Quick Summary: Strong female characters who defied the norm was the order of the day.

My Review: Nobody's Princess by Erica Ridley was a different type of period romance. I cannot recall ever reading a story where there were multiple female characters who defied the norm. I liked that! It was refreshing to see. In terms of K and G, their story came across as one of a reverse fairy tale mixed with action and adventure. Their parting and their reunion were memorable moments. It was good to see a HEA.

This was my first Erica Ridley novel. I am open to seeing what else she has written.


Rating: 2.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A

Appreciation is extended to the author and to the publisher, as well as to NetGalley, who provided access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

Kunigunde de Heusch was a lovely girl who was from Baclovia, the same place as Bean. He had found that someone was looking for an important person through the classifieds. So, he went looking for her. He at first thought she was a princess. But she was just a girl trying to follow her family legacy.
She wanted to be a Royal Guard but there were no females yet, but she had trained since she was incredibly young. She only had to prove she was useful with reconnaissance.

Graham Wynchester at one time in his young life worked with a circus. He could climb anything; he was that gifted. He also gathered info for the family. He had five siblings and each gifted with a special power. His was info and acrobatics. Marjorie was a painter, Jacob could train any animal,
Elizabeth was swords and Tommy could disguise herself to be anyone you want. Finally, is
the oldest Chole and her new husband and the other spouses and friends.

This is well-written, engaging, and with a lot of love. So far, each person has found the right one.
What a wonderful family. I am excited to read the next tale of the Wynchester's.

I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I requested this arc due to my love for The Perks of Loving a Wallflower, and I'm so glad I did! I love the family ensemble and their love and support for each other, and Graham's adventure was a blast to go on. And please believe me when I tell you that you're going to love our bold, intrepid heroine.

DNF at 15%

I absolutely love the Wild Wynchesters series, but this one just did not do it for me. I found some of the characters to be two dimensional, and it just didn’t have the same charm as the rest of the series, I will be picking up the next ones though, because the first two were amazing!

Kuni had lived her life wanting to be a Royal Guard. She stowed away on the ship to England and ran away after docking. Her brothers are hot on her trail.
Nothing happens in London without Graham Wynchester knowing. His massive collection of intelligence is invaluable to his family’s mission of aiding those most in need. So when he deciphers a series of coded messages in the scandal sheets, Graham’s convinced he must come to a royal’s rescue. But his quarry turns out not to be a princess at all… The captivating Kunigunde de Heusch is anything but a damsel in distress, and the last thing she wants is Graham’s help.
All her life, Kuni trained alongside the fiercest Royal Guardsmen in her family, secretly planning to become her country’s first Royal Guardswoman. This mission in London is a chance to prove herself worthy without help from a man, not even one as devilishly handsome as Graham. To her surprise, Graham believes in her dream as much as she does, which makes it harder to resist kissing him…and falling in love. But how can she risk her heart if her future lies an ocean away?
This is a witty book filled with treachery and love.
Erica Ridley has written another fabulous book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

CW: grief/parental death, abandonment, family conflict

Graham is obsessed with royalty, and Kuni is obsessed with becoming a Royal Guard for the princess she has served as companion for in her home country of Balcovia.  Both talented in intelligence gathering, fighting, and protecting their families sparks fly when these two meet.

I found the first third of the book to be a bit slow going.  Readers who like sparring (physical and verbal) between MCs may get more out of it then I did.  But I am glad I pushed through after teetering on the edge of DNF, because this turned out to be a lovely book with a host of wonderful supporting characters (Wynchester's) that I look forward to reading more of in their own books.

Both MCs are driven by trauma in their past.  My CW is specifically around parental death which much of the character arcs are built around.  Its subtle enough as to probably be okay for most readers, but I want folks to be aware that the accidental death of two parents plays a factor in this story.  There are also a sense of abandoment/family conflict that is healed by found family, but could be tough for some readers.

There is some sparring and action scenes, but nothing graphically violent.  There is intimacy on the page, but fairly mild in length and description.

