Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is the first romance novel I've read in a long time, and it left me pleasantly surprised. Croucher does a terrific job of making the relationships realistic -- none of the characters are perfect, and they don't always treat each other fairly, but I found myself rooting for them anyway. The plot begins with a familiar trope: Gwen, a teen princess, dreads her impending marriage to Arthur (Art), a supposed descendant of King Arthur. But rather than falling in love, they develop an affectionate friendship and a mutual agreement to keep each other's secrets. I loved watching them both grow and change for the better. I did feel, however, that the political aspect of the story was underdeveloped and perhaps unnecessary.

I have been in a bit of a slump for a while with not a single book able to hold my attention for more than a chapter or two - until Gwen & Art Are Not in Love! I can't recall the last time a book made me laugh quite this much while reading it. If you were a fan of the Swan Princess animated film growing up - in particular the "This Is Not My Idea" song in the beginning - then this is absolutely the book for you. Arthur, Gwen, Sidney, Gabriel, Bridget are all so fantastic, the dialogue equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking at times, with plenty of twists and surprises to keep the reader on their toes.

Arthur and Gwen might not be in love but I certainly am. I cannot wait to have this one on my bookshelf. Honestly, I wouldn't mind a sequel! It ends quite nicely but I am not ready to say goodbye to this dramatic and lovable cast of characters.

This is the kind of funny, angsty, queer coming-of-age romance goodness that I love. I devoured this book in half a day and have no regrets!

But what is this book about? The story is set in an alternative(?) Medieval England, where people are divided by religions - Catholicism versus the cultists (people who believe in King Arthur). Amidst the political uncertainty, Princess Gwendoline is betrothed at birth to Arthur Delacey, a son of a nobleman. But because The two kids don't get along, they are separated so that they don't prank each other to death. Now, the princess has turned seventeen, and it's decided that she should start to get along with her future husband. Only, (1) they still hate each other, (2) she finds out that he's gay, and (3) he finds out she's lesbian for a certain female knight. So, shenanigan ensues!

This feels like a light fantasy, in that it's closely connected to the Arthurian legend, and it's set in a city called Camelot, but there isn't any magic. I really like how the Arthurian stuffs are woven into the culture in this world, because it brings up some interesting points about religions, how they are used in politics, and how they actually affect the conducts of each individual. The political plot is in the background for the most part, but it's done well and adds a very nice tension to the book. Interestingly, Lady Leclair, the knight of Gwen's dream, is from Sukhothai Kingdom, the other foreign kingdom mentioned in this story. As a Thai person, I was very pleasantly surprised by this! This part of her identity doesn't play any significant role in the plot, but the things about Sukhothai that were brought up in the story are quite accurate. And I like how the story contrasts her family's values to that of the English society.

The main four characters (who are on the cover) are the true stars of the book. Their characterizations are very unique and vibrant, and their found-family dynamics is just spot on. My favorite character is Arthur. He's that asshole with a heart of gold and a daddy issue. He's unapologetically himself, but also hates himself more than other people hate him. Basically, my ideal type of fictional crush!

The romance plots are pretty nice. Just the right balance of angsty yearning and fluff that you would expect from characters in this age range. There is mild homophobia in this world, at the level where homosexuality is not against any laws, and homosexuals are not picked out and bullied, but it's not the norm, especially for royalties who have the obligations to continue the bloodline and whatnot. One of the characters therefore grows up to be a homophobic closeted gay. I think the story handles the discussion of identities and relationships very well in overall.

There are only two reasons why I don't give this 5 stars. One is because the political plot (and how it ties in with the romance plot), though solid and well executed, is simple and predictable. I was hoping there would be a twist, but there wasn't. Another reason is that I wish it was longer and that there's a bit more fluff at the end. I hope there would be a short story or something in the future where we can just see these characters being content and happy, because I already miss them!

ARC review for Gwen & Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher
Publication date Nov 27th 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
LGBTQ+ rep
It’s in the realm of historical fiction & romcom it’s about the Knights at the round table.
There’s banter, love, lots of laughter, heartbreak.
This is a book about self discovery, & identity.
At times this book had me on edge waiting to see what happened, others I’m balling my eyes out, and the next I’m so filled with love!
I really felt like I was in this story and felt connected to each of these characters and their ending! This was an amazing read and I’m very excited to read her other books!
❤️❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️

#booksofig #bookishpost #bookstagram #bookishfriends #bookcommunity #readersofinstagram #bookfriends #bookishfriends #booklovers #bookishcommunity #bookishfollow #bookloversunite #bookrecommendations #bookreviews

I requested Gwen & Art Are Not In Love because I loved Lex Croucher’s queer regency rom-coms, Reputation and Infamous. I knew this would be a departure from their previous work, as this book is YA and loosely tied to Arthurian legend. My knowledge of Arthurian legend and Medieval English history is spotty at best (perhaps I can blame this partially on being American…?) so I didn’t really know what to expect, but I can safely say I somehow love each of Croucher’s books more than the last. I’ve never read anything quite like Gwen & Art.

