The Princess Knight

by Cait Jacobs

A princess desperate to win back the prince who broke her heart follows him to his kingdom's prestigious military academy—and in doing so, falls in love, saves the realm, and continues to look fabulous in this delightful debut fantasy.

Domhnall and Clía are an ideal match—or so everyone says. They are prince and princess of neighboring kingdoms. An alliance the gods will smile on. Until Domhnall ruins everything by refusing to propose.

Heartbroken but determined, Clía makes the perfect plan: Follow Domhnall to Caisleán Cósta, the military academy he’s attending. Show she can protect her kingdom. Secure the betrothal. Sure, the castle has a brutal reputation. But how hard can dueling really be?

Warrior Ronan promised himself he’d never lose his focus. He fought and sacrificed for his place at Caisleán Cósta, and he has no time for blonde princesses who waltz intro arenas like they’re attending a ball. Even if she and her otter-like pet are…well, cute.

He doesn’t want to be intrigued by Clía. But her hunger to prove herself is something he understands. He tells himself there’s no harm training her. Even if his heart does race around her. Even if Domhnall is his best friend.

But as they say, love is a battlefield—and unfortunately for them all, a very real war is looming on the horizon. It’s a fight that will threaten all their kingdoms…and test all their hearts. 

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Retellings, Adult, Fiction

1 pages, Audio CD

First published October 14, 2025

About the author

Cait grew up somewhere between the many farms and beaches of the North Fork of Long Island, NY. There, they found escape through the fictional worlds of books. Their love of literature inspired them to found BookTok and The Bookington Book Club. When they aren’t writing or scrolling on social media, they spend their time obsessing over theater, Dungeons and Dragons, and caring for their many dogs and pet snake (known professionally as Jake from Snake Farm).

You can find Cait sword fighting in the woods, or on Instagram, TikTok, and all additional platforms at @caitsbooks.

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it! My expectations were high, and despite some issues, they were mostly met. I loved the world and all in all, I think this was a great medieval fantasy debut novel.

Princess Clía and Prince Domhnall, heirs of neighbouring kingdoms, are betrothed. Everyone expects them to marry and unite their two kingdoms. But when Domhnall decides to not propose because he thinks Clía is too weak to protect his kingdom, she decides to follow him to Caisleán Cósta, the military academy he’s attending. She's determined to prove him wrong.
Ronan is the Captain of Domhnall's guard and his friend and he is at the academy to prove himself to his mentor. He has no time for princesses, but Clía captures his attention nonetheless. He starts training her, and the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. But war is coming, and it threatens them in more ways than one..

This book took inspiration from Legally Blonde and it was really well done, a lot more subtle than I thought it would be.
The pace was slow at times and it did dragged a little, but there were some amazing moments that made up for it. There were quests and battles and political intrigue and betrayal..
I really liked the lore, Cait created her world beautifully.

Clía was such a force, incredibly determined, but she did frustrate me a lot. I absolutely loved Murphy though.
Ronan was so kind and amazing, I adored him. The way he was there for Clía and how he put Domhnall in his place, was amazing. I also loved how well his battle with chronic pain was shown.
I honestly hated Domhnall, but he did grow on me a little by the end. He's not a bad man, but he really needs to work on his attitude. I feel like he and Niamh are perfect together, because she'll keep him in check. She's terrifying, so naturally, I loved her.
And Kían and Sárait, ahhh, I adored them. They were so cute together.

I really appreciated the representation, it was refreshing.

The biggest let-down, for me personally, was the relationship between Clía and Ronan. Don't get me wrong, they work perfectly and I love how they were there for each other, but they felt more like friends than lovers.

Now, there's something I need to rant about.. Feel free to skip this part, as there might be spoilers..

I just can't get over the fact that she went to a military academy woefully unprepared. Who, in their right mind, just shows up to a prestigious MILITARY academy without even knowing how to hold a sword. Like, she got zero information beforehand, she just showed up and was surprised they were dueling on the first day. What in the world was she expecting, it is, again, a MILITARY academy. People train for years to get that opportunity and she just showed up, with nothing but hopes and dreams. I mean, come on. It got on my nerves so bad. I almost dnfed right then and there. My anxious self was dying. And not to mention Ronan and his blinding loyalty. Honestly, the sheer stupidity in certain situations was mind-boggling.
Also, the fact that it took so little for Clía to question Ronan. After everything, it only took a well placed sentence and she was distrusting him. I can understand why, but I can't forgive it.

Rant over..

I still think this was a great book with characters I genuinely loved and it did get me out of a slump, which is why I'm giving it four stars. I feel like it has so much potential and I really hope we'll get more books. It was left open-ended and I would love to see them all again, on a new adventure.

*Thank you to Netgalley and to HarperCollins UK for providing me with an ARC.*

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

Hoping that my slump isn't that bad anymore because I refuse to let a reading slump mess with my Netgalley rating!!
I'm really excited for this book! I love Cait, she's one of my favourite creators, so I have high hopes for this.. I mean, it's a medieval fantasy Legally Blonde retelling, what's not to love there..

[anh · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @ 50%

Most of the time, I blame myself when I dnf a book because it’s usually me having unrealistic expectations, wrong mood, whatever. But this time? I'm fully blaming the book.

The main issue is that this is labelled as adult fantasy, but the writing is so juvenile. The dialogue, the descriptions, the way characters speak—it all screams YA. The prose is overly simple, and if it had been marketed as YA, I would’ve adjusted my expectations and probably enjoyed it more. It’s frustrating how often books are mislabelled these days. When a book is marketed as something it’s not, it completely messes with your expectations and ruins the experience. This happens way too often, and it’s honestly getting out of hand. The whole point of genre labels is to help readers know what they’re getting into, and when they’re wrong, it just leads to disappointment.

The concept of a medieval retelling of Legally Blonde had me interested because I expected humour and rom-com vibes against medieval war fantasy, but the execution didn't work at all. The plot never pulled me in—nothing about it was interesting enough to keep me invested. The characters are bland, and the whole book is such a slog, and frankly, I don't have time to read books that bore me.

Don't let my thoughts stop you from reading it if you're curious, though.

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Formally titled Medievally Blonde this borrows from Legally Blonde, while still giving us a fully original plot. It is a blast to see the similar scenes but never felt too heavily borrowed.

I will say this that this is a lot more dense and lore-rich than I was expecting, which is NOT a bad thing, just different. It isn’t quite as cutesy and fun as its marketing would suggest and as long as you go in with the right expectations I think this is a great read!

What’s to love…
- rich in Irish folklore and mythology
- political intrigue
- Grade A banter
- he’s down so bad for her
- academic setting
- queer normative world and bisexual MCs
- SLOW BURN
- Military Academia setting
- Chronic pain rep (MMC)

What’s not to love…
- I really enjoyed the romance for its sweetness but it did lack a bit of chemistry/tension
- its only a standalone! I want a second book (marriage of convenience please!)

This was a fantastic debut and I’m really excited to see what’s to come from this author!


🌶️- Only 1-2 fade to black scenes. This is classified as adult but would be a great read for an advanced 12+ reader as well.

4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the book. All opinions are my own.

[naz · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅.

This felt like Legally Blonde 👛 but at a warrior academy, about a princess proving she’s more than what everyone expects of her 👑 Clía joins a warrior academy to show her supposed ex-betrothed that she has what it takes to stand by his side, and I loved that concept!

