This one was not for me but that’s not to say this book is not well written. It’s about a girl grieving in her own private way. Perhaps if I had read it another time I would have enjoyed it more.

A sweet coming of age book. "Gwen's" grief is the center of the book. Losing her mother, and being in the Renn Faire circuit with her Dad (as has always been her life) and no longer having her bestie Fatima in the circuit with her creates a loneliness that is palpable and relatable. She's not angry, not hurting anyone but instead retreating inwards and constantly putting herself down. Essentially it's a story of a lovely girl, with a lovely support system who meets a boy who has his own issues but takes care to be her friend (bc he needs one too) and watch as her life opens up. Its difficult and frustrating at times, but also really sweet to watch a young girl come into her own and just "be". There's nothing groundbreaking here, but that's ok. Huzzah !
3 stars.

3.5 stars

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway is a cute young adult contemporary romance. It's about a teen named Maddie who has grown up touring with her parents on the renaissance faire circuit. But after her mother's death, Maddie isn't sure how to handle the faire without her mom there. She meets a boy named Arthurr who proves to be a loyal and persistent friend, but Maddie isn't sure if she is ready to make a deep connection with anyone yet.

I really loved the renaissance faire setting. It is a world that I know nothing about, and I thought it was fascinating to read more about in this story. Definitely a unique setting and that was my favorite thing about this book.

However I was feeling my age with this one. I had to keep reminding myself that it was for a teen audience, because as an adult, I just didn't thinkt here was enough conflict between Maddie and Arthur to keep the whole book going. The things that she would get upset about (both with him and with herself) were the same things over and over again, and I thought that led to a slow plot. Yet I know that these issues may seem like bigger deals to teenagers and therefore they may find the plot more compelling than I did.

In summary, this was a cute story and I enjoyed it...especially the unique renaissance faire setting!!

This was so fun! I didn't expect to like it as much as I did and I'm glad I gave it a shot. Looking forward to whatever else Schumacher writes.

This is a very cute romance. I didn't expect some of the more sensitive topics touched on in this book, but they were very well handled with tact and sensibility. I would definitely recommend this as a new read for this summer!

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher was outstanding!! In this YA novel, the author masters such sensitive Our main character, Maddie, is dealing with grief after the loss of her mother while traveling with the Renaissance Faire. While on the Faire tour, Maddie meets Arthur who is the son of the new owners at her mother's favorite stop on the tour. I love seeing their connection and how they grow. The story was entertaining and kept me engaged from the first page. Highly recommend this read!

I just finished this book in one sitting. I literally could not put it down. It’s 3 am before work and I have no regrets. The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway is perhaps one of the most delightful books I’ve ever read. The emotions, the humor, the Ren faire setting, the relatability, the growth, the swoon. Oh my goodness. I will be rereading this to relive Maddie’s incredible summer and to continue falling for Arthur. I will absolutely be checking out Ashley Schumacher’s other books. I can’t thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books enough for this opportunity to read and review this beautiful arc.

Oh Ashley, oh Arthur, Mads..... my heart.

Schumacher we gotta stop meeting like this with all the tears! No wait, don't stop. You know I love it.

This sweet story of a summer renaissance romance with sunshine and grump is sure to tug on the heartstrings of every reader. I just loved it so much.

Yet again more brilliance from Schumacher.

Thank you SMP and Netgalley for letting me devour this piece of art!

This YA novel deals wonderfully with grief, trauma, body dysmorphia, and mental health. Maddie is a teen who is dealing with the loss of her mother while traveling the Ren Faire circuit. Arthur is the son of the new owners of her mother’s favorite stop. The story was engaging and entertaining while still dealing masterfully with sensitive topics and issues.

“‘The world…can be vast and cruel. But it can, sometimes, be shrunken and tamed. Sometimes, if you’re clever, you can find ways to make it kinder. Remember that.’”

Madeline Hathaway has been working the ren faire circuit with her parents her entire life. She loves it, but her life was upended a year ago when her mother passed away. Now, Maddie is determined to make sure nothing else can change. So when she and her dad arrive at her mom’s final and favorite stop on the circuit to find that it’s under new management and practically everything has changed, Maddie isn’t exactly happy. Unfortunately for her though, the new owners’ son Arthur immediately attaches himself to her, even roping her into becoming Princess of the Faire and bestowing the name “Gwen” upon her. With road trip adventures and ren faire romps on the horizon, Maddie is in for the summer of a lifetime. But can she open her heart to change and this boy who can always make her smile? Or does fate have other plans?

