Omg I loved this so much!!! I’ve been having a very meh reading month so this was such a pleasant surprise!! The queer found family of it all was the true shining point of this story but literally every other aspect was so great too! Gwen & Bridget, Art & Gabe, Sydney & Agnes, the overall mystery, the atmosphere, the King Arthur aspect, the humor, just seriously everything was so good!! I cannot recommend this one more 😍

Humor in a medieval setting with a cast of lovable goofballs, this book is really great! The main characters had some insufferable moments at times and some tough topics including alcoholism and coming out are addressed with an efficient and relatable hand. There’s political intrigue and Arthurian touches (but it’s def NOT a retelling) with a pretty epic battle that I would normally not love, but I was actually even totally enthralled with that.
The audio is excellently done. I didn’t ever want to stop listening cause I felt like two of my best friends were just telling me their story. Love loved the female romance the most, but all the lovey sparks were sweet and well done. Highly recommend to fans of Arthurian tales and LGBTQ twists.

This is a charming queer romantic comedy set at Camelot hundreds of years after King Arthur. Despite the medieval setting and frequent (mostly amusing) callbacks to the Arthurian legends, it has a very contemporary feel. I loved the quirky characters, the banter, and the found family, although the romances were a bit underdeveloped. The book takes a surprisingly dark and violent turn towards the end as the political intrigue hinted at throughout the book suddenly dominates the plot, but the difficult situations force the lead characters into some much-needed growth, and I think the ending will satisfy romance lovers’ desire for a happy ending.

I found Art charming despite all of his flaws, and I absolutely loved the supporting characters Sidney, Agnes, and Lady Bridget Leclair. Princess Gwen and her heir to the throne brother Gabriel could be quite frustrating at times, but they become much more likable as they learn to live more authentically. I also enjoyed the animals, including a cat named Merlin/Lucifer and a crow named Morgana.

The audiobook production was good, and the duel narration by Sarah Ovens for Gwen’s point of view and Alex Singh for Art’s point of view enhanced my enjoyment of the story. Both narrators have pleasant voices and accents, good pacing and pronunciation, distinctive voices and speech patterns to suit each character, and the ability to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

If you enjoy books by Alexis Hall and Casey McQuiston, you should give this a try.

I received a free advanced review copy of the ebook and audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
Pub day is 11/28 🎉

Gwen and Art have been arranged to be married since Gwen was born and Arthur was two. When Arthur is sent to spend the summer getting to know his betrothed before their upcoming wedding, Gwen discovers him kissing a boy and Arthur uncovers Gwen's crush on the kingdom's only lady knight! 🤭 This premise!!!! It's perfect! They strike a deal to keep each other's secrets and pursue their own love stories! 💕

⚔️ The synopsis promised Heartstopper meets A Knight's Tale, and Lex Croucher delivered.
🐎 I love that this turns out to be an HEA x3! 👏
⚔️ I have always loved coming out stories and queer awakening stories. Other than Twilight, gay stories were pretty much the only fiction that captured my interest in my teen years. And I've definitely never tired of it. Gwen and Gabriel's (siblings not lovers, mind you) queer awakenings, their personal conflicts, and journeys are so different in this novel, but I really fell in love with both of these brave souls.
🐎 I loved the humor. Arthur really is something else. He banters and bickers with everyone. And his character arc also turns out to be so endearing, too!
⚔️I think I wanted a little more swoon in the Gwen and Bridget story, or perhaps just *more* of them together in general.
🐎 Lex Croucher books (this is the third one I've read) are not really historical romance... despite having romantic plots in historical settings. This book as well as Reputation and Infamous are more like... historical teens behaving badly and also kissing! Not a complaint, but it doesn't have the same pace or style of HEA as a historical romance and shouldn't be categorized as a histrom! 👍
⚔️To sum it up, this book starts off so freaking charming, gets surprisingly heavy, and ends happy!! In a nutshell, I got exactly what I wanted from a YA/NA, queer, historically set romance-ish, impossible-to-slot-neatly-into-a-genre story!