The idea and plot were sooo good 😍 The whole premise of Clía training her ass off to prove to them she’s capable (while still staying true to herself 💪) was beautiful. I also adored how we slowly got introduced to Ronan, who is the ex-betrothed bodyguard HAHAH and then started as her mentor and friend before things turned into something more 🫢

Clía and Ronan’s dynamic was so fun 💫 That classic “trainer vs trainee” trope gave me all the feels, and their first kiss was absolute perfection 😚 The character growth and slow-burn build-up were super fun to read, though I do wish there had been a bit more tension, FUEGOO🔥

This is definitely a closed-door romance 🚪💞 I personally don’t mind that, but given the slow burn and romantic 'we shouldn't', I was expecting a little more spice 🌶️ That’s just my preference though. If you like your romance on the softer side, you’ll definitely enjoy it!

That said… the overrall book threw me off a bit. By the end, I felt like I was reading a YA book rather than an adult fantasy 🤔 The behavior of the characters leaned more YA for sure, even though Goodreads tags it as Adult first and Young Adult second, like huh?? 😅

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐ mainly because the plot dragged a little and I wanted more from the romance and war you get to witness. Still, I genuinely enjoyed it and finished it 💕

I would recommend this to anyone who loves that nostalgic Legally Blonde vibe 💅✨ Because being girly and loving dresses doesn’t mean you can’t be a total sword-wielding badass too ⚔️

tropes
✨trainer vs trainee trope
✨forced proximity
✨warrior academy
✨he falls first
✨closed-door romance

Thank you Harpercollins and Netgalley for my earc

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I am so freaking excited for this one!!!! I need me some romantasy.

[kitkat (semi-hiatus ♡︎) · Rating 3 out of 5]

✦ ✦ ✦ ✧ ✧
>> arc review
nrelease: oct 14, 2025


The Princess Knight is a medieval fantasy retelling of Legally Blonde. It’s always been known that Princess Clía would eventually be Prince Domhnall of a neighboring country in an arranged marriage. Until Domhnall refuses to propose, so Clía does what everyone would: go to the ruthless military academy he’s planning on attending to win him back. But here’s the catch: Clía doesn’t know anything about fighting. Ronan has been training his whole life to become a warrior. He’s worked his way up to become one of Domhnall’s guards, as well as a captain. After Clía has a rough start in the academy, Ronan offers to train her, and the two end up getting along. As the lines of friendship blur, they both face tough decisions between love and loyalty.

I was really excited going into this book because who wouldn’t want to read a medieval Legally Blonde retelling? One of the things that I liked the most about this book was Ronan and Clía’s relationship. I think that it reflected the movie well. It was able to capture little scenes that you’d recognize if you’ve watched the movie, which still having the ability to be entertaining if you haven’t watched the movie. What disappointed me would be the ending, which I found lacking. Overall, this book was very enjoyable, though.

features:
- legally blonde retelling
- academia
- new adult (fade to black scenes)
- romantasy
- allies to lovers
- queer rep
- dual POV (third person)

- post read -
i won’t lie, i’m slightly underwhelmed 🫣🫣

- currently reading-
the mmc’s name is ronan. if you’re a swiftie, you get my pain 😫😫

- preread -
thank you to everyone who voted on my poll, but i decided to pull rank and read this one first hehe😭🙏

>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc - all thoughts are my own <3

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 3 out of 5]

While "medieval fantasy legally blonde" is an apt descriptor, it does fall a bit short of a tall order w that comp.

This definitely read more as a YA fantasy while I was expecting a bit more adult going into it, but on the plus side, there's a lot of LGBTQ rep (queer world, main MC's are queer, non-binary side character). There was a good amount of creativity with inspiration from Celtic origin.

I really wanted to love this, but I just found that the writing and the characters didn't really draw me in and hearing a comparison like legally blonde makes me expect a high level of comedy, which was not in this. The romance unfortunately fell a bit flat for me because I just expected more buildup and again, I just wasn't wowed by the characters.

Overall, it was just an OK read for me but a solid debut nonetheless.

an honest arc review ♡

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4 ⭐️ A wholesome, clean medieval fantasy without a sprinkle of smut or spiciness that is completely appropriate for both YA/teens and adults. Kind of refreshing, no? Considering that the romantasy genre is heavily saturated in romance, spiciness and all that jazz—The Princess Knight was a little gem within the fantasy world.

It read like a fairytale—a princess to be betrothed to a prince gets rejected because he considers her too weak and soft. She goes on to become a warrior to salvage what’s been broken between the kingdoms. There she forms a bond with the princes’ right hand Ronan, a knight in the shinning armor. There is a beautiful friendship bond that forms between the two—he helps her to be her better self and guides her become a better warrior. The love between the two protagonists begins to seep through the crevices, forming into something more. And while it does take forever for Ronan to say those special words to Clia, the slow burn is really charming and sweet. Through out the story, Ronan wears his heart on his sleeve. It was indeed very cute.

I appreciated how the author portrayed Clia. She’s autistic with a strong personality. She’s driven, she’s kind, she’s motivated to better herself no matter the hardships. I thought that this positive perspective on a neurodivergent character was very heartwarming to read. Not all is bad when there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

This book is loosely based on Irish folklore. It had a lot of names and places that I couldn’t pronounce (none of them), it would have been good to have a map to get a better idea (spatial awareness) where things took place & better understand the “journey” that the characters were on. Maybe my eARC didn’t have that page?

Don’t hesitate to read this one, because it was great!

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and the author, Cait Jacobs for sending me this eARC!

Publication date: October 14, 2025

[vyn targaryen ‎♡‧₊˚ · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Don’t cling to the familiar to avoid potential pain of the unknown. It will come for you whether you are ready or not.”

Domhnall and Clía are an ideal match—or so everyone says. They are prince and princess of neighboring kingdoms. An alliance the gods will smile on. Until Domhnall ruins everything by refusing to propose.

Heartbroken but determined, Clía makes the perfect plan: Follow Domhnall to Caisleán Cósta, the military academy he’s attending. Show she can protect her kingdom. Secure the betrothal. Sure, the castle has a brutal reputation. But how hard can dueling really be?

alright, yes i'll be honest, yes i only picked this book up because of the cover, and yes i initially thought it was going to be sapphic. after finishing, it is my belief that it definitely SHOULD have been. i would've given this book at least 2+ stars if niamh and clía just scissored their unnecessary rivalry out.

but alas. here we are. with a one star rating. and another straight couple who had zero chemistry.



i don't mind a friends to lovers princess x knight trope, ok? but the writing was so juvenile that their feelings towards each other felt AT MOST like a crush. none of the "i love you"s felt earned, and i really felt no chemistry.

... i also saw people say this was a slow burn? and that is blasphemy? you cannot call a relationship a slow burn when they kiss less than half way through?



fear not, the bland, forced straight couple isn't my only complaint with this book!

but before we get into my NUMEROUS complaints, i'd like to give my compliments to the chef for the *two* things i found not-extremely-aggravating:

1- queernormal world. you all know i love me a queernormal medieval/fantasy world. it eats. nonbinary, gay, demisexual side characters? absolutely ATE. (i will be coming back to this in the negative section of my review, unfortunately. it will make sense later.)
2- niamh. yeah. im a bisexual woman. not sure how you wanted me to react to a grumpy, muscular, lesbian knight. thanks.



ok. that was too much positivity for me guys i need to be a bitch about this book now. GOD i hate this book

i think my biggest issue here is how absolutely juvenile everything in this book feels, and in the worst way possible.

(side note: i have seen people say this was marketed as adult, but i found it in the YA section of my barnes and noble, so im not entirely sure what to make of that, BUT EVEN AS A YA BOOK: chat this is ass. respectfully)

the concept of the worldbuilding itself isn't bad, but the execution feels a bit poor. i don't feel immersed in the story at all, and i don't understand the politics. it's all really bland and everything deeper is sort of brushed under the rug. i have one too many complaints about this so i'm going to move on for now. we'll see if i come back to this later



..god i have so many issues with this book i genuinely don't know where to start



but seriously. everything boils down to the writing- and even the plot- feeling so incredibly juvenile. look, i dont mind a good YA book, but let's be for real here: when the writer is ignoring simple "why" questions and refusing to acknowledge actual logic in her books as well as making everything feel very surface level, it starts feeling VERY MUCH like the fantasy novel i wrote at thirteen.

