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!

So so incredible!! I adored every second I spent with this book, which admittedly wasn't very many because I read it in one day haha! I love the way Sophie writes queer relationships in all the fun tropes we always wanted to see ourselves in. Is it realistic to believe that a princess is going to come out and publicly be with a common girl? No, and I don't care!! We've seen this trope for ages with straight romances and it was so so fun to see lesbians doing the same thing. Alongside that, this book was also very moving, with great writing and so many tender moments. We see the characters change, grow, and support and love each other through it all. On top of that, all the characters are hysterical! I laughed out loud multiple times! This book was a light in a very dark time in my life, I would highly recommend it to anyone who's in need of that.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Nobody in Particular in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Rating: ★ 4.5 Stars
Pub Date: Jun 03 2025

“I didn’t think it was possible to love her more, but…she finds a way [and] even manages to make me like myself, too.”

Nobody in Particular was a beautiful queer story that handles heavy subject matter with grace and in a way that teens can relate to (at times I felt the writing was juvenile until I remembered, duh. It’s not written for me). The themes of grief, guilt, outing, and more help shape the story and characters without sensatiinalizing any of it for shock value climaxes.

Rose and Danni’s love story was endearing; every moment they shared was sweet, genuine, and even though I found Danni a little bland I think the chemistry really burned through the pages.

Rose was my favorite character. As a closeted lesbian princess dealing with guilt and trauma she must hide, she’s the pictureof grace and stoicism, headstrong and determined to bring about change no matter the personal cost. Her story arc was just amazing. Sorry to Danni but Rose’s story made me tear up.

“This time, she kisses me first. This time, I’m not afraid for it to end.”

My only complaint is that the book is a little dry and drawn out at times. The pacing caused awkward conflict resolution that seemed to repeat itself, though the ifnal quarter of the book was worth it. I also thought Danni’s story arc could have used more stakes– I just didn’t care enough about her as I did Rose. This book may have been better if it were only from Rose’s POV, but that’s just nitpicking.

If you liked Red, White, and Royal Blue and Young Royals, you’ll love Nobody in Particular! A delightful sapphic book with great representation and a satisfying ending that brings it all together and may bring a tear to your eye.

This book is the PERFECT YA novel - it hits all the marks for it. I really did enjoy the book and can't wait to hear what the public has to say about it!

Oh, Sophie Gonzales has outdone herself with Nobody in Particular. I've loved every book of hers I've read so far, but this is by far my favorite. A sapphic royal romance with a prickly, sarcastic princess? Absolute perfection. One of my common gripes with sapphic romances is that the characters never get to be as messy as queer M/M ships, but this really subverted that with Rose, and I'm utterly delighted that it did. She's messy, makes bad decisions and continuously has to live with the consequences - all while still being redeemable as a love interest and utterly adoring Danni. And Danni? That girl was such a sweetheart, I loved her perspective and just wanted to protect her from everything and anything so she could see she deserved the world. Watching her grow into herself over the course of the novel was so satisfying, and I really loved that despite her insecurities she tried her best to stay true to herself and her opinions.

And if you're wondering if I'm being dramatic about how great this is, I'm not. I laid in bed all day and refused to move until I finished and have zero regrets. It's only been ten days since I finished and I'm already considering rereading it too. Nobody in Particular is like The Princess Diaries but sapphic and set in a boarding school, aka the book of my teenage dreams. Please do yourself a favor and read this, recommend it to anyone you think will enjoy it, and convince your local library to get a copy to help get it into the hands of teens!

This was cute! I liked Rose's emotional arc more and thought it was stronger - there didn't seem to be quite as much buildup for Danni's, and I was surprised that she'd reached the point of performing for others when she took the stage in front of her classmates. I enjoyed the teenager-level of emotional attachment and I did actually believe these two could stick together, which is not as common for me with YA! I also liked the plot with Molly and how it intersected with Rose's personal issues (perhaps that contributes to how her arc felt more integrated). The friend groups and their intersections, how people become friends and who is considered a friend, etc, felt very authentic high school to me. I also liked the reveal about who had been betraying Rose and thought it was satisfying.

