I enjoyed this one - it was cute and there were so many shenanigans! I did feel like the pacing for this one was rather slow, sometimes I caught myself drifting but towards the end it ramps up and is full of action, which makes for quite the contrast with the beginning of the book. This is especially true when it comes to the mysteries of what was going around the castle, I just feel that could've been more present throughout the book instead of mainly the end. Either way, this was a fun read and I rather liked Gwen and Arthur teaming up so they could both get their happy ever afters! The friendships stuck out for me in this one!

I went back and forth between the ebook and audiobook for this one - the narration of the audiobook was enjoyable and I ended up finished the book via audio.

Thank you to St-Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for the ARC/ALC. All opinions are my own.

I wasn't really in the mood for regency romance when I started this but I still had a lot of fun! Loved the King Arthur lore and of course the queer relationships and the siblings relationships! I think this was hyped a lil more on booksta so I had a lot of expectations so it didn't hit as much for me but without thinking of that, I loved it!

I have to say that the pacing in this novel built up an extreme and well rounded ending and I quite enjoyed that. Took a tension filled romance and amped it up.

Where this fails for me is the miscommunication with Arthur. Anytime I see miscommunication in a book, so run in the opposite direction.

This also felt a lot pop culture-y than it should have been.

It is hard to make me care about two couples equally in a book. This book didn't do it. Firstly, because Gwen and Arthur were deeply unlikeable at the beginning of the book. Gwen eventually won me over, but I never did grow to appreciate Arthur. The pacing of the POVs led the book to feel disjointed, and it seems clear to me which character Croucher thinks is the most interesting. Ultimately, this is a skip for me.

I love retellings, so it was an easy request for Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher but this one did not catch me.

This was such a delightful Arthurian story! I love when the Arthurian Legend is retold and is very queer! This was fantastic and I have no words to accurately describe how much I liked this!

I just could not get into this one - but I think it was me and not the story. I tried multiple times to pick this up and just couldn't do it. Finally, I threw on the audiobook during a car trip and powered through...but you shouldn't have to power through books when you are genuinely enjoying them.

Unfortunately, for me, I think I am just not a historical romance girly - I struggle with regency and I struggled with medieval. I did enjoy the twist on the usual Arthurian legend we all know and love - but it also felt like A LOT was going on, on top of two separate romances.

Ultimately, I think parts of the book simply didn't work for me - but I know there is a huge audience for this book who will probably love it!

I really really wanted to like this book more than I did! It was a highly anticipated read of mine, and it just didn't deliver the way I wanted it to. I just didn't vibe with it the way I thought I would. This isn't to say it was a bad book, it was enjoyable! It just wasn't quite what I was expecting. I thought the humor was really good, and the disagreements between the main characters were pretty funny.

I also thought that the story itself moved kinda slow until the very end, and then there was a lot of stuff going on. There was tension building up to the conflict at the end the entire time, but it didn't really feel like it was the main focus, so when it did finally come up at the end I just... didn't care that much about it. I just wanted to read about the characters being silly and friends with each other. I will say, I found the friendship between Gwen and Art much more enjoyable to read than either of the romantic relationships that they pursued.

Also Gwen was an annoying main characterrrrrr. I liked Arthur, he was funny (most of the time), but I just didn't really like Gwen about 70% of the time. She had her good moments, but basically anytime her love interest was involved or she had to spend any time performing court duties I was annoyed.


I did find myself enjoying most of the book, but nothing really stood out as being amazing so this review unfortunately might read more negative than I'm intending since all I really have to say about the rest of it is that it's good... I love a good LGBTQ+ historical fiction, but I just don't think this book was meant for me and that's ok. I would recommend this to people looking for books of that genre! And I would like to try another book by Lex Croucher to see if I might vibe better with a different title by them.

3 stars

This book was wonderful. It's a really creative *not* retelling of the King Arthur legend. I loved seeing queer characters in this setting.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc!

I am dnfing this book. I do not think there is anything wrong with this book. I really love this cover. It is almost been a year and I have not tried to pick up this book in a while. Maybe I will return to this book.

This was a reading that captivated me, the characters are incredible, especially Art who had a great evolution. Friendship is a very important point for the development of the story and the characters.