THIRTEEN.

i think the most cohesive way i can do this is to list it all out in separate groups.

basic questions unanswered:

- why was the information that they found their enemies breaking a treaty not considered more important? for about fifty pages i was wondering if they even told the general
- why does a school for warriors have a whole ass fabric room, and one that includes VELVET on top of that
- why the fuck did her parents ever even let her go to this school? i understand learning self defense, but clía has NO siblings. she is the sole heir of her kingdom. why are her parents allowing her to go on missions and risk her life?



- why is nobody in the kingdom of alianndore rioting due to neglectful leaders? is everybody in the kingdom just chill with a king and queen who, by the end of the book, couldnt even bother to fill the position of a lady who died in like CHAPTER THREE
- why did none of the healers check sarait's body? why did none of them do a physical exam? did they just ASSUME it was poison and because of that say "definitely couldnt have been anything else other than poison. we definitely wont check for any signs of a physical altercation. because that would be cray cray haha"

refusing logic/cohesion:

- a princess, who has NEVER been in a fight before and likely never been injured severely, is just able to walk of a MAJOR puncture wound in her SIDE with nothing more than like. a wince i think?
- clía's trauma comes and goes when it's convenient for the story
- clía can't think of a SINGLE reason anybody would want to poison sarait. the girl she JUST talked about CLASSIFIED INFORMATION with and learned that sarait knows more than she should
- clía, a girl who didn't even know how to HOLD a sword properly a few months ago, not only survived the final battle, but beat every single skilled warrior kordislaen had defending him

surface level

(i know i already touched on this one but i've got to again)

- the writing is very juvenile and telling instead of showing, a line that sums up the writing of this novel is:

…she let her head fall against his shoulder to hide how her heart warmed at the words.

and dont ASK me what the FUCK it means. because i DONT KNOW

- clía and ronan's relationship never feels like it actually grows, it's pretty much instalove
- this book simply doesnt work as a legally blonde "retelling", and the main reason why is because its a queernormal fantasy world.

HEAR ME OUT. a world with nonbinary royalty and gay soldiers needing a conversation about how 'feminine girls can be strong too' or 'blondes arent dumb' feels so... lame? like i feel like we're already woke enough? we're awake? there's no racism or homophobia in this world (which is GREAT btw, i love queenormal worlds. felt the need to say that again) but there's still misogynistic microaggressions? my main question is WHY? why do the people of this world need to learn that 'pretty things can still be dangerous'? why is there any misogyny in this world at all, as a matter of fact? where did it come from? their religion? history? WHY IS IT THERE IF NO OTHER BIGOTRY IS?? GIVE ME A REASON

it just feels non-cohesive to me. i don't have an issue with it being queernormal, i actually normally prefer queernormal fantasy books, but i don't feel like a legally blonde "retelling" makes sense in this context.


... i also don't know if this rant made any sense to anybody else. but as tamara once said, "it actually only has to make sense to me for me to do it and I don't feel like explaining it to anyone else."

[˚₊꒰ა Jii ໒꒱₊˚ (catching up) · Rating 3 out of 5]

˙₊➴ ꒰ 3.5-stars★ ꒱ ꒷⊹࣪˖

📜┆ ARC ⤿ HarperCollins UK & NetGalley
✒️┆ Author ⤿ Cait Jacobs
💌┆ Pub Date ⤿ US 10/14/25 || UK 10/23/25 ~ Happy Release Week .ᐟ

❝ She may never be the best, but that could be forgiven as long as she didn’t stop. ❞

When a royal engagement shatters, Princess Clía refuses to be cast aside. Determined to prove her worth, she enters Caisleán Cósta, the kingdom’s most brutal military academy. As war looms, Clía must choose: win back Prince Domhall’s heart or forge her path to save the kingdom.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ੈ Characters

⟡ Clíodhna Fionnáin - is the royal princess of Álainndore. Known for the extravagance her kingdom holds, Clía is always dressed to perfection. She was raised to be the perfect, delicate royal, but beneath the silks and jewels lies a fierce spirit. Brave, resilient, and unyielding, Clía is determined to prove she's more than a pretty face. She'll fight for her place, her worth, and her future.

❝ I hope you realize the truth now. I’m more than a ‘pretty face.’ I’m more than someone you can toss aside like nothing. I am more than you. ❞

⟡ Ronan Ó Faoláin - is the newly appointed captain of the royal guards and a close friend of Prince Domhall. He has spent his life honing his skills to become the warrior everyone admires. Known by many as a gods-blessed for his strength and leadership, he wasn’t always a battle-hardened knight. Once, he was just a boy dreaming of wielding his power to protect those in need.

❝ You think I don’t understand duty? Sacrifice? It’s all I’ve ever known. But I don’t prolong the suffering of others to spare myself pain. I don’t relish causing harm, no matter how necessary. It’s cowardly and spiteful. ❞

❝ I won’t be defined by the pain. I won’t let it hold me back, not when I’m needed— when I can make a difference. ❞

⟡ Domhall Lochlainn - is the royal prince of Scáilca. He was betrothed to Princess Clía to seal and strengthen the alliance between their kingdoms. Being a royal has made him wield his words as sharp as a weapon. He is a prince who would do whatever it takes to keep his kingdom safe, even if it means breaking an alliance or a heart for the sake of it all.

⟡ Sárait Gráinne - is an Álainndore tailor and close companion of Clía. She is the kind of girl who would choose a needle and thread as her weapon and would aggressively poke you while making beautifully stitched patterns.

⟡ Niamh Morrigan - is a Scáilcan noble who attends Caisleán Cósta. She is one of the fiercest and strongest dalta in Clía’s class. One would describe her as a sword forged in the hottest flames.

⟡ Kían Horgan - is an Oileánstran noble attending Caisleán Cósta. Kian is one of the most talkative and charming daltas in Clía’s class. While some find them a bit much, their quick wit and endless chatter have a way of leaving your head spinning, but in the best way.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ੈ Thoughts

I picked up The Princess Knight expecting a light. sweet, and soft-hearted tale wrapped in pretty pastels, but what I found was a story with courage, charm, and quiet rebellion. Clía’s time at Caisleán Cósta wasn’t just about learning to fight. It was about discovering who she truly was. Through battles and needlework, she became more than a knight. Clía became her kind of hero.🪡🎠

The journey that led her to it was enjoyable to see, as she grew despite the doubt, dismissal, and belittlement she faced at every turn. What made her growth more powerful was having Ronan in it. I just loved how much he believed in her, how much he respected her, and how fiercely he supported her (where do I order this type of man? Can someone send me a link? Becasue he is just perf and seeing him admire and respect Clía just made me love him even more!😩💘). In the end, he did help her become a goddess!!!👑⚔️

❝ Whenever you’re here with me, know that there is no role, no script you need to follow. I have no use for them. You need only be yourself, and that’s enough. Anyone who makes you feel otherwise is a waste of your time. ❞

❝ Your resolve, your strength, your loyalty. Sometimes I feel as if you could will the stars into the sky. I like to think you would have found a different route to get here. I’m only glad I was blessed to witness the creation of a goddess. ❞

I didn’t expect the history and politics of Inismian to run deep, but the more I read, the more it pulled me in and became a big part of why I liked the story even more. The training/missions, conflicts, and war contributed to the action and excitement I needed. However, I wish there had been more of it. There were only a few scenes of Clía’s training, with several skips in between (though the time skips were handled well and didn’t make the story feel that patchy, I just wanted to see more of her training arc). The same goes for the fantasy elements, especially the Gifts of the Treibh Anam and the lore surrounding them. Still, this book seems to just scratch the surface of their power, so imma just be patient and look forward to uncovering more in the future.

