"To be truly brave, first you must be afraid - and to be afraid, you must have something you cannot bear to lose"

My goodness I loved this book! I'll take a queer retelling basically any day of the week but this was delightful - Gwen and Art are betrothed from a young age and spend their summers together...but they don't like each other very much. In fact, one of their summers is so disastrous that they are separated for a few years. Until Arthur's father decides to send him back to Camelot because it's time for Gwen and Art to finally get married. Through their time spent together, they become friends though have 0 romantic inclinations towards each other. Gwen has had a crush on female knight, Bridget, for years. And Art finds himself drawn to Gwen's brother, Gabriel.

I will say there is definitely a bit of a tone change in the last 30% of this book - very much turned to a coup/battle situation which contrasts with the rest of the book but I think in a way that really worked! We needed those higher stakes at the end so we could believe in the HEA. The beginning of this book is very soft as we get to know the characters and their motivations.

I actually think where this book shines most is in it's platonic relationships - particularly the relationships between Art and Sidney and Gwen and Agnes. Both relationships are incredibly supportive and have just as much weight for me here as the romantic relationships (which I also loved!).

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I didn't know that I needed a queer Arthurian retelling in my life until I read this book. However, now I need more.

If you are fan of cute love stories that will have you kicking your feet and witty banter than will make you laugh until you cry this book is for you. Also of you are someone that loves renn faires and is sad when the season is over, I would highly recommend picking up this book. I also did a fair amount of screaming and jumping at the kiss scenes. It felt like each one was hard earned.

I also loved that this book doesn't start with all of the characters knowing they are queer. There is quite a lot of self discovery in this book that felt very relatable. This was such a fun book that hit all of the right emotional beats for me. Our main characters went through a lot of development over the course of the story and I enjoyed seeing them all grow and come together. This book was like a hug for my heart and if you need one too then you need to read this book.

This book is so much fun. I loved the Camelot with a twist vibes and A+ banter. Gwen and Arthur are so relatable and I loved their respective love stories...with other people.

5 stars !! a beautiful, hilarious arthurian reimagining about finding, and fighting for, queer love :’)

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love
4/5 rating

Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley!!

This book was so cute! I absolutely loved the friendship between Gwen and Art, (The banter!!!) Their relationship was so much fun to read! I do wish we got more from the love interests, I think they could have used more depth and it did leave me wanting.

Overall this book was quick, sweet, and full of wit. I really hope we get to see more from this world in the future!

The King is planning for his heirs, Gwendoline and Gabriel, to be married off to heirs in other kingdoms to strengthen the claims. Gwen and Gabriel are challenged by this mandate, because they do not like their partner choices, or even the gender of those choices. Gwen is not interested in raucous, ill-tempered, frivolous Arthur, she is interested in the only female knight wowing the kingdom at the joust. Arthur is equally uninterested in her and the two decide to fake court to please their parents but find a way to satisfy their own desires.

I would classify this as a queer 10 Things I Hate about You meets The Guinevere Deception (although that was also queer...). It does not take place in ancestral Camelot with Arthur Pendragon, it does take place in a past Camelot where Arthur was a historical figure who is revered and his and his contemporaries descendants are at odds over the kingdom. We get the fun gender bending love story as well as a good political story about the kingdom with a great battle at the end. Read this one for the banter more than the spice.

Thanks to Wednesday Books for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

Gwen & Art are Not in Love is the cute, clumsy, YA rom-com of anyone's dreams. Especially, if you love Renaissance faires, Ella Enchanted, and/or popular songs played on a lute in #bardcore style.
I thought Gwen and Art were so cute and funny, and loved following along as they stumbled through their responsibilities and became friends. The lesson here is that people are often so much more than they seem!

My only critique is that about 3/4 of the way through the book the pacing changed and threw me off the story a bit. After [SPOILER ALERT] you know who gets hurt and loses so much time I felt like the story went a bit flat. I'm sure it is realistic and accurate that this character would be recovering for so long, but because we were in the dark as to what was happening with all of the other characters for so long when we reach the final climax of the story it feels very rushed.

I still really enjoyed the book and would recommend it, but I give it 3 stars for "good book". It is a good book!

Witty and silly and charming, and the premise is exactly what it says on the tin. I adored this, and it only got better toward the end as the characters came into their own. Do I wish it had read a tad less young? A bit, but only selfishly. A fantastic, queer, and easy to recommend YA.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is the story of an ill-matched betrothal, and not for the normal reasons. Sure, they do hate each other, but they are also each romantically interested in someone else. For Gwen, the kingdom's only female knight, and for Arthur, the prince.

