NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART

The once-celebrated Merry Men have lost their way in the years since Robin Hood left the cause, making them nearly as feared as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Serious, unflappable Mariel Hartley-Hood has a lot to live up to as Captain of the Merry Men. Her father is Commander Hartley, and she’s the granddaughter of Robin Hood himself. Her ragtag team is on the right track until a botched kidnapping lands her with a very annoying (and distractingly cute) captive: Clemence Causey. Clem is a wisecracking, skilled natural healer from a far corner of the forest. Eventually, Clem’s humor and lightheartedness chip away at Mariel’s stoic exterior, and sharp banter and tender moments stoke a romantic fire between the two. When Mariel learns that her father has been captured by the Sheriff, the Merry Men (and Clem) embark on a rescue mission. Told from Clem’s and Mariel’s alternating third-person perspectives, this queer enemies-to-lovers romp features a cast of racially diverse Merry Men who, of course, are not all men—the gang members use a variety of pronouns and represent a range of sexualities. Clem and Mariel read white. Croucher peppers their well-paced, witty, and thrilling novel with battle scenes. The story takes as many twists as the winding forest paths and hums with an undercurrent of friendship, honor, and the importance of found family.

A captivating, action-packed, queer reimagining of the Robin Hood legend through the sharp eyes of his granddaughter.