A 3.5🌟! It had elements I was craving for! Lore, politics, thrilling missions and action, a journey of self-discovery, a resilient fmc, a chivalrous mmc, heart-fluttering romance, found family, and even an adorable otter-like monster pet 🦦, all set in a vivid fantasy world. I liked it have a cupcake, Ms. Cait Jacobs! I can’t wait to see what comes next for this band of heroes!🧁💓✨

❝ This was not the end. The snow would melt, and flowers would bloom where there was once blood and death. More battles lay ahead. And she was ready. ❞

➳ Huge thanks to the publisher & author—HarperCollins UK, Cait Jacobs & NetGalley—for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

彡🔖 Also made a review post on booksta! You can check it out ⤳ here!

˚₊ ⟢┊pre-read 🖇️┊⊹࣪⋆

Another arc thank you! This is the month for female knights, and I'm all for it!🌷⚔️

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 / 5 Stars
I really ended up enjoying this sweet and tender Medieval retelling of Legally Blonde. If you know the plot of Legally Blonde, you don’t need my recap but if you don’t, follow me! Princess Clía is betrothed to Prince Domhnall and they are a perfect political alliance. Except that Domhnall drops the bomb that he doesn’t want to get married. He wants someone who isn’t seen as weak, who isn’t just a pretty face. OUCH and also rude. But Clía won’t let her family down, so she decides to follow Domhnall to the military academy he’s attending. What, like it’s hard to be a warrior? Uh, yeah, actually it is and she is woefully unprepared. Ronan, Domhnall’s personal guard who is also a student at the military academy, kindly helps train her. Ronan is a fierce warrior who doesn’t want to be intrigued by Clía, but the heart wants what the heart wants. As a military invasion approaches their lands, Clía and Ronan will put their skills and their connection to the test.

You will probably like this book if you like:
💖 YA Legally Blonde retelling set in Medieval times mixed with Irish folklore
💛 Royal court politics
💖 Queer normative world
💛 Found family
💖 Friends to lovers
💛 Closed door romance

The romance was super sweet without feeling saccharine or childish. Clía and Ronan built a really lovely friendship that helped launch their romance which made their story feel really grounded. It was also super clear what they liked about each other and it wasn’t all physical (no insta-lust here, my babes). I guess it is a requirement for all MMCs named Ronan to be the best because he really was. An acts of service man, incredibly attentive, kind, could kill you but won’t. My wish was that Clía contributed to their relationship in some way earlier on. Like the man taught her to fight, taught her grounding techniques, made a deeply personal gift for her, and she … was there? I kept expecting her to make him a garment since she was really into sewing or help him with his chronic pain in some way but that didn’t happen. Sure, she was there for him emotionally but this man gave and gave and gave and it started to feel unequal.

That being said, Clía and Ronan were both really strong characters. I thought the portrayal of Ronan’s chronic pain was really well done and his desire to honor his mom was really thoughtful. Clía’s growth into herself and into her confidence was really wonderful to read. The side characters were also super fun.

But I have thoughts about the Legally Blonde of it all. If no one had told me this was a retelling, I am not 100% sure I would have picked up on it. Knowing that it was a retelling, I thought it was done pretty well – I think it borrowed the big plot points but everything else felt subtle and the world felt like its own. That being said, I think the movie did some of the heavy lifting sometimes. I brushed things off like her being so deeply unprepared for the military academy (girl, you couldn’t pick up a sword real quick before heading there?) or the third act miscommunication because they were beats in the movie. If it hadn’t been based in the movie, I would have been way harsher on those points.

I also liked that it was fantasy but not super high fantasy. We got mythical creatures and a touch of magic but it wasn’t super overwhelming like when you get a whole new theological system, mythical creatures, mages, faes (which PS, the cover made me think they were elves but they are not), etc. What did feel overwhelming, and I feel like a dumb American for this, was all of the Irish names. I hope that the final version has a pronunciation guide because I can handle Clía, Ronan, and Domhnall but Cneasú, Dobhar-chú, and Oilliphéist were actually starting to make it hard for me to read and process. And I wasn’t sure why we were leaning into the Irish names and Irish folklore, but not leaning into anything else Irish. Like give me a “what’s the craic?” if I have to struggle through Niamh (which is pronounced n-eve. Don’t ask me).

Overall, this was fun, delightful, and paced well (a few slow points but considering its length, I didn’t feel myself checking the amount of time left in the book). And I now want to rewatch Legally Blonde.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
Publication Date: October 14, 2025
____________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Of course, I want to read a Medieval retelling of Legally Blonde. Fingers crossed there's a "bend and snap" movement (or I guess a "bendth thy self and snapth thine back" or something Medieval like that) 🤞🤞🤞 --> it came up in a very quick moment which was fun.

[bri]

Celtic mythology meets Legally Blonde by way of a military fantasy adventure, with a unique balance of heart, grit, and camp in this lovable debut by Cait Jacobs.

I had the privilege of reading an early draft of this book way back in 2022, and it captured my heart. It may combine a fascinating collection of ideas (Legally Blonde but make it a gritty military romantasy with knights, and also make it kind of a retelling of Celtic folklore?) that you wouldn't expect to go together, but Cait has poured so much care into the conversation of all of these elements from the silly musical references to the complex disability representation, and it really pays off in this heartfelt adventurous tale.

If you like diverse casts, fantasy adventures, women with swords (who also wear gorgeous dresses), found family, court politics, gritty action scenes, feet-kicking romance, and Legally Blonde (of course), I think you'll adore this book as much as I did.

Disclaimer that I am friends with the author! I beta read a very early version of this book and was additionally sent an advanced reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to HarperVoyager for sending me a gorgeous galley of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was kind of cute and kind of boring.

My main issue was that the plot desperately wanted to follow the Legally Blonde plot, and in doing so, a lot of it felt forced. The world building was minimal, and the story as a whole lacked depth, imo.

I did like the characters on their own, but I wasn’t invested in the romance between Clia and Ronan. Their interactions were sweet and all, but I didn’t feel any chemistry between them; there was no tension. Their relationship just didn’t do much for me. Though I do think that this might be because this book had a strong YA feeling to it and I don’t fall into that age group anymore.

Overall I’d say it was a cute, easy to read and fast-paced story, a nice little palate cleanser, but nothing more. Maybe someone who falls into the YA age range would enjoy this more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.


____
😍😍😍

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

✩ 3 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Friends-to-Lovers
➼ Political Intrigue
➼ Only One Tent
➼ Military College
➼ Training Scenes
➼ Legally Blond Inspired
➼ Narrated by Alana Kerr Collins
➼ Third Person POV

I’ve seen some very strong opinions about this book, but my thoughts on it are pretty mild. I didn’t hate or love the characters. The story was relatively predictable, but not unreadable or unenjoyable. Ultimately, I think it was pretty unremarkable and a story that likely won’t stay with me. Based on the cover and title, I was expecting the FMC to be a strong kickass female, but unfortunately she was just another princess wrapped up in a training montage. I respected her desire to prove herself as a strong future leader, but no one can become a warrior in such a small amount of time. This is a plot point that SO many authors use and I am just not buying it.

