Firstly, thank you to Ms. Lafferty for the opportunity to review her book! It was truly a lovely experience. As an avid Arthuriana fan, I'd been so excited to read this book from the moment I'd found her page.

That being said, what I loved most had been reiterated by other reviewers here. Vera, as a character, is truly fascinating and a standout character on her own. We know her to be Guinevere, but how she navigates through the world around her.

Without giving anything away, the way Vera navigates through Camelot after suddenly being in the modern day is very fun. Lafferty's writing is quick and fresh, and she gives a new dimension to each of the characters we know and love.

Overall, a wonderful debut, and one I'm excited to read again.

Rating forecast: Five clouds ☁️ ☁️ ☁️ ☁️ ☁️ with a chance of rain and romance. You can expect rising temperatures, armored knights, magic, and unexpected twists. A mix of fantasy and medieval realism with a risk of unstoppable nighttime page-turning, making morning travel hazardous.

Any author who takes on the quest of retelling a classic tale - one that has been adapted into countless books, movies, and plays - faces a high bar: either excel or fail dramatically. Paula Lafferty, however, absolutely excels.

The book opens with an award-worthy first line that sets the scene perfectly: “To the best of her knowledge, Vera was twenty-two years old.” La Vie de Ginevere tells us the story of Vera, an English inn caretaker who curses like a pirate — which I loved — and feels out of place in present time Glastonbury. When an old man claiming to be Merlin shows up and tells her she is Queen Guinevere, Vera is skeptical and delivers some hilariously snarky comebacks that I couldn’t resist highlighting on my Kindle. It turns out that she was the sole witness to a curse that is draining the kingdom of its magic. So she eventually agrees to go back to the past with him.

Here comes the first twist - grab your tea and take a seat. When freaking King Arthur himself lays eyes on her, he looks at her and goes, “That’s not her.”

At this point, I was so immersed that I wanted to step into the story and give Arthur a piece of my mind. I mean, like, hey, she just came all the way from the future to a place with no tampons, bras, or Starbucks coffee... what in Excalibur’s name are you doing, Arthur?

From there, the story moves like a runaway train, and there’s no stopping it. It’s full of clever nods to both the past and present that will make you feel a part of Vera’s incredible journey.

La Vie de Guinevere is a delightful blend of wit, adventure and cozy fantasy with a strong, relatable heroine and all kinds of love representation that will captivate readers!

Thank you to the author for the ARC copy!

WHAT!!!! Miss Paula pulled me in. Wrapped me up. Played me like a damn fiddle. And then left me wanting, no NEEDING, more. This is all good by the way.
I will be the first to admit I know little about Arthurian lore but damn if this didn't create a new special interest I will be riding for the foreseeable future. The characters, the story, the twists, the CLIFFHANGER. I am stunned and excited and needing this story to continue NOW. Sorry I'm shouting so much. I've never been so engrossed in a book that the author page jumpscared me but this did that in both the best and infuriating (making it the best) way possible. I am so thankful Paula popped up on my Instagram months ago and I took the plung on her Kickstarter. Please everyone go get this book when it comes out in October because not only is this author's story and how this book came to be so different and inspiring, this story grasped me by my 1600s era running tunic and will not let me go until I get 2 or 3 more books.

La vie de Guinevere

Book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

Summary: La vie de Guinevere is about Vera, who is living her ordinary present-day life when she finds out that she’s actually from the 7th century and she’s the legendary Queen Guinevere. And when she comes back to her time, she sees Arthur for the first time, his reaction is: « It’s not her ».

Review:

The first time I saw this book was on TikTok, Paula Lafferty viral TikTok when she’s writing all her chapters and putting them on top of the others until she’s completely finished writing the book. When I learned it was an arthurian book, I was like 1000% hooked.🙌🏻 I love the tv show Merlin and I always liked the arthurian story. At the time, I was like October cannot come soon enough. When I saw Paula comments about ARC and I was so excited because I knew that maybe I could be lucky enough to get it and I was.🩷 Thank you so much @paulalafferty_writes and @netgalley for this ARC.

