Chapter 14: Gwen and Art are Not in Love part 2

Join us in this week's episode to discuss part 2 of Gwen and Art are Not in Love by Lex Croucher. In this episode we talk about everything from the importance of queer representation to Lauren's deep, dark secrets (she likes romance novels)! Please send us book recs and follow us on our socials @theRPHpodcast https://linktr.ee/raunchypowerhour

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hey guys, before jumping into today's episode, we just quickly wanted to acknowledge the

(00:05):
ongoing boycott of St. Martin's Publishing Company and announcement of the discriminatory
actions.
We hope it goes without saying, but we at RPH do not stand for genocide, racism, homophobia,
or discrimination of any kind and want to explicitly state our support for the Palestinian
people.
While this book that we'll be reading has distributed US copies with St. Martin's Publishing,

(00:26):
the author of Gwinnon Art or Not in Love, Lex Croucher, is not signed under St. Martin's
Publishing and has been very vocal about their denouncement of genocide and discrimination.
It is for those reasons, as well as our adamant celebration of pride in the face of publishing
companies that do not support its queer readers of color, we will be reading the copy of Croucher's
novel that was published under Bloomsbury.

(00:47):
If you also wish to support Croucher, please consider purchasing your copy from Bloomsbury
as well.
Welcome to the Raunchy Power Hour, a book club for discussing romance from the erotic
to the erroneous.
As always, this is an explicit podcast and contains strong language, adult themes, and
sexual content.
If you are sensitive to these things, we urge you calmly but sincerely to turn off your

(01:10):
radio now.
This month, we are reading Gwinnon Art or Not in Love by Lex Croucher.
This is part two of Gwinnon Art or Not in Love, and this podcast will contain spoilers
for the entire book.
If you want to read along with us, stop listening now, for God's sakes.
It's okay, we'll wait for you to come back.

(01:32):
This is our concluding episode of Gwinnon Art or Not in Love.
If you haven't already, please go listen to part one.
Yes, we'll wait again.
Okay, you're done.
Okay, cool.
This book contains things of violence, homophobia, struggles with mental health, including depression,

(01:52):
unhealthy relationships with alcohol, parental death, and parental abuse.
You have been warned.
I'm your producer Ashlyn.

(02:13):
I'm the fool that comes to dance and make the court giggle with glee.
Sydney.
And I am that one bucket of piss that's always in every single Game of Thrones episodes in
royal chambers because they don't have functioning bathrooms.
And specifically, I'm a little bit of that piss dribble that's coagulated and is dripping

(02:36):
off the side of this ugly, smelly bucket.
Now get ready to get raunchy or rancid, I guess.
Hey Sydney, I have a question for you.

(02:57):
I want a question from the rancid pee bucket.
Is a normal bodily function?
I have crazy eyes right now.
I'm watching myself in the viewfinder and I'm fully just like, it's normal.

(03:22):
It is a completely normal bodily function.
However, the way you described it makes me thoroughly disgusted.
However, what is your question so we can move forward from this little bit that you've created?
Yeah, no, that's fair.
If you in continuing the theme from last episode's question, where to be the ruler of, we'll

(03:44):
call it Sydney land, this fictitious kingdom that you have monarched.
I love Sydney land.
Sydney land's a great place.
If you were the ruler of Sydney land and had to make your first ever like rule change or
proclamation as queen, what would it be?
And it has to be uniquely flavored to like you just like anything you want.

(04:06):
You've stoned me into silence because there's so many things I would love to be in a royal
decree.
You were silenced, I'm afraid.
Yeah, I know.

(04:28):
In my royal decree, okay, here's what I do.
Hear ye, hear ye, all the citizens of Sydney land.
From henceforth, everyone must at least read one gay novel once, no, thrice a year.

(04:55):
It could be whatever you want.
It could be weird.
It could be funny.
It could be silly, but it has to be genuine.
It can't just be pornography.
I hate to break it to you.
Your royal decree voice sounds vaguely like your Trump impersonation from the presidential
episode.
Here, let me go.

(05:16):
Who is that supposed to be?
I don't know.
That came from somewhere deep within me and I'm kind of scared where that came from.
So Lauren, what would your royal decree be?
Oh my gosh.
I think.

(05:42):
You know, I think I would want to establish a day every single year where every single
year where all of the dairy and the milk harvested from our livestock is turned into cheese and

(06:02):
that cheese is used to eat Kraft Mac and cheese, which I will develop as good queen of this
nation.
Of course.
And yeah, nothing can stop my royal prowess.
And we eat that the entire day, the entire kingdom.
We just have a huge like mac and cheese like St. Mac day or like something.

(06:23):
I don't know.
The St. Mac festivals, you know.
Yeah, yeah.
And everyone just like, you know, fuck the lactose intolerant, right?
Like we just we all get out in a circle and we eat mac and cheese until we can even breathe.
Lactose intolerance doesn't doesn't exist that day.

(06:44):
It's only the night after.
It's only it's only the wee hours of the morning afterwards.
Honestly, I feel like all of our immune systems back in medieval times would be so delicate
that the first sign of like constipation per lactose intolerance would be like put you
in the grave.
It really would.
Oh, actually, I just came up with a better role to create for me.

(07:04):
Damn.
What is it?
Here you hear you.
Oh, OK.
Here you hear you.
Oh, lives within Sydney.
Everyone must attend the bar, Chapel Road, and they must know the H.O.T.T.O.G.O.
dance.
It must be able to go H.O.T.T.O.G.O.
I love the name.

(07:27):
I'm traveling Chapel Road back to medieval times.
Oh, yeah.
She's a bard, too.
Actually, no, she is a saint.
The Saint Chapel Road.
And you must know and you must praise her.
And just so I can have like a private audience and just be like, hee hee hee hee, concert.

(07:51):
Is she your personal court bard?
I have to ask like only answers to you.
I mean, I would love that.
But she's such a free spirit that I wouldn't want to keep her, you know.
I want to share her talents throughout the whole land, not just me.
I respect that.

(08:11):
I respect that.
Maybe we can combine our two days, mac and cheese and Chapparone day.
Yeah.
Oh, no, Chapparone day is the day before because everyone like it's really like is like very
like gets a lot of exercise.
And then next day is Mac and Cheese Day.
I fear if we do Mac and Cheese Day before Chapparone, everyone's going to be shitting
their pants and not be able to go watch chapel.

(08:33):
That's a good call.
That's a good call.
There we go.
But with that, speaking of like getting drunk and like shitting your pants, do you remember
the plot of the book from part one?
And would you like to remind everyone of what an art are not in love in the first 20 chapters
that we discussed?

(08:53):
Sure.
I feel like we should do like a time thing where we only have like a minute to summarize
the book, if anything.
Ashlyn, can you please pull up a timer for our dear Squire?
As she relays the message in Wonderful Tales of Wonderland.
In under one minute.
In one minute.
I feel like this ought to be our new bit.

(09:14):
Okay.
Are we ready?
Sorry, I have so many computer screens.
Are you ready, dear Squire?
As ready as I'll ever be.
Begin.

(09:34):
So, Gwen and Art aren't in love.
Follow Gwen and Art, who surprisingly are not in love.
They're actually two little gay kids who also love other people.
Gwen loves Bridget, who's like this lady night and Gwen has seen her like a couple summers
and she comes into town and Gwen's like, oh, hi, Bridget.
And Bridget's like, I think you're gay, but I'm not quite sure.

(09:55):
Anyway, so Arthur is Gwen's betrothed and he's like, oh, I hate her.
And he has to come to Camelot.
So he does that.
And then he runs into Gabriel and Gabriel's like, hi.
And Arthur's like, he's kind of hot, but I'm not going to do anything about it.
Anyway, going to going to like the next chapter, like they like talk and they like hate each
other for like no reason.
And as this is like happening, Gwen goes outside because she's frustrated.

(10:16):
But then she sees Arthur kissing a dude while she's sneaking a look at Lady of the Clare.
And then Arthur's like, hey, bitch, you saw me kiss a dude, but you were looking at a
girl and Gwen's like, no, I wasn't.
You can't prove it.
And Arthur's like, no, boom, I can't.
I have your diary now.
We're black males.
And now you have to fake date me so that we can both like be gay and do crimes.
And Gwen's like, cool, fine, I guess.
Anyway, so they're like both hiding each other all the while they're both falling in love

(10:37):
with like Gabriel and Bridget and like all these things keep happening.
Like Bridget being in a jowse, Gabriel and Arthur going into like the library and like
bonding and then Gabriel and Arthur kiss first in like the little bird area.
And then Bridget and Gwen do kiss until later, but that's OK.

(10:58):
And then when does it come out to Gabriel and Gabriel's like, no, I'm too scared and
gay myself.
So I can't accept that you're doing this to me right now.
Anyway, so Gwen is like sword fighting with Bridget and like that's all cool.
And then Gabriel tries to fight Arthur and then Arthur flirts and Gabriel's like, oh,
and runs away.
And then as this is all happening, Arthur tries to comfort Gwen and Gwen is like, I'm

(11:19):
so sad my brother doesn't like that I'm gay.
And Arthur's like, no, he is pretty gay.
He kissed me.
But she goes he goes like kiss Gabriel again.
But then, oh, no, there's an assassin trying to kill Gabriel for no reason whatsoever,
which is so weird.
But it's OK.
Bridget was there to stop him.
So the assassin, at least not Gabriel.
So she does that.
And there's like a dead man.

