I've loved every Lex Croucher book I've read, and unfortunately this one just didn't hit as good as the others. Gwen and Art Are Not In Love was so so good that my expectations were really high for this.

That being said this is still a great book that I'll definitely be recommending to the young people I work with.

It's a wonderful fresh take on robin hood, but make it the next generation and gay. Some brilliant themes I think people will really appreciate.

If this could please become a TV show I would be very happy!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book

3.5 ⭐️

📖 Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC and the opportunity to read this book pre-release. All thoughts are my own.

Not for the Faint of Heart is strongly based on the lore and legend of Robin Hood, but very similarly to G&AANIL, it has more modern and funny twist to the story we know.

Let me start with saying that as always, Lex Croucher's sense of humour hits hard. Clem is the most sunshine (and unhinged) character you will ever meet, and it's just beautiful to see Mariel next to her, that's literally as grumpy as they come (and with a lot of daddy issues).
The secondary characters also are incredible and together they make the most hilarious and sweet found family party of Merry Men. I cannot begin to even count the amount of times I have laughed out loud for some stunt they pull (there's a lot).
On top of this, I was so involved in Kit's and Baxter's relationship I basically would read a whole other book just about them, arg.

Overall this book is well written and a very pleasant, easy and cozy read. It ticks a lot of boxes for me, I loved the writing style, the characters development, the tropes and, again, the sense of humour.

However I did suffer through the travelling, and well, there is A LOT of travelling. The parts I enjoyed the most were indeed the moments were they managed to settle for a bit. But, again, I found the pacing quite slow and the travelling just made it very difficult to hold my attention.
My attention span is not the greatest, I will admit, especially since adult life is busy and tiring and I really now need a book that keeps me glued to it.
I am a bit disappointed by this, as I was expecting a more exciting plot line, given the very promising lore.

Overall I enjoyed it, and I would recommend it if you're looking for an easy and fun adventure, but it unfortunately didn't alter my brain chemistry.

I absolutely loved Gwen and Art are Not In Love, and was so excited for this book. The premise was really fresh and interesting, following a healer and Robin Hood’s granddaughter in a kidnapping turned adventure.

I found the book hard to get into. The pacing was slightly off for me, making the first half difficult to get through. The second half was much better.

The characters were fun, the story a little bit different, but I prefer Lex’s other work.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Not for the Faint of Heart is an electric, fast paced, hilarious, adventurous LGBTQIA+ update on Robin Hood. I loved Mariel’s fire, Clem’s wit and growth throughout the book and of course, the gorgeous romance between the two. I’m a huge fan of Lex Croucher and this book is an excellent five stars for me.
I hope there’s a sequel.

3.5*. I was so excited for this book that I went to Sherwood Forest to read it. Also, as one of the narrators, Clem, is a healer, I was interested to see how that would be depicted and I was pleasantly surprised at the accurate medical components of the story. Although it was fun and I did enjoy it, I felt it lacked some of the charm that Gwen and Art had and was underwhelmed. I definitely think this would have worked better as a middle grade novel.

This book followed the Merry Men after Robin Hood, and sadly I just didn't feel particularly connected to the story despite it being right up my alley. The queer friend group of characters were cute, but again I wasn't as attached to them as I wished. I felt that not enough time was given to explore each of the side characters, who I actually found more compelling than the narrators - the side couple was cute as hell as I kind of wished the book was about them instead.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

A sassy adventure that leans into the Robin Hood legend and answers the question… What happened next? Well, a fun and fictional answer anyway. Thoroughly enjoyed the character interaction and the overall adventure.

"Rip-roaringly romantic, fast-paced, and funny" is so far from an accurate description of this book that I'm not sure if the blurb writer even read the book! The story follows Mariel, a newly blooded captain of the Merry Men, as she struggles to live up to the legendary legacy of her grandfather, Robin Hood, whilst struggling with some family truths.

Lets look at those three claims one at a time, and to remind you theyare: rip-roaringly romantic, fast-paced and funny

The characters don't kiss until 60% of the way through the book and it comes out of absolutely nowhere. If you told me that this wasn't a romance book I would nod my head and agree with you. But, here it's being touted as one of it's main selling points! If we hadn't been flipping between Clem and Mariel's POVs I wouldn't have had a hint that their relationship was the end game, and being honest it just doesn't develop. There are flashes of a great relationship but it just falls to the side with the constant pieces of plot being through at you.

That brings me onto the next point, 'fast-paced'. As Mariel and Clem navigate the perils of the Greenwood, including the capture of Mariel's father, Jack Hartley, the narrative delves into themes of loyalty, identity, and the true meaning of heroism. Or at least, it really, really tries. The plot is slow to get off the ground, whilst it might be fast-paced in the sense that they're physically moving from one location to another, nothing really happens of note for perhaps the entire first half of the book. There's nothing to grip you and draw you forward through the book, what little mystery and suspense there is doesn't become truly apparently until perhaps 70%. And here's the thing, you need to foreshadow things, otherwise reveals are vastly unsatisying. Readers need to feel like they should have seen something coming, else it becomes a string of, 'oh, I didn't even know this was a thing that could happen'.

