♡ Rom Com

♡ Royal Fantasy Vibes

♡ The Lady Gets the Knight (but make it Sapphic)

I loved the humor in this book.  The way the characters interacted was nicely done as well. 

When I read this I wasn’t in much of a mood for it but pushed through and ended up really enjoying it.  The plot wasn’t too confusing as some fantasy books can be, but this kept my interest.  It was such an entertaining read.

And the queer rep was better than I was expecting actually.

Spice Level: n/a

Angst Level: 💧(1/5)

POV: Duel, Third Person

Release Date: 28, November 2023

Rep: Sapphic (Main Couple), Achillean (Main Couple), Thai (Side Character), Biracial Iranian/White (Side Character)

For a romance book this was just not very…romantic. It seemed like Arthur only got a crush on Gabe because of proximity, meanwhile we never find out why Gabe likes Arthur at all. I didn’t like how Gabe got to have a D+M about his challenges, but they didn’t have a similar conversation about Arthur’s, as this left their connection feeling shallow. They just didn’t seem to be into each other very much (and no, I’m not referring to Gabe’s personal obstacle and how it impacted their relationship), and their ending was only really an HFN. The situation with Gwen and Bridget was similar. It appears that Gwen gets a crush on Bridget because of proximity, and we never know why Bridget likes her back. Their connection seem to be purely physical, and their ending was barely an HFN. The dual HFNs were rendered even worse as the author tried to establish them in the light of a tragic event which happens with like, 20 pages to go. I was just so disappointed in how lacklustre the romance was. I wanted to be swept away in a whirlwind of romance, historical pining and soulmate-level bonding, but all I got was a small gust of air. 

The characters themselves were similarly disappointing. I’ll begin with the MCs, Gwen and Arthur, whose perspectives we read from. Honestly, Gwen’s storyline was about getting her hand held by those less privileged than her as she realises that maybe she should use her power to help others. There was development in this area, which was something, but overall I found it exasperating. 

There was so much potential with Arthur’s character, but it was squandered. Arthur is suffering domestic abuse and (let’s be real) with alcoholism, yet neither of these factors are given the weight they deserve. I feel like no one talked to him properly about his home life; he never got that chat and chance for support and connection regarding it. Arthur also has an alcohol problem which he decides won’t be a problem anymore and then miraculously it’s gone. Also, his trust issues, which are set up in the beginning, aren’t actually a thing? When situations crop up that would trigger them, they don’t. Instead his character is reduced to someone who exists to support Gwen and Gabe. This is a poor way to treat any character, but is especially concerning in light of the fact that Arthur is Iranian, and Gabe and Gwen are white. (Please let me know if I’m stepping out of my lane here, or have read the situation wrong.) 

Bridget, Gwen’s love interest, is similarly poorly developed. We never get a sense of her as a person. Granted, we know what she likes, what she is good at and wants to do, but Croucher gives her no depth. For example, what is her history? Was she born in England or did she move? Where are her parents, who are so important to her? Also, we don’t see her just talk, just be, we only really see her framed by Gwen’s physical attraction. Like Arthur, she ends up existing only to handhold Gwen. This is again a poor way to write a character, even more so considering Bridget is Thai while Gwen is white. (Again, please let me know if I’m stepping out of my lane here, or have read the situation wrong.) Furthermore, Bridget has endo but this rep felt tokenised. If you’re going to give your character a chronic illness, then you need to show it as a consistent part of their character, not as something that shows up once. Bridget’s symptoms only make the page once when she is on her period (this book takes place over several months, by the way, and endometriosis symptoms are not limited to times of menstruation). 

On a more positive note, Gabe was the most interesting and dynamic character to me, and we didn’t even get his POV! I was so engaged by how he was torn between duty and himself, being so focussed on serving others that he didn’t even know what he wanted for himself, let alone allow himself to voice and seek those wants. I was struck by the ways in which Gabe set impossible standards for himself, and the lengths he would go to to meet them, including suppressing an essential part of who he was. He felt like an actual person with real and understandable reactions to the impossible situation he found himself in. 

In terms of plot, it was meandering at times with repetitive moments, especially between Arthur and Gabe. I wish there had been a little more direction with fewer random time jumps. With the writing style, I wasn’t a fan of the attempts at humour. I think authors think the type of dialogue employed here is unique when nowadays it’s very much not, and so makes characters seem generic. Also, it was just overdone in this specific instance. 

So given all the negatives I’ve recorded here, why the 2.5 stars? Firstly, because I found the book to be a comforting space to be in, in terms of the nostalgic European fantasy vibes. The political element was compelling. Also, I genuinely was enjoying it for a while, because I was expecting it to go places. It didn’t. 

Rep: sapphic MC, gay biracial English-Iranian MC, Thai sapphic LI with endometriosis, gay LI 

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the arc! 

Gwen and Art have a problem. They have grown up thinking the worst of each other and dreading the day the betrothal that's been in place since their birth comes to fruition. Much to their chagrin the time is drawing near and they have to spend the entire summer together in preparation for the announcement of their wedding day. In what may turn out to be a stroke of luck for the two betrothed, Gwen catches Art in a compromising position that allows her to see that they may have more in common than she anticipated. Could a mutual arrangement allow Gwen to follow her heart to the brave knight Lady Bridget who's caught her eye? Additionally, could this be a chance for Art to reconnect with Gwen's older brother Gabriel and find a spark that he never expected? Alongside all of this, is there something deeper brewing beneath the surface of the kingdom as the people gather to celebrate the royal tournament being held?

This was an absolutely adorable tale of young and unrequited love. Additionally, I appreciated that none of the main characters had things figured out yet, especially since they are teenagers and that's a messy time in your life full of self-discovery. This really shined in the candid conversations between Gwen and Art revealing that, despite what might appear to be external confidence, they are still kids and still learning who they are and how to navigate their new feelings. I appreciated the unapologetic queerness of this book. Obviously, the environment still wasn't conducive to straying from heteronormativity, but the characters themselves reinforced that there was nothing wrong with who they were and who they chose to love. I also didn't expect the sort of deeper lore of conflict and mystery and feuding factions, but it was a pleasant surprise as it wove through the novel, culminating in an unexpected twist. Overall, I think this was a great coming-of-age romance and I would read it again in a heartbeat. I can't wait until it's out and I can listen to the audiobook.