The UNDERCOVER PRINCESS offers a lively and adventurous narrative with endearing protagonists and an engaging mystery element. However, its weaknesses lie in the lack of depth in supporting characters, simplistic language, inadequate world-building, and a plot that feels forced.
The writing and storyline often come across as messy and cringeworthy, despite the evident passion behind the work. As a fan of boarding school mysteries, there was initial excitement and hope for an enthralling read.
Unfortunately, the narrative voice feels inexperienced and awkward, relying too heavily on telling rather than showing. This results in stilted prose and unnecessary over-explanation. Dialogues are particularly problematic, with frequent amateur errors like excessive caps-lock use and repetitive name restatements. Moreover, there are inconsistencies in spelling and grammar throughout the text.
Thank you for Netgalley for the book copy.

What a delightful introduction to The Rosewood Chronicles! While it’s not the first book I’ve read that featured royals and boarding schools, the characters are an utter joy, turning the overdone trope of royal switcharoo into something more magical. Lottie is incredibly charming, and I especially love the bond she ends up forming with Ellie and Jamie, as complex as it sometimes might be with Maravish royal life and “rules” complicating matters. (I do want to see more of Ollie, too. And Binah!)

My favorite part though is the whole thing about Partizans and Portmans. It’s a beautiful, unique piece of lore that opens up a lot of possibilities in storytelling. Sure, we can’t really avoid politics and betrayal when we’re talking about royals, but Connie found a way to impart a more powerful message: loyalty.

May this book be an inspiration to everyone everywhere. The characters might be teenagers, but who says adults can’t learn a thing or two from them? Be righteous, be resolute, be resourceful. Be kind, be brave, be unstoppable.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING: Princess Kururu from the Puppet Princess of Marl's Kingdom 2 Original Soundtrack

I will not be giving feedback on this book as I couldn’t really get into it but I think others may enjoy it.

To celebrate the release of the fifth book in the Rosewood Chronicles, I've finally read the first one, Undercover Princess.

This is a whimsical and engaging Middle Grade adventure that I would have gobbled up as a ten-year-old.

Personally, I found the writing a bit clunky in places, but the story more than made up for it.

The characters are likeable. The protagonist is one hard-working Lottie Pumpkin (yes, that is her name!) who has been accepted to attend a prestigious boarding school on a scholarship. That's where she meets Ellie.

Ellie is the kind of character I love. Rebellious, sassy, laughs in the face of authority, and causes trouble wherever she goes.

Their blossoming friendship is one of the highlights of this book.

My favourite part was the setting. Rosewood Hall is quintessentially British, and I adored the quaintness of the gothic boarding school. It reminded me of curling up with Enid Blyton novels as a child.

I'd recommend this series for children aged 10-14, who enjoy both Harry Potter and The Princess Diaries - I'm showing my age here, whoops.

Undercover Princess is essentially an adorable fairytale with princesses and fencing. What's not to like?

I love anything magical, whimsical, mysterious, anything that speaks of a happily ever after, and when I read this passage I was immediately sucked in. Think The Princess Diaries meets The Princess Protection Program meets the Princess Switch, and you will have something like this book – and yet it is its very own story with its unique take on the princess and ordinary girl meet at a posh school and… well.

Lottie is an ordinary girl who promised her mother before she passed away to always be brave, and since her biggest wish was to attend Rosewood Hall – one of the best, most posh schools in England, she does her best to achieve this goal.

Lottie isn’t the only main character. There is also Ellie, an actual princess, whose only goal it was to spend a few more of her teenage years out of the spotlights of the other royalty. Her biggest wish is to attend Rosewood Hall (sound familiar?) and stay undercover for a little while longer. Only her father, the king, has other plans…

Through a misunderstanding, many lies and coincidences it so happens that Lottie ends up who people think is the princess, and that’s only just the beginning… But was Ellie’s father right, and is the princess (or the girl people think is the princess) really in danger?

I absolutely loved this story. It was deep, funny, hilarious at times, sometimes mysterious. It had friendship, a posh school in England, a royal family, an ordinary girl feeling out of place, parties, swapped identities, fairytales, and so much more. The writing style flows so naturally, I could hardly stop once I had started reading!

