First off thank you so much! The second I saw the cover I knew I needed to read this. Basically this is legally blonde but make it fantasy. I loved every minute of it. If you are into romantic fantasy you will love this book

First off, thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC.

Simply put, I LOVED this book. It had me on the edge of my seat for the whole book and I was grossly invested in how the romance would play out. It was the perfect amount of slow burn with yearning that made me literally have to put the book down several times to deal with my emotions before coming back to it.

The diversity and representation presented through the characters was incredibly refreshing and done in such a unique way. I found myself getting overly attached to all of them (except Domnhall…you know what you did) and was stressed out in every battle scene because I didn’t want to lose any of them.

I found this book to be more on the political/war based side than the romance side, which is perfectly fine. It was kind of nice to have the romance be a subplot to the deeper story at hand. And the conflict was wrapped up in a way that kind of left it open ended for a continuation in the series or to leave it at one book. I would honestly love to see these characters again after they have fallen into ease of their new roles, but I am almost happy with the way the story ended as well.

This was a fantastic book and I breezed through it because I simply couldn’t put it down. 10/10 would recommend to anyone that needs a good fantasy read that is both empowering and insightful.

This was perfection. It was everything I wanted and so much more.

I absolutely loved this book. It was such a fast, engrossing read. It's easy to see the parts where the inspiration for legally blonde were added, but I didn't mind that aspect and felt as though they were made to fit seamlessly into the story.

I loved our characters and how we saw them grow and change throughout the course of the story. I haven't been into reading about teenaged characters as of late, but man, there was just something endearing about this group. I didn't want to leave them. They were all so well written. That being said, I am sure I messed up a significant portion of the names of people and places in this book. Honestly, all these names of places at the beginning of the book were somewhat difficult to keep track of.

Thankfully, they were reintroduced enough that I was able to sort out the place names. We are given a pretty good introduction to the world and the background of the different kingdoms. I am hoping if there is a book 2 that we do a deeper dive into them, but I enjoyed the story with the world building we were given.

I went in a bit blind to the story, and man, it was so much better than I expected. I don't want to spoil anything, but there was good depth and a few things I didn't see coming as I was reading. I sincerely hope there is another book to follow this one. I would love to spend more time in this world and with these characters. This was a wonderful read, and I highly highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager.

I loved the first 75% of this book, the world was interesting (if slightly underdeveloped) the characters were funny and lovable, the banter was great and the Legally Blonde hints were very fun. The writing was great and I didn’t feel bored ever. I thought the ending was incredibly rushed, which I found very disappointing. I thought the final battle was too short and easy and there was not a great conclusion on the love story or on the world

I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager!

This one didn't hit like I wanted it to which is unfortunate. I realize this is supposed to be (or was supposed to be) a Legally Blonde retelling and I think that hindered it. Honestly, even within that framework this didn't make sense as a Legally Blonde retelling...if anything it was trying to give Fourth Wing. This also isn't advertised anywhere as being YA and honestly, if it was YA it would probably be a better story. It didn't clear the bar of being an adult book for me personally.

This entire story felt disjointed and got progressively more Scooby-Doo like as it went on. The framework for the fantasy isn't terrible with the whole Celtic historical fantasy vibe, but none of the fantastical elements make sense at any given point of the story. Reading it felt like I was missing pages sometimes. It felt like there was a scene checklist that dictated every scene that needed to make the cut to keep the Legally Blonde framework and the rest of it had to fit into that narrative no matter what which .....didn't work.

The characters were all cardboard cut outs with 0 depth. Clía is somehow more ditzy than Elle, and she seemingly never gets the point of why things need to be serious or understand that the military isn't a game. At least Elle quickly gets the point that she has to be better than Warner but Clía never gets there.

She has to come to this military school to "become stronger" in order to get her fiancé Domnhall back, even though it's never really explained how them being married will actually help their kingdoms and it's never explained exactly what she needs to become stronger at. For the entire story, characters tell her she's improving and becoming stronger but you don't really ever see her doing anything that impressive (compared to other characters) until she's suddenly able to kill people and ultimately kills the villain because ...ofc she does.

The romance between Clía and Ronan was bland and unbelievable. They didn't have any chemistry or tension, but had multiple declarations of love from Ronan that felt like they came out of nowhere and it sort of continued to feel that way through the end of the story. The romance definitely needed more beef to make me believe it. Honestly, Clía and Naimh should've been wlw and that should be the romance. They had way more chemistry together than Clía did with any of the men in this story.

The main villain and his motivations felt very mustache twirling and unbelievable. Almost every adult professor/general in this military school was somehow unable to figure out this this man was a villain but the NEW students were able to figure out his entire plan and kill him? What? This guy was threatening people in public, poisoning students, and doing everything under the sun that be ~evil~ and no one got the picture until like 85% in.

The whole war they're trying to prevent didn't feel that urgent, and honestly them needing to be in military school didn't even make sense because we never really see anyone going to class or learning....anything. The only learning we see is them meeting to get instructions and Clía and Ronan training by themselves for most of the story. There is also a hint of magic that I guess is supposed to be important but it's poorly (not at all) explained so you're like "sure I guess". This is another aspect of the story that needed more time to cook.

Idk, this one wasn't a winner for me and the cover is immaculate so I was hoping it would be. I think overall this entire story needs more time to bake and more of like...everything. None of the elements of this story really felt necessary or well-explained. I'm willing to read it again when it comes out to see what was changed because I think it has the potential to be interesting but the version I read wasn't the best.

Oh my goodness, I think this might be my new favorite fantasy romance book! This book was perfect, and I am so excited to read more from this a author!

4.6 ⭐️ I ate this up. Combining Legally blonde and medieval fantasy was *chefs kiss* honestly I have very few notes on this story! I would have liked the POV changes to be more clear, some kind of marker to tell would have been lovely. I would have LOVED more of Murphy in the story personally, but that's a me thing. And the ending felt a little rushed and open ended. Im not sure if there will be more to this story and that's why it feels almost incomplete, but the ending lacked a tad for me. The rest, LOVED! The characters were funny and so well written, the world building was easy to follow. I will be re-reading this again when I'm in the mood for a cute romantic-fantasy story

i saw that this was a fantasy retelling of legally blonde. which really intrigued me since i’m a lover of both. While i did enjoy the idea of this story and the writing was good it just didn’t hit the mark for me to give 5 stars.

I knew this was practically a fantasy retelling of legally blonde so I came in prepared for it to not feel like my usual fantasy books but I did thoroughly enjoy it. some aspects felt rushed especially the ending but that didn't stop me from eating it up. It was a fun pallet cleanser read that I'll recommend to friends.

3.5 stars

I was sooo excited to get this one as it was described as a medieval legally blonde and I do think it lives up to that to a point!! I was definitely expecting more comedy but I let it slide a little since war is a little different than a legal case.

The representation in this book was absolutely amazing and was my favorite part of it. Not only is it a queer world, the MC's are queer, and there's a non-binary side character, one of the MC's has a chronic pain condition. While it's never explicitly said, it sounds very much like rheumatoid arthritis which I myself suffer from. I felt like the description of his pain was so accurate and it was so inspiring to see all that he did with all the pain he was in.

The story started rather shallowly and, while it did get more complex as the story unraveled, I felt like it lacked the sort of depth I usually look for in a fantasy world. I felt like the world building was very surface level and I was hoping for more lore and backstory to really help me understand some of what the characters said - it was very much telling versus showing. Though perhaps the author intends to write more in the world and will explain further, but we'll see!

The romance was cute but, again, I feel like it lacked some depth and the miscommunication trope was a little played up here. I also felt like large swathes of time was skipped over when we could have gotten more of the two characters developing feelings for each other. However, I still giggled and kicked my feet like a schoolgirl when they finally got together!!

This was a light nice read for me, but at times I really struggled to push myself to read it. I would still recommend to those who like a lighter fantasy, but it definitely needs a little more oomph for me!

I was excited to get this eARC but it unfortunately fell very short for me, I had to stop reading at about 45%. Writing and plot were clunky and choppy, and the world building was haphazard and not integrated well into the story or plot. The characters were extremely flat and I couldn't understand any of their motivations, even while being told directly what their motivations were, and there was no easy to follow development trajectory. I did appreciate how diverse and inclusive the world was, and would have liked that to be more fleshed out.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

This book was such a fun and fast-paced read. Think Legally Blonde meets medieval times, with swords, crowns, and battle training. It follows Clía, a determined princess who will do whatever it takes to protect her people, even if it means enrolling in a warrior academy to prove she’s more than just a pretty face and worthy of the crown. There’s political intrigue, lovable side characters, and some seriously swoon-worthy lines from our charming MMC, Prince Domhnall.

I really enjoyed the humour and heart woven throughout the story, and there were several moments that had me grinning like a fool. The themes of loyalty, self-worth, and finding your voice were beautifully done.

That said, there were a few stretches where the pacing dipped and I wasn’t quite sure where the story was headed. Those slower sections pulled me out of the momentum a bit, but the overall charm of the characters and the creative setting kept me going. With a bit more polish in the pacing department, this could’ve been even stronger.

Still, this is a fresh, clever take on a classic story, and I’ll definitely be picking up more from this author!

When I heard about this book I knew I wanted to get an arc as soon as possible. Legally blonde set in medieval times? Sign me up any day of the week. In terms of living up to this promise it didn’t fall short in any regard. It was endlessly entertaining to see Clia forge her path in this military academy where she had to overcome people’s dismissive opinions of her abilities. Like Elle, Clia’s unwillingness to give up while maintaining her inherent softness or femininity makes her instantly likeable. Clia and Ronan were both characters written so strongly that I almost wish their Romance had been a bit of a slower burn, it felt like it progressed relatively quickly. However, I had a very fun time reading about these characters and their willingness to preserve their humanity and their voice in such adversity. The disability and LGBTQ+ rep is a plus as it’s done in a way that feels natural and unforced. Overall, this was a very strong debut from Cait Jacobs and I can’t wait to see what else they have in store.

This book is literally medieval Legally Blonde and I’m not mad. What like being a princess knight is hard? Hahaha. The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs was honestly a cute debut fantasy novel. The story follows Princess Clía (aka Elle Woods), who enrolls in a prestigious military academy, Caisleán Cósta, after being not so gracefully dumped by Prince Domhnall (aka Warner). But I mean it’s fine, cause they were never really together just yanno…arranged to be married to strengthen their kingdoms. Her ultimate goal is to go prove her worth and win him back. She soon finds out she isn’t that well prepared and way out of her element.
I really liked the romance between Clía and Ronan, super glad she didn’t end up with douchey bro Domhnall, who ultimately turned out not to be a terrible human. I absolutely loved Niamh (Vivian) and Sárait (100% a better version of Paulette, haha), they were great side characters!
Not going to lie, the pacing wasn’t the best at times. Some parts went slow and others skipped around a bit. This book also didn’t have the traditional fantasy vibe I feel most tend to gravitate to but I enjoyed it a lot. It was an empowering book with a strong main heroine and the little bits of comedy and witty banter throughout was perfect. Hands down, Murphy was the best part of the book and I’m sure most will agree…thank you for not killing him, Cait, haha.
Thank you NetGalley!
4 stars!

I was worried when I recognized that this story had an inspiration from legally blonde that it would just be a retelling of the movie but I was pleasantly surprised to find how well it stands on its own. There are instances of familiarity to the movie but it's done in a way that doesn't feel heavy handed. Those instances feel fun to recognize, like a lovely homage from a media I love.

The world building feels well rounded with interesting stories and lore grounded in this universe. There's enough about the neighboring kingdoms, their legends, and traditions that I feel this is a full and richly thought out world. I really want even more books from this world now!

The romance. I haven't had a good well built romance in a while; too many I have tried rush into it without the foundation of them being actual friends first. This felt earned and that it sells that they like each other for who they are first and foremost. I just melt over love stories like that.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see more from this author! Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyage for letting me read this ARC! I will definitely be buying a copy when it publishes!

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC.

In summary: Legally Blonde meets Medieval Era. I got hooked!

Clia was a leading lady I yearned to root for--even when her naivety led to humiliation at her arrival to Caislean Costa. Her life was certainly pampered, but once she became spurned by Domhnall her determination blazed forth.

Ronan, however, was a man motivated to gain acceptance from others: his mentor, his colleagues, the other students... His life was a challenge forged by loss. His life reflected Clia's, yet their aspiration is mutual. They both want to be acknowledged as warriors, protectors of their allied kingdoms.

My only wish is to have a better pronunciation guide. I love the Gaelic influence, but I am not fluent in the language.

When I first picked up this book, I initially didn’t know that it was a fantasy retelling of Legally Blonde, but when I realized that it was, it made the impact of the twists and mysteries fall flat. The book tried to hard to follow the character relationships and plots from the source material that I could guess the final relationships between the characters and what the main twists and villains were going to be. Because of this the reveals didn’t surprise me and it felt predictable.

I also think that relying too heavily on the source material made the character relationships strong, it hindered the world building. I’m still left wondering about the world and the other kingdoms and what their political motivations are in the war, that wasn’t answered in the book. I thought there was going to be more politics and fantasy elements, but it focused a lot more on character growth and building relationships - which isn’t a bad thing- just not what I expected. I was left feeling like the final battle could’ve been more explosive as I felt like it ended so quickly in a neat little happily ever after bow, when the book is literally about a budding war and invasion attempt.

The ending hints at the potential for a sequel, but I’m not really sure what they’d do for it since this book focused heavily on the romance rather than the fantasy.

I did enjoy the romance and the relationship between Clía and Ronan was cute but I again was left wanting more. I still enjoyed reading the book, but i think people who didn’t remember the plot to Legally Blonde would enjoy it more.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 stars.

May 23, 2025
I think this was an easy book to finish in that it did keep my attention generally well. however, this does not reach my re-readable threshold.

this may be an error on on the publisher to promote this as an adult novel versus YA. this feels very YA and the author has said they intended for it to be YA. that being said, i don’t like a whole lot of YA romantasy—some i do, most i don’t. so i do not believe i was the intended audience for this novel.

i think that the romance aspect is giving more “friendship” than lovers. that could just be me, though.

nonetheless, a solid debut.

*another comment that i won’t really count into my review because i think it’s a personal preference—the character names are quite difficult. but i do appreciate the irish/scottish folklore.

thank you to net gallery & harper for allowing me to read this arc!

A fantasy (that has a fairytale feel) based on Legally Blonde; PLEASEEEEE THIS WAS MADE FOR ME. Fairytales are basically my brand but throw in Legally Blonde, one of the fictional characters I can relate to most? I really think they’d sell more copies if they kept the original title of Medievally Blonde, so I wonder why they changed it from that to this super generic title. I don’t hate it because I’m biased and I like anything with the word “princess” in it, but it is far less appealing than a title that really solidifies that this is based on Legally Blonde. Copyright reasons maybe?

When Prince Domhnall breaks up with Clia because she’s not enough of a warrior, strong or fierce enough for his kingdom, she joins him at the brutal Caislean Costa academy, a brutal military academy not for the faint of heart. He believes she’s weak and would falter under the threat of war, and sees her as nothing more than a pretty face. In true Elle Woods fashion, Clia sets to prove to him that she can be a warrior by joining him at Caislean where less than a quarter of the students last through the brutal training, and she does it in pink, of course. The worldbuilding is fantastic and is like a true fantasy novel, with the royals of what seem to be Celtic inspired kingdoms fleshed out, and even a map that this arc didn’t include but I imagine will be in the final copy when this comes out in October.

My main critics would be the pacing and the plot needing more going for it. This book is a tad too long. The worldbuilding being so great keeps you motivated to keep reading in the beginning, but after she reaches Caislean, this book suffers from that middle of the book lull. Not majorly, but it does drag a LITTLE after she reaches Caislean and starts her training. Overall though, the pacing isn’t horrible, but this book is longer than it should be. You could easily cut close to 100 pages from it without it missing anything. Also, the story was just missing a little…..something. While the worldbuilding was wonderful, too much of the immediate plot was restricted to everything happening within the walls of this one military academy and nothing much going on outside of it.

Still, the strongest parts of this book are the Legally Blonde tie ins. That’s why it really is a shame they changed the title. The most fun parts of this were trying to guess which character was who in Legally Blonde. And I also liked that even though this is technically a fantasy, in my mind it almost counts as a fairytale (doesn’t matter if it’s a retelling or not) as long as the worldbuilding of the fantasy feels the same as a fairytale’s would. Because you’ve got all the same elements, of palaces and kingdoms and princesses. I would count this as a fantasy book that fairytale lovers would also enjoy. You have all the fuss and frills of royal life from the pov of a princess, a bustling palace, and plenty of royal intrigue. Still, there was too much swordplay and not enough palace life for my taste, but I went into this expecting that.

Overall I did enjoy this but it was just missing SOMETHING. I enjoyed it enough to be excited to pick it back up, but at the end, I wasn’t totally wowed. But, I’ll still give this a solid 4/5 stars due to my love of princesses and Legally Blonde. And, I enjoyed this enough to be interested in reading any future sequels!

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I received an early copy from NetGalley.

Unfortunately, this book fell really short for me. It was way too long which made the story drag and overall made the book underwhelming. The writing and characters did not draw me in.

Overall, an ok read. Thanks to the another and NetGalley for the arc!