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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Harper Collins for an early advanced reader copy!
I haven't read a medieval fantasy before and this was a fun introduction to the genre! I really appreciated having the pronunciation guide, it was fun to learn how to pronounce words I didn't know and made the story more enjoyable. I think the characters were well rounded, I would have loved to get to know some better and to get a better understanding of dynamics but overall they worked together well enough to make the story enjoyable. I did feel the ending was a.but anticlimactic. I loved the whole come into your own and her moment with the general but I feel like the people retreating at the end was just like a bit out of left field? I'm glad it was left open for if the author wants to come back to this world I just wish the end battle had a bit more oomph to it I guess haha
Yeah my only real criticism is just I wish the characters were more developed in the sense of how they fit into the story and how they bonded but even that's a bit nit picky I guess, I definitely enjoyed this book and would probably read her other work in the future. Definitely a good introduction to fantasy with less heavy fantasy themes, very fun!
I haven't read a medieval fantasy before and this was a fun introduction to the genre! I really appreciated having the pronunciation guide, it was fun to learn how to pronounce words I didn't know and made the story more enjoyable. I think the characters were well rounded, I would have loved to get to know some better and to get a better understanding of dynamics but overall they worked together well enough to make the story enjoyable. I did feel the ending was a.but anticlimactic. I loved the whole come into your own and her moment with the general but I feel like the people retreating at the end was just like a bit out of left field? I'm glad it was left open for if the author wants to come back to this world I just wish the end battle had a bit more oomph to it I guess haha
Yeah my only real criticism is just I wish the characters were more developed in the sense of how they fit into the story and how they bonded but even that's a bit nit picky I guess, I definitely enjoyed this book and would probably read her other work in the future. Definitely a good introduction to fantasy with less heavy fantasy themes, very fun!
Our premise starts off very much in the vein of a fantasy Legally Blonde. Our Princess, Clía, is sure her childhood friend, Prince Domhnall, is going to propose. It would be beneficial for both their kingdoms and they’re friends so it’s a given, right? Well, it goes about the same as in the movie. Domhnall tells her she isn’t the warrior queen he needs and Clía is devastated as all her plans for the future crumble. But instead of succumbing to defeat, Clía hatches a plan to follow him away to Caislean Costa, the keep and training grounds for respected warriors. If she is able to withstand the rigorous training for a year, she will be awarded the title of curadh and be the warrior queen Domhnall seeks. Things don’t go exactly as planned.
Let’s talk about the characters!
Clía is sweet and determined and I liked her. She did make some questionable assumptions such as thinking going into what is basically military boot camp with zero skills or knowledge of tactics was a good idea. I was able to overlook this and root for her regardless. Thankfully, she ended up getting some much-needed help from an unexpected source…
Ronan! Captain of the guard for Domhnall and yet somehow a sweet squish of a dude. Thanks to Ronan we get one of my favorite things: a training trope with romantic tension. He’s conflicted because he’s starting to have feelings for his prince/best friend’s Not!Fiancée and he’s just the youngest Captain of the guard — not royalty.
Murphy. I loved him.
Domhnall. His childhood friendship with Clía is talked about a lot, but we see none of it. We get a couple vague ‘Remember that time when…’ but it doesn’t strike the note since we never see any evidence of them being friends. Clía does hold up her end of the deal, I will say and I like her for it. But Domhnall seems to be a bad friend at every turn. We only see Domhnall being a jerk and do not have the benefit of his POV to redeem him via his inner thoughts. It leads to me not being invested in him as a character and several times I had been hoping he would be pushed to the side or just painted fully as a villain. He gets a little better later, but too little too late imo.
Everyone else… well. I will say that while people did start getting a little characterization in the tail-end of the book, it never felt like there were more than 5 trainees at Caislean Costa. I got no sense of the size of the keep or their training class since it was the same group of names each time. They were very much NPCs and I would have liked a bit more from them so the military bootcamp experience would have felt more fleshed out.
Don’t get me started on her parents. What was the deal there? The only thing we know about them is that we’re told they like to party.
Let’s talk about the plot!
This is where things went a little haywire. We started off strong. Maybe not with the thickest plot, but it was fun. I was reading quickly and enjoying the callbacks to the Legally Blonde inspiration.
[I’m someone that hates spoilers and avoids them at all costs. Hence, I’m going to avoid major spoilers here. The one I will include (since it drastically tempered my thoughts on the story) has almost no bearing on the actual plot. Which was my gripe, actually.]