Lottie Pumpkin has worked hard to fulfil her mother’s dream of attending Rosewood Hall school. There she has to share a room with the rebellious Ellie, an undercover princess. However, when Lottie’s new friends suspect her of being the undercover princess she is stupefied and can’t do anything to convince them otherwise! Lottie soon becomes a steadfast friend to Ellie, allowing her to live her dream of leading a normal teenage life whilst simultaneously, Lottie can live out her dream of being a royal, pampered lady. Ellie’s history is steeped in legends and a royal line that has been crowned for generations. Lottie’s parentage and heritage is more mysterious. Her father is mentioned but with no real detail and her mother passed away, leaving her a cryptic tiara that has been passed down from a previous ancestor who attended Rosewood Hall school. As readers, we are left feeling like there is much more to Lottie Pumpkin’s story than first meets the eye and this leaves us feeling intrigued as to what might be revealed in the rest of the book and in deed the series!

Rosewood Hall school is lifted from the pages of a fantastical realm with a huge dollop of quintessential Britishness. It lies within its own magical realm of English quaintness with wisteria covered gothic architecture, traditional student houses and lethal bodyguards trained to protect the elite students. The house mothers are described as forces of nature and embody the schools values whilst the shrinking violet Headmaster is rarely seen or heard. The setting really captures the readers heart and is filled with delicious detail to keep you wanting to find out more about its history and secrecies. Lottie soon befriends the library assistant Binah, who begins to give the girls cryptic puzzles to solve that lead to more information about some of the school’s mysteries. Like the best boarding schools, it clearly has lots of skeletons in its closets!

Besides the main characters of Lottie and Ellie, whose blossoming friendship is endearing and sweet. There are a whole host of privileged, snooty students whom the girls never know whether to hang around with or retreat from suspiciously. Jamie is introduced as Ellie’s brooding bodyguard and is soon responsible for Lottie’s safety too. Jamie’s past, like Lottie’s, is shrouded in more questions than answers. Lottie frequently questions his motives for becoming such a young bodyguard, his relationship with Ellie and his ever-changing personality. Jamie becomes yet another puzzle to crack in the unfolding of the tale. There are lots of LGBTQ sparks and other romantic sparks that appear to flame-up and die-down, perhaps paving the way for potential future romances in the rest of the series, leaving us plenty of couples to root for.

Undercover Princess is a perfect middle grade book for lovers of fairy tales, Princess Diaries and Harry Potter all rolled into one. There is some mild violence in the book but I would still recommend it for 11-14. This isn’t my usual type of read however, I am glad to have given it a go, it brought me a sense of nostalgia for my youth and the books I used to read as a teenager. For lovers of YA fantasy, light academia or light-hearted fantasy, you can’t go wrong with this novel. Look out for my review of the fifth title in the series, Princess Ever After, coming next week which is available now.

Undercover Princess is a bit of a difficult book to describe. It is kind of an upper middle grade or lower young adult book, and though it is classified as fantasy, I have a hard time giving it that label. The book barely has any fantasy elements in it other than the fact that there’s nobility involved. There are a few instances of possibly-magical influences affecting the plot, but these are never explicitly verified. I can only imagine that the series will get more fantastical as the books progress.

The other thing that makes this a hard book to describe is the fact that it’s supposed to take place during modern times (there’s mentions of cell phones, video games, etc.) but it feels very historical. The characters are forced to give up their cell phones once the term starts, so a majority of the book seems like it takes place in the past rather than in current day. I’m not sure why there was a choice to make this a contemporary rather than a historical fantasy because I think it might have worked better in historical contexts.

I think this book will definitely appeal to a lot of younger teens, especially those around the main character’s ages (14 years old). It has a lot of cute elements and a variety of character dynamics that anyone would enjoy. Lottie and Ellie, in particular, have the most amazing friendship and the addition of Jamie to make it a trio only served to make their interactions even better. There were a few times I was confused by the writing: the aforementioned note about the historical-ness of it, as well as a strange repetition of the word “anti-thesis” that bothered me considering this is a middle grade/lower YA and that’s not a word I hear a lot. Perhaps it’s used more in the UK?

