Super cute! Great read for anyone who likes BBC's Merlin TV show, or Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. The whole cast of characters is enjoyable and there's a good range of different personalities and romance dynamics.

Gwendoline and Arthur have been betrothed since birth. Their entire lives they have been pushed together by their families against their will. When Arthur’s distant father sends him to Camelot to get closer to his betrothed, Arthur reluctantly obeys. Gwen is tired of being the ornamental princess and dreads the arrival of her intended. But when Gwen stumbles upon Arthur in a comprising position with another young man, the two find common ground. The two devise a plan: to fake their relationship for the benefit of their families whilst seeking their heart’s desires elsewhere. While the two are clearly not in love, even they cannot deny the budding friendship between them.
Gwen and Art Are Not In Love is the queer rom com retelling of Arthurian myth I’ve been waiting for! A must read for readers of Casey McQuiston and fans of A Knight’s Tale.

Queer historical retelling? Yes, please.
This book was a delight! It’s well written with enough sprinkles of lore through the whole thing to make any King Author fan happy. It blew my expectations out of the water.

First, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this before it is published!
I enjoyed the unique concept, and the idea of this story, but ultimately it wasn’t really for me. I had a bit of trouble keeping up with the plot, and staying invested in the characters. I know many people will absolutely love this book, I just wasn’t one of them.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release date: 11/27/23
.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about this on Booktube so I was really excited to be able to get an ARC of this thanks to @netgalley !
.
Although I did really enjoy it, it was a really slow start to me. Besides reiterating how much Art and Gwen loathe each other, there are a handful of cute moments and quirky jokes. It was hard to power through but I’m so glad I did!
.
Once the story start rolling, it is so stinking cute, endearing, and funny!! While loosely based on Arthurian Legend, there isn’t much about it besides the names of the characters and then being descended from Arthur Pendragon.
.
There are some political things happening in the background, but for the most part, the story is focused on Gwen and Art’s pact to keep each other’s secrets of who they’re crushing on.
.
There are a few scenes that really made the book so much more rounded than I anticipated it being early on in the book that occurred near the end. It wrapped up very nicely 💕
.
I definitely recommend if you are a fan of #LGQBITAP+ and historical romcoms! Very cute, quirky, and lovable! The characters were all seriously so adorable!

"Gwen and Art Are Not in Love" by Lex Croucher is a romantic comedy novel that features both an f/f and m/m romance. The book is a modernist YA take on queer relationships that centers around two nobles, Gwen and Art, who are not in love despite what everyone around them thinks. The have been betrothed since Gwen was an infant and Art was a child. They have always hated each other, until one summer visit comes along, and they discover they might actually have a secret in common. They work together to protect one another and wind up becoming each other's found family. The writing in the book is a blend of comedy, historical, and romance, which helps to convey the lives and emotions of the characters. The book is full of sword-fighting and romantic shenanigans that will undoubtedly make readers fall in love with these well-developed characters. Overall, the book is a fun read that gives an unexpected twist on the Arthurian legend.

→ 4.5 ☆

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


i loved the relationship dynamics throughout the book. everyone felt real, it was refreshing to read. quick disclaimer: this review (kind of) contains subtle spoilers, so beware.

sid and art's friendship? perfect. they're unbreakable, humorous, and each other's best friend. i ADORE them together and as separate people.

“because he kissed me back.”
sidney gaped at him. “in the bird shed?”
“you’re awfully fixated on the bird shed.”


sidney was so much fun. a former manwhore that has been wooed and wowed into a faithful man who only has eyes for agnes—who i also, undoubtedly, love dearly. sidney was so loyal, and you could feel his utmost love for art, who he stayed by the entire book and didn't once falter on his loyalty. his retorts to art's mood swings and little jabs would also count as a plus.

“ah,” sidney said wisely. “you just want him to hold you like a baby crow.”


art, our local moody and alcoholic gay, made my heart ache. i felt personally attacked every time he used fake confidence to hide his self-doubts, or whenever he made self-depreciating jokes as coping mechanism. he needs a hug! he needs a couple hundred hugs, but i'll settle for just one. a funny lad, he is. his banter with literally anyone had me giggling or puffing a little air out of my nose.

