I enjoyed Gwen and Art and was excited to read this, set in the same world, and the banter was spot on. I listened to the audio format and it was fun to escape this way.

*many thanks to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

- Set in the same world as GWEN AND ART ARE NOT IN LOVE, NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART follows healer Clemence and Robin Hood’s granddaughter Mariel as they take that age old journey from enemies to lovers.
- I loved this little clique within the Merry Men, and Croucher is at their best when writing the banter between them.
- I did have a hard time believing that Mariel was quite so ignorant of the internal politics of the Merry Men, given that she was so smart otherwise.

Beautiful, breathtaking enticing and wonderful in glad to have read this and miss the way reading this for the first time made me feel, thankyou for this chance and this world

This one was just ok. I wasn’t wowed by it and at times was very bored. However, I have been recommending it to customers interested in different takes on classic tales.

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.***