And lastly, funny. I mean, of the three I'd say it delivers the most on this, but it feels a little bit like it's trying too hard.

There's a great idea here, but the execution is beyond awful. I'm so disappointed.

📚 review 📚
not for the faint of heart - lex croucher

it’s official - i am in love with lex croucher’s brain. this is much in the same vein as gwen and art are not in love only this time instead of arthurian legend we are in sherwood forest following robin hood’s granddaughter and her own band of Merry Men.

Not for the faint of heart is hilarious, it’s snarky, full of wonderful side characters and some of the best banter lex has published yet - it’s definitely the funniest of their books so far and has a lot of heart and even a bit of peril. personally i think this is for for everyone, especially those who are faint of heart.

not for the faint of heart is out in august and there is a very cute special edition available to preorder so get to it!
thank you @netgalley for the early copy



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I really liked this whimsical Robin Hood retelling. The company of Merry Men was fun, the banter was entertaining and the worldbuilding was really well done.

The romance felt a bit.. rushed and too slow at the same time? It took up until half of the book for it to kick in and then suddenly they were going full force at it? I felt like I had missed some queues here and there. Might be because this is a YA book and I am not used to reading those anymore.

Besides that though, it definitely kickstarted a mood for fantasy again!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC.

Lex Croucher does it again with this fantastically fun queer adventure through the forest with the Merry Men! Every moment of this book is joyous...well...apart from the bit where I cried...but apart from that, it's so much fun!

Clem, a delightfully chatty (though not thought so by all) healer, is kidnapped by the Merry Men and ends up on an adventure she could only dream of. Clem is a character that has quickly been added to my list of "characters I want to be friends with." An eternal optimist, ahead of her time and with a heart of gold, she faces everything that meets her with a warm smile. Mariel, is the yin to Clem's yang. A gruff, apparently emotionally stunted, captain in the Merry Men, tasked with kidnapping Clem. I defy anyone to not fall for Mariel. She's a classic "I just want to fix her with a hug" type and I loved seeing her character develop as I read the pages. She also has a heart of gold, even if it's buried, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep down in her armour. Every member of Mariel's band of Merry Men is distinct in their personality and just a joy to read on the page; it'll be hard to choose a favourite because all of them will capture your heart.

Often, when reading a book that involves fight scenes, they can either become tedious to read or difficult to keep track of. Croucher does a fantastic job of making the action feel immediate but easy to follow. One particular fight had me literally gasping over my lunch on my work break and biting my nails hoping for the best outcome.

I can't wait to see what Lex Croucher decides to tackle next. We've had the regency period, post-Arthurian, and now post-Merry Men. I'm sure whatever it will be it will be golden!

What better way to burst into pride month than with this hilarious, action-packed, queer-tastic work of art? It's Sherwood Forest at its merriest, most diverse and most fun.

A generation on from the antics of Robin, Marian, Little John and Will Scarlet the war against the Sheriff of Nottingham goes on and healer Clem gets accidentally caught up in it when she is kidnapped... by the most attractive, annoying Merry Person she has ever met. Flirty arguments, one-bed tropes and found family loveliness ensues, alongside battling the Sheriff's men for justice of course.

To me this felt like an updated version of those bright Technicolor Hollywood romps of the 1940s and 1950s, with Robin in tights with a rakish moustache and a quiverful of witty quips. Great fun.

“These were the people who always found her at the end of the night, who’d come to her without her even having to ask, and thought she was worth coming back for, even when she had fallen so far she couldn’t see a way out”

Mariel is the granddaughter of Robin Hood and daughter of the leader of the merry Men. Desperate to live up to the legend and impress her father, she is strict, serious and determined. Clem is a clumsy, outspoken, creative healer who just wants to help people and couldn’t be more different from the strait laced Captain Hartley Hood. When their paths cross, due to somewhat of a badly executed kidnapping, they have to find a way to work together when Mariels father is - also kidnapped. The fate and future of the Merry Men as we know them hangs in the balance.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this arc, I absolutely love Lex Crouchers books so was very excited to be able to read this early. One continuing theme in this authors books is a penchant for dry, sarcastic humour which makes you laugh out loud and has an uncanny ability to make you fall in love with every single character at a faster rate than usual. The Merry Men are known for being rag tag bandits and these characters deliver this in such a fun way, you feel as though you get to know all the characters well enough to understand and like them which is difficult with larger casts and its a perfect little found family you get to join. I felt at home with these characters and their love and warmth emanated through the page.