🎧 Both narrators were absolutely flawless. I loved their accents, their voices, and the vocal acting. The narration really brought the story to life. I think I would have enjoyed reading this as well, but I'm so glad I listened because it was easier to sink into the story with these lovely narrators! Highly recommend as an audiobook.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for access to an ALC!

Ok this one was adorable. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each Lex Croucher book I’ve read, but I loved the medieval setting more than the regency setting. I hope to get more medieval books from Croucher. I do wish there were more on the politics/background than just about the MCs, a bit more world building i think would have benefitted the plot.

This is a book that's a perfect way to dip your toes into fantasy. Being a YA novel, it grants such a wide range of accessibility in order to introduce to readers a light fantastical tale set in the world precedented by the legends of King Arthur. It subverts expectations with 2x the usual queer romance in romance books and a plethora of loveable characters that make this world feel fully lived in. My one nitpick critique would be the large ensemble, while necessary to the plot, at times causes the narrative to fall into a few YA tropes. Thankfully, Croucher combats these obstacles with engaging character development and a few unexpected surprises as well.

AAAHHHH!!! ::flailing about on the floor:: 😍😍😍

Okay, I am going to attempt a more coherent review now...

I SO enjoyed this book. It is by far my favourite from Lex Croucher. I've enjoyed both Reputation and Infamous, but nowhere near as much as I loved this one.

I really liked the whole group of "friends" I guess I'll call them, though they certainly don't start out that way. I loved that even the characters that were maybe not supposed to be the nicest were still completely lovable. The book is dual POV between Gwen and Art, but all of the friend group are so well written, they could all be main characters. I also loved that, despite it being set in medieval times, there was still diversity in the book. It would have been so easy to just make everyone white, because that's how everyone thinks it was during that time period, but there were folks from other parts of the world and other cultures there at that time and I love that they were included. And I love that it explained how their families came to be in England. I've really appreciated the way that Croucher makes their books diverse, despite them being historical.

The book is also incredibly funny. It's set in medieval times, but obviously with modern language. It was great to see modern language used to make fun of the time period, as well as being used by the characters to make fun of each other and themselves.

I also LOVED (but also maybe hated a little bit) that one of the characters has the symptoms of endometriosis. This is only the second book I've ever read with that sort of rep and the reason I say I sort of hated it is because the character is treated the EXACT same way women (and people with uteruses) are today when they have these symptoms. They are not believed, male physicians downplay the severity of the symptoms, and they're not even prescribed proper painkillers. I loved it because it's such an obvious dig at the way current, modern medicine STILL treats folks who have these symptoms.

I so completely loved this book, if that wasn't already obvious from the 523456 times I've said love already in this review. So far each of Croucher's books have been better than the last, so I cannot wait to see what they write next!

I loved this YA queer Arthurian tale. The characters were all fun and interesting. The writing is very sharp and so funny. It made me laugh out loud multiple times. I adored both of the romances. I'm not sure if this is going to be a series but I would jump at reading more of these characters or in this world.

I listened to the audio version of the book and really enjoyed Alex Singh & Sarah Ovens narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5
I stumbled upon this arc- intrigued by the cover and delighted to see a queer Arthurian novel.

With that being said , go into this expected more romance than anything Arthurian. This isn’t heavy on the gantasyy.

The characters and banter are the center of the story.. there was even a cat.

The last part of the book wasn’t my favorite- it kind of changed the tone?


Thank you to St Martin’s Press & NetGalley for providing me with the ARC.

I'm a huge fan of Lex Croucher, and this did not disappoint.

I love these LGBTQ historical fictions, and Croucher is a master at them. The hilarious characters, bickering over their expected marriage and any other topic within reach, resent each other for the circumstances they are in. Once they start to get to know one another and realize this is not initially what either would have chosen, they start to work together and form a friendship.

Excellent audio narration.

