Not for the Faint of Heart

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents… Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher read by Kit Griffiths and Olivia Dowd

Rip-roaringly romantic, fast-paced and funny - discover the Sapphic historical fantasy adventure from the author of Cafe Nero Award shortlisted, YA Book Prize nominated and Books Are My Bag Reader's Award winner, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love

‘You aren’t merry,’ said Clem to her captor. ‘And you aren’t all men. So there’s been some marketing confusion somewhere along the line.’

Mariel, a newly blooded captain of the Merry Men, is desperate to live up to the legacy of her grandfather, the legendary Robin Hood. Clem, a backwoods assistant healer known for her new-fangled cures, just wants to help people.

When Mariel's ramshackle band kidnap Clem as retribution for her guardian helping the Sheriff of Nottingham, all seems to be going (sort of) to plan … until Jack Hartley, Mariel’s father and Commander of the Merry Men, is captured in a deadly ambush. Determined to prove herself, Mariel sets out to get him back – with her annoyingly cheerful kidnappee in tow.

But the wood is at war. Many believe the Merry Men are no longer on the right side of history. Watching Clem tend the party’s wounds, Mariel begins to doubt the cause to which she has devoted her life. As the two of them grow closer, one thing is clear. They must prepare to fight for their lives – and for the lives of everybody in the greenwood.

Critics Review

Exactly what I need right now – a delightful, heartwarming, hilarious historical romp, overflowing with queer panic and terrible jokes. I loved it
Alice Oseman, bestselling author of HEARTSTOPPER on GWEN AND ART ARE NOT IN LOVE
Fun and genuinely funny, with lovely friendships and first-rate dialogue. Gwen and Art may not be in love, but I fell for them both
Rainbow Rowell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the SIMON SNOW Trilogy on GWEN AND ART ARE NOT IN LOVE
A total, rollicking delight 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 and RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE on GWEN AND ART ARE NOT IN LOVE
Congrats to Gwen and Arthur on their permanent acquisition of my ENTIRE heart. Suffice it to say that I loved this book to a degree that’s slightly ridiculous
Becky Albertalli, bestselling author of SIMON VS. THE HOMOSAPIENS AGENDA on GWEN AND ART ARE NOT IN LOVE

User Reviews

Book 3.5
Narration 3.5
4.0
3.0
BeccaRodgers 15/06/2025
3.0
4.0
Some stilted chapter openings for Clem but didn't last long. Would have liked a distinct Midlands accent for Mariel.
Fast plot, well written but not quite for me (I'm not in the age range targeted so that's not a surprise)
ahbuggrit 13/03/2025

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