I want to start by thanking NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy of this title.

This was a very cute historical rom com. I loved the friendship that grew over the course of the book between Gwen and Art. This book had me cry laughing as well as just regular crying there at the end. I don't think I've ever highlighted a book as much as I did this one. This is exactly what I needed to get out of a reading slump.

I loved this MM & FF romance. I delivered on the quotable lines and it handled the stress of being non heterosexual in a very challenging time. I will recommend this book to anyone that will listen. Very interested in reading more from this author, I really enjoyed her prose until the very last word.

(here is the bit where i say that i received an arc from netgalley, this is my honest review)

I love this book. I went into it hoping and expecting to love it but I could not have predicted how much this book means to me now. Truly, honestly. I'm going to do my best to turn my thoughts into something more than *screaming*. Be warned though, there will be screaming. Also, this book is one of those special ones that brings back my faith in YA, that shows that YA books can be written and edited with love and with care, with respect for their readers, and with an acknowledgement of the messiness of teenage years without reducing characters to turmoil and anger and romance they aren't ready for yet. In the past, while reading ARCs, I've found that I took pages and pages of notes on the books I disliked while the ones I liked I took almost no notes on, because usually my notes were things I was angry about. But with this book all of my notes are rambles about the emotions I am feeling and quotes that I adore and basically, they function as a love letter to <i>Gwen and Art Are Not In Love</i>.

What brought this book together was the characters. Gwen and Art, of course. but Bridget and Gabriel and Sidney and Agnes were all brilliant as well.

Gwen broke my heart, because I loved her and I understood her and I was her. Gwen, who likes embroidery but who struggles to recognise that her creations are art. Gwen, who likes her routine because it stops her from thinking about all the ways her life is unhappy and empty. She struggles with her own passivity and feelings of invisibility, because despite being an honest-to-god princess she is unable to view herself as someone who could change things. She was raised to be a one-day wife, and even though she hates it she has no idea how to rebel against it. This girl is so smart, but she is completely incapable of imagining herself as she is, which is a force to be reckoned with. When Gwen is forced (for culty reasons) to say something she likes about herself and one thing she wishes she could change (paraphrasing), all that she can come up with is "I'm consistent with my embroidery" and "I'm a coward." Gwen is hilarious. She thinks about her crush and goes "'<i>God</i>,' Gwen thought wistfully. '<i>I hope she stabs me</i>.'" She learns to stand up for herself and for others throughout this book, even when it scares her. Her minor not-like-other-girls moment is one that she grows out of almost immediately, and also is fairly excusable considering she is a princess and therefore not at all like the other girls, in some ways. I need to stop talking about Gwen though because otherwise I will run out of space for loving on everyone else.

Let's talk Arthur next. I have less to say about him, not because I liked him less but because I couldn't see myself in him. I still love him. Arthur is funny and unapologetically himself. He has been abused by his father his entire life and even though that very much shadows his opinions of himself, he doesn't stop being his own person. Every thing he says and thinks is hilarious, even in emotional moments, but in a way that doesn't take away from the meaning of the conversation. I read him as depressed and feeling unloved, from his self-deprecating humour to the way he so readily believes that he is a horrible person. But he isn't.

I'm going to try to limit what I say about the other characters, but here goes. Gabriel, my sweet repressed baby, I love you and I believe in you. I hope you never stop rescuing cats and crows and poorly behaved boys named Arthur. Bridget, you are strong and you stand up for yourself. You refuse to give up your life for a girl, even when that girl is a wonderful princess, because you know it would mean giving yourself up. You are a badass, and I completely understand why Gwen wishes you would stab her. Sidney, Arthur could not ask for a better sidekick. You are great. Agnes, I love how you kept on being friends with Gwen even when Gwen didn't realise that was what was happening. She needed it. You know how to stand your ground, and I think you're wonderful.

Gwen and Art hate each other at the beginning of this book, for reasons that completely make sense on account of them having been upset and children in all their previous encounters. The development of their friendship feels real and natural, as they learn to trust and be kind to each other.

There is a mild miscommunication plot in here, which is normally my least favourite kind of plot. But I didn't mind here because even though it was kind of clunky it felt like part of the story, rather than a desperate author trying to move stuff along.

The ending is bittersweet, but the growth and learning these characters go through is beautiful, and it is easy to see the amazing people they will continue to grow into.

I was laughing while I was reading, and when I wasn't laughing I was ranting to my friend about how much Gwen breaks my heart because I want the world to be better to her. Wholeheartedly, absolutely recommend this book. It is brilliant, and funny, and charming in all the best ways. Please people, read it.

Thank you to Wednesday Books & NetGalley for an e-arc of this book!

