A slow start but what a good story! Maddie (Gwen) and Arthur were fantastically awkward together. The dads are great, Noah and Bre are adorable!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martians Press/Wednesday Books for allowing me to read this ARC for an honest review!

This was an absolutely adorable and quick read! The representation and overall theme of working through not only body issue, but grief is such a great topic to cover in a YA novel! If you love Renn Faires and YA coming of ages stories this is an amazing book to pick up!

Sweet teenage romance that takes place in a renaissance fair over the course of a summer.

I went to a renaissance fair once and thought it was ok. It was interesting to read a book where people love the renaissance fair. It makes me want to give it another try. Gwen and Arthur are two great characters and I was routing for them to discover their mutual feelings.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I love Schumacher's style of writing, and have absolutely adored her first two novels. This was no exception.

Madeline, growing up on the Renaissance Fair circuit with parents, is coming up on the one year anniversary of her mother's passing as well as coming to her mother's favorite Fair. Shortly after arriving, Madeline meets the charismatic, lanky Arthur, one of the Fair's Bards. Madeline, instead of selling her parent's jewelry and journals for the season, is now tasked and donned the role of the royalty for the Fair and trying not to fall for Arthur.

Tacking themes of loss, not fitting in, and finding your place in the world, Schumacher hits all the boxes and all the feels.

Initially I thought this book was ok but the longer I thought about it, the angrier I got at the male lead. Gwen aka Madeline’s mother passed away and she and her father continue traveling the Renn Faire circuit. At one of the larger stops she meets Arthur, who ropes her into playing Faire princess and also into going on a bunch of adventures with him. All is great except at the end of the summer some kids from Arthur’s school come to help out and one of them kisses Maddy on the cheek when they meet, and Arthur has a freaking conniption about it. He says (and I’m paraphrasing) “I’ve been so polite all summer when you said we could only be friends and you let this dude kiss you right away and that’s not fair” and I just…saw red. Like how dare she draw boundaries and ask him to respect them and then set different boundaries for someone else? I simply cannot.

A chubby and awkward teen girl dealing with the loss of a parent... those who know me would expect me to run far from this book for being too close to my real life experiences, but for some reason I was willing to expose myself to potentially painful reminders for this book. Thank goodness I did! This book has my heart and I will be thinking about it for a long time. My only complaint at the end is that I need more of or "Gwen" and Arthur!

The renaissance fair setting adds the perfect amount of quirk to this book, but also don't overwhelm the ability for anyone to recognize the feelings of each character. While the story is very much centered on the two main characters, what I really enjoyed was that the minor characters were written well and they were very real people and brought beyond their basic descriptions. As an old lady in her 40s (only somewhat kidding about the old part) I would love to read a sequel about Maddie's dad moving on in his life with glimpses of Maddie's future included. He was a character I would love to see find some happiness next.

Take the chance, read this book, and enjoy getting to know an unexpected princess!

A cute YA novel. The typical coming of age, love yourself, and find love along the way type. Quick and easy, with a few memorable quotes. I think it will be a comfort read for some and some won't think about it again.

I will preface this review with the fact that I don’t typically read YA romance, but I requested this book due to the renaissance faire aspect and I’m so glad I did! I really enjoyed this book and it brings you right into the ren-faire world! Maddie lost her mom and as someone who also lost my mom, I was worried about this part of the plot, but it was done beautifully. The story is a great teen romance and the people that Maddie meets are written so well! The author did a great job of character building and I really enjoyed the entire story.

The premise of this book intrigued me, I was especially interested in the story taking place at a renaissance faire.

Madeline is dealing with the loss of her mother and trying to find a way to manage her grief. When she visits her mother's favorite faire circuit, Madeline finds that it's under new management and the faire is not the same. While at the faire Madeline meets Arthur, who is the new managements son, and he is determined to help Madeline through her grief.

It was sad to see Madeline work through her grief and try to shut everything out over the loss of her mother, but it was sweet to see Arthur help Madeline through her grief and try to push her outside her comfort zone. Arthur was a mix of funny, awkward, and sweet. I enjoyed his interactions with Madeline. I also enjoyed seeing Madeline working the faire circuit.

This was a quick, cute read with bittersweet moments as well. Overall, and enjoyable read.

I loved the concept of this story. The Renaissance Faire setting was unique and fun. Schumacher's full-figured protagonist, Maddie aka Gwen, was endearing and relatable to me especially as someone who was a fuller-figured teen incredibly self-conscious about not being a skinny teenager.

From the first meet-cute between Arthur and Madeline to the final moments, this story was engaging and fun. I loved the way Maddie was trying to make sense of the loss of her mother (not a spoiler, happens in the prologue) as she and her father approach the anniversary of her mother's last Faire and passing. The easy inclusion of Arthur's dads was lovely and the plot twist at the end adorable.

Highly recommend!

I found this book to me a delightful read - which was such a pleasant surprise. I'm not super into teen romance but I was intrigued by the renaissance faire side of the book and decided to give it a go. I am so glad I did because it wasn't a "typical" teen romance at all.

Maddie (aka Gwen) our main character is a pretty typical teen (a bit uncomfortable in her own skin) but also very atypical (attends school online, has recently lost her mother, travels the renaissance faire circuit with her father...). When they return to a favored faire, Maddie finds that the new owners have changed several things AND she runs into their son, who takes an immediate shine to her. Maddie and Arthur find their way into a tentative friendship that becomes deeper and has the potential to become more - if Maddie will let it.

