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bethamyyy 's review for:
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love
by Lex Croucher
I really want to give this book a higher rating. It’s a really fun storyline, with good and funny writing but there’s lots of little things in it that frustrated me.
I did really like Gwen and Arthur but it took far too long for me, for them to become actual friends. They seemed to become friends when they kissed but that happened over half way through. They were barely even allies before that. I would’ve much preferred it if they were allied because of their agreement, and then through their forced pretend romance they became friends.
Art was particularly funny as well as his friend, Sidney, but I found it initially hard to like them at first because they both came across as misogynistic until, again, over halfway through the book.
This is going to be a recurring theme. For me a lot of what happens at about 60% through the book should’ve happened at halfway through or before.
Gwen I also liked but I really found her lack of female friendships frustrating. I wanted her and Agnes to be like Arthur and Sidney. Like Arthur, Gwen initially seems to be a bit misogynistic and basically judges other women for being feminine. She then has a conversation with Agnes who says something along the lines of, ‘yes I’m girly but so what?’ The journey of Gwen realising she’s judged other women for being feminine and becoming friends with Agnes is nice. But again this happens too late for me, and would’ve been much more enjoyable if it happened earlier, and if Gwen and Agnes became close friends.
I don’t have much to say about Gabe other than he’s sweet and I liked him, and I liked his and Arthur’s dynamic. If anything I wished it was developed just that bit more. I think this book could’ve benefited from a few pov chapters from the love interests so they were developed more.
Anyways onto the woman who carried this book. Fucking Bridget, aka Lady Leclair. What an icon. She picked up the Excalibur Nine, and she’s the only one with a decent fucking head on her shoulders, why isn’t she Queen?! Really loved Bridget. I loved when Gwen wanted her to stay she says no because she wants more for herself rather than be Gwen’s ‘mistress’. Bridget was well fleshed out as well as her relationship with Gwen until they kiss. After they kiss we don’t really learn more about them together, and their dynamic. It felt as if their relationship was put on the side to focus on Art and Gabe.
Quick shout out to Agnes. Other than Bridget she was the only other voice of reason, and I wished we learned more about her. I get that she just a side character but so was Sidney, I wish we got to know her the same way we got to know Sidney. And there was potential for her to be good friends with Gwen instead of just acquaintances to kind of friendly together.
There were times when the writing was a little confusing especially during the battle. It was confusing in a way that just frustrated and annoyed me. Usually I can keep up with the politics in a book but I was a little confused who was on who’s side in this book, so I wish that was emphasised more or made clear.
I didn’t mind the ending, it seemed quite sweet but maybe a little underwhelming and just a bit too short and brief. Could’ve done with just a bit more detail. It was kind of like big battle, and then a chapter about how Gabe was gonna out Lancelot and Arthur to the world. I will say I liked the small twist of Lancelot and Arthur being lovers, very cute.
I want to end this review on a good note, the book was genuinely funny. It’s so close to being a really good book for me it just fell short.
I did really like Gwen and Arthur but it took far too long for me, for them to become actual friends. They seemed to become friends when they kissed but that happened over half way through. They were barely even allies before that. I would’ve much preferred it if they were allied because of their agreement, and then through their forced pretend romance they became friends.
Art was particularly funny as well as his friend, Sidney, but I found it initially hard to like them at first because they both came across as misogynistic until, again, over halfway through the book.
This is going to be a recurring theme. For me a lot of what happens at about 60% through the book should’ve happened at halfway through or before.
Gwen I also liked but I really found her lack of female friendships frustrating. I wanted her and Agnes to be like Arthur and Sidney. Like Arthur, Gwen initially seems to be a bit misogynistic and basically judges other women for being feminine. She then has a conversation with Agnes who says something along the lines of, ‘yes I’m girly but so what?’ The journey of Gwen realising she’s judged other women for being feminine and becoming friends with Agnes is nice. But again this happens too late for me, and would’ve been much more enjoyable if it happened earlier, and if Gwen and Agnes became close friends.
I don’t have much to say about Gabe other than he’s sweet and I liked him, and I liked his and Arthur’s dynamic. If anything I wished it was developed just that bit more. I think this book could’ve benefited from a few pov chapters from the love interests so they were developed more.
Anyways onto the woman who carried this book. Fucking Bridget, aka Lady Leclair. What an icon. She picked up the Excalibur Nine, and she’s the only one with a decent fucking head on her shoulders, why isn’t she Queen?! Really loved Bridget. I loved when Gwen wanted her to stay she says no because she wants more for herself rather than be Gwen’s ‘mistress’. Bridget was well fleshed out as well as her relationship with Gwen until they kiss. After they kiss we don’t really learn more about them together, and their dynamic. It felt as if their relationship was put on the side to focus on Art and Gabe.
Quick shout out to Agnes. Other than Bridget she was the only other voice of reason, and I wished we learned more about her. I get that she just a side character but so was Sidney, I wish we got to know her the same way we got to know Sidney. And there was potential for her to be good friends with Gwen instead of just acquaintances to kind of friendly together.
There were times when the writing was a little confusing especially during the battle. It was confusing in a way that just frustrated and annoyed me. Usually I can keep up with the politics in a book but I was a little confused who was on who’s side in this book, so I wish that was emphasised more or made clear.
I didn’t mind the ending, it seemed quite sweet but maybe a little underwhelming and just a bit too short and brief. Could’ve done with just a bit more detail. It was kind of like big battle, and then a chapter about how Gabe was gonna out Lancelot and Arthur to the world. I will say I liked the small twist of Lancelot and Arthur being lovers, very cute.
I want to end this review on a good note, the book was genuinely funny. It’s so close to being a really good book for me it just fell short.