{4/5 Stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️}

super cute & queer historical fantasy romance !!! hello???? sign me up! I genuinely really enjoyed it and I was so grateful that NetGalley gave me an ARC copy to read/review because GOSH i am such a mood reader and this would be **the** perfect book to read during ren faire season! :)

[small warning for all my other ppl w a vomit fear (etmetaphobes) out there: there's a part towards the end where a character vomits (Not Spoilers btw!!!) and it's just kinda.. gross and makes me uncomfy so just a small warning there! overall, very slight, very passable, it didn't take anything away from how I felt about the current plot at all!)

I enjoyed reading this book, but I have been so spoiled by adult romance that ya books just don't hit as hard as they used to. Still a great read.

It took a while for me to get into this story. I wasn't actually very interested in the characters or narrative until I surpassed the halfway point, and then I stayed up until 1:30am reading it!

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is one of the best books I’ve ever read inspired by Arthurian legend! Please note, this book is under no circumstances a retelling of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable. Instead, it’s an interesting exploration of England in the generations after King Arthur entered his supposed magical sleep.

I am so in love with Gwen, Art, Gabriel, Bridget, Sidney, and Agnes!! They are quite the humorous band of characters and I’d put them in charge of any kingdom. I especially loved how the world building was centered around believing in or questioning the King Arthur myth, all while presenting this version of medieval history as inclusive and diverse. It takes historical decorum and expectations and turns them right on their head - women can be knights, royalty should serve their people (not the other way around), and all people should be free to be who they are and love who they choose.

If you’re looking for a humorous YA historical fiction that touches on some important issues (coming out, being yourself, parental expectations, etc.) - this book is absolutely for you! My favorite book by Lex Croucher to date!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am a sucker for a retelling and a King Author retelling is always fun. I loved that this one was queer. It wasn't my favorite retelling but it was fun and a solid retelling.

So, so charming! what a sweet book. I'm not generally into romcoms, but the combo of queer and Arthuriana goes a long way for me. I love a lot of things about this book: I love its nebulous "post-Arthur" Camelot, where Arthur Pendragon and Morgana and Mordred etc are ancestors slowly passing into myth but still recent enough that everyone's naming their kids and possibly-magical pets after them like they're celebrities; I love the way this book offers predictable but warmly satisfying plot beats and conflicts and resolutions without ever feeling rote or boring. I love how hopeful it feels, and how self-indulgent. Why yes, I DO deserve to read about cute queers understanding themselves and changing the world around them, especially when there are lady knights and bookish animal-loving boys and tender friendships involved.

I also could have guessed without reading the acknowledgements that the author comes from fandom (and I'm presuming from a fanfiction background specifically), and I mean that in the best way! A lot of my recent favorite books have been written by authors who cut their teeth on fic, and I wish I could articulate what ties them together for me but I find it hard to pin down. In this book, it comes through as an almost folkloric sense of how things should proceed (which is maybe also a romance thing, but I don't read romance enough to know), the pleasure and comfort of understanding the structure, like listening to a new piece of music and sensing when the drop or the bridge or the chorus will come in. The charming banter and the straightforward queer delight really feel like they come out of fic culture to me too. So truly delightful!

going into this, i wasn’t sure what to expect. i knew generally the plot, but i was excited to see how croucher wrote it.

firstly, i adored all the characters. i felt like they were complex, and while it was just art and gwen with the perspectives, i didn’t mind either pov to read. however, because this felt like a character centric book, i would have liked to have more povs from gabriel and bridget. i felt like both of them were so elusive (gabriel more so), and while i liked him, i found it difficult to buy into his relationship with art because we could only see one side.

which i guess brings me to the next aspect: the romance. i loved bridget and gwen, and how gwen just seemed to be so willing to be there for bridget (after some time of course). but art and gabriel seemed to fall flat. i loved seeing art’s perspective, but i would have loved to have seen more pining. this is why i think having all povs would have been beneficial.

lastly, the pacing of this book felt… slow. at first it seemed like a slice of life plot almost because they were all going through the motions every day. but then it picked up at 75% and i was almost shocked by the plot and the way it was going. maybe that was the point since it was unexpected for the characters as well, but honestly as a reader, it didn’t seem to flow and all the action that is typically in a fantasy was present from about 80-90% of the story.

overall, i thought it was cute. the characters are funny and have many qualities and hopes and dreams, and i would recommend it to anyone who wants a somewhat cozy fantasy. thanks to netgalley for the arc!

I really enjoyed this, it was my 2nd favorite Lex Croucher novel. I love the characters and the humor and all of the relationships.