(11:40):
And as that happens, then Gwen's like, oh, I need to go make sure Bridget's OK.
And then Bridget's kind of OK.
But then they kiss and then everything's fine.
Two minutes and 10 seconds.
Two minutes or one minute.
Two minutes and 10 seconds.
I am howling at the way that you were absolutely blowing out the mic the entire time screaming

(12:07):
into it.
I wasn't trying to.
I was just trying to get through this as fast as I could.
I'm so sorry.
Listen, you were delivering it just like a squire would going through a mouth fuse and
being like, I can't hear you, everybody.
Listen to my tales of woe.
Brava, brava.
Cheers for Squire.
Thank you.
Squire said thank you.

(12:27):
Thank you very much.
Squire said thank you.
Thank you very much, Sydney.
That was wonderful.
Thank you.
You hit literally all of the relevant points and I very much appreciate it because now
I don't have to get back to I can explain stuff that we timed out for.
So that's good.
You're welcome.
I'm going to go catch my breath now.
Indeed.
While you do that, I will do just a super quick reminder of our main characters here

(12:50):
that you probably already gleaned from Sydney's wonderful explanation.
But before we jump in, we will start with Gwendolyn and Arthur, who are the two perspectives
that we will be jumping back and forth throughout the remainder of the story, as Sydney so wonderfully
mentioned, Gwyn is betrothed to Arthur, but they originally hated each other.
Now at this point in the story, they hate each other much less so.

(13:11):
They may be friends, dare we say.
And they are both separately in love with Gabriel, who is Gwendolyn's brother and prospective
heir to the throne.
And Bridget, who is a lady knight who is competing in this tournament and it's notable because
women can't be nice.
What in the ten book to liberal hail?

(13:32):
So you know, that's kind of a thing.
Other characters to note, Gwyn and Gabriel do have parents.
Where are they most of the book?
Who's to fucking say?
Running a country, I guess.
Really, really?
They're so YA, like truly just like out of the picture 90 percent of the time.
Anyway, there are other characters.

(13:55):
There's Sydney, who is Arthur's bodyguard and best of friend.
They get on.
Yes, not not podcast Sydney.
This is a podcast, a real Squire Sydney book.
Yes.
We are sitting.
Yes.
And then Squire Sydney's little girly fan who is Agnes, which is Gwendolyn's lady in

(14:17):
waiting.
Are you sure it's not Ang's like I was saying throughout the.
Avatar Ang's the last airbender.
We love it.
But unless there is anything else that my my lovely lady in waiting would like to tackle.

(14:38):
I can't remember anything.
I think I just forgot to point out of my quick fire review.
There's also like a lot of Arthurian lore, which I cannot do in under three minutes.
So yeah, just know that that's there.
They're in the world of Arthurian lore and they live in Gamelot.
Figure out the rest or go listen to part one again.

(14:59):
Absolutely.
Give us views.
Give us money.
Actually.
Well, money would be nice because we're not making anything currently.
Hey, they don't need to know that.
We don't need to tell them we're poor.
Actually we're indebted because we pay for Craig every month.

(15:21):
Yeah, we're actually losing money.
We lose money every single month by paying for Craig.
Well, actually does.
We love you, Ashland.
You know, it's funny, Sid and I have jobs and we don't pay for Craig.
Oh, well.
Anywho.

(15:41):
We are going to jump in to Chapter 21 of Gwyn and Art are not in love.
Now at this point in the story, the tournament is in high swing and almost said Gwyn.
Lord, I'm tired.
This is a great start.
And Bridget is competing in a jousting match.

(16:06):
Now it's important to know that Bridget previously did get beat to shit by a guy called the knife,
who is basically the like dog essentially of the king's cousin.
Not hugely important, but he's kind of a dickhead and sort of put her out of commission relatively.
And so this is sort of the first time where I felt like we really got to see Bridget's

(16:27):
prowess in battle because in one fell swoop, she and the Jyn advances on to the next round.
Now Arthur and Gwyn are sitting up in the royal stand, sort of watching the proceedings
Gwyn obviously cheering and being just really excited for Bridget.
And it is during the scene where Arthur susses out essentially that Gwyn and Bridget had

(16:51):
their kiss in the previous chapter.
There's a little bit of light banter.
They're like teasing each other back and forth.
And it's overall just like a really wholesome scene.
And you think things are going smoothly until later on Arthur finds out that his father,
who as we mentioned in part one, what gay comes without daddy issues, right?

(17:12):
It's bar for the course.
Arthur has a bit of daddy issues with his father, who is a bit, very just like a lot
writing on this betrothal between Arthur and Gwyn.
There's a lot of pressure on Arthur from his father of like, you must go to Camelot this
summer and make sure things go well.
You got to ensure our position.
You know, the Arthur Pundragon bloodline is like dwindled in us and it's up to you to

(17:36):
like reset blah blah blah.
Right?
A lot of daddy issues.
He gets this letter from him essentially doubling down on all of that and being like, you know,
you got to get closer to Gwyn and surprise, surprise you son of a bitch.
There's a wedding date that we are setting for you to at the end of this summer.
Now, while this is the arrangement that Arthur and Gwyn had originally of like, hey, let's

(18:01):
just go along with this and then pursue our personal pleasures in private.
I think it becomes a little bit too real for Arthur and Gwyn at this point of like, oh,
there's a there's a wedding date now.
Like this potentially is going to be the rest of our lives.
And Sid, I want to ask you, do at this point, did you think that a wedding was going to

(18:21):
happen?
I'm being completely honest.
No, I was like, I feel like something's going to happen or something's going to happen at
the altar, like at the latest.
Would you have been mad?
If they had gone through with it?
Yeah.

(18:41):
Yes and no, because I would have loved if then Bridget and Gabriel got married.
Oh, that's tea.
I hadn't thought about that.
Yeah, that would have been good.
But like at the same time, I was thinking I was like, Bridget wouldn't have done that.
That's out of Bridget's character.
If she were another like high lady, then that would have made sense.
But Bridget's like a knight and there's no way anyone would be like, why the fuck did

(19:05):
the knight catch the prince?
Like that pairing does not make sense.
Arthur and Gwen makes sense because they've been betrothed to each other, but like the
knight has like nothing given to the ground.
Nothing.
So would have loved that.
But I assumed it was going to be like something like at the altar, something was going to
like change.
They didn't have to go through with it or like something was going to happen.
So they didn't have to go through with it.

(19:26):
Didn't know what though.
Fully agree.
And I actually really like that idea of Bridget and Gabriel.
I think that's very spicy.
I was reading a different book called More Than Best Friends and that was kind of like
the setup in that book for like a second book afterwards.
Because it's like two girls who were like in Victorian England wanting to like be with

(19:49):
each other, but they know they have to be husband and get husbands.
And then it's kind of hinted that there's one person that's close to them that is gay
and there's another guy and they're like, well, what if you marry him and I marry him?
And then we just like.
Oh, that.
Put that on the list.
I want to go read it.
I put it on the list for us.
Yes, please.
But in response to author's dad's letter, Arthur is always the drama queen.

(20:16):
We love him.
I say that with affection and it's been like an hour, I'm pretty sure, like sort of just
stamping around his room being like, how do I respond?
I want to piss him off.
But in doing so, he also, I believe in this chapter, sins for some materials from his
essentially like wet nurse to her figure is my understanding that he wants sent to Camelot.

(20:42):
So in Chapter 22, Glenn has also received news that they are to be wed this summer.
And at this point, she's kind of been tied up for what sounds like at least a week or
two, just sort of like in the throes of wedding planning.
And really, she's sort of getting fed up at this point, like she's constantly being monitored
and she's literally being fitted for a dress when she's sort of like in her desperation

(21:06):
of like, oh, my God, I've been so cooked up really once or ends up agreeing to sort of
like go out on the town for a night with Arthur and co.
And it's important to note that it also needs to be her birthday.
His birthday, happy birthday, Glenn.

(21:26):
But yes, Arthur organizes a party on the town where it is him, Gwen, Sydney and Agnes, they
attempt to invite Gabriel.
Well, not directly, but Gabriel's like tied up doing, I don't know, study shit with Lord
Stafford.
Like there's just a lot of guards around him.
So there's like going to be no way to get like.

(21:46):
In a good way to get him away.
Indeed.
And party person anyway.
And so they are like, let's just go.
Arthur throws together a horrendous looking mustache from Lucifer the cat's fur and puts
on Gwen's face like they pull her hair up.
They try to get her to like sort of embody more like masculine, like walking and like

(22:08):
features and she's just like failing pretty miserably.
But they enter this tavern and you know, the scene is so lively and boisterous that it
doesn't really matter.
So much so that Arthur actually has a present for Gwenselin and it is Lady Bridget.

(22:29):
So freaking cute.
I love it so much.
I know, I know.
I thought this was really sweet.
He invites Bridget.
Bridget comes with two of her friends to this tavern and this is where pretty much her and
Gwen get to like openly sort of like dance and kiss and be couple-y because regardless
of whether you could see through Gwen's disguise, this tavern doesn't really, really pay much

(22:53):
attention.
Everyone's inebriated.
Everyone's having a good time.
And so they sort of get to be themselves.
And it's this really cute scene where Gwen gets to sort of really let loose and drink
from the first time and everyone seems to be having fun until Arthur just sort of like
goes away from the party.
He ends up sort of like straying outside a bit.

(23:14):
Gwen notices she goes outside to sort of talk to him and notices he's sort of in this like
melancholic mood in which as another part of her birthday present, Arthur hands her
back the diary that he took as collateral back in like chapter three or four.
And this is sort of like a show of good faith of like we've achieved this point in our relationship
or like I don't need to be holding this over you anymore.

