Thank you to Netgalley, Lex Coucher, and St. Martin's Press for giving me access to this book (two years ago, oops, just figured out the archive) in exchange for an honest review (unpaid).

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is a fantastic dual pov queer love story set in a medieval-esque time with wonderful tropes like enemies to friends and an arranged marriage/fake dating trope combination. I loved all of the main cast, and I swear Lex Croucher stole my identity to write Gabriel.

A queer take on King Arthur and Guinevere, I loved this unique retelling where Art and Gwen are both gay as heck but are forced into a marriage that turns into an unlikely alliance to covertly live as their true selves. It was super fun, filled with medieval swordfights and balls but also packed with representation and queer joy!

"to be truly brave, you must be afraid—and to be afraid, you must have something you cannot bear to lose."

GOD I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCHHHHHHH
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

there was just so much love and emotion and GAY BEHAVIOR and pining and mischief and battle and FUN MEDIEVAL THINGS. i'm not really a historical fiction girlie but i loooooved this one. the fact that it was set in Camelot!! and that Arthur was a distant descendant of Arthur Pendragon!! and Merlin and Morgana once lived!!! and THERE WAS A SWORD IN A STONE!!!!! i loved it. it was so much fun.

it was so gay. i loved watching Gwen and Art's relationship develop, watching them decide to be in cahoots, watching them absolutely PINE AFTER THEIR CRUSHES. Gwen's descriptions of her feelings for/about Bridget had me SCREECHING. and ART. SO BRAVE. SUCH A BRAVE BOY. it's scary going after things you want!! especially if you're truly worried the people you love won't accept you!!! and yes there were some Moments, but they all had so much love for each other. and Bridget! Gabriel! Agnes! Sidney! such a fabulous cast of side characters and love interests.

the last 100 pages had me shitting bricks, i won't lie. so STRESSFUL. IT WAS LIKE A THIRD ACT BREAKUP EXCEPT IT WASN'T THE TYPICAL KIND YOU FIND IN A ROMANCE NOVEL. I WAS STRESSED. IT WAS STRESSFUL. I JUST WANTED TO WRAP ALL MY BABIES UP AND KEEP THEM SAFE.

the ending was so beautiful. i'm so proud of them all!!! and that quote 😭😭😭

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love has a different feel to it. It's new adult and alternate history with a full cast of fun characters. This was really an ensemble where everyone was well developed and had something important to contribute. Not only the two main couples were great but the side couple was cute too. Gwen and her female knight crush Bridget not only addressed the female/female love story but also the misogyny felt by Bridget as a female knight. Art and Gabe not only had to contend with the public opinions of a male/male relationship but also the expectations of their families and society when it came to their roles in leading their country and continuing their bloodlines. All very typical of Arthurian stories. But the humor and comedy made the story feel different. A vibe like, A Knight's Tale. Surpringly the last quarter of the book had a homophobic attack and a bloody battle. Which felt quiet different from the beginning. I still enjoyed it but it did drag a little a didn't flow as well as it manhua could have.
Also I listened to this on audiobook and have no complaints about the casting/voice work. It was a great listen. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️stars.

This was such a fun read. What a great take on This was such a fun read. What a great take on King Arthur’s. I’ll definitely read the following book.

Gwen and Art are not in love. They could never be in love. But maybe if they pretend, they'll be able to be closer to the people they actually want to be with.

This was cute and fun at the beginning and then it just dragged on for no reason. This needed serious editing down. It could have probably been a short story or novella and achieved the same as this novel.

Heart warming story full of romance and fun! I loved the twist on this time period and typical storyline. I found the characters endearing and it sucked me in fully.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher is a witty, contemporary rom-com that brings together charming characters, humor, and an exploration of identity, love, and friendship. The story revolves around Gwen, a quirky, awkward, and endearing protagonist, and Art, her close friend, as they navigate their feelings, insecurities, and the complex nature of relationships.
The book excels in its exploration of personal growth and the unpredictability of love. Gwen, a bit of a misfit, has to deal with her complicated feelings for Art, while Art himself is dealing with his own baggage. The tension between their platonic and romantic feelings builds throughout the story, creating an engaging dynamic. One of the strengths of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is its portrayal of friendship, self-discovery, and the importance of communicating feelings, whether romantic or otherwise. The novel highlights how complicated it can be to navigate these emotions, but also how vital it is to embrace one's true self, this is a fun, heartfelt story for anyone who loves character-driven rom-coms with a strong dose of humor and sincerity. It’s a great pick for readers who enjoy books about personal growth, the ups and downs of love, and the messy nature of friendships and relationships.

