I was so excited to see that I had this as an ARC on NetGalley!! I started reading it immediately after finishing the author's previous work, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love. I thought that this novel was fun, but not as fun as Gwen and Art. I absolutely loved Clem, but I found Mariel to be difficult to feel anything for. I love the entire premise of these books though, so I had a lot of fun regardless!

Thanks so much to the publisher for an ARC!

Loved this. That is the main takeaway. I think it was better than the previous novel by this author, and that one was already quite good. This reimagining was satisfying, well written, and thankfully original. I LOVED the characters which were the best part of this novel by far. The plot was good, but the novel was more about the vibes than a meticulous plot structure. Thoroughly enjoyable and I would recommend this to readers of all ages.

Highlights:
-Clem. Clem CARRIES this novel. She is absolutely delightful. The running commentary reminded me Spiderman, and I mean that in the most positive way imaginable. Not only was she a delight any time she was on the page but the character was excellent. This is one of the rare times that a character didn’t really have any arc or growth yet I am entirely fine with it because it wasn’t needed. Everyone else had arc’s, Clem was the catalyst that they didn’t know they needed. She was still a rich character with a lot more under the surface that you would initially expect. 6/5 stars for Clem.
-The plotline was unexpected in the best way. For a Robin Hood reimagining, this wasn’t at all where I expected that they would take the story. It was fresh and original and very satisfying. I enjoyed getting all of the nostalgia, yet a new and different story.
-Mariel. There is SO much to say about Mariel. This was the character responsible for all of the depth of the novel, in contrast to Clem providing a lot of the fun. Her complicated relationships, upbringing, and worldview provided a lot of material for a reader to sink their teeth into. The character growth was delightful and very satisfying.
-The world was vivid, descriptive, and creative. I loved the setting, the Underwood was an incredible place I want to visit, and everything felt surprisingly “real”.
-Shoutout to a certain primary side character….. when you read the novel, you will know who I mean. Unexpectedly rich character that defied my initial expectations. Unexpected comic relief, and another great example of how people can be more complex than we expect them to be and have sides we haven’t seen.
-Lots of complicated and morally dubious side characters were present to truly flesh out this novel. I felt bad for the protagonists at times when they couldn’t catch a break, but it was surprisingly realistic and elevated this from being a simple fairy tale reimagining.

Nitpicks:
-I was hoping for more romance. Just a personal thing here, considering romance is integral to the Robin Hood story. There certainly was some, but I wanted more!
-The ending may have been a bit rushed, and a few details could have been wrapped up better. It was perfectly satisfying though. I am personally someone who usually wishes for more from an ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. I am leaving a review voluntarily.

This is my first book by this author, but won't be my last.

Croucher's wit and lighthearted banter kept even the most intense, heartbreaking of scenes from getting too dark. I enjoyed the opening scene with the fox— it really set the whole tone, and worked as a nice little call back to the animated Disney version of Robin’s story.

This was action packed and even though it was a slow burn when it came to the romance aspect, the plot itself was very fun and easy to follow along. Clem and Mariel were fantastically written and it was great seeing them bickering with each other. The writing was hilarious, thrilling and utterly heartfelt, and I loved seeing the anxiety representation in this one.

Taking inspiration from the legend of Robin Hood (and his band of Merry Thieves) we delve headfirst into life amongst the Merry Men after Robin’s retirement and the legacy that his granddaughter, Mariel, has been trying to live up to.

Constantly sidelined by her father and all but ignored by her fellow Captains, it wasn’t difficult to sympathize with Mariel’s frustrations and root for her (and her supportive, found family-esque team) to get the recognition and respect they so rightfully deserved.

Clem was my favorite with her wit and lighthearted banter kept even the most intense, heartbreaking of scenes from getting too dark.

The dynamics and romance between Clem and Mariel was wonderfully written and engaging. I highly recommend this one. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A midieval rom-com set in the world of Robin Hood. This story is full of heart, found family, witty banter, and bravery. As a big fan of Disney’s Robin Hood, I loved reading about a world where Robin’s granddaughter is captain of The Merry Men. A perfect fall-vibes book; perfect for anyone looking for a sapphic story/queer story in general.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!!

I was so excited when I got approved for this book. I loved the authors first book so this was a no brainer for me!! This was hilarious, heart pounding, and so much fun!
What more could I ask for but a sapphic spin on Robin Hood. Just the absolute depth of these characters was incredible. I absolutely loved the romance between Clem and Mariel. The diversity of characters was refreshing!

