Lex Croucher's Gwen and Art Are Not in Love gave all the right vibes! Tons of representation and lovable characters!

I usually stick to books that are around 250 pages because they are more fast-paced, but although this book was around 400 pages, it still kept a decent pace (especially in the second half of the book).

My favorite thing about this book was how funny it was! The amount of sarcasm had me giggling on EVERY. SINGLE. PAGE.

The main characters were so relatable and amazingly written, and I can't wait to read more of Croucher's books!

Overall, I rated this book 4/5 stars because although it was almost perfectly written, the first half of the story was slightly too slow, making it hard to get invested in.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

So, I guess this was a "me" thing. I don't know enough of the Arthurian legend to have fully comprehended this book. Parts of it were amusing - the whole knights and maidens speaking in 21st-century vernacular was fun. Usually, historical inaccuracies get under my skin. But, you could tell this was intentional and I had fun with it. I just couldn't keep up with the battles and the backstory. It's not the author's fault, it's mine.
Thank you St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC in return for an honest review.

I adore this book. I think the full cast works well together although I do find Gabriel slightly annoying. This was marketed excellently for fans of A Knights Tale because I love that movie and if this book becomes a movie I will love that too.

A kind thank you to NetGalley and to Wednesday Books for an e-arc of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love in exchange for my honest review.

Let's start off with my rating--I'm between a 3.5 and 3.75 star rating. Did I have fun while reading this? Absolutely. However I do have some issues that I want to point out where the story fell a little flat for me.

My main issue with the story was the pacing, but most importantly the first 100ish pages. I found myself waiting for something to grab my attention or something exciting to happen in the first hundred pages but it never really came. It felt slow, and that might be because the books I had read prior to this one had me flying through the first chapters, so this one having a slower pace didn't really do it for me. I think if you go into this book knowing that for the most part, it is a slower paced read then you'll benefit from being able to manage your expectations of what to expect.

That being said, there were some things I really did enjoy! I LOVED the humor and witty dialogue between the characters. Gwen, Arthur, and Sydney specifically seemed to make an impression on me as being very quick with their retorts, and I found it entertaining and caught myself giggling at times.
I also loved that this was an enemies to allies, I'm more used to reading enemies to lovers but it was nice to read something a little different and see the progression of Gwen and Art's relationship.

I will also note that although I did enjoy the romance aspect of the novel, by the end of the story, I felt like I still wanted a little more, I think this is mostly up to preference to be honest. I really really wanted to love this one and had really high hopes, but with a slow pace and not a lot happening until the last few chapters, it didn't seem to work for me.

If you're looking for an easy-going somewhat low-stakes fantasy-ish read, then this might be the one for you! It's funny and smart and I loved the queer rep.

It is a bit trope-heavy, but it was also a fast and easy read. I didn’t care much for Gwen, but I did like the rest of the characters quite a bit, especially Arthur. Some of the characters felt a bit flat or one-dimensional, and bits felt like they could have been fleshed out more such as the coup, the bad guys who just showed up at the end, and the way the king’s main person ended up being a double agent. But as I said, it was a fun read and a new cute take on Arthurian stories. Plus it has a whole host of representation in it.

historical fiction usually isn’t my cup of tea, but i was pleasantly surprised with this one. it’s set in medieval times, 100 years after the reign of king arthur, and his descendent, gwendoline is betrothed to arthur since they were children. however, they both aren’t really each other’s type, and instead gwendoline is enamored with the only female knight in the kingdom, bridget leclair, and arthur is in love with gwen’s brother, gabriel. and it follows how the teens come to terms with their sexuality, and how they balance their political duties (and their parents wishes) for what they want out of life.

now THIS sounds straight up my alley, but i think my approach to the book kind of put a damper on my reading experience. while i loved the banter between the characters as well as the exploration and conflict between doing what is “right” and what you want to do, everything just felt flat. the first 100 pages to me were so boring, nothing was really happening (and i understand that the world needed to be set up and that there were character dynamics that needed to be explained) and it was a bit of struggle to push through. then in terms of the characters and the romance, i just wished they were fleshed out a bit more. i think i approached this book as a non-ya and felt that the pining between the characters could have been elaborated on more and most of them just felt underdeveloped.

the book did start to pick up at the end, and so many things were thrown at the reader that i felt like it was a bit disorientating, so maybe the pacing could have been a bit better—especially elaborating the political situation and importance earlier on. but, i do have to say bridget leclair is so hot, like there is no one who doesn’t want to be with her.

overall, while this book wasn’t necessarily for me, i know plenty of other people would devour this and enjoy it a lot more!

thank you to netgalley and wednesday books for providing this arc for me to read in exchange for an honest review!

