Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I think I preferred this novel to Gwen and Art Are Not In Love - Mariel and Clem are great characters and I loved the twist on the Robin Hood tale, plus great found family. I liked that it didn't shy away from the darker elements of the plot and that everything wasn't completely neatly tied up in a bow at the end.

Lex Croucher is really incredible at writing complex relationships, and this really shines here. This story has a deep emotionality and explores morality and philosophy in a way that is clear but intelligent. I really liked the diversity of the characters and the whimsy of the setting, it all came together well. I think I preferred this to Gwen & Art, as it felt more mature and gritty, which I didn’t expect.

I really enjoyed Gwen and Art Are Not In Love, so I was keen to see what the author would do with a Robin Hood-inspired YA. I came for the humour, the queer found family, and hopes of derring-do, and it more than met my expectations. While Croucher's books always have heart, I wasn't quite prepared for how much I would fall for all of the characters. I found it a little slow to get going, but once I was in, I raced along, and was so sad when it came to an end. And I will never look at squirrels in quite the same way again.

Sherwood: The Next Generation

Years have passed since the heyday of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, and Robin’s granddaughter Mariel is finding it hard to make her own name in the forest. It doesn’t help that her own father is now leading the bandits, and doesn’t exactly believe in her abilities. She’s sent on a simple mission to kidnap a local healer who has been helping the wrong sort of people, and ends up instead bringing back her overly cheery assistant, Clem. Clem just wants to help anybody, and she ends up healing Mariel and her little found-family crew, in more ways than one.

This is a delightful YA sapphic romance, a rather fluffy version of an enemies to lovers tale between Mariel and Clem. They are never really enemies as such, but most people will agree that a forcible abduction is not exactly a great start for a relationship. It would also be fair to say there are a number of recognisable tropes at play here, as Mariel is grumpy and emotionally distant, and Clem is a little ray of sunshine filtering through the Sherwood trees. At one point, there is only one bed (and indeed, only one horse). You can see where things are going, but the journey is so delightful that you do not mind at all.

It is not a tale without peril, so I would hesitate at calling this “cosy”. Parents frequently disappoint. People get injured. People die. Generally though, the tone is quite light, and Clem’s deadpan sense of humour at the situation she finds herself in helps keep things from getting bleak, despite some heavy topics. There is a lot of different queer representation throughout, and in this fantasy world no-one discriminates on that basis which is refreshing.

I have not yet read Lex Croucher's other historical romance, Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, but on the basis of this book, it has moved significantly higher up my TBR list. Recommended!

i loved the other lex croucher's i've read, thought they were fun!!! but this moved soooooo slowly, i sort of felt bored to tears. might come back and give it another shot, or try it in audiobook form, but struggled to get through it.

I loved reading this one! I went in blind and I was happily surprised! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

I loved Gwen and art, and this book really matched up to it! The relationship was so great, and the world felt just as in depth

As someone who specialised in medieval and children’s literature for my undergrad, now is officially my time to shine. I’ve decided.

Mariel is a Captain of the Merry Men, granddaughter of Robin Hood, and desperate to prove herself. Clem is a healer, experimenting with new cures that don’t involve leeches. When their worlds collide - namely, when Mariel kidnaps Clem in the place of her guardian for treating one of the Sheriff of Nottingham’s men - it might be Mariel’s chance to prove that she’s as capable as everyone expects. Until, of course, her father - and the Merry Men’s Commander - is captured…

In much the same way as other legendary figures, Robin Hood works best as the basis for adaption: we use these figures as a cultural touchstone through which we analyse our own contemporary situations. Much like any mythological pantheon, there isn’t a set canon of Robin Hood tales (there are the most famous, such as the archery contest, which are likely to be recognised within wider culture), and as such it is through the basic characterisation of Robin and the Merry Men that new tales are created and tweaked into newly reimagined contexts. Speedy scholarly argument out of the way, this is precisely what Lex Croucher does with NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART and, quite frankly, the end result is bonkers.

