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The Princess and the P.I.
An amateur online sleuth must enlist the help of a jaded PI to clear her name while taking down a shady tech start-up in this exhilarating romantic caper.
Famed Reddit detective Fiona Addai is great at solving problems—online, that is. Cold cases, reality TV scandals, everyone calls on @Princess_PI. It’s her way of escaping her strict religious life at home and the memory of her brilliant brother’s sudden death. But when the sheltered sleuth tries to apply her inquisitive skills to real life, her plan to reclaim her late brother’s invention from the ruthless corporation that stole it goes disastrously wrong. Now, instead of getting justice, Fiona finds herself accused of murder.
Maurice Bennett is no stranger to insomnia. These days, he’s not losing sleep over the cases he’s solving—but running from the one he couldn’t. Instead, he’s been settling for small-time scandals that don’t stir up the guilt he’s buried. But when he spots Fiona Addai at the center of a murder investigation, something clicks. And for the first time in a long while, Maurice feels that old spark of intrigue.
However, Fiona is not the helpless damsel she appears to be. Sure, she needs Maurice’s help to clear her name, but she’s got conditions of her own: she wants a crash course in real-world detective work. Maurice isn’t exactly thrilled. With every late-night stakeout and tension-filled interrogation, their partnership starts to feel a little too close for comfort. To bring the real killer to light, they'll need to trust each other and that might be the most dangerous gamble of all.
Famed Reddit detective Fiona Addai is great at solving problems—online, that is. Cold cases, reality TV scandals, everyone calls on @Princess_PI. It’s her way of escaping her strict religious life at home and the memory of her brilliant brother’s sudden death. But when the sheltered sleuth tries to apply her inquisitive skills to real life, her plan to reclaim her late brother’s invention from the ruthless corporation that stole it goes disastrously wrong. Now, instead of getting justice, Fiona finds herself accused of murder.
Maurice Bennett is no stranger to insomnia. These days, he’s not losing sleep over the cases he’s solving—but running from the one he couldn’t. Instead, he’s been settling for small-time scandals that don’t stir up the guilt he’s buried. But when he spots Fiona Addai at the center of a murder investigation, something clicks. And for the first time in a long while, Maurice feels that old spark of intrigue.
However, Fiona is not the helpless damsel she appears to be. Sure, she needs Maurice’s help to clear her name, but she’s got conditions of her own: she wants a crash course in real-world detective work. Maurice isn’t exactly thrilled. With every late-night stakeout and tension-filled interrogation, their partnership starts to feel a little too close for comfort. To bring the real killer to light, they'll need to trust each other and that might be the most dangerous gamble of all.
480 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2025
111 people are currently reading
9565 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
October 4, 2025
Thanks so much to @berkleyromance for the free book! #BerkleyPartner
Whew, where do I begin?
The Princess and the P.I. is a murder mystery romcom, with a lot of characters and a lot of twists and turns. I ultimately ended up getting lost in the sauce quite a few times which was challenging for me as both a lover of romance and mystery/thrillers. The writing was engaging, culturally sound, and beautiful at times—also this takes place so close to where I live that at some points the story was 5-10 minutes from my house! I've never read a trad pub'd book that close to home before, so that aspect was very cool and helped me feel immersed in what was going on.
With that said, the constant shifting of who the bad guy(s) was, the church cult (as someone who grew up in a non-denominational faith that was definitely a fundie cult I appreciated the church cult exploration, politics, and secrecy surrounding it), Maurice's backstory with addiction, and Fiona's backstory of repression made me feel like there were a lot of moving pieces and things to keep track of. There is also a relatively vast rotating cast of characters that was overwhelming for a book this length—and it is quite lengthy for both a murder mystery and a romcom.
Sometimes characters acted one way in a chapter and then acted in a completely opposite, befuddling way in the next. Particularly Fiona's father and sister, and sometimes Maurice. Speaking of Fiona and Maurice, unfortunately their love story felt disjointed and not that substantial for me. It was mostly based in lust and mutual respect—which is a great foundation—but I ultimately didn't feel like they truly knew one another by the time they decided to be together.
All in all, this was my first time reading Nikki Payne but I own her backlist and am very excited to read those! Although this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it didn't quite work for me, I do still recommend it because it's fun more than it's not.
3 ⭐️s
2.5 🌶️
Whew, where do I begin?
The Princess and the P.I. is a murder mystery romcom, with a lot of characters and a lot of twists and turns. I ultimately ended up getting lost in the sauce quite a few times which was challenging for me as both a lover of romance and mystery/thrillers. The writing was engaging, culturally sound, and beautiful at times—also this takes place so close to where I live that at some points the story was 5-10 minutes from my house! I've never read a trad pub'd book that close to home before, so that aspect was very cool and helped me feel immersed in what was going on.
With that said, the constant shifting of who the bad guy(s) was, the church cult (as someone who grew up in a non-denominational faith that was definitely a fundie cult I appreciated the church cult exploration, politics, and secrecy surrounding it), Maurice's backstory with addiction, and Fiona's backstory of repression made me feel like there were a lot of moving pieces and things to keep track of. There is also a relatively vast rotating cast of characters that was overwhelming for a book this length—and it is quite lengthy for both a murder mystery and a romcom.
Sometimes characters acted one way in a chapter and then acted in a completely opposite, befuddling way in the next. Particularly Fiona's father and sister, and sometimes Maurice. Speaking of Fiona and Maurice, unfortunately their love story felt disjointed and not that substantial for me. It was mostly based in lust and mutual respect—which is a great foundation—but I ultimately didn't feel like they truly knew one another by the time they decided to be together.
All in all, this was my first time reading Nikki Payne but I own her backlist and am very excited to read those! Although this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it didn't quite work for me, I do still recommend it because it's fun more than it's not.
3 ⭐️s
2.5 🌶️
September 18, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ | Don’t let the cover fool you! This story had some spice, mystery & a whole murd3r investigation. I enjoyed Fiona & Maurice’s story as it evolved & their dynamic made me swoon. He was just what she needed after emotionally recovering from the loss of her mother & brother! I love how this was a multi genre story, as I got the love & romance - yet still got the mystery and suspense. Overall a solid & enjoyable read! Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.
October 1, 2025
Thank you to Berkley Romance & PRH Audio for the eARC & ALC. All opinions are my own.
I have mixed feelings on this one!
I definitely WANTED to love it more than I did, unfortunately.
I'm still giving it 4⭐️ because I do think many will enjoy it 🥰
I grabbed this one because I had heard such good things about Nikki Payne's previous books, and wanted to try her out.
From the cover I thought it would be a cute romcom filled with banter and maybe a fun mystery.
It was a lot heavier than I expected, and a LOT of talk about religion/church. I couldn't connect with that part of it, nor a lot of interests Fiona had (anime, reality tv, etc).
I found myself more invested in the case/mystery than the romance between Fiona & Maurice.
🎧 audiobook thoughts:
both narrators (Arissa Evans & Jaime Lincoln Smith) were fantastic, and I'm glad I was able to immersive read this one - sometimes the POV changed mid-chapter, and if it weren't for the different voices, I would have had no clue who's perspective it was!
I have mixed feelings on this one!
I definitely WANTED to love it more than I did, unfortunately.
I'm still giving it 4⭐️ because I do think many will enjoy it 🥰
I grabbed this one because I had heard such good things about Nikki Payne's previous books, and wanted to try her out.
From the cover I thought it would be a cute romcom filled with banter and maybe a fun mystery.
It was a lot heavier than I expected, and a LOT of talk about religion/church. I couldn't connect with that part of it, nor a lot of interests Fiona had (anime, reality tv, etc).
I found myself more invested in the case/mystery than the romance between Fiona & Maurice.
🎧 audiobook thoughts:
both narrators (Arissa Evans & Jaime Lincoln Smith) were fantastic, and I'm glad I was able to immersive read this one - sometimes the POV changed mid-chapter, and if it weren't for the different voices, I would have had no clue who's perspective it was!
