A review by teereadsbooks
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This was a pretty unique reading experience for me. This is based in an alternate medieval England where King Arthur Pendragon existed, and now we see his descendants in the events of this story. I really enjoyed the evolution of this story. Gwen and Art have been betrothed since Gwen was a baby. They have been rather antagonistic towards each other. Then, Gwen discovers Art kissing a boy, and Art discovers Gwen's childhood diary professing her feelings for the only female knight, Bridget. They form a reluctant alliance. As the story progresses, they become closer and eventually land into being friends. I liked how the story addressed many modern problems (parental expectations, personal autonomy, etc.) in this historical-like setting. I won't give anything away, but I like how everything ended. This is a story that's somewhere between young adult and new adult in the experiences of our protagonists, but also very much as aspects of a coming-of-age into adulthood. Overall, I enjoyed this read. There were moments where it felt the story dragged on a bit, but it wasn't terrible. This is definitely worth a read in my eyes.