What do you think?
Rate this book
Nobody in Particular
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2025)Young Royals meets The Prince and Me when a disgraced princess falls for a new student at their all-girls boarding school, but the two must hide their forbidden love at all costs.
Princess Rosemary of Henland can’t afford distractions. She’s working tirelessly to repair her image following a scandal that lost the trust of both her country and her best friend. Unfortunately, when a beautiful and funny new student joins her boarding school, Rose finds herself quite distracted indeed.
Attending Bramppath College on a music scholarship, talented pianist Danni expects to be an outcast amongst the wealthy children of the elite, but she is pleasantly surprised to be taken in by the ex-best friend of the princess. The more Danni gets to know her new classmates, the more intrigued she becomes by Rose.
When somebody sees something they shouldn’t and rumors circulate throughout Henland, Rose and Danni must either find a way to deflect the ever-increasing eyes on their relationship, or end it altogether. Because one thing is if Rose’s fragile reputation takes any more hits, the palace will do whatever they must to separate Rose and Danni. Forever.
A Macmillan Audio production from Wednesday Books.
Princess Rosemary of Henland can’t afford distractions. She’s working tirelessly to repair her image following a scandal that lost the trust of both her country and her best friend. Unfortunately, when a beautiful and funny new student joins her boarding school, Rose finds herself quite distracted indeed.
Attending Bramppath College on a music scholarship, talented pianist Danni expects to be an outcast amongst the wealthy children of the elite, but she is pleasantly surprised to be taken in by the ex-best friend of the princess. The more Danni gets to know her new classmates, the more intrigued she becomes by Rose.
When somebody sees something they shouldn’t and rumors circulate throughout Henland, Rose and Danni must either find a way to deflect the ever-increasing eyes on their relationship, or end it altogether. Because one thing is if Rose’s fragile reputation takes any more hits, the palace will do whatever they must to separate Rose and Danni. Forever.
A Macmillan Audio production from Wednesday Books.
Audible Audio
First published June 5, 2025
531 people are currently reading
39784 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Gonzales
11 books3,475 followersSophie Gonzales writes young adult queer contemporary fiction with memorable characters, biting wit and endless heart.
She is the author of THE LAW OF INERTIA, ONLY MOSTLY DEVASTATED and PERFECT ON PAPER. IF THIS GETS (co-written with Cale Dietrich) is forthcoming in Fall 2021 from Wednesday Books / Macmillan.
When she isn’t writing, Sophie can be found ice skating, performing in musical theatre, and practicing the piano. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia where she works as a psychologist.
She is represented by Jessica Mileo of Inkwell Management.
She is the author of THE LAW OF INERTIA, ONLY MOSTLY DEVASTATED and PERFECT ON PAPER. IF THIS GETS (co-written with Cale Dietrich) is forthcoming in Fall 2021 from Wednesday Books / Macmillan.
When she isn’t writing, Sophie can be found ice skating, performing in musical theatre, and practicing the piano. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia where she works as a psychologist.
She is represented by Jessica Mileo of Inkwell Management.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,707 reviews
March 10, 2025
DNF @45% I'm not vibing with the writing. The characters also feel on the young side of YA and that doesn't really work for me.
Also if you have a leather bag and clean sneakers it must mean you have a Porsche. 🥴
Don't let this hinder you if you're interested - I'm just too old for these characters.
➽─────────❥
The Princess Diaries meets Red, White, and Royal Blue? But sapphic? Here we go! Hope it's a good one!
💘New Girl at School
🎀Royal x Commoner
💘Forbidden Love
🎀Found Family
💘Hiding in Plain Sight
🎀Sapphic Romance
💘LGBTQ+ Rep
🎀Coming of Age
💘Acceptance x Grief
Expected Release Date - 06/03/25
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the advanced digital copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Also if you have a leather bag and clean sneakers it must mean you have a Porsche. 🥴
Don't let this hinder you if you're interested - I'm just too old for these characters.
➽─────────❥
The Princess Diaries meets Red, White, and Royal Blue? But sapphic? Here we go! Hope it's a good one!
💘New Girl at School
🎀Royal x Commoner
💘Forbidden Love
🎀Found Family
💘Hiding in Plain Sight
🎀Sapphic Romance
💘LGBTQ+ Rep
🎀Coming of Age
💘Acceptance x Grief
Expected Release Date - 06/03/25
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the advanced digital copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 10, 2026
one of my goals this year is to read more queer books, so i’m starting with this one
update: ADORED IT!!! it took me a bit to finish… but it ended up feeling like such a comfort read. the story balances tenderness with angst, longing and quiet emotional moments in such a satisfying way :)) i loved their relationship and the royalty x nobody dynamic (a bit surreal and maybe overdone, I KNOW, but still enjoyable).
update: ADORED IT!!! it took me a bit to finish… but it ended up feeling like such a comfort read. the story balances tenderness with angst, longing and quiet emotional moments in such a satisfying way :)) i loved their relationship and the royalty x nobody dynamic (a bit surreal and maybe overdone, I KNOW, but still enjoyable).
January 18, 2025
one thing about sophie gonzales is that she DELIVERS
May 13, 2025
It’s been a while since I read one of Sophie Gonzales’ books, and now I remember why I love her writing so much. It’s vibrant and light and just dances on the pages. Add a dual narrative with two distinct voices, and it made me fall head over heels.
Danni was immediately my favorite, but I had to warm up to Rose. She felt so empty and insensible, especially about what happened in Amsterdam. Yes, my country’s capital, even though that part was a bit of a stereotype. Dutchies, you probably know what I mean when you read it. But I forgive Sophie because I flew through the story and enjoyed myself so much. Back to Rose, because while my heart fell into pieces after reading what exactly happened in Amsterdam, she didn’t flinch. At all. But later on, in the second half of the story, I learned that Rose wasn’t a princess with a heart of stone. She was just short-circuiting and pushed the trauma away.
A few weeks back, I read Amelia, If Only, and I was surprised by the similarities with this story. Or maybe I shouldn’t be because those two authors are friends. One of the side plots in Nobody in Particular is parasocial relationships, which is the main plot in Amelia, If Only.
Anyway, I loved this take on Young Royals and I haven’t even said how much I adore the cover! I highly recommend this one to you all!
Thank you, Nomaris from Macmillan International, for this fantastic ARC!
Follow me on Instagram
Danni was immediately my favorite, but I had to warm up to Rose. She felt so empty and insensible, especially about what happened in Amsterdam. Yes, my country’s capital, even though that part was a bit of a stereotype. Dutchies, you probably know what I mean when you read it. But I forgive Sophie because I flew through the story and enjoyed myself so much. Back to Rose, because while my heart fell into pieces after reading what exactly happened in Amsterdam, she didn’t flinch. At all. But later on, in the second half of the story, I learned that Rose wasn’t a princess with a heart of stone. She was just short-circuiting and pushed the trauma away.
A few weeks back, I read Amelia, If Only, and I was surprised by the similarities with this story. Or maybe I shouldn’t be because those two authors are friends. One of the side plots in Nobody in Particular is parasocial relationships, which is the main plot in Amelia, If Only.
Anyway, I loved this take on Young Royals and I haven’t even said how much I adore the cover! I highly recommend this one to you all!
Thank you, Nomaris from Macmillan International, for this fantastic ARC!
Follow me on Instagram
January 1, 2025
Everybody say thank you Sophie Gonzales for delivering the sapphic YA royal romance of our dreams! NOBODY IN PARTICULAR is such a stunning coming-of-age story about love, hope, hurt, and yearning (seriously: so! much! yearning!!). It is totally obsess-worthy, and I can’t wait for everyone to feel that!!
July 14, 2025
if this wasn’t ya (which i didn’t know going into bc i don’t pay attention literally to anything ever), i think this could’ve had five star potential maybe? is that too high of a praise?
i think this was my first ff book so it was a new experience but more importantly it was FUN and it was SO CUTE and even though i’ve outgrown ya, some books still do it for me, and this was one of them. fun concept and great execution yes ma’am!!
pre read
the cover? yes. the blurb? yes. the book? hopefully yes.
i think this was my first ff book so it was a new experience but more importantly it was FUN and it was SO CUTE and even though i’ve outgrown ya, some books still do it for me, and this was one of them. fun concept and great execution yes ma’am!!
pre read
the cover? yes. the blurb? yes. the book? hopefully yes.
