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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
3.75✨
Thank you to NetGalley & Avon/Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I think this was an incredible debut by Cait Jacobs - especially for fans of fantasy, adventure and Legally Blonde! I regret to inform you I haven't seen the movie HOWEVER the bend and snap reference was still just as iconic (and I will now be watching Legally Blonde immediately)
One of my favorite things about The Princess Knight was how relatable both Clía & Ronan were for me. The chronic illness representation really hit home for me as a person who is learning how to deal with her own chronic illness, so many of my highlighted quotes/notes are about Ronan overdoing it and just *dealing* with the pain he has. I loved the neurodivergent representation with Clía's character, too! Her determination is truly admirable, we love a floor sitting queen!
Can we also talk about how talented Elithien is?! She did such a beautiful job bringing Clía & Ronan to life - this cover lives rent free in my head at all times.
I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book - "It's okay to have limits. We all do. It's not a reflection of who you are. But when you keep pushing yourself, despite knowing you shouldn't, you're only hurting yourself and those who care about you."
Thank you to NetGalley & Avon/Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I think this was an incredible debut by Cait Jacobs - especially for fans of fantasy, adventure and Legally Blonde! I regret to inform you I haven't seen the movie HOWEVER the bend and snap reference was still just as iconic (and I will now be watching Legally Blonde immediately)
One of my favorite things about The Princess Knight was how relatable both Clía & Ronan were for me. The chronic illness representation really hit home for me as a person who is learning how to deal with her own chronic illness, so many of my highlighted quotes/notes are about Ronan overdoing it and just *dealing* with the pain he has. I loved the neurodivergent representation with Clía's character, too! Her determination is truly admirable, we love a floor sitting queen!
Can we also talk about how talented Elithien is?! She did such a beautiful job bringing Clía & Ronan to life - this cover lives rent free in my head at all times.
I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book - "It's okay to have limits. We all do. It's not a reflection of who you are. But when you keep pushing yourself, despite knowing you shouldn't, you're only hurting yourself and those who care about you."
Medievally Blonde was a killer title, and part of me is still mourning the loss of that brilliance, but I am also a huge fan of The Princess Knight and understand the change. The comparison to Legally Blonde had me immediately intrigued (as a certified Elle Woods enthusiast, I’ve been known to quote her), so when I heard about this book, I was convinced it was tailor made for me.
And in many ways, The Princess Knight should have been my perfect read. There’s so much here to admire: a queernormative world with nuanced chronic pain and autistic representation? Yes, yes, and yes! So needed and so perfect. I loved how those elements were thoughtfully woven into the narrative without feeling shoehorned in or overly explanatory and Cait Jacobs clearly cares deeply about this story and its message.
The worldbuilding was solid and imaginative, and I appreciated the Celtic myth inspired backdrop. Plus, the friendships (especially the female ones!) were a highlight. They were genuine, sweet, and occasionally surprising. Clía herself was also a bright spot. Her growth arc, from heartbroken princess to formidable warrior, was compelling, and I adored that she never sacrificed her femininity for strength. Sewing, sword fighting, and self discovery? Iconic combo.
But… now for what I did not like as much.
The biggest hurdle for me was the age mismatch. This is marketed as an adult fantasy (and the cover certainly suggests older characters), but the actual story reads more like upper YA. Ronan is nineteen. NINETEEN! Which would be fine—great, even—if that was what I was signing up for. But when you promise me Legally Blonde and deliver something more like Throne of Glass, you’ve set an expectation that the story just doesn’t quite meet. The characters, their behavior, the pacing, and the plot twists all felt a bit too young and predictable to fully deliver on the adult fantasy angle.
Romance wise, I loved the friends to lovers setup, but I needed more yearning, more tension, more chemistry than what I got. I was cheering for Clía and Ronan, but the romantic development felt undercooked. They had amazing friend chemistry, but the romantic spark just didn’t fully ignite for me. And as someone who rarely begs for more romance, that says something.
Lastly, the politics felt a little shallow. I typically live for a juicy subplot filled with court intrigue and strategic maneuvering, but that element never quite came to life in a satisfying way.
Overall, The Princess Knight is a heartfelt, unique, and promising debut that I think will resonate well with those who are okay with more of a YA fantasy who want inclusive rep, a fierce yet feminine FMC, and a lighter romantic adventure. For me, I didn’t love it, but I did really like it! But I truly hope it finds the right audience, because there’s real magic here and I know so many will love it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Cait Jacobs, and Harper Voyager for the eARC of this book.
And in many ways, The Princess Knight should have been my perfect read. There’s so much here to admire: a queernormative world with nuanced chronic pain and autistic representation? Yes, yes, and yes! So needed and so perfect. I loved how those elements were thoughtfully woven into the narrative without feeling shoehorned in or overly explanatory and Cait Jacobs clearly cares deeply about this story and its message.
