I had never read a medieval queer rom-com before I picked up this story, and now that is all I want to read! Don't let the title fool you. This is not an Arthurian retelling, despite most of the characters having Arthurian names. This story is set generations after King Arthur when Princess Gwendoline is betrothed to Arthur, but neither one of them is excited about the marriage. When Gwen catches Arthur kissing a boy, and Arthur discovers Gwen's crush on the only lady knight, they come to a tentative truce to help each other find happiness. The characters were so fun and distinctive, and I loved watching them grow into more confident versions of themselves as they explored their sexualities and their place in the kingdom. The political intrigue was also an interesting element to the plot, but the climax of the story on the political side kind of came out of nowhere. The first 70% of the story was so focused on the romance and interpersonal relationships that the political drama was a little jarring but still entertaining to read.

I love Lex Croucher's books and how they write queer rom-com stories! I can't wait to pick up the book they write next! Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Love love loved the premise of this book, and it didn't disappoint. All I'll say is that the banter alone makes this worth a read—characters were great. I was engaged and entertained the whole way through. Highly recommend.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

I honestly think it is hard to put a number on how much I enjoyed “Art and Gwen are Not In Love”. The portrayal of young queer love, the witty banter, and the thrilling adventures all captivated me to the point where I couldn't bear to set the book aside. What truly immersed me in the story was my genuine desire to befriend each of these characters. I yearned to share laughter with Art, engage in reading with Gabe, revel in parties with Syd, indulge in gossip with Gwyn and Agnes, and even partake in swordplay alongside Bridget.

Hundreds of years after the time of Arthur Pendragon, his descendent Arthur Delacey is betrothed to Gwen, the princess of England. If only she wasn't more interested in the only female knight in the realm; if only he wasn't more interested in her brother...

I picked up this book because I was excited by the premise, which seemed sure to have plenty of humor and romance, and because I was interested in the setting, which is a sort of alternate history set in an England where King Arthur is a factual figure whose life and rule is an important part of the country's heritage.

This is a very cute book, populated with lovable characters. I really liked that the developing friendship between Gwen and Arthur was given as much attention as their respective romances with Bridget and Gabriel. It was fun seeing Gwen come out of her prickly shell, and Arthur was just a ridiculous rogue. I also really loved Sid and Agnes, who are often much more sensible than the people they work for. There's plenty of cute, humorous moments throughout that had me laughing out loud.

However, I did think that the book suffered from an uneven tone. The first half of the book is very light-hearted, so the sudden swerve into much darker territory in the second half is jarring, even though the actual plot points were foreshadowed earlier on. I feel that I would have enjoyed the book better had the escalation in stakes was smoother. I also wished we got more of an understanding of Bridget and Gabriel; though we spend plenty of time with them, I didn't feel that we got in their heads as much as I would have liked, especially Bridget.

Gwen and Art are not in love. In fact, they kind of hate each other. But when mutual secrets are uncovered, they grow into unlikely friends.

This book was fun and funny both. This may be the first book I’ve read with two central love stories playing off each other and it was done really well. It was so refreshing to have a final conflict that wasn’t solely based off the love interests miscommunicating too! While the ending did feel a bit rushed, I was happy with the plot overall and actively rooting for all involved.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Interesting take on a classic story. This book follows two teenagers as they face battles within themselves and their families. I had heard of this book before and I was excited to take a look. I wouldn’t say the book let me down, but I felt like the end fell short. The book handled concepts such as gender inequality, and sexuality, but it never felt like they wholly approached the subjects. It was a little bit of this and that , but never a full circle for each topic. I did however enjoy this book, and think others will too.

One ofy favorite things to read is a book with great banter. This definitely had that! I was laughing so much while reading this. The read was fun and engaging. The world building was good. I loved this story so much. I would read more books with these characters in a heartbeat.

I really loved this! I enjoyed the characters and their relationships with each other as well as the setting was very interesting to read about. The plot was entertaining and I couldn’t put it down in anticipation. I liked the distinct personalities to all of the characters and the romances and friendships felt very natural.

