First, a big thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advance listener copy of this audiobook! This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Lex Croucher has really found a place for historical fiction with a progressive twist on old favorites.

In this particular story, we met Gwen and Art. Two bratty royals betrothed to each other. Our main characters are very flawed and I enjoyed that those were just facets of their personalities that informed the story. I did feel the development of the romantic pairings was uneven, but I don't feel like romance was the main thrust of the novel. In many ways, this is about found family and self-acceptance with romance as a happy byproduct. This enemies-to-friends story was a delight for about 75% of the book. The final 25% was unexpectedly violent (and prolonged) leaving some of the character beats a little rushed.

This is a solid four-star book.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a fun and rompy historical romance that is perfect for any fans of Arthurian legends.
In this story we follow Gwen and Art, two betrothed young adults, a princess and a lord, who would love to do anything else but marry each other. Especially since they've been nemesis since childhood. But as the knight tournament begins in their kingdom and as whispers of rebelling forces arise, the two are forced to forge an alliance - even if they'd much rather marry a shining knight Bridget (Gwen) or the prince of this kingdom, Gabriel (Art).

Gwen and Art was inspired by Arthurian legends but is actually not a retelling - the story itself takes place a couple of centuries after Arthur and his knights sat behind a round table and the hunt for the grail happened. However with not-so-subtle-nods towards Arthurian world, this is a feast for all fans - be it mentions of the knights past and their exploits to queer undertones of the legends. I am a rookie lover of these tales (I know the basics but not the nitty gritty details) and I had an absolute blast reading this!

Add to that two queer love stories that absolutely shine and heaps of queer joy, and you have a perfect historical romp! And while this is generally a lovely romance, I would advise you to check trigger warnings, since there are also discussions of heavier themes such as addiction, violence, homophobia, parental abuse, etc.

My only "complaint" (if I can even call it that, the book was generally fantastic) is that the pacing seemed a bit off - the beginning of the story was quite slow and the last thirty pages contained the main conflict (the action-packed part) and the resolution, which felt a bit rushed. I wish the disentanglement was just a tiny bit longer.

All in all, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is a fun and joyful historical YA romance that will for sure become a classic of this genre! I would definitely recommend!

So cute, this was everything I hoped it would be! It was entertaining, adorable, and I loved all the witty banter.

Generations later but in the same world as the Arthurian legend, Gwen and Art are betrothed. They can't stand each other but decide to work together after discovering they are both queer.

While Gwen and Art kind of got on my nerves half the time, I grew to love them and their bratty selves. The side characters really shone here. Love, love, loved Sid! Such a great friend, loved the friendship between him and Arthur. Friendship goals. Also, Bridget was so badass, absolutely adored her.

Besides the characters, my favorite part of this was the great dialogue. All the witty banter had me chuckling and made for a really engaging read. Heartfelt, uplifting, sweet, and funny. I would totally read a sequel to this! Also, I read this physically/listened to the audio and while both formats were great, the audiobook was especially good.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC and the e-arc!

Gwen and Art have been engaged since they were children. Problem is, they don’t like each other. Art, doesn’t like any women like that and Gwen has a HUGE fascination with a real muscle-y lady knight named Bridget. Here’s the thing, this is so endearing. Gwen and her brother Gabriel are the cutest little Gay-bies!! They have Expectations™️ thrust on them since birth and they are trying their darndest to do their best, even though Gwen desperately wants to just be left alone and introvert and Gabriel wants to be left with his books. Honestly, it’s so relatable.

Art is hysterical and I loved being in his point of view. I loved how he pushed the royal siblings to grow and learn new things about themselves while he was on his own character arc. Also Bridget is a literal dreamboat. More books should have buff lady knights and that’s honestly all I’ll say about that.

The audiobook, which I listened to during most of this book, is killer. Seriously both these narrators were PERFECT!

Lex Croucher writes such whimsical and entertaining stories in every book they’ve written. The characters are always deeply flawed and make tons of mistakes but end up being endeared to the reader anyway. It’s queer historical romance with just a mix of fantasy that I’ve always wanted!

✨ Review ✨ Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher; Narrated by Alex Singh; Sarah Ovens

I'm in love with Lex Croucher's sort of irreverent take on historical romances -- where they're set in the past but without taking themselves too seriously. This one was fun -- set in a historical England that worships Camelot, and where the princess Gwendoline is betrothed to Arthur. When Arthur realizes Gwendoline fancies Lady Bridget, the kingdom's only female knight, and Gwen discovers Arthur kissing a boy, they fall into a tentative truce, allowing each other to pursue their own fancies under the cover of a betrothal going very smoothly.

