3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

I love a good Robin Hood story, so I was excited to see that Croucher was doing a queer take on the infamous woodsman expecting it to be a humorous romp through Sherwood Forest. Unfortunately I felt like many of the jokes were forced where the wit in GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE was much more natural.

The militarization of the Merry Men is explained by the end, but I didn't love that aspect of the plot and wasn't expecting this book to be that type of story. For me Mariel and Clem were outshined by the rest of Mariel's crew (justice for Baxter!!!!) as they were much more dynamic and interesting.

An epilogue a year later would have made the ending feel more complete as not enough of the loose ends are tied up by the last page.

This wasn't my favorite narration, but Kit Griffiths and Olivia Dowd do a decent job.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan Young Listeners in exchange for an honest review.

This book is in the Robin Hood universe, kinda sorta, but isn't a retelling as much as a reimagining. The style is similar to Gwen and Art, but without the same level of connection and chemistry. I love a sapphic young adult story, but this one just wasn't quite right for me. I see what Lex Croucher was going for, and I love the thought behind it, but it really seemed to be forced. The writing was fine, but the characters just didn't grab me. It was a fine, enjoyable time, but nothing that I'm screaming from the rooftops about.

The audiobook was fine, and there were no glaring issues or annoying quirks that took me out of the story. There wasn't anything that stood out as enhancing the story either. It was a fine rendition of the story that was pleasant to listen to.

Not for the Faint of Heart was a lovely return to the quirky story telling of Lex Croucher! As a fan of Gwen and Art are Not in Love I loved this take on the classic Robin Hood story and appreciated the lore of the *spoiler alert* title being passed down the family. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoyed Gwen and Art and even those who have not read it yet as it is not necessary in order to enjoy Faint of Heart

I enjoyed this one, though for whatever reason it just didn't quite grab me the way their other medieval novel, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love, did. It was a good story, it just felt kind of like it dragged on, which was weird, because it was pretty action packed!

So, this is basically a, not really retelling, but its a story of the Merry Men post-Robin Hood. Robin has retired to parts unknown and there is new leadership and a new way of doing things that maybe not everyone agrees with.

Mariel is Robin's granddaughter and is trying hard to impress her father, the leader of the Merry Men. But it seems that nothing she does is good enough for him. After accidentally kidnapping a healer, Clem, Mariel's group of Merry Men is ambushed and her father and his next in commands are taken by the evil prince. Mariel sets out to get her father back, with varying degrees of success.

This is 100% a grumpy/sunshine story, with Mariel being SUPER grumpy and Clem basically being a ray of sunshine. Clem is also super funny, and takes to her kidnapping quite well.

Overall this is a fun story and I really enjoyed this take on the Merry Men.

This was such a fun and silly adventure, and I loved every second of it! The characters are dymanic and fun and it was just all alround a fun time.

Such a fun story! It’s fast paced and doesn’t let up all the way through. The characters are likeable and it was a delight to see their relationship unfold. Definitely a fun read. The narrator did a great job of bringing the characters to life and added an extra dimension to the story.

I thought this was a fun and lighthearted adaptation of an already well-known story. I'd be happy to hear more from this author. I thought the narrator did a good job with the story, but was harder to understand when speeding up the pace of the book on the app.

I love Lex Croucher's writing, they always deliver complex and fascinating stories. Just like the other novels of Croucher's I've read, Not for the Faint of Heart is based in a historical realm. A fast moving, clever, and unique tale, this one had me on the edge of my seat.

The audio version of Not for the Faint of Heart is beautifully performed by Narrated by Kit Griffiths and Olivia Dowd.

Lex Coucher remains utterly hilarious! This is such a fun adventure with characters that jump off the page. I laughed, I swooned, and I pondered the meanings of collective action and leadership. Can't wait to see what the author does next!

