This book was refreshing, I really enjoyed having characters who were flawed but still likable. The audio book was narrated very well- by both parties and it added another layer to the story. Although this was historical fiction, I found myself thinking the characters were incredibly relatable. I can see this being a favorite for many YA readers and listeners. My one criticism was the pacing, I felt like things could have been done quicker, but I loved it nonetheless.

I knew I would love Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, but I had no idea how much I would. The *perfect* amount of plot vs character development, hilarious banter that had me cackling, and heartwrenching growth that had me rooting for the whole cast of characters. LGBTQ+2IA rep, medieval references, and perfect pacing.

I love it. I’ll be shouting from the rooftops how much I loved it for a long time. I need a physical copy. I’ve read quite a few Renaissance/medieval themed books recently, and it seems like a popular wave (with good reason), but this one really hit it out of the park. I loved it. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gwen and Art are a bit annoying but goodness they can talk to each other like frenemies in the best possible way. I thought overall it was cute, light-hearted audiobook, but was a little sad when the battle scene came up. There were two narrators that did an excellent job, and the author did a great job of writing each "Main Character's" voice. I was able to easily follow along in the audiobook because one voice was male and one was female. Overall, I enjoyed the medieval times theme with some love in-between, but I would likely have only picked this up because the cover artwork is precious! I would recommend to friends that enjoy young-adult books that also enjoy knights and ladies.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio (Macmillan Young Listeners) for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

4.25/5 stars

This was absolutely adorable, and I love the flip on Arthurian Legend! Never in a million years did I expect to read a queer romcom based on Arthurian Legend….but my life is so much more complete for having it.

This was just fluffy and adorable and wholesome, while also being reflective, encouraging, and funny. The story and characters will make you smile and also make you think - about how expectations (of ourselves, from others, from society…) have impact on our mental and emotional health; how first impressions and attitudes about a situation impact our relationships; about how we see ourselves, especially through the lens of legacy; and how never taking a stand on anything can be more dangerous than taking a stand on the important things.

This is a great fluffy romcom, but I love the importance of its message too. This book made me smile, laugh, and think - exactly what I wanted. Highly recommend!

I thought this book was really cute, but pretty long. The book should have been shortened when it was being edited. There is a lot of set up in the beginning of the book. Still, I enjoyed the story and liked the characters. The book wasn’t very funny or witty, but it was silly and fun. I appreciated the fact that the story featured LGBT characters. I think I prefer this author’s books that take place in England during the Regency Era.

Gwen and Arthur are bethrothed but aren't quite into each other. They actually don't like one another much at all. They soon discover a shared secret and make a pact. This story mixes Arthurian legend, court life, and themes of friendship and family. It was funny, tender, and entertaining. Definite Knight's Tale vibes! The narration was wonderful. Would absolutely recommend to fans of rom-coms or royalty.

3.75 ⭐️

Gwen & Art Are Not In Love is a cute and light medieval YA Rom Com and an interesting reimagining of the Arthurian legend. I liked it well enough to finish the book. But while I adored many of the side characters, I found the main leads, Gwen and Arthur, so insufferable. Yes, maybe that was the point and they did have some growth by the end, but it wasn't enough to endear them to me. If you're looking for historical accuracies this isn't the book for it either. However, if you're looking for a light medieval rom-com with more levity than seriousness, then you might like this book. The main thing that threw me off was how slow the story progressed. There really wasn't much of a plot until the last quarter of the book. I am glad I stayed on to finish it but nearly DNF'd around halfway through.

I had the joy of reading the e-book ARC and the narration made it even more enjoyable.

Per previous review: An enjoyable queer read perfect for people who want something historical! If you’re a fan of Heartstopper and High Class Homos, you’ll probably love this book.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced listeners copy.

An adorable and inticing romance that subverts the typical fake-dating expectations. A beautiful story of queer love, friendship, and carving out acceptance for yourself.

While the relationships and character arcs were very well done, the execution of the political intrigue and overall conclusion felt unearned and fell short.

This was such an incredibly delightful read, and absolutely deserves the hype it has received!

Gwen & Art Are Not In Love is a sort of Arthurian retelling, but throw in a beautifully queer and rebellious cast of characters, all manner of chaotic shenanigans, charming banter and snark, the perfect sense of humor, and some unexpected (in a good way!) battles.

I love the distinctness of these characters. Gwen is bookish and prefers her solitude, and believes herself to be a lot more discreet than she is when it comes to mooning over her local female knight, Lady Bridget Leclair. Art is chaotic, hilarious and misunderstood, and contrasts heavily with the serious and aloof Gabriel who is slotted to take the throne.

The premise is a blast, as Gwen & Art are betrothed but have been torturing eachother over their mutual dislike since childhood. The journey they go through to find common ground and eventually a deeply supportive friendship is so beautiful. This story is really character and relationship driven at its core, but it’s surrounded by so much that is unique and fun that it’s easy to get caught up in every aspect, including the medieval world & society. I especially adored Gwen & Bridget’s relationship, as they begin quite awkward and unexpected, but go on to experience some very raw and relatable disagreements and hurts. Art & Gabe come together a bit more abruptly, but their emotional payoff come the end is really beautiful.