Once Kuni's mission begins evolving with the Wynchester's help, and Grahama and Kuni let themselves give in to their infatuation, this book heats up and goes quickly.  I enjoyed learning about how love transforms them both, and found it to be less angsty then it might have been handled in another author's hand.

More than the romance, I really enjoyed the various characters within the Wynchester household and that strong sense of found family.  They are all characters with special skills that work together to help other families with various issues.

I recommend this for readers who like MCs sparring (physically and verbally), found family, and romance that defies MC expectations.

I adored this book. From the first chapter or two Ridley had me hooked with Kuni's personality and Graham's humor. The rest of the Wynchesters also make appearances and their voices are so distinct it makes me want to race through this to get to their stories... whenever Ridley writes them.

I can't say whether the disability representation here is right or wrong but I liked how she wrote about Elizabeth and Marjorie. I also enjoyed how she wrote about Kuni wanting to break into a male space/occupation and being independent, so many authors do this but sacrifice the heroine's likability but not here. She also writes about injustices, prejudice, BIPOC in 1800s England and yet it never feels preachy or like showing off knowledge.

It's a romance so they're obviously going to end up together but up until the end I was thinking "But HOW!?" and teared up when they did.

I received a copy from NetGalley; this is my honest review
A few thoughts:
-We didn't get enough of Bean and his native country. More could have been said, more could have been shown too. All the Wynchesters loved Bean and if it was so, I'm sure the gang would be avid listeners to anything Balcovian.
-Apart from thinking the other was out of this world in beauty, there was no spark and no time alone to build any of that spark.
-Kuni was extra-feminist, out of line a few too many times, and extra rude when choosing customers and she had no say, actually, or when she talks about Graham's books. I couldn't relate. Then she wasted everyone's time and her king's money by deciding AT SEA! that she wanted to stay with Graham. Also, was it just Graham or the wild actions of his family? The jury's still out on that one.
-We get at least 5 repeats on Kuni's hidden knives by 20%. By 33% we are told at least 3 times that Kuni has to do the work alone. Why, though, since her brothers are working in pairs.
-Dumbest thing ever: "She took a taper ... and lit it ... to better scan ... compiled albums" - Books, paper, etc. Yes, put a flame right next to it.
What I liked:
-At the beginning we get fun facts about dark skin royals.
-I love to see the Wynchesters all together. We also got to see Chloe more this time around.
-I like it when we see all of them, each with their own quirks, working as one, completing each other.
-Graham is strongly intelligent and knows how to use other people's skills and it helped a lot in this story. He was the star, after all.
-Fun times with Elizabeth and her swords and mysterious times with Margaret.

Nobody’s Princess- We are back with the Winchester’s. Kuni wants to work for the Royal guards like her family. Graham is out to help her. But she doesn’t want his help! They both respect each other’s wishes and dreams, but can they work it all out? Will Kuni realize she’d be happier being a Winchester! 4*

"Nobody's Princess" by Erica Ridley
A Glorious Wynchester Romp
Oh, yes, this was a super fun Regency romp with the Wynchester siblings and a new person on the block, Kuni aka Nobody's Princess. There were a few instances where my eyes became excessively moist, and lots of opportunities for smiles as big as all outdoors. Also, one chapter that some might deem spicy; but don't let that cause you to miss a really great fun story. This truly is a fun light read to be added to your TBR list or the stack on your table. Happy Reading ! !
NOTE: I received and ARC of this story via NetGalley.
This review expresses my honest opinion.

Nobody’s Princess is the 3rd book in The Wild Wynchesters series, I’ve loved each book in this series so much and was so excited for this book!

Nothing happens in London without Graham Wynchester knowing. His massive collection of intelligence is invaluable to his family’s mission of aiding those most in need. When Graham deciphers a series of decoded messages in the scandal sheets, he’s convinced he must come to a royal’s rescue…his lifelong dream. He ends up meeting Kunigunde de Heusch instead and is equally as intrigued if she had been a princess.