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to young teens who love royalty and fairytales as well as any adults who are interested!

Fun, adorable and such a wonderful read however it didn't always hold my attention. I would continue with the series probably as I loved the ending! I did love how magical it felt and the trope of found family, I just felt like the pacing was slightly off.

This book was such an absolute delight – I would like to read the others in the series like, now, please.

14-year-old Lottie is accepted at Rosewood Hall, and leaves Cornwall to attend school with the type of people she’s only read about in fairy tales. To top things off, Lottie’s roommate is a real-life princess, though undercover at the school and trying to live a normal teenage life. Luckily for Ellie, there’s already a rumour that Lottie is the mysterious princess, and Lottie strives to do everything she can to make sure Ellie can live a more normal life.

Like similar books, it’s the relationships that at the core of this book. Ellie and Lottie become friends, but there’s others around them, too, though it quickly becomes clear they can’t trust everyone in the school. I liked the school setting, and the different characters populating it, especially with the teachers at a slight remove from the pupils – they don’t really get involved, and it feels realistic with this age group dealing with adults.

Ellie wants to experience freedom, and Lottie is delighted for a glimpse into the world of royalty, even with the dangers this presents. Their friendship was really sweet, and the characters grow alongside each other, navigating various issues that crop up, and learning more about each other and the school as they do.

I have to admit, outside Ellie and Lottie, my other favourite characters were Jamie and Binah. Jamie is stern and protective, willing to go to any lengths to protect the princess in his charge. And Binah was a joy whenever she was on the page, doling out her facts and knowledge in a really non-pretentious way, and trying to guide her friends without being overbearing.

The writing is really engaging, keeping things hidden from the reader without it feeling forced. The friendships are really lovely, especially as Ellie and Lottie grow closer, and there’s no true ‘bully’ character who seems determined to drive them out of the school – which is good, because between the king who doesn’t want his daughter to attend the school in the first place, Jamie’s determination to keep them safe, and mysterious messages left for Lottie, there’s plenty of other things conspiring to get them out of Rosewood!

Again, this book was a delight, and I was smiling the whole way while reading it. I will absolutely be trying to read the next few in the series, too!

This is a lovely story which I did enjoy from the start. Lottie has worked hard studying and has finally managed to get a chance to go to Rosewood Hall, a boarding school for the teens of some of the richest families in the world. Lottie isn’t rich, she entered the school as a rare bursary student, but it isn’t long before rumours start about Lottie, rumours that she’s more than she seems.

I liked this story from the start and it’s easy to get into right away. There is a brief prologue following some other characters and then the majority of the story follows Lottie as she experiences her first time at Rosewood and begins to settle in. I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, there’s a mix of different students at Rosewood and Lottie soon makes friends with some of them including her roommate Ellie. I liked how different Ellie and Lottie were and how well they fit together despite a few problems when they first meet.

The story is interesting. I like how a misunderstanding begins about Lottie but later escalates until everyone believes she is a princess. I don’t want to spoil the story but it is good and I like how we get to see more of the place where the real princess who is at the school comes from, Maradova. There are several characters who I liked including Jamie. He’s very different and at first we don’t quite know what to make of him but things are revealed as you read on and I enjoyed his character and relationship with both Lottie and Ellie.

Although I did enjoy this story, it was a little predictable in parts. The prologue at the start was not really necessary in my opinion. There were two moments when two different characters have something revealed about themselves, and the prologue meant that these two moments that probably should have been some great twists, were things I had already worked out, and so didn’t feel such a shock. I also felt like Lottie, though I absolutely love her love of princesses and her overall character, for her age she felt a little too naive. The book is aimed at older children/middle grade, though I was initially confused as it was listed as YA too on NetGalley, however it does feel like a younger teens book and is a good and fun read, though a touch predictable in certain places.