I would give this book 2.5 stars, but I’m going to award a .5 star for the level of pining that Gwen did for Bridget. The level of teenage longing she goes through for her lady knight is epic. Gwen’s scenes where she is watching Bridget knight-ing or gets to talk with her, and OH-M-G when she gets to touch her … I was swooning! She was so cute.

Now…First, the cover is freaking adorable! The premise is charming and cute! Can we say a YA version of A Knights Tale? Love it! An LGBTQ YA Historical Romance? Sign me up! However, the execution just wasn’t there.

The biggest glaring issue was that this book tried to be too much! It’s tackling LGBTQ, gender equality, freedom of religion, and being diverse. And did I mention that there is clearly a coup going on in the kingdom? I mean! WOAH… Tis’. A. Lot.

I did enjoy how the author covered diversity by just making the cast of characters from all over, especially when the setting is medieval England. Very similar to Bridgerton (Netflix/Shondaland version… not OG Julia Quinn version), the book is very diverse with no explanation why.

Listen all these are important issues and need to be written about. But … when an author chooses ALL of them there’s just not enough time to come to any sort of resolution with everything. If I’m honest I felt a little left in the dark on where we ended on any of them. I guess they’re all still working it out in the end…

This book is written from two POVs, we have Gwendoline, the princess, and Arthur, her betrothed from birth. And hear me out… I think it would have been better if it were written in four.

We switch back and forth between these two and along the way I found myself wanting to skip most of Arthur’s POVs. He’s drunk most of the time, he is selfish, complains, and is only likeable when he imparts some wisdom upon occasion about being yourself. Also, he knows nothing about what is happening in England politically. So, his only purpose is to tell everyone to be themselves and to loosen up and have some fun. I was so fed up with him as a main character. I think what would have made him more endearing to me would be to know how exactly Gabriel (the prince) felt about him, and what he saw in him. Because it honestly felt like ‘you’re gay and I’m gay… let’s be gay together!’. They lacked any chemistry! AND speaking of Gabe, it would have given us readers a deeper insight about what’s happening in the politicking of the castle and in England all together. Of which I felt very left out.

Now for Gwen… Lived for her chapters! I found her lovable and her annoyance with Arthur to be completely valid. (I did LOVE their banter though!) I think my main problem from Gwen’s POV was that her lusting over Bridget felt so one sided. I really would like to have read about Bridget fawning over her as well. Maybe heard about her troubles being one of the only female knights? I also needed a little more personality from Bridget. Because it really seemed like Gwen liked her because she was a beast of a female knight. But I guess that’s fair. I just don’t see that making the basis for a strong relationship.

The ending…. Once again because this author covered sooo many topics the ending was rushed. This review is already too long. So, I’ll leave y’all with this… I give all these characters a year tops.


Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Lex Croucher for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

'"Cheers," Arthur said despondently. "To a long and happy life together."
"Don't say that," Gwen said, wincing and taking a sip of her own tea. "I'm already depressed enough as it is."'

Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgalley for this eARC!
What a fun concept this book was. I had such a good time reading it. Queer historical fiction romance novels are some of my favorite niche books, but I've never heard of an Arthurian one before. Placing this book in this setting made this book really unique, and overall a really fun time. Knights, duels, arranged marriage but make it queer, and political intrigue in the background, what more could you ask for. I think I would have been content if this book was no plot just vibes, but the added politic aspect was a really pleasant surprise

"Bridget had disarmed him and knocked him flat on his back, with none of the gentleness she had shown Gwen.
'Would you like to go again?' Bridget asked.
'I want to schedule an exorcism,' Arthur said bitterly, as he scrambled to his feet. 'You've been possessed by the spirit of a-a massive block with a sword.'"

While the concept of this book is wonderful and original, the real star of the show was the banter. This book had me laughing from the first interaction. Gwen and Art's interactions were definitely my favorite, but Sidney and Arthur are definitely a close second. I love how I could see in a straight romance Gwen and Art having a classic enemies-to-lovers arc but this book queered up the arranged marriage trope in a wonderful way. The kiss scene felt like a great nod to this idea, and I love the small details like that throughout the book.

'"plus I'm a fantastic kisser. If you'd kissed me, you'd be singing a different tune.'
'That's not a tune,' Gwen said. 'That's the sound of retching.'"

I think my only critique is I wish we got a bit more Gwen and Bridget and Art and Gabriel moments. Like I mentioned before, Gwen and Art were really the centers of this book, so the romantic interactions were plot drivers, but also secondary in some way. I understand why there weren't as many, as all the moments in the book felt important, and adding more scenes probably would have dragged on by making the book longer than need be, but nonetheless. I just love all the characters so much, what can I say? I just want more of all of them.