August 29, 2025
Nikki Payne has written a banger of a romantic suspense/mystery book here, with action that takes us from church to the [marital congress] club, with many stops in between. Maurice Bennet is a private investigator, haunted (literally and figuratively) by the big case he could not solve while on the police force. Fiona is a reddit detective, the suppressed daughter of the head of a fundamentalist church linked to Maurice's cold case. When she is arrested he bails her out and they work together to solve her case, and his.
In the excellent Pride and Protest, a close Austin retelling, Maurice is the Mary equivalent, quiet and a little removed from his rambunctious sisters (hashtag never forget him hogging the mic at a fundraiser to perform spoken word poetry like Mary monopolizing the piano at the ball). He still feels a little apart from his sisters, while feeling deeply loved. Payne does such good work here with a few asides about vulnerability and perceived masculinity and keeping that balance. For the first time HE is seen and appreciated for who he is, "It's that you're the real deal. You're sensitive to the world and the terrible things in it. You feel it deeply."
In return Fiona is seen and appreciated for the first time. She has been reared in a culture of shame and obedience, and he celebrates her independence and abilities (and her body). "She could say without exaggerating that he was the only person in the world who believed she was capable of anything." They grow closer, working together as a team with balanced strengths, and building their emotional connection.
We already knew Payne can write a romance with the yearning and emotion and HEAT, but here it's balanced out a with an intricate plot and mystery. Payne obviously knows her genre and we get a lot of delicious beats here, but woven so smoothly into the story they belong as if it had been the first time ever deployed. There's the deep Old School satisfaction of being the first and only with a beloved, the Can Only Sleep With Her, and a good handful of fairy tale references and references to literature to keep us guessing as to inspiration.
The mystery part kept me predicting wrongly until the end. Payne keeps all the balls of a many-threaded plot in the air and sticks the landing with the criminal investigation part. I think she wasn't just talking about a character when she wrote "Always misdirection with him." She definitely had me looking at bright shiny objects a few times while things were happening in another direction.
I lived in DC for 26 years and worked in the Federal government, so the DMV setting, and (to the extent any liberal white lady can say) the Black culture was familiar. This book was woven into other areas completely off my radar; true crime sleuthing, a fundamentalist church, and a fandom of I'm going to say....anime? It's obvious the author knew those areas well, the atmosphere was perfectly established, and I could see how others would be drawn into the whole reddit world (which Fiona works like a maestro).
I love it when authors stretch and try new directions. Mystery and romantic suspense is not my ministry, but I deeply enjoyed this book and had a great time reading it. And if you are a person who has ever listened to a true crime podcast or watched a detective procedural, I guarantee this is the book for you.
Thank you to Berkley (!!) for the arc.
In the excellent Pride and Protest, a close Austin retelling, Maurice is the Mary equivalent, quiet and a little removed from his rambunctious sisters (hashtag never forget him hogging the mic at a fundraiser to perform spoken word poetry like Mary monopolizing the piano at the ball). He still feels a little apart from his sisters, while feeling deeply loved. Payne does such good work here with a few asides about vulnerability and perceived masculinity and keeping that balance. For the first time HE is seen and appreciated for who he is, "It's that you're the real deal. You're sensitive to the world and the terrible things in it. You feel it deeply."
In return Fiona is seen and appreciated for the first time. She has been reared in a culture of shame and obedience, and he celebrates her independence and abilities (and her body). "She could say without exaggerating that he was the only person in the world who believed she was capable of anything." They grow closer, working together as a team with balanced strengths, and building their emotional connection.
We already knew Payne can write a romance with the yearning and emotion and HEAT, but here it's balanced out a with an intricate plot and mystery. Payne obviously knows her genre and we get a lot of delicious beats here, but woven so smoothly into the story they belong as if it had been the first time ever deployed. There's the deep Old School satisfaction of being the first and only with a beloved, the Can Only Sleep With Her, and a good handful of fairy tale references and references to literature to keep us guessing as to inspiration.
The mystery part kept me predicting wrongly until the end. Payne keeps all the balls of a many-threaded plot in the air and sticks the landing with the criminal investigation part. I think she wasn't just talking about a character when she wrote "Always misdirection with him." She definitely had me looking at bright shiny objects a few times while things were happening in another direction.
I lived in DC for 26 years and worked in the Federal government, so the DMV setting, and (to the extent any liberal white lady can say) the Black culture was familiar. This book was woven into other areas completely off my radar; true crime sleuthing, a fundamentalist church, and a fandom of I'm going to say....anime? It's obvious the author knew those areas well, the atmosphere was perfectly established, and I could see how others would be drawn into the whole reddit world (which Fiona works like a maestro).
I love it when authors stretch and try new directions. Mystery and romantic suspense is not my ministry, but I deeply enjoyed this book and had a great time reading it. And if you are a person who has ever listened to a true crime podcast or watched a detective procedural, I guarantee this is the book for you.
Thank you to Berkley (!!) for the arc.
September 11, 2025
I think I'll read anything Nikki puts out, but I especially loved this synopsis.
I loved Fiona. She's smart, but maybe a little sheltered and definitely knows she wants more for her life. Maurice is gritty and sharp and has definitely been on his own for too long. Together they have instant interest and an openness that was fun to read. I loved reading how she softened him and he sharpened her. Oh, and his sisters were so much fun.
Plot wise, it's sort of a lot. There are several plot threads and at certain points, I forgot there were other things going on. This book is heavy on religion and the church and that gradually turns into cult talk. Regardless of all of the moving parts, this story is firmly about Fiona and Maurice finding their way in life, as well as in a relationship.
Overall, these characters were so easy to root for and Nikki has a way of writing fun, no matter the topic. I can't wait to read whatever she has next.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I loved Fiona. She's smart, but maybe a little sheltered and definitely knows she wants more for her life. Maurice is gritty and sharp and has definitely been on his own for too long. Together they have instant interest and an openness that was fun to read. I loved reading how she softened him and he sharpened her. Oh, and his sisters were so much fun.
Plot wise, it's sort of a lot. There are several plot threads and at certain points, I forgot there were other things going on. This book is heavy on religion and the church and that gradually turns into cult talk. Regardless of all of the moving parts, this story is firmly about Fiona and Maurice finding their way in life, as well as in a relationship.
Overall, these characters were so easy to root for and Nikki has a way of writing fun, no matter the topic. I can't wait to read whatever she has next.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
October 12, 2025
This … was a lot. And not in a good way.
I did not enjoy this 😭 it was doing way too much, i hated the romance between the characters. I didn’t like the MMC. I hated the FMC’s family. The religious/trauma/cult plot was NOT it AT ALL.
This is a major no for me😅
I still can’t believe this man was talking to dead people like it was totally normal and nobody ever explained why 🫥
and since this book had about a million and one black church references i shall end my review with one more: I’m washing my hands clean of this book!
I did not enjoy this 😭 it was doing way too much, i hated the romance between the characters. I didn’t like the MMC. I hated the FMC’s family. The religious/trauma/cult plot was NOT it AT ALL.
This is a major no for me😅
I still can’t believe this man was talking to dead people like it was totally normal and nobody ever explained why 🫥
and since this book had about a million and one black church references i shall end my review with one more: I’m washing my hands clean of this book!
September 16, 2025
Fiona Addai has always been the obedient daughter. As the daughter of a prominent church leader, she was forced to conform to being the good girl that she was raised to be. What her father doesn't know is that she has a secret sleuthing hobby. Fiona's alter ego is @Princess_PI - a well-respected web sleuth who helps investigate crimes. When she is arrested for a murder that she didn't commit, she convinces private investigator Maurice Bennett to help her figure out who the real murderer is. As Fiona and Maurice spend a lot of time together, it's difficult for them to resist the electric chemistry that they have.
This fascinating story drew me in from the first chapter! This romance story was mixed with mystery and suspense and it made for a very entertaining experience. I won't give up too much on the plot since I don't want to spoil things, but I have to say that it was a fun rollercoaster!
Fiona was an undercover badass. It took a while for her real self to shine through the shell that her parents forced her into, but once she could grow into that new skin, it was glorious! I was rooting for her to find her voice and confidence the whole way.