(23:38):
And I really respect you and let's let bygones be bygones.
And this is really tender moment between the two that I actually really liked and it's
probably one of my favorite scenes throughout the book.
So while that chapter ends well, the next chapter doesn't necessarily.
There's another party that's going to go on in the following chapter, chapter 23, this

(24:02):
one for Gabriel.
Now this is a procession where I assume all the fine ladies of the realm have been invited
to sort of be like paraded around essentially and hopes of sort of becoming wives.
Why do I say wives?
They're not polyamorous.
Wife singular.
I'm trying to turn this into a whole new story.

(24:25):
Singular wife.
Singular wife.
For Gabriel, who again, this is going to be king one of these days.
Now Arthur catches wind of this.
And in fact, Gabriel's kind of been avoiding him anyway, just between like being like under
Glock and Keith essentially.
And they just haven't really had time to interface.

(24:46):
And being Arthur essentially, Arthur does what Arthur wants to do.
He gets insanely jealous and against Sydney's like admonishments of like, oh my God, like,
you know, we don't have to break up the party.
Like you could come to the courtyard with me and Agnes and we could like all hang out
and take your mind off things.
Arthur is just in a bitch fit to put it for lack of a better term and essentially storms

(25:10):
and sneaks his way into the great hall where this like procession is being held.
He sees Gabriel chatting to what is described, I believe, as like a mousy.
She's like beautiful, but like sort of in that reserved kind of like bookish way.
And on paper, it looks like they should be a perfect match.

(25:32):
And I think it's almost like riles Arthur up a little more.
And Gabriel, funnily enough, is actually not having any of it.
He's not inviting this woman to dance, not really like kind of picking up on anything
she's putting down.
But nonetheless, Arthur is still jealous.
And so he kind of like gets our sorry, Gabriel on his own at some point, as they're standing

(25:53):
near Lord Stafford, who just for the record is sort of like I don't actually know his
title.
Like what he is to the king.
He's an advisor to the king.
He's been consulting a lot on these like brewing, like talks of uprising among the Arthurian
cultists being helmed by this cousin, Lord Willard, sorry, of the king.

(26:17):
And so he spends a lot of time with Gabriel, the king and whatnot.
And he's made a few appearances throughout the story at this point.
Now they're all talking and you know, Gabriel's kind of being in what is an emo gay panic?
Is that what we're calling it?
Very much emo gay panic, like emo library gay panic.

(26:40):
This perfect description.
He's an emo gay panic and he's kind of like, like, please leave me alone.
Please don't talk to me.
Do you have anything better to do, yada yada.
In this whole back and forth, Arthur ends up telling Lord Stafford that Gabriel is like
this really smart and has a lot of potential for a king and that Lord Stafford is just

(27:05):
not listening to him and all these brilliant ideas that he has, such as wanting to divert
some funds from, you know, essentially military into turning like this like tower into like
an education center and teaching normal civilians how to read.
And he does this in good faith, you know, just putting that out there, does it in good

(27:25):
faith and then takes off after Gabriel.
Actually, no, just kidding.
Sorry.
He takes off after the woman Gabriel was talking with, gives her a little whirl around the
dance floor and then says, come outside with me, knowing that this will perturb Gabriel,
who then comes after them.
And they have an exchange, the girl is dismissed and it gets really heated.

(27:48):
Arthur sort of like his ego is a little bit injured and he was really upset with how like
Gabriel is very obviously pushing him away.
Basically, it's a whole lot of talk of like duty.
You know, I'm duty bound.
I can't be doing this with you.
I'm supposed to take a wife, yada yada.
And it's then where we learn that Arthur papers letters that he is unearthed from his, I guess,

(28:11):
like father's collection.
That is an exchange between Sir Lancelot and Arthur Pendragon that seems very romantically
charged in nature.
Larry.
If that were the case, sorry, this is me going into what I know about Arthurian lore, then

(28:31):
that means Gwendolin, Arthur and Lancelot would have been like the best rumple.
But that also then defeats, but then that also defeats like the whole ending of the
story, which is like the whole battle because like Lancelot takes Gwynevere like away and

(28:52):
stuff.
Then like they basically fight over her.
And then I think, no, Arthur doesn't kill Lancelot, but I think Lancelot like goes off
and like lives his rest of his life in sorrow or something.
I don't remember.
Interesting.
Yeah.
I can't remember in this book.
So in Gwyn and our not in love, they make a reference to.

(29:14):
Is it Gwynevere in this book?
Gwynevere liking Lancelot and like, yes, is that true?
Okay.
Yes.
In the original lore, that is like the whole thing is that Lancelot and Gwynevere were
also in love.
So Gwynevere loved Arthur, but she also fell in love with Lancelot.

(29:37):
And basically when Gwynevere ran off with Lancelot, Arthur was deeply hurt because not
only was it his best friend, it was also his wife and da da da.
This is T. How do you feel about this like spin on the story then?
I don't mind it.
I kind of like to view then what happened is that King Arthur and Lancelot just gotten

(29:59):
to a really bad lovers spat and Gwynevere was just kind of forced to pick sides.
And she was just like, I guess I'm just going to go with Lancelot and let Arthur cool down.
And then things kind of blew up.
I'm conflicted.
I'm conflicted about the letters.
How so?

(30:21):
It's like a very convenient plot point.
I'll be honest.
I feel like there could have been something different.
I think I agree.
Yeah, I think I agree.

(30:47):
So if this were in a more adult book, if this were in more adult, if this was not in a YA
book, I would be shitting on this so much harder.
But because this is a YA book, I'm going to let it slide.
Yeah, there's a term that I'm actually looking for right now and I can't seem to find it,

(31:12):
but it's that term where you bring something up within a story or a piece of media that
was not present in the plot before and there was no real illusions to it.
And then have it out of nowhere to sort of solve an issue or to create a solution to
an issue.
I don't know if this is quite.

(31:35):
Yes, thank you.
Thank you.
That's exactly what it is.
And this I don't think is 100% that, but it definitely has like the undertones of that
because I'm with you.
There wasn't a whole lot of like, I feel like I had introduced this concept a little earlier
on or like alluded to it in some way.
And maybe it was like, I don't know if this is just very cheap on the nose, but like,

(31:55):
you know, a portrait of Arthur Penn Dragon somewhere where like Lancelot has, you know,
like staring at him in a certain way or like whatever.
Like his hand on his shoulder and it's just like viewed as like, you know, a knight protecting
his king where it's like, oh, that made best friends, roommates, anything but love.

(32:16):
History hits lovers.
Yes, I fully agree.
Yeah, I think because at this point, I'm fairly certain this is the first mention of Lancelot
in the entire book.
Lancelot was mentioned, but like Lancelot was mentioned, but it was more like, yeah, I have
way too many cousins named Arthur, Lancelot, Gawain and all of that.
And it's like, yeah, funny.

(32:39):
But yeah, I think this is the first introduction of his character.
Agreed, agreed.
I'm right there with you.
I would have, yeah, it just, so the other reason that bothers me is again, going back
to like the Arthurian lore.
I don't know, it's one of those situations and it's one of those plot points in and this

(33:03):
is just like the sad point about it.
It's like it's too, especially when it comes to these queer romances, sometimes things
like just work out for convenience sake and like something is gay, but it's like, but
it probably wasn't, you know, that makes sense.
It's too good to be true.
And it bends the reality too much for me and it kind of loses me.

(33:24):
But at the same time, here's the thing, the reason I'm not, again, I'm not going to hate
on this plot point too hard is because again, this is a YA novel.
The target audience for this book is not me.
I'm a 24 year old woman.
I am not a 14 year old girl reading this.

(33:45):
And if I was a teenager, a teenage girl reading this, I wish we had this book when I, when
we, this, when it was our age, you know?
So is the plot point a little juvenile?
Yes.
But that's the book demographic and the target audience.
So I'm not going to shit on it super hard.

(34:08):
Again, if this were targeted towards our age, then I'd be like, what the fuck was that?
I'm with you.
It is giving much very like, I told you with a friend that I was reading this book where
I was like, I actually don't read a lot of queer YA books simply because of tropes like
that, where it's very much like everyone and everything is gay for the sake of plot.

(34:31):
And it's like, well, it sometimes it feels like a little overbearing.
This sounds very Republican of me.
I promise I'm not, but like, you know what I mean?
Where it's just very much like that rainbow washing, I think a bit of like, everything
is this way.
And sometimes to me that isn't ever like, like you said, the realism I think is lost
on me and this sort of gives me a similar taste of like, because I would almost rather

(34:54):
Gabriel come to his own conclusion of like, I can be the king than I want to be.
And I can be gay because that's me, not because Arthur Penn Dragon did it.
If that makes sense.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Because like, I know.
So by the end of the book, he's like, yeah, I'm going to be the man I want to be in all
that and I'm going to be the king I want to be and I should fight for something and this

(35:16):
is going to be something I fight for.
It just, it does feel slightly less genuine because he's like, but also because Arthur
Penn Dragon did it and it's like, but yeah.
Yeah.
It's just, I wish there were, there's a different plot device because unfortunately I think
the reason this also just is just a little sour is that a lot of the rest of the like

(35:39):
plot in this book depends on these random letters, which have just been found.
Yes.
Yes.
So I, I, I kind of also would have wished Gabriel would have had that moment independently
and finally stepped back and be like, I am not King Arthur.

(36:00):
I don't want to be him.
I want to be Gabriel, King Gabriel.
And by me being me, I'm gay.
I'm a gay king.
Slay.
Your enemies.
Exactly.
Slay.
Your enemies.

(36:21):
Slay.
Yes.
Speaking of these, how was it said again?
Ashlyn Dasis Machina.
Deus Ex Machina.
Deus Ex Machina.
Lauren, you should know that that's like your favorite.
That's like your favorite group of D&D characters.