The audiobook narrators for this one were absolutely PHENOMENAL. They embodies the characters so fully, and delivered every joke with perfect accuracy.

I think this will be an absolute hit with fans of Red, White & Royal Blue and Heartstopper, as it strikes the perfect balance of lightheartedness & fun while still giving us a riveting story. The severity of the conflict come the end took me by complete surprise, and in a really wonderful way, as it grounded the story with a very real threat but didn’t feel so out of the blue that it broke the overall tone. This just really did have he perfect balance for me, with all the qualities I most love in a rom-com while giving me lots of fun aspects that break the mold!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for this early audiobook copy. I will definitely be reaching for this author again soon!

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

I want to start this by saying that overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters — especially the supporting characters — were all well-rounded and a lot of fun. There were several quips and one-liners that left me laughing, and even though Gwen and Art themselves were rather unlikable at the beginning, I feel like it added to the story.

The difficulty with this book is that it is trying to tell two stories at once. With the dual POVs, the reader gets glimpses into the lives Gwen and Art as they work to not only form a bond themselves, but win over Bridget and Gabriel in the process. While there was technically a lot going on, the seemingly sporadic POV shifts made it hard to really get into either side of the story, and I was left wanting more.

The overall narrative was creative and fun. I can see how it’s being referenced as a modern A Knight’s Tale, but I feel the story would have benefited by being split into a duology.

As for the narration, I feel like both narrators captured the characters beautifully. It was easy to sink into the world of Gwen & Art.

reading this book along with its audiobook was SUCH a fun time! the narrators were a perfect choice for both gwen and art, they made the listening/reading experience even better than I expected! overall, this book + characters gave me such a heartstopper vibe, fans of alice oseman will totally love this one when it's released. reading a book with characters that are on both sides of the spectrum when it comes to accepting parts of their identity that can either be a joyous or terrifying experience was so refreshing to see alongside a ton of silly shenanigans. i already know so many queer readers, young and old, will read this and feel so many feelings. I can't wait to see everyone experience this fun book!

DNF. I think this author and I just don’t get along. I really liked the synopsis of this book and thought I would love it. A queer retelling of Camelot would be something I really thought I would like but again, I think just the author's style is just not for me. The writing was not my favourite and everyone seemed a little whiny. The book just dragged on despite everything and nothing happening. I don’t need to read it all, I know how it’ll end. I do think my younger self would have liked this but just for current me, it was not the book I thought I was diving into.

I was lucky enough to receive this ARC in both e-book and audio form. It was such a fun romantic spin based on Arthurian times.

Several hundred years after the reign of King Arthur and his knights (or so the cultists believe), Gwen, son of the Catholic king, and Arthur, son of a cultist lord find themselves betrothed since a young age. The problem is, they despise each other! That is until Gwen finds Arthur kissing a stable boy, and Arthur finds out Gwen has a secret crush on the only lady knight in the realm. What starts as blackmail slowly results in them covering for each other and learning to love themselves for who they are.

This book has tournaments, sword battles, ancient secrets, and more.... all with queer representation and an amazing found family trope. I really enjoyed this book in both formats. It had great teenage shenanigans. I cannot wait to add a physical copy to my shelf!

I would like to thank NetGalley for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 3.75, rounded up to a 4

This was really cute, and not what I expected? I'm the kind of person who skims through blurbs so as not to be spoiled for anything in the book, and so I went in thinking this was an Arthurian retelling and it is most definitely not. That being said, I still greatly enjoyed this book.

Set in the same world as King Arthur, Gwen & Art Are Not In Love was basically characters bantering the entire time and I loved it. Gwen is kind of bland in comparison to Art, and yet they bring out the best in each other. Their friendship develops throughout the book until the end where it seems like they can't live without each other in their lives, and that sort of friendship was wonderful to see.

I think what really bothered me was the last 30% of the book where things get really serious. As much as there needed to be something happening besides friendships and relationships and wit and banter, it felt really out of place with the rest of the book. Though I did love how light and simple the majority of the book was, I wish it had been darker to match the end. When the character who shall remain nameless to avoid spoilers is brutally attacked, it felt like it came out of left field, and I wish it didn't happen like that. Maybe it's just me, but I liked that last 30% of the book more than I did the rest of it.

Overall, it's a cute story about friendships and relationships and what it means to be yourself.

I loved both narrators. They suited Gwen and Art perfectly. Another plus, I was able to listen to this audiobook at 2x plus speed and still understand both narrators and other nuances in the the audio.

As someone frequently buys audiobooks, I definitely plan to add this to my collection when it comes out.

