
Member Reviews

Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager Publishers for the e-ARC. I was really anticipating this book with the comparison of legally blonde and I was expecting comedy – which I didn’t find much of. I found it to be more serious and heavier on the political side. I loved that there was a lot of LGBTQ representation. And there was plenty of inspiration of Celtic origin, which let me know this author did their research. I found this to be easy to read, fast paced and YA age range. I found Clia’s journey of self-discovery and growth to be the primary focus of this story line. There is no spice, very clean for a YA audience. Overall it was wholesome and cozy. 3/5

(3.5 stars)
Let’s start with that gorgeous cover, it’s what drew me in, and it perfectly captures the tone of the story: bold, whimsical, and unapologetically feminine in the face of danger. Clía, our determined and fashion-forward princess, is a breath of fresh air. Her journey from heartbroken royal to self-made warrior was a joy to follow, especially as she balances swordplay, sass, and self-worth with her signature style (and a very adorable animal companion).
The dynamic between Clía and Ronan was a highlight, opposites in every sense, yet their chemistry and begrudging respect built beautifully. Ronan’s struggle between loyalty and growing feelings felt genuine, and I appreciated how their bond unfolded slowly through training and mutual admiration. As for Domhnall… let’s just say the emotional stakes get messier in all the right ways.
The tone strikes a fun balance between lighthearted romantic comedy and more serious moments of growth and looming war. While a few plot beats felt familiar or predictable, the energy and voice of the story more than made up for it. Clía’s refusal to dim her personality to fit into a warrior mold was empowering, and the fantasy academy setting had plenty of intrigue and tension.
Overall, The Princess Knight is a sweet and spirited read, perfect for fans of romance, underdog heroines, and just a bit of magical mayhem. I’m excited to see what Cait Jacobs writes next!

*This is a completely honest review in exchange for a free ARC from NetGalley*
Early on, I read that this was a medieval fantasy romp inspired by Legally Blonde. I put that from my mind pretty much immediately, which is good. But after finishing it, I realized how similar the beginning of the book was to Legally Blonde, until it made a decidedly more serious turn into a war narrative.
The characters were lovable and fun, and I really enjoyed Clia's animal sidekick in the story. Clia experiences a lot of growth throughout the novel, and her character is interesting and complex.
I felt, however, that many aspects of the book were a bit shallow or vague for my taste. I prefer more lush, sprawling fantasy books that use more detailed world-building, while this was more surface-level. While the stakes of this were pretty high (impending war, training to become professional warriors to save the kingdom, etc) the tone stayed decidedly light throughout, so it felt kind of like a pretend conflict. The romance was also a bit too easy, which may again be a matter of personal preference. Very slow burn, very mild. The whole book reads more like a YA cozy fantasy than an adult one.
The magic system was confusing and poorly explained; I ended the book feeling like it served no purpose throughout.
Small pet peeve #1: There were a lot of characters with difficult-to-pronounce Celtic-inspired names, and I wish I had had a character cast with pronunciations since some of them were very similar.
Small Pet Peeve #2: while the book was wonderfully set in a queernormative world that was very natural and refreshing, there was mention at one point in time of Clia possibly marrying a fellow female ruler in the past, which led me to the question of how an heir would be produced in this world and what that would look like in the medieval setting (i.e., adoption, etc). This was just a small discrepancy that threw me out of the world, and I felt that addressing it would have given the world and the royal politics more depth, which was lacking all around. Especially since several times throughout, the safety of the “only royal heirs” was used as a way to add tension to the plot.
I did enjoy the book, but it was a slow read for me for the above reasons. I think a more casual reader looking for a lighter, cozy read would like this book.

Man, I was really looking forward to a cheeky medieval legally blonde. But this one needs a lot of work. It’s just Legally Blonde Goes to Medieval Times. The story is so unoriginal and trope-y that it reads far more YA than it should. Take this one back to the drawing board.

It wasn't what i expected and maybe i should've paid more attention but i was waiting more on historical side and it was let down for romance which i admit isn't especially my favorite genre. I hoped more attention on everything else but it was frustrating to read such a naive mc and the way she first clung to the first love interest was a bit long and annoying to read about as he was really disrespectful and i understand it was for plot but the story fell flat and some huge plot holes were hard to ignore
i did love the inclusivity of ronan chronic pain and how it impacted and was a great addition

💅📚🎓💖✨👠📖🧠
When I first heard about this book a few months ago, I was so excited — and when I saw it pop up on NetGalley, I was so excited!! Big thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the early read! The following is my honest review:
I went in thinking Legally Blonde… and stayed there. Like, my brain cast Elle Woods and never looked back. I found myself looking for matching moments, rather than focusing on this world and these characters. That's totally on me — not the author. 😂
This story is a sweet, empowering coming-of-age ride about believing in yourself, finding your voice, and proving the haters wrong. 💁♀️ It’s fun, fast-paced, and feel-good with a little spice to keep things interesting.
Note to self: next time, leave Elle Woods at the door.

