Omg! I loved this book! The romance, the lore: this was the queer Arthurian retelling I dreamed of. There were some stylistic choices I didn’t love, but overall I highly recommend!

This is a DELIGHTFUL historically inspired queer YA rom com in the vein of FT Luken, and I really enjoyed it.

The character names, Gwen and Art, certainly signal an Arthurian retelling, but while the society here is set in Camelot and Arthur is a part of the lore, it’s actually not as much a retelling as an “inspired by” kind of story.

Be aware that this is very much a modernized historical romance, so characters are speaking with modern language, like A Knights Tale, but it really works here. The book has humor, good pacing, and heart, and I read it in a day, so that speaks to its bingability.

Overall I highly recommend!

Wow. I love when a book exceeds my expectations, and this one absolutely did that!

Arthur and Gwen, were some of the sweetest, relatable characters I’ve experienced. And don’t even get me started on Sidney or Bridget! I immediately fell in love with each and every one of these characters, scars, flaws and all. The ridiculous situations and conversations they kept falling into, were hilarious and heartwarming at the same time. Lex Croucher has such talent for writing some of the most witty banter and cheeky humor! (My face actually hurt from smiling and laughing so much.)

Surprisingly the plot even kept me on my toes. You might wonder how a “Medieval romantic comedy”, could possibly do that… But the wonderful bits of Arthurian lore, strategically placed throughout the story, really created a wonderful book.

Can we please have more amazing, queer, romantic comedies like this?!?! I think the world would be a better place, if people read adorable books like this more often.

Thank you to Lex Croucher, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

3.5/5 ⭐

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a cute historical romance. This is the 2nd book I've read by Lex Croucher and it didn't disappoint. I loved the plot of this book. It was so unique to me and was very different then anything I've read before.

The only thing I didn't like about this book is that it was slow. I don't know why, but it took me forever to want to continue reading this book. There wasn't anything interesting or engaging that kept me wanting to read the first few chapters. Of course that changed as I kept reading. The story does build and becomes VERY interesting😉

Overall, it was a good book and I would Definitely recommend to a friend who wants to read a historical romance with a twist.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc!

Such a fun read! I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and had fun with both POVs. It is an interesting mix of historical setting and modern language but does it well!

Here we are in alt-Britain, some centuries after the events of King Arthur and the Round Table, but combat still entails mounted knights in armor, a central social conflict is between Catholics and "cultists" (who more or less worship the original King Arthur), and royal children can be betrothed more or less at birth, because that's how politics works. For maximum enjoyment, let go of quibbles about details inconsistent with the not-alt-history we live in. Is there a palomino in the royal stables, even though that word didn't appear in English till 1914? Fine, there's a palomino in the royal stables. I'm serious, just let that stuff go.

Let it go, because the reward is so worth it.

Our principals are Gabriel and Gwen, the royal siblings; Arthur, the son of an unpleasant lord; and Bridget LeClair, the one and only lady knight in the realm. Gabriel is going to be king someday, like it or not; smart and bookish though he is, he doesn't really like it, because it means giving up his dream of scholarship and spreading education to his people. Gwen is going to marry Arthur, whom she knows all too well: they dislike each other immensely, having spent a fair amount of childhood time playing tit-for-painful-tat. Also, Gwen has a huge crush on Bridget, and Arthur only likes boys. Let me not omit to mention that Gabriel too is gay, and he's seriously attracted to Arthur. And that queerness is frowned on, this alt-Britain not being alt in that respect.

That last bit aside, this could be a setup for a romcom, but -- lighthearted title notwithstanding -- Gwen and Art turns out to be an emotionally complicated story of four people looking for a way to choose the course of their lives even though it looks an awful lot like all they can do is hurtle along a pre-laid track. They succeed -- more or less -- though it turns out to cost them all dearly.