Kuni is from Balcovia, the same place the Wynchesters beloved adopted father was from, and she is companion to the princess of her country. Kuni has always dreamed of becoming the first Royal Guardswoman after generations of the men in her family have served in the Royal Guard. I loved Kuni as a heroine, she’s so strong and determined! Seeing her immediately be embraced into the Wynchesters family was the best. I love all of the siblings in the family and seeing their interactions. Graham’s character is absolutely adorable. I loved his love for royalty and his childhood wish of wanting to be one himself. We do get to see the Wynchesters, and Kuni, take on some of their missions.

While I enjoyed all the family time and seeing Kuni seamlessly blend in, I did find the romance lacking in this book. Kuni and Graham, while both great characters on their own, they just don’t spend that much time alone together and I didn’t see any sparks flying. Their romance and declarations/feelings of love kind of felt like it came out of nowhere after what felt like a nonexistent buildup of any romance. After really enjoying the first book in the series and absolutely loving the second book (it was one of my fav reads of 2021), this romance was just not anywhere near on the same level sadly. But for the found family aspect, this series always delivers on those cozy, lovely feels!

Thank you to the publisher (Forever) for an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own. Nobody’s Princess has a publish date of July 26, 2022.

Here is another wonderfully adventurious tale! I love all the characters and their eccentricities. It’s also a story of family, loyalty, duty and love for others, among other things. Couldn’t stop reading once I started!

I received an ARC of this book and leaving my review voluntarily.

Nobody's Princess is the third book in the WIld Wynchesters series by Erica Ridley. This book is focused on Graham Wynchester, who was rescued from the circus and is now a sort of spymaster/extreme gossip. Kuni is from the Wynchester's adopted father's homeland of Balcovia. Kuni is a companion of the princess of Balcovia, with dreams of becoming a royal guard, following in the footsteps of her patrilineage, as well as being a trailblazer for young Balcovian women.
Kuni is on a reconnaissance mission of sorts when Graham tracks her down and offers her a safe haven from her brothers, two royal guards who look down on Kuni.
The Wynchester's are asked to help a family in a small mining town outside of Manchester in the clutches of the coal baron. Each book in the series thus far has a caper for the family and added love interest to work towards together, but mostly the two main characters. In this one, Graham and Kuni do not spend much one-on-one time together beyond deciding to have a sort of FWB relationship until Kuni has to leave. This series is fun, but the romance in this one was at a considerably lower level than in the first two. This one was an incredibly slow burn, and I just feel like there was not enough of a build-up of chemistry and longing. There was simply a realization that it was worth it to give up everything one had always dreamed of for the love you just realized you felt.

Picking up a book by Ms. Ridley, I've come to expect charm, wit, romance, and fun. I can guarantee this book delivered all that and so much more!
The characters were well-crafted and the storyline flowed smoothly. Ms. Ridley really does a great job of helping you visualize the story through her writing and brings the the characters and story to life. While there was definitely romance and fun, the story also touched on serious issues such as slavery, child labor, and racial inequality, to name a few. Kuni was a strong and intelligent character and I really admired her. Graham was a fun and interesting character and aspired to be associated with royalty. Thinking Kuni is a princess, he falls for her immediately. What starts out as a temporary flirtation grows into so much more.
A thoroughly engaging and entertaining story, I really enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to Ms. Ridley's next book.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This novel was so so adorable, and charming, and funny and it honestly just felt like a warm hug. I'm used to reading historical romances where the love interest is gruff and cocky but seeing Graham be a huge ball of sunshine was so heartwarming. He's like a little jumping bean with the way he scales walls, loses his shit regarding anything royalty related, and vows to save anyone who needs his help. He, along with all of the Wynchesters, made me giggle so much and I just love their dynamic.

Kuni was also such a great MC to follow and I love her arc of wanting to prove herself as a guardswoman while also feeling torn towards staying back in England and helping the Wynchesters, with whom she actually feels like she's making a difference. This is obviously a happy book with an HEA between Kuni and Graham but Chapters 42 & 43 had me full on sobbing. I don't think I've ever cried so hard regarding a historical romance before and I'm literally tearing up just thinking about those chapters again. Found family in romances always hit different. I'm so excited for everyone to read this, especially if you loved the first two books in the series!

