Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Sophie Gonzales’ newest release, Nobody in Particular. I can’t think of a better way to kick off Pride month! Gonzales is one of my favorite authors of queer YA novels, and I’ve been looking forward to picking this newest one up for a while. Did it live up to my expectations? Read on to find out!

Young Royals meets The Prince and Me when a disgraced princess falls for a new student at their all-girls boarding school, but the two must hide their forbidden love at all costs.

Princess Rosemary of Henland can’t afford distractions. She’s working tirelessly to repair her image following a scandal that lost the trust of both her country and her best friend. Unfortunately, when a beautiful and funny new student joins her boarding school, Rose finds herself quite distracted indeed.

Attending Bramppath College on a music scholarship, talented pianist Danni expects to be an outcast amongst the wealthy children of the elite, but she is pleasantly surprised to be taken in by the ex-best friend of the princess. The more Danni gets to know her new classmates, the more intrigued she becomes by Rose.

When somebody sees something they shouldn’t and rumors circulate throughout Henland, Rose and Danni must either find a way to deflect the ever-increasing eyes on their relationship, or end it altogether. Because one thing is clear: if Rose’s fragile reputation takes any more hits, the palace will do whatever they must to separate Rose and Danni. Forever.

***Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

Royalty, boarding school, and a sapphic love story all penned by Sophie Gonzales… There was no way that I wasn’t reading Nobody in Particular. I’m a huge fan of this author, and every one of those story elements is one of my favorites. So, it seemed like this book was perfect for me. Unsurprisingly, I really, really loved it.

Both of the main characters in Nobody in Particular were quite compelling. Danni struggled with the aftermath of being bullied at her previous school, which resulted in anxiety and difficulty trusting others and making friends. She hated being in the spotlight because attention in the past usually led to ridicule. Over the course of the story, Danni developed confidence in herself and became more comfortable being perceived by others. There were plenty of bumps in the road along the way, including a pretty awful outing experience, but she managed to grow into a young woman who was confident in her skin.

Rose faced a lot of obstacles in Nobody in Particular. Her royal status felt like a cage that kept her from being her true self. Those restrictions were a toxic mix with the PTSD she experienced from watching a friend die. As a result, she essentially became a walking shell of a person that dissociated a majority of the time. Her relationship with Danni put her issues into focus and ultimately led to her needing to decide if hiding everything that made her unique was truly the best way for her to serve her country.

Rose and Danni had great chemistry, and I really bought into their relationship. They had a wonderful friend group, as well. Of course, it wasn’t without its drama. They were teenagers after all. It would have been weirder if there wasn’t any angst. lol. My only issue with the story was that I wanted more world-building. Both the foreign country and the boarding school felt like little more than a backdrop. I enjoyed the story’s focus on character, but I would’ve loved to see more of Henland and the academic study of the girls.

Overall, Nobody in Particular was another fantastic queer YA romance from Gonzales. It had everything I expected from a royal-entangled love story set at a boarding school. The characters had such great depth, and I was wholly invested in their struggles as they figured out what it meant to be their authentic selves. Therefore, I rate the book 4.25 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales. It was yet another great story from one of my favorite authors. Have you read any books by Gonzales? Let me know your thoughts on them down in the comments!