In spite of the cost, the ending feels not only hopeful but joyful. The lovers are paired as they should be, and powerful people can, it turns out, use their power to effect change. As for the pain this costs them, it's emotionally realistic despite the fantasy setting. I couldn't find a way to describe it without spoilers, so I won't, except to say that the price of the victory makes it all the sweeter. This the ending says, this was worth it.

A small ding because (1) Bridget feels less well realized than the other three, and (2) early on I came thisclose to ditching the book because Gwen acts like such a nitwit at such a crucial time. (You'll know when you hit that point. Don't ditch the book.)

4.5 stars, and many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

It’s been a few days since I finished this book, and I’m still flabbergasted. Nothing in this book was what I expected it to be.

To begin with: the opening. Our female main character, Gwen, wakes up from what I can only assume was a wet dream (the book doesn’t 100% confirm) starring her crush, the female knight Bridget Leclair. Soon after, Gwen plays chess with her brother, who quotes a meme at her.

Memes? In my historical setting?

I absolutely needed to know more about this book, but I was surprised to find that the rest of the book was kind of boring and slow. After such an opening, the book then intends for readers to go crazy over such small things as an elbow touch. I don’t know about y’all, but the tone was off for me. I needed something more substantial.

There was a lot of inferring between the lines throughout this book, which is another thing I don’t enjoy. I don’t like guessing what is happening, even if I’m pretty sure I’m correct, but this book never seemed to state anything that was happening as 100% fact. An assassin comes to kill one of the characters and I’m still not sure who he was trying to kill.

Speaking of killing: the ending of this book. After spending 70% of this book with this slow and boring description of these characters’ day-to-day lives, we finally get a little plot. A little development of something. And then, like reaching the top of a rollercoaster, the book suddenly drops readers into war? People are dying left and right, major characters are getting irrevocably injured, and I felt like I had whiplash.

For a book to be so happy-go-lucky and then suddenly dropkick readers into war and death? This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, but I came out of it really disappointed in the reading experience.

I want more happy, gay love stories! Especially fun ones set in the Middle Ages with jousting and sword fighting. I really enjoyed this book and had a lot of fun reading it.

The blurb for the book made me think it was going to be more romance involved, but there was actually a lot of politics and discussion of Arthurian Legend too. Lex Croucher makes three things very clear on her Instagram that maybe aren't as clear in the blurb.

1. It is not a retelling of Arthurian legend. Which I preferred! It takes place a few centuries after Arthurian legend events, so the story felt more unique and you're not always sure what's going to happen next. It did have a lot of discussion of Arthurian Legend, which I have basic knowledge of. I enjoyed it, but big Arthur fans might feel differently.

2. It's not a high fantasy; it's a historical fantasy. Which again, I preferred! The book is more character and romance driven and is more fun since it takes place in a medieval setting.

3. It is not written in Middle English, but instead in Modern English. Which is okay, but sometimes took me out of the story. It felt a little weird to read phrases like "equal-opportunity" when watching a joust.

My one critique is that the plot felt a little fast at certain times and glacial at others, but overall it's a fun and quick read! 3.5/5 rounded up to four

I lover queer retellings and this one did not disappoint. I just loved it so much!!
Such a heartwarming and charming story following a group of friends while they struggle with love, self-identity, acceptance and what truly matters in life. It was so refreshing to read about such a young but unique and varied group of characters. I could see pieces of myself in every characters, which is always something I enjoy while reading a book. It was not only emotional but also quite funny, which I wasn’t expecting.
Such a wonderful book that I would recommend to everyone but especially fan of Alice Oseman’s writing and anything historical.
Thank you to St.Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing me of an arc in exhange for a honest review.

I did not expect to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did! I couldn't stop reading and I was genuinely excited to see what was going to happen next.