More about the book, it was the book I was waiting for. 🥰 It didn’t disappoint one bit and I was hooked immediately. I was reading it like my life was depending on it. The storyline and the characters were exactly what I needed in this book. Lancelot was so nice and funny. He gave puppy energy haha. Vera/Guinevere was such a good main character with her complexe situation that she had to deal with. The pressure to fit in this new life was so real… 🥺 Arthur was so cold at first but the more you learn the more you understand where he is coming from. And for Merlin, I never thought I could be mad at him but I was. 😡

This story is so magical and compelling.✨ Arthurian retelling fan will be so pleased and happy to read this book. But I would totally recommend it to every fantasy lover or anybody who want to get into fantasy. 🩷

La vie de Guinevere is out October 29 and is available to preorder on Amazon and many bookstores.

Happy reading!

La Vie de Guinevere is the first book that has truly made me want to get into the Arthurian legends. Filled with complex characters, extensive world building, and an incredible magic system, Guinevere is a quick read, but only because you won't be able to put it down!

Vera is a modern girl who suddenly finds herself in seventh century Camelot and tasked with recovering her lost memories as Guinevere, the wife of the legendary King Arthur. The Camelot Vera discovers is far different from the one she knows about, and her task to remember becomes increasingly more important as the safety and future of the kingdom is threatened. Vera wants to help, but she feels inadequate to the task, and the clear animosity from her husband certainly isn't helping. Forced to find her way in a new old world, Vera must discover herself in the past and present and bring peace to a king and kingdom that may change history.

I don't want to say too much because I didn't know too much going into the story, and I think that made me like it even more! Vera, Arthur, Lancelot, and the other denizens of Camelot are well-developed with intriguing backstories, clear ambitions, and fun personalities, and the world of Camelot itself is filled with details that will make readers feel as if they're truly there. The plot is quick without feeling too fast--pushed along by the pressing threats to Camelot--and filled with fantastical elements that naturally fit into the world Lafferty has built upon the old legends.
As far as background knowledge needed for this story, I'm not super well-versed in the Arthurian legends, but that's fine; Vera also only has a basic knowledge of King Arthur and Camelot, and Lafferty does a fantastic job of sharing Arthur's story with the readers along with Vera and doing so in a way that naturally fits in the story.

La Vie de Guinevere is just a super fun read that blends modern day with legendary fantasy in a world filled with incredible characters, clever plot twists, and a cliffhanger that wraps up many things while also leaving readers eager for the next book. I didn't know this was going to be a series, and I'm already more than ready for book 2!

thank you for the ARC! it was such an interesting read. i'm not usually a fan of historical fiction/ fantasy but this kept me really hooked. it kind of subverted my expectations of the typical king arthur and queen guinevere plot a little too! i think lafferty's writing and world building is extremely immersive and was executed well. the cliffhanger at the end was illegal... i will definitely sign up again for the 2nd book's ARC! thank you for telling such a wonderful story.

Vera has lived in Glastonbury her whole life, helping her parents run an inn and being utterly . . . forgettable. But one day, a stranger shows up and tells her that her life is all a farce. She's the Queen of Briton, the wife of King Arthur of Camelot from the legends, Queen Guinevere. Vera is apparently in possession of some hidden memories that are needed to save their kingdom, so she agrees to go back in time to attempt to fix things. But life in Camelot isn't all she thought it would be.

I absolutely loved this book. It was fantastic!!! I cheered with Vera in her successes, hurt at her losses and failures, and screamed at the book when she didn’t realize how much she loved the King. Hands down one of the best books I’ve read this year. I can’t believe I have to wait so long to read the next installment and get my hands on my preordered copy 😭. I need to know what happens next!

Thank you to Paula Lafferty for this ARC! It was absolutely surreal to see my name in the list of supporters in the back of the book. I'm so proud!

The story has beautifully captured the essence of Arthurian legend and given it new life. It is told through the character of Vera. It took me on a journey through highs, lows, twists and turns. The pacing was great and didn’t linger or drag but continually moved forward while keeping me engaged. This story has reignited a love for retellings. I am so grateful that I was able to pre read this before its release. Thank you to the author Paula.

I gave this book 5 stars because it deserves it. And I cannot wait to read it an again and add a physical book to my library.

5/5

Holy shit, I'm in awe.