I loved this story it had me laughing and smiling while enjoying the journey with the characters. The banter was a lot of fun.Really like the entire series. Thanks

This isn't your typical historical romance, so set your expectations appropriately. Graham, a commoner who seems to be well off but still not acknowledged the way he wishes, has a goal: to save a princess and act as a knight in shining armor. I wish I was kidding - I can't help but feel rather ick each time this "noble" desire is professed. Then we have Kuni, a royal companion from Balcovia, who wishes she could be part of the royal guard, and is well trained in weapons and gathering intelligence. This isn't your typical historical romance, as it includes a ring of spies and fun touches like hidden rooms and capers. But it’s dizzying trying to keep track of the 6 (8?) Wynchester siblings, especially if you haven’t read the others in the series (I haven’t). And the romance between Kuni and Graham felt awkwardly placed with sudden daydreams occurring in the midst of schemes to solve client problems and workout regimens. The story keeps a steady pace but felt a bit long to me - quite a bit of repetition about Kuni’s ambitions. But there are fun capers to keep it going, which seem to be more the allure than romance. Overall I enjoyed it for the capers and quirky fun family members, didn’t care for the way the romance was written, and felt it lacked some of the fun regency details that are more typical of, well, a book set in the regency period. . If I wasn’t expecting a regency romance, I’d give this 4 stars. Expecting regency? 2 stars. So I’m meeting in the middle on this one.

I was drawn to this book because I enjoy Beverly Jenkins' books and thought this might be a Beverly Jenkins-like book though taking place in the Regency period. In this book Kuni comes from Balcovia to find out more about England before the princess she is a companion to comes to visit. She would like to be a part of the Royal Guard like her family, and is trying to prove her worth since there have not been any female Balcovian Guard yet.

Kunigunde meets Graham Wynchester, part of the wacky Wynchester family who are all adopted and whose father was of Balcovian lineage. The family work to save people and this book describes a number of missions they go on while Kuni and Graham fall in love.

I didn't necessarily connect with the family as there were so many to remember and they were all odd in their own ways. I enjoyed Kuni as a character and her relationship with Graham is a standard romance trope where they like each other but don't really get together easily because their future plans don't necessarily include being in the same country. Overall it was a standard romance (the differences being a hero and heroine of color, and that the family has a goal of saving people), with a lot of characters and if you enjoy them, you'll enjoy Graham's book as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Erica Ridley, and Forever for the chance to read an early copy of this book!

I am LOVING the Wynchesters series, and continue to be obsessed with this Leverage-inspired saga of found family and heists. This book feels a little less like a romance and more like a family story, but I actually really liked it that way since the family and their many various talents is absolutely the best thing about this series. Kuni and Graham both read young, like Young Adult or New Adult genre--they're both extremely talented, but their goals are overly idealistic to the point of reading as juvenile. So it worked for me that there's not too much steam--if I recall correctly, there is a lot of kissing and one bedroom scene. The book continues to be extremely diverse and inclusive in wonderful ways (such as race, sexuality, and disability) that are all too rare in mainstream historicals, and I LOVE that we get a gorgeous clinch cover between our POC protagonists. Also, the blindingly pink color of the cover is actually a story element, which is completely delightful.

The book ends similarly to the others in the series, hinting at the next adventure and the next sibling to fall in love. The only reason I'm sad to have read an advance copy is that it means more Wynchester adventures are that much farther away!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Having never read a HR that included a H/h of color, I was delighted to have the opportunity to read “Nobody’s Princess” by Erica Ridley who I like as an author. This was the third in the series centered around Graham Wynchester . Graham is persistent with finding a missing princess in London and springs into action with making his dreams come true with meeting such a person of royalty. Then there is Kunigunde (Kuni) who is strong, independent and does not need rescuing as she can truly fend for herself. She wants to become the first Royal Guardswoman in Balcovia and does not want any interference from meddling individuals such as her brothers.

Graham and Kuni are likeable characters. There is mutual attraction but lacking some chemistry between the two to overpower secondary plots and antics in the story. Although there was a bit of tension, I was looking for more angst between the H/h to push the romance in the story as both characters are strong-willed individuals. The author did a nice job of addressing race in this story which I thought was refreshing from the typical HRs that I’ve read.