Maurice was an intriguing character. He had questionable morals because of the things he had to do to get leads and it was an interesting juxtaposition with Fiona's inherently good character. Maurice made questionable choices in the past and Fiona made him want to be a man who deserved her. He proved that people can change for the better and sometimes it takes love and support to want to make those changes.
The supporting characters in this book were just as well-written as the main characters. Maurice's sisters had me cracking up! (I'd like to see books for each of them, please, Nikki Payne!). Fiona's sister and father were complex characters with messy feelings and situations. Although I didn't like them at first, in the end, I liked them because I understood them more.
Nikki Payne has a way with words. There were so many times when I paused and re-read lines because of how profound they were. Payne can seamlessly mix the different genres together while giving it a visceral vibe that I feel in my bones.
Pick this one up for an exciting and sexy romantic mystery!
Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥½
⚠️: grief, murder, mention of death of a loved one
I received a complimentary eARC from the publisher.
This fascinating story drew me in from the first chapter! This romance story was mixed with mystery and suspense and it made for a very entertaining experience. I won't give up too much on the plot since I don't want to spoil things, but I have to say that it was a fun rollercoaster!
Fiona was an undercover badass. It took a while for her real self to shine through the shell that her parents forced her into, but once she could grow into that new skin, it was glorious! I was rooting for her to find her voice and confidence the whole way.
Maurice was an intriguing character. He had questionable morals because of the things he had to do to get leads and it was an interesting juxtaposition with Fiona's inherently good character. Maurice made questionable choices in the past and Fiona made him want to be a man who deserved her. He proved that people can change for the better and sometimes it takes love and support to want to make those changes.
The supporting characters in this book were just as well-written as the main characters. Maurice's sisters had me cracking up! (I'd like to see books for each of them, please, Nikki Payne!). Fiona's sister and father were complex characters with messy feelings and situations. Although I didn't like them at first, in the end, I liked them because I understood them more.
Nikki Payne has a way with words. There were so many times when I paused and re-read lines because of how profound they were. Payne can seamlessly mix the different genres together while giving it a visceral vibe that I feel in my bones.
Pick this one up for an exciting and sexy romantic mystery!
Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥½
⚠️: grief, murder, mention of death of a loved one
I received a complimentary eARC from the publisher.
November 9, 2025
A good girl goes to jail and a jaded guy bails her out then partners her on the case. Nikki Payne is not a new to me author. I loved her modern Jane Austen retellings and, with The Princess and the P.I., she dives smoothly into romantic suspense with her same signature blend of witty humor and heavy feels.
👠The Princess and the PI introduces Fiona, sheltered pastor’s daughter who grieves the loss of mother and brother. She can’t seem to get her remaining family to grasp that she has value and skills so she’s become a secret on-line sensation as a private investigator. Her latest investigation cut close to the bone when she planned to sneak into corporate and take back her brother’s invention. And, no, that didn’t go well. She lands in jail and a deeper trouble than she can imagine.
👞Lo and behold, Maurice, the younger brother from Nikki Payne’s earlier book, Pride & Protest, turns out to be the ex-cop now turned world-weary private investigator with an unsolved case still stuck in his head. Fiona’s family is strongly connected to this case so he reluctantly agrees to take her on as partner. She’s not keen on his ‘any way to get ‘er done’ approach and he thinks she’s too sheltered growing up under her strict pastor dad. But, they jive well and the sizzling attraction heats up the pages as does the danger they get into when they get closer than is comfortable to the truth.
There is such a contrast between Fiona’s legalistic ‘Christian’ family and Maurice’s very quirky and good family – his sisters crack me up as they did in Pride and Protest (Maurice is the fuddy-dud sibling). Fiona wears a "Princess" mask around her family and church that she doesn’t need around Maurice who comes to appreciates her just the way she is. There are fun literary references throughout that help point out the genre elements and plot points in a fun way.
🔎💞The romance and suspense elements were equally balanced, the Washington DC backdrop and culture, social issues, and complex characters were an abso-fab blend that left me satisfied. Like emotional, thought-provoking, and spicy romantic suspense? Slide the Princess and the PI onto your reading pile.
I rec'd a finished print copy from Berkley Romance to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at my Instagram page, @sophiarose1816 on 10.23.25
👠The Princess and the PI introduces Fiona, sheltered pastor’s daughter who grieves the loss of mother and brother. She can’t seem to get her remaining family to grasp that she has value and skills so she’s become a secret on-line sensation as a private investigator. Her latest investigation cut close to the bone when she planned to sneak into corporate and take back her brother’s invention. And, no, that didn’t go well. She lands in jail and a deeper trouble than she can imagine.
👞Lo and behold, Maurice, the younger brother from Nikki Payne’s earlier book, Pride & Protest, turns out to be the ex-cop now turned world-weary private investigator with an unsolved case still stuck in his head. Fiona’s family is strongly connected to this case so he reluctantly agrees to take her on as partner. She’s not keen on his ‘any way to get ‘er done’ approach and he thinks she’s too sheltered growing up under her strict pastor dad. But, they jive well and the sizzling attraction heats up the pages as does the danger they get into when they get closer than is comfortable to the truth.
There is such a contrast between Fiona’s legalistic ‘Christian’ family and Maurice’s very quirky and good family – his sisters crack me up as they did in Pride and Protest (Maurice is the fuddy-dud sibling). Fiona wears a "Princess" mask around her family and church that she doesn’t need around Maurice who comes to appreciates her just the way she is. There are fun literary references throughout that help point out the genre elements and plot points in a fun way.
🔎💞The romance and suspense elements were equally balanced, the Washington DC backdrop and culture, social issues, and complex characters were an abso-fab blend that left me satisfied. Like emotional, thought-provoking, and spicy romantic suspense? Slide the Princess and the PI onto your reading pile.
I rec'd a finished print copy from Berkley Romance to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at my Instagram page, @sophiarose1816 on 10.23.25
September 17, 2025
Out now!
While Nikki Payne's new romance between a PI and a "Reddit detective" could probably have been served by a less convoluted mystery, fewer characters, and fewer pages - I still thought it was a ton of fun. The heroine, Fiona, a repressed pastor's daughter trying to break out of her gilded gage, was a particular delight.
While Nikki Payne's new romance between a PI and a "Reddit detective" could probably have been served by a less convoluted mystery, fewer characters, and fewer pages - I still thought it was a ton of fun. The heroine, Fiona, a repressed pastor's daughter trying to break out of her gilded gage, was a particular delight.
November 18, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed the story but I think that it had a very slow start to begin with both on the suspense side and the romance side. If this would have been classified just a drama/suspense, the romance as is would suffice.
Fiona’s sister and dad are both P.O.S. I also think we could have used some backstory to the cult, to the family and even the brother prior to his death.
A solid read.
Fiona’s sister and dad are both P.O.S. I also think we could have used some backstory to the cult, to the family and even the brother prior to his death.
A solid read.
September 17, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
I enjoyed it! This book starts off with a fast paced scene that will immediately pull you in and have you wanting more! I was fully invested in figuring out the why and the who?? But, I was also intrigued by the religious cult aspect and how a church can often “brainwash” their followers in the name of religion. In this case, there is underlying corruption at play and I sense a major cover up that will be unveiled! Outside of all this, there is a slow burn romance brewing between the FMC and MMC and the romance girly in me is into it! Fiona was trained to be “obedient” her whole life, seen and not heard, so much of her identity and self worth was wrapped into the teachings of her fathers church. But, there was so much more to Fiona than her entire family gave her credit for! I was happy to see her grow, find her voice and come into her own! I thought the characters were really developed well and I loved the romance between the MMC and FMC. I also liked that while this was suspenseful, it didn’t feel too heavy. This is a great laugh out loud suspenseful read that I’d recommend!
Only other thing I’d add, is that after a while the mystery seemed to drag on just a tad.