“better off dead.” he said it with such violent self-hatred, even half-conscious, that gwen winced.


gwen's character was annoying at first, she was judgmental, crass, and often felt like everything was targeted regardless of it was or not. i felt so proud seeing her character development! watching gwen grow from someone who assumed the worst and sort of outcasted herself to someone who was doing things out of her comfort zone and deepening her relationships. she becomes so sweet and an overall joy (flaws and all). she's also such an introvert, and i love that she's not forced to become some social butterfly. however, we do get to see her find a spine and her own voice. seeing her be more understanding of bridget's situation? mwah.

“it was dangerous to want things, and gwen was out of practice. in fact, the only thing she had truly wanted for years was to be left alone.”


BRIDGETTT! woman knight = perfection. i don't make the rules here, so... anywayy, i love her so much. she knows what she wants, and she doesn't let anybody tell her what they think she should. even though she faces soo much discrimination being the only female knight (to put herself out there), she still stays focused on her goal. she wants to be better, she wants to become a great knight, and she has no intentions of letting anybody try to force her to stop.

“but i didn’t say no to you, gwen. i said no to giving up my whole life to wait around for moments with you, whenever you could spare them. that’s not who i am, and it’s not what i want.”


agnes, what a fantastic person.
sidney + agnes >>
they're so cute and i love them, they practically have hearts in their eyes every time they see each other. i love how we get to know her better as gwen gets to know her better, we get to see how much of a lovely person she actually is outside of gwens assumptions.

“yes.” agnes should have been very angry at her—could have raged at gwen for depriving her of her last glimpse of Sidney—but instead she reached over and took gwen’s hand.


overall, this was a really good (slight slowburn) romance. the only reason it isn't the full five stars, is because the politics kind of just hit me! of course, it makes sense later on, but the book wasn't engaged in the conflict enough for it to make sense until the climax. unrealistic, but cute ending, as well. ok, the end isn't like cute-cute because of obvious reasons, but i mean the veryy end.

thank you to netgalley and wednesday books for this arc in exchange for an honest review

mwah,
alayla. 📖

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was so cute! I thought the banter was witty and that the characters were well thought out. I do believe (like some other reviewers) that this would have probably benefitted from being adult rather than YA to be able to delve a bit deeper.

This is a cute historical queer romcom that I recommend checking out!

Reading this book, I could tell this author has been on Tumblr (affectionate). The dry, sarcastic humor makes Gwen & Art really stand out.

What I didn't like:
-For the most part, the author does a good job knowing when to use humor and when to take a more serious tone. However, the tone shifts dramatically during the climax when the action begins, which felt jarring.
-The twists and points of political intrigue were all pretty predictable. The foreshadowing was too heavy handed for my taste.
-I also would have liked to learn more about the cultist and Catholic factions. The world building of the politics and religions felt more tell than show.

What I liked:
-The author's voice feels very unique, and I appreciate that the humor isn't just reserved for dialogue (although Arthur has some great dialogue). There are also some meme references that I noticed, but I thought they were *tasteful* and didn't bring me out of the story. I legitimately chuckled out loud at multiple points.
-The romance is the focus of the book and it definitely delivered. Cute stuff.
-I also really appreciated the development of the friendship between Arthur and Gwen. It felt very genuine. Enemies to friends! but NOT lovers!

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a funny YA romance with queer characters discovering themselves and striving to make the world a better place.

I really enjoyed this book. There was a lot more emotion than I was expecting which was a very welcome surprise. Seeing the romantic relationships play out as well as the found family trope was awesome. I loved Gwen and Arthur’s friendship as well as arts and Sidney’s friendship. The writing was very compelling and easy to follow. Awesome book 10/10 would recommend

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love was a fun ride. I loved how the author wove the Arthurian history into the narrative. More than that, I loved the characters. They were all a great mix of flawed characters you root for, get annoyed at, and fall in love with. Special shout out to Sidney for always being hilarious and endearing, and Bridget for being so strong in her expectations. Can't forget Gwen and Art both equal parts tragic and heartwarming. We love a good enemies to friends arc.

"Heartstopper meets A Knight's Tale" and "A Knight's Tale, but make it queer" are both perfect descriptions of this YA historical romance (and as someone who was a prime target audience back when A Knight's Tale was released...yes, please!). Lighty, cheeky, sweet, funny--it's a perfect comfort romance reading. The setting is fun, the characters are charming, and it was just a genuinely enjoyable read. Gwen & Art was my first Lex Croucher read, but it won't be my last.

<I/>Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this title in exchange for my honest opinion. </I>

I will preface this by saying that I did read this all the way through and I didn't regret it. I think my 13 year old self would have thoroughly enjoyed it. That being said, I really think that this book is designed for 13-15 year olds.