(36:43):
I know.
I know.
Vox Machina.
I know that every time I hear it.
But speaking of this, Gabriel brings said letters to Gwyn after him and Arthur have
that row.
It's a very heated exchange or author storms off kind of like pushing the letters into
his chest or whatnot.
Gabriel brings the letters to Gwyn.
They sort of pour over them and they're like, oh my God, I've never heard of this.

(37:05):
Like maybe the rest of these were burned.
This is only from Lancelot side.
Like, but it sounds reciprocated.
Like I wonder if, you know, yada yada, right?
They essentially make some jokes about like, oh, you know, this has been around for a while
and stuff has just been lost or burned, you know, and intentionally gotten rid of.
Like this could be wonderful for like getting this kingdom in this country like back on

(37:31):
track and like, you know, this could go over well with the cultists and like, you know,
so on and so forth.
Right.
And now they're having this discussion when I believe it was like essentially during this
scene or like later that day, they hear a whole lot of like commotion coming from outside

(37:51):
and find that Arthur had gotten jumped by a group of boys outside of a tavern that he
had gone to following the argument with Gabriel.
Yeah.
And so we're big trigger warning here, guys, for like hate crimes and violence against
gay people.
So if you're not comfortable with that, unfortunately, that's like the next couple chapters and you're

(38:14):
uncomfortable.
It's okay.
We'll see you next time.
You can jump off here.
For sure.
Essentially the understanding of the events is that Michael, who was kind of like a dog
handler, like some kind of, you know, court servant.
He was the boy Arthur was kissing at the beginning of the book.
Yes.
Yes.

(38:35):
And he had had, you know, with Arthur.
I thought it was Mitchell.
It might be Mitchell.
Yeah, it's Mitchell.
Whoops.
Okay.
So Gwen refers to him as like Michael or something at the beginning.
She doesn't know his name.
It's Mitchell.
We find.
M-boy.
The boy Arthur was kissing.
Let's just refer to him as that.
It doesn't matter.

(38:55):
You're right.
The boy Arthur was kissing.
They kiss again or go to kiss again, rather, outside of this tavern.
And that is when he gets attacked.
Arthur is pretty much like completely out of it at this point.
You know, he is got some ribs that have been cracked.

(39:16):
He's bleeding profusely.
You know, he's very banged up and just like barely hanging onto a shred of consciousness.
Sydney had dragged him back from the tavern.
He had been keeping watch inside the tavern while Arthur went out with this kid.
And didn't, you know, didn't realize until it was already too late.
The group is together in the hallway.

(39:38):
Bridget comes walking up on this scene where Arthur is like splayed out in the hallway.
She asks like, you know, what's going on?
They tell her and she sort of has this like moment, this like cross across her face of
like almost like recognition.
And then she goes, I'll be back very like ominously and then just exit stage right.
I love her.

(39:58):
I love her for that.
I love her so much for that.
I do too.
It was a good scene.
Now.
Chapter 25.
Essentially, in the course of this chapter, a month elapses.
Yeah.
Arthur is in bad shape, so much so that they do not think he's going to make it.

(40:20):
We are in his perspective for this chapter.
So it's like an amalgamation of like these blips of time.
And so for a bit of it, you kind of like don't really know sort of where we're at in the
plot, and it's only until he really comes to that we find out it's it's been a month.
And there's little vignettes here of like, you know, when sort of like laying next to

(40:41):
him on this bed and like helping him, Sydney has barely slept, always like slumping in
this chair.
Agnes has stayed with Sydney a little bit and Gabriel, most notably, has been coming
in but is a lot more.
You can tell he's guilt written, put it that way.
He's extremely guilt written.

(41:02):
He just kind of always has this really like pinched pence of face when he's there.
And there's a moment in one of these vignettes where Arthur sort of like comes to for a bit.
And Gabriel is there and tells him it's been two weeks since the attack.
And you know, Arthur can't believe it.

(41:22):
And I think like almost like fear sort of overcomes him as he's like slipping back into
unconsciousness.
And he's telling Gabriel, like, you know, stay with me.
Like, don't go, don't go, don't go.
This broke my heart.
I know.
I know.
He's like holding his hand and just blacks out.
Yeah.
Oh, I'm tearing up a little bit.
That broke my heart.

(41:43):
Mm hmm.
Yeah.
Oh, the angst.
The angst.
It was so good.
I was like my A03 days.
It's such good angst.
It's so good.
It's what I needed.
So much sweetness, no angst.
I know.
Meanwhile, the whole friend group is just being very affected by this.
There's a point where Arthur gets a fever.

(42:05):
They like really have to like shave his head, you know, and he they don't know if he's going
to pull through.
And this is really taking a toll on all of them.
But we are back in Gwen's perspective.
And she's in her chambers, pretty much a nervous wreck.
And Bridget, you know, comes in.
And you know, it's sort of this like unspoken understanding that I guess over the past month,

(42:27):
Bridget has been there sort of as an emotional support for Gwen.
And meanwhile, has also been kicking ass in the tournament.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Hell yeah.
She's made it as a finalist.
Or in the final round of combat.
I don't know how to turn it works.
She's the final round and jousting.
Yes.
And, you know, Gwen is trying to be like happy for her.

(42:49):
We'll also like reconcile with like Arthur may not even make it.
And they have this moment where it's the two of them in the chambers.
They're laying on the bed together, sort of like consoling and comforting each other when
they start delving into a conversation of sort of like, what are we and what's next?
Where Gwen starts asking about Bridget, like what's Bridget going to do after the tournament's

(43:13):
over?
And much to Gwen's dismay, Bridget basically says like, well, I'm going home.
I have other attorneys that I want to compete in and like, you know, I can be back for Christmas
or I'll be back next summer.
And Gwen, I don't think it really computes with Gwen, that that was really the arrangement.
She very much kind of expected, I think her and Bridget to sort of like be more, quote

(43:39):
unquote, serious than that.
And for them to sort of like Bridget to stay back as like potentially even a lady and waiting.
But that like is everything that Bridget is against, you know, it's like being stuffed
into dresses and waiting hand and foot after Gwen.
And it's just not her, you know?
And there's a there's a really tough conversation I really want to ask you about, Sid, for your

(44:01):
thoughts on.
But essentially, the conversation is just really tense.
And I think Gwen is very injured by it and interprets this as Bridget not really holding
Gwen as special as Gwen holds Bridget.
And I think Bridget comes at this from a perspective of like, I just won't change myself for anyone.
I can still love you all.
So being my own person and Gwen hasn't quite recognized that yet.

(44:25):
And I wanted to get your thoughts or your interpretation on it.
So my thought, because I remember writing this, was.
It's it's it's going back to what she said during the Morgan Le Fay celebration.
She knows who she is.

(44:48):
She knows what she wants.
And she knows that doing that sort of life that Gwen is asking her.
Isn't her isn't what she wants and what she needs.
And I don't think it's necessarily coming from a place of.

(45:10):
Trying to be cruel to Gwen in any way, sense of war or like not or being like.
I think it was just a simple.
Misunderstanding of Gwen, but at the same time, I think it was just Gwen.
Hi, Wally.
My cat has something to say about what we are talking about right now, and I'm so sorry,

(45:36):
listeners.
It was.
I mean, I think it was just when again, opening herself up and being like, I'm going through
a really tough time right now and I really need your support.
I need you here.
And I and I don't think and I think Bridget was trying to be the most gentle and saying.

(46:02):
I know you need me.
But I know me giving up my life just to have these little moments with you.
It isn't enough.
And honestly, I think that comes.
I don't think it's like mean or disingenuous.
I think it's very honest and truthful.
It does hurt to see Gwen so upset because I'm like, no, because I'm like, no, Gwen,

(46:25):
it's not that she doesn't love you.
It's not that she doesn't like you.
It's that she understands what she wants.
And unfortunately, she did tell you that.
So yeah.
Yeah.
As someone who has always been historically very fiercely independent in my relationships,

(46:45):
romantic or otherwise, this scene really resonated with me a lot.
Like initially, I think I felt more of Gwen's emotions because we're just like literally
in her head.
You know, it's hard not to separate yourself from that.
But I think it took a break at like a couple of chapters after this and like reflected
on it.
And I was like, no, this is wonderful representation of like you can still have a very healthy

(47:06):
relationship while still being two individuals, not always together, maybe even being apart
months at a time and like just cheering each other on your individual successes and that
you can still function very healthily in that way.
And I was really excited to see that representation and that like sort of like selfless love being

(47:27):
brought out in Gwen and brought out in a story like this.
And I think in terms of this being in a YA book, I was really impressed with like this
is I think personally, this is a great message to send, you know, and it's a very healthy
example of love.
Obviously not the only example, but like a great one to show off.
Yeah.
Also, I just realized this too.

(47:47):
And I think that this is really great, too.
I don't think for either of our two main couples, we hear the term love.
I don't think they ever said I love you to each other, which I kind of like because they're
like, yeah, we've only known each other for a couple of months.
They're also like all so young.
I think the oldest is 18.
They're so young.

(48:08):
They're all so young.
I think Gabriel and Arthur are 18.
I think Gwen's no, she just turned 18 herself.
So they must be 19 or 20 or something.
Yeah, something in there.
Bridget is also 18.
But yeah, they're all very young.
So I do love that they're not being like, I love you.

(48:29):
Like we're not having the I love you confession, you know.
Yeah, me too.
I just realized that and I was like, oh, no, I did, too.
I'm glad you pointed it out.
But yeah, in the same chapter, right as they're having this like difficult exchange, Sydney
actually burst through the doors and lets them know that Arthur is awake and he's going

(48:53):
to pull through.
You know, so they obviously like all go to visit everyone, you know, just like there's
an outpouring of love and support and, you know, again, Sydney's just being like a great
friend to Arthur and, you know, just like a wonderful display of like, I think Arthur
has finally found his community.
And there's this beautiful moment between him and Gabriel where they sort of reference

(49:15):
the letters again.
And I correct me for wrong, Sid.
I think this scene was where like they talked about like, oh, over the past month, they
had done some digging and found that Arthur pin dragon did reciprocate the relationship
with there were other letters that weren't burned or whatever.
It was like, yeah, that's in this next chapter.
And twenty seven.
Yeah.
And like.