Gwen and Art are Not in Love was a fun take on a classic story, and I really enjoyed the way it went. The characters were delightful, even if Art came off as whiny a few too many times that was close to doing the character a disservice. But overall the story was fun, full of intriguing and good character development. Enough excitement to keep the romantic drama from always being front and center and overall keeping it balanced well with the other arching plot.

Gwendoline, the princess of England, has been betrothed to Arthur, descendant of the Arthur of legend, since birth, but the two have always hated each other. Now, during England's annual knight tournament, the two are forced to play nice. The problem? Gwen is infatuated with the only lady knight in the tournament, and Arthur spends drunken evenings kissing boys behind taverns. The two form an uneasy pact, agreeing to protect each other's secrets while feigning a happy engagement. But something is brewing on the horizon that'll test the entire country...

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a cute romance novel with Arthurian flare. The love interests are likeable, and the friendship that Gwen and Arthur form throughout the novel is genuinely sweet. All of the characters are likeable, and their exploits are just as fun. Most of the novel is spent in either the minds of Gwen or Art as they emotional process everything that's happening to them, which means much of the politics of the latter half of the novel is pushed aside, leaving the big moments feel like that hadn't had enough build-up. This only goes for the politics, though, as the arcs of the character's romances are done well. It is a romance, after all! I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed both narrators.

I enjoyed my time with this book, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a queer romance with some royal flair. Rating: 4.25 but rounding up because it was such a fun, easy read!

I was lucky enough to read this with my eyes already, and this book is solidly in my favorites of the year already. The audio did not disappoint. The narration is excellent and brought to life these characters I already loved so much
This is a book I know I will return to again and again.

I’m a massive Arthurian fan and couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into this book.

Enemies to partners-in-con is the trope I didn’t know I needed! The two of them forging an alliance in order to follow their hearts was sweet. I really enjoyed all the characters they were a really good time and had me laughing often.

The first half of this book was a light, fun romcom while the second half got way darker than I was expecting. Like I was sweating a bit.

Overall had a fun time with this version of Camelot!

A cute and well-written mix of dramas both political and personal! I found all the characters well rounded, with aspects that made you root for them (and aspects that made you roll your eyes) that contributed to a fantastical story feeling real and grounded.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, while not a retelling or completely true to the lore of Camelot, this was a warm fuzzy hug full of top tier banter.

This book was an all-around good time with characters that were larger than the pages they were written on. This unconventional royal romance full of queer love. While Gwen and Art are betrothed, they quickly find themselves drawn to others. Gwen has her eye firmly on a lady knight, the only one participating in the palace's tournament. And Art? He has a thing for the soon-to-be-king.

While the romance was a part of this story, the true star of this book was the friendships built between the various characters. They got up to various shenanigans, but when push came to shove, these characters were there for one another.

This was a wonderful story that was so special. It amplified their voices, their concerns, and these characters were lifted up by one another in the best of ways.

This was so fun! I smiled, I laughed, I cried. (Well, I teared up, which is as close as I usually come to crying from books, and it was the good kind of tearing up.)

I loved all the main characters. Gwen started out a bit bossy and judgy but also scared to really want anything for herself, and she grew into someone who was brave and more open to getting to know people. Arthur started out a bit reckless and petty, and he grew into someone who was more selfless, though he always stayed his slightly ridiculous, irreverent self. Bridget was stubborn and confident and knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to go after it and also just badass with a sword. Gabriel was the only one I feel like I didn't know very well, but he was also scared to want anything for himself (like sister, like brother) because he was determined to be a good king and do right by his people, even though he seemed like he would rather spend his days surrounded by books. Sidney, Arthur's best friend, was cheeky, just as reckless as Arthur, and such a great, loyal friend. Agnes was understanding and kind. See? All of them were great. And I said Gwen was brave, but honestly, all of them were brave in the end, and I don't know, I was just proud of them!

(The only two POV characters though are Gwen and Arthur.)