First things first, I am obsessed with all things Arthurian, so I NEEDED to read this. Clearly, obviously.

Secondly, it was QUEER. Therefore I needed it even more. Also, the cover is to die for.

This book was hilarious on so many levels. The banter between all the characters just had me rolling every few minutes. I also loved how it made fun of some parts of the Arthurian Legend and made it even funnier.

Honestly, this is a book you just need to experience without reading too much about it, it's full of surprises, sweet romance and laughter. There are of course a few moments of more darkness in this book, but overall the tone is lighthearted and fun.

It was such an easy read, and I just breezed through it, because I couldn't put it down. This is a book that teens and adults are going to LOVE simply because it's a rollicking good time. I would say there is definitely humor from like Knights Tale/Princess Bride type of movies, but queer. This book features m/m and f/f relationships, and all the characters are endearing. Even when they're being obnoxious.

I loved the moments of friendship and family in this book, and just the solidarity between them. It was a lovely read and I HIGHLY recommend it.

This book....was everything. It was incredibly fun while also being nuanced and emotional and triumphant and just gave me all the feels. I loved how rich the cast of characters was, it's really rare for me to feel as connected to an ensemble character as I am to a main character. I wouldn't go into this expecting a super faithful retelling, but it is a fun light-hearted queer historical romcom that will give you all the fuzzy feels :D

Gwen and Art Are Not In Love tells a tale as old as time - boy meets girl, both are gay, and a little queer clique is formed.

The writing is funny, and all the characters are loveable. It features a lesbian knight! Watching the friendships and romances develop with a backdrop of court intrigue and knight tourneys was perfect.

I assumed this was going to be a King Arthur retelling, it’s not at all. But it is set at Camelot a few hundred years from the actual events. Although it is an alternative history, social pushback still exists against defying gender norms (i.e., being a lady knight) and same-sex relationships.

I will re-read this when I get my hands on a physical copy in November (for UK people, I think it came out in May, go read it now!!)

Thanks to Wednesday Books for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun, heartwarming YA from Lex Croucher! I absolutely loved the characters and the how the tone of the story managed to be heartfelt but serious at times as well. It was all balanced perfectly and it was a superbly enjoyable, quick read. Highly recommend 🩷

Gwen and art are not in love, but I am most certainly in love with them. The joy of reading one of your most anticipated releases of the year and it exceeding your expectations. Reading this felt like watching a queer combo of Merlin and A Knight’s Tale and I enjoyed myself the whole way through. Getting to see both Gwen and Bridget’s, and Art and Gabe’s romance develop had me swooning.
I especially appreciated Gabe’s development in accepting himself as he is, because he is such a wonderful person and deserves to enjoy his life!!!
I exceptionally loved Art’s heartfelt talks with both of the siblings and his encouraging them to go after what they really want. He had so much verbal abuse from his father growing up telling him he was useless and not good enough, yet he didn’t let it stop him from being who he wanted and helping others do the same.
And BRIDGET my god. What a woman. She, too, was just so unapologetically herself and didn’t let anyone tell her who she was and she couldn’t do. And you know always love a woman with a sword 🫡😏.
And, of course, Gwen. My darling girl. It was so heartwarming to see her build her confidence with the help of Bridget and Art and become a stronger person. Especially near the end when she finally made a brave and scary decision for her family and so reaped the rewards from it.
And shout out to Sidney to being the best, most caring and swoon-worthy body man out there.
All in all, a terrific queer story of the bravest and most lovable kids you’ll ever see.
(Also, the fact that Lex Croucher thanked four of my most beloved authors, Alice Oseman, C.S. Pacat, Rainbow Rowell, and Freya Marske, who created some of my most favorite stories and characters, just solidifies that this book is perfect.)

I really enjoyed this book. I love that there is a touch of romance, but in reality the story is more about accepting who we are and developing strong friendships. Gwen and Arthur clearly dislike each other in the beginning, but they become great friends as the story develops. I felt that all of the relationships were built as friends first. The lgbtqia storyline was refreshing and I didn’t feel like it was too over the top or in your face. I loved how all of the relationships developed.

“To be truly brave, first you must be afraid—and to be afraid, you must have something you cannot bear to lose.”

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a YA romcom with an Arthurian setting. It was a sweet, quick read that made me laugh. I really liked the dual POVs for Gwen and Art. It was fun to read what they really thought of each other as they went from enemies to reluctant allies to friends. I enjoyed the friendships the characters developed just as much as the romantic relationships.