Not for the Faint of Heart is an intrinsically charming read. I'd read Gwen and Art are Not in Love, a title by the same author, before this book, and while I liked it, I found that the more serious moments didn't blend well with the humour. However, I found that Lex Croucher balanced the tone of Not for the Faint of Heart perfectly. I instantly fell in love with both of the main characters of this book, as well as the cast of side characters. Some deep topics are addressed throughout the story, but the book also had me laughing out loud every chapter. I found the plot a little slow at times, but the characters are so engaging that I never lost the desire to pick up this book. Overall, I had an incredible time reading this book and urge others to pick it up. If you aren't already convinced that this is the book for you, then let me lure you in with the novel's first line: "The morning the Merry Men came for Rosie, Clem was trying to put a hat on a fox."

Not for the Faint of Heart was a Macmillan Audio pick. It is a gender-swapped, sapphic, Robinhood “reboot”! I had a good time with this story about Mariel, Robinhood’s granddaughter, and Clem, her “accidental” captive, and their Merry “Men”---which Clem points out as a bit of a misnomer as they’re not all men, nor do they follow binary gender norms! The cast of characters is diverse and inclusive, and I really enjoyed the way Croucher wrote that into a historical fiction—I also laughed out loud at their author's note about the anachronistic use of potatoes throughout the story!

Not for the Faint of Heart was filled with action and comedy and a sweet discovery of romance between the two FMCs. I also really enjoyed the subplot of Jack Hartley going sour with power and Mariel discovering what it actually means to fight for the people of Sherwood Forest, and not the other way around. The found family and overcoming generational animosity tropes were perfectly done. In the end, I gave this book 5 stars, which is unusual for me with a romance, but I think this story had nothing wrong with it and did a lot right!

I think the narration was well-done by Kit Griffiths and Olivia Dowd as well, two new-to-me narrators.

Not for the faint of heart was an excellent read. I loved the writing and it was propulsive. Great character study. I would read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was such a fun and quippy sapphic historical rom-com! I don't think I'd call it a retelling so much as a continuation of/inspired by classic Robin Hood tales. Regardless, the main characters, Mariel and Clem, are two fantastic characters with some incredible banter. You'll also get your fix of queer found family with a lovable band of side characters to boot.

I will say, this is definitely more in the "vibes over plot" camp, so if you're looking for more action and a clear storyline, this one probably isn't for you. The pacing was a little wonky at times, with some parts of the novel dragging and others (like the ending) feeling rushed.

Despite these things, I really enjoyed this book, and the characters are the biggest reason. Each character is so incredibly well-written and each of them have their own character arcs. Clem was by far my favorite, with all her cheeky jokes and attempts to become friends with literally everyone. Her struggles with anxiety and panic attacks were depicted in such a genuine way. I also adored her chemistry with Mariel. That grumpy / sunshine dynamic really got me with these two. :')

When Clem is kidnapped by Captain Mariel and her crew of Merry Men, she assumes it's because reputation as a healer who is experimenting with more effective treatments, instead it's to make sure her guardian understands that consequences of healing anyone associated with the Sheriff of Nottingham. Clem gets pulled into the the fray as Mariel and her band work to save their commander.

I thought this was a fun re-imagining of Robin Hood focused on the granddaughter of Robin Hood and the way the struggle between the Merry Men and the Sheriff of Nottingham have grown over time.

I loved the distinctive voices each narrator brought to the characters.

4🌟

The role reversal in this story was very fun. I enjoyed the queer aspect a lot and felt connected to the characters. It's such a cozy read and the found family was heartwarming. Much needed during this tumultuous time. I will ABSOLUTELY be recommending this to anyone who will listen.

DNF @ 58%

I love Gwen and Art, so when I discovered this novel, I couldn’t wait to read it! I really enjoy retellings and was super excited about the sapphic twist. However, I found myself having a bit of trouble getting into the audiobook. I kept zoning out and had to restart it from the beginning a few times. In the end, it just wasn’t my cup of tea, but I still appreciate the unique take!

***Thank you to NetGalley, Lex Croucher, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

I beginnning to really come to love Lex Croucher's historical YA romps inspired by classic tales. With heavy Robin Hood inpspiration, though not a retelling, but more of a continuaition, Not For the Faint Of Heart is a sapphic story that feels adventurous and cozy at the same time with wonderful characters and tropes that will have you falling in love with the story as you read or listen along.

