La Vie de Guinevere
By Paula Lafferty

This book isn’t without its flaws (in my opinion) but I just had so much fun reading it so I’m giving them mostly a pass.

I thought this was a really fun take on the King Arthur myth and our heroine was fun. There were some good mysteries to be solved and it set it up nicely for book(s) to come. Gawain was probably my favorite.

My only main gripe was the Tristan thing. I won’t spoil it, but I thought it was unnecessary.

Also, check out trigger warnings. One in particular I can’t decide if it was needed as a turning point and if the fallout was… enough.

Thanks to @netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

La Vie de Guinevere is a brilliantly immersive read that masterfully weaves together historical references and legendary lore. One of the standout features is how the author ties in Arthurian legends without straying too far from the source, keeping the balance between the familiar and the fresh. The dynamics between the characters, particularly the tension between Vera (Guinevere) and King Arthur, and the enigmatic presence of Merlin, are written with great nuance, leaving the reader constantly guessing about who can be trusted. I especially appreciated that the lines between good and evil were blurred, keeping me on my toes throughout.

The character development is remarkable—not just within each individual but in how they interact with each other, adding depth and layers to the story. Even as secrets unfold and Vera begins to piece together her memories, the relationships evolve in ways that keep the reader emotionally invested.

While the book ends on a cliffhanger, I found the conclusion satisfying and impactful, leaving just enough unresolved to make me eager for more. La Vie de Guinevere is a rich, engaging story that’s perfect for fans of history, legend, and complex character dynamics.

Vera is a normal girl living a quiet 21st century life when a stranger (who turns out to be the legendary Merlin) turns up and says Vera is actually Queen Guinevere and must return back to her original time in the 7th century to help restore magic to Camelot. Vera has no memory of this and so her time-traveling adventure begins.

I was immediately hooked in by the first couple chapters and found the book difficult to put down as my mind buzzed with questions: Are Vera's memories ever going to come back? Why is Arthur such a jerk? Will she choose to go back to the 21st century? How is she washing the underwear she smuggled into medieval times?! The author puts her own unique spin on the legend and characters. While this could upset some purists, I enjoyed her changes. They kept me guessing, gave the plot twits, and set up the cliff-hanger ending.

As a debut author, I thought Lafferty did an excellent job structuring the story and weaving a complex plot without creating confusion. I was especially impressed with her depiction of Vera's panic attack. I also chuckled when she kind of broke the fourth wall in the "round table" scene. She did a wonderful job building the tension of the slow-burn romance because I was extremely frustrated and impatient!!!! (a sign of a job well-done!!)

"La Vie de Guinevere" is a must-read for a romantasy girlie, but can also appeal to a non-fantasy reader with its historical fiction roots. I'm already excited for the second book! Congratulations to Paula Lafferty- thank you for sharing this special story with the world!

4.5🌟 I absolutely loved this book. It was so unique and had me trying to guess what was happening and who to trust at every turn. I’m not particularly knowledgeable in Arthurian legend, so I can’t speak much on how this relates to the original.
Vera was a great FMC—she was thrown into an unimaginable situation and handled it so well. I like that she was realistic and had flaws. I wish Arthur had been a stronger MMC, but his character got better closer to the end, and I imagine that he’ll continue developing in future books.
The characters in this were very complex, and it is very much a character-driven story. Lancelot was absolutely the highlight of this book.
This does end on a cliffhanger, and I will absolutely be reading future books in this series!

Amazingly written and such a brilliant spin on Merlin. This will be a book I can read over and over and never get bored.

Thank you so much to Paula, Avalon Books, and Netgalley for the ARC!

I was quite excited for this book when I read the blurb, and it definitely did not disappoint! I looooved this book, simply could NOT put it down. I was reading this over a weekend when I was attending a wedding… that was a though one. But we made it through without wipping out the book during the ceremony!

Going into it a little more in depth, the beginning felt a little bit out of place/ short. It was both nice and not that Merlin showed up so soon. I think this pre-part of the story could have been explored a little bit more, but also not complaining about meeting Lancelot and Arthur so soon ;) So, not perse a bad thing, just felt like a fast change of scenery.