(49:36):
You know, they talk about it.
And I think it's sort of this like thing of like, look at what kind of a king you can
be.
And like, you know, we could bring this back to Camelot and you don't have to hide anymore.
And I think Gabriel was still kind of one foot in one foot out.
I think it's less so about his identity at this point, at least my interpretation, and
more so about like, he's just still not ready to be king.

(49:58):
Like, that's just not his radar, and he doesn't have that confidence in himself yet.
Which is fair.
And I think he's also like worried because he's like, my dad has never really taken a
stance on anything.
So how am I supposed to make a stance on something or not?
Real, real.
His dad is a fence rider.
He he do be.

(50:22):
He's keeping things together, but by a thread.
True.
I think he pointed it out.
He pointed out, I think he said this to Gwen when she tried to get out of the engagement
to Arthur being like, when you're fighting between both sides, one side is always never
going to be happy.
And you just have to try your best and like keep trying to keep everybody happy.

(50:47):
Yeah.
And I think it's in this chapter two where he's like, I don't want to cause any issues.
Like, even if this is something that could go over, like my father has such tentative
peace brokers that like pushing for any widespread change, I think could like really cause a
cause a chain effect for the worst.
So a lot of like politics sort of intermingled.

(51:10):
But I love that's what I love.
I do too.
I kind of have love throughout this.
It's just the you know, more bit of world building.
It's really cool.
I do too.
In chapter 26, Bridget has advanced in the tournament.
Yay.
We're at 28.
We're at chapter 28, my love.

(51:31):
Oh, sorry.
I'm in chapter 28.
We just did 27.
I was wondering.
I was like, we're only on 26.
28.
There you go, my love.
You're good.
Thank you.
They attend the tournament again.
And there's a match between Bridget and another night where it's like, again, another like

(51:52):
jousting.
However.
Bridget ends up losing and it's a pretty quick fight from my understanding.
Like it only took like one real hit to like knock her down.
And this just like, you know, Gwyn is like really upset for her.
And and you know, and because of their argument, there's still some sort of feelings there.
And so there's a moment where she wavers between like, do I just go inside or do I go find

(52:15):
Bridget ultimately does go seek out Bridget.
And we learned that it's basically Bridget knew that her opponent had cheated.
His lance was like sharpened in a way where like it wouldn't splinter or whatnot in a
legal way.
No, it was pre-cut.
So basically with jousting, it's when you have two people on the opposite side of the

(52:35):
bar and they're like doing the little stick thing and they have to like hit each other
with it.
So she missed, but he hit her on the second try, which means he won because she didn't
even hit him.
Sorry, what is the cheating come in?
I'm confused.
The cheating comes in because his his thing that he was using was already pre-cut.

(53:01):
So we didn't have to hit her that hard.
Oh, I see.
I see.
OK.
Yeah.
So we learned that there's some foul play going on in the tournament, but, you know,
Bridget's not going to go contest it.
And that's kind of her knocked out of the tournament.
And while they're standing and discussing this, like they have one more conversation
about how like.

(53:22):
You know, what are we going to do from here?
Like I went basically says, I thought this meant more.
And Bridget's like, this does mean a lot to me.
And there's this like big sort of like tense moment where basically it leaves Gwen running
off, feeling as though all of this was fake.
And she meant so much less to Bridget.

(53:44):
And you know, it's a really heartbreaking scene.
But I know.
But in her running away, she overhears a conversation.
Between two voices, one of which she recognizes as Arthur's father, who, as of note, they

(54:04):
knew had come to visit during Arthur's incapacitation.
However, he never once came to actually check in on his son.
He just showed up to court being like, oh, I'm here for him.
And then never once checked in on him, even when he was on death story.
So she overhears him talking about.
What's the name of it again?

(54:25):
It's the place up north.
It was a castle up there.
Yeah, some uprising there.
Thank you.
Yeah, there's an uprising and like they'd originally been told, like, you know, all
as well.
And the Cummings and goings have been completely innocent.
You know, people were visiting families, whatever.
And Gwen finds this very odd.
They're discussing this thing.

(54:47):
And then also Arthur's father is talking a lot about.
Like you know.
This discovery that Arthur has shared information with him that will like give them, you know,
like leg up on like getting in tighter in the royal family.
And basically, she comes to the conclusion that, oh, my God, like I need to check Arthur's

(55:12):
belongings.
I need to see what's going on.
And so she runs in.
I'll be real.
This scene went by in a blur to me.
She finds some letters.
I was like, huh, OK.
She finds letters and Arthur's chambers of him talking about how.

(55:33):
Gabriel is going to be like diverting these funds and how like this is not a good look
for him as a king and yada yada.
And of course.
No, it was from his dad.
The trope.
Sorry, what?
The letters were from his dad saying all that stuff.
She assumed then that that's what.

(55:56):
They've been like corresponding about it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And we immediately hop, skip and jump to conclusions where Arthur is a manipulative, cheating, lying
freak.
You know, me and my love for the miscommunication trip, it's my favorite.

(56:17):
You know, I love it.
I know.
And third act break and break up.
I literally wrote in my notes and like, oh, there it is.
There it is between the friends, the ultimate love story.
Yeah.
But yeah, we know what's coming.
We know what's coming.
We hate it.

(56:37):
Absolutely.
So in the next chapter, chapter 29, we're back in Arthur's perspective.
Sydney goes to visit Arthur's feeling better, but he's not quite really up on his feet yet.
He's having trouble walking and staying up right.
However, he has this like imminent sort of wordless feeling that something is wrong,
but can't quite place it, doesn't know quite what's going on.
It decides to go about his day.

(56:59):
Now they decide to try and visit, you know, the siblings and find out that they're not
permitted in the royal wing anymore.
The guards have been instructed by Gwyn to not allow said and Arthur anywhere near them.
And so, you know, they go and they're like, OK, well, if we can't get to them through
the real wing, we know where Gabriel is going to be.

(57:22):
He's going to be in the library.
And so they do this like shenanigans, like diversion plot where essentially Sydney pretends
that he has like an STT.
I said STT.
STT.
STT.
That's visibly strange on his member.
And the guards are like, huh?
Yeah, I'm like going to check it out.

(57:44):
Well, no, and he's like saying it's about to fall off and honestly, it kind of feels
like, what's that scene in Thor Ragnarok?
You know what I'm talking about between Thor and Loki?
I've never seen that.
They're like, OK, well, never mind.
You're never going to remember.
Sorry.
That's too straight for me.
The people, listeners who are our pH listeners and Marvel lovers will definitely know the

(58:08):
reference I'm talking about.
Yes.
Ashley's shaking her head at me.
She doesn't believe me.
There's no intersection in those fangirls.
Well I'm here, so I hope there is.
Represent.
But yeah, Arthur, meanwhile, sneaks into the library and does find Gabriel, who just like

(58:28):
is on the high alert.
He is like, you should not be here.
Like get out.
You know, I don't want to be around you and like scuttling backwards.
And Arthur just has no idea what he's done and is whisked away by guards shortly thereafter.
In Chapter 30, the Sibbes are back and the final rounds of the tournament.

(58:50):
Now they're about to watch this fight proceeding.
They spot Lord Willard, who is the cousin of the king that's, you know, called a conspiracy,
whatever, over in the visitor stands.
And Gwyn is immediately like, why the hell is he here?
Turns out he was like invited because they're trying to like broker peace between the king
and Lord Willard and make a good show of faith to everybody.

(59:12):
But she's kind of trying to be like, all right, this is odd, but OK.
Until Arthur's father also shows up in the stands and starts talking to Willard.
And this immediately just sets her on high alert.
And she's like, OK, all right, I need to tell the king.
She tries to get her dad's attention and he's just fully kind of like brushing her off.
Like, you know, come on, this thing's about to start.

(59:33):
You're overreacting.
Not in those terms, but essentially.
And when she looks back at the stands, Lord Dalacy, Arthur's father, has disappeared.
Now the next chapter.
Honestly, from this point, from this point, let's just not even do chapters, because I'll

(59:53):
be honest, this is like one long chapter.
Like let's just take it that way.
Let's see how much I remember.
I believe it all.
I believe it.
I got you.
I got you.
Thank you.
I read this lesson a couple hours ago so I can help.
This real, this real.
So Arthur, I think is like, we got to go see the cities.

(01:00:14):
We got to go.
We got to go talk to them.
So they march off him and said, trying to go into the tourney once again and counter
guards who were like, you can't be here.
Stands are all full.
You're not allowed in the royal stands.
To be completely honest with you, this felt like a moment in fan fiction when you're trying
to track the sex positions because they just switched positions.
And it's so horrifically like where the hell did that limb go?

(01:00:38):
I thought we were here and now we're here.
It was that moment for me where all of a sudden Sydney was like, look, no one's at this gate
and you're like convenient.
Yes.
No, so they were going towards the competitors gate.
So it was going to where the competitors usually stands and they were hoping to like shimmy
that way.
They were hoping there wouldn't be guards there.