Cait Jacobs' The Princess Knight is a fun, heartfelt romantasy with a strong emotional core. Think Legally Blonde meets a magical military academy. Princess Clía joins the academy to win back her ex-fiancé, but instead finds her own strength, purpose, and maybe a new kind of love with her grumpy training partner, Ronan.
The story shines with its diverse, inclusive cast—Clía is autistic, Ronan deals with chronic pain, and the world is queernormative. There's a good mix of humor, slow-burn romance, and political intrigue, though some readers felt the pacing dragged in parts.
Overall, it’s a charming debut with real heart and a heroine you’ll root for.

I really wanted to love The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs—it had such a fun Legally Blonde-style premise! While the plot didn’t quite hit the mark for me and leaned more YA than the NA I was expecting, there were still some solid highlights. The humor landed well in most places, and I appreciated the diverse cast and chronic illness/queer representation throughout, as well as the worldbuilding. It’s a light, quick read that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes it enjoyable if you're in the mood for something fun and fluffy, just not super deep.

I think this book had so much potential, but ended up falling a bit flat, the author has a huge amount of potential, but I wish they stepped away from the legally blonde plot line a bit more? I think the author needs more confidence in their own ability come up with a plot line.

Can I start off by saying, I absolutely loved the cover of this book. I so wish they'd kept the original name of the book - Medievally Blonde had a really nice ring to it.
The Story itself fell a bit flat for me. I expected witty banter, funny moments between the characters and some depth. It felt like I was reading a very YA novel with low stakes. It's cute but it did not wow me in any way. There were quite a number of plot holes and things just did not seem to add up.
I absolutely adored the inclusivity in this book. Not to mention, the cute animal sidekick. It was a fun one time read but nothing to write home about.

Can I start off by saying, I absolutely loved the cover of this book. I so wish they'd kept the original name of the book - Medievally Blonde had a really nice ring to it.
The Story itself fell a bit flat for me. I expected witty banter, funny moments between the characters and some depth. It felt like I was reading a very YA novel with low stakes. It's cute but it did not wow me in any way. There were quite a number of plot holes and things just did not seem to add up.
I absolutely adored the inclusivity in this book. Not to mention, the cute animal sidekick. It was a fun one time read but nothing to write home about.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for letting me read The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs. This book was such a fun read, I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would, and it sounded fun from the beginning. I kinda wish they’d kept the title Medievally Blonde though, I thought that was cuter than The Princess Knight.

I was really drawn to the original title of this book "Medievally Blonde," the idea of which sounded so cute! But it mostly fell flat for me. It had read as a very young adult book, I think it should be geared more towards young adult in general, because it may read better. I thought the writing was pretty clunky, and I struggled through a good amount of it. It feels way longer than it should be.
I didn't find myself really liking any of the characters. The whole story seems pretty vague in areas that are important (how Clia is improving at anything) and too detailed in some of the world-building, where I found myself not caring much about.
I also thought I'd be way more into the Irish names than I was. As being that I don't speak gaelic, I STRUGGLED with knowing how to pronounce things and I was miserable just accepting that I'm saying it wrong in my head, lol. But that's a minor complaint and more about me than the book.
I feel like it's a fine little fairy-tale like story, that's a cute reimagining of Legally Blonde, with very low risks and uncomplicated-feeling romance. It's just okay.
The cover for the book is beautiful, though!

This one fell short of the mark for me. I'm almost ashamed to say I didn't catch that this is based on Legally Blonde, but I'm not sure this extra knowledge would have done anything to help its rating.
Clia is a cute character, but everyone else seems to fall short. There's a lack of depth to the plot, and the pacing is rushed. There just wasn't enough to fully immerse me in the world or attach me to any of the characters for me to excuse the superficiality of the novel. It's fine. It's cute. But not much more.
Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

I enjoyed the characters and that they are flawed people learning and growing together. It took me a little bit to get into the world building and lore of the setting but eventually I got it. It’s Legally Blonde meets Alanna with a little bit of The Witcher thrown in to the mix. The pacing was good and I enjoyed that there were multiple twists. Definitely enjoyed it!