Around 2 years ago I stumbled upon a tiktok of a woman talking about Arthurian legends. More specifically, what if someone time-travelled back to the Dark Ages because she was, in fact, the queen Guinevere? I was immediately hooked and interested. It was so simple and yet brilliant.

Over the course of the next 2 years, I followed Paula on tiktok and followed her journey of writing and publishing this book, and I am so grateful that I can be a small part of its journey too and read the book before publication.

I have to be honest: I was hesitant to read this book, as someone who is not exactly a fan of time travel and hates amnesia. And I was very scared that Paula would fall into the trap so many authors before her did, and have them follow certain aspects of Arthurian legends and make it canon in her story. I was so relieved to see that she avoided it and delivered a beautiful love story instead!

I love characters so much. Vera is a headstrong, badass woman who tries to live her life despite many problems awaiting her, and Arthur, the myth, the legend, the everything is such a generous person who tries his damned best and he was hurt far too many times but who still tries despite it all.

Matilda's an excellent chambermaid/lady's maid and a good friend. Lancelot is known as one of the best knights of the round table, and here he's all that -as well as a cocky little shit whom I love. Merlin is stubborn and laser-focused and I have a complicated relationship with him, but I enjoyed his character too. Percival is amazing, I just love him and his energy. But my absolute favourite (other than Arthur) was Gaiwan. He was everything. I immediately loved him, which only grew with each page. He's just so good and kind and he tries and he's smart and... I can't wait for the next book to see more of him and the rest of the characters. The found family vibes were everything.

The plot was amazing. It was a slow read in the first 30% of the book, with a lot of unnecessary details at times, but it all faded away. The further I read the better the writing has become and I was hooked. I read this nook in one sitting and now I'm depressed that I have to wait for so long for the next books.

It had everything: love, friendship (oooh, this one platonic relationship was everything, i need a friend like that too), adventure, a good backstory, amazing characters, and a complicated but very interesting magic system and world.

You can easily follow the plot even if you don't know Arthurian legends. I know only the basics (literally what Vera does) and I could follow everything pretty easily. The references were great, and the author changed a lot of things in a fun and creative way. I was very interested in the story and the characters. I laughed, I cried, I screamed, I was flabbergasted and shocked, and I enjoyed the book so very much it was a pleasure to read it.

I- The damn ending nearly broke me, I did not expect t. I might have guessed one or two things (in a very vague way at the very end) but the rest of them were unexpected. In hindsight the foreshadowing was great, but they all flew over my head and I'm only connecting the dots right now. I'm very interested in the next book in the series and I hope they will answer the questions that I have now.

All in all, it was a fantastic book and I'm excited for more!

Thank you, Paula Lafferty and NetGalley) for this opportunity and for providing me with the eARC.

The sum of my Camelot/Arthurian lore knowledge comes from "The Magic Treehouse" series and Disney's "Sword and the Stone" so it's entirely possible that "La Vie de Guinivere" deviates from a beloved cannon and I a) don't realize it and b) don't care.

Paula Lafferty's debut is nothing short of enchanting. While it's a chunky 541 pages, I flew through it and was left wanting more.

(Seriously, when do we get the next one?)

Lafferty's voice is distinct, her characters surprisingly relatable, and her world building is impeccable. She manages to paint a perfect picture without miring the text in details or overly intricate prose. The plot is expertly crafted and the characters’ voices are distinct and clear.

And while, yes, this is a time traveling, quasi-romance, magical fantasy, I'm confident "La Vie de Guinivere" will appeal to a broad audience- even readers who are steadfast in their assertion that they don't enjoy fantasy or romance. This novel is fantasy lite (no flow chart or definitions list necessary) and while there is a blush worthy scene, the “romance” takes a firm backseat to the relationship. This is a well-rounded story to get lost in.

I will happily recommend “La Vie de Guinevere”and am delighted my library has it on order.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC, opinion 100% my own.

I loved this story and was completely won over with the world building and original premise. As a fan of mythology, romantasy, and quality time travel, I felt this book was very successful in balancing the plot, character development, and world building to ensure all themes were adequately defined. Nothing felt lacking or overlooked to propel the plot.