This is a low-magic setting. We do get hints of it here and there in passing, not active magic, but it’s mentioned mostly through enchanted objects that are not shown on-page. I thought this was foreshadowing to something important for later. When we do finally encounter a potentially God-given magic artifact, it’s brushed under the rug so casually that it’s a blink-and-you-miss-it situation. Not in the vein of subtlety to bring up later as a twist (which is what I was anticipating), but moreso that the author and characters were just not interested in it enough to make it a real factor? I was interested!
Please, please can we talk about the magic sword crystal? Please, as a treat? It was an interesting thread I wanted to follow in the story, but was treated like an afterthought. I mean even the characters kept thinking “Ah ya this sword is giving me some strange feelings, but no time to think about magic firing up my arm or anything.” Come on! The story didn’t need this at all, but putting it in there and ignoring it was confusing and disappointing.
Now for the anime-level powerup Clía gets. This is the girl that couldn’t actually hold up a sword, let alone wield one, at the start. Her first time picking one up included the description of her letting it drag along the ground as she walked, because holding it was too difficult. While we have no sense for how long she had been training at Caislean Costa, there is no suspension of belief that could permit her battling several seasoned warriors on her own with just a regular sword. There is simply not enough time for her princess noodle arms to have beefed up enough. When we later had the excuse of a maybe-magic sword, I could believe this princess taking on several attackers at once. Because *~magick~* Even with her special armor, the impact of a hit, sword or otherwise, would still cause injury. I mean there’s gurl power and then there’s… whatever that was. I don’t know. I love sword fighting ladies. Jude from Folk of the Air is one of my favorite book gals. With Jude, she often got injured and would have to resort to alternative means to balance the playing field to her advantage. Her victories felt earned and real. I like Clía. Which is why it bothered me so much that she started to feel like a wish-fulfillment pander. She was virtually undefeatable. I never feared for her. Thus, there was no dramatic tension in the fights.
It was moments like this that made me surprised to learn this wasn’t a YA fantasy since that is where I have seen this happen the most often. The romance scenes were fade-to-black which I am fine with, but does lend further to the YA feel.
Conclusion!
Overall, I did enjoy this read. The first half was more to my speed due to losing some verisimilitude in the latter chapters. This is not something that is a deal breaker for most, so I do still recommend this book. There were two good quotes I made note of in my reading. I would like to include them in my review, but as the arc I read was not in final edits, I will hold off to see if they appear in the final version. Will update later with the quotes if they make the cut. Fingers crossed!
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with this free arc in exchange for my honest review.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Given some of the existing reviews for this book, I was expecting almost a scene-for-scene translation of the Legally Blonde film within a medieval fantasy world, so I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading and it was more unique than that. The setup (with the FMC getting turned down due to her presumed intelligence, prompting her to go to the same academy/school as her ex to show him that he's wrong about her) is there, but I thought that the relationships and the context were different compared to the film. While a few of the film's main beats were there, it was well fleshed out with the fantasy world and plot and it didn't stick so closely to the film that it became boring.
In The Princess Knight, the intended betrothal is a strategic joining of two kingdoms rather than being the expected next step in a genuine relationship between the FMC and her boyfriend, so although Domhnall treated Clía badly, he wasn't as irredeemable as his equivalent in Legally Blonde.
I liked the queernormative world and the side characters. The romance is sort of fade to black, in that there's mainly a few kissing scenes and then one scene where the main characters have sex but it's very non-graphic and brief. I'd definitely say that this book is YA rather than the Adult romantasy that it's being categorised as on Goodreads etc. I've just read on the FAQs section on the author's website that she wrote this for a YA audience, and that does come across strongly while reading, so I wish that it was correctly categorised as YA and not just being listed as Adult because the publisher in the US is an Adult publisher.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from HarperCollins UK and NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Genre: Upper YA/NA Fantasy Romance
Spice: 0.5/5🌶️
*sex implied but not described
The Catalog: F/M, Legally Blonde inspo, Princess FMC x Warrior MMC, former betrothed’s best friend, warrior training program, forced proximity, only one tent, beast hunting quests, private training lessons, chronic pain representation, mutual pining, queer normative world, forbidden romance due to duty, Gaelic folklore, found family & female friendship
Synopsis: Princess Clíodhna has been preparing for her political marriage to Prince Domhnall her whole life. Her people need the alliance, and she is determined to do her duty. But when he arrives for the royal proposal, he tells her she isn’t strong enough to be his Queen. Steadfast on securing the alliance for her people, she enrolls in a warrior training program at the renowned Caisleán Cósta. If she’s going to prove her worth, and survive, she’ll need help. Cue Ronan, a talented fighter and Prince Domhall’s best friend, who sees himself in Clíodhna.