I loved the characters in this book so much, would love some special chapters with POV from Arthur’s side (wink wink), curious what he was thinking in those first couple of weeks. And the found family just felt so wholesome, I was really ready to give up my 21st century lifestyle and go join them 😍 And all the love for Lancelot, that guy is FUNNY.

Only reason why I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because I really felt that the ending of the book was not in the right place. It felt like we hadn’t reached the right climax of this part of the story/book yet, as if we missed a couple of chapters in this book.

But aside from my confusion about the end, I am so excited for the second book! Very, very sad that I have to wait to continue this story 🥹😭

WOW

Oh boy, where do I start?! This was genuinely such an entertaining and fun read. I would have read it all in one sitting, if I didn’t have boring life stuff, like work to do...smh.

This story was well written, fun and the characters were so enjoyable and loveable. There were complex relationships, sweet romances and I would even describe one of the bonds as queerplatonic—which I’m a sucker for—it felt so deep and genuine, like it went beyond friendship but still very much platonic; I have to say, the love and bonds between the characters are the jewel of this story!

Though the story, the world-building, was also fascinating. The way the author explained and played with the misinformation around “the dark ages” was interesting. It’s definitely more of a modern take on Arthuriana, but it worked well with the magical medieval setting created here. It doesn’t always take itself—and by that I mean the Arthurian lore—too seriously, and plays with it in fun ways; like the origin of the round table…no spoilers but let’s just say they were thinking of a different type of equality and it was pretty funny to make those modern connections in a medieval setting. It felt modern but not too out of place, a bit silly at times but in good amounts.

For my niche: I really believe BBCM fans will like the pace, adventure, romance, queerplatonic bonds and found family dynamics of this story!

Honestly, I was getting stresses out the last 20%, as I did not remember this being anything other than a standalone, and there was still so much to resolve and explore...but thank god this is planned as a series!!

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for gifting me an ARC. This is my honest review.

Highly recommend for an escape into a wonderful world. I can’t wait to discover and uncover more of this magical world, the mysteries, and spend more time with these characters <3

The way miss Paula ripped my heart out and stepped on it. This was so good it was like if a Korean historical webtoon made its way into the American market, it scratched all the itches in my brain. I hope there's a fairy loot edition or similar.

Delve into this new and unique version of Arthur and Guinevere. This story is filled with magic, love, friendship, second chances and such vivid descriptions, that you feel like you are in Camelot. With each turn of the page, you dive deeper in to Camelot and you won’t want to leave. This story has all the feels too! Laughter, great banter, tears, anger, compassion. I did not want this story to end. I hope that there’s a book 2 in the near future! I can’t recommend this book enough. Superb, brilliant and magnificent!

I have been CRAVING more Camelot retellings in my life and Vera was just what I needed. We jumped right into the action at the beginning of the story and the plot never let up once. If you are looking for a high stakes, fun romp through medieval Glastonbury with romance, badass female characters, magic and mystery - this is the book for you!

I don't have a review link for this one because I'm still uncertain about leaving a public review.

The first half of the book didn’t make sense to me. The beginning was bizarre, which isn’t necessarily bad, but the characters’ absolute acceptance of it and the casualness surrounding it just didn’t sit right. Vera is meant to return as a queen to save a kingdom, yet there’s no preparation to acclimate her to this world; she runs around like a modern girl instead of taking on her royal role. Then, there’s a relationship with Lancelot that suddenly fizzles out, and she starts with Arthur. About halfway through, there’s a brief trauma dump with serious revelations and heavy topics, but afterward, everyone returns to being nonchalant and playful. They behave like young, unserious teens rather than rulers who have experienced war and are trying to save their people.

I believe the author has potential, but she needs an editor. There are numerous plot holes. I buddy-read this with a friend, and she felt the same. Paula seems wonderful, and I don’t want to disparage her debut novel publicly, but I do hope it gets picked up by an editor for revision so it can truly shine. I wonder if it’s just me, but after reading it with a friend and knowing I’ve enjoyed other Arthurian books, I’m uncertain. I might try again or seek another perspective.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc.

Wow was this ever a surprise book for me. At first it didn't grab my attention much when they were in the present timeline although the explanation of her modern love and loss made sense later. When Merlin snatched Vera to time travel back centuries the plot ramped up and it was a wild ride.