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: This is such a great cover! Not seeing great reviews though… 🙃 Still hopeful! 🤞🏻

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

Connect with me on Instagram

[Grace Quan · Rating 3 out of 5]

˚₊ ⟢┊arc review 🌷┊⊹࣪⋆

Cait Jacobs fantasy retelling of Legally Blonde did a wonderful job capturing the magic of the original movie while still standing on its own feet.

˚₊ ⟢┊Read if you love:🪷┊⊹࣪⋆

✣Legally Blonde
✣Character transformation
✣Found Family
✣Tons of betrayal and twists
✣Celtic mythology
✣Military training/mission


˚₊ ⟢┊my thoughts 👑┊⊹࣪⋆

As soon as I began reading, I could immediately see the parallels between the movie and this book. I always struggle at the beginning of books—especially fantasy—so the very obvious retelling really helped me get into it. I admit, if I hadn't known it would be a Legally Blonde retelling I would have immediately disliked Clía. She was shallow and extremely naive (not her fault, she lived a very sheltered life). But I think her naivety and vapidity made her transformation so powerful. Like Elle Woods, she didn't change her personality at all, she just showed everything—including herself, that she's incredibly strong and smart.

Another thing I immediately noticed at the beginning, was all the Irish names. Every person's name, every place, had an Irish name. If you know anything about reading Irish (I don't btw) you know it's impossible to try to sound out ANYTHING! English phonics just don't work when trying to sound out Irish words. 😭 I really struggled to keep track of all the different places when I couldn't even pronounce them in my head. I googled some of the main characters names, but a lot of the places I couldn't look up a pronunciation because they were fantasy names using Irish phonics. This was my biggest problem with this book. There was intricate political world building, but I majorly struggle to understand because I just couldn't focus with all the stuff I couldn't pronounce. This was my biggest disappointment and maybe when this gets published I'll try to listen to the audiobook and see if it's more enjoyable that way. Alternatively, the author could have added a detailed pronunciation guide.

˚₊ ⟢┊The Romance 💌┊⊹࣪⋆

I'm not going to lie, the romance was cute, but lacking. There really wasn't any tension between Clía and Ronan. If we're sticking to the OG plot of Legally Blonde, it's pretty accurate. The story is more about Clía character growth and how she comes into herself, than the romance that develops throughout the book. I do admit, Ronan had some pretty good love declarations and I did think he added to the story in a really nice way. Ronan was also a soft gardener while still being a fierce warrior. 🍃🪷

˚₊ ⟢┊The Plot ⚔️┊⊹࣪⋆

I did like that the plot deviated from the original LB storyline towards the end. I would have found it annoying and unimaginative if the author kept the almost exact parallels up to the very end. *Sigh* I don't have much to say about the plot because it heavily relied on the reader's ability to really understanding all these names and places. While I understood the gist of it all, I couldn't lose myself in the world and really enjoy it. The Legally Blonde retelling really kept this book alive.

⋆୨୧˚ 3 stars ˚୨୧⋆

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me this arc in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.

------------------------
🩷⚔️🐉 𝔭𝔯𝔢-𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡: 🐉⚔️🩷


Fantasy medieval retelling of Legally Blonde ✨ I’m so excited I got the ARC of this book!!!

[Grapie Deltaco · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author and publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Absolutely delightful and truly perfect for fans of Legally Blonde(2001) and captures the vibe of that film and that romance in a high fantasy setting perfectly.

My only critique is that because it’s so familiar for those who have seen Legally Blonde(2001) all of the twists and turns are not only spotted a mile away, but to be expected from the moment the story begins. There is very little room for surprises with this set up.

Overall, this was a very fast-paced read with an entertaining cast of characters I hope to see again someday!


CW: violence, war, death, dead loved ones, grief, chronic pain

[Sam Sellner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0⭐️

First off, thank you to Harper Voyager, NetGalley and Cait Jacobs for the eARC!

I’m kind of conflicted on whether I liked this book or not. The plotline was great and easy to follow since it’s mainly the plot of Legally Blonde (which I love!). Since it was pitched as a fantasy retelling of Legally Blonde, I was expecting more humor throughout the book.

The world building was slightly disappointing. We only got a snippet of the forest full of monsters; which would have added to the story if we dived deeper. I believe I would have understood the world more if I had a map and knew how to pronounce some of the names, but since I had an eARC, I don’t think it was released yet.

I did love the FMC and seeing her character growth throughout was the highlight of the book. Seeing her go from a sheltered princess pining after a prince who does not want her, to a badass heroine learning to save her kingdom.

In the middle of the story, it definitely dragged on and slowed down, and I found myself having to push to keep reading. I just didn’t feel connected to the characters like I hoped and the love story fell flat. I’m not sure if I would pick up the next book; I would like to see reviews first before I make a decision.

Overall, it’s a good debut novel and I can see a sequel happening since the author left the story open ended.

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ★— I really wished I loved this one more than I ultimately ended up loving it! After following this book’s release and the author during her publishing process, and seeing how the original title was “Medievally Blonde” and it was marketed as a loose Legally Blonde-inspired fantasy romance, I think my expectations were just too high.

First off, I have to echo what other reviews have been saying: this book really doesn’t have an ounce of the funny, quirky, and humorous tone of the movie Legally Blonde, and I didn’t feel like the main characters were interesting enough to truly connect with on a deeper level.

While this is technically an adult release, it honestly felt more like a YA book in how the plot moved forward. Princess Clía retains some Elle Woods inspiration, namely her love for fashion here, but other than that, she felt oddly bland and not like a very distinct heroine.

Her love interest, Ronan, is a guard to Prince Domhnall, Clia’s former betrothed, who ends their engagement at the beginning of the book. Heartbroken and determined to prove herself after the public humiliation, Clia decides to join Caisleán Cósta, the kingdom’s most brutal military academy. From then on, though, I had trouble staying truly interested in the story. The romance between Ronan and Clia had no tension and felt very sterile. Once again, even though this book is an adult release, it felt pretty juvenile in how their connection was handled, with there not really being enough buildup or payoff in how their romance played out.

That said, I did like a lot of the world-building and the Irish culture that filled the premise, and the fact that this book featured a world where being queer is the norm was another big positive!
Overall, while I had some fun with the general vibes of this, because I do like an academy setting and a female knight heroine, this one didn’t deliver on anything enough for me to really, truly enjoy it, which is why it was just an okay read for me.
____________________

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs
Book Blurb: A princess desperate to win back the prince who broke her heart follows him to his kingdom's prestigious military academy—and in doing so, falls in love, saves the realm, and continues to look fabulous in this delightful debut fantasy.

Rating: *****
Feels: Adorable, Adventurous, Surprised, Cheerful (as in cheerleader cheerful)
Style: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Academia
First published October 14, 2025: 512 pages Kindle

So whats a girl supposed to do when she loses prince she intends to marry? Go to knight school of course? What like its hard? I soooo adored this book and its lighthearted take on the romantasy genre while still being serious in all the best ways and having some very pierce your heart moments. I loved all the fun asides and nods to a certain fun movie we all love while being so very original. I adored Princess Clia and for sure one of her biggest cheerleaders, with certain other members of her found family slowly realizing what an absolute gem she is. Ronan was ohhhh so hawt in that way a knight should be and the chronic pain rep was just such an amazing added bonus to this. Showing in such a real way how someone with chronic pain adjusts and deals with daily life and how it was woven in the story was touching. I may have a bit of a girl crush on Niamh one of the other female knights in the story. The side characters are just so fun !! I just loved this story and it will definitely be something I reread in future.

Favorite Quote: "You may be without a blade, but you can still take your opponent out. Look at your position. From here, you can easily bend and - "
"Snap their necks?" she finished.