The friendships between Arthur and Gwen, Prince Gabriel, Lady Bridget, Arthur's guard Sid and Agnes, Gwen's lady-in-waiting, were a lot of fun -- making the book as much a celebration of friendship as of love. Gwen and Arthur have such distinct voices (though admittedly Arthur's attitude is almost annoyingly silly in places). I did think the book dragged a bit through the middle where there wasn't a whole let happening, I did enjoy it overall.

The audio gave extra spirit and attitude to the characters, really bringing them to live. I enjoyed the audio version a lot! Definitely a win for fans of Lex Croucher's style of historical romance!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(3.75)
Genre: queer historical romance; YA
Setting: an imaginary historical England sometime after the time of King Arthur
Pub Date: 28 Nov 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ Lex Croucher's books
⭕️ queer historical fiction
⭕️ friendship, coming of age

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and #netgalley for advanced copies of this book!

well, that was cute. It's not my typical genre of book, but ive been seeing everyone talk about it and I was happy I did. I love the secret longing and I laughed in a few spots. I have other books by Croucher on my bookshelf so I'll def read them asap. I really liked their writing. I'd recommend this book if you like playful historical romances. 4 stars!

Gwen and Art are NOT in love. But they decide to set their differences aside and pretend to be so everyone else will get off their backs about their engagement while simultaneously covering for one another as they pursue their own romantic interests. Gwen- the gallant lady-knight, Bridgette, and Authur- well…

This was such a fun little medieval romp filled with silliness and surprisingly heartwarming moments. It was as much about the blooming friendship between Authur and Gwen as it was about their respective secret romances.

Warning though- at around the 70% mark, there is an extreme shift in tone (that kind of caught me off guard) so CWs for descriptions of graphic physical violence and recovery.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this one! The audiobook was delightful, and the male narrator really nailed Arthur’s cheeky nature.

Adorable and witty and the definition of feel good read. I couldn’t put it down. I love that it brought enough Arthurian legend to be an additional joy to folks who love that, but put a totally unique spin.

I received a copy of both the ARC and the ALC of this book. I tried getting into the digital copy but I stopped and started a few times before I got the audiobook.

I enjoyed the book and the story between the main couples. There was great action, especially towards the end, but also some good romance as well as character development. Definitely firmly in the YA realm, but if you like YA and historical fiction with an LQBTQIA+ twist, you will like this book! If you care about anachronistic details, there may be a few things that bug you!

This is my first read by this author and I have to admit I’m a fan now.

This almost feels like a comfort read. It’s clever and witty while being full of charm and cuteness.

The audiobook is narrated to perfection by Sarah Ovens and Alex Singh. They both bring real heart to the story. Croucher definitely has a remarkable way with words and these two narrators brought it to life in a beautiful and fun way.

If you’re looking for your next historical romance that is more of a romcom, this is for you. If you’re a fan of the wit of the movie A Knight’s Tale, pick this up pronto.

I really enjoyed this book but I didn't love it for the romance(s) although those parts were enjoyable.

I felt like the main point of the book was the friendship between Gwen and Art rather than the romances that featured them. While that made the book a refreshing change for me, it didn't feel like a romance with the main characters at the center.

Also, I was surprised to find that there were three romances that were featured in this book rather than the two the cover and the summary suggest.

Very cute and enjoyable.

What a wonderful book!

I had read an arc of the ebook earlier this year and I thoroughly enjoyed it! When I saw the audiobook pop up as an arc I requested it immediately.

The friendships in this book are some of the best I have ever read. The dialogue is witty and humorous. And the romances are so cute (bromance included). The story is one that engages the reader from start to finished and ends up more heartfelt/deep than you might initially anticipate. It has great queer representation and a diverse range of relationships (from romantic, to familial, to platonic).

Specifically talking about the audiobook, I love the use of duel narrators, one for Gwen and one for Arthur. I originally wasn’t sure if I would like it but it ended up being great! The narrators truly seemed to understand the tone of the book and added yet another layer of enjoyment for the reader.

Truly a must read.

This book was so incredibly fun. I went in expecting more of a true retelling but this story took place many years after that. There were flashbacks to the legends of Arthur and Gwen, secret religious societies, and people learning their true selves.

It took me a few chapters to really get into but once I did the switching POVs had me hooked. The characters were really likable but had many flaws so felt very human. The banter and wit of this book is unmatched.

However, in the final few chapters, there was a total shift in tone and it felt out of left field. Suddenly, everything changed and I got whiplash from trying to keep up. It felt messy and rushed. Overall, I enjoyed the book but would recommend skipping everything after the final battle.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an early copy of this audiobook!

I was super excited to read Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher, but sadly I didn't feel like this novel lived up to my expectation.

The lore of this story was amazing! I loved the secret religious societies, and ties back to the legends of Arthur (the letters?! An archivists dream!). But the present characters and story line sort of fell flat.