I have a confession to make: I have never been to a Renaissance Faire. I know, I know, that’s hard to believe for someone who minored in theatre and history in college, but it’s true! So when I saw Ashley Schumacher’s latest book that’s all about ren faires, I knew I needed to read it. And I’m so glad I did! THE RENAISSANCE OF GWEN HATHAWAY is a fabulous book full of fun characters, a cute romance, and lots and lots of ren faire shenanigans. I loved the body positivity, the inclusion of a character actively going to therapy (yay for mental health representation!), and the fantastic diversity. Schumacher also provides an honest depiction of grief that will definitely tug at your heart strings but also feel so, so relatable. I absolutely shed a few tears reading this book, but I also literally laughed out loud a ton too! Maddie and Arthur are such a cute couple, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about their adventures together and watching as their characters grew. Suffice it to say, make sure you add THE RENAISSANCE OF GWEN HATHAWAY to your TBR right away because this is one book you don’t want to miss!

Content Warnings: Cancer, mentioned homophobia, strong language, fatphobia, mentioned emotional abuse, death of a parent, anxiety

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

I just love Ashley Schumacher's writing! This was a sweet story with characters you can't help but root for. Underneath the wonderful banter and the fun Ren faire setting were deeper issues like grief, insecurity and negative body image and the author deftly managed to balance the heavy with the light perfectly. It may be YA but readers of all ages will fall for Madeline and Arthur.

Thanks to Wednesday books and NetGalley for the copy to review.

When I first found out about this book, I literally squealed! Books set at Renaissance Faires always seem to be the most magical, whimsical tales. Plus, to escape the world and visit a Ren Faire (whether in person or when reading a book, is always a fantastic time!

The book opens upon Madeline who is struggling with the loss of her mother a year before. While it is mentioned in the synopsis, the depiction of Madeline's grief and her father's was a bit triggering for me. I haven't read another book with such a true and real depiction of the grieving experience since The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie. The exploration of grief in The Renaissance Of Gwen Hathaway was incredibly raw. However, the joy of friendship and the steady blossoming of change was a hopeful constant that gave the book an uplifting message.

I don't often cry while reading, but Ashley Schumacher's impeccable writing enchanted me to do so. I haven't read her other books, but I am looking forward to reading more from her now.

The budding friendship between Madeline and Arthur is lovely to witness. The Ren Faire, of course, as a backdrop makes everything more magical.

The relationships are truly a star in this! While there is a focus on Madeline's grief, the support that she receives from the different relationships in her life are so heartwarming. I, especially, adore the relationship she has with Fatima, her best friend. Though they primarily communicate through online video calls, it always feels like they are both physically together with how much their banter and friendly chatter light up the page.

I haven't been liking the YA contemporary books I have been reading lately. In fact, I was a little nervous to start this one, worried that I wouldn't like it. Before diving into this, I was also thinking that I should take a step back from YA contemporary but this book singlehandedly brought my faith back into the genre. The fantastic writing, well rounded characters, and sweet friendships shined in The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway in such a way that I haven't seen in other books in a while. Readers will surely fall in love with this book as quickly as I did.

The Renaissance Of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher was such a heartwarming story about friendship, grief and everything in between. It is one of those books that will no doubt be able to put a huge smile on your face.

So, I read this book back in December, because I was really missing being at the Ren Faire. Most of the time I try not to read a book so far before publication. That is especially true because when I read this one, I hadn’t quite decided to jump back into blogging. But I’m glad that I’ve made the decision to blog again, because oh boy, I’ve really missed this.

I miss Ren Faires too. 2022 was the first year I haven’t gone to the faire since I went for the first time back in 2017. I absolutely love getting dressed up in garb and wandering around, trying out all the delicious food, seeing the different shows, and browsing the shops and stalls. There’s basically no feeling like it, aside from maybe going to comic cons.

Now this isn’t the first Ren Faire focused book that I’ve read (if you haven’t checked out the Well Met series by Jen DeLuca, you’re missing out), but I did devour this book just about as quickly. Getting to follow a teen whose family work and travel the faire circuit made for an interesting story.

Maddie was a compelling story and I really felt for her. I don’t know what it’s like to lose a parent the way that she did, but I do know what it feels like when a parent is just gone. It’s tough at any age, and it does change things. And I understood her reluctance when Arthur kept popping up and trying to pull her into doing things.

Arthur was cute and fun, but he also had his own struggles. I loved watching the friendship develop between Arthur and Maddie, and them going on all their little week day trips (traveling on paths that I went on while driving between conventions, so that was fun for me).

Honestly, this story just felt real and cute and honest and emotional, and I was definitely wrapped up in all of it. I ended up reading this story very quickly, and I can’t wait to have a finished copy on my shelves.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Publish Date: 14 Mar 2023)

“The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway” is a wonderful coming of age story that explores a plus-sized teenage girl grieving the recent death of her beloved mother, lacking self-esteem, having only one friend, an unexpected admirer, and realizing her life isn’t always within her control - for better or for worse. The unique twist? She’s living with her dad on road while traveling around the country working the renaissance faire circuit.

I quickly liked Maddie (a.k.a. Gwen) and Arthur in this story. They’re both lovable underdogs growing up in misfit lifestyles who find each other at the perfect time one summer. However, Maddie is still very guarded and lacking confidence in herself and Arthur’s motives, so she does react childishly at times – which pushes Arthur away.

