Young adult Robin Hood sapphic realness

For your next dose of anachronistic ahistoric historical YA fiction, look no further. Croucher's second YA novel, this is a good successor to Gwen And Art Are Not In Love, but in a lower key, focused on Captain Mariel Hood-Hartley, third generation Merry Man, and the healer Clemence, called Clem, an experimental medic in a time without running water or knowledge of bacteria, viruses and anaesthesia.

Of course, Robin Hood wasn't a historical figure, so there isn't an actual time period that you could research and convincingly recreate in novel form. As such, this is an ahistoric historical novel, the language that of teens and yoots of today, the witty repartee worthy of a snarky BBC3 youth comedy. I'm not complaining, I'm just laying it all on the line, that this is a modern recreation of a non-existent historic figure and their time, so don't expect historical realism. Instead, you get two contrasting young women, Clem who is sworn to help whoever comes to her, and Mariel, a walking chip on a shoulder, trying her best to make her dad, Robin Hood's son-in-law, proud. And as you and I know, that's a hiding to nothing.

The peril is relatively light, but there is a little swearing and quite a lot of violent death, so this is really a young adult novel. Clem is a delight, and Mariel is a prickly so-and-so, but the romance feels a little sudden. Certainly an entertaining book, but Heartstopper this ain't, although your heart will break at one particular point (no spoilers).

Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.

Love it love it love it! This was a fantastic breath of fresh air. The writing was superb. The world building was lush and intricate. The Robin Hood continuation plot felt realistic and very fitting. Our mc's were joy and hell a tough and sparked beautifully off each other. The found fam of merry men were the best. I cried and giggled and involuntarily curled my toes all the way through and honestly didn't want it to end. I haven't beamed and snorted my way through a book in a while, wholeheartedly recommend. Can't wait for more from this author!
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for an arc, all thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

AMAZING!! this was one of my most anticipated books this year and it did NOT disappoint.

Lex Croucher is an incredible author. i felt so connected to all the characters, not just the mcs, and the setting felt so realistic. the romance was also well thought out and i loved them together.

one of the best parts of this book for me was the platonic relationships. there was so many amazing friendships, both old and new, and i loved them.

i highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.

Mariel seems to want to keep anything and everything at arms length, regardless of whether she likes them or not. I found it a little hard to relate to her because she seemed to permanently keep this wall up - even to the reader. It was a little frustrating actually because I wanted to dive deeper into Mariel as a character and felt like I couldn’t do that because she was so closed off. As the book progressed, she opened up a bit but not enough for me to be really engaged with her as a character.
Clem is a breed of her own. Despite being kidnapped, she is remarkably well-tempered. Cracking constant jokes and streaming out question after question, it was almost as if she thought she could annoy her captors into letting her go. I liked that we got to know Clem quite well. We saw her little quirks, got an insight into her past and what makes her tick, but more importantly, she was interesting and engaging for the reader. Her POV chapters held my attention the most because she was rather unpredictable of nature. That’s something I rather enjoy!

This is the first book by Croucher I have read but after hearing from them at a Victoria Aveyard tour stop, I knew their books sounded right up my alley. I think the overall plot was pretty good. The flow wasn’t too bad either though I did find some difficulty in keeping track of the timeline - how much time had passed overall. There is a lot of focus on the moment and what the future could hold that I felt a little lost in how long had actually passed. The cast of characters was rather great. The diversity amongst them was wonderful to read. A ragtag army banded together is always fun but Croucher did a very good job of ensuring their individuality and maintaining it across the story. The rep is something that must be mentioned. It is rare to see stories with such a large range of rep and I was so, so happy to see it! Hopefully more stories can follow in the footsteps of those like this and have true representation of many different forms. The romance in this story felt slightly stilted to me. There was a bit too much awkwardness for my liking considering the fact that both FMCs seemed to be fighting off feelings. But the general romantic vibe was lovely to read! The ending just felt ever so slightly rushed for me and concluded a little too abruptly. I did like where it was going but then it stopped and I expected more. I’m not the biggest fan of an open ending! On the whole, this book is more of a 3.75⭐️ rating but rounding it up to 4.

Overall, Not for the Faint of Heart is a book that’s perfect for its diverse rep!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day.

I received an early e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Lex Croucher (who I know is a very popular author) and now I can definitely see what all the hype is about! I absolutely adore her writing. The plot was fantastic. Clem, a healer, is kidnapped by the Merry Men, three generations on from the time of Robin Hood. Mariel (Robin's granddaughter) and her small company are the kidnappers, but they're not all that good at the whole 'having a captive' thing.
The characters are what really made this book for me. Clem is feisty and outspoken and I love how her sunny personality really makes the kidnappers warm to her right away. Mariel is fiercely loyal to her company, but wants to impress her dad so much that she doesn't always make the best choices. The way her relationship with Clem develops throughout the book is done wonderfully. The other four 'Men' in Mariel's company are also fantastic, and I couldn't pick a favourite!
This was an absolutely charming read and I'm looking forward to reading more of Lex Croucher's books :)

As always, am a big fan of Lex Croucher's books and this one was no exception. I wasn't as much of a fan of this flavour of historical fantasy novel vs. their other books (just a personal preference) but overall what I've come to expect: a charming ensemble cast, distinct and easy to root for protagonists, irreverent humour and plenty of queer representation. Big fan of the arm wrestling as seduction scene in this, very gay. I loved Clem - her chatty boldness and shameless vulnerability. Loved the central Merry Men too - another great ensemble cast. I found Mariel incredibly frustrating for a lot of the novel, she was such a closed-off (but well-written) character, but her dynamic with Clem I thought really worked and it was a satisfying ending. If you liked Gwen and Art, you'll enjoy this and if you haven't, I would always recommend trying out Lex as an author.