(01:00:59):
I was like, why would there be guards at the competitor section if they're all already
hanging out in there, you know?
Yes.
I guess.
They could do their own stabbing thing.
They don't need guards.
I was like, how fucking convenient.
I was like, well.
But they meander over there and try to like shimmy their way into because they're intended

(01:01:22):
to like, you know, cut across and go to the royal stands.
But all of a sudden they're intercepted by Arthur's father and some of his like entourage
of knights.
Yeah.
And others like father that he doesn't actually say that.
And there's this big or fuffle where essentially author's dad is like, son, you're coming with

(01:01:44):
me.
And he's like, why?
And he's like, just because.
And there's like not a really a whole lot of explanation.
And they get into this big breakout fight where Sydney fully steps between Arthur and his
father and his father's like, I pay your wages.
And Sydney say.
I don't give a fuck.

(01:02:06):
Sydney's literally just like, I quit.
I quit.
Yeah, it's wild, but they get apprehended.
Bridget actually tries to step in because she sees this at one point and tries to help
out.
But then she is sort of also like occupied and like it's cornered by.
She gets in a couple.
Yeah, yeah.

(01:02:26):
And then it jumps back to the siblings.
Yes.
Now all this commotion is happening right in I imagine one corner of the arena.
Their attention is locked on a new competitor that is in the arena.
LeGasp.
It's the knife.
Yeah, it's the knife.

(01:02:47):
Which is like I honestly gasped a little bit.
I was like, what's he doing here?
That's so weird.
He shouldn't be here.
And then I knew it's like, oh, OK, because well, we'll keep going.
And then I'll tell you what I was thinking throughout this whole book.
OK.
OK.
Remind me.
I will.
So he strides in and they're like, he got booted from the tourney a while ago.

(01:03:10):
He's not a finalist.
He's not supposed to be here.
And it's at that moment.
There's this dawning realization as things start to chaos essentially starts to let loose
where all of the all the cheating, all these nights showing up, Lord Willard.
Oh, this is a coup.

(01:03:32):
Yeah.
This is a coup.
Yes.
As the fight is like going to begin, instead of charging at each other, the night start,
I believe, charging for like the stands and then like a knife gets thrown into the royal
stands aiming for the king.
Yeah.
So basically all of the nights that were in the finals were actually cultists and were

(01:03:55):
actually a part of Willard's group.
And so that's the whole thing is that they turn because they're actually about to kill
the king.
But Gwen, just in time, like jumps in front of her dad and goes, no, and like pushes him
to the ground and then no knife in dad's forehead.
Yeah.
So here's the thing.
Here's the thing.

(01:04:15):
When this happened, I had a moment, I was like, oh, I feel like it would be really interesting
to see if like all the competitors like that were like kept like showing up.
We're actually going to like do a coup or like do a thing where they were like.
What's it called when you're stuck in like one walled place and.

(01:04:36):
It's like a standoff.
Yeah.
I know what you're talking about.
Ashlyn.
Say it again.
What's it called if you're stuck in like it's a battle strategy where you a siege, a siege.
Yes, I was thinking of.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I just need to talk it through sometimes.
So I thought it was going to be like a siege thing, but then I loved it when the night's

(01:05:00):
turned and I was like, it's a coup.
I got excited for the coup.
Yes, I know.
I was like, oh, I did not expect this bit happening.
I'll be real.
Yeah.
So I.
I love them.
The royal family scrambles back to the castle and Gwyn is like looking over her shoulder,
like, you know, where's Bridget?

(01:05:20):
Bridget was down there.
Where is she?
And at the last moment, as they're about to be ushered away, she sees Bridget jump up
onto where fun facts.
Apparently, the winning night of a tournament gets to like pull Excalibur, which is like
a it's like a model recreation of the real sword.
But Excalibur out of the stone.
No, the king pulls it out and hands it to them for a little bit, and then he's meant

(01:05:43):
to like put it back.
But everyone thinks it's the real it's the real sword.
It's actually Excalibur the ninth.
What happened to the other nine?
We don't know.
Gwyn doesn't know.
Bridget.
The last thing Gwyn sees is Bridget taking the sword out of the stone and like just jumping
back into the fray.

(01:06:05):
It's a cool moment.
It's so cool.
I was just like, you go, Bridget.
I fucking love you.
You're making me love you more and more.
And I like.
Now, the royal family gets ushered into basically the war room.
And it's there when they discover that Dun Dun Dun Lord Stafford was a traitor.

(01:06:26):
And I called that ish.
I called that ish right after the whole thing.
He was like, no, it must have been so much of just like snogging.
It was one type thing.
I'm like, you're part of this shit, Stafford.
And I know it.
They can't they kept mentioning Stafford, but like never giving him any lines or like
really even talking about what him and Gabriel are chatting about to the point where I was

(01:06:46):
like, well, clearly he's important to some degree.
And I don't think it's in a good way.
No, but when he when they kept talking about how obsessed he was about the north and like
wanting to put troops out there, I was like, I know he's setting something up.
I know he's a part of it.
I know.
I'm glad we were agreement.
Yes, we were on the same wavelength.
I was like, I know that bastard Stafford is a part of this.

(01:07:08):
He's a wuss.
So damn.
Yes.
Yes.
He was in on it.
He was the reason that an assassinator went after Gabriel.
It was fed off as like, you know, this is a one off thing, not at all related to the
stirring uprisings.
And indeed, it definitely was.
But actually, the uprisings were like a whole distraction and in themselves to send troops

(01:07:31):
up north so that the capital would not have enough people to defend it.
And on the wild, they still think Arthur is in on this whole thing.
And I'm like, OK, yeah, sure.
Whatever.
Now, so I was on the other side of a coup.
That's real.
That's to be fair.
To be fair.
Now, meanwhile, our our traitor apparently, Arthur is being dragged basically by his hair,

(01:07:57):
like into sort of like Lord Willard's side and like the encampment that they've staged,
because while phase one of said coup failed, they're going into phase two and they're like
getting more manpower together and they're like ready to essentially like meet the king's
guard halfway and like have a full on battle.
And it's during this where he learns that his father has been in cahoots with Lord Willard

(01:08:22):
in that Lord Willard is going to take down the king, you know, assume the throne.
There's a position involved of power for Lord De Lacy and that, you know, no longer do they
need Arthur to marry Gwyn, because this is like apparently just a much better play.
And they're going to plan to kill off Gabriel.
They're considering killing off Gwyn.
But if anything, they want to marry her to Lord Willard, which I'm like, which is which

(01:08:48):
is which is her father's cousin.
So they are related.
And I'm like, gross.
Uh huh.
And so.
Arthur and said are like shaking in their britches.
What the fuck do we do?
And they finally understand now at this point of like, oh, OK, they probably hate us because

(01:09:11):
they think we're involved in this shit.
Yeah.
So now skip a little bit.
They decide that Gabriel and Daddy King are going to be fighting in this battle.
They get suited up Power Rangers style.
Gwyn is in distress.
Gabriel, you know, in this armor, Mommy says bye to Daddy.

(01:09:35):
And the girls are whisked up basically to observe the whole thing from the balcony and
the mid the mid go out on the field.
So they're gearing up and they're about to look down on this battle.
Meanwhile, Arthur and Sid are like essentially on the front lines of Lord Willard's side.
And they're having this whole discussion of like, do I want to die with history, believing

(01:09:58):
I'm a traitor or do I want to die doing something meaningful?
And they end up deciding to do something meaningful, which I'll be so fucking real.
I don't really know what the fuck was meaningful about it because I got very confused.
I don't know.
I think it was just trying to be like an obvious defer.

(01:10:19):
But like, it really did not land, I got to say.
I don't know exactly what happened or what they were thinking, but I think that is just
Arthur in general.
It's like, what will he do?
You know?
I also love the comment that like, while Arthur is being like forced into armor, he's just

(01:10:39):
like, DeLacy just wants us on the front line so we can die.
And his dad's like, no, he's not.
He loves us.
And Arthur's like, no, he doesn't.
And he ate with that.
He ate.
He did.
He did.
He did truly.
But I did love the whole line about like the femur and stuff like that and the healed femur

(01:11:00):
leading up to that.
Do you remember that?
I do remember it.
I'll be real.
I don't know if I just like couldn't wrap my head around it, but like I almost was like,
so what he was taught, he was relating it basically back to like his injuries and like
them taking care of him.
So basically listeners, the whole thing is he said, he asked Sydney if he knew how we

(01:11:28):
discovered what we presume to be the first like realized civilization slash like humanity
in people.
And Sydney didn't know and said it was a femur of this broken person and from a long time
ago and we found it was healed.
And that is the true transformation from like hunter gatherer to like being a part of a

(01:11:52):
community and part of a group because you have to take time and effort and love and
caring to actually like help this person so that their bone can mend and so that they
can be a part and contribute to the community again, because they're like a valued member.
So I think he was kind of relaying it to that is that when Gabriel, Sydney, Agnes, Bridget,

(01:12:20):
they all cared for him when he was in like his desperate dire of like health crisis,
what shows him love and he's like, okay, I need to show them that I love them too and
I'm not going to just sit here and be a coward and run.

(01:12:44):
And so instead, so instead, this idiotic.
If at any point I get this wrong, please let me know.
I really have no idea.
So he takes a flag, right?
He takes his father's flag.
No, or was still Sir Willard's or something.

(01:13:05):
It was like enemy flag.
It was a flag of the other side as the two armies are lining up.
And before like there's any like call to action or movement between the two sides, he like
bolts from Lord Willard's side carrying this flag as he's crossing the divide between the
two sides, throws the flag down and it gets trampled and muddied.

(01:13:29):
Is that correct?
Yeah, by like his own horse, which I think signify he's trying to signify.
I don't stand with them.
I'm trying to come to you guys.
Yes.
Gwen realizes that because she's seeing all of this.
But before anyone else can realize, because Gabriel also realizes because she saw him
mouth something to his dad, his dad had already given the order to shoot.