The romances didn't actually go that deep. It didn't seem like Gwen and Bridget or Arthur and Gabriel spent much time together. But that's fine! I still very much enjoyed the relationships and the book, I just want other readers to have the right expectations. And anyway...

The friendship and family in this book was so touching! These characters ended up in a little friend group, all caring about each other in some way, even if they weren't all close. They helped each other out, encouraged each other---heck, saved each others' lives.

There was a battle in this book, which did suddenly make things heavier, but it was exactly what I want all battles in books to be. The action was thrilling, because it was perfectly balanced with personal stakes and emotion and character growth.

You don't need to know anything about Arthurian legend to enjoy this. (I don't.) It's not even a retelling, as far as I know, it's mostly just that the characters are named after them.

There's not really magic (it's sort of mentioned as a thing some people believe in, but that's about it) or fantasy elements, but it feels like fantasy. It's set in a world that is I guess ours, in Medieval times, but the Arthurian legends are real.

I listened to the audiobook for this. Sarah Ovens sounded natural and suited Gwen's character well. Alex Singh's way of speaking dialogue didn't always match the emotion in more serious/sad/painful moments, but his narration also sounded natural and was lively and fun and perfect for Arthur's character the rest of the time. Voices for Gwen and Art didn't sound super different (this applies to both narrators), but I liked the consistency between narrators (e.g. Sarah's voice for Sidney sounded similar to Alex's voice for Sidney). Overall, I enjoyed the audiobook and how much the characters were brought to life!

And as for the book overall, this was such a fun, chill book that I easily and happily got lost in and didn't want to end because I was enjoying it so much!

This book was in some ways exactly what I thought, and also very different. Gwen and Art are not in love because they are both queer. The story seems simple enough. They’re engaged and may as well try to live with it since they can cover for each other when they find someone more their type. The romances are cute and fun, if slightly predictable, but my favourite relationships are actually the friendships. Gwen and Agnes getting to know each other, Arthur and Sydney being the best of friends, and then Gwen and Arthur forming a strong and powerful friendship are all much more powerful than the romance. enemies to fake lovers to best friends is one of my favourite queer fiction tropes.
The book is so much more than a queer romance though. It contains religious fights, feminism, queer empowerment, and politics. And then there is also the blood and dismemberment, which I was not expecting. The realism of the battle scenes threw me a little. I wasn’t expecting that from a book with a cute pink cover. I was grateful for the depth of that part of the story. For a book that seems to be marketed as a romance, there is very little romance, so much more friendship, and far more politics and war than one would ever expect. These are not bad things, just surprises. In the end I really enjoyed Gwen and Art are not in love and I would recommend it to anyone looking for good queer stories, with a few notes about the bloody content.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC and the ALC!

Overall vibes: This was such a fun read! It's the perfect mixture of silly and serious, and the characters are so well-developed and entertaining. It's not historically accurate, but in a way that's funny for people who read historicals while also being approachable to people who don't!

Pros:
-I loved the characters so much! I could read one-off stories about any of them, or prequels, or sequels.
-Croucher was so intentional when creating her backstories for her characters. The depth added so much to these characters who could have just been very surface-level.
-I wasn't sure how the book could be resolved in a way that felt natural, but I thought the ending was really well done!

Cons:
-I think it was just a little bit longer than necessary. The pacing dipped around the 60% mark, but by then I loved the characters so much that it didn't bother me much.

Audio: I also got an ALC of this book, and it was so good! The narrators did a spectacular job, and I highly recommend the audio! I loved the voice for Art-it fit him so well.

I know, you might be shocked to see this on my read list as romance is not my cup of tea but I love the cover and it’s very hyped and it’s medieval themed and well, it enticed me enough (just don't tell that to my brutal adult fantasy) So like I said, medieval historical queer romcom. So we have 2 characters who hate eachother and are forced to hangout for the Summer at Camelot. Gwen, the princess to the English throne and arthur her betrothed, who was selected at birth because of his famous ancestor King Arthur. It's funny, cute, sweet, lighthearted and surprised this fantasy loving soul.