Arthur's coldness in the beginning is totally justified even though he put Vera through a rough emotional time. He is always trying to put his people and his Kingdoms wellbeing first. But it was the sweet moments of checking in on her secretly that warmed my heart to him. They really were a well matched pair of lovers and I did enjoy that even though they were married, because of Veras memory loss they had to build a relationship from scratch. Even though Arthur kept things from her to presumably save her life and mental wellbeing their communication grew throughout the book and that's not something you always see. Miscommunication trope can sometimes be messy and madening to a reader but all of theirs made sense.

I liked how Vera stood firm on her stance of you loved Guienever and I am not her I am Vera and Arthur learned to love Vera for who she was. I heard them soo much.

I also loved loved loved the platonic friendship between Lancelot and Vera. It was nice to see a well developed balanced friendship in this new world. They weren't perfect. They had secrets from eachother and they fought and that made it feel very real. The little forehead kisses and instant bond they shared was very cute.

Merlin I am sus of. He was kind of a jerk but also you can't tell his motives quite yet. The Mages backstory with him and Gawain has led to many unanswered questions that I am hoping is explored in another book!

The ending has left on a cliff hanger and I need more of this world and Vera and Arthur.

Thanks again Netgalley this book was amazing!!

I received an arc of this book from the lovely author, however thoughts and opinions are my own. ;)

La Vie de Guinevere is a instant favorite and asks the reader to consider "What if". What if history books didn't tell the whole story? What if Guinevere lost all of her memories? What if she had no memory of Arthur? What if she loved him anyways?

Vera is just a regular woman in the modern world. She has loving parents, a decent job, and she's experienced considerable heartbreak. So the day Merlin appears in her family's inn she's shocked to learn of a whole new destiny. Or rather, the truth behind her mundane, forgettable life. Convinced to travel back to her own timeline, Vera sets out to recover the memories that might save Camelot. Vera arrives in Camelot, expecting it all to come flooding back. Instead, with each revelation about the women she was, new questions and challenges pop up.
Lancelot offers a much needed comedic relief at times, taking on the role of "golden retriever" best friend. His loyalty to Arthur and strength of self prove themselves as he helps Vera rediscover her world.
Merlin is a hot headed mage with far to many secrets of his own.
Gawain is wise beyond his years.
Then there is King Arthur. The noble king that fuels legends. The man that Vera once loved. The man that can hardly look her in the eyes.

I loved this story. I enjoyed the writing and structure. But most importantly I invested in the characters. Vera is complex, straddling two realities with much more ease than I ever could. Her humanity makes her brave. Her desire for community in an unfamiliar world knits her found family tightly together, introducing these legendary characters to the reader in a whole new way. We can visibly see her growth as the story progresses, as well as all the flaws and decisions that have guided her to this moment.

I don't think the age of the characters is ever outright stated, but it is clear that Vera is an adult that has finished college. I am very appreciative that she was not written as a teenager. The nature of the story, and the way Vera problem solves is much more suited to someone in their mid/late 20s. This also opens the story up to a much larger audience, while still appealing to younger readers.
~
Prepare to be unprepared. History never has the full story. La Vie de Guinevere is action packed, full of budding romances and magic. A modern take on history colliding with fantasy in a story that will keep you guessing up until the very end.

You Can Pre-order La Vie de Guinevere now. (Releasing late Oct. 2024)

Spice: Low Spice. Some instances reference spicy activity.
Content Warning: There is at least one mention of SA or attempts of SA.

An Arthurian tale fit for both Outlander and A Knight’s Tale fans, La Vie de Guinevere is author Paula Lafferty’s mystical debut that unfurls in modern-day Glastonbury, but soon enough, transports you to a seventh century wholly unlike what the history books and lore have told you.

The story, unlike every iteration of Arthurian legends in the past, places central focus on Guinevere and the pivotal role she plays in creating the legend of present. In La Vie de Guinevere we meet newly graduated and freshly grieving Vera, the adopted daughter of two doting inn-keepers, and the third custodian of the George and Pilgrims Inn.

The story opens with an almost aerial view of Glastonbury, and all its picturesque and mystical nooks and crannies—the perfect jaunt, or even jogging trail for the protagonist. We meet Vera at this very time: when she is in the swing of her ordinary and daily existence.