The worldbuilding was solid and imaginative, and I appreciated the Celtic myth inspired backdrop. Plus, the friendships (especially the female ones!) were a highlight. They were genuine, sweet, and occasionally surprising. Clía herself was also a bright spot. Her growth arc, from heartbroken princess to formidable warrior, was compelling, and I adored that she never sacrificed her femininity for strength. Sewing, sword fighting, and self discovery? Iconic combo.
But… now for what I did not like as much.
The biggest hurdle for me was the age mismatch. This is marketed as an adult fantasy (and the cover certainly suggests older characters), but the actual story reads more like upper YA. Ronan is nineteen. NINETEEN! Which would be fine—great, even—if that was what I was signing up for. But when you promise me Legally Blonde and deliver something more like Throne of Glass, you’ve set an expectation that the story just doesn’t quite meet. The characters, their behavior, the pacing, and the plot twists all felt a bit too young and predictable to fully deliver on the adult fantasy angle.
Romance wise, I loved the friends to lovers setup, but I needed more yearning, more tension, more chemistry than what I got. I was cheering for Clía and Ronan, but the romantic development felt undercooked. They had amazing friend chemistry, but the romantic spark just didn’t fully ignite for me. And as someone who rarely begs for more romance, that says something.
Lastly, the politics felt a little shallow. I typically live for a juicy subplot filled with court intrigue and strategic maneuvering, but that element never quite came to life in a satisfying way.
Overall, The Princess Knight is a heartfelt, unique, and promising debut that I think will resonate well with those who are okay with more of a YA fantasy who want inclusive rep, a fierce yet feminine FMC, and a lighter romantic adventure. For me, I didn’t love it, but I did really like it! But I truly hope it finds the right audience, because there’s real magic here and I know so many will love it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Cait Jacobs, and Harper Voyager for the eARC of this book.
adventurous
emotional
funny
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 Cait Jacobs, publishers and NetGalley for giving me the oppurtunity to read this ARC.
I had so much fun reading this novel. Legally Blonde mixed with medieval knights and princesses and some aspects of magic in there as well.
Clia is the crown princess of Alainndore and after being rejected by a man she goes to Caislean Costa to become a knight and win him back (what, like it’s hard?) Throughout her journey she meets and trains with Ronan where he trains her and fall in love. The side characters are all so different and bring such a found family feeling throughout the book. And MURPHY is the cutest little killer you will ever meet.
The plot mirrors some aspects of Legally Blonde but has a uniqueness that Cait Jacob’s writes so well. The plot twists and turns and you will be kicking your feet, bawling your eyes and screaming all at the same time.
When I say read it… JUST READ IT. You will not be disappointed.
I had so much fun reading this novel. Legally Blonde mixed with medieval knights and princesses and some aspects of magic in there as well.
Clia is the crown princess of Alainndore and after being rejected by a man she goes to Caislean Costa to become a knight and win him back (what, like it’s hard?) Throughout her journey she meets and trains with Ronan where he trains her and fall in love. The side characters are all so different and bring such a found family feeling throughout the book. And MURPHY is the cutest little killer you will ever meet.
The plot mirrors some aspects of Legally Blonde but has a uniqueness that Cait Jacob’s writes so well. The plot twists and turns and you will be kicking your feet, bawling your eyes and screaming all at the same time.
When I say read it… JUST READ IT. You will not be disappointed.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
While "medieval fantasy legally blonde" is an apt descriptor, it does fall short of a tall order w that comp.
This definitely read more as a YA fantasy while I was expecting a bit more adult going into it, but on the plus side, there's a lot of LGBTQ rep (queer world, main MC's are queer, non-binary side character). There was a good amount of creativity with inspiration from Celtic origin.
I really wanted to love this, but I just found that the writing and the characters didn't really draw me in the way I would've liked and hearing a comparison like legally blonde makes me expect a high level of comedy, which was not in this. The romance unfortunately fell a bit flat for me because I just expected more buildup and again, I just wasn't wowed by the characters.
Overall, it was just an OK read for me but a solid debut nonetheless.
This definitely read more as a YA fantasy while I was expecting a bit more adult going into it, but on the plus side, there's a lot of LGBTQ rep (queer world, main MC's are queer, non-binary side character). There was a good amount of creativity with inspiration from Celtic origin.
I really wanted to love this, but I just found that the writing and the characters didn't really draw me in the way I would've liked and hearing a comparison like legally blonde makes me expect a high level of comedy, which was not in this. The romance unfortunately fell a bit flat for me because I just expected more buildup and again, I just wasn't wowed by the characters.
Overall, it was just an OK read for me but a solid debut nonetheless.
an honest arc review ♡
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
This one fell short of the mark for me. I'm almost ashamed to say I didn't catch that this is based on Legally Blonde, but I'm not sure this extra knowledge would have done anything to help its rating.
Clia is a cute character, but everyone else seems to fall short. There's a lack of depth to the plot, and the pacing is rushed. There just wasn't enough to fully immerse me in the world or attach me to any of the characters for me to excuse the superficiality of the novel. It's fine. It's cute. But not much more.
Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
Clia is a cute character, but everyone else seems to fall short. There's a lack of depth to the plot, and the pacing is rushed. There just wasn't enough to fully immerse me in the world or attach me to any of the characters for me to excuse the superficiality of the novel. It's fine. It's cute. But not much more.
Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
adventurous
I wanted to love this so much, but in the end it was just okay for me. The star of this book for me was Clia. I really loved while she became stronger (physically and mentally) she still maintained her femininity. She’s still a princess who loves sewing and dress making. She still cares about her looks but can still destroy you if necessary. I enjoyed watching her ambitions and personality grow throughout the story. I also really liked the female friendships that were formed in this story, but the expected and unexpected ones. I just never connected fully to the story. I usually never complain about a book having not enough time romance, but for me I wish there was more of it. I liked that the love interests were friends first. I loved them as friends. They compliment each other so well. I just never felt like they were building up to being romantic with one another, although it is quite obvious they are supposed to. I guess I just wanted more yearning. The two often felt immature with their feelings, which surprised me for a book that is marketed as adult. Their behavior felt more young adult. I wish we had more world building. I normally enjoy political intrigue in fantasy but the politics in this just didn’t do it for me.
This book was originally called “Medievally Blonde,” which is an awesome title for a fantasy rom com. But this wasn’t really that, so I think the title change was appropriate. It matches the story much better.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest review!
medium-paced
First, I would like to thank Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book. I found myself conflicted while rating it. I really enjoyed the characters and their development, as well as the representation throughout the story. However, I felt that the plot fell a bit flat for me.
The book follows Princess Clía, who enrolls in a military academy to win back her betrothal and secure her kingdom’s future after her engagement is broken off. At the same academy, Warrior Ronan is trying to stay focused but is often distracted by Princess Clía. While the premise of the plot sounded exciting, I think the pacing throughout the book ultimately diminished my enjoyment. There were moments when the story was engaging, but there were also times when it felt slow, with repetitive situations occurring.
If you enjoy character-driven stories with great world-building, along with queer and disability representation, you will likely appreciate this narrative. The story offers a new and refreshing perspective.
Thank you again to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book!
please buckle in for a heaping serving of mixed signals, direct from my thoughts to your screen! i had an incredibly hard time rating this book for a multitude of reasons – it was a decent read overall, but i had incredibly high expectations that weren’t met, it’s marketed as adult but i feel like it reads more as YA – you get the gist. there’s a lot at play here! that doesn’t even get into the fact that i, myself, am a certified legally blonde superfan. so much so that my girlfriend made fun of me for quoting lines multiple times before characters even uttered them. needless to say, this book felt like it should be made for me.
i do want to start off by saying that i think this is a unique narrative with well-rounded worldbuilding. i really appreciated seeing autistic & chronic pain rep in a queernormative world – i thought these were really well done! the representation was lovingly woven into the story and characters without feeling clunky or overwrought, which isn’t always easy to do. unfortunately, for me personally, the age of the characters in this story is where they really started to lose me.
as this is categorized and marketed as an adult book (and judging based on the appearance of the characters on the cover), i assumed that these characters would probably be in their twenties. this is especially true if we consider the legally blonde connection, which has been heavily referenced time and time again (including its former title, medievally blonde), in which the main characters are either in law school (elle, warner, vivian, etc.) or practicing lawyers (emmett). imagine my surprise when ronan said that he’s nineteen!!! nineteen. omg. this is where the mixed signals really come in – this isn’t necessarily a bad choice, if that’s the book you want to write. but it’s not the choice i want to see. i was hoping for a slightly more adult narrative, but it absolutely read as YA instead – the way things magically fell into clía’s lap over and over, the way it flowed very smoothly into the typical beats of a YA fantasy narrative (one character made a comment early in the book and i immediately clocked a betrayal plot twist that came true later on). i could see the bones of the legally blonde narrative guiding the structure underneath, and while i did enjoy clía’s warrior journey to prove herself, it didn’t shine quite as bright as the original. and that’s okay! it just wasn’t the one for me.
if you’re looking for something that skews on the young/new adult fantasy line, i think you’ll enjoy this a lot. there’s excellent worldbuilding, great queer & disability rep, and a fun narrative that feels fresh. i really do hope this book finds its audience!
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
A really fun meet-cute between celtic mythology and legally blonde! I had a lot of fun reading this adventure, and I thought it had a great balance between romance, fantasy, and military strategy lol. This book has so many fun ideas and the way all the legally blonde references were able to be seamlessly wound in with celtic fantasy and magic, it was honestly very impressive and I was absolutely hooked! Cait Jacobs did a phenomenal job with this and I found myself hooked on every character and how the story would play out. I liked how long it was, most the time fantasy romances are too short, and not enough time is spent on the world building, but this book had a great mix of slowly introducing the romance while the world building and fantasy elements really got to shine and round out the characters! The romance was also very very well done, I found myself rooting and swooning for them throughout the whole story.
This was an absolute delight of a book! Highly highly recommend!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager/Avon for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an absolute delight of a book! Highly highly recommend!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager/Avon for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.