This book has:
Academia setting (Knight school)
Friends to Lovers
Fashion Forward FMC
Chronic Pain Rep
Political Intrigue
Unserious but also Serious
Found Family
Animal companion

[DianaRose · Rating 4 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!!

i am pleasantly surprised at such a strong debut from a popular bookstagrammer! and ok, i know that sounds pretentious, but there are many booktubers/stagrammers/tokers that have written books that are alarmingly bad copy and pasted versions of other popular books…

the princess knight is NOT that! i truly enjoyed clía’s character development, especially the way we see her become a confident young woman who knows how to fight and lead warriors with a heart of gold.

i also really enjoyed the friendship between clía and ronan before the eventual romance — which was a fantastic slow burn with NO SMUT! believe me, i enjoy a smutty romantasy, but the genre is too oversaturated. it’s extremely refreshing to read a romantasy that is plot focused rather than smut focused.

that being said, i will eagerly await cait jacobs’ upcoming books!

[nika.ex.libris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, not what I expected, and that’s on me.

Here we have a girl who wants to prove to her friend that she’s not just a pretty face, but a strong ruler.
Yes, the heroine had a bit of growth, but it wasn’t quite enough for me. At times it was interesting, but I mostly just wanted it to end. The romance didn’t grab me, and their chemistry and interactions weren’t as engaging as I would’ve liked…
But there was a nice found family. The side characters were pleasant, though some annoyed me (Prince, nothing will save you).

It’s written lightly and pleasantly.
So, it just didn’t quite work for me 🫣

⭐️3,25/5

[♥Milica♥]

I'm in love with this already and I haven't even read it yet

[mag_book_ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5/5 DNF 50 %

*sigh*
To ten moment gdy książka na którą się napaliłaś okazała się być nudna i absolutnie nie angażująca. Zastanawiam się nad 1 gwiazdką….

„Legalna blondynka ale w średniowieczu.” - tak reklamowa jest książka. Brzmi świetnie i zapowiada humor którego oczekiwałam, niestety moje niedoczekanie.
Główna bohaterka będąca księżniczka jest absolutnie kartonowa. Nie jest zabawna jak El, ale jednocześnie ma wszystkie jej najgorsze cechy- miłość do ubrań, ploteczek i piękna. Z jednej strony jest nam wmawiane że bohaterka wcale taka nie jest, że to maska którą kazali jej założyć rodzice ale jednak gdy zostaje sama wciąż jest taka sama.

Fabuła.
Jest książę który przyjaźni się z główną bohaterką, zostają sobie już za dziecka obiecani ale gdy ten przyjeżdża do jej królestwa i wszyscy oczekują że się oświadczy, ten zrywa zaręczyny. Czemu? Jego prywatne pobudki są trudne do odgadnięcia, raczej po prostu nie lubi aż tak księżniczki ale jej mówi coś innego: że jest słaba i w obecnych niebezpiecznych czasach nie będzie w stanie uchronić królestwa, a on potrzebuje silnej królowej. I silnej mówiąc ma na myśli bicka ( choć jest mowa o strategii wojskowej i umiejętnością zarządzania wojskiem z początku).

W międzyczasie poznajemy rycerza, kapłana gwardii ksiecia który jest jego najlepszym przyjacielem i Chaol coded. Książę oświadcza mu że za to że jest taki super razem pojada do szkoły wojskowej i będą się trenować w walce.

No i tu mój największy mankament. Ta szkoła wojskowa. Nie dość że zrzesza ona wszystkich z każdego królestwa (tym samym ucząc tak samo) to jeszcze przyjmuje zarówno doświadczonych rycerzy jak i księżniczki co miecza nie miały w dłoni. Bo tak, nasza bohaterka też się tam zapisała by pokazać księciu że potrafi się bronić i może go odzyskać.

No i do tego momentu jeszcze całkiem spoko się bawiłam.
Ale potem okazało się że te ćwiczenia dotyczą tylko aspektów fizycznych, nauk o rządzeniu państwem nie ma. Tylko Walka mieczem, trening itd. Czy naprawdę księżniczka tego potrzebuje? Oczywiście nas książę znajduje najsilniejszą uczestniczkę by się jej potem oświadczyć.
Do połowy cały czas działo się to samo. Prywatne ćwiczenia z rycerzem który zgodził się ją szkolić bo było mu żal księżniczki. Rosnące uczucie którego nie czułam. Odkrycie że księżniczka nie jest pusta, tylko jest empatyczna i się nim interesuje, stara pocieszyć. Bym. Pocałunek. Tyle i aż.
Strasznie to nienaturalnie wyszło.
Ale do połowy książki bohaterka przeszła już całą drogę : robię to by odzyskać księcia i uchronić swoje królestwo - robię to dla siebie i swojego królestwa by móc je obronić.
Tak, przez to że będzie wymachiwać mieczem, ochroni swoje królestwo które okazuje się być w niebezpieczeństwie.
Na tym skończyła się połowa książki i nie mam zamiaru dalej czytać bo wiem że kolejne 250 stron będzie dotyczyć tego konfliktu politycznego który 1) nie interesuje mnie 2) czuć od początku jest klejony na ślinę

Muszę jednak powiedzieć że najlepiej wykreowana postacią buk rycerz. reszta miała jedną cechę charakteru. Zabrakło większych uczuć bo tak naprawdę nie było tu bucow i głupiej blondyni, wszyscy mieli jakieś swoje motywy (nawet czasem logicznie usprawiedliwione) więc nawet jak księżniczka pokonała w walce księcia to mnie to nie obeszło bo on nie był wcale jej takim wrogiem czy bucem jak w filmie.

Podsumowując: ta książka mogłaby być super gdyby zachowano pierwotny aspekt humoru i sprawiło się że postacie są bardziej przez to wyraziste. Bez tego jest to niewyróżniająca się historia z bohaterką co w miesiąc uczy się walczyć i pokazać że możesz wszystko i ile chcesz.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omggggggggg this read was so much fun! I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive the publishers for getting rid of “Medievally Blonde”. This book was so reminiscent of Legally Blonde that I actually took time out of my day to rewatch it. If you like lady knights, Irish vibes, and lots of action I highly recommend this one!

[jagodasbooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf 45%

this book pmo so much, because how can somebody be so dumb like main character here??? honestly what successfully ragebaited me was the amount of obvious things that main character just can't seem to grasp, example:

- she complains that her mother (THE QUEEN BTW) never shows her true face and emotions in public (I REALLY CAN'T FATHOM A REASON WHY THAT COULD BE) idk why she expected her parents (RULERS OF THE WHOLE AHH COUNTRY BTW) to shit rainbows and truths from left and right, but here we are

- she comes to MILITARY ACADEMY and says shit like "I didn't expect to have callouses on my hands every day" THEN GIRL I'M REALLY CURIOUS WHAT WERE YOU EXPECTING FROM WAR SCHOOL killing em with kindness??? shits and giggles???

- or when she said "I worked hard to get here [military academy]" but she couldn't even SWING A SWORD, she quite literally did nothing to get there, it was only her name that admitted her, the absolute lack of self awareness was so jarring ughhh

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ho hum, another generic, forgettable fantasy in which a young woman discovers that, with a little effort, she can be ✨incredible✨ at something she never ever considered. And bag the guy too! Yipee!!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin (erinsreadingroom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆ 4 stars

📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 512 pages
👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Cait Jacobs
🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: Harper Voyager UK
📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 23 October 2025

What you can expect:
— Young Adult Crossover Fantasy Romance
— Third Person X Dual POV
— Legally Blonde X Medieval Military Academy
— Princess X Warrior Captain
— Ex's Best Friend
— Found Family
— Forced Proximity
— Slow Burn Romance
— Grumpy X Sunshine
— Queernormative World
— Celtic-Folklore Inspired

𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧�� 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: animal death (wild mythical beast), blood & gore, death, death of a parent (off-page, mentioned in flashbacks), internalised ableism (related to chronic pain/physical disability), kidnapping, sexual content (on page, not-specific/vague), violence and war themes.