What I enjoyed:
-This book is very funny and made me laugh out loud a few times.
-The characters were well developed. I was invested in them as people and I loved the banter they would have (not just the two leads with one another, but also with their romantic interests and friends).
-The relationships (both platonic and romantic) and how they developed seemed realistic and well-paced.
-Certain social/relationship issues were addressed in a way that was earnest and did not feel preachy.
-There were a few times that I was so stressed for the characters that I had to remind myself that this was a book.
-The ending was much more dramatic and had far more weight to it than I expected.

What would have pushed this into a five-star read for me:
-The worldbuilding was a little confusing at first... I get that the King Arthur mythos is the initial gimmick of this book, but I think the story would have been better with its own unique little cult instead. I think the King Arthur mythos was more of a shorthand so that readers would understand the beliefs of the cultists without having to explain it in detail in the text. As someone with admittedly bare-bones knowledge of those stories, it felt a little bit messy and unnecessary.
-No spoilers, but the resolution of one large issue is alluded to rather than actually be shown on the page. After being so invested, I wanted to read what happened with my own eyes! Don't cut the story right before the best part!

This book was fun! I'm glad that I read it and I may end up buying it when it releases so that I can have a physical copy.

Truly fantastic book! It was hilarious, had fun romances, tons of action - everything about it worked for me. It was a little long, but I was having such a good time reading it I didn’t even mind. I’m now going to read all the other books Croucher has written in the hopes they are even half as good as this one.

This is a super cute book! I thought the characters were super cute and the rivalry and banter between Gwen and Arthur was adorable. I enjoyed the romances and was pleasantly surprised by the storyline. Quick read that I would definitely recommend for a road trip or a Renaissance festival.

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc to review!

- this was a cute story, filled with queer joy and a cast of characters full of love, life, and determination to get what (and who) they wanted.

5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

As someone approaching their mid-20s, I find myself pickier about the YA novels I decide to read. Thinking back on the YA series I loved back in middle and high school, I can’t help but think they would simply read as juvenile to me now. I feel that I’m outside their target audience and the teenage antics would all feel slightly ridiculous.

That being said, I’ve found that the YA genre has done a good bit of evolving over the years, where more and more are being written that could appeal to anyone - and this book is certainly no exception. Gwen and Art Are Not in Love reminds me of The Princess Bride, my favorite movie and a classic that is enjoyable to all. The YA attribution, like the PG rating given to The Princess Bride, is not necessarily an indicator of quality or maturity level, and I can confidently say that this book has become one of my all-time favorites as well.

Gwen and Art is queer, comforting, heartbreaking, hilarious, emotional, and so wonderfully healing. There’s so much sharp wit that my copy is filled with highlights of passages that made me laugh out loud - and I never take notes or highlight. The main characters all feel so wonderfully flawed, complex, and most importantly, real. No one is perfect. People say and do things they don’t mean. There’s laughter and tears at inopportune times. We see incredibly sweet, awkward, and relatable moments of young love. And I couldn’t get enough of it all!

This book has a slower start, but by no means did that take away from my enjoyment. I adore character-driven stories and Lex expertly develops our protagonists in a way that feels like we get to learn and grow alongside them. It picks up speed as things get more complicated for our characters and the ending was so full of drama and tension that I couldn’t put it down. This book broke my heart, held my hand as it helped put it back together again, and turned me into its #1 fan and proponent for a sequel.

Lex created this absolutely beautiful tale full of heart, self-discovery, identity acceptance, forgiveness, growth, and true friendship. I just finished the book and I wish I could forget it so I could read it for the first time all over again. Seriously, if you’re looking for a queer rom-com, or if you’re also a part of the LGBTQ+ community, I can’t recommend this enough. This will forever have a special place in my little heart.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Genuinely loved this one. Such amazing characters, especially Gwen and Bridget. I am a massive fan of looking at old stories, in this case King Arthur and the knights of the round table, through an LGBT lens. Highly recommend this book and loved the ending.

Lex Croucher’s books are a guaranteed good time! Set in post-round table Camelot we get knights and princesses and joust tournaments, plus angsty teens, delightful banter, silly antics, coming-of-age character development, and multiple love stories. It was a pleasure to read.

