Lex Croucher’s novel, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love, has been awarded the 2024 YA Book Prize, a prestigious accolade celebrating excellence in young adult fiction. The announcement was made on August 22 at the Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF), with judge Alice Oseman hosting the ceremony, according to reports.
The novel, described as a “masterclass in teen romantic comedy,” follows the lives of Gwen and Arthur (Art), who have been betrothed since birth. Despite their initial animosity, they find common ground when Gwen catches Art kissing a boy and Art discovers Gwen’s writings about Lady Bridget Leclair, the kingdom’s only female knight. As they maintain a fake courtship to satisfy their families, Art falls for Gabriel, Gwen’s brother and heir to the throne. The story is filled with charming side characters like bodyguard Sidney and Gwen’s lady-in-waiting, Agnes.
Since its release in May 2023, the book has sold 13,823 copies, according to Nielsen BookScan. It was previously shortlisted for the Children’s Fiction category at the 2023 Nero Book Awards and won The Books Are My Bag Readers’ Award for Young Adult Fiction 2023. This marks Croucher’s debut in YA fiction, following their success with adult historical romantic comedies such as Reputation and Infamous. Their second YA novel, Not for the Faint of Heart, was published in August 2024 and features a queer romantic comedy starring Mariel, Robin Hood’s granddaughter, and Clem, a healer kidnapped by the Merry Men.
In an interview with The Bookseller, Croucher expressed their desire for the story to be “absolutely ridiculous, funny, escapist; full of things like seductive sword fights and terrible puns.” They wrote the book for their “teenage self,” hoping that readers would see themselves in the characters and their journeys towards self-acceptance.
The judging panel for the YA Book Prize included author and former winner Alice Oseman, FairyLoot CEO Anissa de Gomery, content creator Gavin Hetherington, and teenage students from schools in London and Edinburgh. Rachel Fox, EIBF’s Children’s and Schools Programme Director, praised the book, saying, “This is such a precious book! I loved every minute of Lex’s artfully crafted Arthurian world, which champions individuality, wit, wisdom, and a touch of drama. I can’t wait for more readers to meet Gwen, Art, and the others!”
