Not for the Faint of Heart

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for approving my request to read an arc of this book.

After devouring Gwen And Art Are Not In Love, I have been very eagerly awaiting this book, so when I saw it was available to request an arc, I didn’t even hesitate!

Not For The Faint Of Heart is a sapphic romance that follows the story of Robin Hood’s descent and a very gifted healer as they learn that the story you’ve been told, isn’t always what happened and that fighting for what’s right doesn’t always mean you need a weapon.

I really enjoyed the characters, especially Kit and Morgan. I think that this will be a book that will be beloved by many readers to come.

I’m new to Lex Croucher’s books but when I saw that this was a sapphic Robin Hood story, then I had to dive right in and it was honestly such a wonderfully delightful read! We follow Mariel who is the granddaughter of Robin Hood and Clem, a sweet healer who is kidnapped by the Merry Men. I adored the opposites attract nature of their dynamic with how soft, sunshiney and optimistic Clem was, while Mariel was hard-headed, stubborn and bold. The sapphic spin on a classic tale was so fun to read, especially with all of the familiar nods to Robin Hood but with a band of fun new characters we got to fall in love with and grow with— especially Mariel and Clem. The book confirmed that I need more sapphic historical in my life!

Not for the Faint of Heart follows Mariel, newly appointed captain of the Merry Men and granddaughter of the famed robin hood, and Clem, an assistant healer kidnapped by Mariel's crew, as they prepare to fight for their lives in the war for the wood. Clem's consistent optimism and light-heartedness is a direct opposite to Mariel's stubborn and serious nature, leading to enjoyable interactions between them both. These interactions were also improved with the help of a loveable cohort of side characters in the form of Mariel's crew, propelling the story forward and providing heart-warming, funny moments in between the scenes of conflict. As the story progresses Mariel's internal conflict forms as her interactions with the people of the wood lead her to question whether or not the Merry Men are on the right side of history, which leads to a satisfying character arc over the length of the book. The main romance between Clem and Mariel was set up well and was my favourite part of the story. I would recommend Not for the Faint of Heart for anyone wanting a fun, light-hearted, queer historical romp.

I really love Lex Croucher’s books and this one is no exception. It has all the hallmarks of one of their novels; historical setting, irreverent narrative voice, LGBTQIA+ rep and loveable characters.

This one is centred around a healer, Clem (with whom I immediately fell in love) who finds herself kidnapped by a rather young and inexperienced group of Merry Men. The other POV is that of Mariel, leader of said group and none other than Robin Hood’s granddaughter. Despite the high stakes (there are deaths in this book, and the situation felt rather more tense than the author’s previous novels), it really had a cozy vibe - probably largely down to Clem. I sort of wish I could be friends with her.

The found family was just lovely and reminded me a lot of the gang in So This is Ever After. I think fans of that would definitely enjoy this.

Overall a thoroughly enjoyable read - and if you haven’t picked up a Lex Croucher book yet, do. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Full disclosure: I began reading fully expecting to be a bit curmudgeonly about modern dialogue and attitudes in a historical novel.... However, I am very happy to have been wrong! Within pages I had been thoroughly charmed, and by the end I might have shed a tear or two.

This is enormous fun, but also hugely satisfying in the characters' development and love story. There were sections in Mariel's voice that just brought me up short - needed to read and re-read to revel in the full impact. Absolutely brilliant! I'm a total convert who feels daft for not realising sooner, and have immediately gone out and bought the author's earlier work.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing and showing me I needed this in my life...

When I found out that this was a sapphic reimagining of Robin Hood, I was interested right away! And as always, Lex Croucher doesn't disappoint with their amazing characters and witty one-liners.

We initially follow Clem as she is captured by the Merry Men to be the groups healer. Later, we also get the POV of Mariel, the daughter of the leader of the MM and the granddaughter of Robin Hood. These characters are just such a dream to read about, especially Clem (she has my whole heart and I adore her!).

This novel felt like a real change of pace from the usual books this author writes, and I enjoyed that! I will say that I found it a little tricky to get into at first but that's on me, not the writing/plot. And when I tell you I CRIED... omg.

I'd recommend this ones to fans of the authors previous books but also anyone who enjoys adventure tales with a super cute romance!

Thank you so much to Lex Croucher, Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced copy inexchange for my honest review!