(01:13:50):
And Arthur is basically shot down.
He's not like injured or anything, I don't think, but he's down and he is still recovering
from his injuries for chapters ago and can't really walk.
He kind of just, I'm going to be real gutted.
He's just on the ground.
He's kind of literally on the ground.

(01:14:10):
Is like army crawling, scuttling around.
I don't know how he lived.
Sid comes after him, wrenches a shield up over them.
And I guess that's how they avoid getting trampled.
But like they're literally just laying in the mud.
And yeah, I thought it was hilarious.
I'm like, oh, I, but yeah, I was like, total.
They're totally out.

(01:14:30):
Now as they're down there, they see where Bridget is fighting with the knife.
Bridget goes down.
Sid leaves Arthur to go help stabs the knife.
He backs off and I guess sees a window of opportunity against still struggling to follow

(01:14:53):
sees a window of opportunity at some point that the king has been left on defended and
goes over there while Sid is helping Bridget up.
And it's far too late because then the knife strikes the king down.
Yes.
And then Sydney kills the knife.
Yes.

(01:15:14):
Then Sydney kills the knife and Arthur, you know, he's there on the ground.
He gets to the king to hear his dying words.
Or essentially he's like, you know, come on, like you need to pull through for your children,
for Gwen and Gabriel.
And the last things that the king utters as like sort of thunder claps across the sky
is Gabriel and Gwen and pass away.

(01:15:35):
I'm going to be so real.
I'm going to be so real.
I felt like this was the only time where the author kind of violated the whole like tell,
don't show thing for me because all throughout the story, I think we're told repeatedly that
their parents are like, you know, despite their faults, like good and loving parents.
And yet I just felt like we never got to see that.

(01:15:58):
And the excuse was always sort of like they're tied up with war, which again, that makes
sense the context of story.
But for this moment, for me to have been in more impactful, I would have liked to have
seen that relationship more.
And I felt like they just barely had screen time and we just had to like believe that
they were good parents.
And I'm like, this does feel very white.
I remember I do wish we had like more moments between Gwen and her father, because obviously

(01:16:24):
we're in Gwen's POV.
So she's going to be the only one who has that deep of relationship with the king.
So I kind of agree.
I was like, I'm still sad about it.
Like I kind of wish it did happen.
But
Yeah, I agree.

(01:16:44):
I agree with you kind of on that.
I wish we had a little couple more moments.
So I felt like we had more moments between Gwen and her mom, like bickering with each
other.
We so did.
And I would have loved to see that Gwen's like, yeah, more like my dad.
I agree.
But daddy is dead.
Unfortunately.

(01:17:04):
Hi, dad.
We perspective jump back to the girlies up on the balcony and a messenger already arrives
to inform them that they want to go to the war room.
Wow.
War room?
Sorry.
Hey, sorry, Miss Queen, but your but your husband has died.
You quiet.

(01:17:25):
This I mean, the queen automatically knows what this means.
So she bursts into tears.
She's stricken with grief and like does not leave for the war room.
So Gwen does not knowing exactly what's going on yet.
Yeah, they take Gwen in.
They inform her the king has died and then basically say, you know, given your mother's
and disposed, Gabriel is in my aim.

(01:17:46):
You are the one to give the orders.
Like what do we do?
Do we pull back our troops who have been discouraged with the king's death or do we send in the
last of our men and just hope that that's enough?
And she ultimately makes the call to send in the men with one certain caveat, a little
caveat.

(01:18:07):
As we get back on the field, Arthur and Sydney see a torrent of like, you know, like soldiers
coming out led by someone with like red hair, who at first they think is Gabriel because,
you know, stuffed in armor and like striding across.
But then upon further inspection, they see it's Gwen like posing as her brother to like

(01:18:30):
reinvigorate the troops and be like, you know, the new king is alive and like, you know,
we got all the strength and whatever.
And it works.
The troops rally and there's like another wave that they push back against Willard's
troops.
In this frame, actually, Arthur spots Gabriel because this mangy little crow from, you know,

(01:18:52):
many chapters back in the falconry from where they first kissed flies over.
Yeah, she's there.
Yes, she flies overhead and identifies where Gabriel has been essentially trampled.
Like his arm is fucked up.
And it's hard to tell if he's even alive.
And so Arthur's kneeling over him.
He's like, you know, Gabriel, like, please, you could be dead later.
Like, please come back.

(01:19:14):
Like we need you.
And Lord Willard shows up and sort of stands ominously over them and is like, oh, you found
him for me.
Thanks.
Yes, that's exactly what he says.
He's like, let me stabby stab.
And Arthur being, you know, compromised, can't defend himself.
Yeah.

(01:19:35):
But you know who can?
Bridget.
Bridget.
Lady LeClaire.
This is a Game of Thrones show.
Spoilers.
So if you don't want spoilies, plug your ears.
It's giving Arya jumping down on the on the night gig.
For me.
That's exactly what it is.

(01:19:56):
She cuts him down and kills him with Excalibur the ninth.
Gwyn returns back safe and sound to the castle.
She sort of to my understanding, just sort of like a like a like a round town, bring
it around town.
Just to like show off.
Yes.
And then goes back in where Agnes meets her and like, you know, whatever they get, they

(01:20:16):
get the armor off so that when Gabriel shows up, they're not like.
Yes.
Yes, yes.
And the battle dissipates at this point, I guess, with both kings dead, essentially,
you know.
Yeah.
And you know, their troops beat them back and, you know, they go out running, looking for

(01:20:39):
their friends and find out, surprise, everyone's alive.
Gabriel's fucked up, but he's alive.
He's alive.
He's alive.
And they all run out to each other and this like really nice, like, you know, embracing
each other, like literally Gwyn is like, I don't know who to run for Bridget or Arthur.
Like, let me embrace them both.
Which again, I think goes to show like, that she loves French.

(01:21:01):
God, that's my biggest takeaway.
They sort of I'm going to be real with you.
They sort of just drop it on Gabriel as he's like literally like half conscious and like
in the middle of everyone.
And Gwyn's like, by the way, our dad is dead.
You're the king.
I'm sorry, the way these teenagers handle taking lives and the deaths of family members

(01:21:25):
was so relatively nonchalant.
I was like, where's the grief?
Where's the PTSD?
It's for later.
It's for three months later, baby.
And that and that last chapter where teenagers were invincible.
Yeah.
Gabe gets really sick at this news and literally vombs as his first moments as king.

(01:21:47):
And then the joke that ends that chapter is him being like, I can't believe they saw me
vomit.
Yeah.
Oh, but don't forget, Gwen and Bridget got to kiss in front of everybody because no one
was caring because they were just like, oh, we survived.
Oh, yeah.
Leave it to you to remember that moment.

(01:22:09):
I'm going to remember that they kissed because I love them so much.
That's fair.
And then we do a little jump ahead.
We do a little jump ahead to speaking of letters and whatnot.
Chapter 39 is essentially one big missive between Gwen and Bridget where Gwen writes

(01:22:32):
to Bridget, who is away, having followed her commitments to being gone and returning in
the winter at another tournament.
And we sort of gather that Bridget has become a celebrity of sorts because word traveled
about her, you know, cutting down Willard, wielding Excalibur, just being like, you know,
this absolutely undefeated torrent on the field.

(01:22:52):
And she's comfortable with I know she's a bit uncomfortable with all the intention,
but like still wants to compete like humbly in tournaments and seems to be, you know,
still just doing her thing.
Gwen has seemingly gotten over her thou shall be with me type mentality and it seems very
supportive of Bridget and is wishing her luck and talking about how she's excited to see

(01:23:14):
her.
And I think there's a line in there.
I think it's from Bridget, who's like, you know, I've never been so excited to see frost
on the ground.
That was from Bridget.
That was really sweet.
And then the final chapter of the book is kind of an epilogue of sorts where it's, you
know, weeks later, undetermined amount of time.

(01:23:35):
And we are in the garden area where the author pin dragon statue is.
And Gabriel is in there.
He has had his harm, his arm amputated.
He's in there preparing to deliver a royal decree, a speech and he's like pouring over

(01:23:58):
this and you know, Arthur walks into visit and we sort of gather that this speech.
Which is going to sort of be addressing the fact that he is courting author and that,
you know, the kids are gay.
You said author.
Sorry, I cannot speak.
That was your Southern accent coming out.

(01:24:19):
But also throughout that whole, right before that, it kind of went into Arthur going in
and seeing Gabriel like a couple of weeks after the battle and him being like, so are
we good?
Can we like kiss?
No.
And he was like, yeah, I want to kiss now.
I want to do that.
Yes.
He's a lot more sure of himself, which is really nice.

(01:24:41):
And you can kind of see that he's living to be king for himself for once, which is great.
Exactly.
And this is, yeah, it's that final moment of him being like, well, my father never took
a stance on a lot of things and I want to be a king that does that.
And you're just like, you go, Gabe.
Yeah, I'm glad you said that because I think my favorite line in this entire book is actually

(01:25:02):
that line where he basically says, like, you know, my father never took a hard stance on
anything and he still ended up dead.
Yeah, they still like him.
And then he says, like, you know, if I'm going to die, at least essentially, you know, I
want it to be worth it or I want to have stood for something.
Exactly.
I loved that.
I loved that so much.
I do wish we could have seen that growth on the pages, but agreed, agreed.

(01:25:24):
He's so hardly agreed.
But alas, and they're all in this garden.
Sydney and Agnes literally will not stop sucking face.
And I'm like, we're making out like so hardcore.
I'm like, dear God, how is she not pregnant yet?
It's crazy.
It's crazy.
And then Bridget ends up walking in and she is in a dress and she very much hates it.