This book was so sweet and cute, and it's a textbook example of found family. The characters make mistakes, but they learn and grow throughout the story as they encounter more serious situations. The first 60% or so of the book is mainly your usual fluffy-sweet-historical romance, but the story definitely becomes more plot oriented in the last 40%. One drawback of a story featuring two dual romances is that there are only so many pages. Lex Croucher did a fantastic job making the romances engaging, but there are limitations with how in depth the relationships can be explored when there are two to fit into one book.

Overall, it was a super cute story that I would totally recommend if the premise intrigues you at all!

A delightfully charming, sweet, and funny story about growth and love! I appreciate books that do character development right, and this is an excellent example of that. At first, I didn't like Gwen and especially Arthur but as the novel went on the characters started making more sense and I gained a lot of care for them. I ended up rooting and caring about these characters as I read about their growth. I had high expectations for this book since I am already a fan of other works by the author, and I will forever love writers who create stories about princesses, knights, and fantasy books from the queer perspective. The only downfall of the book for me was the world-building being a bit too overwhelming at times, as it slowed down the book's pace at times. I love worldbuilding and books set in medieval times, but too much can hurt a book and mess up the tempo. If you want a romcom about queerness, identity, and love in the medival period I highly recommend this!

But a slight trigger warning for any queer people reading this is that queerness isn't accepted in this world, which although realistic can be uncomfortable for some readers. I was expecting the book to be more lighthearted in this area but all in all a very good read!

This was a great book! Very cute and I loved how all of the characters were so real and well thought out and unique from each other, flaws and all. Gwen and Gabriel were very realistically portrayed as the misfits they would have been, being brought up separate from others as a part of the royal family. LOVED not only the romantic relationships, but perhaps even more the friendships that built between all of them - Gwen and Arthur, their rivalry developing into a still-antagonistic and yet loving sibling-esque relationship. Sid and Arthur. And of course, the solidarity between Gwen and Gabriel.

The plot and world building was also really interesting and richly developed. I could see this world existing, close and yet far enough away from Arthurian legend. Details like naming conventions and the cult worship of these legendary figures was really interesting. The buildup to the action-packed conclusion and resolution was also very satisfying!!

I would love to read more about these characters and this world!

This is the second Lex Croucher I've read, and this was just as enjoyable as the last! While I grew out of most young adult books, I enjoyed Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. Croucher has a way of writing historical fiction that feels rooted in the time yet modern in sensibilities. I felt so attached to these characters and wish I had more time with them.

Gwen & Art Are Not In Love was the book I was most excited about reading this year and I squealed with delight the day the ARC came through my inbox. Let me just say, this is the year of Lex Croucher for me. Every book they write has has me in a fucking chokehold and I live for it. Gwen & Art was no different. I was admittedly drawn in by the premise of an Arthorian inspired queer messy romance but my attention was kept by the loveable characters and wonderful storyline. Let me set the scene: Princess Gwendoline and Arthur (not that one, his descendant) are betrothed and have been since they were but wee babes. They also have a life long rivalry and tend to lean towards hating each other. They are also also going to have to spend the summer together to prepare for the aforementioned nuptials. Seems like a recipe for someone not making it to the wedding with their limbs intact. And it is shaping up to be a pretty wretched summer until Gwen finds Art kissing a stable boy he is very much not supposed to be kissing. In preparation for her inevitable blackmailing, Art goes snooping around for some secrets of her own and finds out via a pilfered diary that she has a massive crush on the one and only Lady Bridget Leclair, the first and only female knight participating in their kingdom’s festival. Armed with a secret each, they come to an understanding of sorts: they’ll pretend to be actually falling in love so that neither is outed. The only issue is that they both have their sights truly set on someone else. What ensues is pure magic. Gabe, Gwen’s older brother, was lovely. Agnes, Gwen’s lady’s maid, was so fun and a delight to have included in the crew. And Sid. My dearest Sid. The best right hand man anyone could ever have. I have to make a note that Sid is the best best friend I have ever seen written in a book. I was truly besotted by this cast of characters. There is a sharp left turn in the back half of the story but I think it only added to my interest and didn’t detract. My only qualm was that I devoured it so quickly. 5 incredibly strong stars ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Gwen and Art Are Not In Love was such a wild ride. It was full of comedy, yearning, slow burn romances, great character development, and Chaotic Queers.