This was a cute little YA LGBTQ+ Fantasy novel. I loved the tie-ins with King Arthur and the knights of the round table, as the kingdom wanted everyone to know they were family of the famous king. While this might be an enemies to friends instead of enemies to lovers as the main relationship in the book is between two people who are both gay and in love with other people. Gwen and Arthur come to love each other in a platonic way and I feel like that was a great focus for the book instead of the romantic relationships.
Speaking of the romantic relationships, both Gwen and Arthur's are sweet and overall wonderful to watch come to fruition. Gwen with Bridget, who is the most badass knight in the realm and introduces Gwen to witches and those who follow Morgana. Arthur falls in love with Gwen's brother - the future king. Arthur's manservant - Sydney was just the best character in the whole book and he was a great foil to Arthur.
The book was pretty slow until the end where there was a sudden uprising and all the characters have to take up and fight, which seemed out of the blue and was very different pacing and feel than the rest of the book. It was an engaging few chapters but I felt like I had whiplash from how fast everything happened. At one point everyone suspects Arthur to be on the side of the bad guys due to a misheard clandestine meeting and because of that both Arthur and Gabe end up terribly injured at different times.
Overall a great read, fun and sweet and the ending was just so cute.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

*Gwen & Art Are Not in Love* by Lex Croucher is a witty and refreshing historical rom-com with a modern twist. Set in a medieval-inspired world, the story follows Gwen and Arthur, two nobles betrothed since childhood—except Gwen likes women, and Art likes men. As they scheme to escape their unwanted engagement, they develop an unexpected friendship while navigating court politics, romance, and plenty of chaos. Croucher’s sharp humor, diverse representation, and heartfelt moments make this a delightful read. Perfect for fans of queer romance, found family, and lighthearted historical fiction with a playful, contemporary voice.

4⭐ on 🎧

This book had to have been pitched to publishers as "queer Monty Python" and it delivers on this in droves before turning into an action movie worthy final battle scene. This was the perfect escapist romp for the current times!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book copy!

I was initially excited to read this story as I do like King Arthur retellings but sadly this did not work for me. I have come to terms with the fact that I have less of an interest in reading YA romance/contemporary. I noticed that I started to get annoyed at the young adult characters in the story especially if there is miscommunication. There was a bit of that in here and it just made it hard for me to want to keep reading. So for now, I have dnf'd this book and I don't see myself coming back to it. I would read from this author again if they write in adult fiction.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love was just ok. It might not have been my cup of tea, honestly. It was loosely based off of Arthurian Legend. I loved the LGBTQIA+ aspects of the romance and the whole fake marriage/trope, but I thought the story was a bit of a mess. Everyone else might have loved the set up, but I would have liked a little more similarity to the legends. The writing was very amateurish and the characters didn't sound refined at all. I know it was supposed to be a rom com, but it just didn't hit the spot for me.

I adore Arthurian adaptations, so I was delighted to have the opportunity thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books to read it ahead of publication. Gwen & Art are the heirs (many generations removed from the OG Camelot we know and love) and this adorable queer YA medieval rom com is nearly perfect. It's honestly one of the best books I read in the past year. The banter, character development and romance and just right for YA audiences. I also love to see a MM and FF plot line in a historical romance YA. There are so many quips and nods to Arthurian legend, but it doesn't get in the way or feel info dumpy.

Cute and entertaining YA romcom.
Loved the characters and snappy pacing. Humor is light and gives the story life. Will definitely add the next book to my tbr.

“Nobody else is ever going to care as much as you do about the things you want, Gwendoline. So it’s up to you — you can put them aside forever, if you can live with that, or you can put on your big-girl girdle and demand more for yourself.”

I don’t know what possessed me to request this book on NetGalley back in 2023 besides the pitch of Heartstopper meeting A Knight’s Tale. I mean, based on those two titles alone, I should love this book! I… did not.

Things I Liked —
Did LGBTQ+ folks exist in medieval times? Of course, only it wasn’t as open as this book makes it appear. But do we need fiction books that show characters of this group during historical time periods where they are severely underrepresented? Absolutely.
There was some good banter. This book wasn’t a total bore.

Things That Didn’t Work For Me —
I think this is a classic case of fun book/wrong reader. For whatever reason, I could not get attached to any of the characters in this book. I just did not care. That makes for a super long 400+ pages to get through. Not sure why I felt compelled to continue but I did. This is one that is easily forgettable for me.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I wanted to loooove this book but unfortunately the first 20% dragged so heavily for me that it was hard to really get into the rest of the book without forcing myself to pick the book up. While I agree it was a cute twist to the fake dating trope and a great way to bring the alternate love interests in, I felt like the exposition of these characters was dragged in misery and groveling. I felt like Gwen was so hard to want to like, which made it hard for me to root for her until I got WAYYYY further into the book. All in all, I liked it, didn't love it, but felt it was a refreshing take on a commonly overplayed trope.

I really enjoyed this book! Croucher's depiction of rivals to lovers was sooooo fun and readable. I loved my time with these characters!

A fresh take on a favorite myth. Some parts of this initially reminded me of the Swan Princess, and that kept me going until the story picked up. There was a level of anxiety that was propulsive and gripped me through every page.

Lex Croucher is the absolute master of complex queer romance. This was in all ways absolutely hilarious, deeply romantic, and pulled no bunches when plucking my heartstrings. I highly recommend!