Fun fact: Marcus is the little brother from Pride and Protest! I love when books connect characters
This is perfect for fans of:
💫Mysteries
💫Whodunnit
💫Slow burn romance
💫Forced proximity
💫Romantic suspense
💫 intense family dynamics
💫hero arc
💫liberation from oppressive systems
I enjoyed it! This book starts off with a fast paced scene that will immediately pull you in and have you wanting more! I was fully invested in figuring out the why and the who?? But, I was also intrigued by the religious cult aspect and how a church can often “brainwash” their followers in the name of religion. In this case, there is underlying corruption at play and I sense a major cover up that will be unveiled! Outside of all this, there is a slow burn romance brewing between the FMC and MMC and the romance girly in me is into it! Fiona was trained to be “obedient” her whole life, seen and not heard, so much of her identity and self worth was wrapped into the teachings of her fathers church. But, there was so much more to Fiona than her entire family gave her credit for! I was happy to see her grow, find her voice and come into her own! I thought the characters were really developed well and I loved the romance between the MMC and FMC. I also liked that while this was suspenseful, it didn’t feel too heavy. This is a great laugh out loud suspenseful read that I’d recommend!
Only other thing I’d add, is that after a while the mystery seemed to drag on just a tad.
Fun fact: Marcus is the little brother from Pride and Protest! I love when books connect characters
This is perfect for fans of:
💫Mysteries
💫Whodunnit
💫Slow burn romance
💫Forced proximity
💫Romantic suspense
💫 intense family dynamics
💫hero arc
💫liberation from oppressive systems
September 21, 2025
This was very different from what I’ve read from this author and I enjoyed the mystery and suspense. This is a romantic suspense that follows the fmc Fiona and Maurice the mmc as they navigate Fiona being charged with murder. The fmc finds herself in the wrong place and gets involved with the mmc who is a private investigator as they try to solve the mystery.
This book had so many different levels and was complex and interesting. We have the main mystery and also the fmcs religious trauma with her dad being a pastor and her brother being banished from the church and home. I thought the religious aspect/ over religious part was real sad and well portrayed/written. The family dynamics in this are very complex and there are secrets and dark aspects.
The romance is a slow burn and in the beginning it’s set aside for the mystery but it comes and it’s worth it. I liked the tension between the main characters and how important it was for the fmc to be sexually liberated especially after growing up in a religious/ purity culture background. There are steamy scenes and i liked watching the main characters get closer and develop the relationship. Overall this was a good suspense with a romance story, its does have darker themes which increased the stakes. Thanks to Berkley for this arc for an honest review.
This book had so many different levels and was complex and interesting. We have the main mystery and also the fmcs religious trauma with her dad being a pastor and her brother being banished from the church and home. I thought the religious aspect/ over religious part was real sad and well portrayed/written. The family dynamics in this are very complex and there are secrets and dark aspects.
The romance is a slow burn and in the beginning it’s set aside for the mystery but it comes and it’s worth it. I liked the tension between the main characters and how important it was for the fmc to be sexually liberated especially after growing up in a religious/ purity culture background. There are steamy scenes and i liked watching the main characters get closer and develop the relationship. Overall this was a good suspense with a romance story, its does have darker themes which increased the stakes. Thanks to Berkley for this arc for an honest review.
October 14, 2025
3.75 stars rounded up
December 11, 2025
This maybe how the arc was formed, but the lack of real change for the characters made each perspective blur a bit together.
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own
October 13, 2025
*2.75 stars
I really really wanted to love this one, but it didn’t deliver on the mystery at all for me. There were like two and a half mystery plots going on and I don’t think Payne handled any of them particularly well, nor did she connect them in a way that felt believable to me. The whole book would’ve been much more effective if it had just been about clearing Fiona’s name OR Maurice and Fiona solving the case he couldn’t solve and finally taking down the church, CERTAINLY not both.
There’s shockingly little investigation actually happening. They sneak into a few places, go through trash, circle things on a murder board but it does all feel like cosplay. A hard-boiled classic P.I. mystery this is not. Fiona is supposed to be some superstar online sleuth who’s queen of the message boards, fine, but I truly did not expect that FULL extent of her criminal investigation expertise to be centered on Reddit. When she’s investigating something, quite literally all she does is go down some Reddit rabbit holes and somehow, miraculously, all the information she needs is right there. And when she ventures outside of the threads, all she’s doing is checking social media. I get it, people live their lives on social and there’s a treasure trove of information there, but really? Fiona couldn’t hack in anywhere? She couldn’t look up some court documents or morgue records or anything?? And she wants to do this PROFESSIONALLY??? It just strained credulity for me. Like what do you mean you’re cracking this case wide open cause you got on Facebook Marketplace? I guess I expected her Redditing to be like....where she learned to always wear gloves at a crime scene or something like that, not like she's using Reddit to do literally all of the crime solving. Be serious!
From a craft standpoint, I feel like Payne struggled to lay out the connective tissue — and I’m not just talking about the mystery. Sometimes we’d walk into a room and begin a scene and then suddenly a character will appear there as if they were transported, and then suddenly Fiona and Maurice will be in the bedroom talking with nothing about how they got there. Characters would come to conclusion that barely seemed to logically follow from whatever someone said two lines ago. It was kind of like paper dolls and made the actual core of the story read like someone’s first foray into a mystery.
The romance was OK. I liked Maurice and the animal magnetism thing he had going on, I think Fiona should go to therapy, both family and individual. I read another review that said they couldn’t find what Fiona and Maurice liked about each other besides sexual attraction, and I think that’s fair. Technically it’s a slow burn, but when they announced they had fallen in love I didn’t really feel it or desperately want them to be together. I appreciate the fact that it got explicit/open door, which I’ve been banging on the windows about for years. I just wish the mystery hadn’t been so wobbly.
Pet peeve — Why is it that Naruto, Sailor Moon, and Dragon Ball Z seem to be the only animes black people know? STILL in 2025. Come on!!!
I really really wanted to love this one, but it didn’t deliver on the mystery at all for me. There were like two and a half mystery plots going on and I don’t think Payne handled any of them particularly well, nor did she connect them in a way that felt believable to me. The whole book would’ve been much more effective if it had just been about clearing Fiona’s name OR Maurice and Fiona solving the case he couldn’t solve and finally taking down the church, CERTAINLY not both.
There’s shockingly little investigation actually happening. They sneak into a few places, go through trash, circle things on a murder board but it does all feel like cosplay. A hard-boiled classic P.I. mystery this is not. Fiona is supposed to be some superstar online sleuth who’s queen of the message boards, fine, but I truly did not expect that FULL extent of her criminal investigation expertise to be centered on Reddit. When she’s investigating something, quite literally all she does is go down some Reddit rabbit holes and somehow, miraculously, all the information she needs is right there. And when she ventures outside of the threads, all she’s doing is checking social media. I get it, people live their lives on social and there’s a treasure trove of information there, but really? Fiona couldn’t hack in anywhere? She couldn’t look up some court documents or morgue records or anything?? And she wants to do this PROFESSIONALLY??? It just strained credulity for me. Like what do you mean you’re cracking this case wide open cause you got on Facebook Marketplace? I guess I expected her Redditing to be like....where she learned to always wear gloves at a crime scene or something like that, not like she's using Reddit to do literally all of the crime solving. Be serious!
From a craft standpoint, I feel like Payne struggled to lay out the connective tissue — and I’m not just talking about the mystery. Sometimes we’d walk into a room and begin a scene and then suddenly a character will appear there as if they were transported, and then suddenly Fiona and Maurice will be in the bedroom talking with nothing about how they got there. Characters would come to conclusion that barely seemed to logically follow from whatever someone said two lines ago. It was kind of like paper dolls and made the actual core of the story read like someone’s first foray into a mystery.
The romance was OK. I liked Maurice and the animal magnetism thing he had going on, I think Fiona should go to therapy, both family and individual. I read another review that said they couldn’t find what Fiona and Maurice liked about each other besides sexual attraction, and I think that’s fair. Technically it’s a slow burn, but when they announced they had fallen in love I didn’t really feel it or desperately want them to be together. I appreciate the fact that it got explicit/open door, which I’ve been banging on the windows about for years. I just wish the mystery hadn’t been so wobbly.
Pet peeve — Why is it that Naruto, Sailor Moon, and Dragon Ball Z seem to be the only animes black people know? STILL in 2025. Come on!!!