January 6, 2025
royalty belongs to the gays 🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️ exactlyyyyyyy
In this book we’re following Rose (the princess of a small country) and Danni (an immigrant who got accepted into the prestigious boarding school Rose attends). There, Rose and Danni strike a friendship and (shocker) fall for each other.
I’ll start by saying I really enjoyed the characters! Sophie Gonzales is great at creating characters, so I’m not surprised I really enjoyed both MCs’ POVs.
Danni was a fish out of water, being in a new country, a new school, and a completely different type of environment (she’d never attended a boarding school + being surrounded by millionaire VIPs is a lot lol). She accommodated pretty quickly, though. Additionally, Danni was also dealing with her stage fright, and, later in the story she falls back on the whole ~people are mocking and being fake-nice to me~ mentality, since she’d been bullied at her previous school. Through it all, Danni managed to be pretty mature for her age, which I enjoyed.
Rose is very self-assured, witty and sarcastic, and I really liked following her. She’s still dealing with some pretty heavy stuff, though, particularly the fact that she’s expected to stay in the closet forever, marry a man and birth children, which she (a lesbian) obviously doesn’t want. However, the most compelling conflict in Rose’s life, in my opinion, has to do with her relationship with her ex-friend Molly. We can see early on that Rose is very clearly suppressing her feelings so she doesn’t have to deal with the grief and trauma she went through, which dampens her friendship with Molly.
I reeeeally liked slowly uncovering what went on between them that made Molly start disliking Rose, and I thought the whole thing was SO WELL DONE!!! 👏🏻 And I really liked that they talked through everything that happened and explained their feelings. I just really liked this conflict and its resolution. Probably my favourite aspect of this whole book!
And I overall REALLY liked Molly! She was so interesting and mature, and I absolutely LOVE that she was an integral part of the story, and was important for both Danni and Rose. One of the best uses of side characters I’ve seen! I enjoyed the other SCs as well! Eleanor was a nice supporting character, and I appreciate that she was friends with both MCs; Alfie was also an interesting character, and I liked that he had thought-out justifications for his actions (even if they were flawed). I do wish we’d seen more of Danni’s mum and her bestie from her country, though.
Overall, the characters were really well-written. They were well-rounded and three-dimensional, and I liked their inter- and intra-personal arcs.
Now for the ✨ romance ✨. Rose is a very sarcastic character and she starts lowkey messing with Danni from the get go. I was afraid this would feel very one-sided, but, fortunately, Danni is also quite witty, and teases Rose right back. I’m really glad they were on the same level when it came to this type of banter! It made them feel very much like equals, which is exactly what I want when we have sarcastic characters like Rose. When I started reeeeally liking their back-and-forths was when they became friends, though! Their text messages were so fun!! Loved their banter! 🤭🤭🤭
I will say that I wish their romance had been a bit more of a slow-burn, though. I just didn’t fully *feel* their romance, tbh. I still liked them, but I wanted to LOVE them, and I didn’t. ☹️☹️☹️ I really liked the crush confession, but I didn’t care about their 1st kiss. I enjoyed their moments together, but I thought their “I love you”s came too soon. The realest moment of the book for me was when Molly said “Your life is bigger than Danni, and hers is bigger than you.”, because, YEAH, it just kinda felt like they were all in for each other (they literally thought about how they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together lol), but since *I* didn’t feel it, it just felt a bit to sudden (even though months had passed). Idk. I just felt a little detached from their romance, for some reason. 😞
I am glad, though, that Danni and Rose actually communicated with each other! I’m sick and tired of miscommunication that gets dragged out just for the sake of conflict, and this book didn’t have that!
Regarding the writing: it flowed well and was easy to read. There were some instances of telling instead of showing, but, overall, I thought the book was good, in terms of writing. There were a couple of typos and a continuity mistake (Danni’s bff goes from Hayley to Rachel lol), but I’m sure those will be corrected in the final version. Also, I think it’d be better if the epilogue was “X years later” instead of “2026”, because this reeeally dates the book.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable book! Sophie Gonzales is incapable of writing a bad book, methinks. 🙂↕️ Also, THANK YOU for that mention of Zach from “If This Gets Out”. 🤭
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!
(review written on 06/01/2025)
----
I JUST GOT AN ARC I REPEAT I JUST GOT AN ARC THIS IS NOT A DRILL
(30/12/2024)
----
"Young Royals meets Her Royal Highness in this sapphic romance that follows Dani as she receives a scholarship to board a prestigious college, where she finds herself falling for the crown princess, Rose. But when Rose returns her feelings, the 2 must navigate how to protect their secret relationship despite Rose's royal responsibilities—not a simple task, given Rose's reputation is already hanging by a thread."
common girl and princess fall in love at a boarding school and then have to hide their relationship from the world ooooooh i'm READY
(16/09/2023)
In this book we’re following Rose (the princess of a small country) and Danni (an immigrant who got accepted into the prestigious boarding school Rose attends). There, Rose and Danni strike a friendship and (shocker) fall for each other.
I’ll start by saying I really enjoyed the characters! Sophie Gonzales is great at creating characters, so I’m not surprised I really enjoyed both MCs’ POVs.
Danni was a fish out of water, being in a new country, a new school, and a completely different type of environment (she’d never attended a boarding school + being surrounded by millionaire VIPs is a lot lol). She accommodated pretty quickly, though. Additionally, Danni was also dealing with her stage fright, and, later in the story she falls back on the whole ~people are mocking and being fake-nice to me~ mentality, since she’d been bullied at her previous school. Through it all, Danni managed to be pretty mature for her age, which I enjoyed.
Rose is very self-assured, witty and sarcastic, and I really liked following her. She’s still dealing with some pretty heavy stuff, though, particularly the fact that she’s expected to stay in the closet forever, marry a man and birth children, which she (a lesbian) obviously doesn’t want. However, the most compelling conflict in Rose’s life, in my opinion, has to do with her relationship with her ex-friend Molly. We can see early on that Rose is very clearly suppressing her feelings so she doesn’t have to deal with the grief and trauma she went through, which dampens her friendship with Molly.
I reeeeally liked slowly uncovering what went on between them that made Molly start disliking Rose, and I thought the whole thing was SO WELL DONE!!! 👏🏻 And I really liked that they talked through everything that happened and explained their feelings. I just really liked this conflict and its resolution. Probably my favourite aspect of this whole book!
And I overall REALLY liked Molly! She was so interesting and mature, and I absolutely LOVE that she was an integral part of the story, and was important for both Danni and Rose. One of the best uses of side characters I’ve seen! I enjoyed the other SCs as well! Eleanor was a nice supporting character, and I appreciate that she was friends with both MCs; Alfie was also an interesting character, and I liked that he had thought-out justifications for his actions (even if they were flawed). I do wish we’d seen more of Danni’s mum and her bestie from her country, though.
Overall, the characters were really well-written. They were well-rounded and three-dimensional, and I liked their inter- and intra-personal arcs.
Now for the ✨ romance ✨. Rose is a very sarcastic character and she starts lowkey messing with Danni from the get go. I was afraid this would feel very one-sided, but, fortunately, Danni is also quite witty, and teases Rose right back. I’m really glad they were on the same level when it came to this type of banter! It made them feel very much like equals, which is exactly what I want when we have sarcastic characters like Rose. When I started reeeeally liking their back-and-forths was when they became friends, though! Their text messages were so fun!! Loved their banter! 🤭🤭🤭
I will say that I wish their romance had been a bit more of a slow-burn, though. I just didn’t fully *feel* their romance, tbh. I still liked them, but I wanted to LOVE them, and I didn’t. ☹️☹️☹️ I really liked the crush confession, but I didn’t care about their 1st kiss. I enjoyed their moments together, but I thought their “I love you”s came too soon. The realest moment of the book for me was when Molly said “Your life is bigger than Danni, and hers is bigger than you.”, because, YEAH, it just kinda felt like they were all in for each other (they literally thought about how they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together lol), but since *I* didn’t feel it, it just felt a bit to sudden (even though months had passed). Idk. I just felt a little detached from their romance, for some reason. 😞
I am glad, though, that Danni and Rose actually communicated with each other! I’m sick and tired of miscommunication that gets dragged out just for the sake of conflict, and this book didn’t have that!
Regarding the writing: it flowed well and was easy to read. There were some instances of telling instead of showing, but, overall, I thought the book was good, in terms of writing. There were a couple of typos and a continuity mistake (Danni’s bff goes from Hayley to Rachel lol), but I’m sure those will be corrected in the final version. Also, I think it’d be better if the epilogue was “X years later” instead of “2026”, because this reeeally dates the book.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable book! Sophie Gonzales is incapable of writing a bad book, methinks. 🙂↕️ Also, THANK YOU for that mention of Zach from “If This Gets Out”. 🤭
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!
(review written on 06/01/2025)
----
I JUST GOT AN ARC I REPEAT I JUST GOT AN ARC THIS IS NOT A DRILL
(30/12/2024)
----
"Young Royals meets Her Royal Highness in this sapphic romance that follows Dani as she receives a scholarship to board a prestigious college, where she finds herself falling for the crown princess, Rose. But when Rose returns her feelings, the 2 must navigate how to protect their secret relationship despite Rose's royal responsibilities—not a simple task, given Rose's reputation is already hanging by a thread."
common girl and princess fall in love at a boarding school and then have to hide their relationship from the world ooooooh i'm READY
(16/09/2023)
June 3, 2025
HAPPY PUB DAY to this lil cutie!! literally haven’t stopped thinking about it since i read it 🙂↕️
wow this had a darker subplot i wasn’t expecting but i genuinely liked the levity it added to a YA book because sometimes these characters read young for their actions/language, but overall this was a cute romance and a quick, breezy read!
thank you to netgalley and wednesday books for the arc!
wow this had a darker subplot i wasn’t expecting but i genuinely liked the levity it added to a YA book because sometimes these characters read young for their actions/language, but overall this was a cute romance and a quick, breezy read!
thank you to netgalley and wednesday books for the arc!
May 12, 2025
☆4.5 stars!!!
⁀➷💌 and when you wake up next to him in the middle of the night, with your head in your hands, you’re nothing more than his wife. Wanted to preface by saying thank you NetGalley for the arc, as well as St. Martin’s Publishing! i have been in the worst slump for three months but i finished 3/4 of this book in one single night and OH EHM GEE. the amount of squeals and anxiety i had?!!! i must rant.
”marrying somebody i can never love, and sleeping with him over and over while my body recoils with revulsion, just so i can serve as an incubator of continuation of the crown.”
｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。 danni blythe
ﾟ･｡･ohh how i love my blonde sapphics :( though she wasn’t the actual princess she was the princess of my heart?!!! deserves so much better than how the world treated her oh my GOD. she is such a sweet friend and was literally just trying to do the right thing always, i would’ve actually died if i was in her place (i am genuinely not exaggerating) it actually made my heart hurt
｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。 princess rosemary
ﾟ･｡･ me and her are ONE AND THE SAME. i have never felt so seen by a character it is GENUINELY INSANE I AM NOT JOKING. her fear of marrying a man but all the while accepting the fate of having to do so, i actually will just kms??? and her view on child birth and the idea that dying during birth would be more comfortable than living a life with a man I SOBBED WTF. true peak lesbian rep!!! angst aside she is so loving, the way she speaks about danni, the way she is so physically affectionate with her, genuinely it is palpable through the text and not many books make me feel that way!! truly me and her ONE AND THE SAME BABE
romance! i love danni and rose SO MUCH. their romance really steals the show, and im so glad its a happy ending bc they fought so hard to get where they are. the way they get together and how affectionate they are genuinely it had me falling apart bc it’s so realistic but so sweet and well shown??? i love when sapphic books portray love so SOFTLY like okay pull my heartstrings why don’t u
plot! i actually think this angst had my stomach in that strange anxiety knot for three straight hours omg. something i will laud about this book is that as sweet as it is, and as wonderful the ending is? it’s so realistic, meaning there are parts that just hurt and they hurt wholly. the way it explores how media speculation especially abt queer people is SO harmful. what danni went through genuinely made me so nauseous, how she survived truly no idea. sexuality is never owed. as for the plot abt molly and rose’s beef i get they needed to add more tension, but i honestly did not care for that plotline once we found out why which was early on LMAO. but the epilogue omfg it was so well done and seeing how rose’s parents acted ugh it made my heart swell
side characters! LOVED molly just found her reasoning for hating rose a bit odd, and the way she reacted a bit odd, but still she was such a real one!! HATED HARRIET OMG WHAT. like genuinely maybe she’s a sweet gal but what provokes u to do that??? like in what way would that make sense??? i don’t want to spoil but her motivations made no sense to me, rose’s accusation should’ve been taken to heart bc that’s exactly what it was, and harriet’s actions are the catalyst for so much bad in this book like… ??? and then alfie… alfie alfie alfie… all i could picture was the guy from emily in paris… but alfie… i can’t say anything past that but it pretty much summarizes my feelings lol
”you’re stuck with me, i’m afraid.”
overall…
first book i read in three months… whattt who said that??? anyways i am going to try to read more as my tbr has grown EXPONENTIALLY… but god i genuinely loved this book sm :( i loved the romance so dearly and just mourn what these girls had to go through at the age of SEVENTEEN??? i would die. but i do think past it being a sapphic novel, it explores a really important topic of media speculation and how harmful it can be. ugh, will be buying a physical copy this was SO good.
——
good luck babe by chappell roan if it was a book😓rtc!
⁀➷💌 and when you wake up next to him in the middle of the night, with your head in your hands, you’re nothing more than his wife. Wanted to preface by saying thank you NetGalley for the arc, as well as St. Martin’s Publishing! i have been in the worst slump for three months but i finished 3/4 of this book in one single night and OH EHM GEE. the amount of squeals and anxiety i had?!!! i must rant.
”marrying somebody i can never love, and sleeping with him over and over while my body recoils with revulsion, just so i can serve as an incubator of continuation of the crown.”
｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。 danni blythe
ﾟ･｡･ohh how i love my blonde sapphics :( though she wasn’t the actual princess she was the princess of my heart?!!! deserves so much better than how the world treated her oh my GOD. she is such a sweet friend and was literally just trying to do the right thing always, i would’ve actually died if i was in her place (i am genuinely not exaggerating) it actually made my heart hurt
｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。 princess rosemary
ﾟ･｡･ me and her are ONE AND THE SAME. i have never felt so seen by a character it is GENUINELY INSANE I AM NOT JOKING. her fear of marrying a man but all the while accepting the fate of having to do so, i actually will just kms??? and her view on child birth and the idea that dying during birth would be more comfortable than living a life with a man I SOBBED WTF. true peak lesbian rep!!! angst aside she is so loving, the way she speaks about danni, the way she is so physically affectionate with her, genuinely it is palpable through the text and not many books make me feel that way!! truly me and her ONE AND THE SAME BABE
romance! i love danni and rose SO MUCH. their romance really steals the show, and im so glad its a happy ending bc they fought so hard to get where they are. the way they get together and how affectionate they are genuinely it had me falling apart bc it’s so realistic but so sweet and well shown??? i love when sapphic books portray love so SOFTLY like okay pull my heartstrings why don’t u
plot! i actually think this angst had my stomach in that strange anxiety knot for three straight hours omg. something i will laud about this book is that as sweet as it is, and as wonderful the ending is? it’s so realistic, meaning there are parts that just hurt and they hurt wholly. the way it explores how media speculation especially abt queer people is SO harmful. what danni went through genuinely made me so nauseous, how she survived truly no idea. sexuality is never owed. as for the plot abt molly and rose’s beef i get they needed to add more tension, but i honestly did not care for that plotline once we found out why which was early on LMAO. but the epilogue omfg it was so well done and seeing how rose’s parents acted ugh it made my heart swell
side characters! LOVED molly just found her reasoning for hating rose a bit odd, and the way she reacted a bit odd, but still she was such a real one!! HATED HARRIET OMG WHAT. like genuinely maybe she’s a sweet gal but what provokes u to do that??? like in what way would that make sense??? i don’t want to spoil but her motivations made no sense to me, rose’s accusation should’ve been taken to heart bc that’s exactly what it was, and harriet’s actions are the catalyst for so much bad in this book like… ??? and then alfie… alfie alfie alfie… all i could picture was the guy from emily in paris… but alfie… i can’t say anything past that but it pretty much summarizes my feelings lol
”you’re stuck with me, i’m afraid.”
overall…
——
good luck babe by chappell roan if it was a book😓rtc!
June 19, 2025
I thoroughly got sucked into this, I've had no sleep and therefore had to call in sick to finish it in one sitting. This was worth the sleepless hours though. Really enjoyed all the chemistry, the characters, the whole royal story that isn't too bloated; this is exactly the type of wholesome, feel-good story everyone needs on a dreary day.
October 19, 2025
**'It's okay to be a critic of the world and society in which we all live in, just don't make stuff up. Be genuine with what you write..'
Okay read!
...................
Okay read!
...................
November 12, 2025
“It’s an odd and wonderful thing, to barely dare to hope you might be tolerated as you are, only to find out the real you is beloved the way the false you never was.”
June 24, 2025
4.5 stars
Nobody in Particular is a sapphic, royal x commoner, contemporary romance. The story is similar to others that have been told before, but what sets it apart is it's heart. Although the romantic plot of Nobody in Particular is very much an escapist fantasy, the story has depth. There are discussions about mental health, queer identity, homophobia and grief. So while the romantic in me devoured the plot, the critic in me really appreciated the topical themes. I'd recommend this book to any YA romance reader, but especially those who enjoyed Red, White and Royal Blue.
Thank you to the publisher and MacMillan Audio for the eARCs in exchange for an honest review!
Nobody in Particular is a sapphic, royal x commoner, contemporary romance. The story is similar to others that have been told before, but what sets it apart is it's heart. Although the romantic plot of Nobody in Particular is very much an escapist fantasy, the story has depth. There are discussions about mental health, queer identity, homophobia and grief. So while the romantic in me devoured the plot, the critic in me really appreciated the topical themes. I'd recommend this book to any YA romance reader, but especially those who enjoyed Red, White and Royal Blue.
Thank you to the publisher and MacMillan Audio for the eARCs in exchange for an honest review!
May 16, 2025
A delightful take on a royal romance for queer teens!!! Nobody in Particular may not be doing anything super new, but it does it well and makes it sapphic. It follows Danni, a bisexual American teen joining an elite European boarding school with British vibes on a music scholarship. One of her classmates, Rosemary, is the princess of the country and a closeted lesbian. Obviously the two have chemistry, but they come from different worlds and Rose is expected to marry a man and have an heir. Added to that, she's grieving the death of a friend due to a drug overdose that she feels partly responsible for. And there's lots of friend group drama!
This was both an excellent YA queer coming of age story and a genuinely adorable romance. I was listening to the audiobook at work and audibly gasped when one of them first makes their feelings known. It's a little bit of a slow-burn and is sex-positive in a way that is age appropriate. I definitely recommend it! The audio narration is excellent for both characters and was fun and immersive. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This was both an excellent YA queer coming of age story and a genuinely adorable romance. I was listening to the audiobook at work and audibly gasped when one of them first makes their feelings known. It's a little bit of a slow-burn and is sex-positive in a way that is age appropriate. I definitely recommend it! The audio narration is excellent for both characters and was fun and immersive. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
August 26, 2025
You know, YA is not my thing these days, but this queer royal romance is a real good one. It's smart, it's got a lot of heart, and it has great sort-of-but-not-quite-villains and complex lovable leads, one lesbian, one bi. There's a realistic teen sapphic sex scene! There's also ice skating and playing the piano! Also, thoughtful representation of bullying.
January 1, 2025
Red, White & Royal Blue meets Her Royal Highness in this sapphic ya romance where a disgraced princess falls for a new student at their all-girls boarding school, but the two must hide their forbidden love at all costs.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Wednesday Books. Additionally, I am a part of Sophie Gonzales' Street Team for Nobody in Particular.
WOW! This book took everything I loved and tied it together in a pretty bow. As if it were a present designed for me and me alone. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming. It's about taking control of your own destiny and leading the life you want to live for yourself on your own terms. Nothing in Particular touches upon royalty romance, coming of age, strangers to friends to lovers, forbidden relationship, grumpy/sunshine, boarding school and closed door tropes.
Princess Rosemary of Henland is a lesbian, closeted to the country she loves very much because the public and anti-monarchists especially, would never accept a queer Queen. But she dreads the life she knows she'll be forced to live; marrying a man and producing future heirs to the throne. At the same time, she can't afford any distractions or missteps after the tragic events of Amsterdam.
Rose's sarcastic humour is such an endearing quality even if it comes across as bitchy from time to time–it truly kept me entertained. I love Rose tremendously.
"She's pretty. The kind of pretty that makes you forget you're standing in a room full of people who don't know you exist, because for a second you've forgotten any of them exist right back."
I know I make this comparison a lot, probably too much, but Rosemary is incredibly Lena Luthor coded. And just like the widely popular "Lena Luthor Needs a Hug" tag on AO3, I feel the same for Rose (Danni thought so too).
Enter, talented pianist Danni Blythe, who was accepted to Bramppath College on scholarship and immediately expects to be viewed as an outcast among the wealthy elite. She quickly becomes enamoured by the Princess. The long heart-eyed glances and intense pining between the two main characters jumps off the pages. Their not-so-subtle flirting was so so so cute!!!
I was really satisfied with the Rose's growth, especially in regards to her strained relationship with Molly. Being able to finally express her emotions out loud allowed personal healing while rebuilding a broken friendship. The ~magic~ of clear communication goes a long way, who knew?
It's important to note how Nobody in Particular explores events and actions that may be triggering to some readers including mentions of accidental death by overdose, grief, bullying (past tense), forced outing, non-consensual kissing, manipulation and underage use of drinking/drugs.
That said, this review wouldn't be completed without noting how this cover is absolutely perfect! Everyone say thank you Jenifer Prince!
If you haven't read Never Ever Getting Back Together, also by Sophie Gonzales, I highly recommend it. It's the book that made me fall in love with her writing.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Wednesday Books. Additionally, I am a part of Sophie Gonzales' Street Team for Nobody in Particular.
WOW! This book took everything I loved and tied it together in a pretty bow. As if it were a present designed for me and me alone. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming. It's about taking control of your own destiny and leading the life you want to live for yourself on your own terms. Nothing in Particular touches upon royalty romance, coming of age, strangers to friends to lovers, forbidden relationship, grumpy/sunshine, boarding school and closed door tropes.
Princess Rosemary of Henland is a lesbian, closeted to the country she loves very much because the public and anti-monarchists especially, would never accept a queer Queen. But she dreads the life she knows she'll be forced to live; marrying a man and producing future heirs to the throne. At the same time, she can't afford any distractions or missteps after the tragic events of Amsterdam.
Rose's sarcastic humour is such an endearing quality even if it comes across as bitchy from time to time–it truly kept me entertained. I love Rose tremendously.
"She's pretty. The kind of pretty that makes you forget you're standing in a room full of people who don't know you exist, because for a second you've forgotten any of them exist right back."
I know I make this comparison a lot, probably too much, but Rosemary is incredibly Lena Luthor coded. And just like the widely popular "Lena Luthor Needs a Hug" tag on AO3, I feel the same for Rose (Danni thought so too).
Enter, talented pianist Danni Blythe, who was accepted to Bramppath College on scholarship and immediately expects to be viewed as an outcast among the wealthy elite. She quickly becomes enamoured by the Princess. The long heart-eyed glances and intense pining between the two main characters jumps off the pages. Their not-so-subtle flirting was so so so cute!!!
I was really satisfied with the Rose's growth, especially in regards to her strained relationship with Molly. Being able to finally express her emotions out loud allowed personal healing while rebuilding a broken friendship. The ~magic~ of clear communication goes a long way, who knew?
It's important to note how Nobody in Particular explores events and actions that may be triggering to some readers including mentions of accidental death by overdose, grief, bullying (past tense), forced outing, non-consensual kissing, manipulation and underage use of drinking/drugs.
That said, this review wouldn't be completed without noting how this cover is absolutely perfect! Everyone say thank you Jenifer Prince!
If you haven't read Never Ever Getting Back Together, also by Sophie Gonzales, I highly recommend it. It's the book that made me fall in love with her writing.
May 31, 2025
Normally, Danni and Rosemary wouldn't meet. Danni is talented at music but otherwise an American commoner, nobody in particular, and Rosemary is a literal princess who has, historically, blown off the weight of her position. But in boarding school, they overlap—and they start to find that their circumstantial differences might mean less than they think, and also that staying together might cause insurmountable problems for them both.
Gonzales established herself as a "yes please" kind of author for me with the first book of hers that I read, and since I have a weakness for boarding school stories and princess stories (may these weaknesses never fade), this was not exactly a hard sell for me. It's about what you'd expect: cute and pretty light and with the occasional castle thrown in.
What really interests me, though, is the author's note at the beginning of the book. It's long enough that I won't quote, but Gonzales says that the first draft was written eleven years ago—but that at the time publishers told her, over and over again, that queer royal romance was too niche. This was of course wildly untrue, as many books published since have proven...and it wasn't all that long before Gonzales's draft went from too niche (according to the publishers) to something that had already been done, including with an unnamed, unrelated book that was especially similar.
Obviously we know this background only because both Gonzales and the folks at St. Martin's eventually went forward with publishing this book! But that author's note gave me so much food for thought throughout the book. Because: I am one of those readers who would have found this so valuable (and validating) a decade or more ago, when I was still struggling to find queer books that didn't hinge on violence and homophobia. Part of me is pretty annoyed that publishers didn't think there was a market for this book back then. And...I'm pretty sure I've read that unnamed, unrelated, similar book as well. Actually, I'm pretty sure I reread it—completely coincidentally—a few weeks before reading Nobody in Particular. (I am sometimes very consistent.)
Some parts of this book do feel a bit dated—there's a big to-do about one character coming out, for example, in a way that I associate more with less recent queer lit. (Although obviously coming-out stories are still valid and important, there's something of an arc to the way queer lit has told its stories over time—from queer characters meeting serious violence or being run out of town, to queer characters getting a happy or happy-of-sorts ending but only after lots of homophobia along the way, to extremely angsty coming-out stories, to much more matter-of-fact coming-out stories, and eventually to stories in which the characters are just comfortably queer to begin with and get on with their lives and romances. And then the whole thing started over with stories featuring trans characters...) Would I have been thinking that if I hadn't read the author's note, though, and also every piece of queer lit I could get my hands on in my teens and early twenties—perhaps not! I think I was both the right and the wrong reader for this: right, because (again) of that weakness for boarding school stories and princess stories and also Gonzales's books in general; wrong, because I do sometimes have such weird and specific tastes and because I know how much Gonzales has evolved as a writer in the past decade (as in: I know, because I have read her more recent books) and part of me wishes—unfairly!—that I could see what she might have done with this story today.
All of which is to say: if you're looking for a boarding school story, or a princess story, and want a fairly light, quick read, this is one for you! Rosemary and Danni can be absolute dummies at times, but that is not criticism; that is the state of teenagers and also YA lit in general. This isn't the most realistic of stories, but that's sort of the point; it's pure escapism at times, so buckle up and put on your plastic crowns and settle in for some princess fantasies.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
Gonzales established herself as a "yes please" kind of author for me with the first book of hers that I read, and since I have a weakness for boarding school stories and princess stories (may these weaknesses never fade), this was not exactly a hard sell for me. It's about what you'd expect: cute and pretty light and with the occasional castle thrown in.
What really interests me, though, is the author's note at the beginning of the book. It's long enough that I won't quote, but Gonzales says that the first draft was written eleven years ago—but that at the time publishers told her, over and over again, that queer royal romance was too niche. This was of course wildly untrue, as many books published since have proven...and it wasn't all that long before Gonzales's draft went from too niche (according to the publishers) to something that had already been done, including with an unnamed, unrelated book that was especially similar.
Obviously we know this background only because both Gonzales and the folks at St. Martin's eventually went forward with publishing this book! But that author's note gave me so much food for thought throughout the book. Because: I am one of those readers who would have found this so valuable (and validating) a decade or more ago, when I was still struggling to find queer books that didn't hinge on violence and homophobia. Part of me is pretty annoyed that publishers didn't think there was a market for this book back then. And...I'm pretty sure I've read that unnamed, unrelated, similar book as well. Actually, I'm pretty sure I reread it—completely coincidentally—a few weeks before reading Nobody in Particular. (I am sometimes very consistent.)
Some parts of this book do feel a bit dated—there's a big to-do about one character coming out, for example, in a way that I associate more with less recent queer lit. (Although obviously coming-out stories are still valid and important, there's something of an arc to the way queer lit has told its stories over time—from queer characters meeting serious violence or being run out of town, to queer characters getting a happy or happy-of-sorts ending but only after lots of homophobia along the way, to extremely angsty coming-out stories, to much more matter-of-fact coming-out stories, and eventually to stories in which the characters are just comfortably queer to begin with and get on with their lives and romances. And then the whole thing started over with stories featuring trans characters...) Would I have been thinking that if I hadn't read the author's note, though, and also every piece of queer lit I could get my hands on in my teens and early twenties—perhaps not! I think I was both the right and the wrong reader for this: right, because (again) of that weakness for boarding school stories and princess stories and also Gonzales's books in general; wrong, because I do sometimes have such weird and specific tastes and because I know how much Gonzales has evolved as a writer in the past decade (as in: I know, because I have read her more recent books) and part of me wishes—unfairly!—that I could see what she might have done with this story today.
All of which is to say: if you're looking for a boarding school story, or a princess story, and want a fairly light, quick read, this is one for you! Rosemary and Danni can be absolute dummies at times, but that is not criticism; that is the state of teenagers and also YA lit in general. This isn't the most realistic of stories, but that's sort of the point; it's pure escapism at times, so buckle up and put on your plastic crowns and settle in for some princess fantasies.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
June 29, 2025
I still enjoy YA books even though I am way past that age. But I think the best ones magically zap you back in time to being 16 or 17. At least emotionally anyway. I caught myself squealing a few times while I read this book so it’s now one of my favorites in the genre. Danni is an American student on a music scholarship at an elite boarding school in a fictional country named Henland, located somewhere around Belgium I think. The children of top politicians and the wealthiest of Europe attend this school. Danni is just a middle class girl who moved to Henland due to her mother’s marriage. Rose also attends the school and as the Crown Princess of Henland can pretty much get away with anything.
Danni and Rose have wonderful chemistry. Their relationship morphs perfectly from friendship to the giddiness of first love. The author captures the angst and drama of day to day teen dilemmas perfectly. The book also has very funny moments. I do want to mention that a cloud hangs over the group of friends due to a tragedy that occurred in their recent past. The author balances the dark moments with the lighter times and does an especially good job showing how today’s social media is so intertwined in young people’s lives. Both Rose and Danni are very likable so it was a fun read. The two narrators, Gail Shalan and Imani Jade Powers, could not have been more charming.
Danni and Rose have wonderful chemistry. Their relationship morphs perfectly from friendship to the giddiness of first love. The author captures the angst and drama of day to day teen dilemmas perfectly. The book also has very funny moments. I do want to mention that a cloud hangs over the group of friends due to a tragedy that occurred in their recent past. The author balances the dark moments with the lighter times and does an especially good job showing how today’s social media is so intertwined in young people’s lives. Both Rose and Danni are very likable so it was a fun read. The two narrators, Gail Shalan and Imani Jade Powers, could not have been more charming.
October 25, 2024
i am so so obsessed!! & i can’t wait for june so i can have a ✨proper fangirl moment✨ about this book
if there’s anything you need to know about sophie’s books, is that i will ALWAYS stay up to ungodly hours reading it the SECOND i get my hands on it
(and i’ll probably also be utterly delirious writing a review at 6am so you’re sure to be in for some fun unenglishing)
BUT ITS SO SO SO SO GOOD AND SPARKLY AND MADE ME LAUGH & CRY AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN AND AHHHH well the fact i’m writing this review at 6:24am bcos i can’t not write it says a lot i HOPE
IF YOU LOVED NEGBT OR ITGO YOU’LL DEFINITELY LOVE THIS ONE THE VIBES ARE SO SO SIMILAR BUT ALSO COMPLETELY UNIQUE?? LIKE SAME FUZZY FEELINGS AND ANTICIPATION BUT COMPLETELY UNIQUE STORYLINE
okay okay i need to share some of my very specific but very favourite tropes that’s in this book
✨BOARDING SCHOOL VIBES (as someone who grew up reading enid blyton i am OBSESSED)
✨the “title featured in the story” moment!!!
✨when they’re talking in the bathrooms & someone knocks so they hide have to hide in the shower & CHAOS
✨SHE’S A PIANIST (+ alll the music references)
✨TEXT THREADS (pls i could read an entire book of just them texting)
and the not-so-specific but still ABSJJDDJ TROPES:
✨ROYALSSSS (+ rich kids vibes!!)
✨FORBIDDEN ROMANCE (& everyone’s out to get them)
✨FLIRTING & PINING & YEARNING
✨SO MANY STRONG FRIENDSHIPS
+ probably more but i have the short term memory of a shrimp 🍤 (shrimp sounds like a cooler word that fish rn but idk do they have goldfish memory too?? i’m too tired for this)
firstly THE PINING 😭😭 THE NOT SO SUBTLE FLIRTING MY HEART CAN’T TAKE THIS 😭 I MISS BOOKS LIKE THIS WHY DOESN’T THIS EXIST MORE OFTEN??? DANNI & ROSE ARE SO SO CUTE AND I WANNA HUG THEM BOTH
also if you know me you know i have an aversion to long romances so at first i was like whoaaa she’s 400 pages but LET ME TELL YOU that last 200 I DID NOT STOP TO BREATHE, i don’t know how those hours past around me but my eyes were GLUED to the screen
i don’t think this book had a single second where it was slow which is literal perfect for me & my lack of usual attention span (plus the fact i usually read audiobooks and didn’t for this?? i’m so proud of myself for not getting distracted)
okay more specific stuff:
NO ONE TALK TO ME ABOUT OSCAR 😭😭
rose’s sense of humour is what i ASPIRE to be like & i spent *far* too much time trying not to cackle underneath the covers OH AND ANGRY ROSE IS THE BESTEST ABSHVIJBS LIKE THAT IS ATTRACTIVE DAMN
if there’s anything you need to know about sophie’s books, is that i will ALWAYS stay up to ungodly hours reading it the SECOND i get my hands on it
(and i’ll probably also be utterly delirious writing a review at 6am so you’re sure to be in for some fun unenglishing)
BUT ITS SO SO SO SO GOOD AND SPARKLY AND MADE ME LAUGH & CRY AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN AND AHHHH well the fact i’m writing this review at 6:24am bcos i can’t not write it says a lot i HOPE
IF YOU LOVED NEGBT OR ITGO YOU’LL DEFINITELY LOVE THIS ONE THE VIBES ARE SO SO SIMILAR BUT ALSO COMPLETELY UNIQUE?? LIKE SAME FUZZY FEELINGS AND ANTICIPATION BUT COMPLETELY UNIQUE STORYLINE
okay okay i need to share some of my very specific but very favourite tropes that’s in this book
✨BOARDING SCHOOL VIBES (as someone who grew up reading enid blyton i am OBSESSED)
✨the “title featured in the story” moment!!!
✨when they’re talking in the bathrooms & someone knocks so they hide have to hide in the shower & CHAOS
✨SHE’S A PIANIST (+ alll the music references)
✨TEXT THREADS (pls i could read an entire book of just them texting)
and the not-so-specific but still ABSJJDDJ TROPES:
✨ROYALSSSS (+ rich kids vibes!!)
✨FORBIDDEN ROMANCE (& everyone’s out to get them)
✨FLIRTING & PINING & YEARNING
✨SO MANY STRONG FRIENDSHIPS
+ probably more but i have the short term memory of a shrimp 🍤 (shrimp sounds like a cooler word that fish rn but idk do they have goldfish memory too?? i’m too tired for this)
firstly THE PINING 😭😭 THE NOT SO SUBTLE FLIRTING MY HEART CAN’T TAKE THIS 😭 I MISS BOOKS LIKE THIS WHY DOESN’T THIS EXIST MORE OFTEN??? DANNI & ROSE ARE SO SO CUTE AND I WANNA HUG THEM BOTH
also if you know me you know i have an aversion to long romances so at first i was like whoaaa she’s 400 pages but LET ME TELL YOU that last 200 I DID NOT STOP TO BREATHE, i don’t know how those hours past around me but my eyes were GLUED to the screen
i don’t think this book had a single second where it was slow which is literal perfect for me & my lack of usual attention span (plus the fact i usually read audiobooks and didn’t for this?? i’m so proud of myself for not getting distracted)
okay more specific stuff:
NO ONE TALK TO ME ABOUT OSCAR 😭😭
rose’s sense of humour is what i ASPIRE to be like & i spent *far* too much time trying not to cackle underneath the covers OH AND ANGRY ROSE IS THE BESTEST ABSHVIJBS LIKE THAT IS ATTRACTIVE DAMN
November 19, 2025
Catch me reading this book again in the near future.
Want to read
September 13, 2024Young Royals mee-GIVE IT TO ME NOW
August 8, 2025
4.5
I’m just gonna say I loved this book! I got it as a gift for my birthday and I read it super fast. I love the author’s writing style, it feels pretty light and easy to get into.The relationship between Danni and Rose is super cute and it passes through a nice amount of batches. The characters go through developments that at the end of the story makes them very different from their initial selves, and you get to see that, which I enjoyed. There’s also a plot twist I have to admit I didn’t see coming… Overall is a funny, cute, warm and easy read that I would definitely recommend!
I’m just gonna say I loved this book! I got it as a gift for my birthday and I read it super fast. I love the author’s writing style, it feels pretty light and easy to get into.The relationship between Danni and Rose is super cute and it passes through a nice amount of batches. The characters go through developments that at the end of the story makes them very different from their initial selves, and you get to see that, which I enjoyed. There’s also a plot twist I have to admit I didn’t see coming… Overall is a funny, cute, warm and easy read that I would definitely recommend!
June 9, 2025
Nobody in Particular is another win for Sophie Gonzales—funny, thoughtful, and full of heart. What stood out most for me was the emotional depth of the characters and their growth, especially when it came to friendships and navigating identity.
Danni is instantly likeable—a bit out of her depth in a new school and country, dealing with past trauma and stage fright, but she’s quietly resilient. Rose is sharp, sarcastic, and layered with internal conflict. Their dual POVs felt distinct and compelling, and I especially loved the nuanced storyline between Rose and her ex-best friend, Molly. That emotional fallout and eventual reconciliation was one of the strongest parts of the book—raw, believable, and handled with maturity.
The romance had charm and chemistry, but I did wish for more of a slow-burn. I liked them together, but didn’t quite feel as swept away by their love story as I hoped. Still, I appreciated that the book avoided lazy miscommunication tropes and gave the characters real conversations and believable stakes.
Some subplots felt a little uneven (like the Harriet and Alfie stuff), and there were a few moments where the resolution felt rushed, but overall this was a really enjoyable read. The setting was vivid, the side characters were strong, and the writing was fluid and easy to get lost in.
A thoughtful, funny queer YA romance with emotional weight and genuine character arcs—I’d absolutely recommend.
Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Danni is instantly likeable—a bit out of her depth in a new school and country, dealing with past trauma and stage fright, but she’s quietly resilient. Rose is sharp, sarcastic, and layered with internal conflict. Their dual POVs felt distinct and compelling, and I especially loved the nuanced storyline between Rose and her ex-best friend, Molly. That emotional fallout and eventual reconciliation was one of the strongest parts of the book—raw, believable, and handled with maturity.
The romance had charm and chemistry, but I did wish for more of a slow-burn. I liked them together, but didn’t quite feel as swept away by their love story as I hoped. Still, I appreciated that the book avoided lazy miscommunication tropes and gave the characters real conversations and believable stakes.
Some subplots felt a little uneven (like the Harriet and Alfie stuff), and there were a few moments where the resolution felt rushed, but overall this was a really enjoyable read. The setting was vivid, the side characters were strong, and the writing was fluid and easy to get lost in.
A thoughtful, funny queer YA romance with emotional weight and genuine character arcs—I’d absolutely recommend.
Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2024
loved this book so much, i could cry. ohmygod. i actually did cry several times, but i also swooned, giggled, and smiled.
Nobody in Particular is everything it promises to be and more. The stakes are high, the yearning is on fire, and the emotions are big. if you think royalty romances are high stakes, imagine a sapphic royalty romance?
We embark upon this story as we see Princess Rosemary navigate a secret, forbidden romance when so much is at cost, including her reputation which is already hanging by a thread. We see the deep, undeniable, empowering love she feels for Danni Blythe.
As we watch these two girls do their best to hide their love, we also grow suspicious and worry along with them – what does their future hold? can they ever be truly safe? if so, what is the price they have to pay?
There is never a dull moment. It really felt like watching an excellent tv show. Multiple subplots come and go as you read, but it never feels too long or tedious (if anything, I wanted 100 pages more).
This is a story about romance, about acceptance, about friendship, about being yourself and about the price of fame. I loved it dearly and cannot wait to revisit it again in the future.
By far, the best Sophie Gonzales has ever been. This is her masterpiece.
And of course, an immediate favourite of mine !!!! ⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊☾
Nobody in Particular is everything it promises to be and more. The stakes are high, the yearning is on fire, and the emotions are big. if you think royalty romances are high stakes, imagine a sapphic royalty romance?
We embark upon this story as we see Princess Rosemary navigate a secret, forbidden romance when so much is at cost, including her reputation which is already hanging by a thread. We see the deep, undeniable, empowering love she feels for Danni Blythe.
As we watch these two girls do their best to hide their love, we also grow suspicious and worry along with them – what does their future hold? can they ever be truly safe? if so, what is the price they have to pay?
There is never a dull moment. It really felt like watching an excellent tv show. Multiple subplots come and go as you read, but it never feels too long or tedious (if anything, I wanted 100 pages more).
This is a story about romance, about acceptance, about friendship, about being yourself and about the price of fame. I loved it dearly and cannot wait to revisit it again in the future.
By far, the best Sophie Gonzales has ever been. This is her masterpiece.
And of course, an immediate favourite of mine !!!! ⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊☾
June 2, 2025
♛ 2.75 stars ♛
A big thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Expected Publication Date: June 3rd, 2025
👑 Sapphic romance
🔥 Spice: 1.5/5
~ Plot ~
After a shocking scandal, Princess Rose of Henland is determined to repair her image and avoid bringing shame to the royal family. When new student Danni arrives at her boarding school, Rose's facade cracks. As their forbidden relationship blossoms, so does the risk of being caught and further tarnishing Rose's reputation. Rose and Danni must decide whether to continue their relationship in secret or break up.
~ Thoughts ~
This book was cute! The main characters were endearing and I loved Danni and Rose's relationship. My main gripe with the book was how juvenile it was. The characters are 16/17 and had some mature moments (particularly Rose), but some of the dialogue and inner monologues felt very Disney Channel. Especially Danni, who starts the book with a very childlike scene in which she associates a leather bag with... driving a Porsche? For a book handling some fairly heavy topics, it was a bit jarring to go from discussing hiding one's sexuality to an embarrassing mom wanting her daughter to be friends with the princess.
Otherwise, it was a cute read! It's similar to Young Royals, so if you like that show, you might like this book.
A big thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Expected Publication Date: June 3rd, 2025
👑 Sapphic romance
🔥 Spice: 1.5/5
~ Plot ~
After a shocking scandal, Princess Rose of Henland is determined to repair her image and avoid bringing shame to the royal family. When new student Danni arrives at her boarding school, Rose's facade cracks. As their forbidden relationship blossoms, so does the risk of being caught and further tarnishing Rose's reputation. Rose and Danni must decide whether to continue their relationship in secret or break up.
~ Thoughts ~
This book was cute! The main characters were endearing and I loved Danni and Rose's relationship. My main gripe with the book was how juvenile it was. The characters are 16/17 and had some mature moments (particularly Rose), but some of the dialogue and inner monologues felt very Disney Channel. Especially Danni, who starts the book with a very childlike scene in which she associates a leather bag with... driving a Porsche? For a book handling some fairly heavy topics, it was a bit jarring to go from discussing hiding one's sexuality to an embarrassing mom wanting her daughter to be friends with the princess.
Otherwise, it was a cute read! It's similar to Young Royals, so if you like that show, you might like this book.
September 17, 2025
2.5 rounded to 3.
So, to start. I have decided to round this to 3 stars, because I do like the plot.
Royal romances are my cup of tea, and I did like that aspect of this book.
I also thought the writing was good!
I think this author has a nice style, and I would be curious to read some of her other work.
But, I am overall a little disappointed, because I really thought I was going to ADORE this.
Where this really fell short for me was in the characters.
Danni lacked... a personality.
Rose was just... not a great person.
I mean, announcing your expectation that a woman be your side piece, while you marry someone else out of social obligation, and then being upset when it isn't taken well?
It really is a shame, honestly. I'm sad! To me this had an overwhelming amount of potential.
But despite liking the plot, and the writing style- my inability to vibe with either main character was just something I wasn't able to get past.
This does have insanely good reviews though. So maybe this is just one of those times where I'm too picky.
You might love it!
So, to start. I have decided to round this to 3 stars, because I do like the plot.
Royal romances are my cup of tea, and I did like that aspect of this book.
I also thought the writing was good!
I think this author has a nice style, and I would be curious to read some of her other work.
But, I am overall a little disappointed, because I really thought I was going to ADORE this.
Where this really fell short for me was in the characters.
Danni lacked... a personality.
Rose was just... not a great person.
I mean, announcing your expectation that a woman be your side piece, while you marry someone else out of social obligation, and then being upset when it isn't taken well?
It really is a shame, honestly. I'm sad! To me this had an overwhelming amount of potential.
But despite liking the plot, and the writing style- my inability to vibe with either main character was just something I wasn't able to get past.
This does have insanely good reviews though. So maybe this is just one of those times where I'm too picky.
You might love it!
April 25, 2025
✧₊‧˚⁀➷ 4.0/5 .ᐟ
adorable. is everything the blurb promises. a heartfelt, realistic story with incredible characters and a sweet, romantic atmosphere. royal romance is just so much better when it's lesbian, i fear.
the romance was written so well. i'm usually not fond of romance-centric books, but i requested this anyway because it's sapphic, and it blew my expectations through the roof. how they fell in love, every conversation and argument they had in their relationship, when they finally decided to come out to the world, every single milestone was written perfectly. the pacing was genuinely so good for a book that's less than 400 pages—i don't know if it's just me, but i often find that shorter romance books tend to be insta-lovey, but this is not that. every meeting between the two before/as they fall in love is described in detail, and it doesn't feel unnecessary or convoluted at all. the forbidden aspect is done very well. the perspectives of both girls are reasonable and realistic. them trying to be together despite potentially facing the disapproval of their parents and the disapproval of an entire nation was very emotional for me, as someone finding it difficult to come out due to religious reasons.
outside of the romance, both rose and danni were interesting characters on their own. rose's struggles with being lesbian as the princess of a mostly catholic country were extremely relatable to me. when she first told danni she wasn't comfortable coming out, it was like she took the words out of my mouth. rose's relationship with molly humanized her even further. even though it was actually rose's pov, i saw her the same way molly did at first, so her being able to confront that stereotype with another character in the story made her feel more well-rounded as a character. danni was lovely as well. the whole "new-poor-girl-at-boarding-school" has probably been overdone in every ya media format since like 2014, but she was funny and refreshing.
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
adorable. is everything the blurb promises. a heartfelt, realistic story with incredible characters and a sweet, romantic atmosphere. royal romance is just so much better when it's lesbian, i fear.
the romance was written so well. i'm usually not fond of romance-centric books, but i requested this anyway because it's sapphic, and it blew my expectations through the roof. how they fell in love, every conversation and argument they had in their relationship, when they finally decided to come out to the world, every single milestone was written perfectly. the pacing was genuinely so good for a book that's less than 400 pages—i don't know if it's just me, but i often find that shorter romance books tend to be insta-lovey, but this is not that. every meeting between the two before/as they fall in love is described in detail, and it doesn't feel unnecessary or convoluted at all. the forbidden aspect is done very well. the perspectives of both girls are reasonable and realistic. them trying to be together despite potentially facing the disapproval of their parents and the disapproval of an entire nation was very emotional for me, as someone finding it difficult to come out due to religious reasons.
outside of the romance, both rose and danni were interesting characters on their own. rose's struggles with being lesbian as the princess of a mostly catholic country were extremely relatable to me. when she first told danni she wasn't comfortable coming out, it was like she took the words out of my mouth. rose's relationship with molly humanized her even further. even though it was actually rose's pov, i saw her the same way molly did at first, so her being able to confront that stereotype with another character in the story made her feel more well-rounded as a character. danni was lovely as well. the whole "new-poor-girl-at-boarding-school" has probably been overdone in every ya media format since like 2014, but she was funny and refreshing.
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
July 2, 2025
I loved this novel. That’s it, that’s the review. You should go read it.
Ok, so if you want more then I will say that this novel was the whole package. It had complex characters; Dani had a wonderful character arc with some significant development and Rose had layers that were slowly peeled away to reveal a much fuller character than I expected. The cast of side characters carried similar depth and were developed enough that I felt like the story was set in an actual school, as opposed to a few set pieces decorated with extras. This novel was able to explore themes of friendship, family, duty, grief, parasocial relationships, and of course the romance. The plotline was compelling and had several elements at play that were woven together to create a very satisfying story overall. The overall and initial premise of this novel is quite simple, but once you get into it there are a lot more to find than I expected.
On one hand I am sad and upset that publishers napped on this novel for 11 years (wow!) and refused to publish it, but at the same time the author said this gave them the opportunity to revise it and flesh it out into a better story so I suppose things are as they were meant to be.
If I am nitpicking then I suppose I would have liked a bit more at the ending, but that is a common theme for me with a lot of novels. Really, I don’t think I have any complaints or notes as this book was incredibly well done, plain and simple.
Ok, so if you want more then I will say that this novel was the whole package. It had complex characters; Dani had a wonderful character arc with some significant development and Rose had layers that were slowly peeled away to reveal a much fuller character than I expected. The cast of side characters carried similar depth and were developed enough that I felt like the story was set in an actual school, as opposed to a few set pieces decorated with extras. This novel was able to explore themes of friendship, family, duty, grief, parasocial relationships, and of course the romance. The plotline was compelling and had several elements at play that were woven together to create a very satisfying story overall. The overall and initial premise of this novel is quite simple, but once you get into it there are a lot more to find than I expected.
On one hand I am sad and upset that publishers napped on this novel for 11 years (wow!) and refused to publish it, but at the same time the author said this gave them the opportunity to revise it and flesh it out into a better story so I suppose things are as they were meant to be.
If I am nitpicking then I suppose I would have liked a bit more at the ending, but that is a common theme for me with a lot of novels. Really, I don’t think I have any complaints or notes as this book was incredibly well done, plain and simple.
February 22, 2025
"It's hard not to sink into a false sense of ease when speaking to someone who looks at you like they know you to your bones."
Nobody in Particular is one of the sweetest sapphic romances I've read in a very long time. Our protagonist Danni Blythe is a middle-class teenager who gets a music scholarship for a prestigious boarding school called Bramppath.
A boarding school, in which she ends up falling in love with Henland's Princess Rosemary, who already has her own things going on. Danni is worried about not fitting in and hiding her queerness—which is why her crush on a literal princess sends her spiraling. And while they're both spiraling, they're completely enamored with each other in the sweetest way.
"Her shoes are muddy, her skin is shockingly pale, and she hasn't unfolded her arms in about half an hour. I should know. I've been watching her."
An incredibly realistic portrayal of girlhood and what it means to be yourself. This novel was so very endearing, and I often found myself laughing at the author's humor. While it was modern, it didn't come off as cringe in the way some other YA books tend to.
They're teenagers, and they're realistic teenagers. They love, hate, make up, & break up. And it's all navigated in a way where you feel for each and every one of them. Even their trauma and the way they navigate it is realistic!
"Months. It's been years since Danni last spoke to me. The longest decade I've ever slogged through. Made all the worse by the fact that in reality, it's barely been a fortnight."
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this read. It's so heartwarming to read about good sapphic representation! I must also add that the intimacy was very tasteful and handled off-screen, which was very much appreciated considering their ages.
My only critique, which happens with most books like these—is the politics! It's so very hard for these authors to fit in good political talk in queer romances aimed at younger audiences. I noticed the same thing in Red, White, & Royal Blue! I wish authors were less scared to dive into class politics and the effects of monarchies, especially when starting a conversation about it!
"[...] I wanted to become a better person but you make me good. I don't think I realized it before, but I do now. I need you, and I need the version of me I become when I'm with you. If I lose you, I lose me, and I will fight for you until I'm broken and bloodied if that's what it takes."
Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher for my ARC!
Nobody in Particular is one of the sweetest sapphic romances I've read in a very long time. Our protagonist Danni Blythe is a middle-class teenager who gets a music scholarship for a prestigious boarding school called Bramppath.
A boarding school, in which she ends up falling in love with Henland's Princess Rosemary, who already has her own things going on. Danni is worried about not fitting in and hiding her queerness—which is why her crush on a literal princess sends her spiraling. And while they're both spiraling, they're completely enamored with each other in the sweetest way.
"Her shoes are muddy, her skin is shockingly pale, and she hasn't unfolded her arms in about half an hour. I should know. I've been watching her."
An incredibly realistic portrayal of girlhood and what it means to be yourself. This novel was so very endearing, and I often found myself laughing at the author's humor. While it was modern, it didn't come off as cringe in the way some other YA books tend to.
They're teenagers, and they're realistic teenagers. They love, hate, make up, & break up. And it's all navigated in a way where you feel for each and every one of them. Even their trauma and the way they navigate it is realistic!
"Months. It's been years since Danni last spoke to me. The longest decade I've ever slogged through. Made all the worse by the fact that in reality, it's barely been a fortnight."
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this read. It's so heartwarming to read about good sapphic representation! I must also add that the intimacy was very tasteful and handled off-screen, which was very much appreciated considering their ages.
My only critique, which happens with most books like these—is the politics! It's so very hard for these authors to fit in good political talk in queer romances aimed at younger audiences. I noticed the same thing in Red, White, & Royal Blue! I wish authors were less scared to dive into class politics and the effects of monarchies, especially when starting a conversation about it!
"[...] I wanted to become a better person but you make me good. I don't think I realized it before, but I do now. I need you, and I need the version of me I become when I'm with you. If I lose you, I lose me, and I will fight for you until I'm broken and bloodied if that's what it takes."
Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher for my ARC!
April 16, 2025
1 Sentence Summary: Danni just moved to a new country and doesn’t fit in at her new ultra rich and elite school; Princess Rosemary is trying to rehabilitate her reputation after a huge scandal and doesn’t have time for distractions; but the more time Danni and Rose spend together, the more they fall for each other, except their relationship is forbidden and they must hide it at all costs.
My Thoughts: 3.5 stars rounded up!
This was overall pretty good! Maybe I’ve just been reading too many boarding school novels lately, because I was a little bored of that trope. Also the whole ‘royalty of a made up country’ trope. (On that note, why did she name the country Henland??? Every time I read that I could only think of chickens lol.)
I wish that the topic of teenage drug use and overdose was explored a bit more. It kind of seemed like it was only there as a plot device, and I think a bit more care could’ve been taken with it.
The writing was good, the romance was sweet (if a bit overdramatic at times, but I guess they are teenagers), and the conclusion was pretty satisfying. It did feel like things worked out suspiciously well, but I am glad that it had a happy ending.
Not my favorite Sophie Gonzales, but not bad:)
Recommend to: Fans of YA boarding school & royalty romance
(Warnings: swearing; underage drinking; drug use; drug overdose)
***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
My Thoughts: 3.5 stars rounded up!
This was overall pretty good! Maybe I’ve just been reading too many boarding school novels lately, because I was a little bored of that trope. Also the whole ‘royalty of a made up country’ trope. (On that note, why did she name the country Henland??? Every time I read that I could only think of chickens lol.)
I wish that the topic of teenage drug use and overdose was explored a bit more. It kind of seemed like it was only there as a plot device, and I think a bit more care could’ve been taken with it.
The writing was good, the romance was sweet (if a bit overdramatic at times, but I guess they are teenagers), and the conclusion was pretty satisfying. It did feel like things worked out suspiciously well, but I am glad that it had a happy ending.
Not my favorite Sophie Gonzales, but not bad:)
Recommend to: Fans of YA boarding school & royalty romance
(Warnings: swearing; underage drinking; drug use; drug overdose)
***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,707 reviews