This was a DNF for me, I was about 18% done. Its a great concept and love the plus sized rep, but the who faire circuit wasn't my scene. :(

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway is an unexpectedly good YA book about a girl who is raised on the Ren-faire circuit. After unexpectedly losing her mother, Madeline hopes to have a low key summer of noticing and working with her father, when her world gets turned upside down by a bard and the son of the new owners of her mother's favorite faire. This is a story filled with self-doubt, finding oneself, and letting go of the past. While this book doesn't shy away from hard topics, it is a quick read.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Madeline is struggling to find her place in the world after the death of her mother. Her family has also been part of the renaissance faire circuit and with the one-year anniversary of her mother's death fast approaching, Madeline is determined not to let anything else in her life change ever again. To ensure this she starts compulsively keeping a remembrance journal where she keeps to tallies to try and hold on to all the little moments in her life. They arrive at her mother's favorite stop on the circuit only to discover that it is under new management and that a lot of things have changed. When Maddie meets Arthur, a boy playing a bard who insists on calling her Gwen she somehow finds herself roped into playing the princess of the faire. It turns out Arthur is the son of the new owners and for some inexplicable reason he wants to be her friend. She finds herself spending more and more time with the boy and the two even take day adventures together. Despite her best efforts and her insistence that they are not friends, Maddie finds that she is actually having fun with Arthur and that maybe, caring for others might just be worth it in the end.

Just a pair of quirky, lovable insecure kids trying to make their way in the world.

Surprisingly charming, this book explores grief, loss, friendship, family, and first love.

Maddie and Arthur are the definition of a grump x sunshine romance.

Maddie starts out very guarded. She is still dealing with the loss of her mother a year prior, and she's resolved that the only way to never feel that way again it record every memory of the people close to her and avoid letting anyone else new into her life. Lest she start to care about them and risk losing them as well.

Yet upon their first meeting, Arthur is having none of that. He is determined to be her friend. And his persistence quickly has him worming himself through Maddie's defenses as they spend the summer working at his fathers' ren faire are taking road trips together.

This book is just a delight, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a cute, low-stakes YA romance.

This is just one of those books with all the feels. I wasn't sure about it at first, then if you could get past the grief, you will discover a really cute, wholesome story. This was my first book by this author and I can tell you it won't be my last.
I'll be gifting my little library with a copy of this one because I think everyone should read it.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.



I highly recommend if you have teen in your life go out and get this one for them.

Ashley Schumacher’s The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway, her third novel, centers on the story of Madeline Hathaway. Maddy’s life is just a bit unusual: since she was born, she’s traveled with her parents on the Renaissance Faire circuit. She’s never attended in-person school. Instead, her mother homeschooled her for a while, and then she shifted over to online school.

As the book opens, Maddy and her father are approaching the one-year mark since her mother’s death from cancer. Maddy has plans for how she’ll honor her loss: they’re returning to her mother’s favorite faire where Maddy plans to document what has changed and what has stayed just as her mother loved it. This is part of her ongoing project to “notice” things by documenting them in her journal, to keep track of everything that happens so that she’ll remember it in case she loses someone else. And she’s going to keep the circle of those who matter to her very, very small.

Life doesn’t work out quite the way she planned. The faire has changed. A lot. It was taken over by new owners who have completed a dramatic overhaul, creating a polished—but perhaps less charming—version of what Maddy’s family loved. The plan to not care about people? That comes up against an obstacle, too: the teenaged bard of the faire, Arthur, who also happens to be the new owners’ son and who declares upon first sight that Maddy shall be called “Gwen” and, soon after, that she should be the faire’s princess.

Soon Maddy is pulled into Arthur’s plans: she joins his fathers as the princess, despite her concerns that people will criticize her since she doesn’t fit the normal, svelte image of royalty. She also joins Arthur in a series of adventures that he declares will help her “find her Gwen.”

I really, really loved this book, which brought me back to the joy I felt after reading Schumacher’s first book, Amelia Unabridged. Maddy’s grief—and the ways that she tries to hold back the onslaught of that grief—is beautifully and empathetically portrayed. Maddy and Arthur are both basically kind and decent human beings who have insecurities and who make mistakes with each other, often as a result of those insecurities. While they’re really the focus of the novel, the secondary characters—their dads, Maddy’s best friend who left the faire circuit, and a few friends from Arthur’s high school—round out the story well. But it’s Maddy and Arthur’s growing friendship and the chances each takes in trusting someone else that warmed my heart.

"Sometimes there is nothing else to say but what has already been said."

Do you know how hard it was to get approved for an ARC in September '22 and hold off until closer to release day to read it? But it was worth the wait because I have so many feelings and nowhere to put them (except into the cat, the poor thing is sick of my smothering.)