I felt Vera exuded the heroine archtype without relying on tired stereotypes. I think readers of Emily WIlde's Encyclopedia or Faeries and Discovery of Witches will appreciate her approach to difficult situations and thoughtful approach to romance and friendship. Although not a fantasy, I feel like Vera might need Anne of Green Gables added to her shelf because they read to me like kindred spirits. Sent into a new world, forging a found family, all while grappling with their own identities.

The author excelled in creating supporting characters with complexity and depth. Readers really have to engage to determine motives and consider if there is more than one way for the character to support their kingdom. Are they power hungry? Loyal and morally driven? I am still conflicted on several issues that I'm excited to see explored further throughout the trilogy.

I am still actually reading this book but wanted to review it already.
Growing up whenever I heard about King Arthur I thought "I should read about him. It sounds interesting" but never did. I found this book and author on tik tok and the way she described this book had me hooked! You could tell she really not only excited but in love with her characters.
When I started reading it I could see why! This book grabs you and keeps you wanting more. You can see everything that is being described in your head. I feel like I could be right there with the characters and care about them.
I am trying to take my time reading this because I know how much I will miss this story once I finish. I can already tell this will be a book I will want to re-read again and I can't say that with many books!

Solid Debut, 4 shining stars!

I have followed the author on Instagram and deeply love the Arthurian legend.

It felt a bit like the plot of Outlander at the beginning, but quickly took a much lighter approach. I was so happy that she found a way to add fantasy elements to the Arthurian story. And she found a way for a girl from the 21st century to understand how people spoke when she was transported back to the 600's (magic).

There were some delightful twists and turns and some heartbreaking moments! I particularly liked what she did with Lancelot! He was my favorite (literally no one is surprised lol).

There are many modern-day phrases and moments in the book, since the character was indeed from OUR TIME. However, they often pulled me out of the story, which is just a personal preference I think.

Would I reread? I would reread before book 2 comes out!
Would I recommend! I think lots of rom-com fans will enjoy this and many fans of modern Arthurian tales like Silver in the Bone! If you liked Guinevere Deception or Gwen and Art are not in Love, I think you should give this a try!

Thank you to Paula Lafferty and Netgalley for the arc.

I stumbled upon this book via the Kickstarter campaign earlier this year and when the opportunity of reading an arc arrived, I didn't hesitate.

This is a retelling of the Arthurian legend told from the point of his queen, Guinevere, with a time travel twist and some changes to the legends themselves.

I really loved the world and the characters Lafferty created and put her own spin on. The narrative itself was quite gripping and especially towards he end I couldn't wait to finish. And the romance between Arthur and Guinevere/Vera was very satisfactory. I love a good slow burn and this was on the slower side. Also the chemistry was off the charts.

I only wish that we had more answers than questions at the end. But that just means the next book needs to come sooner rather than later.

5/5 ⭐

Plot
After the sudden death of her boyfriend, Vera prefers a life of quiet obscurity, working as a maid in modern-day Glastonbury. However, when a mysterious guest at her hotel reveals himself as Merlin and takes her back to seventh-century Camelot, she is thrust into a world of legends. Merlin insists that Vera is Queen Guinevere, the only one who can save Arthur’s kingdom from a power-hungry mage. The problem? Vera has no memory of her past life as Guinevere, and Camelot's future hangs in the balance. As she works with Merlin to recover her lost memories, she discovers unsettling truths about her identity, her fractured relationship with King Arthur, and the curse threatening the kingdom. The secrets hidden in her memories are just the beginning of a much larger mystery.

Thoughts

I praise Paula's debut novel, La Vie de Guinevere, for its fresh and creative take on the King Arthur legends. I appreciate the new twists added while staying true to the source material, particularly the intriguing time travel element and fascinating magic system. While the world-building is strong, the book is character-driven, with well-written, relatable, and flawed characters. My love for the main characters, especially Lancelot, Gawain, and the heroine Vera, whose strength and vulnerability made me feel genuinely human. The side characters also made a significant impact, contributing to the story in memorable ways.

The emotional depth of the relationships, particularly the found family dynamics and the portrayal of an intimate, non-romantic relationship, resonated deeply with me. I found these elements to be touching and appreciated the balanced mix of humour and emotion.

Overall, I highly recommend La Vie de Guinevere for its mystery, humour, wholesome relationships, and deeper themes, making it an excellent choice for fans of character-driven fantasy and Arthurian retellings.

