So lovely. I've been craving a sweet sapphic read that's also set at a boarding school (idk why) and this one hit in all the right spots. Rose's journey was so nice to see and felt very fitting at a time when so many systems of higher power still feel outdated and not with the times.

First thing’s first: this book absolutely needs to have trigger and content warnings listed. They should include at least: Death of a teenager due to overdose (past but recounted in great detail), panic attacks, flashbacks, dissociation, PTSD, bullying, mass media stalking/frenzy/rumors, underage drinking/smoking/drug use, nonconsensual kissing, nonconsensual outing, manipulation in general and specifically of children by adults, homophobia, fade to black consensual underage sexual content.

Second: I received an advance copy of this ebook thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Third: this author writes high emotional and social stakes very well, and the plot was compelling. It is quite true to the high melodrama of late high school and young (queer) love. There are some beautiful moments about grief and the growth that happens, especially between Rose and Molly. That said, the whole time I kept being reminded of the soapy Gossip Girl type story dramas and kind of rolling my eyes to myself. And I thought some characters really unfairly got the short end of the stick repeatedly while the more egregious “villains” just sort of faded out without much consequence. I love YA a lot of the time, but I got fed up with everyone’s choices about 2/3 of the way through and sped through the rest.

This was a wonderful f/f boarding school royal/non-royal romance! Danni and Rose are both fully realized characters who care about and are vulnerable with each other. There are many obstacles to their happy ending but the journey is lovely. There is also a side story about Rose dealing with unresolved trauma from losing a friend to an overdose that is powerful and important.

I think this is a return to form for Gonzales after a couple of duds! It isn't my favorite of her books because I felt the tone between the romance and the original boarding school crew mourning and dealing with the trauma of Oscar's death was jarring, but overall I enjoyed the book. I think young adults who liked the RWRB book and/or movie will definitely enjoy it.

Becky Albertalli’s Imogen, Obviously meets Casey McQuiston’s Red, White, and Royal Blue in this upcoming book by Sophie Gonzalez.

ARC provided in exchange for a review. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the review copy. (Yay! My first arc review)

I added this book to my TBR as soon as it was announced. It had several things I enjoy in a book: royalty, sapphics, boarding schools. The fact that the front cover blurb was from one of my all time favorite authors Becky Albertalli told me I was going to adore this book. And I did. Though my wife may construe differently from my constant shrieking and tense behavior, I was on the edge of my seat, having the best time riding the emotional rollercoaster that is Rose and Danni’s story. The story was gripping and well written and I felt like I couldn’t quite read fast enough. The themes of living your truth and telling your own story really spoke to me. As compelling as the romance between Danni and Rose was, I also deeply appreciated the storyline between Rose and Molly and their grappling with trauma and how it has impacted their lifelong friendship. And the shocking twist at the end? No spoilers but OMG I didn’t see that coming. Nobody in Particular is such a rich book with loveable characters and storylines that capture some of the more complicated and lovely parts of teenage life. Definitely add it to your TBR.

I just want to note that this is a YA book and to not be fooled by the cover because a lot of new adult romance tend to have a similar cover! I feel like YA as a genre is very broad and so some people might expect some themes over others.

I enjoyed this book and absolutely loved Rose, she was kind of giving mean lesbian that I am so fond of. I feel like this type of story and the characters will be popular amongst fans of this genre. That being said, I personally felt that the pacing was a little too much for me and that certain aspects could’ve been drawn out longer. I did have a good time with it overall and hope that others pick it up.

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I’m honestly having trouble forming words to write this review, because I’m so blown away by how good this book is. It had me hooked from the very beginning. Lately, whenever I read a book, I’ve found myself getting very impatient waiting for the characters to get together, but that wasn’t the case in this book. The build up was just as good as the pay-off and the pay-off was FANTASTIC. The chemistry was off the charts between these two from the very beginning. It’s impressive that the author could show such intense chemistry from page one without making it an insta-love story, but it was obvious to the reader long before it became obvious to the two main characters.

This book was packed full of drama, but none of it felt forced. The characters communicated well and never really had to doubt how much the other one cared about them. Even though outside forces tried to keep them apart, they always find their way back to each other. It was a beautiful love story from beginning to end.

Another thing that needs to be mentioned is the side characters. They were just as interesting as the main characters. Sometimes in romance books, I find myself skipping over parts that don’t involve both of the MCs, but I was just as invested in the storylines of the side characters as I was in the love story (and I was VERY invested in the love story).

It’s only January, but I have no doubt this book will be ranked amongst my favorites at the end of the year. I will read it over and over and never tire of it.

3.5⭐️

The cover of this book drew me in couples with the description which the book did deliver on. However, I did have some issues staying with it. The prose just didn’t flow. I’m going to believe that it had a few more versions to go before the published copy which is why I rounded up.

There was definitely a lot of drama to be had and a good sapphic romance I enjoy despite not being part of the community. The characters were nicely fleshed out with a lot of detail. I will say that it shared a lot with Red, White and Royal Blue which was irksome to have a repeat of certain things.

But I think many will find enjoyment in it and I intend to read the final version to give it another go when it comes out June 3, 2026

I am thankful to have gotten an eARC for free from SMP: Wednesday Books through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

It’s not an 5 stars but I throughly enjoyed it. I devoured it whole in like one night because I was sucked into it very quickly. I have not reviewed anywheres else yet but I certainly will. Great book!!

This was such a good and fast read, it made me tear up, laugh, and just my heart so happy. As my first EArc (thank you NetGalley & St Martin's Press) I am very lucky that I got such a cute and fast paced book. It starts off with Danni meeting with the headmaster of her new school and she meets a classmate, Molly and it's instant friendship. Molly invites Danni to a party where she meets Mollys friends and Rose, the princess of a small country, and the other fmc. Danni notices tension between Molly and Rose but does not question much but we read a bit about the reason being in Rose's POV. Did I mention this was Dual POV my favorite. Rose is so confident and witty but you quickly realize she is constantly suppressing her feelings because she has settled for her future as queen, staying closeted (she's a lesbian), marrying a man, and birthing children. Danni is a sweetie playing piano, super understanding, such a good friend to everyone, and healing from past school trauma. Rose and Danni start building a friendship, and we see some of their subtle flirting. I won't spoil too much so you can read it. But seeing Rose grow and be able to be herself, make up with Molly, and be able to talk about Oscar was amazing, Most of the time I didnt even remember this was a YA because these characters were very mature, the only thing that didn't make this 5 stars was Alfie. I feel like it was a bit obvious about that whole storyline. I think it all tied up very nicely, everyone healed or is heading that way and I can't wait to read what else this author comes out with.

3.5 stars. This book was a wild ride! I wanna start with my favourite parts: the characters. They felt very realistic and I liked that their issues weren’t so juvenile even though this is YA. I feel like the discussions in this book were so raw and a good change from teen characters that deal with the same surface level problems. I feel there’s an audience of teens who can feel represented in those tough topics. The writing was what it needed to be. It wasn’t something wowing but for a story like this I don’t think it’s necessary. Even with the simplicity of the writing there were someone liners that were so impactful. Though I did love the characters the romance felt a little too silly. I felt it progressed too quickly so it threw off the pacing of the book. I wish we could have seen them cultivate a closer relationship prior to them dating. The relationship lost me despite the very sweet words they share with each other. It just felt a little hollow to me. It had the right pieces but it just didn’t fully work itself out. Part of my reason to finding it hollow is because they are barley together before big words of love and forever are thrown which seems silly given their ages and time together. Overall this book was a fun time and I would be lying if I said I fell in love with it because of the cover!

I’m always excited for a new Sophie Gonzales book & I absolutely love royal romances and forbidden love so I’ve been so excited to read this one and I loved it! Both Danni & Rose were extremely flawed in different ways but they both have so much heart! Rose might have had a harder time feeling her emotions but once she did, it was really beautiful and heartbreaking to see her deal with them! And seeing Danni blossom throughout the story from a girl that was terrified of being perceived to finding a confidence in herself and her talents made me so happy!

There was honestly so much to this story and while I think the first half could’ve been condensed in some areas and enhanced in others, by the end, everything came together so so well and made the journey worth it! I’ll definitely have more to say about this but I’m so happy that Sophie is finally able to release this book into the world and I can’t wait for everyone to be able to read it! 🥰

Thank you to the St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this eARC. This is my honest review.

I think this may be my first 5 star read of the year. If not, it's very near to it! Sophie Gonzales knocks this out of the part (or whatever sport they play in Henland).

Speaking of Henland, this book is set in the fictional country. It's somewhere near Belgium, I think, but was a British Colony so everyone speaks English and everything is very 'standard' I guess? I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to get across...maybe that if I wanted to get into the weeds about world building, I could say there are issues...like, the country split from Britain in 1500, I think, and yet there are no distinct differences that happened in the country linguistically, culturally, socially in 500 years? I guess I don't know why she needed a fictional country to tell this story.
That out of the way, while the country's politics are a bit part of the drama of the text, it also doesn't matter all that much, so I'm not going to let my questions about the country's culture be a huge sticking point for me.

The real joy of this story is the characters, and in that sense, it shines. Our two leads I absolutely loved, even if Rosemary is prickly at times, particularly at the start. I liked that Danni, as shy as she could be at times, never thought twice about giving as good as she got from Rose. I also loved that that their problems throughout the text both were tied together, yet also distinctly their own. (view spoiler) I liked that that they speak to one another maturely, even when they argued, and even though their romance was fast, I didn't really have an issue what that, and thought they were super cute together.

The supporting cast was varied and interesting. Huge props to Molly and Eleanor as BFF's extraordinaire. Archie was exactly who I imagined him to be, and in that sense served his purpose well. And Harriet...hmm. (view spoiler)

The progression of the story didn't go where I expected it to at multiple times, and that always makes me happy and more invested. Misdirects, people you expect to hate that you don't. Love it all. (view spoiler)

This was just a total package in my eyes. There's probably something I'm missing that could bring the score down, but for the life of me I can't think of it now. 4.5 stars, but I'm gonna round it up to five because I'm still thinking about it hours later.

Nobody in Particular is a very intriguing and interesting read by Sophie Gonzales. The work features interesting character dynamics and closes the story very neatly.

4.5 stars rounded up

As the huge Young Royals fan that I am, I was so excited to see a similar story but sapphic. And this story did not disappoint. First off, I loved our main group of characters: Rose, Danni, Eleanor, and Molly. They all had very distinct personalities and quirks and they felt so real. Besides the romance, this is a story about friendship, specifically between Rose and Molly as they navigate grief over the loss of their best friend.

On the romance side, the relationship between Rose and Danni was so beautiful and tender. I really enjoyed the banter between them throughout the book. They meshed so well together, with Rose being more sarcastic and stoic, and Danni always wearing her heart on her sleeve. Their relationship progression also felt very natural, which I loved.

I also appreciated that this book did not devolve into the miscommunication trope. There were definitely a lot of points where the book could’ve taken the chance to have some miscommunication instead of forwarding the plot, but these girls actually communicated well with each other, such a breath of fresh air.

Were some aspects of the plot a little predictable? Yes, but I would not say it took away much from the story as it was still such a delight to read. And there were some twists that I didn’t actually see coming, which kept me moving quickly through the book.

This was just such a lovely read and it definitely lived up to my high expectations!

Thank you NetGallery for the eARC!! 4.5 ⭐️

Spoilers ahead:

This book was really sweet! I feel that I don’t get many opportunities to read about queer royalty in a contemporary setting and this was a great mix of that. I found myself getting caught up in Danni and Rose’s lives and with it struggling to be a teenager (with a silly princess addition!!).