In summary, Gwen and Arthur are promised to one another from birth, but they do NOT get along. Forced to spend a summer together at Camelot, the two quickly discover that each other is hiding their queer identity, so they decide to cover for one another rather than continue butting heads. The witty banter had me laughing out loud, and I adored Gwen, Arthur, Gabriel, and Bridget — and oh my goodness, Sidney and Agnes! Each of the main characters and their friends are so lovable, yet so fully formed, flawed, and evolving as the novel progresses. From the first page, I only wanted to keep reading, and when I wasn’t, I was wondering what the gang was up to.

This novel has adventure, romance, sweeping grand gestures, complicated family and found family relationships, hysterical dialogue, and heavier, moving moments too. My fingers are crossed for a sequel!

Big thanks to NetGalley & Wednesday Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is an adorable Young Adult novel by Lex Croucher, and one I'd recommend to all fans of LGBT YA and witty banter.

First of all, let me say that it was an absolute struggle to put this book down; I rarely read a book in one sitting, but this was a notable exception!

I absolutely loved the characters and the worldbuilding - from Gwen and Art's banter to the Arthurian cultists and the animals Gabriel holds so dear. All of the characters are so distinct and vibrant, and I found myself captivated as Gwen and Arthur's hatred developed into genuine friendship. I found myself rooting for all of them to get their happy endings, even down to Sidney and Agnes.

I've been a fan of Lex Croucher's since her early days on YouTube, and I can absolutely say that I was delighted to be invited to read an ARC of this book by Rivka Holler at St. Martin's Press! Gwen and Art Are Not in Love exceeded all expectations, and will definitely have a permanent place on my shelf!

Pitched as A Knight's Tale meets Heartstopper, Gwen & Art reminded me of how much I loved Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness series when I was a teen mixed with how much I enjoyed the found family, historical rom-com vibes of Mackenzi Lee's Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. Anyone who knows my reading habits well knows I prefer a standalone, but if we don't get more books with these characters I am going to be bummed. The ending felt a little rushed but I'm hoping that's because there was a page limit and it's just setting up for a continuing story. But even if we don't get any future stories with these characters, I still suggest picking it up.

I dove into this book blindly after reading only the first line of the description because I knew I’d love it, and I was right. Gwen and Art Are Not in Love was hilarious and provided a fresh take on the tale of King Arthur and what comes next.

The POV switches each chapter, alternating between Gwen and Art. We get introduced to Gwen, a princess who’s been told her whole life that she has no choice- it is her duty to have a political marriage. And her brother Gabriel, who is quiet and bookish and feels immense pressure knowing he is next in line to be king. Gwen and Gabriel have a great relationship as brother and sister, and seeing them both grow in confidence and power throughout the story was really cool.

Arthur is a total comedian, the class clown who doesn’t take anything seriously and always finds himself in chaotic situations. His character really grew on me. I was annoyed by him when he was first introduced, mainly because the only information we had from him was given from Gwen’s perspective and she despised him, but by the end of the book he was easily one of my favorite characters. There was a lot more depth to Arthur than I had expected.

This story was never boring. There’s a lot going on between the tournament being held at court, the budding romances between the main characters and their love interests, the court politics, the arranged marriage between Gwen and Art looming ever closer, and even some stuff about secret societies. This was the queer medieval rom com I didn’t know I needed.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher was hilarious and heartwarming.

I loved the humor and I laughed out loud multiple times while reading. The relationships between characters were lovely to see. The banter and dialogue was fun to read.

My only complaint was that it got a bit slow in the middle. The same problems got rehashed with no progress. When it did pick up it was a relief.

Regardless, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love was fun and a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This book was strange, adorable, and laugh-out-loud-funny. I loved the alternate version of England these characters inhabit and the charms of some of the main characters (especially Arthur). I didn't necessarily feel tons of chemistry from the romantic relationships but the fun of the book outweighed that. I would highly recommend this to any fans of A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue and its sequels or perhaps (gasp) Red White & Royal Blue

I read Lex Croucher's first book and had a great time, but this was somehow even better! I am a sucker for a good queer romance, but Arthurian legend vibes, queer friendships, unlikeable to likeable main characters? Absolutely brilliant. This book was so funny, heartwarming, infuriating, and so well written. I can't wait for everyone else to read this too so I can finally discuss.

The writing in this book was flawless, and the idea of reimagining a very well-known story is very interesting in the manner in which this is presented. I can see this being a huge appeal to many and it will, most assuredly, fly off of shelves everywhere! It was funny, quirky, and a great twist on an extremely beloved story. Great work!