Gwen & Art are not in love is my favorite book by Lex Croucher. I loved the banter and sharp dialogue. It was a perfect comfort historical ya romance. It has both a m/m and f/f romance. I also loved how it poked fun of the King Arthur legend. It has love, fake dating, self discovery, and friendship. I had a great time!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this kind ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is such a cute story with lovable characters and a wonderful nod to Arthurian legend. Although it’s obvious that the book is written in a medieval setting, it still reads in a modern way and is easily digestible.

I liked how Gwen and art hated each other from a young age until they found out they had something in common (both being gay) & the banter was everything I found myself laughing throughout the book and I also didn’t expect the whole battle from something I thought was mainly going to be a rom com, but overall I feel like the author did really well with the character development. Most characters stayed with the same flaws from the beginning till the very end. However I really didn’t like the ending as much just because I expected more & at times I did feel like time era of the book was kinda everywhere. BUT I did think the enemies to friends was a new spin that I did appreciate

rating: 2.5/3

i really REALLY wanted to like this more than i did. the premise was stellar, there was literally laugh-out-loud humor dispersed throughout, there were vibrant queer characters that went for what they wanted- and yet i just kind of felt unpleasant most of the time reading it.

half of the main characters have such a deeply self-imposed sense of misery and distrust in others to be good humans and i found it very taxing. of course, circumstance contributed to some of their more morose perspectives, but i find that conflicts where characters get in the way of themselves for too long regardless of circumstance are not quite my cup of tea. in this way, i struggled with multiple main characters (because it seemed like they were all written with the intention of being mutli-faceted and redeemable, but a few of them felt lackluster because i ultimately found them unlikeable). it was so disheartening to see the proud queer characters be dimensional and flawed but redeemable when i just wasn’t given the same pull towards the ones who needed to come to terms with themselves more. you can absolutely be coming to terms with your sexuality and where that lands you in society, be making mistakes (because that’s more than realistic), and still be redeemable with noticeable growth. i just don’t feel like they were redeemable enough for my personal taste?? grand gestures in lieu of consistent effort towards progress just doesn’t really do it for me conceptually. i do appreciate the juxtaposition the author created and what was attempted in contrasting the main characters though.

the concept of this story resonates with me. unfortunately, i just didn’t connect with its actualization. and i know i will likely be in the minority for that. i think what it really boils down to is that i just personally felt the vibes of this being something written during the pandemic and it weighed me down a bit too much. there was a thread of the lack of belief in humanity that i felt was weaved throughout this story through multiple characters that made it feel less like a love story and more of a struggle for self and world acceptance story. by no means the worst thing, just not what i expected based on the description and other reviews.

on the bright side, this book was extremely inclusive. in terms of gender presentation, race, sexuality, and disability. multiple characters became more disabled over time and it was never treated as anything other than normal- just another reality to respect. i did quite enjoy that aspect. also! the banter was all very witty and the clandestine fun made you feel like you were there with the characters enjoying their secrets. there were moments dispersed throughout that will make your heart surge with queer joy. also shoutout to sidney for being a funky little ally. he’s just a silly little guy, a goofy little dude. and a very loyal royal friend :)

i am rounding up to 3 stars because i can see the quality and value this has outside of my personal preferences. the combination of a serious story with depressing undercurrents and bright, cutting humor will, objectively, Do It for many readers.

thank you to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was everything I wanted and needed it to be. As soon as I honestly read the blurb I was hooked. Shout out to my 10th grade English teacher and her obsession with Heath Ledger for making me obsessed w/ knights tale!! Such an under rated theme

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher is set in Camelot several hundred years after the time of King Arthur’s court. Princess Gwendoline has been betrothed since birth to Arthur, the future Lord of Maidvale. Unfortunately, they have detested each other since childhood.

Arthur arrives at Camelot to spend the summer before the upcoming wedding. Soon after his arrival, they each discover the other’s secret. I’m not spoiling anything by telling you that they are both gay.

Gwen has a crush on the only female knight in Camelot, Bridget. Arthur prefers the company of Gabriel, Gwen’s brother. So Gwen and Arthur make a pact to keep their true feelings to themselves. In spite of their original dislike, they do develop a friendship.

Well, the plan would have been fine except for an unexpected political coup and impending battle. I won’t spoil that part except to say the coup leads to other events that change Gwen and Arthur’s plan.

My favorite character is Arthur. He is much kinder than I expected. At the beginning of the book, Gabe and Arthur share a cat, unbeknownst to anyone but the cat. Arthur provides quite a bit of comic relief.

If you like romance novels with a bit of mystery, then you will enjoy Gwen & Art Are Not in Love.

If you are a vicious, power-hungry villain, then you might not enjoy the book as much at the moment.

I received this ebook from NetGalley. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own. Obviously.

GAH!!! I loved this so much! Gwen & Art Are Not in Love was so cute and funny. I loved the relationships between the different characters, and Arthur was a particular standout for me. If you love found family and queer stories, definitely give this a try.

This one is added to the list of the EASIEST 5 stars I've ever given. You know it's good when you sit 4 chapters in and know you can go ahead and click all the stars in your head. Don't go into this expecting a retelling because it most definitely isn't. It's the queer rom-com of my dreams that younger me most definitely needed. It's honestly refreshing to know that so many YA readers who are just starting out will have something like this to connect to and most likely cherish the rest of their lives. Reading this was as easy as breathing and I flew through it so fast, at times, I slowed myself down on purpose. Our main character's are a delight and the f/f m/m relationships sell you from the very start. I'm a lover of both the light and MAINLY the dark when it comes to reading but sometimes pausing and finding something like this blows me away. I absolutely can't wait to purchase this and re-read it over and over. I don't want to spoil the plot because there's quite a bit of time before this comes out but PLEASE try this when you're given the chance!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this book. This book is queer YA comfort the whole way through. The characters are witty and the banter is amazing, similar to Alice Oseman in style. It’s obviously not the book to read if you’re looking for historical accuracy or information on medieval Europe, but it is a beautiful story.

This book was such fun and I wanted to wrap Gwen, Art, Bridget and Gabriel in a giant hug!! Croucher balanced lighthearted moments alongside more serious and emotional discussions in this epic and touching story about finding your voice and forging your own history. While each character had moments of being frustrating, they were relatable, flawed, very human young adults trying to navigate the unknown while possessing very admirable qualities: Bridget’s bravery and loyalty, Gwen’s empathy and hope, Art’s spontaneity and vulnerability, and Gabriel’s leadership and conviction.

I did have some issues with the uneven pacing and the book’s length. The story had a slow start, picked up some speed and then fizzled, leaving me somewhat unsatisfied that we didn’t get a grander ending for these characters who went through so much. I think the pacing might have been different had the book not been quite so long as there were some parts feeling slightly repetitive and detracting from the main focus.

Overall, I found the story to be clever, tender, and hopeful with the most endearing characters quite, but I wanted more from the ending.

3.5/5

Our two protagonists, Art and Gwen, have been betrothed to marry since childhood, in the hopes to help heal political rifts in their kingdoms. Besides for some encounters in childhood that went quite bad, they haven't spent much time together, until their parents decide to have them publicly court during the kingdom's tournament season in preparation for their wedding. Art and Gwen, once they overcome their childhood enmity, find they have much more in common then they originally thought--a penchant for the same sex. Awkwardness and hijinks ensues as they support each other in pursuing their crushes, unpack childhood trauma, and develop a genuine friendship.

I genuinely enjoyed this book, and found the banter between characters like Gwen and her brother Gabriel really charming and funny. Between the two romances, I found Art's to be the most compelling, but I also think Gwen learned some important lessons as well. Given that the book was so well-written and paced, the one thing that threw me for a loop is that I feel there were some themes of substance abuse that weren't dealt with in an appropriate manner for YA. The character had struggles with addiction that felt unrealistic and romanticized, and I think definitely could disrupt the experience of a reader who is sensitive to those themes. I know how sensitive topics are treated in YA versus adult books is a huge conversation, where lots of lines are being blurred, but this was a sticking point for me as an educator that made this otherwise lovely book lose a star.

I have been impatiently waiting for this book ever since I first heard about it - and oh did it deliver. Croucher crafted such an entrancing story reminiscent of the classic knight tales. The characters - especially Gwen and Art - are so wonderfully written and effortlessly relatable. This novel is truly such a beautiful gift for every queer person that’s ever wanted our own fairytale.

Thank you to St Martins Press / Wednesday books for sending me an arc in exchange for review.


I unfortunately didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought I would. The writing style was a bit hard for me to enjoy and I didn’t connect with any of the characters.

This book has a really amazing and fun premise, and a ton of promise. Unfortunately, the pacing made it sometimes difficult to get through. The first 75-80% could be tightened up a good bit, and then from 80-98% was really good. The last chapter (or two) could have been stretched out so it didn’t feel so rushed.

Pacing aside, all of the characters are fun, and like I said the premise is as wonderful as the description makes it sound. I wish that the main couples were developed more in their relationships, but it was overall a very fun story. I read the ARC, and since the release is still the better part of the year away I’m hoping some last minute changes can be put in to tighten it up. This has SO MUCH potential to be a really really top tier book.