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:
The Princess Knight (RIP Medievally Blonde you will be missed) is a New Adult Historical Fantasy Romance by debut author Cait Jacobs. This is a beautiful tale written with strong themes surrounding the significance of hope and perseverance during humanity’s worst, and the power that can be found within discovering your voice in a world determined to silence you. The light-hearted and sometimes whimsical tone acted in perfect contrast to the sometimes severe, dark events that offered the right amount of struggle in support of our main characters' growth. I found this to be a strong debut from author Cait Jacobs with its nod towards the iconic ‘Legally Blonde’ movie with a medieval twist whilst standing apart in strength on its own. The whimsical setting and strong world-building offered a vast outlook into the political affairs of the world which become very significant in the storytelling as the story continues to develop over time. I adore that this is a queer-normative world that introduced a variety of LQBTQIA+ rep with ease which opened up the (metaphorical) door to limitless possibilities for all characters involved. The disability representation added so much life and realness to an otherwise fictional cast of characters. I had the best time getting to know both characters on an emotionally intimate and the struggles that they face throughout their day-to-day lives. I felt that this was handled with the utmost care and respect whilst refusing to undermine the often severity and significance to living with a disability which has in-turn made me respect the author all that much more. I loved the focus placed upon both characters as they endure the realities of their disabilities head-on and refuse to let it prevent them from achieving the livelihood that they long to acquire. I cannot speak for the disabled community myself as a non-disabled individual, however it is my hope that readers within the community can connect with the characters in their own way to feel seen and recognised as every reader deserves to feel. The endearing diverse cast of characters had left me ensnared into their grip with their endless charm and undisputed found family dynamic, and overall I found The Princess Knight to be a wonderful story clearly written with a lot of heart and intent which I felt immersed into with ease.

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:
I was immediately sold on this book the second that I heard it being referenced as 'when Legally Blonde meets Medieval Fantasy' and it truly did not disappoint, nor did I find it fail to deliver in that regard. I loved the concept of a sheltered Princess with no defence training suddenly finding herself on the doorstep of an elite military academy in the hopes of re-securing an engagement to the prince who broke her heart. I enjoyed the way the author took the basics of 'Legally Blonde' and spun it into its own unique tale to help it stand apart on its own. I'm a huge fan of an academic setting so I really enjoyed getting to follow Clía on her training to become a recognised warrior amongst a group of people who were betting upon her failure from the moment she arrived. The plot itself felt fairly simplistic in that it was an ease to follow which means I can gladly recommend this book with ease to new and seasoned Fantasy readers alike. The mystery and intrigue surrounding certain characters was a lot of fun to explore as the plot takes the reader on a journey all throughout the expansive world that has been introduced. The plot was definitely the strength of The Princess Knight for me as I can sense that there was a lot of thought and time put into its development. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me engaged from beginning to end, and overall I found this book to feel really easy to read within one sitting whilst never lacking in enjoyment.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Clía was such a wonderfully complex heroine to follow on her path of self-discovery and both inner and physical strength. I love that she retained her femininity and ‘whimsical’ pursuits alongside claiming her own power and authoritative voice in an environment that were quick to dismiss and undermine her. The journey that we follow her on is by no means an easy one, however her stubborn nature and refusal to give in to the negative opinions of her peers made Clía an instantly likeable character to cheer for in the hopes for her success. Her willingness to see the best in people often suggested a naivety to her character that I still can’t help but love because ultimately… Clía is just that. A young woman who suddenly finds herself with an opportunity to be a little bit selfish and take the time to truly learn about herself. She has a lot of learning and growing to do in combat and as a person itself, and I have nothing but respect for Clía in her ability to take it all in her stride with a hopeful outlook and keenness to learn. She’s a force of nature when she puts her mind to something and I loved being able to witness Clía find her people amidst the chaos that was unfurling. I loved getting to see her love for her people and devotion to the kingdom that she has sworn to protect to the best of her ability. The way she continues to fight on their behalf to be heard and kept into consideration during the budding war was completely admirable, and I really believe that Clía will grow into a beloved Queen that will rule with fairness and compassion. She grew a lot throughout The Princess Knight and it was amazing to see the confident woman that emerged victorious by the end.

Ronan won me over from his very first interaction and it only continued to go uphill from there as we continued to witness his personality growth and strength as a commendable leader. His struggles with chronic pain was really eye-opening to me as a reader and I really appreciated that this is something that is reiterated time and time again. This is a huge attribute to his character and it truly broke my heart to see him continuously undermine his own struggles and pain out of fear of being discredited in his profession. Ronan has worked hard for much of his life to gain notoriety as an acclaimed soldier which is earned and proven by his skill on the battlefield. His single-minded focus and ability to see the bigger picture when faced with an enemy made him a valued asset during times of strife, and I just loved getting to see Ronan be recognised for his value and strengths in-spite of his personal struggle. Outside of his profession there’s no denying Ronan’s loyalty and priority towards family. His circle is small yet no less impactful, and I really enjoyed getting to enjoy the moments with ‘softer Ronan’ when he was able to just be present as a young man alongside his friends. His selfless nature and willingness to put others above his own needs was commendable, even if I did sometimes wish I could reach through the page and shake him to reiterate that he is also deserving to feel like a priority. Ronan is just such a sweet soul who deserves his happily ever after and I really enjoyed getting to see his character progression from beginning to end.

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
I do admit that the only I aspect I was feeling a little let down by was the overall relationship progression that was explored between Clía and Ronan by the end of the book. Both characters got off to such a strong start and I loved getting to witness the beginnings of an unlikely partnership which blossomed into a reliable friendship before romantic intentions began to take root. My main problem is how swiftly the romance aspect seemed to take place as it did to the point that it felt very abrupt, and do I personally wish that it had been more steadily introduced for a more believable connection. For me this can also be applied to the romance developed between the impactful side characters which also sadly felt lacking in exploration and therefore an abrupt development. There was definitely some small amounts of pining and yearning which is a big win for me, however things escalated very quickly from there as the plot also began to pick up in pace which made it sadly feel a little less authentic due to its lack of progression. I suppose you can also credit this to their age and the swiftness of being young and experiencing your first love, so my mention of this is not included to be a bad note as I can see this being a positive attribute to many other readers. This is simply a personal preference to me as a reader, however I did still enjoy the build-up that we were granted to this point. I still adored Clía and Ronan together as friends and then as a couple, and I actually enjoyed that this book was giving more ‘upper YA’ vibes as opposed to Adult. I don’t even really have a solid explanation for that one other than it just seemed to fit the story and its intent? Any intimate scenes included are written to be very vague and more 'closed door' which suited the story just fine as it was an emotional and intimate touch that didn't take away from the tale itself. Their entire dynamic felt very wholesome and inherently good which made it impossible to not root for their happiness independently and as a couple.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
This was such a wonderful debut by the author in all of its strengths and I hope to be able to read more works from them in the future. I can’t seem to find if The Princess Knight is intended as a standalone or more? I’m really hoping for more as the ending itself felt lacking in finality to be the end of a standalone. There is still dangers lurking at every corner with the threats not fully neutralised, and I feel like Clía and Ronan still have their work cut out for them in tackling all of the weaknesses within Clía's kingdom against her parents wishes. This is something I would love to see come to life with at least one more book, so if there’s no definite plans for a sequel please take this as my formal request for one.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.

[Maeghan &#x1f98b; · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew by page 6 that I would not like this. I really wanted to love it. Read every word until 65% and then skimmed to the end.