Maddy, aka Gwen, lost her mother almost a year ago. Because of that loss, she's built some pretty thick walls. Her motto is: if she doesn't let anyone in, she can't get hurt when they leave. But now she and her father are headed back to Stormsworth, the Faire her mother loved best, and she's not dealing with it well. Used to keeping track of everything that happens, Arthur will blow into her life and get her to notice a little less and a lot more.

So here's the thing. I get that Maddy has tall, thick walls. But so often, she was mean for the sake of being mean. Walls don't explain her meanness, and I get she's hurting, but I just can't sometimes with her. Listen, I lost my parents in my senior year in high school. Yes, I built walls, but I wasn't mean. And my experience isn't everyone's, not in the slightest. Everyone has their own experiences with loss, and it's theirs alone. But sometimes, I didn't get her meanness. It doesn't change how much I love the book, it just didn't resonate with me.

Moving on...

Outside of the meanness, Schumacher is me as a teen in so many ways. I love her writing, and I love all of her books. Reflecting on this book, I see so many things that I highlighted along the way. The writing is so thoughtful. I loved Arthur and his dads. The Faire setting is so much fun, and I would have loved to see even more of it. (*cough* a book 2.) And I absolutely loved watching people come into Maddy's life. Bri and Noah were the icing on the cake and even more of a reason that I-need-more. Thank you, St. Martin's, for sending this along!

This was a very cute YA romance! Fans of ren fairs will love this. Perfect for readers who loved Well Met. It was easy to read with fun characters.

This was so cute. It was a bit heavier than I expected because she is dealing with the grief of her mother dying the whole time. Arthur is adorable and was so obviously in love with her the whole time. I do wish that Maddie talked to her dad a bit more but it made sense for where they both were in their grief journey.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Maddie has made her life small since the death of her mother but now now there's Arthur, a lute playing renaissance man who becomes her friend. She's been working the Ren Faire circuit with her father but it hasn't been as much fun as it is to spend time with Arthur. This might be a YA novel but it makes a delightful light cross over read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Will make you smile.

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway
Ashley Schumacher
4.5 ⭐️

Dumplin’ meets Well Met was a spot on description. This one surprised me in the best way possible. I really wasn’t sure what to expect but I absolutely adored this book! I was hooked from the very beginning and did not want to put it down.

"The things that can bring us the most pain in life can also bring us the greatest joy."

It was sweet, humorous, entertaining, and absolutely tugged at my heart strings. As someone who recently and unexpectedly lost her mother, I felt so connected to Maddie and her journey through gief. I laughed, I cried, and even had to stop at one point and listen to a saved voicemail from my Mom. 🥰 The story, the well developed characters, and the ren faire setting were all so perfectly executed. Grief is hard, and it sucks but Schumacher handled the tough topic and several others so well. I loved the ending and seeing the story came full circle.

What I loved;
👸🏼Renaissance Fair Setting
👸🏼Plus-Sized Heroine
👸🏼Slow-Burn YA Romance
👸🏼Grumpy/Sunshine

Pub Date: 3/14/23

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway will sweep you up and have you feeling ALL the feels. A beautifully written story of grief, healing, and finding your place in the world. This was my first read by the author and I look forward to more.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Pess & Wednesday Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to be an early reader.

Thoughts

I loved this book more than I can really describe. It isn't my usual favorite read, and that makes it all the better. I was surprised and delighted by how much I'm in love. The atmosphere, the characters: everything here is fun, well-crafted, and just a great reading experience.

Pros
Fantasy Motifs: Though this story is set in the contemporary age, adding the trappings of ren-faire-style fantasy really lends magic to the mundane. This sense of everyday magic, the whimsical encapsulated in the ordinary, is something I remember well from Schumacher's Amelia Unabridged, and I'm glad this book embraces that touch of fantasy even more. Schumacher creates an atmosphere that I want to be a part of--and that almost feels tangible, given its proximity to, you know, reality. I wanted to be absorbed by this world.

Banter: There's really no substitute for character chemistry, and Schumacher's characters play off each other so well. A reluctant princess and a charismatic bard create a great dynamic. These characters push each other's buttons (but never each other's boundaries). Arthur pokes and prods Madeline to get what he wants, but he never pushes too far. She has a choice--she is, after all, the princess here--and she knows it. I love when characters push each other to grow, and Schumacher encapsulates that here... with witty banter just a bonus.

Healing: Despite the whimsy of this tale, grief and the trauma of parental loss do play a significant part in this story. But this isn't a raw wound for Madeline. She has had a year to process her loss, and while she has by no means moved on (nor should she have), she has had the space to grieve. And this opens her up for growth, exploration, coming back into her life after her initial period of mourning. I love that this story starts with a character ready to heal, and I love that Madeline does, even if those steps toward healing are messy, uneven, and not-quite-complete.


