A review by ezrazoe4
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

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? Yes

4.75

Pretty good YA romance. I liked the writing style and humour, and the characters are fun. There was a slightly jarring tone shift at the end, but overall I still enjoyed it. 

I liked how Gwen was allowed to be a flawed mc and learn and grow throughout the book. It was nice to see how the ‘not like other girls’ mindset was treated by other characters in the book (negatively) and I’m glad she admitted her mistakes and started to change. 

I also like how Gabriel has to deal with his internalised homophobia and inadvertently hurts Gwen in the process. It makes it seem more real and grounded. Arthur was funny. I wish Bridget had more scenes, because she didn’t feel as fleshed out as other characters. It would have helped with the chemistry between her and Gwen as well. I feel like it might be because Gwen, Gabriel and Arthur all have backstory together, so there’s a reason why they’re so close to each other. Bridget is kind of an outsider.

The war was a big tonal shift. It went from fun medieval romance to bloody fight scenes with no warning. I don’t know how to feel about it, but I didn’t dislike it, so I’d count that as a positive. It did feel like a completely different story at the end, though. 


Overall, I enjoyed it. More queer novels please!
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