Not for the Faint of Heart

I laughed a lot. Loved the whimsy. Minus one star because Mariel reminded me of my ex

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.