Arthur and Gwen, were some of the sweetest, relatable characters I’ve experienced. And don’t even get me started on Sidney or Bridget! I immediately fell in love with each and every one of these characters, scars, flaws and all. The ridiculous situations and conversations they kept falling into, were hilarious and heartwarming at the same time. Lex Croucher has such talent for writing some of the most witty banter and cheeky humor! (My face actually hurt from smiling and laughing so much.)

King Arthur's (yes that one) descendant Arthur is set to marry England's princess Gwendoline. Thing is they don't like each other, in fact Art likes her brother Lex and Gwen likes Bridget, a lady knight. When they both find these tidbits out about each other they decide to join forces and help each other pursue their true romantic interests. The witty exchanges between Art and Gwen are great, I love the growth of their relationship and how they help each other.

I liked this overall. It was fun, light-hearted, queer. However, I'm really tired of simple books being over 400 pages. There was so much fluff and filler in this book, I got bored and it honestly damaged my enjoyment of it. If it's not an epic sprawling through time like Heart's Invisible Furies or Tom Lake; or a multi-cast epic like Nine Perfect Strangers; or written by a tried and true master like Stephen King or Jodi Picoult; you do not need 400+ pages to tell a simple, fun, low stakes cozy love story. Hot take, I know.

It's been 100 years since the death of King Arthur. His descendant, Arthur has been betrothed to Princess Gwendoline, since birth. They don't particularly get along, but make a reluctant pact to keep one another's secrets when they spend a summer together in Camelot.

This was a super cute read, though it was rather predictable. We did get a cast of very loveable characters that you couldn't help but adore. The dynamic between Arthur and Gwen was really fun to read. I found my self giggling at times while reading, and couldn't help rooting for both Gwen and Arthur in their quest for love. I loved the found family aspect that developed through out the story as we got to know these characters more. Bridget was a very intriguing character, and I wanted her and Gwen to work out so badly. I loved the side characters, especially Sidney. I vote we get a spin off following Sidney next! (PLEASE)

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to receive a copy of Gwen & Art are Not in Love!

What a lovely novel - I tend to struggle with historical fiction and although it took me a while to get there, I enjoyed this! I liked the dynamics between characters and thought Lex Croucher had a dynamic way with words that helped the story unfold. I am looking forward to their next work!

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher is a delightful, witty romp through medieval court life, blending romance, friendship, and personal discovery. The dynamic between Gwen, a princess with no interest in her betrothal, and Art, a prince equally disinterested, sets the stage for a refreshing twist on the arranged marriage trope. Both characters are charmingly rebellious, and their friendship — built on mutual exasperation — feels authentic and engaging as they navigate the expectations of royalty and their own identities.

What really makes this novel stand out is its clever humor and the way it tackles LGBTQ+ themes in a historical setting, without ever feeling forced. Croucher crafts a world where the characters’ queerness is seamlessly woven into the story, giving it both heart and depth. Gwen and Art’s journey of self-acceptance and their growing bonds with others make for a satisfying and heartfelt read. I highly recommend this for fans of historical fiction with a modern, inclusive twist.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this eARC to review. All thoughts are my own.

5/5 stars!

To be honest, this is not a book I would normally pick as I don't often read YA Contemporary/Fiction that isn't more Fantasy based. But let me tell ya, I absolutely ATE THIS UP. Since I was behind, I did use an audiobook from my local library so that I could also listen/read on my drives to and from work, and I loved the narrators so much that I stuck to the audiobook. They were IMMACULATE. I laughed more in this book than I have in a really long time! Lex made it so so easy to get attached to all of the characters, both main and sides, and I was so invested in their journeys. I was laughing, blushing, gasping in just about every chapter, and honestly I wished by the end that there would somehow be more because I didn't want it to end.

Art was a bit of trope character; I definitely feel like I've read him before. Not a bad thing - he was such a joyful and heartwarming read! Gwen, however, was so much more relatable and such a wonderful representation of baby queer coming of age that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. The love interests and side characters made for a supportive and motivating found-family plot. Even the historical fantasy was immersive and intriguing, from the dueling to ye olde pubs!

Cute YA! Love the vibe! The characters each were brought to life and while a bit slow at times, the story was still enjoyable!