September 23, 2025
I had a feeling going into The Princess and the P.I. that I was going to like it, and I wasn’t wrong! I admit, I took one look at that gorgeous cover, saw that the book was by Nikki Payne, and I was sold. I really liked her other romances, and though this was a little different from her other books, it was equally enjoyable.
From the moment I met Fiona Addai, I loved her. Reddit legend and mystery solver by night, sheltered preacher’s daughter by day, Fiona’s entire life is thrown in an upheaval when she tries to take back her brother’s invention and becomes the lead suspect in a murder. I loved her growth over the course of the story and how she breaks down the walls of her carefully constructed life. With the help of Maurice, the sexy private investigator, Fiona begins to realize that she is more than the daughter of a pastor, a grieving sister, and a devout rule-follower. She’s clever and astute, brave even when she’s scared, and constantly searching for the truth in the case, in herself, and in the people around her.
Of course, my favorite part of the story is the romance between Fiona and Maurice. So swoon-worthy! Maurice is jaded, broody, and nursing old wounds, but he’s also deeply intuitive and surprisingly gentle, especially when it comes to Fiona. I love the way he treats her and makes her feel seen. He pushes her to be her authentic self, not what other people want or expect. Their dynamic is loaded with sexual tension and banter, and though I didn’t always love Maurice’s train of thought, overall I enjoyed their relationship. They are a great team, and they complement each other so well with a relationship that is a great blend of sexy, sweet, caring, and funny.
The mystery itself is a tangled, high-stakes situation that is much more duplicitous than I expected. Fiona’s late brother’s invention and the ruthless tech world she steps into make for an intriguing backdrop, as does the mysterious religious cult with some deadly secrets in its closet. There are some darker themes and elements, and though they don’t overtake the story, I would suggest checking out the content warnings before reading.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
From the moment I met Fiona Addai, I loved her. Reddit legend and mystery solver by night, sheltered preacher’s daughter by day, Fiona’s entire life is thrown in an upheaval when she tries to take back her brother’s invention and becomes the lead suspect in a murder. I loved her growth over the course of the story and how she breaks down the walls of her carefully constructed life. With the help of Maurice, the sexy private investigator, Fiona begins to realize that she is more than the daughter of a pastor, a grieving sister, and a devout rule-follower. She’s clever and astute, brave even when she’s scared, and constantly searching for the truth in the case, in herself, and in the people around her.
Of course, my favorite part of the story is the romance between Fiona and Maurice. So swoon-worthy! Maurice is jaded, broody, and nursing old wounds, but he’s also deeply intuitive and surprisingly gentle, especially when it comes to Fiona. I love the way he treats her and makes her feel seen. He pushes her to be her authentic self, not what other people want or expect. Their dynamic is loaded with sexual tension and banter, and though I didn’t always love Maurice’s train of thought, overall I enjoyed their relationship. They are a great team, and they complement each other so well with a relationship that is a great blend of sexy, sweet, caring, and funny.
The mystery itself is a tangled, high-stakes situation that is much more duplicitous than I expected. Fiona’s late brother’s invention and the ruthless tech world she steps into make for an intriguing backdrop, as does the mysterious religious cult with some deadly secrets in its closet. There are some darker themes and elements, and though they don’t overtake the story, I would suggest checking out the content warnings before reading.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
September 21, 2025
Full review to comeThanks for the free e-ARC & #gifted ALC @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley & @prhaudio #prhaudiopartner
🔎 Review - THE PRINCESS AND THE P.I. 🔎
Author - Nikki Payne
Pub Date - 9/16/25
*physical copy purchased by me*
I love a good romantic suspense story, and Nikki Payne really delivers with her latest, The Princess and the P.I.!
Fiona is the daughter of a prominent church leader. She has lived a sheltered life, but unsatisfied with that living that way, Fiona has also cultivated a secret life as the online amateur sleuth, @Princess_PI. When her brother is murdered and the invention he had been working on is stolen, Fiona decides to use her sleuthing skills to avenge his death and get his invention back.
Things don’t go as planned and not only does Fiona end up arrested and accused of murder. Enter Maurice Bennett, the former cop turned PI. When he learns of Fiona’s predicament, he decides to intervene and bails her out of jail, then starts working with her to try to clear her name and find the real perpetrator.
It was so entertaining watching these two work together to solve this mystery! Maurice is a little broody and at first has no patience for Fiona and her online sleuthing persona, but the more they work together, the more he starts to see her how she really wants to be seen, as more than just a good girl. I thought their chemistry was fantastic and was immediately invested in them as a couple.
I won’t say much about the actual investigation aside from that it takes Maurice and Fiona on a wild ride and that it had plenty of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I really enjoyed Payne’s writing, both in the way she wrote these two characters with so many layers, and in the way she skillfully weaves suspense, tension, humor, & spicy romance into this story.
I read this one with my eyes and ears and thoroughly enjoyed the narration of Arissa Evans & Jaime Lincoln Smith, who both did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life & playing up the chemistry between them.
🔎 Review - THE PRINCESS AND THE P.I. 🔎
Author - Nikki Payne
Pub Date - 9/16/25
*physical copy purchased by me*
I love a good romantic suspense story, and Nikki Payne really delivers with her latest, The Princess and the P.I.!
Fiona is the daughter of a prominent church leader. She has lived a sheltered life, but unsatisfied with that living that way, Fiona has also cultivated a secret life as the online amateur sleuth, @Princess_PI. When her brother is murdered and the invention he had been working on is stolen, Fiona decides to use her sleuthing skills to avenge his death and get his invention back.
Things don’t go as planned and not only does Fiona end up arrested and accused of murder. Enter Maurice Bennett, the former cop turned PI. When he learns of Fiona’s predicament, he decides to intervene and bails her out of jail, then starts working with her to try to clear her name and find the real perpetrator.
It was so entertaining watching these two work together to solve this mystery! Maurice is a little broody and at first has no patience for Fiona and her online sleuthing persona, but the more they work together, the more he starts to see her how she really wants to be seen, as more than just a good girl. I thought their chemistry was fantastic and was immediately invested in them as a couple.
I won’t say much about the actual investigation aside from that it takes Maurice and Fiona on a wild ride and that it had plenty of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I really enjoyed Payne’s writing, both in the way she wrote these two characters with so many layers, and in the way she skillfully weaves suspense, tension, humor, & spicy romance into this story.
I read this one with my eyes and ears and thoroughly enjoyed the narration of Arissa Evans & Jaime Lincoln Smith, who both did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life & playing up the chemistry between them.
September 16, 2025
Thank you, @berkleyromance and @prhaudio for the free print and audio copies! #berkley #berkleypartner #prhaudioinfluencer
Fiona Appiah is an online sleuth known for her ability to uncover the truth behind an online scandal or a cold case through her account, @Princess_PI. It has been an important escape for her from her overprotective and strictly religious family. A situation that has only gotten worse since her brother’s death. But when Fiona decides to take her online skills into the real world to avenge her brother by stealing back his invention from the corporation that stole it, things go VERY POORLY. Maurice Bennett was once on the force but hung up his shield for a PI license. But he can’t get the case he couldn’t solve out of his head. It weighs on him so much, he can’t sleep. But when Fiona’s chaos lands in front of him, he can’t help but step in to help. Soon these complete opposites find themselves working the case together and, despite their better judgements, they are drawn to each other.
I love a good romantic suspense novel and this one is full of both! I love how Maurice sees the real Fiona through the vail of the person she has crafted herself into in order to serve her family’s purposes. The contrast between Maurice’s family and their treatment of Fiona provide her with a vision of how families and love should be. The revenge plot and crime solving expands over the course of the novel, with a fair number of characters coming into play and I did find myself going back to re-read previous chapters to make sure I understood what was happening. The wrap up was intensely satisfying - both in the tying of loose ends with the crime and the growth both Fiona and Maurice have achieved.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: Narrators Arissa Evans and Jaime Lincoln absolutely shine, infusing the entire cast with vibrancy and emotion. At 13h 46m, it’s an immersive listen that heightens every twist and romantic beat.