The romance!! Their subtle flirting and dramatic in-the-woods confession was so silly. I found the pair having good chemistry and I would’ve even enjoyed prolonging it. They also managed to make time shared with other friends which I really appreciated. Yes there’s romance, but their lives weren’t totally consumed by it.

One plot point that I had felt wasn’t as strong in the second half of the narrative was about Oscar’s death. I found this book to have a great approach to what it’s like to witness and cope with a friend overdosing. I felt both Molly and Rose’s grief and how they were affected from it. Their “rivalry” and then reconciliation was beautiful, and realistic. However, it did feel forgotten by the end of the narrative. The plot continues on and Danni is outed, then expelled (temporarily), but there is never a return point to Oscar. I do believe this part of the narrative was mostly concluded after Molly and Rose’s moment, but there should have been a call back (maybe in the epilogue?) to him to satiate Molly’s fear of never speaking of Oscar.

Another point to mention comes from the end of narrative after Danni addresses being outed and Rose declares her sexuality to the media. Although I found the lines empowering Rose and her desire to not hide her true self, there is a level of privilege there that is not recognized. Rose is a queer person, but she is also a white person in a position of power. She finds herself in a family that supports her, as well as a group of friends, and the school (somewhat). She makes many statements at the end of the novel about wanting to be herself and out with the person she loves. Normally I would say I would not think too deeply about this as Rose is speaking strictly about herself, but then I thought back on Harriet and how she mentioned how her parents are no longer speaking to her after being outed. I found myself wishing this position of privilege was mentioned more because of Harriet and subsequently any reader who isn’t in a position of privilege. Just something to think about, especially as there is a lack of diversity in this narrative.

As with most of my reviews, I tend to go on about critiques more than positive things, but I really do recommend this read!! I enjoyed the ride and I am so glad the author published this idea even after eleven years.

Sophie Gonzales has done it again! I have read most queer royalty romances out there and Nobody in Particular was a fresh and interesting take on one of my favorite tropes. The book follows Dani, a girl from the US who moves to attend a boarding school in Henland, where she meets and falls for the country’s princess, Rose. The two are not fast friends, but they have an entertaining banter as Dani quickly grows close with Rose’s friend group.

I enjoyed the tension between Rose and her friends, following an accident that happens before the book begins, and I appreciated how that was discussed and resolved. The tension provided some fantastic characterization for Rose and her friends (and foes). Once Dani and Rose began getting along, most of the conflict in the book came from external sources, including the friend group they were both a part of, and it was difficult to predict what would happen next and how the conflicts would resolve.

The conflict not being within the relationship made it seem more stable and really had me rooting for the two. Their romance was very sweet I loved how both girls grew more comfortable with themselves and their identities because of their relationship, even though it was clear that the growth would not disappear if the relationship were to end.

Unsurprisingly, this was a wonderful read and I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an ARC!

I enjoyed reading it. I thought it was an easy and fast read.
I found Rose hilarious and she clearly what it’s her duty as queen, something she wants to be.
Danni is that friend that would be at front when its needs with her friends.

One of the best sapphic books i've read! Super amazing book, loved reading the whole thing and I will for sure think about this for a while!! Definitely give this a read! The perfect little sweet romance book for every occasion!

received this as an arc from NetGalley. This book was very easy to fall in love with. The characters are very enjoyable, along with the storyline. The characters in this story are very realistic and give the energy of real life teenagers with real life problems. I loved reading about Danni and Rose. I really enjoyed Danni’s character and her development as the story progressed. I love that we saw her grow more confident in herself as the story moved on. I also loved Rose. I loved the perspective we get from Rose’s POVs and how raw of a character she is.

This book reads like a true YA novel and will be very enjoyable for most ages. This story contained closed door romance scenes which may be better for ages 14+, due to the nature of the story and its themes. It is a very rewarding story and represents sapphic relationships beautifully.

Thank you again to NetGalley & the publishers for giving me the opportunity to preview this book!