Cons
Too Understanding: Madeline always has her reasons for pushing Arthur away, both good and bad, but that doesn't mean that Arthur should just take this. Sometimes Arthur is being perfectly friendly, and Madeline's response is very harsh--unreasonably so, to an outsider. She's got her reasons, but she doesn't communicate them. Arthur can't know what's on her mind, and so the fact that he just takes it, gives her space, simply understands in all of these situations... It just doesn't feel realistic. That's part of the fantasy element here, sure. Arthur is everything that Madeline needs at this time, including supernaturally understanding of her (uncommunicated) grief and trauma. But I still didn't like this. It sets an unreasonable standard. We shouldn't aim for supernatural understanding but great communication in a relationship.

On-the-Page Boundaries: Madeline's faced some significant loss. Of course she's going to be wary of letting anyone in close. Why would she want to create a close bond when she could just lose them again? That all feels very realistic. Less realistic, to my mind, was that she... outright states this? She might not say it aloud, but she thinks, in no uncertain terms and not quite infrequently, "yeah, I don't believe in having friends because my mom died." It feels odd to have this so clearly acknowledged on the page. Sure, she doesn't want new friends. And sure, that stems from her recent loss. But coherence seems a little too much here. Of course, this book is by no means an outlier in this regard. A lot of MG and YA books with grief at the center do put these types of intangible feelings into explicit words. That's just part of the genre. But I kind of wish it wasn't. I wish more was left unsaid, for us to connect the dots instead.

Communication Drama: Anyone who has read past reviews know that I really hate this. I hate when drama between a couple--or a friend group, even--could be easily resolved just by communicating. Put the facts out there. What did you see? What did you overhear? What did this make you feel. Mistaken motives cause tension here, unnecessarily, and while it doesn't take long for Arthur and Madeline to sort this out, I wish they would have just hashed it out at the inception instead of letting it come between them at all.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
9/10

Fans of the whimsical magic of Ashley Schumacher's Amelia Unabridged will love this new magic-in-the-mundane story. Those who appreciated Joan F. Smith's The Half-Orphan's Handbook will love this chance to grieve, heal, and grow.

This was super cute, I loved the characters, Maddie and Arthur are the perfect grumpy/ sunshine combo. And I loved the setting of the Renaissance Fair. I've always wanted to go to one, but now I feel like I need to experience it for myself.
I especially loved the end where the story came full circle. This is the first book I've read by this author and I will definitely be reading more.

Completely adorable and delightful. This YA novel is the perfect mix of realistic and fantastic, as Ren faires are meant to be.

Maddie’s journey to find meaning, worth, and connection as she copes with the anniversary of her mother’s death was so sweet. She grapples with the future, scared to care about others because she doesn’t want to lose them. If that’s not relatable, idk what is. I really loved this single POV story—the characters were fun and lovable. The plot was enchanting, but not fluffy. I’m sad it’s over—Arthur and Maddie are the kind of characters that you want as companions.

Note: All the men in this story are cinnamon rolls. Every. Single. One. So if you’re looking for a feel-good story, this might be the one for you.

It was the sweetest story. And Ashley Schumacher handled grief, self-worth, and fear of the unknown beautifully. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Meh, maybe Ren Faire books just don’t do it for me, since I felt equally empty while reading Well Met. This has the plus of touching on some more serious issues, but it’s still a light Ren Faire story, and it just didn’t work for me.

Generally - I enjoyed this book, loved the character growth and the believable, but still somewhat idealized teen relationship development.

Main characters are Maddie (a renaissance fare jewelry maker and seller, grieving the loss of her mother) at a ren-fare that is especially significant to her - BUT things have changed - someone has bought her old special fare and made changes. We also meet Arthur, and awkward but endlessly kind teenager, who also ends up being the son of the people that bought the fare. Hijinx ensue. They're very cute together - he's patient, she's prickly, he convinces her to be a princess, and she's conflicted. That dynamic worked.

Some of the subject matter was tough, since it features a young person dealing with navigating grief after the death of her mom, and I'll admit, this is not where I thought this book would go when I read the synopsis - perhaps I was a bit too focused on the idea of "fat girl at the ren-fare" romance when choosing this book, but I'm still glad I did. Because it was that and more!

The characters were loveable, but they weren't perfect (as people - but I did enjoy how they were written), there were flaws and communication errors, and misunderstandings here and there, but there was also so much growth in both the protagonists - in a way that made sense, but was also sweet and lovely. All within a serious backdrop of navigating the complicated feelings of letting yourself find and experience joy (and potential loss) after such a big life upending loss. I loved the banter between the leads, it was that flirty silly kind of teasing that is kind and funny and entirely believable.