I really enjoyed this book overall, though I’d say I still love ‘Gwen And Art Are Not In Love’ more. It took me a little bit longer to get into this one, even though the premise intrigued me as a kid who grew up loving Robin Hood and watching too many adventure movies. I think it felt a bit slow at times and it took a while for me to warm up to some of the characters. It was hard not to love Clem, but Mariel’s was a bit of a stretch for me (and I’m usually all about the grumpy lone wolf character who needs no one). I did really enjoy the sass and banter back and forth, the amusing band of merry ‘men’, and the found family vibes. The narrator was great too - helped keep me invested and listening. If you like the author’s other books, ever thought of running away to live in the woods, or always wished Robin Hood was more queer, check this out - you’ll probably like it. Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook.

I was provided an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This follows Mariel, Robin Hood's granddaughter and a captain of the merry men. Robin's legacy lives on with the merry men (who are not all men and no one cares), but their mission has changed, and they aren't exactly stealing from the rich to give to the poor any more. Mariel's father leads the merry men and she is desperate to gain his approval, but no matter what she does it never meets his standards. This makes for a great plotline in the book because Mariel is actually a pretty good leader and knows that some of his orders are not in the best interests of the merry men and the people they are claiming to protect. She also knows that it goes against what Robin established before he retired. She puts alot of pressure on herself to be the best captain and leader she can be and not make any mistakes.

Our other main character is Clemence aka Clem, a healer who Mariel and her merry men kidnap for potentially having information about the Sherriff and his son. They really wanted Clem's mentor Rosie, but Clem is fiercely loyal and protective of Rosie and she is a skilled healer in her own right and takes her place. Clem is a terrible prisoner, always cracking jokes and making light of every situation. She is a good healer and tends to her patients whether they like it or not. She quickly endears herself to Mariel's group, who are a rag tag found family and a delight to get to know.

This was slow to start, but the action does pick up about halfway through. There are some heavier emotional scenes, but for the most part things are light and fun. There are alot of humorous moments and some closed door/fade to black romantic moments as well. Overall, this was a fun opposites attract LGBT romance with a Robin Hood vibe and a nice found family.

I enjoyed the audiobook narration and thought the narrators did a great job with Clem and Mariel and it was nice to have dual narration so you knew which chapter and main character you were hearing from.

Not for the Faint of Heart has all of the charm and wit I’ve come to love from Lex Croucher, and I thoroughly enjoyed this standalone sapphic, Robin Hood-inspired story.
Clem, a village healer who loves to experiment with new remedies, is abducted by Muriel, the granddaughter of Robin Hood, as payback for helping the Sherif of Nottingham. Things are all going to plan until Murial’s father Jack Hartley, the commander of the Merry Men, is captured during an ambush and is now missing. Eager to prove herself, Muriel and her band of Merry Men set out to save Jack, with an oddly cheerful Clem in tow. As they try to find Jack, Muriel is forced to confront some uncomfortable truths about how people feel about the Merry Men as they journey through the Wood. Clem’s status as their captive also becomes increasingly blurry as she starts to become a part of their group–and grows closer and closer to Muriel. Both increasingly face whether to stay on the path they’ve always seen for themselves or risk it all for a new path they never imagined.
❤️ What I loved: The character dynamics in this story shine, and it is full of the fun and adventure that one might want from a fairytale-inspired story. Genuinely smart and funny dialogue complements the adventurous plot and evocative setting. Despite all the levity, some unexpectedly serious moments come up in the story and add a nice amount of emotional depth to the characters and plot. I received an audio arc of this book, and thoroughly enjoyed the narration as well!

💔 What I didn’t love: Overall this book is a big win, but there was just a little something missing for me in the connection between the two main characters and so it isn’t my favorite of Lex Croucher’s works so far.
I’d highly recommend this book to fans of adventure and whimsical stories with a fun cast of characters. It’s another unique addition to the YA fantasy genre from Croucher, and I hope we continue to see more of these retellings!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (4-4.5)

Acknowledgments & Disclaimers ✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Lex Croucher, and Macmillan Audio, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book. ✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. ✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.