Fiona Appiah is an online sleuth known for her ability to uncover the truth behind an online scandal or a cold case through her account, @Princess_PI. It has been an important escape for her from her overprotective and strictly religious family. A situation that has only gotten worse since her brother’s death. But when Fiona decides to take her online skills into the real world to avenge her brother by stealing back his invention from the corporation that stole it, things go VERY POORLY. Maurice Bennett was once on the force but hung up his shield for a PI license. But he can’t get the case he couldn’t solve out of his head. It weighs on him so much, he can’t sleep. But when Fiona’s chaos lands in front of him, he can’t help but step in to help. Soon these complete opposites find themselves working the case together and, despite their better judgements, they are drawn to each other.
I love a good romantic suspense novel and this one is full of both! I love how Maurice sees the real Fiona through the vail of the person she has crafted herself into in order to serve her family’s purposes. The contrast between Maurice’s family and their treatment of Fiona provide her with a vision of how families and love should be. The revenge plot and crime solving expands over the course of the novel, with a fair number of characters coming into play and I did find myself going back to re-read previous chapters to make sure I understood what was happening. The wrap up was intensely satisfying - both in the tying of loose ends with the crime and the growth both Fiona and Maurice have achieved.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: Narrators Arissa Evans and Jaime Lincoln absolutely shine, infusing the entire cast with vibrancy and emotion. At 13h 46m, it’s an immersive listen that heightens every twist and romantic beat.
October 27, 2025
4 ⭐ This one starts with a bang, and not a subtle one. From page one, you’re thrown into a whirlwind of names, secrets, and a murder that demands your full attention. It feels as if you’re being handed a case file instead of a book: “Here’s your list of suspects, here’s your evidence, now good luck.” I was hooked, but also slightly dizzy trying to keep up.
Once the chaos settled and I got to know Fiona and Maurice, I was in. Their dynamic clicked; it made sense in a slow-burn, obstacles-that-actually-make-sense kind of way. I loved how Fiona’s arc turned inward, shifting from external validation to self-awareness and emancipation. She didn’t just grow; she reclaimed space. And Maurice? Layered, thoughtful, charming in a grounded way. His sisters were comedic gold with just the right amount of mystery laced in.
The murder mystery thread was genuinely fun, twisty enough to keep me guessing, with a few red herrings that made me smirk and think, Oh, you’re trying to trick me, aren’t you? It worked.
That said, a few things pulled me out of rhythm. The pacing felt uneven, not bad but jumpy, like it couldn’t quite decide which aspect to settle into. And while I get the narrative need for despicable characters (more suspects, more fun), some of them tipped into cartoonishly terrible.
So yes, enigmatic, messy, and oddly delightful. A story that took time to win me over but ultimately did. It’s a bit like piecing together a puzzle while flirting with danger, confusing at first but satisfying once the pieces click. Also the smut 👀🔥👀🔥
Once the chaos settled and I got to know Fiona and Maurice, I was in. Their dynamic clicked; it made sense in a slow-burn, obstacles-that-actually-make-sense kind of way. I loved how Fiona’s arc turned inward, shifting from external validation to self-awareness and emancipation. She didn’t just grow; she reclaimed space. And Maurice? Layered, thoughtful, charming in a grounded way. His sisters were comedic gold with just the right amount of mystery laced in.
The murder mystery thread was genuinely fun, twisty enough to keep me guessing, with a few red herrings that made me smirk and think, Oh, you’re trying to trick me, aren’t you? It worked.
That said, a few things pulled me out of rhythm. The pacing felt uneven, not bad but jumpy, like it couldn’t quite decide which aspect to settle into. And while I get the narrative need for despicable characters (more suspects, more fun), some of them tipped into cartoonishly terrible.
So yes, enigmatic, messy, and oddly delightful. A story that took time to win me over but ultimately did. It’s a bit like piecing together a puzzle while flirting with danger, confusing at first but satisfying once the pieces click. Also the smut 👀🔥👀🔥
September 10, 2025
4⭐️
Loved this!!!! The Princess and the P.I. is a romantic suspense from Nikki Payne that manages to be funny and vulnerable with drops of steam throughout. This story follows Fiona, the daughter of a church priest, and Maurice, a P.I. investigating said church and a religious cult. The plot and suspense plot line starts immediately in this one and it took a minute to get a grasp of all that was happening. After Fiona and Maurice meet, they decide to team up to clear Fiona’s name after she is set up to take the fall for a crime. Their relationship develops over the course of their investigation and I loved the protectiveness they had for each other. The suspense and all the twists and turns kept me engaged throughout the whole book. This is a high stakes thriller read I recommend picking up for a great time!!
Side note: after finishing this and looking up other books by Nikki Payne, I realized that Maurice is the side character in Pride and Protest! I can’t wait to go back and read that book to see Maurice in the beginning stages and meet new characters in the Nikki Payne world!
Thank you for Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my review! 🧡
Loved this!!!! The Princess and the P.I. is a romantic suspense from Nikki Payne that manages to be funny and vulnerable with drops of steam throughout. This story follows Fiona, the daughter of a church priest, and Maurice, a P.I. investigating said church and a religious cult. The plot and suspense plot line starts immediately in this one and it took a minute to get a grasp of all that was happening. After Fiona and Maurice meet, they decide to team up to clear Fiona’s name after she is set up to take the fall for a crime. Their relationship develops over the course of their investigation and I loved the protectiveness they had for each other. The suspense and all the twists and turns kept me engaged throughout the whole book. This is a high stakes thriller read I recommend picking up for a great time!!
Side note: after finishing this and looking up other books by Nikki Payne, I realized that Maurice is the side character in Pride and Protest! I can’t wait to go back and read that book to see Maurice in the beginning stages and meet new characters in the Nikki Payne world!
Thank you for Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my review! 🧡
dnf
October 28, 2025DNF @ 15%
Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this book. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I really wanted to love this one and there were definitely aspects of it that I was enjoying before putting it down. This just wasn't my preferred characters or dynamic and I didn't want to push through for a book I knew wouldn't be a new fave.
I think this story has a lot to love - complex characters, a murder mystery, lots of secrets, dark pasts. And the writing itself was great.
However, the heroine is extremely sheltered and naive and it's just not my favorite type of character to follow. She would flip back and forth between being so sure of herself or her strengths only to stumble her way through every encounter.
I also didn't particularly love the narration for this (particularly the female narration) and it was making me uninterested in picking up the audiobook. And unfortunately, at this stage in my life, I heavily rely on audiobooks and it just wasn't plausible to switch and try the physical version.
Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this book. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I really wanted to love this one and there were definitely aspects of it that I was enjoying before putting it down. This just wasn't my preferred characters or dynamic and I didn't want to push through for a book I knew wouldn't be a new fave.
I think this story has a lot to love - complex characters, a murder mystery, lots of secrets, dark pasts. And the writing itself was great.
However, the heroine is extremely sheltered and naive and it's just not my favorite type of character to follow. She would flip back and forth between being so sure of herself or her strengths only to stumble her way through every encounter.
I also didn't particularly love the narration for this (particularly the female narration) and it was making me uninterested in picking up the audiobook. And unfortunately, at this stage in my life, I heavily rely on audiobooks and it just wasn't plausible to switch and try the physical version.
September 16, 2025
Love love love! There are so may things I loved about this book. A sheltered FMC who has a secret life as an internet sleuth (so fun) who wants to avenge her brother (hell yes) and break away from the chains of her family's church (yesss).... except family bonds are the strongest of all and she still loves her father no matter how much he tries to control her (ooh complicated). And she's teaming up with a playboy, disgraced cop who is now a PI who has so many of his own demons and addictions?! Can she trust him? Does he trust her?! This plus a ton of other intricacies that made this book SO dynamic and captivating. The romance is strong and swoony and spicey. The stakes are HIGH and keep getting higher as more and more trauma and secrets are reveals. I never knew where this book was going and I love how it kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last second. I would read a million more of these books and I would LOVE to read a series about Fiona and her PI business.
Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was perfect! So compelling and passionate and brings that extra layer to this dramatic story.