Thank you Paula Lafferty and NetGalley for sending me an arc!!!

Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first:
- I stand by my original assessment that I wish this was just a story and wasn’t a Camelot retelling. Having real characters/people to compare this to was a major disservice to Lafferty’s otherwise awesome story.
- I liked the story a lot, save for some of the time travel elements which didn’t feel fully thought out or well described, and a small bit at the end where medieval characters are tasked with addressing homophobia which was not convincing and largely I don’t think was necessary.
- I didn’t relate to or even really like Vera all that much. She was an oddly written character. Self pubs are a tough nut to crack and I hate to say that this book would have benefited from an editor, but Vera’s characterization was very contradictory and not fully fleshed out.
- Arthur read as a side character and ended up being largely unimportant to the novel aside from lending a command as king to make characters reveal pertinent info - another reason I think this story would slay if it wasn’t a Camelot retelling
- definitely spoilers now that I’m writing it, (here’s your warning…exit now if you don’t want spoilers) but there was something I hated so much about the twist of there being 3 Vera’s. Conceptually, I don’t even really mind that being a plot point. But practically, it was not well written. It ended up being a throwaway line to explain Arthur’s increased pain at seeing our Vera when she arrives. It read as a cheap character building bullet point rather than a staggering revelation which is how I believe it was intended.

Now onto the good:
- Lafferty’s writing has a TON of potential, there were a lot of bits that needed editing, but I find myself thinking about some of the lines/prose she wrote that have stuck with me since finishing the book.
- despite some of the elements I didn’t like regarding the way the time travel was employed, etc. The plot weaved by Lafferty in this novel was spectacular. I believed a lot of the story and the motivations of the characters, or rather, I would if this was a standalone story and not a retelling. I would really love to read this again with characters we’re not familiar with!!
- Lancelot was a boon. I loved him so much! He was clever and funny and loyal, really a spectacular character. He took almost all of the slack left behind by arthur’s weak lead character energy.


As I mentioned before, the first half was a slog for me. The world building was poor, and getting us to the point where the action picked up was a gargantuan task. I let days go by between reading chapters in the first half because nothing energized me to keep reading. After the 50% ish mark, I finished the rest at lightning speed. Once we got there, the plot was killer. I loved the puzzle we needed to solve and had plenty of theories, some right and some wrong. I always enjoy when an author keeps me guessing. If there’s more novels planned in this series, I will certainly give them a shot. I would be more inclined to prioritize them if Lafferty gets picked up by a traditional pub and an editor, but I will still keep reading even if they’re all self pubs.

Overall giving this a 3.5/5, verging on a 4

Perhaps my issue with this was simply a matter of expectations. I love Arthurian legend, and this (at least in my opinion) used Camelot and its inhabitants as a setting, rather than engaging with the characters and archetypes as they were written. This is probably a good thing, honestly; Lafferty breathes new life into millennia old characters, and in doing so, creates an enjoyable novel. The characters were funny and loveable, even Arthur, whom I typically hate. Honestly, it was a little off-putting for him to not suck a little, but I don't suppose I hate it. This was fun, and I would certainly recommend to fans of romantasy and retellings.

This book is so well-written, it hooks you from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. I cried, I laughed and I fell in love with the characters. I don’t know how she does it but it felt like if I were there, experiencing everything. I LOVED IT!!!

I love Arthurian legends and this is one of my top favourites. The magic system is new and exciting but not too complicated to understand. The descriptions of the town and clothing was lovely. Plenty of hidden twists and turns. I adored the slow burn romance. I zoomed through this novel. Vera is strong and quick to adapt to a new life. I also enjoyed the interactions with the other characters moving from strangers to close friends. Arthur, Vera and Gawain are my favourites. The pace was medium-fast.

Quick plot: Vera finds out she is actually Queen Guinevere of Camelot. She travels back in time to help regain her memories and save Camelot. But from what?? Why is King Arthur keeping his distance?

Can’t wait to own the physical copy of this book soon and will be waiting patiently (not) for the sequel!

Thank you for the arc.

Wow. This book was a breath of fresh air. Time Travel, romance, well thought out plot lines, interesting characters, and, beautifully written. I absolutely loved this book.