I really enjoyed this book and I’ll be picking up a copy when it comes out.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is like a breath of fresh air. It is the story of Princess Gwendoline and Arthur, who are set to marry at the end of the summer and must spend the season learning to get along. They have hated each other since they were children. But within the first few weeks of Arthur living at the castle, the two find out secrets about one another and make a deal to make sure they aren’t exposed. Let’s just say the two of them though not in love with each other do have their eyes on some knights in shining armor.

This book is hilarious! We have the wonderful cast of characters including Prince Gabriel, Lady Bridget, Sidney, and Agnes. The six of them truly get up to some unique shenanigans. The princess and prince learn to live a little more boldly, love a little more fiercely. I loved catching the foreshadows and predicting what might happen. I was constantly guessing and filling in blanks and waiting for the characters to figure out others’ motives. It kept me on my toes! There is an intensity to it all, there being two groups in the kingdom that can’t agree with one another. I thought everything was written so well and the voice/tone of the story kept things fresh.

I do not know if this is because The Hunger Games is already on my mind this month or if I would’ve made this connection anyway, but I think fans of Collins’ work will love this book. Gwen and Art’s historical romcom isn’t anything like THG but the dialogue/banter between the characters is very much like the more lighthearted conversations between Katniss and Peeta in book one, and their interactions with Finnick in books two and three. Gwen, Art, and their pack of friends are funny, sarcastic, and deadpan. There are more serious talks between the group that give us beautiful, quotable lines but overall they are so comical I was smiling throughout.

I will be recommending this book to everyone! It is such a sweet read. It was unique, bringing many elements together to create something entirely its own. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

I was procrastinating reading this one because I felt like I wouldn't like it. It's YA, it's in England, queer YA historical has enormous cringe potential. Much to my surprise I really enjoyed my time with this book. Like yes it's fully YA but it really worked for me.

Gwen and Art are queer (he's gay, she's queer), are in love or pining for someone and absolutely hate each other. Also they are engaged. When they find out each other's secret they must navigate their relationship amongst political scheming.

The characters were really fun in this one. Arthur and Gwen's relationship is a highlight .

The historical part is surprisingly well handled ? Like sure the characters mostly talk in a modern speech but it wasn't jarring and the political and historical context was very interesting. It is old England as a post-Arthur place where magic is slowly becoming a myth while Christianism is a growing presence.

Gwen & Art Are Not In Love was easy to read, fun and very catchy.

"Gwen & Art Are Not in Love" is a delightful YA medieval rom com. I loved all of these characters and their relationships, both romantic and friendly, are a lot of fun. You just can’t help but root for all of them.

Mixed in with the romance there are also some really sweet serious moments, mention of Arthurian legend, and even some action. I totally got swept up in the character dynamics and forgot there was other plot happening so the ending definitely caught me off guard 😅.

This was an amazing queer comfort read and I absolutely wouldn’t mind another book in this series…

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a cute story of crushes, crazy antics, and friendships!

While it was set in a renaissance era, it felt modern with its deep themes of being true to yourself, and being what’s “normal” to others. I enjoyed it, and thank you St Martins Press and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is exactly the book I've been wanting to read! It was so much fun, didn't take itself too seriously but still had an intriguing plot. My copy of this book has so many highlights in it, someone should have probably talked to me about abusing that feature. There are just so many lines I found absolutely hilarious I know I'm going to want to go back and refer to them when I need a good laugh. Gwen and Art have the most perfect banter, I loved reading each of their spats. I won't get into spoilers but god the development for these two characters was just *chef's kiss* perfection. To be honest all of the various relationships in this just hit right for me. The sibling relationship between Gwen and Gabriel as each other's best friend and confidant and the ways this got challenged in the book with their various secrets. Arthur and Sidney as the classic lord and bodyguard who are best friends constantly getting into trouble and share maybe one brain cell between the two of them. Gwen and Bridget literally gave me all of the feels. Every single scene where Gwen even got to just look at Bridget made me want to swoon, her pining was so great. I don't even know how to talk about Arthur and Gabriel. The moments between them built up really beautifully and I found their relationship equally sweet and heartbreaking throughout the book. There was also the bonus cotton candy sweetness of Sidney and Agnes, Gwen's lady-in-waiting. I honestly did not expect to get as invested in this relationship as I did.

I found the Arthurian references throughout the book to be a lot of fun! You don't really need any knowledge of them to enjoy the book as is but I think most people know the basics and it's nice to see how Arthur's legacy influenced this world. I was so sad when the release date for this book was pushed back so getting this arc was like a dream come true! I cannot wait for my preorder to arrive in November because I need that gorgeous book on my shelves! (Plus I'll probably be craving a reread by then!)