Thoughts:
Genre: NA Romantic Fantasy
Spice: 0.5/5🌶️
*sex implied but not described
The Catalog: F/M, Legally Blonde inspo, Princess FMC x Warrior MMC, former betrothed’s best friend, warrior training program, forced proximity, only one tent, beast hunting quests, private training lessons, chronic pain representation, mutual pining, queer normative world, forbidden romance due to duty, Gaelic folklore, found family & female friendship
Synopsis: Princess Clíodhna has been preparing for her political marriage to Prince Domhnall her whole life. Her people need the alliance, and she is determined to do her duty. But when he arrives for the royal proposal, he tells her she isn’t strong enough to be his Queen. Steadfast on securing the alliance for her people, she enrolls in a warrior training program at the renowned Caisleán Cósta. If she’s going to prove her worth, and survive, she’ll need help. Cue Ronan, a talented fighter and Prince Domhall’s best friend, who sees himself in Clíodhna.
Thoughts:
Genre: NA Romantic Fantasy
Spice: 0.5/5🌶️
*sex implied but not described
The Catalog: F/M, Legally Blonde inspo, Princess FMC x Warrior MMC, former betrothed’s best friend, warrior training program, forced proximity, only one tent, beast hunting quests, private training lessons, chronic pain representation, mutual pining, queer normative world, forbidden romance due to duty, Gaelic folklore, found family & female friendship
Synopsis: Princess Clíodhna has been preparing for her political marriage to Prince Domhnall her whole life. Her people need the alliance, and she is determined to do her duty. But when he arrives for the royal proposal, he tells her she isn’t strong enough to be his Queen. Steadfast on securing the alliance for her people, she enrolls in a warrior training program at the renowned Caisleán Cósta. If she’s going to prove her worth, and survive, she’ll need help. Cue Ronan, a talented fighter and Prince Domhall’s best friend, who sees himself in Clíodhna.
Thoughts:
TLDR; Inspired by Legally Blonde, The Princess Knight is a story about a sheltered Princess finding her strength in a world that has written her off. Complete with epic quests, training with a hunky warrior, and found family vibes, The Princess Knight is an interesting, and sometimes confusing, mix of rom-com and romantic fantasy.
I loved some parts of this book. The Gaelic folklore elements and mythological monsters and creatures were very enjoyable, and I liked the overall concept of a Princess becoming a warrior. It was nice that Clíodhna found her strength without losing her sparkle.
In addition, the queer normative world was a wonderful change in the fantasy genre. Nearly every character was queer in some way and it was treated as a non-event, which is something I really appreciate about this author’s approach. Instead of there being odd comments about the characters’ sexual / gender identity, it was just taken as fact, no explanation needed.
But, I’m having some conflicting feelings with this book as well, because I feel it has been advertised as “adult” fantasy romance (even listed as such on NetGalley), when in fact I feel it is upper YA / NA romantic fantasy. This is more like a book I would purchase for a teen girl because of the lovely messages about female strength, female friendship, and queerness. I’m not sure this is one I’d generally, or readily, recommend to my peers (readers in their 30s) unless they really love Legally Blonde.
Because of this mismarketing, the story wasn’t really what I was expecting when I applied to ARC read. While there were definitely romance elements, the romance portion was desperately underdeveloped compared to the massive world building, political plot line, and personal development of the FMC.
In the vein of world building, this book has a lot of holes. The world building is massive but under explained. There’s so much going on geographically and politically and I fear none of it was really explained in a way that I understood completely. Even at the end of the book, the motivation for the offending Kingdom doesn’t make sense. I still don’t know why the kingdoms are on the brink of war.
Because this is inspired by a contemporary rom-com, there is a melding of elements; romantic comedy, contemporary themes, fantasy setting, and fantasy elements. While I think the mix is daring, and has the potential to work really well, I’m not sure it was executed very well in this instance. The nods to Legally Blonde were not subtle and because of this, it felt like these elements forced the plot in ways that didn’t feel authentic to the setting or genre. In some cases, it was even distracting.
The romance was not the first, second, or third focus of the story. I didn’t really feel the buildup of feelings between the MCs that I would have expected. Their emotions and feelings didn’t get the depth needed in order for me to be won over by their romance. I wanted to feel deep yearning, sparks on the training grounds, forbidden feels. It didn’t deliver. The sex scenes were either fade to black or detailed only enough to understand that they were having sex. I do not have a personal problems with this approach, but as the feelings weren’t there for me, I wonder if having more explicit scenes with emotions regarding sex would have made their romance more believable.