"'Off to bed then?' he said, for lack of anything else.
'Actually, I-I'll probably go to the library.'
'In the middle of the night?'
'In the middle of the night.'
'Oh,' said Arthur. 'That's...admirable, I suppose.'
'Is it?'
'Well, somebody's got to do it.'"

Medieval queer love story? Yes please!

This book was everything I needed it to be AND MORE - the characters felt fresh and so relatable! The plot was equal parts touching and just so much fun!

Coming out stories are important, queer stories are important and especially so in the world of YA literature. Crouch has created something so special here and I can’t wait to hear about all of the people who fall in love with this book, who see bits of themselves in these characters!

I could not put this book down!
If you’re looking for a sweet and fun-filled romance, you need to check out Gwen and Art are not in Love!!

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a unique retelling of the King Arthur legend and very, very sweet! Perfect if you're a fan of quirky and charming characters.

Well done! Very much enjoyed this retellings with the Camelot tie ins, the compelling characters, and the humor. Will be featured on a future episode of Your Rainbow Reads podcast.

4.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
This was a beautifully written tale of Arthurian-queer love. The story follows descendants of Arthur Pendragon and struggles between duty to their families and being their true selves; particularly Gwen and Gabe. Arthur is confident in his attraction towards men, but he prefers the secrecy of it all for fear of upsetting his father. This story was heartwarming as well as heartbreaking at times. It has a lot of Arthur and medieval related history that was woven throughout the plot, too. A true delight to read for all; love is love!

This book is so sweet. It is laugh out loud funny and has a brilliant cast of incredibly lovable characters. I went through all the range of emotions, and I could not put it down. I devoured this book. . I adored everything about it. The writing is smart, witty, and intelligent. It is also well researched, if a little generous with the historical aspects. With all the King Arthur books out there, I have not found one that truly grabbed my attention in the way that this one did. The only thing I with this book would have had would have been a more conclusive ending so we could see where our beloved characters ended up.

I loved the representation. I love how the characters aren't put into boxes. I love how Gwen is her own person and could be arguably as said to being on the Autism spectrum. She likes routine, schedules, and is aware of texture and food. She also hyperfixates on things that interest her and gets anxious when she is required to deviate from her norm.

I love the POC POV in this book and how everyone isn't just white washed. I love how the female character shave agency and power in their own right and aren't just stereotypes.

I highly recommend, and have recommended, this book to anyone who loves well written found family stories complete with cat and bird friends.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love was a book I couldn't put down! I thought this was such a unique retelling of the King Arther legend and appreciated the depth of Croucher's characters. A must-read!

I really liked this book. It was a great historical fiction romance book that had lots of great character development.
The characters are a bit immature at the beginning of the book but they develop a lot throughout the story.
I just wish that the secondary storyline was a bit stronger in the beginning in order to make the beginning of the book a bit more interesting.

I was so looking forward to this book! I love Arthurian retellings, and this one is *chefs kiss.* This book makes me want to go to. a RenFair so bad so I can see the sword fighting and jousts I read about. It's also has all the teenage drama with laugh out loud moments and the sweetest found family. The characters especially Bridget and Art have my heart! Overall I really enjoyed this book, but the last 15% felt so rushed and chaotic. The ending doesn't feel wrapped up either. I don't want to spoil anything, but I hope we get a sequel to see the ending play out because I need more! Thank you to NetGally for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

“To be truly brave, first you must be afraid—and to be afraid you must have something you cannot bear to lose.” Lex Croucher

Gwen & Art Are Not In Love is a medieval YA rom com set in Camelot hundreds of years after King Arthur’s reign. Arthur and Gwendolyn have been betrothed since birth and hated each other for as long as they can recall. As their wedding draws closer, they find that they have more in common than they thought- they are both queer. They decide to be each other’s cover and in the process develop a friendship that is full of sarcasm and shenanigans.

I really enjoyed this lovers-to-friends story and all of the character growth. It took me until about 50% of the way through to really get invested, but once that happened I could not put it down. I especially loved the platonic love that grows between so many of the characters and really getting to see all of them open up.

This was a sweet, funny read that I definitely recommend!

Gwen and Art Are Not In Love - but I'm in love with this whole cast of characters. I haven't had this much fun in the medieval era since A Knight's Tale. There were so many wonderful surprises in this book, including how all three of the featured romances developed, unexpected menstrual pain rep, and some great action scenes. And also so much about growing up and owning your own identity even when it defies the expectations thrust upon you by others - I suspect this is a book that many young people sorely need, and I'm so glad Lex Croucher is giving it to them.