Questions on gender, sexuality, and familial duty— it's always refreshing to read through a work that manages to touch upon important topics while remaining tonally light. I'm going to do my best not to divulge too much that can't be gathered from reading the book's descriptions. Let's get into it!

the hits:
- bounciness: this book is playful. One could think of it as historical fiction, in a way, but it very much leans into the *fiction* of it all. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Anachronisms are scattered all across, and I think it's a nice reminder that good things, good reads, don't need to be all serious all of the time.
- framing of preferences: light spoilers, but there's no direct naming of sexualities/romantic preferences/what have you. There's certainly discussion, but I quite liked the approach— that characters simply address what they want and they proceed with their respective journeys in fulfilling their desires as opposed to getting lost in labels.
- interactions between non-paired characters: one thing that usually turns me off from romance novels is the hyper-focus on a single pairing. I get it. The stars of the show need their spotlight. What I really enjoyed here, however, is the sense of each character having their own distinct voice, and how those are subsequently pooled together. This really created an atmosphere wherein you can feel the camaraderie between all.

the misses:
- rough start: it took me a handful of sit-downs and restarts to really get into the work. Part of it came from the pacing, the way that it erred on the edge of rushing at first, only to find more consistency at about... The halfway mark? The establishing characterization seemed very rigid and bordering uninspired, but I can promise it gets better the further along.
- the world-building: I wasn't very invested in the setting-wide conflict. I know it wasn't exactly "the point," but the allusions to it were a little lackluster, to the point wherein the seriousness of the circumstances felt underplayed in the later parts of the book.
- reliance on prior knowledge: this might be more specific to me and my unfamiliarity with Arthurian text, but there are certain elements that rely on this sort of awareness. I feel as though I couldn't fully immerse myself due to certain references flying past my head. There may have been ways to help similar, non-familiar readers bridge that gap.

What else can I say? Despite it taking a considerable minute for me to really settle into the story, once I was in, I was in until the very end with only a single break to brew some tea up for the last quarter. I recommend Gwen & Art Are Not in Love for anyone looking for anyone in the mood for a work that flavourfully sprinkles seriousness into its silliness.

My thanks to the author, the publisher (St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books), and NetGalley, for providing the opportunity to read an eARC of this work.

Love the queer representation especially set in this time period it’s something that hasn’t been done before. Love the coming of age and finding oneself and sexuality aspects in this book as well.

If you are looking for a silly little queer and modern yet medieval time, this is the book for you! It was fun. Some books are truly just fun to read and this was one of them. I really look forward to checking out more by this author in the future. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

There’s something special about books that can make me genuinely laugh, and Gwen & Art Are Not In Love was full of those moments.

Following the dual POV perspectives of Gwen and Arthur, we follow along as they navigate their arranged marriage. In most “arranged marriage since childhood” stories, we watch as two characters gradually fall in love as they get older. Not here, they despise each other and make it actively known.

I loved how this entire story played out. It was entertaining, full of love and humor, had fun side characters (that really stole the show for me), and easily kept me engaged. There was a moment where it felt as though jumping to the conclusion they did was almost miscommunication. I understand why it happened, but for my personal tastes, I just don’t like when it feels as though something could have easily been solved by asking a question.

My thoughts on each of the characters:

Arthur - Must protect at all costs. I think he was my favorite character overall. The way he genuinely cared for everyone close to him even though he tried to play it off as if he didn’t was very evident. After being told consistently that you are worthless, it’s hard to truly believe that people don’t view you that way.

Sidney - He is the type of best friend that everyone should have in their lives. Someone that you can count on to be there through the good and bad times. His dynamic with Arthur was really fun to watch.

Gabriel - I don’t think there was anything wrong with Gabriel, I just didn’t really start connecting with him until about halfway through the story. He seemed almost in the background until he started to interact more with the others.

Gwen - Honestly, she was my least favorite. By the end of the story she did have some growth, but she maintained much of the same mindset until then. Even when she did show some progress, she immediately reverted backwards at the first sign of potential trouble.

Bridget - I really wanted more interactions with her and to learn more about her backstory. I understand that it was a standalone, so that would have been hard to do, but her story could have had so much more added to it. I still loved her character though.

Overall, I think this story is going to be such a success and cannot wait for all of you to fall in love with it as well! You don’t want to miss out on it!

Sensibilities of the modern world in a medieval-flavored setting where England has been inherited by the descendants of Arthur. The characters are delightfully human, flawed yet relatable and sympathetic. The fun rom-com vibe does a take a turn for the very serious before the end, but overall it's a fantastic take on being brave enough to be yourself.

I loved this. The story is cute, funny, and feels like a good twist on an Arthurian story. The characters are fun and fleshed out and I couldn't put it down. Great for fans of Becky Albertalli (she's the reason I bumped this up in my tbr) and twists on love stories you may already like.