This was SO GOOD. It was everything I want in a book. It was fun, fresh, and wonderfully heartwarming. The characters acted like actual teenagers and their voices were so strong. Did I think Gwen was a bit of a pick-me? Yes, but it was part of her character and essential for her arc. Did I think some of the language was a little funky to be used during this time period? Sure. (Most of the time I didn't mind, but no one in medieval England should be saying "chill".) But it was campy, it was funny, it was so original and lovely and I read the entire thing in one day. I wish there was more content like this- queer and historical and heartwarming and just a bit wacky- and I think that Lex Croucher did a wonderful job with this book.

A big thanks to @wednesdaybooks for this ARC. I LOVED THIS! It was the type of book that made me mad when people would interrupt me. It was LGBT+ rep at its best and Arthurian historical. It gave me the feeling of falling in love at the Renaissance faire! Hilarious and heartfelt! #GwenandArtAreNotinLove

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, the best way to sum up this book is that it made my brain go "brrrrr" in the best way possible. Are the politics well fleshed out in this? No! Does the worldbuilding make a ton of sense? Also no!

Were the character dynamics ranged and interesting enough that I was delighted by every single interaction between the main seven or so characters and their broad social webs? Yes! Did this feel like reading very fun fanfic that I would burn through in a single night because I can't sleep? Also yes!

I do really love the heart of this book -- the sense of grappling with what you want to be versus what other people want you to be is a classic theme for a reason, and it was pulled off in an exceedingly competent way here! It's probably not a book that I'm going to be dwelling on for ages, but it was written like a well oiled and charming machine that gave me a lot of joy in the moment of reading, so I'm going to deeply applaud it for that!

I have loved Lex Croucher's Regency books, so I was intrigued by their latest book. I was pleasantly surprised, though slightly disappointed, to discover that it's not a direct Arthurian retelling, but a story that tells of the medieval legacy of those legends. On the one hand, that's a very clever and unexpected move, but on the other hand, I love a good Arthurian fantasy. I loved the relationships that bloom in these books and that they explore all of the complicated feelings that can surround them. Overall, though, I thought the writing felt a bit silly. Croucher admits in the afterward that this book was written in a very silly mood during a very strange time, so it makes sense. It just wasn't quite what I was looking for right now. It is a fun piece for those looking for cute LGBTQ+ romances with a bit of political intrigue thrown in to keep you on your toes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I was interested in this story by the cover art and summary and I was not disappointed. This is easily a new favorite of mine. This is a hilarious and adorable medieval story about two royal teenagers who are betrothed and hate each other passionately.

Gwen and Art have been engaged since Gwen was a baby and they want nothing to do with each other. Gwen is almost 18 and has been having secret fantasies about Bridget, the only woman knight in the kingdom. Art is used to sneaking around with boys but he begins to want the attention of Gabe, Gwen’s older brother who is the future king.

I loved every single character here. Gwen and Art were so cute with their enemies to best friends storyline. The love interests were so strong as well. I was rooting for Gabe even though he was an idiot, he obviously cared about Art and it was hard for him to accept himself for who he was. He was a good big brother to Gwen and even though he hurt her, they were best friends and they seemed to always have each other’s backs. Bridget was badass and ready to fight at the drop of a hat. I loved how loyal, strong, and independent she was.

Sydney and Agnes were another pair of great characters. Sydney and Agnes were such a cute couple and they both were such good friends to Gwen and Art. Even though Gwen didn’t see Agnes as a friend in the beginning, the way she grew to understand Agnes and want to get to know her was so sweet.

The best parts in this were the Gwen and Art friendship bits. Art throwing her a birthday party and trying to convince her to sneak out and have fun was so pure. He obviously cared about her and wanted her to live a little. The sibling bits with Gwen and Gabe were also some of my favorites. Gwen looked up to Gabe and wanted so much for him to understand her and he was the only one she told her secrets to.

I loved this story so much. I’ve been digging queer historical retellings and I’m glad this one was on my list. It comes out in November so make sure to check it out!

A blended perfection of hilarious, heart warming, and delightfully queer reimagining of post-Arthurian England.

Gwen and Art are young royals, betrothed since childhood to keep the delicate balance of Catholicism and Arthurian cultism in check. However, after Gwen realizes that the only thing her and Art have in common is their affinity for the same-sex, they form a truce to fool their parents so they may pursue their real true loves.

I was absolutely hooked by this book and read it with a goofy smile on my face at every page. I think this will be the best YA romantacy of 2023 with its down to earth prose, relatable struggles of finding ones self, and hilarious banter. I absolutely adored the characters and felt that each one was well-rounded with a balanced amount of page-time amongst them. A more specific note was how I enjoyed that Croucher really calls out the "enduring girlish gossip"/internalized misogyny we are currently seeing in fantasy books that feature female MC's. That rather than leaving "Gwen hating the court ladies for their girlish gossip", it was in fact, brought up that it was her veiled loneliness from feeling like the "other" for her inherent queerness she could not vocalize. I thought that was important as it is so easy to slip in those little woman-bashing moments into books.

Overall, this was my favorite YA read of 2022 and I thank the publisher St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

* Received a copy for review.*
This is an absolutely delightful romp. I love finding books where the Arthurian legend is spun on its head.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher is a simply splendid YA queer medieval rom-com that grabs you with the first line and never lets you go.

I have loved every one of Croucher's books but this one holds a special place in my heart. This is a book that young me would have reveled in, would have read over and over, would have loved with every particle of my being, would have worn out the binding with my rereads. It hit every one of my loves--Arthuriana, medieval setting, romance, action, humor, and characters with depth and humanity and flaws and heart. This is a book I would have wanted to read as a young adult and a book that I am overjoyed to read as an adult. I've read it twice already, since getting the ARC, and I love it more with each read.