In the beginning, Mariel and Clem are very much foils, purely because the juxtaposition between them is so much more dramatic when they’re stuck together; the brooding and serious Mariel can’t be any more different to Clem, who is still chirpy and wisecracking even when she’s in the middle of being kidnapped:

“I mean - hi, I’m Clemence by the way, I’ve been kidnapped - why would it have taken months to find him? Isn’t freeing people from the Sheriff’s oppressive regime basically your whole thing?” (209)

Lots of people have managed to skew the definition of ‘romcom’ as anything which contains a romance as its macro plot, but NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART conforms to the actual definition by being genuinely funny, both in tone and narrative events, and mixes modern lexis and ideas into the medieval in such a way that both aspects are still compelling. The teenage characters all speak like teenagers - something which sometimes gets lost with adults writing for young people - and it’s great to see a range of ages of these teenagers, instead of them all being on the cusp of adulthood or freshly eighteen: the ages of Mariel’s platoon range between fourteen and around eighteen, meaning that there’s a wider teenage experience being displayed as opposed to the singular version most commonly highlighted on bookshop shelves. This particular platoon makes up a surprisingly cohesive little gang, a difficult aspect to achieve when working with ensemble casts, and each of them brings their own humour and drama to the plot as they go along.

As someone who studied both medieval and children’s literature at university, it’s also excellent to see how Croucher uses the medieval as a springboard to not only make references to older works without them being overbearing - for instance, the noticeable Norman-French surname of the Sheriff of Nottingham - but to introduce diversity, utilising key historical detailing to fight back against those who claim that medieval England was an entirely white and Christian homogenous society, up until the late Victorian period. England has always been trading with other countries (we were famed for our wool trade for centuries), and particularly with the character of Kit, whose family emigrated from Japan to England and are currently living in the urban hub of London, this is a historically-accurate nod to just how diverse England was at this period - though not remotely close to the multicultural nation we live in today, even Chaucer noted the sheer difference in the inhabitants of the capital at the time, and so it’s both a smart and welcome decision from Croucher to include these details. Children reading a medieval romcom deserve to imagine themselves romping around Sherwood Forest with the Merry Men - part of the widespread appeal of Robin Hood mythology throughout children’s books - and without taking a colourblind approach, Croucher demonstrates the real precedent for medieval demographics at work during this period. After all, if everyone else could schlepp across the world to fight in the Crusades, or Sir John Mandeville could fill up his entire BOOK OF MARVELS AND TRAVELS with his explorations of the world outside Britain, why can’t the reverse be true?

Mariel in particular is such a compellingly constructed character throughout, especially in her inner insecurity vs her outward tough exterior: alongside her desperation to prove herself to her father, creating a macro theme of living up to family legacy that runs throughout the novel, her relationship with her mother is also a really knotty interpersonal relationship for the narrative to dig into, and I’m glad it dedicates time to doing this. While she may be a Captain of the Merry Men she’s also a teenager desperate for her father’s approval and angry at her mother’s abandonment, placing her as a nicely rendered three-dimensional In a similar vein, Clem’s dedication to her personal values is such an excellent complementary theme - someone who will do anything to achieve her goals vs someone who knows precisely what they won’t do due to their own personal creed - and while she makes such a brilliant comic relief character, it’s equally so much fun to see her come out of this role and assert herself more in the final third. The romance is similarly really sweet as it develops, with both Mariel and Clem coming into their own as their relationship moves: in Mariel’s case, this is her coming out of her shell, versus Clem’s joining with the company and beginning to become an actual member of the Merry Men as opposed to their hostage.

Complete with fight scenes rendered on the verge of being cinematic and a healthy dose of medieval whimsy, NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART earns the descriptor of ‘romp’ as it rampages into the YA market: with a copy of GWEN AND ART ARE NOT IN LOVE sat on my shelf behind me, not to mention the announcement of Croucher’s upcoming dark academia fantasy from Gollancz, I’m curious to see which period they’ll tackle next. In terms of critique, I suppose that the only one I can think of is that there was no riff on the classic Basil-Rathbone-and-Errol-Flynn-fencing-on-the-staircase scene, but I suppose that’s a ‘me personally’ sort of situation.

*NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART was released by Bloomsbury Children’s Books on the 15th of August, 2024: remember to support your brick-and-mortar bookshops, particularly indies! Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun book I really loved it. I really want to read every Lex novel bc the ones I've read so far are fantastic and this was no different

Clem is minding her own business one day when a group of Merry Men kidnap her as retaliation for her guardian healing one of the Sheriff of Nottingham’s men. It’s part of Mariel’s plan to impress the Commander of the Merry Men; her father. That plan goes to hell when an ambush leads to her father and several other high-ranking Merry Men being kidnapped.