Someone in the reviews compared this to a bad episode of Scooby Doo and I couldn’t agree more. It takes itself super seriously for something so nonsensical. The stakes are supposedly high but almost everything was resolved within a few pages. The real issues were completely disregarded.

I mean… why was I agreeing with the prince 😭 he was right about everything in regards to her and her kingdom. He was very logical in his reasoning. I wouldn’t want to be linked with that kingdom either.

The FMCs kingdom was the dumbest I’ve ever read about. By page 14, I thought : well… of course they’re perceived as weak? What are they expecting when they act like this?
It was rage baiting at its finest.

It’s marketed as Upper YA/Adult crossover but it was very much on the youngest side of YA. The motivation behind the FMCs actions were juvenile and could’ve been resolved by other means. Wanting to win someone back that she never had in the first place… to strengthen her kingdom that HER parents were leading to the ground. This book needed a rebellion against stupid rulers… not a random princess going to a soldier training academy.

I could tell everything that was going to happen by page 14 and I ended up being right so that was disappointing. The ending was debilitating. Was anything resolved? Absolutely not. If she writes a sequel, I hope it’s a rebellion to overthrow this bunch of idiots.

I’ve easily been a hate reader in December.

—-•pre read
My edition of the locked library isn’t on GR 🥲

[bee]

DNF around 40% [no rating]

I tried to like this, I really did but I'm calling it.

This was pitched as a medieval Legally Blonde retelling and marketed as adult, but reads very YA. I was expecting something fun and clever, but instead found it super flat and boring. The characters, plot, and dialogue all bland.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Thank you Netgalley and publisher HarperCollins UK for the advanced copy.

[justine ⊹ ࣪ ˖ (semi-ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Princess Knight
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑.𝟱

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 ❝ New friends! Welcome to our little band of heroes. ❞

༉‧₊˚. Princess Clíodhna “Clía” Fionnáin of Álainndore had her life set the day she was born and was to marry dear friend, Prince Domhnall Lochlainn of Scáilca. This union was not just a matter of love and duty, but a strategic alliance meant to strengthen their kingdoms and earn the favor of the gods.

So when Domhnall announced his decision to break off their engagement, Clía's carefully planned future was suddenly thrown into turmoil. Determined to save her betrothal, she followed him to Caisleán Cósta, the kingdom's renowned military academy. With the help of Ronan Ó Faoláin, the captain of the prince’s guard and Domhnall’s best friend, she was determined to prove to him and the academy that she was more than just a superficial princess. ₊⊹

⟢ NA Release Date: October 14, 2025
⟢ UK Release Date: October 23, 2025

This book was initially titled ‘Medievally Blonde’ but was later renamed The Princess Knight. I only found out that it was a Legally Blonde retelling after finishing the book and felt a bit silly for initially thinking that Clía reminded me of Elle Woods if she were given a sword.

Another fun debut read, which of course involves lady knights - I’ve found my new favorite trope. I was definitely mesmerized by the cover, so I just had to pick it up. We’ve got the pastels, the florals, our beautiful princess in pink, and of course, our knight in shiny leather.

❝ She may never be the best, but that could be forgiven as long as she didn’t stop. ❞ ❀˖°

Clía was such a fun character to follow. I expected her to be a gullible character, given her sheltered nature, but she surprised me a lot as the story progressed and showed her wit on her own terms. Her internal growth was what drew me to her, and her perseverance in proving herself was a testament to her worth.

°˖➴ ❝ I can only do half of what I can because you’re a great teacher.” She smiled, demure as a princess. A lie. He wanted to wipe it off her face.

“I don’t know. I like to think you would have found a different route to get here. I’m only glad I was blessed to witness the creation of a goddess. ❞ ⟢

Ronan, oh Ronan. If anyone dares to harm even a single strand of Clía's hair, he'll come after you without hesitation. No doubt about it. As a captain and a knight, he feels a strong sense of responsibility to protect and support Clía after witnessing her unfair treatment by Domhnall and the impact of his betrayal on her. Despite his own struggles with chronic pain, his portrayal as a character with a disability was refreshing to read about. I could genuinely feel his pain as if it were my own.

✶⋆.˚ ❝ You set my world aflame, and I have never desired so desperately to be burned. With every sunrise, I fell in love with you again. Although, yes, I never want you to push me away again. I want to stand by your side as you bring change to our kingdoms. ❞

We all saw the romance coming from the cover, but I wished for a more gradual build-up to that romance. Perhaps it’s because I truly cherished the bond of camaraderie and the platonic relationship they shared at the beginning. When it came to be, it was sweet and fragile, but a bit more exploration of their dynamic before diving into the romantic elements would've made it better.

For me, at least, the romance wasn't the highlight of the story; instead, it was the character development that occurred through the various challenges they encountered and the relationships they formed throughout the book. While the characters themselves were interesting, Clía's journey was more compelling because she wasn't simply an unmasked prodigy. It was refreshing to see her fail a few times before ultimately succeeding. Realistically, someone like Clía, who spent most of her time hosting parties and doing needlework, would need to face challenges.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 ❝ Your resolve, your strength, your loyalty. Sometimes I feel as if you could will the stars into the sky. ❞

Cait Jacobs’s writing was very easy to digest (it took me a while to finish bc it was a ME problem), but I love how we are seeing more queer normative worlds represented in books. I also enjoyed the diverse set of side characters we meet throughout the story, especially Murphy (no one touches Murphy!). The Irish names were fun, and I really liked them, even though I forgot some of the pronunciations and had to refer to Cait’s Instagram post a couple of times for reminders.

However, despite enjoying many aspects of this book, I found the ending somewhat underwhelming. It felt like something was missing, even though it included an epilogue. I even messaged my friend Jii, who luckily also had an ARC of this book, to ramble about how the story felt incomplete. If a sequel is announced soon, it would make much more sense!

I believe the issue lies in the worldbuilding being too broad, especially since a significant portion of the book takes place within the academy. Additionally, I'm still puzzled as to why this is marketed as an adult book, as the writing and story seem more fitting as YA or New Adult .

Nonetheless, I am still happy to have picked this up and will definitely check out the next book if a sequel is announced!

⟢ Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, and, of course, Cait Jacobs for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑

˖᯽ ݁˖

pre-read : we are back on our lady knights galore!! i am so excited to read this after twinnie Jii gushed about this book.

[hailee · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.

LOVED the concept of this one, but was not a fan of the execution. maybe this is on me, but the marketing for this one led me to believe it would be a bit more lighthearted and silly (though silly may not be the correct word - think camp & leaning into the whole legally blonde of it all).

the pacing for this was odd - i really was bored the entire time and felt as though nothing happened, but when things did happen they moved too quickly? not only did the passage of time often fly by (usually just in one sentence or so), but pivotal scenes felt rushed and not completely fleshed out.

the writing was by no means bad, but was also nothing special. the author utilized a lot of telling instead of showing - which, if you know me, you know that is a pet peeve of mine. i also feel like this read as YA rather than adult. there’s absolutely nothing wrong with YA, but this should have been marketed differently.

unfortunately, the romance fell flat. i was not invested in it he slightest. i did like both of the main characters, i just feel like there should have been more.

additionally, the worldbuilding itself was a bit confusing but also did not feel fully complete? and for a fantasy novel, the fantasy elements were really lacking.

all that being said, there were certainly some positives with this one:
- clía’s friendship with niamh
- the queer normative world
- the setting was interesting
- found family vibes
- not that it truly matters, but the cover is beautiful

overall, this was a decent debut novel with an interesting concept. while this one wasn’t for me, i can certainly see how other readers will really enjoy this.