This book was an absolute delight to read. I was a tad wary at first by having different POVs to switch between, but I quickly understood why. Rose and Danni, our two main characters (one of which is an actual princess) hit it off fairly quickly at their mutual boarding school, at which Danni is a new student. Their friendship buds slowly, through banter and some stolen longing looks, and I was fully rooting for them early on. This book brought such a supportive, found family vibe, as well as pushed for immense character growth and expanded maturity. It tackled tough topics surrounding grief, sexuality, and PTSD, and did so incredibly well. I adored every moment of this book, and just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I stood corrected. One of the best sapphic romances I’ve read in ages. Smart, engaging, and heart warming.

The fact that Sophie was told when she first pitched this that there was no market for queer royalty romance is CRIMINAL! This is a story that I would have devoured as a young bi-curious girl - and did devour as a bisexual woman.

This story was pulling at my heartstrings, making me laugh, making me tear up, and had me rooting for the MCs so hard. I felt an instant connection with Danni as she navigated moving, being away from her mom, being at boarding school, making friends from scratch, and then dealing with her push into the spotlight. It did take me a minute to feel a connection with Rose, but seeing her slowly reveal her true feelings, her tense relationship with her parents and her position, her processing of trauma, and ultimately being true to herself made me fall in love with her just as I did with Danni.

Not only is this story light-hearted and filled with witty banter, it also deals with some more heavy hitting topics like losing a friend and coming out, even a hint of betrayal thrown in there.

Sophie hit it out of the park again with this one, and I am so excited for others to read this one!

A massive shout-out to the publishers for the e-ARC, but also want to mention that I am on Sophie's Street Team for this book - major thanks for having me on that!

I know that romance is sappy and maybe that's why I love it so much. But this romance was sappy and honest, it had all the butterflies moments and some really honest heartbreak too. I loved every moment of it.
As someone who is always searching for a sapphic romance with something new or as good as all the heteronormitive romances, I was delighted to read this book. I am buying it for my younger sister who is still in her teen years because I know she would love it as much as I did.

i absolutely loved NOBODY IN PARTICULAR! the "royalty x commoner" trope is one of my favorites, and the fact that it's sapphic after the author held on to the idea for years despite several setbacks makes it even more endearing. the love between danni and rose was so precious, it was easy to root for them. i usually find the romance in YAs to be filled with needless drama but the story here was complex and so well written (no 3rd act miscommunication trope needed!). the stakes were high for these poor teenagers and i felt everything.

i liked that the author wasn't afraid to navigate challenging topics like the death of a friend. what really makes this book complete is the supporting cast of characters, all of whom are fully developed with distinct personalities (another YA rarity!).

i will definitely be recommending this book, and can't wait to reread it again in the future! 🤍👑

This book was so high school in the best way. It had such realistic teenage relationships - the all consuming feelings, the grand gestures, the mistakes, the drama, the awkwardness, all of it.

The MCs were lovable and real, with relatable problems and fun, sarcastic banter. There was one point in the story I thought we were about to enter into a miscommunication storyline but nope! They talked it all out and treated each other with so much love and respect, which I really loved to see. Honestly the adults in some of these contemporary romances should take notes.

I really appreciated the friendships in this book too, especially Molly. She was such a good friend who kept Danni and Rose grounded.

One star off bc the relationship did move pretty fast, it was still believable but I think it just needed a bit more of a foundation. It was a little slow in parts but the last 20% of the story was so good, I can forgive the pacing issues earlier on.

** I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review**

So let’s start by saying WOW! I already knew I would like this book when I read the description but once I got my hands on this book I just couldn’t put it down. I especially loved the mystery storyline that happened in the background. I had a visible reaction when Rose accused Molly of being leak but I appreciated the author not going for the obvious culprits and really surprising the readers at the end. The relationship between Rose and Danni was very well written and I think the author did a great job of showing us the progression of their relationship but also showing them as friends, daughters and mostly importantly individuals. I was a little skeptical that the book’s plot would feel a bit overdone since I’ve been reading a lot of royalty romance lately but the angle the author took her felt unique and I was glued to my couch as I read. I would definitely recommend this book to others.