I really loved the “big reveal” moment near the end of the book and, while I won’t share any spoilers, I will say that the story came together nicely and was well written. My only small complaint was the ending not tying up all the loose ends, but maybe the author plans on writing a sequel to continue where this story left off.

Overall, I found this book to be a delightful breath of fresh air amongst a vast sea of teenage angst stories. I highly recommend it!

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher left me feeling lukewarm. While the emotional moments in the book were touching, the predictable storyline and frustrating actions of the protagonist, Madeline, left much to be desired.

As a YA novel, I understand the importance of addressing trauma and the resulting emotional struggles. However, Madeline's actions of shutting out others became tiresome and made it difficult to empathize with her. While her relationship with her father was one of the redeeming aspects of the book, it was not enough to carry the entire story.

Furthermore, the predictability of the plot made it hard to stay engaged. I found myself skimming through parts of the book because I could already anticipate what was going to happen next.

Overall, The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway may appeal to those who enjoy a formulaic YA novel with emotional moments, but it simply wasn't my cup of tea.

A fun YA romance that takes place at a Ren faire featuring a quirky, diverse cast of characters. I enjoyed this lighter offering from author Ashley Schumacher. The fat rep was great and the characters were likeable. A quick enjoyable read. Would recommend for fans of the Well met series by Jen DeLuca. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway has ALL of the representations! There was fat representation, handling grief, mental health, LGBQT+, and even skinny representation. For the same reasons that this is an amazing feat for the author, it also acts as content warnings. I can’t praise Ashley Shumacher enough for how she wrote this book. It was so emotional and sucked you in. I think that all teenagers and YA should read this book because there is something that they all can relate to.

Now you may have noticed that my rating seems rather low for me singing the author and book so much flattery, this comes down to my personal tastes more than anything. I loved Arthur and thought him and the side characters were the stars of the book. That being said, I did not like Madeline/Gwen at all. For someone that constantly said she wanted to change the world by making it nicer, she was not a nice person. I would go so far as saying that she was mean. Being in her head for the whole book was really difficult, she is so mentally unhealthy and just not likable. For me, I would have benefited from a second POV so that I could see her through others eyes. I honestly feel like I missed something by only having her POV, because Madeline was not nice and not someone that I can imagine anyone would want to be around.

While there were so many things that are positives, readers should really pay attention to all content warnings when going into this book. There is so much great representation and the author is amazingly talented. Despite not liking this book because of the MC, I will definitely be reading more Ashley Shumacher in the future and think that this book is worth the read for others.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Synopsis: The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway follows the story of Madeline, a teenager who lives in the Ren Faire Circuit traveling with her family to sell their jewellery and journals. Dealing with the recent loss of her mother, her and her father attempt to cope with visiting the last faire her mom ever attended. But when she meets a young boy of her age her summer plans begin to shake up and she is left to wonder if fate exists or if we make our own fates.

This is a very true YA book and fits the vibe of that genre perfectly, I would recommend this book to fans of YA and really slow burn romance.

Pros:
-the whole plot was really intriguing and different and I enjoyed all the medieval renaissance aspects of it
-it deals with difficult topics (such as grief and body dysmorphia in a very open and thoughtful way
-the characters had a lot of depth to them
Cons:
-the pacing was quite slow

After reading Full Flight and Amelia Unabridged, I couldn't wait for more Ashley Schumacher in my life and she absolutely did not let me down one bit. I loved watching the way that Madeline, or should I say Gwen, was able to have her heart healed over the course of this Ren fair with the assistance of Arthur. I have to admit, I'm a fairly big stickler for my romance hero's name being something hot and swoony and Arthur just doesn't do that for me. I had to restrain myself from reaching out to Ashley to ask if there would be a later reveal in which we would learn that his name is actually something a whole lot dreamier and I'm so glad that I didn't. He absolutely won my heart over in spite of myself, pretty much like he did with Gwen and I was absolutely here for it. I truly cannot wait for her next book because I am sure it will be absolutely wonderful. One of my new go-to authors for teen romance!

Ashley Schumacher's THE RENAISSANCE OF GWEN HATHAWAY is a truly enjoyable, adorkable read. I've never been to a renaissance faire, but this novel had me really wanting to schedule a trip to the nearest one (why have I not been part of this delightful community my entire life!?). Maddie has such a strong voice and I couldn't help but be drawn into her world (that opening chapter was perfect). Her grief and insecurities are so relatable; she's just a very sympathetic character. And then there's Arthur, who is equally endearing. I love how Arthur calls Maddie Gwen from the get-go (a wonderful Easter egg--among many other nods to Arthurian legend in the story). Basically, if a teenage, summer romance version of A Knight's Tale sounds appealing to you, you will love THE RENAISSANCE OF GWEN HATHAWAY.