I will say that if you’re diving into this book in the hopes of an amazing plot driven story…. Then find another story because this is maybe 25% plot… the rest is all vibes!!!

Overall I really enjoyed it!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book comes out Nov 26 2024.a story about Robin Hood’s granddaughter, Mariel and the girl she accidentally kidnaps Clem. I loved loved loved this story. I’m a fan of any Robin Hood style story to be honest. The slow burn enemies to lovers banter between the two was so fun. The story was easy to follow. Don’t be mistaken just because it was slow burn it did have a lot of action packed moments. Highly recommend. Thank you net galley and publishers for this opportunity.

Lex Croucher has become an automatic buy author for me and this book has definitely solidified that. It was a spectacular read the characters were all so unique and felt so real I was laughing and crying along with them. This one is deffinitly a must read if you ask me!

Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher is a fantastic book.
A sapphic LGBT with great representation, I absolutely loved this book!

Endearing with wonderful characters filled with adventure, this is my favorite book of the authors!

This is the second YA book from Lex Croucher, following the release of Gwen and Art Are Not in Love last year. Instead of the legend of King Arthur and his knights, this book draws from the tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

Clem is an apprentice healer. When the Merry Men come to her door in search of Rosie, who she is learning from, Clem volunteers to go in her place, effectively becoming a captive.

From here, we meet Mariel Hartley-Hood (yes, related to Robin Hood), and some other Merry Men, and we begin to follow their adventures.

There is a grumpy/sunshine romance in this book which is cute but felt a bit rushed and out of nowhere. The banter is well written between all the characters as it was in Croucher’s last book.

I will be honest and say that I didn’t think much happened in the first 60% of the book. The beginning starts off well and then for the next chunk of the book we get to know the Merry Men and hear a bit about their mission, but this part of the book was pretty slow for me and was hard to get through. If I had to choose, I would say the “vibes” in this book were stronger than the plot.

Overall a cute read and fans of Croucher will enjoy. If you have not yet read a book by Lex Croucher, do yourself a favor and read Gwen and Art Are Not in Love first before this one, as I was glad I did.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for a review.

Not for the Faint of Heart was a witty and heartwarming story that was the perfect fantasy book! Lex Croucher has become an auto purchase author for me. If you enjoyed Gwen & Art Are Not in Love then you will definitely love this book!

Queer story set in the world of Nottingham, with one of the main characters being Robin Hood's grandchild. Charming and emotional. Lex continues to write books I love.

ARC from publisher via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for giving me access to an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Not for the Faint of Heart is about the granddaughter, Mariel, of the infamous Robin Hood, who has now retired to France and left the Merry Men in the care of Mariel's father. The book opens with Mariel and her group of Merry Men - who are not all Merry and not all men - kidnapping Clementine or Clem, a healer. Clem and Mariel enjoy a teasing rapport and don't get along - at first. Not all is well with the Merry Men and as events unfold, Mariel begins to realize that the modern Merry Men aren't doing as much good as they used to, during her Grandfather's time.

Clem is a delight. Despite being kidnapped, blindfolded, mocked and having to sleep on the dirt, she cracks jokes and remains extremely positive, much to the chagrin of Mariel. Clem quickly wins over the rest of Mariel's compatriots, but it takes longer for Clem to win Mariel's affection. I can see why Mariel comes around to the hilarious Clem, but I don't see what Mariel brings to the table. She's too serious and I never really warmed up to her character. Other characters in the band, like the cantankerous Morgan, manage to be grumpy but still be likeable.

This is a refreshing take on the Robin Hood legend and I like that it continues the story with the next generation.

This book was a DELIGHT. There were so many moments I laughed out loud at the witty writing. Although this is technically YA, I found the writing to be sophisticated and engaging (even at age 31). I cannot wait to go read more books by Lex Croucher. Her ability to write a loving found family and convincing, sweet sapphic romance completely captivated me. The only thing I would have liked more of was some intimate conversations/ vulnerability between the two leading ladies.

Not for the Faint of Heart is my definition of a comfort read. It’s a spectacular romp that will have you grinning ear to ear (until, of course, you’re crying but alas here we are).

I am a sucker for queer found family and this was the perfect place to be. I was hooked on Clem from the first line of this novel and every moment since. The Merry Men were a superb group of mischiefs that quickly felt like close friends.

Lex Croucher has the magic touch when it comes to sapphic romance. I’m always left in a puddle of butterflies once tensions build between the MCs. Clem and Mariel were firmly in slow-burn territory but once things kicked off between them, it was marvelous.