The ending is good and satisfying. I like how everything works out. There were some good moments where I didn’t know what would happen and I like how dramatic things got towards the end with something big happening to Lottie. I do like how things wrap up and the fact that there’s obviously a sequel book, or books, where we get to know more about the characters, which I am keen on reading. It’s good book and I love the royal twist and how we get to see some magical royal moments, but overall this book was good but just wasn’t as amazing as I thought it would be. I am definitely keen to read more of the series, I want to see what happens to everyone, but the fact that it felt a little predictable in places, and that unnecessary (for me) prologue, made it a little less than perfect for me. I think it may also have been some confusion for me about what age it’s aimed at too, as the characters are all fourteen/fifteen, and not children and are starting to experience romantic relationships which I don’t usually read that much of in middle grade books. But it is still a good and fun read for younger teens. :)

This was so much fun to read. I loved the trio and their relationship dynamics has many layers. There's much to learn from them. I can't wait to pick the next book and meet them again.

I have seen the formula before. Apart from the obvious fairy tale narrative, Undercover Princess follows a similar pattern to a young adult fantasy series about The Boy Who Lived. Knowing this is a double-edged sword. On one hand, I confess myself impressed with how the plot unraveled. On the other, I can’t help but think of that other text when I see a similarity that sticks out like a sore thumb. Check out my full review in my blog.

Undercover Princess is the first instalment of The Rosewood Chronicles and I always have and always will be a big lover of Princesses and fairytales. So I knew without a doubt Undercover Princess would be the perfect book for me, and I wasn’t wrong. I immediately thought of The Princess Diaries and I couldn’t help getting excited to read on.

Since reading Bad Habits last year, I’ve become such a fan of boarding school settings and this book is no exception as the majority of the book is set in the majestic Rosewood Hall. I think the author described the whole school beautifully, I could really see myself being there. This just added to the many reasons of why I loved this book. It was great to see what subjects certain students excelled in or didn’t as it adds more to their characters and definitely makes it more realistic, but there were some things such as classes that were skipped over throughout. As the book went on, I become more and more intrigued by the super cute story and the mystery that started to be unveiled. It’s extremely hard to put down once you get lost in all the secrets of the Princess of Mardova.

Ellie has to be the star of the book for me with her fiery personality but her friendship with Lottie honestly gave such a joyous feeling. The development between them both is something to hold onto because what started out as a rocky start still led their friendship to blossom. I feel like I connected more with Ellie, not just because we have the same name but her dark, moody attitude really resonates with me. Similar to The Princess Switch films that came out a few years ago (which I also loved), Ellie just wants to be a normal girl and this is progressively shown through her rebellious actions and like I said before her moods.

Lottie is definitely the shy one of the two but continuously works hard to achieve what she wants. Just like she did when she was awarded the bursary to go to Rosewood Hall, the school she promised her mum she would get into. When a little lie escapes her and she doesn’t deny being the Princess of Maradova, it suddenly starts to escalate. I enjoyed her character even more as we got to know her and especially when Ellie helps her thrive and come out of her shell. One thing I loved about her character’s story is we basically get to see her live her dream that must’ve always seemed like a silly fairy tale for her. I mean who didn’t want to be a Princess at some point in their life??

Overall, Undercover Princess is a must-read if you love everything Princessessy and fairy tales with plenty of secrets. It’s perfect for the intended younger audience but also just as enjoyable if you are older. There wasn’t a moment that I didn’t enjoy and I am so excited to carry on the series to see what happens next!

Rating: 5/5

When I saw the book for the first time the cover had my full attention as it is absolutely stunning. To be honest I expected the book to be different than what I got as it first starts off with Ellie before it focusses on Lottie. I absolutely love Lottie. The name is as adorable as the whole girl. She is sweet, cute and diligent. That is why she got a scholarship for a posh boarding school. Although it is a school for rich kids it is way better than what I expected. And also the other kids at school are lovable characters too. Well not all of them but I already read all books in the series so I know what’s to come… 😃 Having said that it is obvious that I enjoyed the book series as I would not have read all of them if I had not. Some things were a bit hard for me to fathom but that might also be the age gap as I am (slightly 😏 or way) older than the intended age group of the book. Still I really enjoyed reading it and I especially liked the hints at fairytales as I am a huge fan too. Next to Lottie I also liked the other main character Ellie. Although I have to confess that I prefer Jamie to Ellie and did so through all the books. I can definitely recommend reading this book (and the whole series) and I am sure young girls will immensely enjoy the reading experience.