Thanks to the publisher for a free copy and ALC; my thoughts and review are my own.
Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was perfect! So compelling and passionate and brings that extra layer to this dramatic story.
Thanks to the publisher for a free copy and ALC; my thoughts and review are my own.
October 5, 2025
3.5*
This was a fun murder mystery romcom! While attempting to get revenge on the man who stole her brother's life's work, Fiona accidentally becomes the prime suspect in his murder and has to rely on private detective Maurice to help prove her innocence. Hijinks ensue.
This book didn't shy away from dark topics, including religious fundamentalism and cults, purity culture, and addiction. Fiona's character arc as she move away from her father and the cult he leads was a strong point of the story.
However, it sometimes felt that the book was trying to cover so much, that it never fully explored any of these themes in full, especially regarding Maurice's past interactions with the cult and what caused him to leave the police force.
Overall, this was a fun read!
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc!
This was a fun murder mystery romcom! While attempting to get revenge on the man who stole her brother's life's work, Fiona accidentally becomes the prime suspect in his murder and has to rely on private detective Maurice to help prove her innocence. Hijinks ensue.
This book didn't shy away from dark topics, including religious fundamentalism and cults, purity culture, and addiction. Fiona's character arc as she move away from her father and the cult he leads was a strong point of the story.
However, it sometimes felt that the book was trying to cover so much, that it never fully explored any of these themes in full, especially regarding Maurice's past interactions with the cult and what caused him to leave the police force.
Overall, this was a fun read!
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc!
September 17, 2025
**Thank you Berkley Romance, Berkley Pub and NetGalley for the gifted copy**
I enjoyed reading this book. The beginning was a bit slow but towards middle it starts to really pick up. And geesh, there were so many twists and turns. The FMC, Fiona, is a seemingly “good church girl” who is viewed as obedient and meek to her family but little to they know she’s a sleuth with a stronger personality. The MMC, Maurice is a determined P.I. with some darkness hovering around him. Together they have to solve a murder that takes them down many unexpected paths. I did not know where this book would lead at times and so I did like that I did not completely guess the ending. I also enjoyed that it’s centered around a cult which is so unique. I did feel that this book was a bit lengthy but I still enjoyed it.
I enjoyed reading this book. The beginning was a bit slow but towards middle it starts to really pick up. And geesh, there were so many twists and turns. The FMC, Fiona, is a seemingly “good church girl” who is viewed as obedient and meek to her family but little to they know she’s a sleuth with a stronger personality. The MMC, Maurice is a determined P.I. with some darkness hovering around him. Together they have to solve a murder that takes them down many unexpected paths. I did not know where this book would lead at times and so I did like that I did not completely guess the ending. I also enjoyed that it’s centered around a cult which is so unique. I did feel that this book was a bit lengthy but I still enjoyed it.
September 14, 2025
Well, I wanted to like this. But it was a bit too much. There were a few different stories and elements that made me confused. I also felt like there were elements that were assumed the reader knew. The romance was also odd to me. Idk it just didn’t work.
Thx PRH Audio for the Advanced Listening Copy.
Thx PRH Audio for the Advanced Listening Copy.
November 4, 2025
I am always here for an author trying something new. Romance readers know and love Nikki Payne for her contemporary Austen retellings, but this time, she’s taking one of the supporting characters from Pride and Protest and giving us a romantic suspense novel. The Princess and the P.I. is a dynamic first outing in this genre, full of murder, intrigue, and spice.
Fiona Addai lives a complicated existence. By day, she’s the daughter of a charismatic church (let’s be real, it’s more of a cult) leader, but by night, she’s a famous amateur sleuth on Reddit who goes by the handle @Princess_PI. Three years earlier, her brother was killed after his life’s work was stolen by the tech startup he worked for. Fiona has lived with a mix of guilt and shame over how she handled her brother’s death and now wants to avenge him. The startup is about to unveil the invention at a conference, and Fiona plans to steal it—and her brother’s legacy—back from the people who took it from him. That is, until everything goes wrong and Fiona finds herself arrested for the CEO’s very public murder.
Maurice Bennet is a private investigator who has worked for the CEO of this startup for years. He’s at the event, updating his client on the status of an investigation, when he witnesses the murder. But something about the whole setup doesn’t sit right with him, and he’s determined to find out what actually happened. He bails Fiona out of jail, and the two begin working together to uncover what happened to the CEO—and how it might be connected to the cult Fiona has spent her whole life in.
I am not a romantic suspense reader. I’ll pick one up occasionally, but out of the 300-plus books I read a year, usually only five or so fall into this genre. I’ve enjoyed Nikki Payne’s Austen retellings, and I like the way she thinks about romance as a genre, so I was willing to engage with something I don’t normally read. Because this isn’t a genre I spend much time with, I have a hard time commenting on the quality of the murder plot or the suspense elements, but I did find them well-paced and easy to follow for someone less familiar with the genre.
Nikki Payne writes a hot romance. This one is a super slow burn because we have a heroine with essentially no romantic or sexual experience. Fiona has been under her father’s control within the cult her entire life, so when she starts feeling attraction to Maurice, she doesn’t know how to initiate. Maurice knows she must be inexperienced, so he doesn’t make an overt move—which leaves them in a bit of a sexual stalemate through the middle of the book. Instead of turning up the heat, Payne turns up the intimacy and has them sleep (yes, just sleep) together as a cure for Maurice’s troubling insomnia. They spend all this time in extreme forced proximity, which raises the stakes in their relationship beautifully.
The only thing I struggled with is that I think the book was a little too long. The middle could have lost about 50 pages to make for a tighter read. It wasn’t a major issue, but my attention did start to wander until the plot locked back in about 100 pages from the end.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable outing from Nikki Payne in a new genre. I’m looking forward to what she does next in romantic suspense, even if I won’t stop asking for a Mansfield Park retelling from her. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fiona Addai lives a complicated existence. By day, she’s the daughter of a charismatic church (let’s be real, it’s more of a cult) leader, but by night, she’s a famous amateur sleuth on Reddit who goes by the handle @Princess_PI. Three years earlier, her brother was killed after his life’s work was stolen by the tech startup he worked for. Fiona has lived with a mix of guilt and shame over how she handled her brother’s death and now wants to avenge him. The startup is about to unveil the invention at a conference, and Fiona plans to steal it—and her brother’s legacy—back from the people who took it from him. That is, until everything goes wrong and Fiona finds herself arrested for the CEO’s very public murder.
Maurice Bennet is a private investigator who has worked for the CEO of this startup for years. He’s at the event, updating his client on the status of an investigation, when he witnesses the murder. But something about the whole setup doesn’t sit right with him, and he’s determined to find out what actually happened. He bails Fiona out of jail, and the two begin working together to uncover what happened to the CEO—and how it might be connected to the cult Fiona has spent her whole life in.
I am not a romantic suspense reader. I’ll pick one up occasionally, but out of the 300-plus books I read a year, usually only five or so fall into this genre. I’ve enjoyed Nikki Payne’s Austen retellings, and I like the way she thinks about romance as a genre, so I was willing to engage with something I don’t normally read. Because this isn’t a genre I spend much time with, I have a hard time commenting on the quality of the murder plot or the suspense elements, but I did find them well-paced and easy to follow for someone less familiar with the genre.
Nikki Payne writes a hot romance. This one is a super slow burn because we have a heroine with essentially no romantic or sexual experience. Fiona has been under her father’s control within the cult her entire life, so when she starts feeling attraction to Maurice, she doesn’t know how to initiate. Maurice knows she must be inexperienced, so he doesn’t make an overt move—which leaves them in a bit of a sexual stalemate through the middle of the book. Instead of turning up the heat, Payne turns up the intimacy and has them sleep (yes, just sleep) together as a cure for Maurice’s troubling insomnia. They spend all this time in extreme forced proximity, which raises the stakes in their relationship beautifully.