If you had an an arthurian phase as a child (or are really into the BBC show Merlin) and are now gay, this is the book for you. If you love queer romance, then this book is for you. If you love books that will keep you hooked the entire time, then this book is for you. This book not only deals with the topic of finding one's self in a time or place where it might not be okay to be that self, but it deals with loss, addiction, and love. This book was written so well that I couldn't help but finish it in one sitting. The characters are so dynamic and complex, that even some characters that you thought you would hate at first you find empathy for. The plot drives in a way that you think you expect, but then don't see coming at the same time.

I recommend everyone give this a read, as well as a listen. The narrators of the audiobook bring a new life to the incredibly well crafted story. I can't wait to see what's next in store for this author.

A charming medieval rom-com with a hilarious cast of queer characters!

Gwen and Art are not in Love follows the story of princess Gwendolin, who has been engaged to Arthur since birth. Thing is they absolutely hate each other! When Gwen sees Arthur kissing a boy and Art reads that Gwen has a crush on a girl in her diary, they decide to team up to make things easier for each other in a society where being queer isn't yet acceptable.

I thought the audiobook narrators for this novel were great! They had clear, crisp voices that were pleasant to listen to. I loved the male narrator; he did a great job bringing Arthur's joking attitude across to the audience. I did at times have a hard time telling which character was speaking with both the male and female narrators; they didn't make each character have a distinct enough voice. But it was still very enjoyable to listen to, especially since I probably wouldn't have ever picked the physical book up!

The story itself was enjoyable to listen to. It had great representation of queer characters, and was fairly humerous and fast paced. I would definitely recommend this to both teens and adults looking for a queer romcom! The one thing about the plot that I felt was unbelievable was that Bridget would be interested in Gwen. She just seemed so much older and more mature, but I still like how it turned out in the end.

4/5 stars.
Thank you to netgalley and Macmillian audio for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first Lex Croucher novel I have read, this is also the first romance novel set in Medieval times that I have read. And I really enjoyed it.
Croucher takes an interesting spin on Medieval novels. It still includes all of the best parts, such as jousting tournaments, classic sword fighting, and knights. But does so in her own way in a way that makes the novel such an interesting read. A female knight? Iconic.
The issue I have with this novel is that I did not feel the chemistry between the main couples, and I felt that the conflict wrapped up quicker than necessary. The engagement between Gewn and Art was not really being sold to the public as much as I would have assumed it would have been.
Overall I enjoyed the novel, I found it to be a quick read with a lot of humor, it is perfect for any fan of Medieval lore and legend, and is great representation. The focus on of equal parts on family, friends, and romance was the best element of the story.

It’s been centuries since the legendary King Arthur reigned, and now his descendent future lord Arthur Delacey has been betrothed to Gwen, the princess of Camelot, much to both of their dismay. Gwen and Arthur despise each other and can’t seem to agree on anything except the fact that are very much Not In Love. However, when Gwen discovers Arthur kissing a boy and Arthur finds out about Gwen’s crush on the knight Lady Leclair, the two reluctantly agree to help each other out, potentially changing history in the process.

It’s been days and I’ve yet to stop thinking about Gwen and Art Are Not In Love. I had some pretty high expectations going into this book, but never in my wildest dreams did I think Gwen, Arthur, and the rest of the Citrus Six (I’m taking full responsibility for this name) would make themselves as at home in my heart as quickly (and rightfully) as they did. And now that they’re there, I don’t think I’ll ever let them go.

There’s Gwen with her spitfire temper and anxiety ridden heart, still trying to figure out where she belongs in this world; Arthur with his sarcasm and bravado, hiding behind humor to conceal his true fears; Bridget with her sword and ambition, determined to keep fighting no matter what; Gabriel with his books and quiet demeanor and his steadfastness to do the right thing for his country (even if it’s not what’s right for himself); and Sidney and Agnes with their constant support and protectiveness toward their friends. Each one a messy, imperfect thread to the embroidery on Gwen’s tapestry. Separately, they might be a bit all over the place, but over time, as they grow and change and slowly weave their way into each other’s lives, growing closer and closer until they’re one big intertwined family- god it was beautiful. Enemies to found family hits so different and this book was no exception.

There’s also something to be said about how special historical fiction is, especially stories like this one. One that carves out a little pocket of time and space and makes it so beautifully real, tangible, and fun. And especially one that leaves no room for speculating: queer people truly have been here all along, even in the most unlikely of places, and we will always be here. Gwen and Art might be fictional, but their presence in history is anything but, and the reminder of their existence has me feeling both humbled and very grateful.

Gwen and Art Are Not In Love somehow managed to exceed all my expectations and I’m still trying to figure how to cope with it being over. Despite Suffering™️ through a good 15% of this book, it’s easily one of the funniest, most heartfelt books I’ve ever come across and I felt right at home in its pages. I feel so lucky to have a physical copy so I can give it all the hugs and kisses it deserves. Go ahead and do yourself a favor and preorder this one- you won’t regret it.