Thank you to The Write Reads for organizing and inviting me to participate in this blog tour. Thank you, Penguin, for providing me with a copy of this book through Net Galley and tour materials in exchange for an honest review.

I would say that words cannot describe how much I enjoyed this book, but since this is a review, I’m going to have to try to use my words. I am so glad that this book came into my life because it contained the perfect amount of magic and whimsy. I loved the characters and the setting, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.

The first thing I want to talk about is the characters. I loved how Lottie and Ellie are like day and night, and I liked how they balanced each other out. I liked how the characters fell into each other’s lives and how they could help each other. I loved watching their friendship grow, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops and if it develops into anything more later in the series. I also really liked Jamie, and I thought Lottie, Ellie, and Jamie made an excellent trio.

I absolutely adored the setting of this book. I generally enjoy books that take place at boarding schools, and Rosewood Hall is an exceptional boarding school. I loved how exclusive it is, and I love that you can tell that it’s full of secrets. I’m looking forward to learning more about the school and its secrets as I read the rest of the series. I also like the world-building in general in this book; I like the idea of a mystery princess that no one knows anything about. I like the idea of the secret world involved with protecting the princess.

I liked the mystery aspect of this book. I enjoyed trying to figure out who was behind the mysterious messages that Lottie was receiving. I also enjoyed the puzzles that Binah, one of the side characters, created for Lottie and Ellie to solve. I thought all of the puzzles and mysteries added lots of twists and turns to the story, making it very enjoyable.

One last thing I want to talk about is Lottie’s mother. Early on in the book, we learn that Lottie’s mother passed away years ago. Later on in the book, there’s a scene where Lottie is trying to hold herself together on the anniversary of her death, and I found this scene to be very relatable. As someone who lost their mother at a very young age, I’ve struggled with anniversaries and trying to keep myself together on that day. It was comforting, to a certain extent, to see that kind of grief on the page and to be able to relate to it.

Overall, I loved everything about this book. Lottie and Ellie are such wonderful characters, and I cannot wait to see what their next few years as Rosewood Hall brings them.

“There are places in our world in which wondrous and whimsical things seem more capable of happening than anywhere else.”

CW: Death of parent (remembered, before events of the book), death threats

I had a great time reading Undercover Princess - it’s the kind of book I wanted to read when I was younger, so to enjoy it now was lovely. It was wholesome and whimsical, with royalty and a hint of magic.
More than any review can probably portray, I bought the rest of the series immediately after finishing this, I enjoyed it that much.
The story of this was fun and scattered through clues to a plot that made you want to keep reading. There was action, mixed into a society of parties and social etiquette. We had hints of history and potentially a bit of everyday magic, both of which I’m sure we’ll see more of in future books. Rosewood Hall itself was a perfect example of everyday magic - it was perfect for Lottie, being a whimsical place to welcome her home.
I loved the friendships created in this. There was an intense bond between Lottie and Ellie and Jamie and I can’t wait to see how this develops. I was really invested in Ellie and Lottie, and think the arrangement they have is really interesting and could put them in some fun situations. I think it’ll be interesting to see Lottie train into her role in the next books.
There were high-stakes moments and twists I didn’t expect. It made the end of the book quite fast paced, and introduced some question and drama for the subsequent books.
I think the audience of this is more teen than middle grade or young adult. The writing isn’t perfect, but it was very easy to read (which was honestly perfect after slugging through The Atlas Six for a month).
I had a really good time and can’t wait to continue the series!

What’s it about (in a nutshell):
Undercover Princess is an action-packed tale of mistaken identity, friendship, and family.

What I Enjoyed:
I loved the fast pace and the steady flow of action. There are a lot of dangers at Rosewood Hall for a princess, and those dangers kept me glued to the page. The boarding school has a great deal going on, and I loved every minute of it.

I also enjoyed that the story still has the bit of whimsy that I expect from a story featuring royalty within all the thrills. The fairy tale quality surprised me as the events grew more dangerous, and it is such an interesting juxtaposition that I just loved it.

