Not for the Faint of Heart

Croucher (Gwen and Art are Not in Love) presents a queer reimagining of the Robin Hood legend through the eyes of his granddaughter. As the daughter of the leader of the Merry Men, Mariel Hartley-Hood has a lot to prove when her father takes over following her grandfather Robin Hood’s retirement. After a hostage situation goes sideways and her father is captured, Mariel gears up for a daring rescue—provided that her increasingly complicated feelings for her cheery, chatty hostage Clemence “Clem” Causey don’t get in the way. Anachronistic humor (Clem calls herself a “five-star abduction” and jokingly refers to her kidnappers as an “all-star line-up”) and the modern cadence of the dialogue prevent this hijinks-filled historical romance from feeling fully rooted in the medieval setting. Depictions of Robin Hood’s anarchist mutual aid collective of Merry Men juxtaposed with Mariel’s father’s leadership adds teeth to this lighthearted rom-com adventure, which features explosively described fight sequences and a wealth of fun and campy tropes, including a slow-burning enemies-to-lovers romance. Mariel and Clem are white and queer; supporting characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 13–up. Agent: Chloe Seager, Madeleine Milburn Literary. (Nov.)