Someone, for my own good, take this book away from me I am OBSESSED. I wish, more than you know, that I could have had books like this to read when I was growing up. Especially as a kid who was raised on Arthurian stories, who was enamored of every Lady Knight that crossed her path, and who could have really benefited from knowing that that it was okay to love a Lady Knight, not just want to be here. (It certainly would have helped little Jessica sort through her complex feelings for Alanna the Lioness, just saying.) When we say that queer books are important, books like Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is what we mean. This book has changed me even as an adult. The effect it could have had on younger me if it had been available at the time would have been profound. Sweet, funny, emotional, and full of memorable and lovable characters that I can't wait to meet again on my next reading, Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is about finding yourself and discovering your own path through life as you navigate the often heavy expectations and demands of the world around you.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC and the e-arc!

Gwen and Art have been engaged since they were children. Problem is, they don’t like each other. Art, doesn’t like any women like that and Gwen has a HUGE fascination with a real muscle-y lady knight named Bridget. Here’s the thing, this is so endearing. Gwen and her brother Gabriel are the cutest little Gay-bies!! They have Expectations™️ thrust on them since birth and they are trying their darndest to do their best, even though Gwen desperately wants to just be left alone and introvert and Gabriel wants to be left with his books. Honestly, it’s so relatable.

Art is hysterical and I loved being in his point of view. I loved how he pushed the royal siblings to grow and learn new things about themselves while he was on his own character arc. Also Bridget is a literal dreamboat. More books should have buff lady knights and that’s honestly all I’ll say about that.

The audiobook, which I listened to during most of this book, is killer. Seriously both these narrators were PERFECT!

Lex Croucher writes such whimsical and entertaining stories in every book they’ve written. The characters are always deeply flawed and make tons of mistakes but end up being endeared to the reader anyway. It’s queer historical romance with just a mix of fantasy that I’ve always wanted!

Really confusing world building. Not really explained well. Did not explain who the cultist were and the family tree was not explained.

if you go into this expecting more coming-of-age than romance than your expectations will be greatly met! the queer awakening was sooo relatable and the surprising amount of angst and lowkey dark plot had me wondering why it was marketed more as a romcom; but it is nonetheless! arthur was INSANELY funny and brightened the book up, but the rest of the characters didn’t really do it for me. i 100% recommend this book to anyone because there’s so many factors in this story that you’ll definitely find something you enjoy.

✨ Review ✨ Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher; Narrated by Alex Singh; Sarah Ovens

I'm in love with Lex Croucher's sort of irreverent take on historical romances -- where they're set in the past but without taking themselves too seriously. This one was fun -- set in a historical England that worships Camelot, and where the princess Gwendoline is betrothed to Arthur. When Arthur realizes Gwendoline fancies Lady Bridget, the kingdom's only female knight, and Gwen discovers Arthur kissing a boy, they fall into a tentative truce, allowing each other to pursue their own fancies under the cover of a betrothal going very smoothly.

The friendships between Arthur and Gwen, Prince Gabriel, Lady Bridget, Arthur's guard Sid and Agnes, Gwen's lady-in-waiting, were a lot of fun -- making the book as much a celebration of friendship as of love. Gwen and Arthur have such distinct voices (though admittedly Arthur's attitude is almost annoyingly silly in places). I did think the book dragged a bit through the middle where there wasn't a whole let happening, I did enjoy it overall.

The audio gave extra spirit and attitude to the characters, really bringing them to live. I enjoyed the audio version a lot! Definitely a win for fans of Lex Croucher's style of historical romance!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(3.75)
Genre: queer historical romance; YA
Setting: an imaginary historical England sometime after the time of King Arthur
Pub Date: 28 Nov 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ Lex Croucher's books
⭕️ queer historical fiction
⭕️ friendship, coming of age

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and #netgalley for advanced copies of this book!

Gwen and Art are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

This Arthurian legend adjacent story is packed with some of the best humorous dialogue I’ve read. The characters are vibrant and their interactions and relationships are charged.

While the human element of this story kept me reading, the plot component lacked punch. Parts felt flung together and the climax felt almost like a different story altogether. There were also several questions left unanswered, which bothered me in this particular story.

Thank you Lex Croucher, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for my digital advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.