The relationship triangles sort have felt weird, though it likely would have been less weird if Gwen and Art didn't kiss. I know they were intended to each other, but maybe don't kiss your crush's sibling?! The romance and build up between both couples were great, and I loved Sydney and the comic relief that character offered!

The tone of the novel shifted towards the end with Art's brutal attack, and then the coup/battle. The tone switch felt a bit abrupt, even when it was later explained that it was Art's father threatening him. In the moment it just seemed off, and ill-placed. After Art's attack the speed/pacing of the novel seemed to quicken without offering much dialog, instead favoring detailed descriptions. The ending in all just felt a bit rushed like more was needed for it to flow more smoothly.

Either way, I did enjoy this book! Though it would be more of a 2.5-3 star read for me.

This is one of the best YA fantasies I've read in a while! Gripping, very funny, and delightfully queer. My only issue is that the audiobook narrator gave Arthur a silly/goofy voice that took me out of the story at times. Apart from that, this was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

I originally saw Gwen & Art Are Not in Love billed as Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale and was immediately sold! This YA coming of age story had me on an emotional rollercoaster from page 1 in the absolute best way possible!

We follow Gwen & Art who are sworn enemies - the issue? They are betrothed! The other issue? Art has developed feelings Gwen’s brother while Gwen is swooning over a Lady Knight who is competing in their local tournament. Together they make a pact to keep each others secrets so they can pursue their true love interests while also planning their wedding and keeping their families none the wiser.

This laugh out loud coming of age romantic comedy is full of found family, loss, action, romance, understanding, acceptance, character growth, friendship and love, Truly a great read!!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an early copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

If you're looking for a lighthearted and fun book about found family and the bravery to accept yourself and change the world, then look no further! The best part of this book is by far the friendships and the found family. I loved the banter and the way that it's not romantically-oriented. It made everything light and yet so heartwarming at the same time.

It did feel a bit slow through a lot of it, and that made it hard for me to get into it. But once I was attached to the characters, I wanted to know where things were going and how everything would end up.

I did really enjoy the self-discovery and self-acceptance plot line, and I think it was really well done. There was a lot about both outside factors and inner thoughts, and I loved watching the differences and how both of them came together.

If you want a fun romcom, definitely check this out!

Anyone who can make me love and give me swoon-worthy romance is a 10/10 in my book. Lex Croucher did all these things and more with their book. I laughed, I gasped, I swooned. Honestly, Croucher is 100% one of auto-buy authors.

I find myself teetering somewhere between a 3.75 and 4 star rating.

~CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS~

I have been waiting to read this book for what seems like forever. When I first heard of it, it sounded right up my alley, Arthurian legend with a Heartstopper feel. While I did pick up on those aspects, it reminded me more of A Knight’s Tale, and at times I found myself distracted while reading trying to place a generalized ballpark time that it was supposed to be set in.

I went in expecting more of an Arthurian retelling, but was surprised with it being more of a continuation in the not-too-distant future post-Arthurian Legend timeline. It’s not a bad thing, and I probably just missed it in the book’s description.

When it comes to books with dual, or multiple points of view, I generally am not the biggest fan. Mostly because I’ll start to enjoy the one POV and then it suddenly changes, and that did happen for me. I found myself enjoying Gwen’s storyline more than Arthur’s. I also felt like the relationships felt a tad rushed and not as developed as they could have been considering the back and forth of the split POVs.

Because of this too, the battle at the end felt a bit out of left field for me. The book focuses much of it’s time and plot on the romance aspect, with the attempt of a coup kind of just sprinkled in here and there that I wasn’t surprised when it happened, but it still felt a tad forced to me.

I think it comes down to the author’s works just aren’t for me, personally. I attempted to read another of their works before and didn’t care for it, but I was hopeful for this one because I love Arthurian legends.

All in all I enjoyed it a lot, and wish for more queer Arthurian tales in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this ahead of publication.

Very fast and easy to read. I’ve read Croucher’s adult romances and I have to say I preferred this.

This is not actually a retelling in most respects. Art and Gwen are descendants a couple generations removed from THAT King Arthur and co. Just set in a similar setting. Thats really where a lot of the similarities end. Essentially, Art and Gwen, who’ve been betrothed since they were children and have hated each other the entire time, become each others beards. It’s a pretty cute spin on the relationship, and it’s an interesting time period to play around with this concept in. The storytelling style is not always my cup of tea, it’s a little slower paced. The plot and character’s respective growth arcs are fantastic though. Overall the story was entertaining and I thought the themes suited a YA debut for Lex Croucher perfectly.

Audio 4/5: Dual narrator for dual POV is always the superior choice. I largely enjoyed this but found I couldn’t listen for long periods of time as the accents and acting could be a bit overdone.