Enter the titular Merlin, and his revelation that Vera is actually the seventh-century Arthurian Queen Guinevere, and that she is the key to not only saving Camelot, but the magic that allowed her reincarnated existence itself.

The story is an adult fantasy that neither leans too hefty nor insufficient in the page-count department, and establishes the premise at a comfortable yet quick pace. Readers venture into Camelot with Vera and Merlin fairly early, and thus the magic begins.

From here, we meet the other famed and beloved characters of yore, such as Sir Lancelot, Sir Percival, and of course, King Arthur himself—who bears a striking resemblance to Henry Cavill in my mind’s eye (if that holds any stock for people). We learn that magic is dying, and Vera’s locked memories are the only key to reviving and sustaining it—i.e. not even the divinely chosen Arthur can save his kingdom.

We love a damsel in distress.

This is the overall synopsis for would-be readers, and my thoughts on it are as follow:

I grew up with the tales of King Arthur. They provided me ample escapism, but the modern retelling that is La Vie de Guinevere literally grabbed my hand and took me through the escapist portal.

This was a story that was always experienced from the male perspective of chivalry—a story where even the significance of major female characters such as Morgana or Nimue is described as in servitude to men and their holy quest.

La Vie de Guinevere takes that idea and says, ‘mad respect for the longstanding legend, but check this,’ and spins us a story where women are the main driving forces.

It is truly a woman’s world, and Arthur’s grateful to be in it.

From tipping her hat in the title itself—a play on Thomas Mallory’s quintessential chronicling of Arthur’s story, Le Morte d’Arthur—to rejecting the binary lens through which we’ve previously experienced Guinevere (either as a pretty ornament in the backdrop of a man’s story, or vilified as his licentious and unfaithful downfall), Paula Lafferty achieves this feat in a seamless tale that hooks you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Though a high-stakes story, Paula paints this world like a postcard: with the wanderlust of a far-off and mystical land, and simultaneous nostalgia—that only a tale that literally transports you to the past can achieve—of a time when people still wrote home. It is the perfect story to snuggle up under your covers with during the holiday season, and even comes equipped with Yule and Christmas revelries to tame the FOMO when you sneak away from family to read.

I've read quite a few Camelot retellings in my time, and this is easily top-tier for me. I have no idea how to talk about this book without spoiling it, but suffice it to say that every single nod to traditional Arthurian legend made me smile, and both Arthur and Lancelot fit into a small bucket that contains only the finest of men.
I was initially drawn to this book through the author's story of inspiration and watching this book come into being over Instagram has been a true gift. I can't wait to see what's next for both Vera and Paula herself.

I was SO happy when applications for this ARC opened up. I had found Paula on Instagram and the way she described her book made me want to read it immediately. I followed her and watched everything she posted for months. We are in strange times when saying that is not immediately creepy as heck. 🤣 This story will interest fans of Arthurian legends but also fans of Outlander and romance in general. Time travel and romance just work SO well. I'm sure I will try anything that includes time travel and romance at this point but this one was somehow a very warm, cozy read as well, and sometimes we just need that. I have always had an interest in the Middle Ages and Arthurian legend, so this book was either going to go one of two ways. It's clear this author did her research. The writing was lovely. The magic system was cool and different. It's nice to see authors with fresh ideas, not copying the same formulas others all seem to use. Paula Lafferty knows how to make you feel things. I honestly could have done with more spice after the tension and longing she had me experiencing right along with the MC. I absolutely love the queer representation as well. That's always a plus. I know she pared the original drafts down a lot, but I would have read this even if it was twice as long! I hope there is a lot more to come. I loved it and I'll be thinking about this one for a long time! Thank you Netgalley and Paula Lafferty for this ARC.

Firstly, thank you to Ms. Lafferty for the opportunity to review her book! It was truly a lovely experience. As an avid Arthuriana fan, I'd been so excited to read this book from the moment I'd found her page.

That being said, what I loved most had been reiterated by other reviewers here. Vera, as a character, is truly fascinating and a standout character on her own. We know her to be Guinevere, but how she navigates through the world around her.

Without giving anything away, the way Vera navigates through Camelot after suddenly being in the modern day is very fun. Lafferty's writing is quick and fresh, and she gives a new dimension to each of the characters we know and love.

Overall, a wonderful debut, and one I'm excited to read again.