If Mariel can bring her father back, no one can argue that she isn’t worthy. Clem ends up along for the ride, first as their captive and then as their healer, growing fond of the group through her commitment to keeping them alive. Mariel can’t argue that Clem’s skills are useful, she only wishes she wasn’t so annoyingly cheerful as she helped them.

As the group gets closer to finding where the Commander is being held, hard truths emerge as plans go awry.

Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher retells the Robin Hood myth through the grandchildren of the legendary characters. I liked how Croucher continued the legend and made it their own, as they did with the King Arthur mythos in Gwen and Art Are Not In Love. The characters were interesting, and I especially enjoyed seeing a healer as a main character. While I grew fond of them, I felt that the overall plot of this one let it down.

The focus is consistently on Mariel impressing her father, and while we learn about the lives of the Merry Men, it feels like a very brief glance. While this was a fun read, I was disappointed that it didn’t live up to my expectations.

I really enjoyed this book! I I applied for the ARC after reading Gwen & Art by Lex a few months earlier, and did not regret it. Lex has a fantastic ability to write believable characters that grow and evolve at just the right pace, and their interactions with one another always work wonders on my heart. While this book did have some heavy themes, it’s lightheartedness was unmistakable and I thoroughly enjoyed the universe Lex built here.

From the book "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".

The story is centred around a healer, called Clem is kidnapped by young and inexperienced group of Merry Men and Mariel, leader of group and the granddaughter of Robin Hood. The reader follows them as they prepare to fight for their lives in the war for the woods and the romance that develops between the two.

A enjoyable read and recommended read as the nights close in.

Clem is living a happy life in a cottage, providing medical care to the local community with her knowledge of herbs and anatomy, when she's abducted by the Merry Men. Yes, THOSE Merry Men.

Not so Merry now after Robin Hood has left, the Merry Men are led by Mariel's dad - Robin's son in law, and their goals have changed a little. Clem hits the road with Mariel and her band of bandits and quickly becomes involved in their lives.

I thought this was a cute story - queer, easy to read, lots of fun and interesting characters. If you liked Lex Croucher's other books, you'll probably enjoy this as well!

As always, an enormous ‘thank you’ goes out to both the publisher, Bloomsbury, and to the author themselves for an advanced copy, in exchange for an honest review.

‘Not for the Faint of Heart’ is the latest retelling of a beloved British myth and/or legend by Lex Croucher, arguably, best known for ‘Gwen and Art Are Not In Love’, the title that just won them this years’ YA Book Prize! Congratulations!

We open to the greenwood, in which Mariel, the grand-daughter of the man himself: Robin Hood, is now Captain of the Men. But things have changed greatly since her Grandfather was at the height of his fame. His Merry Men are distinctly, un-merry and are instead, a crew of motley folks of all genders. There is a lot less ‘stealing-from-the-rich-to-give-to-the-poor’ and a lot more ‘every man for themselves’. But the terrible reign of the notorious Sheriff is still felt by all, and Mariel’s father has been taken.

The Men have, unwittingly, gotten more than they bargained for in their latest recruit (see also, kidnapped): Clem, the local village healer who, as it turns out, really isn’t the best at being kidnapped. She’s a ray of sunshine throughout and a real pain for Mariel… To begin with at least.

This was the first of Lex’s works that I had read, being one to usually steer clear of romance of any kind, but the millennial in me was longing for some of the Robin Hood, since the TV show ended way back in 2009 (for those who haven’t seen it – go look it up. It is super queer-coded and a lot of fun). I have since, added their entire backlist onto my Goodreads TBR and plan to try out some of their Adult Fiction, as I am eagerly awaiting the return of ‘Bridgerton’ – I am hoping this will fill the Regency void I have in my life…

It has a lot of the popular tropes: forced proximity, enemies to lovers, huge black cat and golden retriever energy main characters, chaotic queers, found family… It’s just so cosy and sweet. For me, it was good: a very solid 4 stars. It was a nice change of pace to read something I usually steer clear from, and I love the humour and sarcasm that Lex infuses the story with, but I was DESPERATE for a character list or log – straight off the bat we are thrown a bunch of names and I was having a hard time keeping up with everyone. Mariel also uses surnames as a way of identifying people, rather than their given names, so I found it took me a good 40% of the book to realise she was still talking to Baxter, or Morgan. It’s the only real gripe I have. And most likely, it’s a ME thing.