This whole book was marvelous, and I will definitely be picking it up for a reread.

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!

Lex Croucher, the person you are<3 Incredibly huge thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this arc! After Gwen and Art, Lex Croucher immediately became and auto buy author for me and they have absolutely done it again. Taken a well known classic tale and went “ oh this can be so much gayer” Not For The Faint Of Heart is a beautiful and entertaining story about finding yourself and letting yourself be cared for. Clem was absolutely hilarious and Mariel was so relatable. (she is an only child but she is so hispanic eldest daughter coded) All of Mariel’s crew were incredibly interesting and important and I definitely didn’t cry when Baxter died. All together this is a beautiful and fun read!

I loved Gwen and Art are not in love, so was super excited to dive into Not for the Faint of Heart. It’s a true cozy romcom with a splash of enemies to lovers. It is a sapphic twist on Robin Hood and I loved every second of it. Highly recommend.

I really got historical romcom hallmark movie vibes. All the zingy one liners got a little boring halfway through, but I also think they toned down or I got used to them. The plot was also a little shaky. There was a lot of backtracking to older plot points that I’m not sure if it worked out. However I did appreciate the twist at the end and the final few chapters were very nice to wrap up the story. In the end, I feel like the characters will be the deciding factor for if someone would continue reading. I really enjoyed the characters. I felt like there was a good diversity among the characters. I did enjoy how the plot included the history of each character and not just the main couple’s history. The relationships, both romantic and friendship based, were very well developed and fun to read about. It’s perhaps not the most intricate book but it is entertaining and cute.

People who like this light humorous writing will probably enjoy My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand.

Not for the Faint of Heart is another fantastic YA romance by author Lex Croucher. This reimagining of Robin Hood with a queer romantic adventure that had me hooked from the very first pages. The story is completely unique but we know the world it is set in from Robin Hood to Sherwood Forest, to the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin Hood's granddaughter has much to prove, Mariel just can't seem to please her father and gain his trust. After kidnapping Clem, who is a talented healer and a ray of sunshine, her group needs to put her skills to use almost immediately. As they work to free her captured father, Jack, Mariel starts to see that things have changed under her father's leadership. Are the Merry Men still in the right and are they doing the work that her grandfather started?

I loved this grumpy sunshine duo. Clem is an amazing character. She can make the best of a bad situation and raise spirits as well as heal wounds. The story has a well-developed adventure. There is action and fighting, but we also get to know the characters. The group that Mariel is the captain of is close and like a family. Their personalities and importance to the group added depth to the story. It was to root for this group even as the author showed us how much Mariel still needed to grow.

I have loved all of Lex Croucher's books but this one may be my favorite so far. I am anxious to see what is next.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This book is absolutely adorable. I've always loved books/films featuring Robin Hood's daughter or, in this case, his granddaughter. Overall just a really fun ya read.

Clem is refreshing, silly, and kind almost to a fault. She is the Sunshine to Mariel's Grumpy. I loved watching Mariel's mindset shift as she learned to stand on her own two feet.

Loved how quickly Mariel's motley crew accepted Clem. Morgan especially was well fleshed out and their backstory and personality added so much to the story.

Content: closed door ff romance, death that will rip your heart out, and an abundance of adorableness that will have you giggling and kicking your feet

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I noticed a couple of negative reviews, so I read over them and I want to remind people that despite some of them wanting it to be an adult book, it’s a YA book. I think it’s VERY important for YA books to have deep topics that make kids think and explore their own feelings and this book does it wonderfully.

It’s about questioning authority, it’s about finding your boundaries, your personal beliefs and your personal morals despite whatever you’ve been raised to believe. It’s about learning how to question the world around you and ask yourself where you fit in. What’s normal? And you can have a complicated relationship with parents you love but who aren’t meeting your needs. It’s about found family, and learning how to fall in love when you’ve been too scared. All really fantastic topics for teens to explore.

If you’re 15 and you haven’t had a partner before, the miscommunication and light romance will feel like it makes sense. Maybe if you’re 30 it won’t feel romantic to you. Romance is about building a friendship and learning to trust.

On top of this, there’s cute banter, there’s grumpy x sunshine trope, there’s Robin Hood, and a mix of trans/nonbinary/poc/queer characters that will provide representation for all kinds of teens. I found myself loving them all, and to be able to make me love a character so much in such a short time is a feat in itself.