Plot - 3
Writing and Editing - 4
Character Development - 4
Personal Bias - 3
Final Score - 3.5

What a remarkable literary journey this book has taken me on! I'm an absolute sucker for a book that shatters my expectations, and this one definitely did that.

Arthur and Gwen are the kind of characters that tug at your heartstrings with their sweetness and relatability. I also loved Sidney and Bridget and the absurd predicaments they found themselves in. Croucher possesses a remarkable gift for crafting the most ingenious banter and the most impishly clever humor.

Gwen and Art are bound by their connection to the story of Camelot. As distant descendants of the lovers, they are not only named after the duo but also betrothed, but they’re not in love because they can’t stand one another. Art has tormented Gwen since they were children, but now that their marriage looms, he is expected to spend the summer at Camelot to attend the king’s tourney. When Gwen catches Art kissing a stablehand and Art uncovers Gwen’s crush on Lady Bridget, a competing knight, the two decide to work together to keep each other’s secrets while having one last summer of freedom before familial and societal expectations ruin it all. Croucher layers his story of Camelot not retold but revised with fantastic character development with loveable side characters and lots of intrigue. Trysts, mischief, and terrific banter make this a fun read and very worth a visit to merry Old England. My only regret? The only magic in Camelot is the love in the air. I truly feel like the author missed an opportunity by naming the cat Merlin and not giving him a greater role in the action.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books & NetGalley for providing a copy for review!

Gwen and Art are NOT in love. But they decide to set their differences aside and pretend to be so everyone else will get off their backs about their engagement while simultaneously covering for one another as they pursue their own romantic interests. Gwen- the gallant lady-knight, Bridgette, and Authur- well…

This was such a fun little medieval romp filled with silliness and surprisingly heartwarming moments. It was as much about the blooming friendship between Authur and Gwen as it was about their respective secret romances.

Warning though- at around the 70% mark, there is an extreme shift in tone (that kind of caught me off guard) so CWs for descriptions of graphic physical violence and recovery.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this one! The audiobook was delightful, and the male narrator really nailed Arthur’s cheeky nature.

I started this book expecting a fun little rom com set in Medieval times, but was surprised by how much more layered it was. The characters are really well developed and I particularly liked the switching of perspectives between Gwen and Arthur. I did not expect the dark turn toward the end, but I think that it ultimately grounded the story more and made the eventual (and expected) happy ending that much more earned.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed this book. I will definitely recommend it!

I received a copy of both the ARC and the ALC of this book. I tried getting into the digital copy but I stopped and started a few times before I got the audiobook.

I enjoyed the book and the story between the main couples. There was great action, especially towards the end, but also some good romance as well as character development. Definitely firmly in the YA realm, but if you like YA and historical fiction with an LQBTQIA+ twist, you will like this book! If you care about anachronistic details, there may be a few things that bug you!

Gwen is the princess of England and has been betrothed since birth to Art, a descendant of King Arthur. One big issue standing in the way of their happily ever after is that Gwen and Art hate each other. From outwardly mocking each other to childhood pranks resulting in broken bones, they have grown up despising one another. Another complication is that Gwen's heart belongs to knight Bridget, and Art has fallen for Gwen's brother Gabriel, the future heir to the throne. Initially, the two of them agree to go forward with the marriage, but sacrificing their genuine happiness to uphold tradition proves to be more complicated than they can imagine.

This story was told from both Gwen's and Art's POVs. Going back and forth between the two characters showed their shared struggles of wanting to be true to themselves while fulfilling their roles within the kingdom. Their banter was very amusing, especially early on. Seeing them progress from hate to genuinely caring for each other was enjoyable. One issue I had with the overall storyline was that it was missing more talk of the political tension that was going on. I sometimes wished the two POVs we were getting were Gabriel and Art instead. I wanted to know more about Gabriel's thoughts, his time in the library, the meetings he sat in on, the time he spent with his father, etc. Knowing his perspective would've helped me enjoy some of the middle and ending better. Overall, I think this was a refreshing take on classic characters. I'll definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and author Lex Croucher for an eARC of Gwen & Art Are Not In Love in exchange for my honest review.