The plot is fast paced and keeps you engaged throughout, the contrast between the main characters personalities was brilliantly done, Clem is probably one of my favourites now - you will love her! There is a lot of action packed into this but it’s well paced and you never know what’s coming. You will laugh, cry and laugh again. This was a sapphic romance too of course and it was beautiful to read, a true grumpy sunshine pairing where walls have to be pulled down and trust has to be built. The flirting, banter and slow build romance in this was top tier. There are a lot of ups and downs in this book but it is a fast paced, wonderfully hilarious, romantic and extremely witty retelling that I won’t stop reccomending it.

Thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced and funny sapphic Robin Hood retelling. Can't remember when I last had so much fun with a book.

A cute sapphic romance, with lots of heart. Croucher updates the classic stories of Robin Hood and his Merry Men to match more modern sensibilities than the more staid versions I grew up on, snd she does she with heart and joy, producing a sweet, gentle novel that has a deep heart of steel. I’m not ashamed to say that this book made me cry. It also made me laugh. A lot. I probably stopped to read out more passages or lines or this out to my partner more than any other book I’ve read in a long while.

This is my first Croucher novel, but if certainly won’t be my last. Sweet, whimsical and cosy, this is a warm hug of a book and exactly what I needed right now.

First of all I would like to thank NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I recently read Gwen and Art are not in Love and adored it so was super happy to see the notification that I had been approved for the Arc of this book.

This is everything I could possibly ask for in a book, a reimagining of Robin Hood but throwing in a YA queer rom-com twist and this is just the perfect combination. There are such a good set of diverse characters who were all so loveable and gave the cosy found family vibe.

There is also a really cute nod to the Disney Robin Hood at the start of the book (at least that's what I interpreted it as) and it made me love the book even more than I already did.

This was so much fun, full of adorable found family and snarky banter, but also packs an emotional punch. Both of the lead characters are engaging - one for being innately likeable, and the other for being so obviously flawed - and the grumpy/sunshine romance flows beautifully. I particularly enjoyed seeing Mariel's growth as she re-evaluates her views on the way of life she's been raised with and learns to stop seeking approval from her parents.

If you don't love the group dynamics in this one then I'm sorry but you have no taste.

"She needed a tightly knit unit of trained disciplined fighters. What she had was infants, hentle giants and aspiring florists."

This was AMAZING! I loved Gwen and Art are not I love and I hoped for another cute book. This was not only cute but also full of action and it kept me up at night reading!
It was so much fun! <3

Lex Croucher has been an automatic buy author for me since Reputation, and they have absolutely not disappointed! Not For The Faint Of Heart has the wit that I’ve come to expect of Croucher, as well as a full world that I didn’t want to leave! The greenwood that the Merry Men and Clem are traipsing through feels alive in Croucher’s writing and makes you understand how much is at stake! It took me a little while to warm to Mariel, but then I got a gut-punch and if anyone comes for her, I will defend her with my life! The beautiful cast of characters like her company are funny, friendly and so lovely to be around… like every time I read a Lex Croucher book: I didn’t want to leave!!

This is set in the 1200s in Nottinghamshire, after Robin Hood has retired and his Merry Men have become more like a militia. I've really enjoyed most of Lex Croucher's regency rom-coms so I gave this one a go. It never fully grabbed me, perhaps because it's YA, which is not usually my thing, perhaps because I'm overly attached to my idea of the Merry Men. I'd give it 3.5 stars because I do love Lex's writing and characterisation – but I defos prefer their regency novels!

I absolutely loved Lex Croucher's "Gwen and Art," so when I got the chance to read an ARC of their new book, "Not for the Faint of Heart," I was beyond excited. Thankfully, it did not disappoint! While it took me a little longer to get into and connect with the characters compared to "Gwen and Art," by the end of the book, I was totally hooked and couldn’t put it down.

"Not for the Faint of Heart" has all the elements that make Croucher's work so enjoyable: a captivating historical setting that feels rich and immersive, a fun and cheeky narrative voice that keeps you smiling, and, of course, the wonderful LGBTQIA+ representation that adds depth and diversity to the story. The characters are incredibly loveable, each with their own unique quirks and charms that make you root for them throughout their journey.

I did notice that some parts of the dialogue felt a bit modern for the historical period, but honestly, it didn't really bother me. The story was so engaging that these moments felt like a minor quibble rather than a major distraction.

With secret alliances, stolen kisses, and some seriously bad villains adding tension and excitement, this book has everything needed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways, making it a thrilling read from start to finish.

I’m confident that "Not for the Faint of Heart" is going to take the historical fantasy world by storm when it comes out this August. Fans of Croucher’s previous work will find plenty to love, and new readers are sure to be enchanted by this delightful and adventurous tale. I can't wait to see the reaction from the wider audience when it's released!