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jkneebone's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love takes place in a sort of alternate-history, King Arthur-inspired England. In this world, Arthur and co. are distant, maybe-mythological figures who still heavily influence the political landscape of England - the country is ruled by Catholics, but there is also a faction of cultists who believe that King Arthur was a real person who will eventually return to rule again.
Against this backdrop, we have the story of Gwen (the princess) and Arthur (a lord's son who is descended from/named for the legendary king himself), who have been betrothed since they were children. There's just one problem: they absolutely hate each other. Although they haven't seen each other since they were children, when Gwen tricked Arthur into breaking his arm, this is the summer they are finally going to be married. So Arthur and his manservant/best friend/bodyguard Sidney arrive in Camelot, glad to be away from Arthur's controlling father and ready to wreak havoc.
Although our POV characters are Gwen and Art, we also get a lot of screen time from Gabe, Gwen's bookish older brother who is the reluctant heir to the throne; Bridget, the only female knight in the country, who Gwen is fascinated by; the aforementioned Sidney; and Agnes, Gwen's lady-in-waiting. The impetus of the plot is that, after Gwen and Art discover that they both aren't interested in marrying someone of the opposite gender, they decide to pretend to be infatuated with each other to get everyone else off of their scents. Although at first they are still putting up with each other, they eventually become friends, while also growing their romantic relationships with other characters.
One thing I really enjoyed about Gwen and Are Are Not in Love was how it felt fresh and modern, but also semi-believably historic. Croucher clearly put some thought into the King Arthur-obsessed alternate historical background, and it paid off. The characters were diverse in terms of race, sexuality, and even neurodivergence, but not in a way that felt like putting modern diagnoses or terms into a setting where they didn't belong. (Maybe it's just my reading, but I definitely got neurodiverse vibes from most of the main characters, haha.) The dynamics between all of the different characters were equally lovely - Gwen and Gabe's sweet sibling relationship, Gwen and Art's reluctant friendship, Sidney being so ride-or-die for Arthur, and of course the romantic relationships as well - and I loved how they all became a group working together by the end. I also liked the backstory/subplot of unrest between the Catholics and the cultists, and Gabe's preparation for becoming the next king of England.
For me, this is only a 3.5 star read rather than a 4 star read because of the tone shift at the end.Although I didn't really mind the suddenly raised stakes of the battle, I wish that Gwen had been given more of an opportunity to shine w/r/t strategy and kingdom management, which I thought was where things were headed. And even though part of me liked the ending, I did feel it was a little too happily-ever-after - even in this alternate history, I thought Gabe announcing all of their relationships was pushing credulity. I would have liked it better if they'd come up with some kind of plan to let them fly under the radar for longer. However, I do think it is a super fun read. It's not actually a fantasy, but it has more fantasy than historical fiction vibes; I think the feel is modern enough that even readers who aren't usually into those genres might be persuaded to give it a go.
In terms of language (none/extremely minimal) and sexual content (on page kissing and extremely brief allusions to more) this is totally high school appropriate. I'd hesitate to hand it to a younger reader because Arthur and Sidney are drunk a lot in the first half-ish of the book. Obviously this is a situation where the characters are teenagers, but adults in the world of the story, so it's not underage as such; it's also made pretty clear by the other characters' reactions - and even Arthur's own self reflection - that he knows his drinking is a problem.He even decides to stop at the end of the book, although it's fairly glossed over. That being said, it felt excessive and uncomfortable to me as an adult reader, because it was clearly unhealthy, but I wouldn't want this to be a younger reader's first introduction to how teenagers should or do interact with alcohol.
Against this backdrop, we have the story of Gwen (the princess) and Arthur (a lord's son who is descended from/named for the legendary king himself), who have been betrothed since they were children. There's just one problem: they absolutely hate each other. Although they haven't seen each other since they were children, when Gwen tricked Arthur into breaking his arm, this is the summer they are finally going to be married. So Arthur and his manservant/best friend/bodyguard Sidney arrive in Camelot, glad to be away from Arthur's controlling father and ready to wreak havoc.
Although our POV characters are Gwen and Art, we also get a lot of screen time from Gabe, Gwen's bookish older brother who is the reluctant heir to the throne; Bridget, the only female knight in the country, who Gwen is fascinated by; the aforementioned Sidney; and Agnes, Gwen's lady-in-waiting. The impetus of the plot is that, after Gwen and Art discover that they both aren't interested in marrying someone of the opposite gender, they decide to pretend to be infatuated with each other to get everyone else off of their scents. Although at first they are still putting up with each other, they eventually become friends, while also growing their romantic relationships with other characters.