I enjoyed the complex relationships of which there are many. From casual friends to sisterly bonds to crushes and deeper relationships, each felt genuine and right at home in the boarding school setting. The relationships are so vital that they drive the story from beginning to end. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a story in which a collection of relationships are just as meaningful as the characters and the plot.

I enjoyed the mystery most of all. Figuring out who was behind the threats and mishaps is the compelling force that kept me focused on the story, and I loved the jaw-dropping reveal that came close to the end of the story. I never saw it coming, but it fits very well with the story up to that point.

Characters:
Undercover Princess has a prominent character-driven thread, and I enjoyed those characters very much.

Lottie Pumpkin is a commoner who carries around the tiara her late mother gave her. She rubs the tiara and repeats a mantra whenever she needs courage. I couldn’t help but adore Lottie for her innocence and developing inner strength. She never ceased to surprise me as the story went on.

Ellie Wolf is a girl after my own heart. She is independent and determined. With more spitfire-like qualities, she is the perfect complement to Lottie, even though it doesn’t seem like it at first. Ellie is the type of girl who will get things done.

Reminds Me Of:
It reminds me of many other modern-day princess stories but unique twists.

What I Wish:
I would love for Lottie and Ellie to continue growing and developing as they start in this book and even twist in unexpected ways as life continues to throw challenges at them.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you like whimsical princess stories with a hefty dose of thrills and action, then Undercover Princess is the perfect book for you.

Unfortunately this one fell completely flat for me, which is a shame because the cover is beautiful and the premise was fun, and I tend to be a fan of boarding school stories as that's what I grew up reading. It was really the execution that let it down, the writing had moments where it caught you and pulled you in, but also there were many places where it felt clunky or just didn't hit the note that it felt it was going for. There were also a lot of tropes going on here, and it felt like it could have done with being pared down for maximum effect, as it felt like the whole got a little lost. It also felt a lot younger than it was supposed to be - there were a few aspects that leaned into YA, but it read much more like a middle grade.

This book was absolutely wonderful and I had such an amazing time reading it!

The characters were so well written and I adored all of them so much. Lottie and Ellie were the most brilliant main characters and their relationship was just perfect, and I actually hope that it might turn into something more because that would be perfect. Jamie was also a great and detailed character and I hope that we get to see more of him in the books to come, as well as learn more about his past. In addition, there are so many questions about several characters spurred on by the ongoing mystery as well as that final reveal that has me incredibly intrigued for the next instalment in the series.

The plot was also wonderfully thought out and the ending was well-paced and set up the series wonderfully becasue I want to know what is going to happen with the mystery surrounding William Tufty and everything that happened at the end. I really liked how it all developed and worked around the school year. I really liked seeing how the relationship of Lottie and Ellie was so central to the plot as it just made it even more fun to read about! Plus, I just love the premise of a school for young royals and wealthy people and everything that entailed.

The writing was fun, engaging and I cannot wait to see how it all progresses!

Undercover Princess was released in 2017 and I never heard about it before The Write Reads announced the tour. If I knew about it before, I would’ve read the whole series already. Even though I’m getting a little tired of all the fairy tale retellings, this one didn’t focus on them even though it’s clearly part of the world-building. I love boarding school stories, I love royalty, and the banter between the two girls, Ellie and Lottie, was fun to read about. It had all the right tropes. And all done well.

The Rosewood school is filled with mysteries and throughout the story, some are solved while others only raise more questions the more you get to know. It’s the little bits of lore that make you curious. And throughout it all, you will find magic. Not the firework type of magic but the subtle connections between things, like a thread of fate woven together.

The writing style fits the fast pace of the story. Glynn keeps the exposition to a minimum and has integrated most of it into Lottie discovering more about the school and her friends. By the end of the book, you’re still left with questions and while it’s not really a cliffhanger, it does hook you in for the next book.

I give Undercover Princess five stars. Extremely enjoyable, wonderous, and fast-paced. I recommend this to anyone who loved the Princess Diaries. I’d love to see Netflix pick this up for a series.