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Gwen & Art are not in love
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2023
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Publishers Weekly Review
In this riotous, queer Arthurian rom-com remix by Croucher (Infamous, for adults), no-nonsense teenage princess Gwendoline of Camelot and louche, sardonic Arthur--a descendant of Mordred--have been betrothed since birth. They claim to despise each other but have both accepted the inevitability of their marriage, meant to secure an alliance between their families. When Art comes to Camelot for the summer, the two quickly discover a complication: they're both gay. Agreeing that a conspiratorial marriage of convenience might be the best way forward while they secretly pursue their preferred partners, the pair resolve to remain inconspicuous. But their burgeoning affections--Gwen for dashing knight Lady Bridget Leclair and Art for Gwen's handsome and serious older brother Gabriel--throw a wrench in their plans. Then Camelot's political climate begins shifting, threatening to unearth their secrets, and Gwen and Art must figure out whom they can trust if they're going to make it out unscathed. Croucher's simultaneously sharp and subtle prose boasts delicious banter and a propulsive story populated by intersectionally diverse characters whose interactions feel fresh and vital through the novel's climactic conclusion. Ages 14--up. (Nov.)
Booklist Review
By all accounts, Gwendoline, princess of England some few hundred years after the fall of King Arthur, is living a fairy tale: she's betrothed to Arthur, descendant of the legendary king himself, and their nuptials are fast approaching. Only, she hates him. A lot. Almost as much as he hates her. Their parents have commanded them to spend the summer together at Gwen's home (that would be Camelot) in the hopes that they'll learn to not want to murder each other, and also to help their reputations (Arthur is a bit of a known cad). When Arthur sniffs out Gwen's crush on Bridget Leclair, the only woman knight in the kingdom, his glee is only matched by hers when she catches him kissing a boy. It's mutually assured destruction, so the two reluctantly agree to cover for each other and are horrified to find that they might actually have something in common. But with a political plot afoot, they'll have to learn to trust each other, too. A high-spirited medieval adventure with a modern heart.
Kirkus Review
A lively queer Camelot for modern audiences. Several hundred years after the time of the fabled king Arthur Pendragon, Gwendoline and her older brother, Gabriel, are princess and prince of Camelot. Gwen has been betrothed since birth to Arthur Delacey, whose father's family claims ancestry from Mordred. Gwen's first problem with this arrangement is that she and Arthur hate each other. The second is revealed when Arthur comes to the royal castle for the summer tournament in which knights compete for renown--and Gwen catches him making out with a servant boy. But then Arthur obtains proof of Gwen's obsession with Lady Bridget Leclair, England's only female knight and a competitor in the tourney. Engaging in mutual blackmail, they form an understanding, though over the course of the summer it turns into an initially begrudging, then supportive friendship, especially when Arthur starts learning more about heir-to-the-throne Gabe. In this fun summer romance, Croucher creates main characters who feel distinctly modern in their dialogue and interactions. They maneuver through the historical setting, including social expectations and limited medical care, in ways that both seem natural and often offer commentary on more current affairs. This is a wonderful expansion of the YA romance genre. Gwen and her family are white, and she is coded queer and demisexual. Arthur is Iranian on his mother's side and coded gay, as is Gabe. There is additional diversity in the supporting cast. Frankly a delight. (Historical romance. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Summary

An Instant New York Times Bestseller!

"A total, rollicking delight. Gwen & Art gave me the same cheeky, swoony, giddy, irresistible high of the first time I saw A Knight's Tale . Lex Croucher is one of my favorite romcom authors, and they should be yours, too." - Casey McQuiston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of I Kissed Shara Wheeler

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, 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. 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.

"In this frivolous medieval romp of a queer rom-com, Lex Croucher toys with Arthurian legend to delightful effect." - Entertainment Weekly

"Fun and genuinely funny, with lovely friendships and first-rate dialogue. Gwen and Art may not be in love, but I fell for both of them." - Rainbow Rowell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Simon Snow trilogy

" Gwen & Art Are Not in Love was exactly what I needed right now--a delightful, heart-warming, hilarious historical romp, overflowing with queer panic and terrible jokes. I loved it." - Alice Oseman, New York Times bestselling author of the Heartstopper series

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