It's marketed as a queer medieval rom com, so let's unpack that. The medieval component is very shoddily done. The world building leaves a lot to be desired; it feels incredibly fake and surface level (i.e. like just a step above the world building in a children's fairy tale). It's difficult to imagine the world let alone step inside it. The climax (*in vague terms* political tensions boiling over) in particular just felt silly.

I understand that it's a rom-com, so the focus is supposed to be on the romance, but the romance was poorly done. Some of the banter was lovely, but there was very little actual development — like neither Gwen or Art actually get to know their love interests (although I will say that Gwen's crush on Bridget was very well described). This makes sense, Gwen and Gabriel barely have actual personalities, and I can sum up Bridget's in once sentence. Art and Sidney were the only characters that were remotely interesting. And none of the characters, not a single one, reads like a day over 16. Pretending like they're all adults so them getting married just makes what is already a very silly little YA rom com an even sillier one.

In short, the story basically centers the incredibly dramatized crushes of pretty boring teenagers who happen to be heirs to the throne.

Thank Your to the crew over at Net Galley for an ARC of this book.

"This one is for me" <3
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a quirky, (not quiet a) retelling inspired by the Arthurian tales. You can tell, throughout the book, the love, care, and passion the author has for the old classics, delving into enough details to connect history with the flow of the novel. I loved how the plot gently pulled the characters along, giving them believable challenges varying in difficulty and acting more as a tug to action instead of a rush forwards.
"It felt tantamount to treason, although Gwen couldn't tell who they were actually committing it against." (Ch. 13)

The characters themselves on the other hand were a bit two dimensional. I enjoyed each character presented, but I felt we never really had enough time in anyone's head to really feel or understand them. Gwen is anxious, her interests and actions working closely with how she processes information, but her growth is a big stagnant and she doesn't have a whole lot of depth beyond this base personality. Art, as well, responded to his anxiety in an entirely different way, and I felt he was his own worst enemy. Though I loved the perspectives each character brought to the table, it felt like each was a breath away from stumbling clumsily over themselves and setting everything back to square one. Plot progressed, the characters did not. I feel like both Art and Gwen could have had their own books to explore the deeper questions better.

That being said, the book does an excellent job delving into that romance-- it's why we're all here. The queer relationships are detailed, delicate, and shaped by the reality of their circumstances. I more wish there was time between the characters to flush out that development, fill in the space between moments, and build that tension. The relationships between familiar characters, like Gwen and Gabriel (siblings) or Art and Sidney (siblings in spirit) felt far more authentic than anything explored between Gwen and her love interest, or Art and his.

"Sidney is going to lean against this wall here and have a nap" <3
I was almost always smiling throughout this book, with enough cheeky one liners to brighten a room. All in all, however, it was sweet and enjoyable! I especially liked how the surrounding world dabbled with a diverse cast and asked difficult questions. I'd recommend this to people who liked Heartstopper, or want a gentler Red, White & Royal Blue.

I absolutely adored this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I definitely will be purchasing a physical copy.

It has been a while since I laughed out loud at dialogue. Every single character added to the story, non detracted. I could vividly picture the world that Croucher created, and felt immersed in it. Someone make this a movie, please!

My only issue, and it was a minor one at that, is that the character of Gwen got really whiny and annoying. Of course, it only seemed to last for maybe 10-15% of the novel. Arthur was the shining star. I want an entire book dedicated just to him and Sidney. Was the plot somewhat predictable? Yes, but I enjoyed the twists and journey anyway. I wasn't bored by the directions the author took the characters.

I will be recommending this to everyone. This is now one of my top 10 (maybe even top 5) favorite YA novels of all time.
I beg Lex Croucher to never stop writing.

First, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Have you watched Rosaline on Hulu? Because if you haven't you need to, then you need to read this book because the vibes are immaculate and quite similar!

This is not a retelling of the Arthurian legend per se, but instead a fun twist on the characters. Taking place hundreds of years after the death of the original Arthur Pendragon, this book follows the current Princess- Gwen, and her betrothed- Art, who could not hate each other more if they tried. However, after learning that they have more in common than previously thought, they come to an agreement that benefits them both in this engagement.

Jousting, sword fighting lesbians, gay pining, and witty repartee to spare, this book is truly a delight to read! It's more romance than fantasy but I did not mind that at all, in fact, the characters really shine throughout this book. I loved getting to see the characters develop and come into their own as well as find a balance in their personal relationships with each other.

