So I actually finished this like... I don't even know, a week or more ago but the business of a new job distracted me from reviewing, and honestly I think the book may benefited from that time because my opinion of it improved once I realized it put me on a medieval/Arthurian kick again.

The tone of this story is very much in the vein of A Knight's Tale or Merlin (the British tv show). It's set in an alternate England in which King Arthur and Camelot was all real but happened a couple hundred years previously. The main conflict is the relationship drama of the two main (and secretly gay) leads, but there's an underlying conflict that is all about the opposition/attempted integration between followers of the Camelot dream and cultists who follow Morgana. These two conflicts are frequently interwoven, which left me disappointed in the lack of details of the latter, since the majority of the story is focused on the teen romances.

Which, I get this is a YA teen romance, but I was so fascinated by this world and culture Croucher created, so I was disappointed we didn't get more information and history on the politics behind these two conflicting viewpoints. The most we get from this is the story's final battle, which is quite exciting with some high stakes. I also enjoyed the ridiculous antagonists lol

The main characters and their love interests were overall fun to spend time with. I enjoyed Arthur and Sidney's friendship and how supportive they were with each other. Croucher could have given us a bit more of Bridget, as among the main four we get to know her the least, unfortunately.

I read the book while following along with the audiobook, which features some strong narration between the readers for Gwen (Sarah Ovens) and Art (Alex Singh) and definitely helped me get through some of the slower parts.

It just all really, really reminded me of A Knight's Tale but younger and gayer (and less comedic tbf). If that's your cup of tea then you'll enjoy Gwen & Art Are Not in Love.

This was all around a cute, fun, hilarious rom-com. I’m a sucker for anything Arthurian, so the references were a major plus for me. However, even if you know nothing about Arthurian legend this is still highly enjoyable! The banter and humor are top tier; I actually laughed out loud a couple of times which is rare for me while reading a book. The relationships (both platonic and romantic) were sweet, but I found myself enjoying the Gwen/Art dynamic the most. Arthur was definitely my favorite character, but every character is lovable & has their own depth & growth. I will admit that the ending was a bit rushed and just missing something for me, but I was still invested and wanted to keep reading to know how it all would end.

This was okay- I'll file it under "not for me." I struggled to stay invested when the main characters just weren't very interesting. The first half really dragged, and I had to force myself to pick it up to continue reading.

While this is a YA romance book, it deals with incredibly heavy topics. My favorite movie is A Knight’s Tale and I got those vibes from the competition aspect of the book. There are some pretty big TWs (namely drinking and child abuse) so please check those out before reading the book. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you read it- it’s a lot of fun!

This was not what I was expecting, and in a good way! What started as enemies become friends become wing-men of sorts for each other's *currently* forbidden love became found family, intense scenes, and an entirely different story direction by the end. I kind of expected this to be a funny, sort of lighthearted Arthurian romance, but it was a bit lighter on the romance (still there, in two directions, just not as big a focus as I expected) and became a lot more about trust and betrayal, trauma, and expectations. I really liked the second half of the book, but the first half had some pacing issues that prevented me from getting into it immediately.

Also! This is not a retelling or an alternate version of Arthurian legend. This book is set years in the future, in England, after Arthur's death. In case you were wondering!

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the e-ARC!

"Gwen & Art Are Not in Love" beautifully captures the essence of two individuals brought together under unlikely circumstances. Gwen, an accomplished artist with an enigmatic presence, and Art, an analytical mind driven by logic, find themselves entangled in a complex narrative that transcends conventional boundaries.

The novel masterfully navigates the complexities of relationships and the unforeseen connections that can bloom from them. Gwen's artistic brilliance juxtaposed with Art's practicality sets the stage for a delightful contrast, creating a compelling dynamic that captivates the reader from the outset.

The narrative unfolds with finesse, starting with a premise where both protagonists adamantly deny any romantic entanglements. However, as their lives intertwine through various twists and turns, a subtle and profound emotional undercurrent emerges. The progression of their relationship from apparent opposites to a nuanced and genuine connection is a testament to the author's skillful storytelling.

What truly sets this novel apart is the depth of character development. Both Gwen and Art are intricately woven, layered with vulnerabilities and strengths that gradually unfold throughout the story. Witnessing their growth, especially as they navigate unexpected challenges together, is a heartening and gratifying experience for the reader.

The narrative isn't solely confined to a romantic trope; it skillfully explores themes of personal growth, friendship, and the transformative power of human connections. The supporting characters add richness to the storyline, contributing to the protagonists' journeys in meaningful ways.

Overall, "Gwen & Art Are Not in Love" is a poignant and heartwarming tale that resonates long after the final page. With its engaging plot, well-crafted characters, and poignant exploration of relationships, this novel stands as a testament to the beauty found in unexpected connections. Fans of character-driven stories intertwined with emotional depth will undoubtedly find this book an absolute delight to read.

A wonderfully, delightful, YA queer medieval rom-com!! I had so much fun reading G&AANIL. I was living my Avalon High loving best life, and yes it was a great time!! Gwen and Art are very much not in love, but the way their friendship grew during the book was sweet. I enjoyed all the characters because they felt so true to their time period while still being relatable to a current audience. The banter + Arthurian lore + queer rep had me eating this out of the palm of Lex Croucher's hands. I definitely recommend reading this!!

Thank you to the author Lex Croucher, publishers Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Press, and SMPInfluencers, and NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE. All views are mine.

Opening Quote: [It's] not so much a silver lining as it is just silver all the way down. Loc785

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. There is actually quite a bit of European military history in the outset of the book. It's quite interesting.

2. I love the woman knight. That she is an object of derision makes her smile truer and a more believable character for me. I'm really looking forward to more of her!

3. This is definitely not my usual genre, but I'm loving this author's brand of historical realism slash romantasy.

4. I'm typically not a fan of retelling, but this is fantastic, in which Gwen and Arthur are a marriage of convenience to cover each other's queer identities.

5. I a-DORE that the merlin refers to Gwen's irascible horse rather than a grumpy wizard!

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. Sometimes the language is slightly too contemporary for the story's era, and it cause a kind of temporal dissonance while reading.

2. The research just isn't great in this book. Arthur's castle has a library. Literacy in medieval times was only about 12%. (She references this later in the book, so this is a cause of confusion for me.) Documents were more likely to be on skin than paper and in the form of scrolls than books. The concept of "library" wasn't even fully formed yet and mostly belonged to the efforts of religious institutions (abbeys, churches) to collect religious documents. It probably wasn't likely that the wealthy read for pleasure yet; more likely they heard documents recited to them by people whose job it was to perform. Every time Gwen retreats to the library in this book, I lose the thread of the story because my eyes cross a bit.

Rating: 🐎🐎🐎🐎 irascible merlins
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Nov 30 23
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, SMPI
Read this book if you like:
🏛 retellings
🕰 historical fiction
🌈 queer lit
💖 romance
🏩 marriage of convenience trope

this was so cute! i loved the representation in this along with the secrecy! it was so interesting. literally fell in love with every character so freaking fast! i wish i had more time with the characters, i could read an entire series with them!

11/27/2023 || Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher || #GwenAndArtAreNotinLove #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley, Lex Croucher, and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for making this e-ARC available!
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author and myself.

All of my thoughts are my own~

5 Stars

Lex Crocuher never misses! Loved this one

What a fabulous, rollicking story. I so greatly enjoyed this queer romance. Gwen and Art are incredible characters to follow, I loved seeing them both grow toward each other and in their own ways. The romances were each so special, and I just. I really loved this one.

This book was clever and charming. The author skillfully takes the familiar and tweaks and twists it into something, fresh and fun. Romance, action, humor, emotion, drama and razor-sharp wit are a smart and seductive brew that manages to the perfect balance between whimsical and current to have you eagerly devouring every single page.

I love everything Arthurian, so I was extremely excited and grateful to receive an arc of this queer and diverse take on Camelot’s legendary heroes. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Extremely refreshing and humorous, I ate this retelling right up! Croucher does a delightful job of delivering a fresh take on the characters we’ve known since childhood. I found myself cheering for Art and Gwen as they band together to live their truths.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This was such a cute story! I love Arthurian tales, and this one has such a unique feel to it. I loved seeing not only the romantic relationships develop, but also the friendships between the characters. Also, the endometriosis representation!!! I have never felt so seen as a menstruating person! (It doesn’t give the characters diagnosis outright, but dealing with the symptoms most of my life it’s very easy to tell what the character is suffering from with the context clues)
I loved seeing the allyship from the side characters. Understanding and discovering your sexuality is a very complex and trying time, and I think this book did a great job of showing the different sides of that, from denial, to confusion, self-depricating humor, and finally coming to accept who you are. It took me a little bit to get through, but that may just be my attention span.

It took me a little while to get into this book, but by the end I was so deeply invested in the characters and their wellbeing they have become a part of my fictional family. I loved this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is an absolute kick your feet and giggle type of delight! It is the queer medieval rom-com none of us knew we needed, but trust me, we all do. Gwen and Art are betrothed, but mostly hate each other, and are definitely not attracted to one another. Art moves into her family's castle for the summer and of course chaos, hijinks, and falling in love (though not necessarily with each other) ensues. This is a funny and heartwarming story of friendship, family, and loving one another and oneself well. I will absolutely be purchasing a copy for my classroom library!

This story was wonderful, simply put. There was such gorgeous pining that I could hardly stand it. Gwen is in love with Lady Bridget, a knight competing in the summer tournament her father (the king) is hosting. Arthur is betrothed to Gwen and has been since birth… but he’s unfortunately messily recovering from a bad breakup with his former boyfriend. Messy because he’s also maybe starting to fall in love with Gwen’s brother Gabriel. Queer love and Arthurian legends at their finest! Plus girl power and treachery and battle and cult followings and oh it’s so good!!

I loved this!!

Even though it’s fiction, I love reading queer stories set in earlier times because it reminds me that we’ve always been here :’) Wowee. I love us.

The banter and found family in this story is what made me fall in love with it. Queer found family will ALWAYS get me. The banter in this was so great because it felt like listening to best friends talk to each other. This is how friend groups talk with little digs and inside jokes. It feels so warm and fuzzy to be on the inside of that with these characters and feel like part of the gang. And they were *actually* witty and funny. I love them :’)

*LIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD*

The plot was fun but I was so focused on loving the characters that they could have done just about anything and I would have been along for the ride. The relationships were so cute. The romantic relationships were so fun. Thank you for the Brienne of Tarth fantasy every queer deserves in the form of Bridget and Gwen. & Art and Gabriel gave me Alex and Henry (Red White & Royal Blue) vibes which is ALWAYS the best compliment.

What a lovely heckin’ queer time. Highly recommend.

I first became introduced to Lex Croucher with her novels Infamous and Reputation, which are both regency style romances. Since Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is her YA debut, I was excited to see her branch out into a new genre. In this story, King Arthur’s descendant, a future Lord named Arthur (Art), is betrothed to a princess of England, Gwendoline (Gwen). The two of them are spending the summer together at Camelot when Gwen soon discovers Art kissing another man and Art discovers Gwen’s diary that discovers her crush on a woman knight named Bridget Leclair. This story was a fun twist on enemies to lovers as the two main characters do begin as enemies, but they become lovers with other characters.

The writing goes between Gwen and Art’s sides of the story. Gwen and Bridget get to know each other while Art and his love interest Gabriel do the same. The plot is character-driven as the romances develop. As the chapters alternate between the characters, the writing reads a glimpse into diary entries without being actual entries. While this is a YA book, it read nicely in the middle where I can see audiences of all ages enjoying it. The characters are all over the place with their personalities, but it worked in this story given their individual circumstances. All the characters, whether they are primary or secondary, do go through some growth. I think Croucher has a talent for historical novels, and I love this introduction into her YA style. I look forward to reading more from her in the future!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

I have been seeing this book talked about alot lately so I am glad I was able to get an arc of this from netgalley. This book did not disappoint and when I was finished I ordered a copy for myself asap. Every character was well written and I really enjoyed each and every one. I wished I got to see more of certain characters like Gabriel or Bridget. I really enjoyed Gabriel's character and wished I got to know more about him and his struggles. The plot was a refreshing change and I loved the growing friendship between Gwen and Arthur. Its a fun medieval romance with adults struggling with communication and I highly recommend this book.