(01:25:47):
And he's like, you know, I figured for this day and what it stands for, I will appease
Glenn and her mother and show up prim and proper.
And then after this never again.
Yeah.
Fair.
I love her.
I love her.
Glenn comes in to join.
Apparently, the relationship with their mother is like improving, but still kind of strange

(01:26:07):
because she's still very grief stricken, but is trying to spend more time with her kids
and is now in the know about their sexualities and is trying to come to terms with it.
But there's still, you know, definitely a lot of room to grow.
And then I think it kind of ends with them all sort of like, you know, walking out of
this courtyard together.

(01:26:28):
The scene sort of peels back as, you know, they're all following Gabe to like deliver
his speech.
And then I think the last mention of the book is like.
And statue and like the crow taking flight.
So that is the end of Gwyn and Art and not in love.
Do we have questions?

(01:26:51):
Squire Ashland.
Oh, I'm the Squire now.
Yes.
I have questions.
Then we have a question.
Who is your favorite couple at the end of the book?

(01:27:14):
Gwyn and Arthur.
I love that you're still sticking to the friendship, but I'm just like Gwyn and Bridget all the
way.
I love them so much together.
I love everyone.
Like, I truly enjoyed all aspects of like relationship platonics or not in this story.
But yeah, I do love our main characters a lot.

(01:27:36):
That's simply where that comes from.
And, you know, I'm glad that they ended up being like really good friends at the end
as well.
What do you think of reading our first queer YA novel?

(01:27:57):
Give me more.
I want more.
I have read quite a few in my spare time just over the past couple of years.
And like, you know, there's some good ones out there.
For me personally, this one is the first to like really bridge that gap and resonate with
me and like scratch that itch that really good YA books do.

(01:28:18):
As I mentioned earlier to me, sometimes I feel like it's a little bit too cheesy, a
little too like, wow, everyone time travels and like, you know, lesbians in space and
like a whole bunch of like stuff that I think is cute when you're in those developmental
years.
But for me as an adult, I like something a little more grounded and like selfless, real
attainable love.
And I do think despite the fantastical aspects of this book, I think the dynamics between

(01:28:43):
the characters really do achieve that.
Yeah.
And so, yeah, I really liked this and would have, as you said earlier, said, love to have
read something like this in my growing up.
Like this is wonderful representation and always room to expand upon more and would
love to continue seeing stories like this for the kiddos, as they say.
For the future, for the future generations.

(01:29:05):
I will say also, Ashlyn, how did you feel about reading A Queer Romance where the two
ladies weren't in a weird situation or like time travel or something?
It was normal!
It wasn't even magic!
Thank God!
This is all I've been asking for for years.

(01:29:27):
This is all that I've wanted.
Thank you Lex for giving me my dreams.
I appreciate it.
I love that.
I love that so much.
This is my first time reading a queer YA book in general.
So I mean, I want to read more good ones because I don't know, I want to share that art with

(01:29:57):
younger people because when I was growing up and when I was not sure what my sexuality
was, I think this book may have really made me feel seen as like, because I was very confused.
I didn't know whether I liked girls or liked boys and I knew I somewhat liked both, but

(01:30:20):
I didn't know what that meant.
So it just, it means a lot to me because like back then, what was readily available to me
wasn't like, I read a lot of fan fiction.
I don't think there was a lot of targeted YA books towards me and if there were, they

(01:30:45):
were mainly men loving men relationships.
So seeing one where it's including a woman loving woman relationship or female presenting
person to female presenting person, it just, it's really important because everyone should
feel seen and heard and it was just a lovely book and yeah, just, it means a lot and I

(01:31:10):
will be reading, I will be reading more.
What do you feel about the dialogue in this book?
I don't have any particular few things about it to be honest.

(01:31:34):
Like nothing really jumped out to me as like I liked it or I didn't like it.
I will say to me, it was not the, for me, it was not like this book's strongest point.
Not like it, like in a bad way, but like for me, my biggest like love of this book and
where the writing style really shines was more in the narration and like those like

(01:31:55):
little differences between like the characters there more so that the dialogue self.
Yeah, I can agree with that.
I think sometimes the dialogue felt a little too modern teenager or someone trying to write
like a modern teenager sometimes.

(01:32:18):
So I didn't, I, in the beginning it was a little jarring, but by the time you get into
like the middle of the book, you're just, you're in it and you're just in the flow and you're
just in this universe.
So I wouldn't say it bothered me too much per se.
There were moments, but otherwise it was good.

(01:32:39):
I'm trying to think if I have any other comments.
I think that's it.
I also agree that the narrative was good and the building of the relationships I think
was a strong point rather than the actual dialogue.
And lastly, my dear Queens, what is your final rating?

(01:33:02):
I'm actually excited to deliver my rating.
Would you like me to go first so we can hold yours?
Sure, please do.
All right.
Hear ye, hear ye all and wide for the RPH kingdom.
I decree by your queen, Sydney, that this book is rated a 4.5.

(01:33:28):
Staps all around from the peasants.
Staps all around.
From all of the peasants.
But yeah, overall, I took notes.
I should actually read my notes.
You know, that's like a crazy concept.
Like I do all this work and I don't read my notes.

(01:33:54):
So I'll be completely honest with you guys.
It was a bit of a slower start for me going into this book.
However, by the time I got into it, I was into it for the long haul.
I was in it to finish it.
And it wasn't like a slower start as in like, I'm going to DNF this.
It was more like, I'm not as into it as I could be.
And then once I got in, I was locked in, I would like, I ate this book up.

(01:34:17):
It was so good.
I would say it was around the hundred page mark is when I got like really clicked where
it really clicked for me.
And I just like went super fast.
I loved the growth and the depth of the characters and how they were all their own personalities
and how they were all pretty easy to follow with who was who.

(01:34:40):
I loved the relationships between Gabriel and Arthur and Bridget and Gwen.
I even like, I obviously love the moments between Gwen and Arthur and their friendship
growing.
I even love the moments between Arthur and Bridget and him being like, yeah, I'm a big
macho man and Bridget's like, let me knock you down a peg.
Like I loved all of their unique little ways and how they interacted with each other.

(01:35:01):
I loved the world building and how dynamic it was.
And it was just a very interesting book that was very easily captured my imagination.
So yeah, that's why I give it a 4.5.
Fire Lauren has come to deliver a royal decree.

(01:35:27):
Yeah, gentle reader.
Okay, I'll stop.
I have always rated every book that we have read on the Ranchi Power Hour podcast within
its own microcosm of Ranchi Power Hour verse, if you will.

(01:35:49):
I try not to hold them to the same system or like candle as I would a book like any
book of like different genres that I would pick up of my own accord, because I feel like
for me as someone who actually often doesn't reach for like a straight up romance book
in my day to day, I don't want to like hold books that like I'm not usually like even

(01:36:13):
suited to in the first place up to books that I am judging to like their full potential
and like full harshness of like, I fully want this book to wow me.
Right.
And so with that said, I'm actually quite softer on my Ranchi Power Hour book ratings
than I think I otherwise would if I were to rate them up against the books that I normally
read, like anything that I read throughout the year.

(01:36:35):
With that being said, this I can confidently say is the first book that we have read where
my rating for within the microcosm of RPH is the same as holding it up to everything
else.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
So much so that one, I bought a copy, which is monumental.

(01:36:56):
I never do that for our books.
I bought a copy.
I would be open to rereading this book, which is huge for me.
That's usually what I know.
This is usually what I reserve for my four and five star reads.
So like for me, actually, I'm texting my partner, babe, this might be a five star read.

(01:37:23):
This might be a five star.
I was in it from page one and I don't know why.
I really cannot express why, but it hooked me and I really liked it.
There were some things that happened, I say, in the second half of this that I was kind
of a little bit lost on.
And there were some moments where like the dialogue did take me out and I was like, all
that being said, I give it a 4.25 all the way around, which is like a high praise from

(01:37:45):
me.
That's insane.
That is like a six star for me.
It is, I have if you ever go into my personal Goodreads profile, which don't stop me, parasitical
freaks.
But if you do ever go on my personal Goodreads profile, you will see there's only like five
books I've ever rated a five star and like, yeah, basically anything that's like just

(01:38:05):
shy of perfection gets in the four star category.
So this was really good for me.
And I'm pleased to announce.
I like romance novels.
What a crazy concept.
What a crazy concept.
We're about to go.
We're going to ruin that with the next pick.

(01:38:27):
I know.
I hate it.
I hate it here.
The vicious vicious cycle we go into.
And on that high note with Lorde reading that book a 4.25, we're going to close it out.
Thank you.
Honestly, thank you so much Lex Croucher for Croucher.
I said Croucher.

(01:38:47):
I meant Croucher.
I'm so sorry.
You're not a Croucher.
Thank you so much for releasing this book.
We really enjoyed it.
And if you enjoyed our review of this book, we have like a lot of others if you would
like to go check out our other books.
If you'd like to go check out our other book recommendations.
So if you want to do that, go listen to us on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you decide

(01:39:12):
to get your podcasts.
And if you would like to interact more with us on our social media, we would love that.
But you're also more feral if you decide to do that.
But if you want to do that, you can go join us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Twitch.
We do have a YouTube channel where, intermediately, some of our podcasts will go up there.

(01:39:36):
And also you can follow us on Fable.
So there you will actually get real time updates on books that we are reading.
And next month, unfortunately, I am here to announce that we will be reading Slammed by
Colleen Hoover.
Yay.
We're going back into the co-op universe.

(01:39:59):
Ashlyn's so excited.
I am terrified, but that is just the way, that is the vicious cycle in which we have
created here at Raunchy Power Hour.
And with that, I'm going to say good night to all you good looking guys, gals, and all
my non-binary pals.
Also, happy Pride.