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!

Lex crouched has done it again!! If I could give this 100 stars I would. It transported me into another world filled with queer joy and merry men.

Initially, I hadn't read any of Lex Croucher's books and wasn't sure what to expect. However, I quickly realized that it possesses all the qualities of a great book: a historical setting, a witty narrative voice, LGBTQIA+ representation, and endearing characters.
The story revolves around Clem, who is abducted by a relatively young and inexperienced band of Merry Men. The alternate perspective is provided by Mariel, the leader of this group and the granddaughter of Robin Hood himself.



My gratitude goes to the author and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of this book.

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!

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...

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.

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!

This hurt to leave a less than wonderful review for. I loved all of Lex's previous, but this just felt like it tried too hard to be funny all of the time. It felt forced and over the top, and none of the characters (except Kit) were particularly likeable

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.