Bonus points for the bit of magic imbued into the coin, and the description of the ren-fair grounds.

I appreciated the full bodied characters - they felt alive, and it wasn't just limited to the mains. I felt this one, I was rooting for them, and it was simply such an easy book to stay up reading because I wanted to see how they figured it all out.

I read this courtesy of an e-ARC from Net galley and St. Martin's Press. Thank you!

Madeline grew up working the ren faire circuit with her parents. In that lifestyle change is inevitable, but after her mom dies, Madeline has resisted change. She is surprised when the last faire of the season, and her mom's favorite, is all brand new with new owners. Including an annoying bard, Arthur, the new owners' son, who is her own age, seems to keep turning up where she is, and pushes her into so many new experiences! Will she let herself enjoy the changes or try to hold onto the past?
This was a fun setting in a renaissance festival perfect for two teenagers getting to know each other, and themselves.
This is @ashwritesbooks 's third book and it is great just like her others. It won't make you ball your eyes out (in the best way) as her others, but it definitely has lots of feels!!
This one is set to be published 14 March, so you still have plenty of time to catch up on her earlier work before you grab this one. Which you will definitely want to do!!
#NetGalley

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!!

This is the sweetest, bestest, made me cry bc it's so sweet, ya book!! This story did not just tug at my heart strings, it played them like a Ren. Faire bard.

Madeline travels to different Ren Faires with her dad all year to sell journals and jewelry. Last year her mom died and she has been moving through a cloud of grief since then. But when she enters the Ren Faire this summer, she is surprised to find a bard named Arthur. A bard who asks her to be the Faires princess.

This book talks about grief so well. I think grief is hard to put in words, but this author did an amazing job with Madeline's character. I saw myself in there too which is definitely something. I also loved that Madeline found acceptance with her weight. As something that I also struggle with, her story made me feel like being kinder to myself (I'm kind of shocked, I didn't know that was possible). Maybe, I should be thanking the author, because this story made a real difference in my life. I even went to Target!! And, it was amazing!!

Sappiest review ever?? Possibly.

Should you check out this book? Definitely!

Out March 14, 2023!

Since her mother's death last year, Maddie Hathaway is determined that nothing changes. Back on the Ren Faire circuit with her dad and at the last Faire she was at with her mom and dad, Gwen notices a lot of changes have occurred. This doesn't sit well with Gwen and she isn't okay with it. It doesn't help that Arthur, who's family recently purchased this Faire, is determined to make Gwen the new Princess, something she isn't keen on. It's outside her comfort zone. As the summer goes on and she hangs out with Arthur more she learns that sometimes going outside your comfort zone isn't too bad.

Although this is made for a young adult audience it felt more middle grade to me. The stakes didn't feel very high. I could feel it trying to be a "Well Met" for a younger audience. The cover also reads to me for a younger audience. I do appreciate how Maddie and her father dealt with their own trauma surrounding her mother's grief. It helped to illuminate that no one person's grief journey is similar. I think this story could be helpful for younger readers going down a similar path. This story also dealt more with finding one's self after hiding in the dark for a long time. Maddie was hiding in the metaphorical shadows for a long time. This book helped her to come out into the limelight and find friends and shine as her own person. For this reason I think it would be for younger readers. The overall tone just struck me as closer to middle grade to younger ya reader than an older ya audience.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher, 320 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2023. $20. lgbtqia
Language: R (48 swears, 3 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Coming up on the one-year anniversary of her mother’s death, Madeline just wants to spend the summer before senior year remembering, especially since she and her dad are at her mom’s favorite Ren faire. But new management has changed everything about the faire, and there is a bard calling Madeline “Gwen” for no apparent reason, and he insists on taking all the time that Madeline was going to spend by herself. The bard is making himself important to Madeline, and she is desperate to stop him.
Once again, Schumacher has crafted a brilliant story that addresses grief. Watching Madeline struggle to remember her mother and to push away anyone else that fate might take away from her next time is painfully relatable. However, Schumacher uses Madeline’s story to also address issues of body image and self-consciousness for both boys and girls. Fate rolls the dice for each of us, but it’s our decision to treat the result as a curse or a blessing.
Madeline/Gwen, her father, Arthur, and Tim are White. Martin is described as having a “dark brown complexion,” Adelina has “brown” skin, Noah has “olive” skin, and Bre has “dark brown” skin. Fatima is implied non-White. The mature content rating is for innuendo and mentions of sex and alcohol.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen