Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales follows the dual POVs of 17-year-old Danni Blythe from Boulder Colorado who is on scholarship at the all girls boarding school Bramppath College alongside PRINCESS ROSEMARY of Henlan!

Rose is trying to redeem herself in the public eye after a notorious tragedy in Amsterdam where she witnessed a friend overdose on drugs.

Danni is a skilled pianist who has a fear of performing. She has the opportunity of a lifetime at Bramppath and falls into friendship with a girl named Molly Kwon, who just so happens to be connected to Princess Rose….

Danni is bi-sexual and Rose is a lesbian, but unfortunately this romance is totally forbidden in the incredibly Catholic area in which Rose’s family reigns. Rose is expected to be QUEEN one day and continue the bloodline with babies… she can never publicly come out as a lesbian & Danni doesn’t know if she can stay a secret forever….

I read this after Hannaford Prep and found similarities to the way scholarship students are treated and the ways royalty can manipulate and get away with more than an average student.

I really loved Danni & Rose. The witty banter and the ways the characters develop through self discovery was really beautiful. Their story is heartwarming & heartbreaking all at once. I highly recommend this sapphic story to romance lovers — it’s young adult so don’t expect too much spice, but the friendships and drama are well done…

Thanks so much to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the wonderful ARC in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to reading more from the author & I’m so happy after all these years she was finally able to put this magnificent story out there!

**Disclaimer**
I'm a serious mood reader. I truly think this book is fine, however it's not clicking with me.

It could be that this is VERY YA. Like the characters are truly voiced in this. I was taken back to my teen years - which probably should have been the first sign I wasn't going to enjoy this as much.

I'm putting this on my list to revisit in a few months. Maybe then I'll be in a better headspace for it.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin for an eARC in exchanged for an honest review.

TW: outing, death, grief

This is my second book of Sophie Gonzales. I was disappointed in her debut but this one I liked more.
We get duel perspectives and both girls are very strong and relatable. I love their relationship and how slowly and steady it developed. They were both going through stuff and it was great for them to understand one another. I also really liked Rose’s issues as a royal and the responsibilities of it, such as the scary act of getting pregnant to produce an heir. Very important topics were presented and some for the most part were handles okay.

What I didn’t think worked was that even though there were important topics, there was too much happening that things were being resolved just to get to the next issue, and they weren’t resolved satisfyingly. More like here’s a start and a bandaid and all is well to forget about it and go onto the next. Such as dealing with grief, Rose and her friend were traumatized and them talking to each other about what went down was good enough for Rose to move on, and her friend going to the school counselor for help wrapped up that topic. To me, it didn’t seem nearly enough to deal with the guilt and grief, for Rose at least.

Overall, good read. And I loved learning that this was technically Sophie’s first book she wrote and was able to adapt it as time went on. Sad that at the time publishers told her it was too niche and no one would have wanted to read it.

The concept was cool, the characters were likeable, the conflict was stressful. And yet I didnt love it. Maybe it's because my last Sophie Gonzales was The Perfect Guy Doesnt Exist (which is amazing and you should go read it), but it just wasnt the humor I was expecting. I also felt the writing style wasnt for me.

Thank you to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

A sapphic forbidden romance. A princess with a haunted past. A new girl on scholarship in a new school. Both are hiding their sexuality. One because her country is Catholic, the other because she's just not ready to come out. A bit of a slow burn, but a compelling story to keep you reading as these two try to overcome their obstacles and come together.

These two are cute together, but it wasn't easy for them. Rose and her family are against her sexuality. They want her to put the nation's needs above her own heart and desires. Danni is in a better position, but as a scholarship kid, she's in danger of being kicked out for breaking any rules. I was sad, I was angry, and I was happy. This book brought out a full range of emotions.

I loved this book so so much! I can not wait for release day to buy a physical copy for my shelf! Everything that was in the blurb was definitely DELIVERED!! I was a bit nervous going into this book as it was my first book by this author however I’m OBSESSED!

I really need royalty romances with tiny made-up countries to either commit to the "don't worry about it, we know you know we're not a real country, don't worry about how we fit into real-world politics" bit and never try to address it or if they try even a little bit, to actually think through what they're saying. I almost stopped reading this a couple times because of throwaway lines that had no bearing on the story but threw me out so thoroughly that I almost couldn't start again because they tried to root it in real-world events while simultaneously completely ignoring any actual history and it was so jarring.

It had the unfortunate effect of making me then look at the disproportionate reactions of everyone in the story to various events where the narrative needs them to be, and sure enough, it soured a lot of my potential enjoyment of what otherwise would've been a cute and fine young adult romance.

I also don't believe that at 17 and after knowing each other for six months, unable to actually date or get to know each other, Rose would be able to declare that Danni is her forever and ever, ready to abdicate a duty she'd clung so tightly to. The relationship buildup just wasn't there for that sort of feeling, as much as I wanted to believe it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC!

This was my first Sophie Gonzales novel, and I really enjoyed it! The characters felt real and fleshed out, and the conflict was believable within the premise. Particularly, I felt the stakes really enhanced the themes around coming out and self acceptance. In YA LGBTQ+ literature, I think it’s especially important to leave the reader feeling hopeful, and this did exactly that.

“Because now that Rose is here, and I remember the richness of her voice, and the way her eyes crinkle when she looks at me, and the timbre of her laugh, I’m done for.”

I LOVED THIS CUTIE BOOK. 4.25 stars ❤️ And OK, this is so niche, but it was giving me vibes as if Claire and Massie from the Clique series were older and fell in love. But obviously with a fun royal twist.

I really, really hope this gets in the hands of tons of teens, because I would have been fully obsessed (and still am now)!

Looks like my 5 star Sophie Gonzales streak is still going 🎉

Nobody in Particular had a bit of a darker backstory than I expected, but I thought the heaviness of that fit well into this elite school setting. Higher stakes seem to work with characters that are rich and powerful. That being said, I definitely teared up over the reveal and it might be triggering to some folks so please read content warnings and take care.

Princess Rosemary (aka Rose) comes across as cold while hiding behind her verbal sparring but Danni has experience with people like that and she's quick to fight back. I really liked the way everyone was revealed in the plot and how Danni and Rose don't meet each other first. This played well into their intial dynamic which isn't quite enemies but isn't friends either.

The course of their romance was EVERYTHING! I was obsessed with them and I wanted more than anything for things to work out with them. Read: extremely emotional about the ups and downs throughout their story. There is drama with a Catholic monarchy, being in the public eye, and girls who aren't exactly "out" about their sexualities either but who even cares when Rose and Danni are clearly perfect for each other!

School setting, friend group dynamics, fame and infamy are themes woven throughout the plot of this F/F YA love story. I loved all the different aspects from the rich and famous commentary to the boarding school premise. There's just something about a teen academy book that really sucks me in.


Thank you so very much to Wednesday Books / SMP for sending me this book though NetGalley 💛

Wanted to preface by saying thank you NetGalley for the arc, as well as St. Martin’s Publishing! Oh, GOD. What a book, I have been craving something like this for so long and Sophie truly came through with such a beautifully well done novel :)

”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.”

Danni and Rose my BELOVEDS. No joke, they are going to be one of top sapphic couples because of how sweet they are. Genuinely, they’re so tender with one another, and the arc of their romance steals the show. How it is described and seen is so palpable, you can feel the yearning! And as individuals UGH, they go through so much at the age of 17, I don’t know how they survived :( truly, Rose incapsulates the lesbian experience to its fullest, it made my lesbian heart HEAVY.

Then with side plots, I think it does such a good job exploring the harms of media speculation because fun fact!!! These are people! Sexuality is never owed, and this book explores this BEAUTIFULLY. I will be buying a physical copy because of how much I loved it! Can’t wait to read more work from Sophie :)

Danni, a talented pianist, gets accepted to Bramppath College on a music scholarship. She expects to be an outcast among all the wealthy children that attend Bramppath, but quickly becomes good friends with the ex-best friend of the princess. The more Danni learns about her classmates, the more interested she becomes in Rose. Meanwhile, Princess Rosemary of Henland is working to repair her image after a scandal that lost both the trust of her country and her best friend. When rumors start to circulate about Rose and Danni, they must find a way to either distract the country from their relationship or end it altogether because Rose’s reputation is so fragile that the palace will do anything it takes to separate Rose and Danni.

This was my first book by Sophie Gonzales, and it definitely won’t be my last. I really wish this book had been published when I was a teen because I loved royalty romance books as a teen. Gonzales does an excellent job with character development. Danni and Rose are both complex characters, and between them explore themes of grief, identity, and the pressures of public life. I highly recommend this one to anyone that enjoys YA sapphic romance! I give it 4/5 stars.

This was a fun royal romcom with Young Royal vibes, where Danni, the scholarship kid, and Rose, the princess of Henland, fall for each other at boarding school.

I love a good dual POV story, and this one has that, along with a cast of side characters that are well-developed.

I've read several of Sophie Gonzalez's books, with If This Gets Out ranking as my favorite. Nobody in Particular was a sweet story, but it didn't pack the same punch as that one for me. It's totally worth the read, especially if you like royal romances.

I received this ARC from publisher @stmartinspress . The opinions are my own.

Nobody in Particular will be released on June 3, 2025.

4 stars

Having read many YA and New Adult romances focused on queer royal characters in the last few years, I couldn't imagine that I'd have space for another. I'm very pleased to say that I do! Also, I've read several books by this author, and this is my favorite of the bunch. Many unexpected wins here!

Danni heads to boarding school to further explore her musical talents and to escape some of the bullying she experienced in her hometown (Boulder, CO). When she arrives, she quickly finds with a much-needed friend, and this tie further connects her to...the current princess (Rose)! What ensues is a charming love story that also centers Danni's and Rose's self-acceptance and coming of age stories. As should be expected, these two face many trials along the way, most of which are sparked by external sources and pressures. These struggles create trouble for them, but they also facilitate a readable journey for the audience.

I'll admit that I regularly feel Gonzales's books are just a bit lengthier than they need to be, but I had that feeling less often while reading this one than I've experienced previously. This is a solid YA queer romance, and I expect many audiences will find it an enjoyable. I know I did!

This is my first introduction to this author and I am glad I took a chance! I enjoyed the friendship/relationship btwn out two main characters and I was excited to see that they were queer characters. I plan to check out more of Sophia’s books in the future.

HI! I am a Sophie Gonzales stan! I read Perfect on Paper and was obsessed with her bi rep and this cover couldn't be any cuter. Then when I saw Becky Albertalli blurbed this---I was SOLD! Full review to come!

Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for the ARC. This is my honest review.

I am a huge fan of Young Royals, so that was what initially drew me into this book. However I would be remiss to say that it's inspired by it, since the author actually wrote this book long before Young Royals aired. It is beyond that, in its own way, a similar book but with its own charm.

This book made me laugh, made me love, made me nostalgic for my high-school experiences, and made me sob. Although my own experience with losing a friend was not the same as Rose and Molly's, the way they talk about the dissociation from it, the need to hide their feelings, etc, hit me in a very real way.

This book is so incredibly, with a Rollercoaster of emotions, it's not your typical YA. There are very serious feelings of death, grief, sexuality, and adult responsibilities that really push this out of a typical "romcom" and more into something really precious.

I could not put this book down! From start to finish, I was hooked. This is the perfect book to binge read on a rainy day. While the narrative of young people coming to terms with who they are and finding love and acceptance is certainly not new to LGBTQ+ books and media, Nobody in Particular does a great job of putting a spin on it and keeping us in suspense!

This book was AMAZING. They cooked, ate, served, devoured!!! Like holy mother of god??? Royalty??? Yearning??? Forbidden love??? Gays???? Yes yes yes yes!!! Please read it I loved this, and the characterizations were ICONIC. The humor, the sapphic, funny tone . . . so freaking cute I might die! Best book of 2024 so far!

Oh I adored this.

Nobody in Particular tells the story of a young royal and sole heir the throne, Rosemary of Henland, and the new to boarding school piano prodigy, Danni. Like any good royals romance, it's deliciously forbidden with plenty of yearning.

Rose and Danni's relationship is so sweet. They're two characters who help each other grow into better versions of themselves, which was lovely to witness.

And what makes this book stand out is the combination of moments that will have you giggling and kicking your feet and the moments that will break your heart.

I couldn't put it down.

rep: lesbian fmc | bi fmc