When I first saw the summary for this book on Netgalley, it looked interesting, so I thought I'd put a request in and see how things went. And for the first few pages, things were going...ok. But after a while I found myself slowly losing interest in the story, so I decided to put this book on my 'did not finish' pile. Now while I ended up not finishing this book, if you happen to be into queer romance and retellings of familiar stories (especially King Arthur retellings), I'd definitely recommend checking this book out when it comes out later this year.

I know I will love everything Lex Croucher writes, so perhaps it was unfair from the start, but this book will likely be my favourite read of the year. Yes, I’m aware it’s January 4th. But hear me out!

I’ve been waiting for this book for years, since Lex announced it even before we knew about Infamous coming out last year. I was excited for the mess and the jokes and queerness. But even with all of the hype, Gwen & Art Are Not In Love exceeded all of my expectations.

Some of the plot I saw coming, in the way that the foundations were well set up, foreshadowing clear, and the arc of the story was well established. Although this book was YA, there was nothing that prevented it from being totally enjoyable for an adult reader. Even though the form of the plot was familiar, it didn’t stop the hard-hitting emotional moments from being any less impactful. The betrayals still felt shocking, the victories still felt well-earned, the pain and sadness still felt raw. There was a level of emotional depth and nuance to this story that I never could have predicted, and it had me tearing up on multiple occasions.

I have absolutely no notes for the reading experience: I was fully engaged, laughing out loud, absolutely lost in the story and characters. It was one of those rare times where you really forget you’re reading. I absolutely adored every single one of the characters, Art especially, but Gwen, Bridget, Gabe, Sidney, and Agnes all felt like fully-formed, real people, and the banter felt like falling in with old friends.

Lex mentioned something on Instagram once about how in doing pass pages for Reputation, they were realizing how much they had improved as a writer since then. I think that is incredibly evident in GWART. It’s artfully put together, absolutely hilarious, and vividly written. It’s so clear how much Lex poured their heart and soul into the writing of it, but also clear how much fun they had. It makes me wonder just how impossibly good any future books from Lex Croucher will be.

3 ⭐️ When I first read the synopsis I was excited because i hadn’t heard of a story like this before. Both Art and Gwen despise each-other but decide to come together and hide one another’s secret. Art takes interest in Gwen’s brother, Gabriel, who happens to be next in like for King. Gwen takes interest in the kingdoms only lady knight, Bridget. The books is set in medieval time and inspired by Arthurian legends.

One of my issues with the book was that it wasn’t written as if it was set during that which made it difficult to imagine. I also felt the characters were a little underdeveloped. There was character development but it felt all too rushed. However I did enjoy the the development of the relationships in the story. Specifically seeing the friendship of Art and Gwen grow. Overall, it’s a cute and fun LGBTQ+ romance book with coming of age characters. Make sure to grab the book when it releases on November 28th!

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

thank you so much to netgalley and wednesday books for the arc! i never knew how much i needed a gay king arthur based book until now! this book was so wonderful, i felt very immersed into the story! the characters stole my heart. i personally loved gwen and was cheering her on throughout the whole book! her overall arc was done very well, and it was great to see her grow truly into herself. gabriel, a sweet bean whom i with protect with all of my heart. i loved all of his little animal friends, library late nights and quirks. of course we have arthur who really did grow on me, at first i wasn’t sure how i was going to feel about him but by the end he had stolen my heart alongside the rest of them!! i felt the storyline was done quite well, and the pacing was good. i also enjoyed that the book was continually entertaining and did not drag on at all! overall it was a wonderful debut ya romance and a great book to start the new year on! i very much am looking forward to reading lex’s future books!

Everything I want in a book is found in GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE. Lex Croucher's upcoming young adult debut is a gorgeous exploration of love, friendship, history, and self-discovery that joyfully tears down the notion that we must sacrifice our truths to be happy and make a difference in the world. It is a queer, medieval rom-com that follows the unintended betrothal of the princess of England and the descendant of King Arthur himself. I haven't read a book this year that has made me laugh, cry, and read with such fervor as this one has, and I can't wait to be as passionate and infuriating about it in the coming year.

Me when found family!!!!!! This book was so amazing. There was cute romance, both sapphic and achillean, beautiful friendships, and both really sad and really happy stuff. This is kind of a placeholder review, but overall, I just loved this book, and I'm totally preordering the UK edition because it comes out sooner.

If i could give this book a million stars, i would. I haven’t laughed so hard at a book in so long! This is exactly what I needed to start off the year. This book is the perfect combination of rom and com. I will definitely be thinking about this book for the rest of 2023.

A big thanks to @wednesdaybooks for this ARC. I LOVED THIS! It was the type of book that made me mad when people would interrupt me. It was LGBT+ rep at its best and Arthurian historical. It gave me the feeling of falling in love at the Renaissance faire! Hilarious and heartfelt! #GwenandArtAreNotinLove