The only thing I struggled with is that I think the book was a little too long. The middle could have lost about 50 pages to make for a tighter read. It wasn’t a major issue, but my attention did start to wander until the plot locked back in about 100 pages from the end.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable outing from Nikki Payne in a new genre. I’m looking forward to what she does next in romantic suspense, even if I won’t stop asking for a Mansfield Park retelling from her. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 17, 2025
Thank you Berkley Romance for the early copy of The Princess and the P.I. by Nikki Payne. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Pub Date: September 16, 2025
Fiona Addai has a plan - to steal back her late brother's invention during a big tech conference. She's "Princess P.I." online - an online sleuth with a pretty big following, though none of them knows who she truly is. But for all her online sleuthing, her first big plan leads her to being arrested and accused of murder. She has the help of Maurice Bennett - an actual private investigator who bails her out of jail and investigates the case with her in order to clear her name and find the real culprit. What they hope is an easy mystery soon develops twists and turns - from family secrets to the influence of the church to corporate greed.
This book has A LOT going on - I think it was probably a bit above what I was in the mood for and I'm not sure I always knew what was going on. I think some of that is that we have to wait for the book to progress to really unravel all of the threads but even at the end of the book I'm still left scratching my head a little bit. It's definitely a book that makes you think a lot about different topics, and that's not a bad thing!
I did really like the relationship between Fiona and Maurice - it was definitely hot and steamy! I do think the story of their romance balanced well with the mystery.
The beginning of the book was just a lot and while I did start to understand everything a bit better as it went on and did really like seeing everything come together in the end, I think I'm just not the intended reader for this book. Mystery/action romances and I often don't go well together so I think this is very much a case of "it's me, not the book". I do think lovers of the genre would enjoy this!
Pub Date: September 16, 2025
Fiona Addai has a plan - to steal back her late brother's invention during a big tech conference. She's "Princess P.I." online - an online sleuth with a pretty big following, though none of them knows who she truly is. But for all her online sleuthing, her first big plan leads her to being arrested and accused of murder. She has the help of Maurice Bennett - an actual private investigator who bails her out of jail and investigates the case with her in order to clear her name and find the real culprit. What they hope is an easy mystery soon develops twists and turns - from family secrets to the influence of the church to corporate greed.
This book has A LOT going on - I think it was probably a bit above what I was in the mood for and I'm not sure I always knew what was going on. I think some of that is that we have to wait for the book to progress to really unravel all of the threads but even at the end of the book I'm still left scratching my head a little bit. It's definitely a book that makes you think a lot about different topics, and that's not a bad thing!
I did really like the relationship between Fiona and Maurice - it was definitely hot and steamy! I do think the story of their romance balanced well with the mystery.
The beginning of the book was just a lot and while I did start to understand everything a bit better as it went on and did really like seeing everything come together in the end, I think I'm just not the intended reader for this book. Mystery/action romances and I often don't go well together so I think this is very much a case of "it's me, not the book". I do think lovers of the genre would enjoy this!
October 20, 2025
I am a mood reader, so maybe I just wasn't in the mood.
For me, this story was much longer than necessary so it felt like it dragged. Although it contained a lot of elements that intrigued me (black romance, humor, suspense, mystery, drama), it still could've been reduced to 7-8 hours. The only saving grace for me was the spice, but some of it happened when it shouldn't have. By the time the whodunnit was confirmed, I just could not care less. I read the ebook while listening along via audiobook, started at 1.75x, moved up to 2x, and then 2.5x during the final stretch and it still dragged for me. I had to keep stopping, almost DNF'd, but I was determined to finish. I still had an unanswered question--which is not right since the book was an extra 6 hours too long, and I thought the epilogue rushed the conclusion to the story. The love interests didn't actually know each other enough to love each other, it was mostly circumstantial or forced proximity. I can't stress enough that the audiobook was 14 hours, so there was ample time for the characters to get to know each other so the readers could develop their dynamic/ relationship. Their commonality over anime only demonstrated that the author was a "blerd".
For me, this story was much longer than necessary so it felt like it dragged. Although it contained a lot of elements that intrigued me (black romance, humor, suspense, mystery, drama), it still could've been reduced to 7-8 hours. The only saving grace for me was the spice, but some of it happened when it shouldn't have. By the time the whodunnit was confirmed, I just could not care less. I read the ebook while listening along via audiobook, started at 1.75x, moved up to 2x, and then 2.5x during the final stretch and it still dragged for me. I had to keep stopping, almost DNF'd, but I was determined to finish. I still had an unanswered question--which is not right since the book was an extra 6 hours too long, and I thought the epilogue rushed the conclusion to the story. The love interests didn't actually know each other enough to love each other, it was mostly circumstantial or forced proximity. I can't stress enough that the audiobook was 14 hours, so there was ample time for the characters to get to know each other so the readers could develop their dynamic/ relationship. Their commonality over anime only demonstrated that the author was a "blerd".
October 19, 2025
What a brilliant, addictive, and emotionally layered ride. This one hooked me right from the jump — part high-stakes thriller, part slow-burn romance, and all heart. Nikki Payne blends brains, banter, and tension so well that it almost feels cinematic.
Fiona Addai is a standout heroine. She’s sharp, determined, and gloriously imperfect — the kind of woman who doesn’t wait to be saved, even when she’s in over her head. Her Reddit detective alter ego, @Princess_PI, is such a clever touch. The duality between her online confidence and her offline vulnerability gives her real depth. Maurice Bennett, the guilt-ridden P.I., balances her energy perfectly. Their chemistry is chef’s kiss — equal parts witty push-pull and emotional connection.
The plot keeps a steady pulse — twists that land, moments that ache, and just enough tension to keep you up way too late, saying, one more chapter. If I had one small wish, it would be for a slightly tighter pacing in a few mid-story stretches, but honestly, that didn’t stop me from flying through it.
Nikki Payne delivers a clever, soulful, and modern twist on the detective-meets-damsel trope — except here, the “damsel” is the one driving the story. I closed this book grinning, satisfied, and already thinking about how good it would look on screen.
Fiona Addai is a standout heroine. She’s sharp, determined, and gloriously imperfect — the kind of woman who doesn’t wait to be saved, even when she’s in over her head. Her Reddit detective alter ego, @Princess_PI, is such a clever touch. The duality between her online confidence and her offline vulnerability gives her real depth. Maurice Bennett, the guilt-ridden P.I., balances her energy perfectly. Their chemistry is chef’s kiss — equal parts witty push-pull and emotional connection.
The plot keeps a steady pulse — twists that land, moments that ache, and just enough tension to keep you up way too late, saying, one more chapter. If I had one small wish, it would be for a slightly tighter pacing in a few mid-story stretches, but honestly, that didn’t stop me from flying through it.
Nikki Payne delivers a clever, soulful, and modern twist on the detective-meets-damsel trope — except here, the “damsel” is the one driving the story. I closed this book grinning, satisfied, and already thinking about how good it would look on screen.
June 29, 2025
Hey, hey, my favorites 😁💚. #annieethebookiee is back with another book review—and this one is for my mystery lovers who also enjoy a little sass, tech, and slow-burn tension.
The Princess and the P.I. is such a fun twist on the classic mystery/romance setup. Fiona Addai is an online sleuth who ends up in the middle of a murder investigation—and gets paired up with a grumpy-but-fine PI who’s not here for her Princess P.I. antics… at first. I adored the way this story unfolded. The case had layers, the chemistry built naturally, and the back-and-forth between them gave me life.
Fiona is sharp, brave, and witty—I was rooting for her the whole way through. And the blend of modern internet culture with old-school detective work? Chef’s kiss.
🕵🏾♀️ Thank you to NetGalley for this gem! Nikki Payne is definitely one to watch.
The Princess and the P.I. is such a fun twist on the classic mystery/romance setup. Fiona Addai is an online sleuth who ends up in the middle of a murder investigation—and gets paired up with a grumpy-but-fine PI who’s not here for her Princess P.I. antics… at first. I adored the way this story unfolded. The case had layers, the chemistry built naturally, and the back-and-forth between them gave me life.
Fiona is sharp, brave, and witty—I was rooting for her the whole way through. And the blend of modern internet culture with old-school detective work? Chef’s kiss.
🕵🏾♀️ Thank you to NetGalley for this gem! Nikki Payne is definitely one to watch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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