Lastly, the pacing was very uneven. Some places the plot moved at a measured pace, some places were fast, and others seemed to be unnecessary slow. I found myself struggling in several places, and truthfully, my enjoyment was further impeded by the need to look up proper pronunciation for Gaelic, Irish, and Scottish names and words (there are a lot of mixed feelings about non-Gaelic authors using Gaelic language in this way). The use of Gaelic would be a great representation, if it had been own voice. But the truth is, this story would have held its own without. The battles scenes were also clunky.
In the end, I enjoyed some aspects of the story, but feel I’m probably not the best audience for this book, which I think affected my enjoyment as I didn’t read what I thought I was going to read.
I do think fans of Legally Blonde will enjoy this new take, and I also think there’s somethign positive to be said about the messages about female empowerment. I just think the marketing isn’t 100% correct.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have heard this book described as a fantasy re-telling of Legally Blonde and I loved that nostalgic rom-com premise. The story does lose a bit of its sparkle when it moves into the more battle heavy final part but by then I cared about Clia and her friends and needed to know what happens.
What I loved in particular:
- Murphy - I loved that sea monster/puppy.
- Clia - she was such a likeable main character. She achieves so much through her own effort and never loses her kindness or her sunshiney personality.
- I liked that there was a redemption arc for Dohmnall and that his friendship with Ronan survived.
My only criticism would be that I did feel at times that the characters solved all the mysteries of who was betraying them a bit too quickly.
I couldn’t tell when reading if this book was the start of a series but I hope so. There were still a lot of things that I think could be explored more, the storyline of Clia and Rioghain’s jewel didn’t feel finished to me and I would like to see Clia confront her parents and prove them wrong. I also really loved these characters and would happily spend some more time with them.
Overall, this is a really fun romantic fantasy, don’t take it too seriously and you’ll have a great time with it.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read this ARC, I loved it!
I have heard this book described as a fantasy re-telling of Legally Blonde and I loved that nostalgic rom-com premise. The story does lose a bit of its sparkle when it moves into the more battle heavy final part but by then I cared about Clia and her friends and needed to know what happens.
What I loved in particular:
- Murphy - I loved that sea monster/puppy.
- Clia - she was such a likeable main character. She achieves so much through her own effort and never loses her kindness or her sunshiney personality.
- I liked that there was a redemption arc for Dohmnall and that his friendship with Ronan survived.
My only criticism would be that I did feel at times that the characters solved all the mysteries of who was betraying them a bit too quickly.
I couldn’t tell when reading if this book was the start of a series but I hope so. There were still a lot of things that I think could be explored more, the storyline of Clia and Rioghain’s jewel didn’t feel finished to me and I would like to see Clia confront her parents and prove them wrong. I also really loved these characters and would happily spend some more time with them.
Overall, this is a really fun romantic fantasy, don’t take it too seriously and you’ll have a great time with it.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read this ARC, I loved it!
The Princess Knight (ARC) by Cait Jacobs
Stars: ★★★★★
Let me just start by saying that I am obsessed!
The Princess Knight is a debut novel from Jacobs and I am impressed to say the least! My favorite character is without a doubt Ronan, and it was so refreshing to find another character that battles chronic pain in a way that is similar to my own struggles. Kian is an incredible non-binary character that actually feels natural in the plot, which I have been waiting to find for so long, and the rep doesn’t stop there.
I absolutely loved everything about this debut from the beginning. Clia is a captivating FMC, one that has to put in the effort to get where she ends up at the end of the novel. Watching her grow from a sheltered princess, the struggles and heartbreak she endures, to the ability she develops to stand her ground and fight for her world is incredible. Even from the ending of her betrothal, I knew love was in her future, and I am so, so happy Ronan got his chance - I was cheering him on from their first interaction, and more so once it was clear he was developing feelings for her. I cannot imagine anyone better for her considering how loyal/dedicated Ronan is, not just to her but to everything else in his life.
I cannot wait for more from Jacobs, and I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this to display on my shelves!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Voyager, and Cait Jacobs for allowing me to read the ARC of this incredible debut novel!
Stars: ★★★★★
Let me just start by saying that I am obsessed!
The Princess Knight is a debut novel from Jacobs and I am impressed to say the least! My favorite character is without a doubt Ronan, and it was so refreshing to find another character that battles chronic pain in a way that is similar to my own struggles. Kian is an incredible non-binary character that actually feels natural in the plot, which I have been waiting to find for so long, and the rep doesn’t stop there.