The writing is simply splendid--the alternating main character POVs rich and engaging, the banter top-notch, the plot providing both edge-of-your-seat breathless anticipation and laugh out loud funny moments, the secondary characters three dimensional with depth and individuality of their own.

Gwen and Art may be some of the most engaging leads I have encountered in a long time. They're complicated, well-developed, funny, heartbreaking, witty, and they live and breathe on the page. I would happily read more of their story--I truly didn't want the book to end.

I would say the same for the rest of the major characters: Gabriel, Bridget, Sidney, Agnes--they add so much to the story and are compelling and pivotal in their own unique ways. I can think of so many moments where each of them had my heart, Gabriel most of all.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is an exploration of friendship, trust, love, expectations, self-discovery, self-acceptance and being true to oneself. It's a book that gives us love in all its varied aspects--romantic, familial, friendship based. Every relationship has its moment here and I cared about every one. The protagonists and their friends and love interests have compelling character arcs, with growth and self-awareness and resolution that feels organic and rooted in who they are.

Gwen and Art may not be in love, but I certainly fell hard for them and for this book. I've read a lot of wonderful books this year but this may well be my favorite. It had everything I want and left me smiling at the end. I'll miss Gwen and Art, but I am so very grateful to have had the chance to immerse myself in their world. I will be shouting about this book to everyone I know in all the months before it's released and likely long after.

My highest rating. Don't miss this book. It's simply splendid. I'm smiling as I write and post this review. It doesn't get better than that.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this Digital ARC. And to Lex Croucher for writing this book.

(the cover is absolutely gorgeous!! I CANNOT WAIT to have this on my shelf)

My feelings when I found out Lex Croucher wrote a queer Arthurian coming-of-age rom-com! Not something I ever thought I would need but oh boy this was amazing.

This is three-for-three Lex Croucher you have done it again. I think she might be my favorite author at this point. Her writing is so descriptive and delightfully queer!

It has been a while since I have been captivated by a YA novel but this one stands above.
Arthur, Gwen, Sidney, Agnes, Gabriel, and Bridget go through so much growth and acceptance of themselves and each other during the book. I laughed and cried with them during all the twists and turns.

The friendships between all of the characters create a found family where they all can be their authentic selves. The witty dialog of Alexis Hall, the character development of Alice Osemen, and the story pacing of Casey McQuiston this has all my favorites compiled into one great novel.

🌶️ Spice Meter 🌶️ : 1 out of 5 Peppers - light make-out scenes

Final Thoughts: Perfect for anyone who enjoys a historical setting without historical values. Fast-paced and quick-witted where the characters are the star of the show.

Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This just might be my favorite read of the year! From hilarious scenes that will have you laughing out loud to scenes with so much heart, you will have leaky eyes, this book has it all.

4.75/5 stars for this amazing queer Arthurian read! This book was everything. Fans of F.T. Lukens "So this is Ever After" will adore this story. This book is more than just a queer romance. It has adventure, friendship, and character growth. This was a quick read but so enjoyable. Would highly recommend and can't wait to see what this author does next.

A great YA queer fantasy, that isn't fantasy in the typical way, but still feels like it is, with a great cast of characters, all of which are fun to read about, and all of which have amazing and different dynamics with one another. The ending part of the book was a roller coaster as well..

Combining historical romance and contemporary queer romance, a delightful mix of both! I loved the characters and the court drama in Arthurian legend,. A big yes from me.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Release Date: November 28, 2023

Format: ebook ARC on Kindle

"He dreaded the idea of leaving the room, but he dreaded life without bread more" and that's when I knew I was going to love this book.

As an appreciator of the fake dating trope, it was exciting to not root for them to get together. A couple of hundred years after THE Arthur (you know the one...round table, loved by all) we find Gwen and Art in a more "modern" England and chapter after chapter we are met with an incredible story of love and (a little) magic and finding our true selves. The way this story unravels was excellent.

If you'll watch A Knight's Tale no matter where it is in the runtime, then Gwen and Art and their band of merry supporting cast is for you. I'm going to need a sequel! Or two.

Thank you to @lexcanroar & @netgalley for this opportunity!

Queer Authorian story. This captivating story was about accepting who you are and trusting others with your heart. I fell in love with each character, cried for them, and laughed with them. Honestly, I couldn’t put it down because I was so enveloped in the story. I don't think I've read a book with both Sapphic and Gay romance represented in the main characters. If you’re a fan of Heartstopper or any Queer romances you’ll need to read this when it comes out.

An enjoyable queer read perfect for people who want something historical! If you’re a fan of Heartstopper and High Class Homos, you’ll probably love this book.

A queer medieval YA rom-com. Arthur is interested in Gwen's brother and Gwen is interest in the kindom's only lady knight.

Lots of shenanigans, fun, sassy banter, a little bit of action and sweetness in this book. It's an endearing read. Love all the characters.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

This was cute and I enjoyed it. Arthur was kind of insufferable though and he didn't have a lot of character growth. I also would have liked for them to each spend time with their love interests actually talking.

I received an arc through netgalley.

YA retelling of Arthurian legend with queer twist I went into this because I liked the concept but I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did! The dialogue was fun and romance is delightfully queer. All in all, this is an amazing book, Lex Croucher has become an automatic read for me!

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this book could have lived up to its fun and cute potential if it hadn’t failed so dramatically in the characterisation of its female lead. it had its moments but overall i am disappointed and have no further thoughts.