Gwen has been betrothed to Arthur since her birth, neither like eachother. Gwen is in fact crushing on the only Lady Knight the country has seen, Bridget, and Arthur just perfers men (and maybe, would consider Gabriel, Gwen's older brother and the crown prince) Gabriel is too shy and bookish to comment 🤣

The Book switches between pov's each chapter, though still written in 3rd person, which I prefer. It was easy to follow the switches and I genuinely really liked reading about Gwen and Art.

I did feel as though the last 30% felt different than the first 70%. It does get quite a bit darker and more serious than it started out as. However, I didn't mind that. It felt more like an accumulation of vibes throughout the book. (IE, I didn't feel like it came out of nowhere, there was a good amount of build up). Gwen and Bridget's relationship also felt more flushed out, but Arthur is such an amazing character on his own.

Sidney is everything. He was my favorite character and he deserves the world. MUST PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS.

Solid 4 outta 5. Do be aware of the trigger warnings before reading. It isn't just an all fluff romcom, there are some serious parts.

Destined to be wed almost since birth, Gwen and Art barely speak to each other, don't get along, and they're definitely not in love. Since Gwen likes girls and Art likes boys, they will NEVER be in love. Told in Gwen & Art's alternating perspectives, this YA medieval romcom explores falling in love, unexpected alliances, and the weight of feeling like your whole life has been planned without your consent. Through the course of a summer, Gwen and Art build an unlikely and unusual friendship. As they deal with the burden of their upcoming wedding, they each toy with the possibility of being themselves and loving who they want to love. Humorous and heartwarming, readers will without a doubt swoon for the characters and fall in love with debut author Lex Croucher.

This was almost nothing like what I expected, but that's not a bad thing.

I went into this expecting basically a romcom where Gwen and Arthur barely interacted except to realize "oh, I'm gay" and then to hate each other. I wasn't expecting their platonic relationship and Arthur's platonic relationship with Sidney to be at the forefront of the book. In fact, I think that romance was ultimately just a side plot to self-discovery, friendship, politics, and fun medieval stories.

I had also completely forgotten that these are not the Gwen and Arthur of old... even if they are in Camelot and all somewhat distantly related to King Arthur. It made for fun comedy bits that I really appreciated.

All of the characters had pretty well developed personalities, the plot was good, and there was enough action to give it just a little extra something. The audiobook narrators were great, and brought a lot of humor to Art and Gwen, which I really appreciated.

A little cheesy? Sure! But also very cute and a well-developed standalone.

This is one of the most wholesome books I've read in a while. It is sweet, funny, and so queer. I don't even know where to start with everything I loved about the story. Every character and relationship was amazing, there was a strong political subplot, and absolutely amazing dialogue. Arthur was definitely my favorite. I adored his chaotic yet loving personality. Of course, I also loved Gwen. She is practically the opposite of Arthur, preferring quiet and solitude. However, she definitely has a fiery side, one that comes out frequently around Arthur and his antics. I found their dynamic hysterical, from their determination to hate each other and then to work together. I feel like they both end up helping the other grow. I also loved Gwen's and Arthur's relationships with Gabriel. The sibling love and trust between Gwen and Gabriel was so wholesome, In contrast, Gabriel and Arthur have a lot more angst. They are very different people, with Gabriel being incredibly dedicated to the throne and his kingdom. I really admired Gabriel for his aspiration to be the best king he can be. His drive and determination is only rivaled by Bridget's. I absolutely adored everything about her, from her amazing fighting ability to her unwavering sense of self as a knight, despite all those against her. Lastly, I love Sid and Agnes. Agnes is a surprising character but totally amazing, especially in how her and Gwen's friendship evolves. Sid, of course, matches Arthur's energy, creating pure chaos and hilarity. So in summary, I loved every character in this book, forever and always. As for the subplot, I liked the tournament and politics, adding action and tension. Overall, this book is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it.

this book was so funny and wholesome at the same time! the main characters were so relatable and i loved both of them so much, i'm not going to stop talking about it to my friends for months

thank you netgalley for the e-ARC!

A very fun YA read. I definitely felt that I was not the intended audience, but that's because I'm not. I had a good time anyway, and I know my YA readers will love it

What a strange book.

Based on the synopsis and what you get for the first half of the book I expected it to be a rom-com, and then it completely switched to a battle in fantasy and a MC being beaten to death with also a betrayal and a coup?

The ending didn't even really make sense either.

I felt like the author was throwing shit on a wall and seeing what stuck and deciding to go whatever route was possible.

I know this is an arc, but it really does feel like an uncompleted book based on the ending, and based on what happened.

I personally don't like it, I think someone else might, but I found this book to be a flop.