Rating forecast: Five clouds ☁️ ☁️ ☁️ ☁️ ☁️ with a chance of rain and romance. You can expect rising temperatures, armored knights, magic, and unexpected twists. A mix of fantasy and medieval realism with a risk of unstoppable nighttime page-turning, making morning travel hazardous.

Any author who takes on the quest of retelling a classic tale - one that has been adapted into countless books, movies, and plays - faces a high bar: either excel or fail dramatically. Paula Lafferty, however, absolutely excels.

The book opens with an award-worthy first line that sets the scene perfectly: “To the best of her knowledge, Vera was twenty-two years old.” La Vie de Ginevere tells us the story of Vera, an English inn caretaker who curses like a pirate — which I loved — and feels out of place in present time Glastonbury. When an old man claiming to be Merlin shows up and tells her she is Queen Guinevere, Vera is skeptical and delivers some hilariously snarky comebacks that I couldn’t resist highlighting on my Kindle. It turns out that she was the sole witness to a curse that is draining the kingdom of its magic. So she eventually agrees to go back to the past with him.

Here comes the first twist - grab your tea and take a seat. When freaking King Arthur himself lays eyes on her, he looks at her and goes, “That’s not her.”

At this point, I was so immersed that I wanted to step into the story and give Arthur a piece of my mind. I mean, like, hey, she just came all the way from the future to a place with no tampons, bras, or Starbucks coffee... what in Excalibur’s name are you doing, Arthur?

From there, the story moves like a runaway train, and there’s no stopping it. It’s full of clever nods to both the past and present that will make you feel a part of Vera’s incredible journey.

La Vie de Guinevere is a delightful blend of wit, adventure and cozy fantasy with a strong, relatable heroine and all kinds of love representation that will captivate readers!

Thank you to the author for the ARC copy!

WHAT!!!! Miss Paula pulled me in. Wrapped me up. Played me like a damn fiddle. And then left me wanting, no NEEDING, more. This is all good by the way.
I will be the first to admit I know little about Arthurian lore but damn if this didn't create a new special interest I will be riding for the foreseeable future. The characters, the story, the twists, the CLIFFHANGER. I am stunned and excited and needing this story to continue NOW. Sorry I'm shouting so much. I've never been so engrossed in a book that the author page jumpscared me but this did that in both the best and infuriating (making it the best) way possible. I am so thankful Paula popped up on my Instagram months ago and I took the plung on her Kickstarter. Please everyone go get this book when it comes out in October because not only is this author's story and how this book came to be so different and inspiring, this story grasped me by my 1600s era running tunic and will not let me go until I get 2 or 3 more books.

La vie de Guinevere

Book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

Summary: La vie de Guinevere is about Vera, who is living her ordinary present-day life when she finds out that she’s actually from the 7th century and she’s the legendary Queen Guinevere. And when she comes back to her time, she sees Arthur for the first time, his reaction is: « It’s not her ».

Review:

The first time I saw this book was on TikTok, Paula Lafferty viral TikTok when she’s writing all her chapters and putting them on top of the others until she’s completely finished writing the book. When I learned it was an arthurian book, I was like 1000% hooked.🙌🏻 I love the tv show Merlin and I always liked the arthurian story. At the time, I was like October cannot come soon enough. When I saw Paula comments about ARC and I was so excited because I knew that maybe I could be lucky enough to get it and I was.🩷 Thank you so much @paulalafferty_writes and @netgalley for this ARC.

More about the book, it was the book I was waiting for. 🥰 It didn’t disappoint one bit and I was hooked immediately. I was reading it like my life was depending on it. The storyline and the characters were exactly what I needed in this book. Lancelot was so nice and funny. He gave puppy energy haha. Vera/Guinevere was such a good main character with her complexe situation that she had to deal with. The pressure to fit in this new life was so real… 🥺 Arthur was so cold at first but the more you learn the more you understand where he is coming from. And for Merlin, I never thought I could be mad at him but I was. 😡

This story is so magical and compelling.✨ Arthurian retelling fan will be so pleased and happy to read this book. But I would totally recommend it to every fantasy lover or anybody who want to get into fantasy. 🩷

La vie de Guinevere is out October 29 and is available to preorder on Amazon and many bookstores.

Happy reading!