A review by natashaleighton_
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted fast-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

4.5

Heartwarmingly hilarious and utterly swoon-worthy, Lex Croucher’s YA debut is a marvellously queer, medieval rom-com that fans of A Knight’s Tale and Arthurian Legend are bound to enjoy. 

Set hundreds of years after King Arthur and his legendary court at Camelot, Gwen and Art Are Not In Love follows Gwendoline (England’s sole Princess) and her long time nemesis/ fiancée Arthur (a rakish Lord, and descendant of King Arthur) who are forced to spend the summer together in the run up to their wedding. 

And it’s not long before Gwen catches Arthur kissing a boy, and Arthur (in retaliation) unearths Gwen’s private childhood diary detailing her feelings for the court’s only female knight, Lady Bridget Leclair. So naturally the pair become reluctant allies and, in a scheme for mutual assured protection, pretend to fall in love. But the plan will only work if they can keep up the ruse…

With Misunderstandings, murder plots and  medieval hijinx galore (not to mention the sassy adorableness of Merlin the cat)— you’ll be hard pressed not to fall head over heels for this compelling (and utterly cheeky) cast of characters. 

Full disclosure, I did go into this thinking it was a queer retelling of Arthurian legend, but it’s not that at all! It’s actually a medieval coming of age story exploring sexuality, parental/ societal expectations and love in all its many forms—and honestly I LOVED it even more for its refreshing originality. 

Both Gwen and Arthur were brilliantly written, witty and fabulously endearing characters whose angsty teenage woes —and journey to self discovery (and acceptance) is sure to resonate with many readers. I adored the back and forth banter between them (as well as Arthur’s banter with Sidney) and enjoyed watching their almost sibling-like bond grow. Plus Arthur’s obvious attempts at being Gwen’s wingman were super entertaining. 

The romance was executed to perfection and will definitely get you in the feels with the heartfelt and tender exploration of first loves, found family and friendship. 

Overall, this was an emotionally poignant, slightly melodramatic and endlessly funny historical romp that fans of Heartstopper should definitely check out. 

Also a massive thank you to Nina Douglas and Bloomsbury for the fabulous arc. 
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