NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
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15 August 2024 UK, Bloomsbury | 26th November 2024 US, Wednesday
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 captain of the Merry Men, is desperate to live up to the legacy of her grandfather, the legendary Robin Hood. Clem, a backwoods assistant healer known for her new-fangled cures, just wants to help people.
When Mariel's ramshackle band 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, Mariel begins to doubt the cause to which she has devoted her life. As the two of them grow closer, one thing is clear. They must prepare to fight for their lives – and for the lives of everybody in the greenwood.
"Well-paced, witty, and thrilling...A captivating, action-packed, queer reimagining of the Robin Hood legend through the sharp eyes of his granddaughter." - Kirkus
"This lighthearted rom-com adventure features explosively described fight sequences and a wealth of fun and campy tropes." - Publishers Weekly
"Extremely lighthearted [and] genuinely funny... works as well as any late-aughts BBC series." - Booklist
"This novel is a breezy, comedic romp...The adorable sapphic romance unfolds during a swashbuckling quest filled with thrilling fights and chaotic heists. Readers will delight in this story of two young queer women coming into their own as they wreak havoc on the rich." - Shelf Awareness
"Another entertaining YA historical romance from the author of Gwen and Art Are Not In Love, Not for the Faint of Heart puts a queer spin on the Robin Hood legend told through the eyes of his granddaughter and the girl she accidentally kidnapped." - Paste, "The Best New YA Books of October 2024"
“Makes me want to don my greenest tights and head for the woods.” - Lily Lindon, author of Double Booked
“I know I can rely completely on Lex Croucher for a book that cheerfully flays my emotions with one hand and makes me laughter-snort tea up my nose with the other. I had an amazing time with this bold and lively queer adventure." - Freya Marske, bestselling author of The Last Binding trilogy
“Lex has written a truly magical romcom. Dashing, daring and brilliantly funny. It’s a heartfelt tale of found family, adventure and love that will have you swooning in no time!” - Beth Reekles, New York Times bestselling author of The Kissing Booth series
“Hilarious and full of heart, Not for the Faint of Heart is Heartstopper meets Robin Hood and had me hooked from the first page to the last… the perfect blend of campy fun and arrow-through-your-chest emotion. Lex Croucher is an absolute genius.” - Holly Race, author of Midnight’s Twins
“A total joy! Combines heart-pounding adventure, a gleefully tropey grumpy/sunshine romance and a found family of loveable rogues with wit and humor to make something utterly delicious.” - Laura Wood, award -winning author of A Single Thread of Moonlight and The Agency for Scandal