I did not finish Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, but I will not be posting my review on Goodreads or social media out of respect for the author and publisher. I like the premise of this book, I really do! It had a ton of potential. It just felt incredibly slow to me. It has very long chapters, and there isn't enough action or things actually happening - even 40% in, I feel like we were still building to what the actual plot/conflict of the story was.

Gwen and Art have a problem. They have grown up thinking the worst of each other and dreading the day the betrothal that's been in place since their birth comes to fruition. Much to their chagrin the time is drawing near and they have to spend the entire summer together in preparation for the announcement of their wedding day. In what may turn out to be a stroke of luck for the two betrothed, Gwen catches Art in a compromising position that allows her to see that they may have more in common than she anticipated. Could a mutual arrangement allow Gwen to follow her heart to the brave knight Lady Bridget who's caught her eye? Additionally, could this be a chance for Art to reconnect with Gwen's older brother Gabriel and find a spark that he never expected? Alongside all of this, is there something deeper brewing beneath the surface of the kingdom as the people gather to celebrate the royal tournament being held?

This was an absolutely adorable tale of young and unrequited love. Additionally, I appreciated that none of the main characters had things figured out yet, especially since they are teenagers and that's a messy time in your life full of self-discovery. This really shined in the candid conversations between Gwen and Art revealing that, despite what might appear to be external confidence, they are still kids and still learning who they are and how to navigate their new feelings. I appreciated the unapologetic queerness of this book. Obviously, the environment still wasn't conducive to straying from heteronormativity, but the characters themselves reinforced that there was nothing wrong with who they were and who they chose to love. I also didn't expect the sort of deeper lore of conflict and mystery and feuding factions, but it was a pleasant surprise as it wove through the novel, culminating in an unexpected twist. Overall, I think this was a great coming-of-age romance and I would read it again in a heartbeat. I wish I had this book around when I was in my teens and obsessed with Medieval tales of lady knights.

This is hands-down my favorite read of the year so far. I first found out about this book from tiktok and thought it sounded cute, but I didn’t expect it to be so amazing. It’s hilarious, it’s adventurous, and it’s emotional.

The characters are incredibly well-developed. They’re flawed but loveable. Gwen longs for companionship but tells herself otherwise because she believes others don’t like her and therefore judges them before they can judge her. Arthur hides his insecurities behind alcohol and sarcasm. Gabriel hides from himself in favor of his duty and becoming the kind of king he believes his country and his family want. They’re not perfect; they’re believable.

I’m also obsessed with the way this book was written. It was intentionally written in a modern style with modern slang, and I think it worked really well for this story. The characters, especially Art, were hilarious, and I marked so many places where I actually laughed out loud. I also enjoyed how diverse the book was. Obviously the main characters are LGBTQ+, and two of the main characters are people of color, as well as some side characters. One of my favorite scenes was when some of the characters, both men and women, were trying to attend a party that was for women only. Instead of immediately turning the male characters away, they were asked if any of them were men. It was a single line, but it felt like a recognition of trans and non-binary people who may not “pass.”

If I had any complaint about this book, it would be that I didn’t feel like I got to know Bridget as well as the other characters. She had her own battles to face, quite literally, but it felt like we didn’t learn as much about her flaws as the others.

Regardless, this was a 5-star read for me, and I will be buying the finished product as soon as it’s released.

4.25 ⭐
this book is such an entertaining read! i've never read anything set in medieval times and i genuinely didn't know what to expect, but i'm glad i enjoyed this book. i love every single character so much, their interactions and banter are so funny, especially between sidney and arthur. the whole book is chaotic in a fun way and radiates comforting energy. the only thing i don't love is the pacing, the ending and climax is too quick in my opinion but it's a romcom so it's not a huge problem. overall, i definitely recommend this book to whoever is looking for a lighthearted read!