Maddie and Arthur's characters are so fun - both are unique and finding their way in life, which may or may not include each other. Arthur's dads are so fun and their different personalities are so complimentary to the story. Maddie's dad is doing the absolute best he can by her after losing his wife and is so supportive. New friends are made along the way and old ones weave into the story as well.

Overall, this book was an incredibly fun read that wasn't at all what I expected but exactly what I didn't know I was looking for. I can't wait to read Ashley Schumacher's other works!

Schumacher is another author that has become an insta-read for me. The books are sweet and unique, while also dealing with grief and moving forward. They always hit a bit hard, but are definitely worth it.

If you've been wanting to pick up one of these books but prefer a bit lighter story, this is a good one to start with. It's mostly about Madeline having fun with Arthur in a unique setting (a renaissance fair!) Arthur is a funny guy and made me smile throughout the book. He's a great person to help Madeline start living her life again and I adored their connection. It built over the summer and all their small road trips sounded like a blast.

I'm so happy I got to read an early copy of this and can't wait until everyone has a chance to check this out!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy

This book was wholesome and something I would have absolutely loved as a teen. I think Maddie's struggle with her plus size body is so relatable and seeing my own struggles mirrored in literature would have been such a healing experience.

The only thing that didn't completely sell me was the setting, which I was so looking forward to. This book is supposed to take place at a Renaissance faire and it kinda does, but you never really feel ren faire vibes and shenanigans from this book. I was looking for more from the setting and I guess more from the side characters too. This book is very Maddie and Arthur driven, which is fine they're adorable, but to really get a sense of the setting and get true ren faire vibes we were missing an oddball or two.

Nothing flashy here, but the happiest of Ren Fair fans. Super cute story with a ton of heart and a well rounded cast of characters. Plus-sized heroine learning life lessons and overcoming loss is kinda my jam. Would definitely recommend for kids who are outside the norm.


Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC for a honest review.

This novel is heartwarming and hilarious and the feel-good adventure that anyone who loves YA romance stories will love. While there are so many funny parts that made me smile and laugh, the beating heart of the novel is about Maddie finding her path in the world especially as she's dealing with the grief of losing her mother. Ashley Schumacher handles this grief in a realistic way with how it impacts all aspects of Maddie's life. At the same time, the grief doesn't overwhelm the story, Maddie's personality, the atmosphere of the Renaissance Festivals, and Arthur bring lightness and joy to the story.

I want to give this delightful book to everyone so they can experience the joy as well and close the book with a happy sigh and a smile.

The story is presented as a slow-burn romance, with a summer-long wooing of one character by another. But there's just too much that rubbed me the wrong way in how this premise is handled--girls and women who have never been stalked or harassed might initially think Arthur's persistent presence and insistence on Madeleine doing things with him all summer is cute or devoted, but for those of us who know what controlling relationships look like, this will set off major red flags. The very premise that a young woman in mourning for her mother needs to get over it through a relationship with a guy is problematic at its core, so no matter how nice Arthur's dads were to Maddy (although not so much to each other; abuse is not banter) or how pathetic Arthur could be, this book isn't one I could recommend to anyone.

Wonderfully, perfectly adorable. I laughed, I got misty eyed, I swooned. This was such a surprise!

Imagine traveling most of the year to Renaissance Festivals selling goods and chatting with all the locals you know from year to year. That is Madeline's life. But this last year has been tough, her mother passed and it's been an almost year of first - all the first without her mom. Finally, they are at the final RenFest her mom got to go to before she passed and Maddie is ready to just be quiet at this one - reflect, do her coping mechanisms and get through this final first. But as soon as she arrives, so does an odd Bard.

This story was so many things. Maddie's struggle to find her new "normal" was just heartbreaking but also inspiring. It was easy to imagine what she was going through and feel her pain. Arthur was the perfect serenading bard. His adventures and sweetness was just a perfect mix of hilarious and chaotic. You really can't help but love him. There were so many laugh out loud moments but also heartfelt special moments, it was easy to completely forget you were reading a book instead of spending a fun hour with friends. I loved this one, every moment of it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I was so excited for this book for so many reasons. Mainly because I am a huge nerd who loves dressing up and the plus size representation!

Madeline is going through some tough stuff as her mother’s death anniversary approaches. We follow her as she gets roped into being the renaissance fair princess and goes on adventures with Arthur. We watch as Madeline and Arthur help each other grow and change.

Madeline an Arthur’s friendship was very sweet. I loved how they helped each other grow. I adored the setting of the renaissance fair and the description of the costumes. Madelyn felt like a real person and all the characters were really lovable. A couple of the jokes also made me cackle!

I read this book so fast and was hooked from the moment I started it! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and had lots of fun reading it.

I thought this was a cute story, but nothing more. It was billed as a cross between Dumpin' and Well Met, both of which I read and LOVED, and I can see that but it just didn't have the same vibe. The characters felt kinda flat, and I couldn't get over WHY Arthur kept pursuing Maddie when she was so terrible to him. And don't get me started on the whole subplot with the coin... GIANT EYEROLL.
Overall, I liked this but didn't love it, and may recommend it to people specifically interested in books set at renaissance faires.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the ARC!

After the death of her mother, Madeline Hathaway is frozen in place. She is clinging to what is familiar. So, setting up at a well known Renaissance Faire seems like it will be just the thing. However, New managers have stripped the Faire of its comfort. In this discomfort, however, Madeline meets the persistent bard who helps her take steps forward.

This book tackles not only relationships, but the road of recovery through grief.

Representation- Female lead, Plus-size MC, LGBTQ+