Rating: 4.5 stars
Publication Date: October 14, 2025
*Thank you NetGalley, Avonbooks, and HarperVoyager for the eARC of this book.
I really enjoyed this book! I had no elaborate expectations going in - I went purely off of the synopsis, as I hadn't heard anything about it before reading (I didn't go in with any expectations of it being like Legally Blonde or anything else, as I've since seen others say).
In this novel, Princess Clia trains as a warrior to prove to others, though eventually herself, that she is more than a 'pretty face' after being turned down by Prince Domhnall, who was long expected to be her future husband as they united their Kingdoms on the continent of Inismian. While at the castle, Clia is underestimated, tried and tested, and is forced to deal with others trying to undermine her. Along the way, Clia has to decide how she wants to fight, who she wants to become, and what she wants her future to be. Naturally, romance makes things a little complicated along the way as political threats remain pressing around all of the warriors and kingdoms of Inismian.
The balance of politics and romance in this book was perfect, in my opinion. Neither seemed to dominate the other in a way that took away from the story. It contributed to the wonderful pacing of the story; there was never a point at which I was bored during the story or felt that nothing was happening. Even when 'action' or romantic developments weren't front and center, there was always something happening that drew me in.
In terms of the characters, many were very well developed! Though written in third person, the chapters go back and forth between Ronan and Clia, which meant that we really got to know them, and I came to care for both of them a lot. I also think that supporting characters, like Domhnall, Kordislean, Niamh, and Kian were developed well and the 'right amount' for their impact in the story. We got to see the development of Clia as a strong FMC and individual. I appreciate that the 'royal' aspect of the story (i.e., princess, prince, etc.) wasn't done in a kitschy way; it genuinely added to the story, playing an important role in the political aspect, which was impressive. I also love that the novel was set in a queernorm world! It was a great part of the story and I loved it every time a little pocket/mention of the queernorm world made its way into the writing.
This book was super close to a five star for me. There were a few things holding me back from bumping it up:
- I would have liked some more world/setting-building in the beginning half/portion of the novel. While things began to make more sense regarding the dynamics and setup of the continent and its kingdoms toward the end as the political plotline intensified, I would have enjoyed to have gotten more about it all from the start.
- Themes of the story also began to feel like they were being 'sign-posted' by characters' dialogue a bit too much. I don't mind when characters say in explicit terms some of the obvious themes, but it started to get repetitive and 'in-your-face.'
- As much as the story effectively develops Clia as a strong FMC, it was a bit contradicted by framing Ronan as the guy that 'saves' her. It was a bit of a paradox.
- I did predict some of the major events/twists.

This book was so lovely from start to finish. It felt like a breath of fresh air since it was so different from everything I've been reading lately and just what I needed. The story just drew me in almost instantly, the characters were likeable and the world-building was beautiful. Honestly I just loved this book so much, it has become one of my favorite reads of the year so far and I can't wait to get a physical copy for my shelf!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc!

The Princess Knight was an adorable debut novel from Cait Jacobs.
It is lighthearted and fun but is also full of kingdom politics and preparation for a large war that add a lot of depth to the story.
Clía and Ronan are absolutely adorable. I loved both characters a lot. She is a Princes, but despite her lack of warrior knowledge and her prim royal upbringing, she has such a fire in her to be better than the expectations everyone sets for her. Her drive and strength is refreshing and inspiring. Ronan isn’t the typical broody knight MMC, he is very kind and willing to help Clía. I really liked his internal monologue and learning to embrace all that he is. Their friendship is my favorite parts.
I also really love all the LGBTQIA+ representation throughout the story!
I have to say that the bones of this story are good. The plot twists were a bit predictable at times but then they took further turns that I did not expect. The last 3/4 onwards was a lot of fast paced action and I enjoyed it. However, the pacing in the middle sometimes was a bit slow and following the names of the character / places / concepts was difficult for me to follow as well.
I think fans of Powerless would like this story.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc! All opinions are my own.

Celtic mythology meets Legally Blonde. The title was going to be Medievally Blonde. I don’t know why it changed but I’m sad it did. It was a way better title.
Clia is set to be engaged to Domhnall. The day he is set to propose he tells her that she is not Queen material. He needs someone who isn’t just a pretty face. He tells her he is off to Caislean, a military academy. It’s important for her to marry Domhnall. It would create an alliance for the two kingdoms. She also wants to prove she is more than a pretty face so she decides to follow him to the academy.there she meets Ronan, Domhnall’s best friend and Head of his guard. He is intrigued by her determination and decides to train her.
I didn’t realize this was a retelling of Legally Blonde when I started to read it. I found out later when I was looking at other reviews. I enjoyed the book. I liked the characters Clia and Ronan. I liked the amount of LGBTQIA representation. I enjoyed the plot for the most part though I felt like there were a few holes. Like where did Domhnall go during their mission. He was with them when they went to rescue Ronan and the others, then he disappeared. When they get back to Caislean he is there running laps. No one ever questions him and it is never explained. Additionally, I thought the story would be funny. It’s a Legally Blonde retelling but there is not one laugh. That’s a bit of a letdown. I still enjoyed the story though and I would recommend it to others.
Solid 4 stars. I look forward to other books but this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the digital copy of the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

~3.5 stars
The Princess Knight is Legally Blonde meets Celtic mythology in a fantasy setting. As soon as I saw the inspiration behind this book, I knew I had to read it!
I have to admit I was expecting more of a romcom vibe but while it does share some similarities with Legally Blonde, it was a lot more action-packed and focused on political conflicts which is why I think the new title fits much better (RIP Medievally Blonde).
I loved the chronic illness rep and how inclusive the world is, the idea of an academy for warriors, and a princess who wants to prove she’s more than just a pretty face. I really appreciated how Clía never lost her touch with femininity and her love for beauty, even as she grew stronger, and how she found ways to stay true to herself while also becoming a formidable warrior.
I liked the romance and thought it was cute but it also fell a bit flat for me. I wanted more buildup and depth to Clía & Ronan’s relationship but a lot of times this read more as YA despite being categorized as adult fantasy.
Overall, this was a solid debut and I really enjoyed it! I look forward to reading more from Cait Jacobs.
~Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC!