It’s giving sapphic, royal goodness and I ate up every second of it. This was a super realistic YA romance. I really enjoyed our FMCs and the way the author built tension between the FMCs and their romance but also the overall plot of one of them being a royal and the tension that comes on carrying that.

I thought the characters in this were extremely well developed and thought out and i loved seeing them come into their own and stand up for themselves and what they wanted as the story progressed.

You see a lot in this book on being comfortable in being who you are completely out in the open from the perspective of a “regular” person and a royal and i enjoyed watching those stories flourish.

I dual read this with my ears and eyes, and i really loved the audiobook! I felt like the voices deeply matched the characters and i loved that it brought my vision of the characters to life! The audiobook absolutely added to my overall enjoyment of the book!

The Vibes:
-Royals
-YA queer romance
-Secret Dating
-Dual POV
-Coming of Age

Overall it was a great time. I would absolutely recommend it to my audience and the cover is just sooooooo good.

This book was everything that I want in a romance.I kept looking forward to when I could listen again. A boarding school, and royal family, a clash of cultures.

An event has occurred over the summer that is tearing the friend group apart as they each deal with their grief in different ways. In comes Danny the new girl on scholarship at this elite boarding school who has absolutely no idea what has happened, but get's absorbed by the most popular group at school. She will need to decide where her loyalties lie and how much of herself she wants to share.

I enjoyed the friend group in this book as well. There were a variety of personalities and each character was fairly well developed.

The narration was clear to follow and I enjoyed the distinct different voices.

Genre: Romance
Age: Teen to Adult (main characters in high school)
Tropes: Royal and Average person, bully(ish) to lover
Themes: Dealing with other's expectations, wealth, social media, coming out, grief, friendship groups
Trigger Warnings: Being outed
Read For: Netgalley
Obtained From: Thanks to Harper Audio and Netgalley for the Advanced Listening Copy!

I always enjoy a royal and regular person trope.

What I liked:

I really enjoy Sophie Gonzales’ writing. This was fun and an easy listen.

I like Rose & Danni. I think I liked their personal stories more than the romance between them. Danni’s struggles with performing and being perceived, and Rose’s struggles with her royal duties and how that really directs everything she can and cannot do.

The supporting characters were fun. I liked the little friend group and how those relationships were different between the girls.

What didn’t work for me:

It seemed like there was a lack of chemistry between Rose & Danni.

The characters all felt a lot younger than they were.

There absolutely is an audience for queer Royal romance and I am a part of it. I think bc I didn’t “come out” until college, I like reading sapphic stories set in high school and think about what may have happened to me if I had come out in high school. Anyways, this book was really enjoyable. Ngl I don’t LOVE the characters, they’re a little annoying to me, but I still felt deeply for them.

Nobody in particular by Sophie Gonzalez
arc from macmillan audio
release date: June 3rd 2025
-Omg Princess Rosemary’s voice is spot on I truly felt like I was listening to a British princess with more to her that meets the eye.
-Danni with her American accent is exceptionally done.
-Omg I love the drama and learning about everyone at the school. I feel like a new girl at the school like Danni trying to learn the ropes. -This is giving Young Royals but make it sapphic and IM HERE FOR IT.
-Also can we talk about this cover cause WOW 😍
-I love how they both are curious about each other and can’t stop looking at each other I can feel the tension
-Danni’s love for piano is beautiful
-omg Rosemary has been through so much
-ahh i love their back and forth they making me giddy
-there were so many scenes that felt like a movie
-omg i love molly everyone needs a support system
-the DRAMA is hot
this book was a beautiful coming of age romance I felt so invested
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nobody in Particular is my first novel by Eliza Gonzales—and certainly won’t be my last. Interestingly, while it was the first manuscript she ever wrote, it’s actually her seventh published book. The story has a sense of depth and heart that makes it clear why it was finally brought to readers. I’m glad the tides have changed and the market can bear the story.

The story follows Danni, a new American student who moves to Henland and enrolls at an all-girls boarding school. There, she crosses paths with Rose, the future queen, setting the stage for a compelling and emotionally layered narrative.
Gonzales excels at crafting distinct and authentic inner voices for the dual narrators. The audiobook narration further enhances this, with both voice actors adding nuance and emotion that elevate the story even more.

The real strength of the novel lies in its portrayal of friendship—particularly the fractured relationships among the girls in the aftermath of a tumultuous year, and their attempts to rebuild trust. These intimate, character-driven moments stood out far more than the overarching mystery subplot. It’s in these quieter scenes that Gonzales’s writing truly shines.

Overall, the narration and writing work in harmony to bring the story to life, adding emotional depth to already tense and heartfelt moments. A strong book with real emotional resonance.

"Nobody in Particular" by Sophie Gonzale is a vibrant, engaging YA novel that masterfully explores themes of forbidden love, identity, and acceptance within a royal vs. commoner dynamic. With a dual narrative that highlights the distinct voices of Princess Rosemary and newcomer Danni, the story dances effortlessly between witty banter, heartfelt moments, and compelling conflicts.
The characters are richly developed—Danni, navigating her status as an immigrant and aspiring pianist, quickly becomes a favorite with her maturity and resilience. Rose, initially seeming cold and detached, reveals layers of trauma and vulnerability that make her journey of self-acceptance all the more impactful. Gonzale excels at portraying their evolving relationship with authenticity, emphasizing communication and mutual respect over miscommunication-driven drama.
The romance, while sweet and full of playful chemistry, felt a bit rushed for some readers. The "love at first sight" moments and quick confessions may not resonate with everyone, but the emotional stakes—especially surrounding Rose’s secret and her battle with grief—add depth to their connection. The story's resolution, particularly regarding the third act conflicts, is handled realistically, avoiding cliché misunderstandings and making their victories feel earned.
The audiobook version is a highlight—well performed and engaging, significantly enhancing the experience and bringing characters vividly to life. Gonzale's writing flows smoothly, with moments of cleverness that keep the reader hooked, though a few minor editing hiccups and a dated epilogue slightly detract from the overall polish.
Overall, "Nobody in Particular" is a captivating, thoughtfully written story that's lively, heartfelt, and packed with important themes of love, identity, and friendship. Recommended for those looking for a fun yet meaningful sapphic YA romance that celebrates finding oneself amidst societal expectations.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7020595320?book_show_action=falNobody in Particular is a great American meets royal princess and falls in love story. Secret rendezvous, boarding school, tight friendships, hiding from the press, and sweet romance, this book has it all.

Danni starts attending Bramppath College, a boarding school in Henland, a small country in Europe. There she meets Princess Rosemary, whose cool exterior slowly melts as Danni gets to know her better. But in a majorly religious country, Danni and Rose have to be careful thier blossoming relationship is kept secret.

This story was so sweet with vibes of The Prince and Me and other hallmark movies involving royalty/commoner romances. The girls are both well written and fleshed out and this was such a fun read. The narrators both did an excellent job bringing the story to life.

Tropes
* Forbidden Romance
* Boarding School Setting
* Royal/commoner
* Hiding from the press
* YA romance

4 stars

a sapphic royal-commoner romance?! sign me up! i was intrigued by the premise and this one delivered. it's so delightful and light.

my only problem with this was that the protagonists were a bit to young and therefore, i couldn't figure out how they went from like 50 to 100%.
still cute!

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzalez single-handedly saved the royal romance sub-genre for me! I haven't found a contemporary royal romance that I've liked before this book. I guess I needed this sapphic royal romance to do the trick for me!

I loved how real all the characters felt. Danni, being the outsider that gets a lucky break in getting in with an established friend group. Rose and her faults being a significant contributor in the tension for that friend group. It felt like a real high school drama without being insufferable to me. The issues each person faces and the stress put on a royal heir actually have significant impacts on the characters. This isn't something money can solve.

I devoured this book and could feel the emotions from the characters seeping from the pages. If you are not typically a fan of this kind of book, I say give this one a try! 5/5 would absolutely recommend!

Nobody in Particular was a fun sapphic story with a boarding school setting and a near-slow burn romance. I love the Bi rep in this book. I thought that the grief aspect and handling family pressure was shown well. The audio narrators were great. Overall, I enjoyed this one.

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.

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan audio for the free ALC. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I have loved the authors previous books and definitely think she would do well in the adult romances spaces if she ventured there. I thought the one narrator was perfection, whereas the other don't think it worked so well, i loved the ts invisible strings and other references this will definitely be a favourite for swifties.

Excited for the authors future work.

Gossip Girl meets The Princess Diaries, full of teenage angst, blurry boarding school lines, and the pressure of family expectations.

First of all, Imani Jade Powers and Gail Shalan excellently narrated this. Both brought the emotions of these teenage girls to life. I particularly thought the performances excelled when the teens experienced anger or sadness. The voiced cracked at the right moments and was soft when needed. I always appreciate feeling these emotions through an audiobook

I would have loved this book in high school: the paparazzi, the princess, the brother's school, and rugby matches. The school setting felt real, and I was really intrigued by this fictional country's politics! At times, I felt I was maybe too removed from adolescence to fully appreciate all the details the author provided, but overall, I really enjoyed this book!

I would note that this book addresses teenage drug and alcohol use, describes an unintentional overdose, and has implied sexual content. I think this would be perfect for ages 14.

This truly reads like a book for high school kids, and the last 30% felt a bit over the top to me. That said, I think the intended audience would eat it up.

Overall, I loved the narration and felt the book did an excellent job of addressing the pressures and expectations of being a teen

This was really cute and fun. I loved both narrators and appreciated that when one was speaking in the other’s POV chapter, the voice actor of the character was used.

I liked the romance between the two characters. It made sense and felt natural. I also liked the world building of this fictional country. It felt very realistic.

It's my first time reading this author, and I'm happy I gave it a shot! While I liked the main characters' relationship, the book wasn't super memorable.

There is a truth universally acknowledged that if Sophie Gonzales writes it, I’m going to love it. Seriously though, this was so much fun and I devoured it!!

It hit so many of my favorite tropes, royalty x commoner, fake dating (not main couple), and okay, really just those two. But it was sapphic so it is immediately all of my favorite tropes.

If you like boarding school forbidden romances, princesses falling head over heels for American girls, and girls kissing, this book is for you! If you don’t like those things, who hurt you?

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the review copy. Now I’m just counting down the days until my shelf trophy arrives.

I love Sophie Gonzales books. I am glad that she went back and wrote this book. She says it was something she has been wanting to write and I am glad that she knew this was the right time to write it. These characters seemed so real and it really was a good story. I will always recommend Sophie's books.

I love me a Sapphic Romance w/ a splash of Mystery & Political Intrigue?! Oh, yes…

The way I was pointing a finger to every damn person (even though I had a feeling it was who it was) 👹 I’m just a girl fr. But they were all sketch, esp that one girl… Ewwww. ICK, BIG ICK ON HER!! And she’s part of the community. I hope she stayed excommunicated from the group, I don’t care what she thought was what or how desperate she was… SMH. As well as the culprit, which I feel thought they had good intentions, but still a snake!!
The real villain is the Matriarchy though 🌚
Overall, this read made my weekend. I was invested bb, alert & on the job 🕵🏽‍♀️ Gail Shalan & Imani Jade Powers did soooooooo amazing voicing the characters. I was so in love w/ themmm 🤍

*I need to do a re-listen for this one quote I absolutely adored while I was gardening, but I couldn’t pause to write it down ‘cause I was filthy 😔

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

Nobody in Particular is an entertaining, witty, and romantic YA contemporary romance with the sweetest sapphic love story and addictive characters.

Gosh, I loved this one. The characters were realistic, well-developed, and compelling, and I could not stop smiling and laughing at their delightful banter and delicious chemistry. Rose and Danni were spectacular main characters, and I equally enjoyed their POVs. The sweet and tender romance between Rose and Danni was *chef’s kiss. Their love story was comforting, powerful, and beautifully developed. The boarding school setting was entertaining and well-written, and the fast pacing complemented the story wonderfully. Sophie Gonzales’s prose was captivating and beautiful, delivering an engaging plot that I could not get enough of. I highly recommend Nobody in Particular!

Gail Shalan and Imani Jade Powers were brilliant narrators. Their voices fit Rose and Danni perfectly, and they presented the story with addictive depth, emotion, and enthusiasm. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!