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Gwen and Art Are Not in Love
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love: A Novel | Lex Croucher
20 posts | 18 read | 8 to read
Heartstopper meets A Knights Tale in this queer medieval rom com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history. Its been hundreds of years since King Arthurs reign. His descendant, Arthur, a future Lord and general gadabout, has been betrothed to Gwendoline, the quick-witted, short-tempered princess of England, since birth. The only thing they can agree on is that they despise each other. Theyre forced to spend the summer together at Camelot in the run up to their nuptials, and within 24 hours, Gwen has discovered Arthur kissing a boy and Arthur has gone digging for Gwen's childhood diary and found confessions about her crush on the kingdom's only lady knight, Bridget Leclair. Realizing they might make better allies than enemies, they make a reluctant pact to cover for each other, and as things heat up at the annual royal tournament, Gwen is swept off her feet by her knight and Arthur takes an interest in Gwen's royal brother. Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is chock full of sword-fighting, found family, and romantic shenanigans destined to make readers fall in love.
LibraryThing
review
PuddleJumper
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Panpan

I am fully here for a queer Arthurian romp. This isn't it.

It's set in a fictitious Catholic England several generations after Arthur and Camelot. The country is split between the Catholics and the Cultists - people who believe in Arthurian legend, it wasn't terribly clear.

Catholicism has no impact on anything. The story is play acting as Medieval Europe full of anachronisms and pop culture references.

PuddleJumper It's silly. Which is fine but then there's threats from Norway, religious friction, fears over succession that we're supposed to take seriously even when the characters do not.

It's frustrating. Either be silly or a well researched historical book. You can't smoosh them together and hope for the best.

2w
PuddleJumper Even ignoring that, because that could be a me thing, this is so boring! The characters are one dimensional. They grow a little as the story develops but not much.

They would have been more interesting with a good dose of Catholic guilt and existential dread.
2w
See All 10 Comments
Bookwormjillk I can‘t stand when a book isn‘t what I want it to be! 2w
PuddleJumper @Bookwormjillk I really wanted a gayer version of BBC's Merlin 😅 I didn't enjoy their Regency books either so may be an issue with humour styles not meshing. 2w
CSeydel Ugh! Worse than just “a bad book” is a book that has so much potential to be really amazing but the author fumbles it. Sorry this one didn‘t work for you - so frustrating 2w
PuddleJumper @CSeydel Yeah, it's a shame because it sounded good! Onto the next one 2w
5feet.of.fury Yeah I agree, especially the way the threats to the throne were just thrown in here or there. 2w
BookmarkTavern Oh I hate that, when a book doesn‘t live up to its promise! Hope your next read is better! 2w
TheAromaofBooks I get so aggravated by books that can't decide what they want to be!! 2w
40 likes10 comments
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Julsmarshall
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Pickpick

Adorable, funny, great on #audio. I thoroughly enjoyed this YA queer riff on the story of Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot. Kept me waking while listening and smiling to myself. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 4mo
39 likes1 comment
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Jari-chan
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Pickpick

No, it's not deep. No, no huge injustices are addressed here. This is merely fun. And why can't be queer books that as well? Be fun? Helping us forgetting all the stupid things happening right now? This was such a book for me. I started listening to the audio book and could unwind. Just have a cozy time. Sure, I will forget about it soon enough, but it helped me during a hard time. That's what stories are for.

@AkashaVampie #BookishMonopoly

JazzFeathers Well said! 💪😁 5mo
41 likes2 comments
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Jari-chan
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And another roll on my #BookishMonopoly journey. This time it's a challenge book, and I decided to go with this one for #gottacatchemall by @PuddleJumper ❤️

@AkashaVampie

PuddleJumper Such a cute board 6mo
Jari-chan @PuddleJumper Thank you ❤️ 6mo
29 likes2 comments
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5feet.of.fury
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Mehso-so

In some ways I enjoyed this. Gwen‘s POV starts very boring, there is character development, but I sometimes wonder why authors are so comfortable starting the FMC in the basement just so when there‘s any semblance of a backbone you have to cheer when the MMC can just be a “wonderful idiot” 95% of the time.
I enjoyed the Gwen & Art Are Super Queer theme, other plotlines (cultists, threats to the throne) are so far between I almost forgot about them

eskoch28 I just got denied this on netgalley. Thanks for tempering my sadness 😂😂😂 6mo
39 likes1 comment
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iread2much
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Panpan

I need to stop reading IG recommended books 🤬I am mad I wasted money on this as the characters were shallow, selfish, and dumb. The story was also boring.
Gwen and her brother must decide whether to be true to themselves or met the expectations of their parents and their kingdom.
0/5 stars, good narrators, but the story was as shallow as the characters

bookandbedandtea I, too, often find myself not enjoying a book that IG was all enthusiastic about. I've been thinking about reading this one, but thanks to your review, I'll only give it a try if I can get it from the library. 9mo
dabbe #fanofthepan! 💚☘️💚 9mo
marleed I was not a fan of this one either! 9mo
iread2much @bookandbedandtea it was really awful. The only reason I didn‘t bail was because I bought it. I honestly wouldn‘t recommend reading it at all. 9mo
iread2much @marleed that makes me feel better 😅 9mo
28 likes5 comments
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rachelsbrittain
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Pickpick

The comparisons to A Knights Tale are perfectly apt for this irreverent medieval rom com. Years after King Arthur, a princess betrothed to the person she loathes most discovers they share a secret that might just bring them together: neither of them is straight. And as they try to woo their crushes and withstand threats to Camelot, they realize they might not hate each other as much as they thought. Enemies to lovers friend edition!

TieDyeDude I've seen this book pop up a few times lately. I'm intrigued, though it is outside my normal genres. 10mo
49 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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Pickpick

A delightful Arthurian story about queer friendship, queer siblings, and queer love! I love how Croucher balances wit/comedy with vulnerable characters and heartfelt takes on serious issues. This book is full of great relationships (Gwen the princess with her years long crush on the kingdom's only lady knight that finally comes to fruition!!) but my favourite was the friendship that blossoms between her and Arthur. From hate to queer friend love!

rachelsbrittain I'm reading this one right now! Glad to hear it's good. Feels like the perfect Valentine's Day read. 10mo
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian @rachelsbrittain it is perfect for V day! 10mo
36 likes1 stack add2 comments
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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Onto another #audiobook to keep me awake and occupied while breastfeeding my newborn!

I'd have a crush on the kingdom's only lady knight too if I were Gwendolyn! This is interesting so far although I'm a little iffy on the voice actor for Arthur; hopefully he wins me over. The actor for Gwen is great.

37 likes1 stack add1 comment
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jennirl
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gonna be hanging out talking #Arthuriana with @Runwithskizzers and Lex Croucher and Loyalty on Saturday the 20th! should be fun, details at loyaltybookstores.com/gwenandart

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Lindy
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Pickpick

Medieval queer teen romcom with Arthurian references and witty banter. Gwen & Art were betrothed at birth & have been at odds since then. Now they discover they are both queer, so must come up with a plan for their future. Chapters alternate POV between these two characters and the audiobook has two narrators. Even though I‘m not particularly drawn to romantic comedy, I found this fun to listen to. #YA #LGBTQ

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Lindy
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You do what you like, and kiss who you like, and damn the consequences.

34 likes1 stack add
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marleed
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Mehso-so

So Princess Gwen is betrothed to Lord Arthur and her brother Gabe is first in line to the throne. Problem is Gwen fancies a female knight and Arthur fancies Gabe. I liked the final battle and ending, but getting there was tedious. I suppose it‘s me because I‘ve read so many romances with gay characters, that it really is ‘gay, straight - whatever‘ for me, and I want a story to be about more than queerness. ↓

marleed When I was in the 4th grade an older sister invited me along with her friends to see the movie Camelot showing in a theater. I thought the entire experience was so cool was so cool, but the movie gutted me. Years later I actually saw Richard Harris play Arthur in a stage production of Camelot So cool! I named my only daughter Gwenna! So, I‘m honor-bound to read/watch Camelot remakes! 12mo
64 likes1 comment
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peanutnine
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#WinterGames #DailyPhotoChallenge Day 2 #Love 💖
My preorder for this one just came in the mail. I'm excited to get to it in the new year!
#SantasBookshELVES

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nitalibrarian
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#botm has now added 4 new add-ons. Two just today.

The Mystery Guest
Alice Sadie Celine
Gwen & Art are Not in Love
Five Years From Now

jlhammar Good to know. Thanks! 13mo
29 likes1 comment
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Missusb
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17 likes1 stack add
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hissingpotatoes
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Pickpick

I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4/5⭐ This book is chock-full of slow-burn romances and friendships, all of which made me melt and ultimately created a solid matrix of found family support. Arthur and Gabriel bonding over their mutual affection for animals was possibly my absolute favorite part. The banter between characters often made me literally laugh out loud.

Full review at hissingpotatoes.com #doublespin

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hissingpotatoes
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To be truly brave, first you must be afraid—and to be afraid, you must have something you cannot bear to lose.

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hissingpotatoes
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It sounded like relief more than anything—the sound of somebody finally at rest after a too-long day—and Arthur was amazed that kissing could feel like that.

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hissingpotatoes
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The problem with compromise is that, often, everybody loses. You sit on the fence for so long that you discover you've built a kingdom on it.