This is really a fun, light book that I think is very easy to enjoy. The quippy banter is terrific and so, so worth it!

Gwen and art is a fantastic, funny and joyful story. Full of so much heart and fun and wonderful characters and relationships that this is a world you will no doubt fall in love with.

Reading this was just a good experience, I was laughing, blushing and crying alongside the characters with every single moment and scene. The setting was wonderfully described and had an array of scenes in other set locations which allowed for a broader overview of the characters themselves.

I've rated this 5 stars here but it's much more a high 4 star. The characters were the star of the show for me, I adored all of them, in particular Gabriel and Bridget. I really think this book would have excelled if it had been told from the 4 main perspectives instead of just 2 as the love interests had the most depth and interest to them.

As well as this, the relationships themselves needed further depth, this book isn't entirely a romance but I would have loved to see just that bit more from the inner relationships between characters and even the sibling relationship between Gabriel and Gwen. A lot of the story in this regard suffered from telling not showing.

But!!! This was still just overall a really fun reading experience and a joy to follow along with despite any qualms I had with it. I strongly recommend.

This was a fun one!

I was not a fan of Gwen or Arthur at first. They were so busy fighting that it made the first few chapters hard to get through. I didn't like that Gwen tried to "tattle" on Arthur for liking men (she did not decide against this out of the goodness of her heart but because he blackmailed her) and that she starts out as a "not like other girls" protag (she specifically calls the other women at court "blithering airheads"). Arthur was also pretty frustrating at first.

HOWEVER... I did like their character development a lot. I especially liked when Arthur and Gwen became friends and helped each other out in their respective quests for love. This development was so well-paced and natural, it didn't feel rushed at all and I loved that. Once they realize that they've misjudged each other, they become much more likable, which made it a far more enjoyable read.

Really, my main problem with this book was that the romances did not feel all that... gripping. They were cute, but the relationships also felt very one-sided. Gwen is clearly into Bridget, and while Bridget *says* she feels the same, we don't really see it. I liked their interactions but I would have liked to see more of the internal pining from Bridget's side. Some of the other reviews mentioned that this might have been resolved by adding Bridget and Gabriel's POVs and I agree. I had sort of the same issue with Arthur and Gabriel's relationship, but to a lesser extent, since Gabriel's flustered reactions even from Arthur's POV made him more of an open book. Bridget is much harder to read so it's difficult to see how she is feeling.

Overall, I liked this book and I think it is a cute read. Even though it's a romance novel, the shining star for me was actually Gwen and Arthur's (eventual) cute, supportive friendship. I just would have liked to see more from Bridget and Gabriel.

This book was a wild yet welcome roller coaster ride. I spent about 80% of the book screaming into my fists because this is a cast of /idiots/, But they're also ~lovable~ idiots, which is why I kept reading and why I couldn't stop thinking about the characters when I wasn't actively reading it, and why I can't stop thinking about them now. I'm especially fascinated with how effectively Croucher managed to weave Arthur's narrative. I /loathed/ him in the first chapter. I was like "damn, this guy is TERRIBLE." And since we'd started with Gwen's point of view, and I liked her immediately, I was ready to hate him.
But then time went on, and he just /grew/ on me. I can't even pinpoint exactly why. I only know that when we got to the 70% mark or so, I was ready to die for both him and Sidney, bless their souls. That is masterful writing right there. I did find Gwen to shift from likable, to annoying, and then even out somewhere in between by the end. That might have been personal, however--I did love where she was by the very end, but would have liked more beats that got her there.
This book is definitely worth reading for the big cast of characters and their dramatic shenanigans alone, but you will also not be left wanting by the snappy plot and intricate world building. If you watched the show Merlin and wished it was gay, this is most certainly for you.

4.5/5

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced read. This book is carefully balanced between historical and modern, indulgent and serious. It has it all—sword sapphics, pining gays who share custody of a cat, scheming siblings, and a token straight couple with a refreshing lack of drama. My only reservation with this book is that once I reached the end it still felt like some of the loose threads weren't resolved, particularly those having to do more with magic and myth. I may have felt that way because I assumed right out the gate that this would be a fantasy novel, and it wasn't. But I can also hold out hope that those issues will be addressed in a sequel (pretty please??). Either way, I will certainly be reading more Arthurian retellings and more from Lex Croucher.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.