Back of Book: 

Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale in this queer medieval rom-com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history.

It’s been hundreds of years since King Arthur’s 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.

They’re 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, Gwen and Art 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. Lex Croucher's Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is chock full of sword-fighting, found family, and romantic shenanigans destined to make readers fall in love. 

Book Number: One

Genre: Young Adult | Historical | Romance | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 

A lighthearted rom-com inspired by the classic legends of King Arthur, but like, way gayer. 

Gwen and Art are not in love. Gwen, the princess of Camelot, is forced to marry the pompous fool, Arthur Delacey, and she is not satisfied with that one bit. Actually, neither is Arthur. When the two find each other forced to court over the summer, they are less than pleased. The two quite frankly despise each other and each harbor a deadly secret: they are attracted to people of the same sex. When Gwen finds Arthur kissing a male member of the castle's staff, Gwen finally catches a lucky break. Now, she can inform her father and have the marriage off. Except that Arthur also happen to be the king of blackmail and manages to uncover Gwen's diary from the year prior confessing her crush on Lady Bridget Leclair, a female knight that Gwen can't help but notice. With no other choice, Gwen agrees to fake a relationship with Arthur to please both of their parents. Things start to get even more complicated when Bridget starts to notice Gwen back and Arthur feels drawn to Camelot's prince, Gabriel. With their futures on the line, the four have to be very careful to avoid the consequences of their feelings. But in the end, maybe the risk is worth it for a chance at true love. 

I found the majority of this book to be so cute and fluffy. Yes, it deals with a ton of anxiety and fear about taking a chance at love and coming out to those who one knows are going to be less than thrilled (especially for the time period). The last thirty percent of this book gets a tad dark a bit out of the blue, too. I personally don't think these took away from the cozy romance vibes too horribly, so I can say that I quite enjoyed the fluffy romance vibes. 

This book alternates from Gwen to Arthur's perspective. I found myself to be much more attached to Art's storyline and romantic situation, but I enjoyed my time with them both quite a bit. I must say, if a book has fake dating in it, I want it to be because the two are betrothed to each other and are trying to placate their stuffy parents and have the chance to secretly find their own happiness. Gwen and Art's banter is pretty stellar due to the fact that they find each other quite bothersome, which often had me giggling. Despite their differences, these two eventually soften toward each other and it is quite a wholesome thing to experience. 

Gabriel is by far my favorite character. He is slotted to be the future king of Camelot, so he has a ton resting on his shoulders and is anxious pretty much all the time. To ease his burdens, he finds refuge in the castle library and tends to birds and cats as he feels so inclined. Gabriel is such a sweet boy and I couldn't help but root for him throughout the entirety of this novel. And once he is paired with Arthur? He gets even better! Arthur is a flirt who spends more time drinking than pretty much anything else. He sounds like such a lout, but he has plenty of secrets hiding under his lighthearted exterior that explain many things. Pairing a cinnamon roll lad with a moody flirt is so much fun, and I truly love the bond that these two had with each other. Much of their chemistry is physical, but I found myself more convinced by their love story than by Gwen's and Bridget's. 

The writing is definitely what makes this book flourish. It's witty, swoonworthy, and altogether perfect to tell a cozy fantasy rom-com. I can tell by this book that all of Croucher's romances would be a joy to explore due to the fact that they will be filled with banter and have such cute moments that they have me wanting to kick my feet. 

Overall, "Gwen & Art Are Not in Love" is a witty fantasy rom-com that had me feeling giddy while reading it. I adore the writing style and the fantastic banter between many of the characters. I love me a story loosely inspired by the King Arthur mythos, and this one definitely lived up to my expectations (bonus points for it being queer!). I look forward to browsing more of Croucher's titles in the future and seeing what else they are cable of writing! 

Back of Book: 

The sequel to the unforgettable New York Times bestseller Gwen & Art Are Not In Love that invites readers on a quest chock full of wit, undeniable yearning, and second chances.

They fell in love. They fought a great battle. And they won. Now, Camelot’s famous couples have fallen apart.

Newly crowned King Gabriel is having panic attacks in cupboards in-between council meetings. He can't tell Arthur just how not okay he is―so he's set him free, to find love with someone who can get through the day without breaking down.

Bridget has lost her spark for sparring, forfeiting again and again in the lists. When she’s invited to join Gabriel's round table, she hopes it’ll be the change she needs. But trying to navigate the post-happily-ever-after reality of a relationship with Gwen, when Bridget no longer feels like the dashing knight Gwen fell in love with, feels impossible.

With the kingdom still reeling from an attempted uprising, and rumored sightings of the holy grail, the questing beast, and the green knight happening across the country, the gang depart on a PR tour destined for disaster. Can Gabriel be the king his country deserves? Can Bridget get her jousting groove back? And will they find their way back to the courtly love that once seemed fated?

In the much anticipated follow-up to Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, Gabriel and Bridget set out on a daring quest to put love back on the table. 

Book Number: Two

Genre: Young Adult | Historical | Romance | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: ?