One thing I really enjoyed about Gwen and Are Are Not in Love was how it felt fresh and modern, but also semi-believably historic. Croucher clearly put some thought into the King Arthur-obsessed alternate historical background, and it paid off. The characters were diverse in terms of race, sexuality, and even neurodivergence, but not in a way that felt like putting modern diagnoses or terms into a setting where they didn't belong. (Maybe it's just my reading, but I definitely got neurodiverse vibes from most of the main characters, haha.) The dynamics between all of the different characters were equally lovely - Gwen and Gabe's sweet sibling relationship, Gwen and Art's reluctant friendship, Sidney being so ride-or-die for Arthur, and of course the romantic relationships as well - and I loved how they all became a group working together by the end. I also liked the backstory/subplot of unrest between the Catholics and the cultists, and Gabe's preparation for becoming the next king of England.
For me, this is only a 3.5 star read rather than a 4 star read because of the tone shift at the end.
In terms of language (none/extremely minimal) and sexual content (on page kissing and extremely brief allusions to more) this is totally high school appropriate. I'd hesitate to hand it to a younger reader because Arthur and Sidney are drunk a lot in the first half-ish of the book. Obviously this is a situation where the characters are teenagers, but adults in the world of the story, so it's not underage as such; it's also made pretty clear by the other characters' reactions - and even Arthur's own self reflection - that he knows his drinking is a problem.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Homophobia
sea_sea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this book so so much!!! The romances were so cute and well written and the plot too!!
The twists and turns this story had?!?!? Also it was so funny xD
A cute queer camelot romcom! xD
Would 100% recommend!
The only thing that threw me of a bit in the beginning was the modern language, because the book plays in medieval times, but I got used to it quickly.
The twists and turns this story had?!?!? Also it was so funny xD
A cute queer camelot romcom! xD
Would 100% recommend!
The only thing that threw me of a bit in the beginning was the modern language, because the book plays in medieval times, but I got used to it quickly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Death of parent, Mental illness, Violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, War, Homophobia, Blood, and Gore
amandaplease50's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I feel like the more I enjoy a book the less I have to say because my words would not do it justice! Compared to the last book I read these characters were lovable and real. I never was bored or annoyed by how the story played out for them! Everyone (who needed it) had great development. Highly suggest anyone who sees this review reads it for themselves ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Homophobia and Alcoholism
erins_bookshelf_'s review against another edition
emotional
tense
fast-paced
5.0
I AM SO OBSESSED WITH THIS!! This was one of my most anticipated books and I was so sure it would be 5 stars (spoiler alert: it was) that I could hardly wait for it. Anyway I loved it so so so much and I’m hoping we get to see more of these characters in some format because they’re amazing and I love them 💕
I’m actually so sad that I read it so quickly because now I’m thinking my next read won’t be as good but I might come back to this one a lot because it’s so good :)
Personally I think this would make a fantastic movie so let’s get on that okay movie producers? Someone do that please 🙏
I’m actually so sad that I read it so quickly because now I’m thinking my next read won’t be as good but I might come back to this one a lot because it’s so good :)
Personally I think this would make a fantastic movie so let’s get on that okay movie producers? Someone do that please 🙏
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Vomit, and Homophobia
alizirrah's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was very fun - excellent prose, entertaining characters that I found myself invested in, good banter and pacing. The romance (and friendship!) between the characters was very cute. I think Gabriel was probably my favorite - I always wanted even more of him interacting with Arthur, and really enjoyed his internal conflict and complexity. (I also found the anachronistic language and occasional modern meme reference to be fun and charming, but I also love things like A Knight's Tale and the Locked Tomb series, so your mileage may vary there.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Blood, Misogyny, Sexism, and Vomit
knockoffrainbow's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Cursing, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Vomit, War, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Bullying, Grief, and Gore
pey333's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Death of parent
Moderate: Murder, Homophobia, Blood, and Alcoholism
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, and Vomit
elerireads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Ah this really hit the spot. Read it in one day and it just solidly delivered what I was hoping for. Easy to read YA, rom-com still covering serious things but with a light touch, well-written characters that aren't one-dimensional, Camelot vibes plus everyone is gay. Iconic. Honestly I was a bit confused by the world-building but that may be on me for having read it so quickly. Anyway, would solidly recommend, especially for anyone wanting an easy pick-me-up or getting back into reading.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Homophobia, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Gore
darr76's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Alcohol, Death, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Gore, Vomit, and Violence
ms_elchert's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, War, Alcoholism, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, and Death of parent