I absolutely loved everything about this debut from the beginning. Clia is a captivating FMC, one that has to put in the effort to get where she ends up at the end of the novel. Watching her grow from a sheltered princess, the struggles and heartbreak she endures, to the ability she develops to stand her ground and fight for her world is incredible. Even from the ending of her betrothal, I knew love was in her future, and I am so, so happy Ronan got his chance - I was cheering him on from their first interaction, and more so once it was clear he was developing feelings for her. I cannot imagine anyone better for her considering how loyal/dedicated Ronan is, not just to her but to everything else in his life.
I cannot wait for more from Jacobs, and I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this to display on my shelves!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Voyager, and Cait Jacobs for allowing me to read the ARC of this incredible debut novel!
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Cait Jacobs and Avon Books for providing me with an ARC.
This was a very fun read overall. I enjoyed the adaptation of Legally Blonde for this type of story. That being said, as an older reader the story was a smidge too on the nose to major plot points of Legally Blonde so I unfortunately wasn't surprised by anything. Clía and Ronan were a very cute pairing. I also would have loved a name pronunciation guide for everyone. I know I undoubtedly was mispronouncing them the whole time I was reading.
This was a very fun read overall. I enjoyed the adaptation of Legally Blonde for this type of story. That being said, as an older reader the story was a smidge too on the nose to major plot points of Legally Blonde so I unfortunately wasn't surprised by anything. Clía and Ronan were a very cute pairing. I also would have loved a name pronunciation guide for everyone. I know I undoubtedly was mispronouncing them the whole time I was reading.
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“She may never be the best, but that could be forgiven as long as she didn’t stop.”
Legally Blonde meets Knights.
My interest was immediately piqued! Combined with the title and the beautiful cover, I was all set to start this book. And what an adventure I ended up in!
Ellenong names that I could not remember with any possibility but belonged to a host of amazing characters I started this book and immediately I flew through it. I was immediately full into the story of Clía who is determined to chase Domhnall to one of the most prestigious military academies without ever having even held a sword.
Stubborn but with a lot of perseverance (and a little help), she clumsily sets to work, after all, quitting is not in her vocabulary. It is the ideal ingredient for great character development and a discovery of how the world works.
With a sword in her hands and a treacherous heart, the stone walls have a lot more to offer than she expected in the beginning.
This book managed to exceed my expectations. Although it was rather predictable at some points and luck seemed to be perhaps a little too much on their side, above all, it was a great book to have a good read through and just let it come at you. The extra deep layers of betrayal, war and strategy is something I personally am always a big fan of, these were allowed to be even more present for me. Just like some characters come across just a bit too much as plot points and as it came out in the story.
Besides a rather personal point, I am always looking for stories that know how to map out what it is like to live with pain. Not just mental but also physical pain, something this book managed to warm my heart from.
This is an ARC read thanks to Netgalley
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Princess Knight, formally titled Medievally Blonde, is a wholesome debut friends to lovers medieval fantasy romance, loosely inspired by Legally Blonde, that is set in a queer normative world with adventure, rich world building and incredible lived experience disability representation. I quickly connected with the characters and engaging plot of this fantasy world and felt very seen in the disability representation. The Princess Knight features an autistic heroine and love interest with chronic pain, coming of age themes, female friendships, court political intrigue and Celtic inspired folklore. The story follows a princess who is desperate to win back the prince who broke their engagement and her heart. She follows him to his kingdom’s prestigious military academy and in doing so, falls in love, saves the realm and continues to look fabulous.
The fade-to-black, slow burning friends to lovers romance in this story felt very wholesome and authentic. As Ronan and Clía train together and get to know each other more, there is a natural progression in their relationship, from secret pining and delightful banter to beautifully unfiltered vulnerability. Ronan and Clía really complemented each other as a couple, especially in their strengths, weaknesses and problem solving. This romance was so sweet and all around, just chef’s kiss!
Clía is a clever, kind and determined princess. She is refreshingly straightforward, loves dressmaking (and is really good at it!) and has the cutest little animal sidekick. She is also autistic. The autism representation is subtle and beautifully portrayed from start to finish. Ronan is the captain of the prince’s guard and best friend. He is a kind, loyal, ambitious knight and struggles with chronic pain. It was sweet to watch him fall hard for Clía, especially when he trains her (forced proximity coming in clutch). I loved seeing Clía grow into herself as she navigates sensory issues, chronic people pleasing and learns swordsmanship for the first time. She grows into an assertive, brave and confident warrior while finding love and learning to not need validation from others. What, like it’s hard?
I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of the Princess Knight when it releases! This book was so fun, I did not want to put it down! If you are looking for your next medievally blonde romantasy with humor, adventure and an autistic heroine, I can’t recommend the Princess Knight enough!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon Books and Harper Voyager for a copy of this ARC! I absolutely loved it!