What I did enjoy was the reworking (not a retelling) of Robin Hood himself. This book is a big cast of queers, including Robin himself and I love that the author had played with themes of sexuality that differs from what we are usually taught. If Alexander Hamilton was involved John Laurens, why shouldn’t Robin Hood re-marry a man?

Chef’s kiss.

This was a great robin hood retelling i really liked all the characters and the found family aspect. The romance was the weakest part. Overall it's an easy read with simple writting

An enjoyable slice of Sherwood-era hijinks that examines group politics and family loyalties, while also being a mostly-charming queer romance between doggedly helpful healer Clem and brusque Merry Men lieutenant Mariel.

This is fun, pacey queer story set in the time and world of Robin Hood. Here, his granddaughter, Mariel, is desperate to please her father, the leader of the Merry Men, and be taken seriously as a captain. This is made more difficult when the kidnapping of a confident, chatty, brazen healer makes both of her tasks very difficult.
As a massive fan of Lex Croucher's other books, especially the perfect Gwen and Art are Not in Love, I couldn't wait to read this. I wasn't disappointed. The banter, slow burn, brilliant characters (Mariel's group are the best) and the twisty, turny plot made this just great reading.

Gwen & Art Are Not In Love walked so this book could run!

A kidnapped healer, Robin Hood’s descendant and her band of Merry People? Queer love, fighting familial obligations, bloody sword fights and a rag tag crew? Heck yeah.

Lex Croucher’s second foray into YA gets a thumbs up 👍

As per the LC standard this is very much vibes over historically accurate plot.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and have a good time while doing it.

5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Not For The Faint of Heart was an incredibly enjoyable read.
I had loved Gwen and Art Are Not in Love and was extremely excited to see a new release from Lex Croucher. I did at first think it was going to be something of a sequel and was actually glad it wasn't as this stand-alone story gave me so much more!

Building on the legends of Robin Hood, the Merry Men and the Sheriff of Nottingham - on the surface this could seem light just a light-hearted romp in the forests but it's infinitely more than that. Corruption, found family, the pressure of legacy and familial expectations, queer relationships, trauma and so many more were beautifully explored in this novel.

Clem is part healer, part scientist and a whole lot comedic genius with her sarcasm, wit and defence mechanism of making Mariel infuriated at every moment. She's a fantastically well-rounded character that had me laughing, crying, squealing and metaphorically high-fiving at every moment.
Speaking of Mariel, the granddaughter of the great Robin Hood is only a part of her identity and we follow her own journey as she discovers that there's more to life than living up to what you think a parent wants you to be. She's a fantastic leader to her cadre, almost to a fault, but at the heart of everything she does is a desperate want to help and live up to the 'Merry Men' name. When she discovers the...shall we say 'faults' of her parents, she doesn't hesitate to choose to do what's right for her people and those that matter to her most.

Croucher's writing takes us on a journey from a seemingly inept bunch of Merry Men to heroics and courage and heartbreak. Just like before, I will now be anxiously awaiting her next awesome adventure.

Lex Croucher’s newest release is another YA novel set loosely in the medieval period, but this time we're off to Nottingham to follow Robin Hood's grandaughter Mariel - a captain within the Merry Men - and her accidental captive, Clem, an orphaned healer.

The representation in the book is great as always, as is the characterisation. Croucher does complicated but just-about-loveable really well, and I have always loved the depth it adds to their stories. Mariel's difficult upbringing and desperation to make her father proud are relatable even if some of her actions aren't, and I loved Clem who was optimistic and pithy to the extreme - and had some excellent one-liners.

The scenes in the Underwood (no spoilers here) were so fun and magical. There are many myths and legends surrounding Robin Hood and the Merry Men, as well as a lot of folklore tied up in forests and woodlands which I thought was utilised to fabulous effect to keep me turning the pages.

There is a lot of adventure and action within the book which leads me to a fairly heavy content warning for dying and death - it was totally appropriate and sensitively done but important to flag.

As well as the themes of found family and the buildingsroman of both main characters, the sapphic romance at the heart of the story followed the trope of a grumpy vs. sunshine dynamic and was sweet, as you'd expect from a YA novel.

I'm never disappointed with a Lex Croucher novel and this was no exception! If you want a fun-but-deep read that thunders on horseback around medieval Nottinghamshire this is the book for you.

Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Lex Croucher for an advanced copy in return for an honest review. I will post on Instagram 22/8/24