Not for the Faint of Heart
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From New York Times bestselling author Lex Croucher comes a queer historical YA romance, with all the swoons, laughs, and heart-pounding moments you'd expect from a story about the granddaughter of Robin Hood and the girl she's accidentally kidnapped. ‘You aren’t merry,’ Clem said to her captor. ‘And you aren’t all men. So there’s been some marketing confusion somewhere along the line.’ Mariel, a newly blooded and perpetually grumpy captain of the Merry Men, is desperate to live up to the legacy of her grandfather, the legendary Robin Hood. Clem, a too-perky backwoods healer known for her new-fangled cures, just wants to help people. When Mariel's ramshackle band of bandits kidnap Clem as retribution for her guardian helping the Sheriff of Nottingham, all seems to be going (sort of) to plan ... until Jack Hartley, Mariel’s father and Commander of the Merry Men, is captured in a deadly ambush. Determined to prove herself, Mariel sets out to get him back – with her annoyingly cheerful kidnappee in tow. But the wood is at war. Many believe the Merry Men are no longer on the right side of history. Watching Clem tend the party’s wounds and crack relentlessly terrible jokes, Mariel begins to doubt the noble cause to which she has devoted her life. As the two of them grow closer, forced by circumstances to share a single horse and bed, one thing is clear. They must prepare to fight for their lives and for those of everyone they’ve sworn to protect. Lex Croucher's Not for the Faint of Heart is a thrilling adventure full of hijinks, found family, and romance destined to change the lives of the inhabitants of the Greenwood Forest forever.
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With Not For the Faint of Heart, Lex Croucher has firmly cemented themself as my favorite rom-com author. I was pleased to find that this book has the same sweet and adorable slow burn I enjoyed so much when reading Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, as well as a cast of characters that are all so lovable, I can’t choose a favorite.
Main characters Clem and Mariel have traumatic family histories that had a strong hand in shaping them into who they are as young adults. Clem is free-spirited, fun, and silly (she reminded me a lot of a less ditzy Miss Bickle, my favorite character from Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall!) with a passion for helping anyone who needs it. Mariel has an extremely tough exterior, trouble showing her emotions, a strong sense of justice. They have a black cat/golden retriever thing going on with excellent and extremely entertaining banter. The supporting characters (fantastic LGBTQIA+ rep, btw) are all lovely. I have an especially soft spot for Morgan, but I grew attached to everyone and did not want to say goodbye at the end of the book.
The plot itself is sooo good, so much fun. Mariel is Robin Hood’s granddaughter so the timing isn’t too far removed from the formation of the Merry Men and Lex Croucher’s evolution of their story is really interesting. It’s pretty much nonstop adventure from beginning to end, with a twist that made me gasp (which made the man sitting near me in the library laugh) and an event that made me cry (while still in the library).
If you enjoyed Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, there’s no reason you won’t like Not For the Faint of Heart. You’ll also like it if you enjoy LGBTQIA+ (specifically sapphic) slow burn romance, and/or adventures in the vein of Robin Hood!
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley, from whom I received an ARC of Not For the Faint of Heart.
Originally posted at librovermo.wordpress.com.