This is the tale of what comes after Robin Hood - and I'm obsessed with the concept, I love the story of Robin Hood, and the Disney film has always been my favourite (even if that does mean that whenever they mentioned Robin Hood in this, I was picturing a wily fox in a green cap). This was fun and entertaining, and so quick and easy to read. It's a bit slower to start but once it got going, it was fast-paced and action-packed. I think that with all the plot going on, the romance does become a bit lost - but I still thought they were cute and I loved the plot - there were a couple of moments in particular that really shocked me and upped the stakes. It wasn't as funny as Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, but I love Lex Croucher's concepts and I'm excited to see what comes next!

A fun and feisty romp, Not For The Faint of Heart is a right sapphic adventure that reimagines the story of Robin Hood or more accurately, invents a tale of what came next. Following the Granddaughter of Hood and her own band of “merry men” we are introduced to a cast of wonderfully quirky and inclusive characters and the troubles they get themselves into. Think, a somewhat accidental kidnap that develops into a grumpy x sunshine romance, middle age ambushes and PLENTY of sarcasm all wrapped up with the most wholesome found family vibes. My only gripe, the first half of the book started slow but once it got going, I really enjoyed myself! 🏹✨

I was really excited by the description of this book, I’m a huge Robin Hood lover so my expectations were very high. Sadly, I had to dnf after about 60%. I found it to be pretty slow paced and just couldn’t connect to the characters. If you are looking for a slower pace ‘action’ plot then this would be a great book for that! I think overall it just wasn’t what I wanted but I can absolutely see why others would enjoy!!

I have loved all Lex Croucher's previous books and I was looking forward to this one so much.

Mariel and Clem are fabulous characters. Mariel is trying so hard to do what she thinks will win her father's approval, but at the same time she has a really good sense of what she should be doing to live up to her grandfather, Robin Hood's reputation. Clem, apprentice healer, experimentalist and kidnappee, is so relentlessly cheerful and positive that she keeps Mariel thoroughly off balance. I can't help feeling that outside of fiction Clem's Pollyanna aspect would be thoroughly irritating, but here it is perfect to offset Mariel's over-seriousness.

Mariel's band of Merry Men are delightful, and where she is wary of Clem initially, they are (mostly) welcoming. By the end of the book you feel that they will go on being a tight knit group forever. This is a true found family, and that's a trope I love.

Lex Croucher always makes me laugh. She has a really good turn of phrase, and trademark delightfully sarcastic characters. Not for the Faint of Heart is no different, and I love it. There is nothing better than a book that makes you giggle, laughter is good for all of us.

It's not all fun and games in Sherwood Forest, and there are some interesting messages around the blurred lines between the good guys and the bad guys, and about how family are not always what you think they are. There is bloodiness, deception, death and betrayal. Actually it's astounding that the book still feels lighthearted.

Overall? Anachronistic (in the best way), full-hearted and a lot of fun.

This book is incredibly charming. We have unlimited sarcasm, found family, ‘i volunteer as tribute’ kidnapping, and sapphics.

The humour in this book is outstanding and if you’re a fan of the dad joke this book is for you (not that there are lots of dad jokes in this book). This is the perfect, light-hearted, young adult romance. It has it all: representation, humour, love, deep messages about life, and an assortment of characters you won’t be able to tear yourself away from.

Never have I ever wanted to live in the middle ages so badly. Oh to be a forest healer with a penchant for putting hats on foxes (which is the true travesty of this book; Clem deserved her happy fox with hat ending).

This was a super enjoyable read. Thank you so very much to NetGalley for the arc!

Mariel, granddaughter of the great Robin Hood is now a Captain of the Merry Men, she is trying to live up to the legacy of her Grandfather and also her father

When a kidnap attempt on a Healer helping the Sheriff ends up with the healers Ward along for the ride, Clem finds herself in the midst of the Merry Men during an ambush... and her Healer instincts kick in

Mariel and her crew keep Clem as a somewhat willing hostage (guestage to borrow a term from Buffy lol) but the way of things in the Woods in on shakey ground, especially with Mariels father being held captive

Can Mariel and Clem put aside their differences and help the Merry Men find their way...

I really enjoyed this tale, love the Robin Hood story so interesting to see what could happen to it as time passes and new generations come into the fold

Thanks for NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the review copy, out August!

Not as amazing as Lex's first entry - I may be biased, I LOVE A Knight's Tale - but frivolously enjoyable nonetheless. The perfect mix of grumpy sunshine and found family.

Lex Croucher's newest book is a fun romp! I'm a big fan of Queer retellings so this was very up my alley! Recommend!

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.