and connection to the characters a little thin.

I thought this alternative “medieval, yet not medieval” England was pretty fun as well and enjoyed the lore of Arthurian legend shaping the current political sphere. Medieval stories are always a blast, I mean … who doesn’t enjoy a good jousting match?

All in all, I feel like I don’t have a lot to say about this book. It was enjoyable but it didn’t change my world. I could see why a lot of people love it – the smart characters, adventure and romance is a real selling point – but I thought (other than the setting) it felt like a lot of other LGBT+ YA contemporary books.

4/5 stars. To be released November 2023.

Gwen and Art have been betrothed since they were children. Too bad they hate each other and also have feelings for someone else. But after Art is forced by his father to go to Camelot for the summer, Art and Gwen begin to realize they could work together to get what they each truly want. Together they work to fight for who they love and against a force betraying their kingdom. While it has nothing to do with King Arthur himself, there are many references to Arthurian legends throughout the book.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Art’s narrator but loved Gwen’s. There was playful banter between the characters with Arthur as the comic relief with his often aloof comments. All in all, it was a very engaging read with enjoyable characters.

I'm a sucker for queer reads and even more so when its queer YA giving the rom-com vibes of Heartstopper. Did I know really anything of Knight's Tale? Nope but I'm digging this retelling!

The characters in this one were great. While it takes a while for those to actually pair off and the end of the book gets less romance and more action, it does mean this offers something for every reader. What I lacked in relationship complexities in terms of romance, I got from the plot and the drama. Even the friendships in this one gave some great vibes for me- though way easier to jump into some deep and believable platonic relationships vs a romantic one.

The insider POV offered from Art really got me. I just want to squeeze and love on on him. He's moody and those methods of sheltering his self-doubts hit all too close to home. Sidney is an absolute blast of a character, I'm petitioning now to be best friends. Gwen I struggled with in the beginning and it 100% was a me getting in my own way as a reader on that one but that development was top tier. All in all, this cast of quirky characters really are just a well rounded group that many readers will be able to relate to in one or multiple ways.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
The premise here was super fun, queer retelling of Camelot and all. But the main characters themselves were very problematic and I hated them by the end in a way that left me disappointed and not caring about the plot.