3.5/5 🌟

I am a HUGE fan of Legally Blonde, and so how could I resist something that draws inspiration from the movie that shaped a huge part of my adolescence? And I truly, genuinely enjoyed this book and I always picked it up wanting to know more. I will say, don’t take this book too seriously. The world building is a little confusing (lots of abstract place and people names, with the actual world building quite limited), and the story is a bit clunky at times.

I loved the concept, and I loved most of the characters (Domhnall grew on my towards the end). I would have loved to see more of Clía and Ronan’s romance - it was one of the sweetest friends to lovers romances I’ve read for a while and I loved seeing it play out in a fantasy setting. Niamh is my spirit woman and I adored her character development through the book.

A possible spoiler? More of a frustration with the plot.

I will say, what frustrated me the most and I couldn’t stop thinking about it the whole book, was the notion of Clía turning up to the most prestigious military academy in the realm with zero training or idea. I applaud the ambition, and love that Ronan spent the time training with her to get her up to speed. But warriors train their whole lives for the opportunity to even attend, and suddenly she trains for a few weeks/months and she’s at the same level as these elite warriors? I don’t mind a level of exaggerated storytelling and hyperbole, but it just felt like this took away from the story and cheapened it, instead of maybe building on limited skills that Clía was never able to fully develop. Apart from this, I really loved the book, I just couldn’t separate this from it.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the eARC of this book!

Could not have devoured this faster than I did. An absolutely delightful take on the Knight and Princess genre, and one whose world I would gladly dive into again and again. It being a Legally Blonde retelling was done so well that I still almost didn't know where Jacobs would take us. Would recommend to anyone!

Domhnall and Clía, Clía and Domhnall. They were supposed to be the perfect match for each other - or so their courts and the nobles think. Until Domhnall has to ruin it by refusing to propose to Clía, which destroys the plans of Cliá's mother. Heartbroken, hurt but determined, Clía developes the perfect plan: to enroll at Caisleán Cósta - the military school that is known for its brutal reputation. But if she can finish it, Domhnall cannot say that she wouldn't be "too weak" and "that he needs a warrior queen". Unfortunately for her, learning how to fight is a lot harder than anticipated and Domhnall's guard Ronan was a variable she didn't forsee.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Originally, the book was titled Medievally Blonde as it is based on the movie Legally Blonde and the "inspired by" shows a lot. Despite the title change to The Princess Knight, the bones of the novel are still a fantasy retelling (in a loosely medieval Celtic setting) of the movie. Unfortunately, that is the book's greatest downfall. The author wanted to follow the movie's plot as accurately as possible (within the medieval fantasy setting) that the majority of the book is boring because everything feels forced and underdeveloped. I think the story would've worked better as an unique idea (or a "loosely inspired by" novel) with intense word building and more depth because the Celtic mythology setting has barely any influence on the acutal plot. You could easily exchange the Celtic names to generic fantasy names and it wouldn't change anything.

The characters on their own are ok - although at times utterly underdeveloped and 2D-esque because of them being based on the movie characters - but I didn't really click with any of them or felt utterly invested in them being alive or not. The romance between Clía and Ronan came out of nowhere as well. Yes, they are very sweet in their interactions and they have more foundation to a relationship than Clía and Domhnall, but I didn't feel any chemistry. There was no tension, no true pining. It just ... happened. I think the book is truly aimed at the YA audience because at times all the young characters act so childish and I had to remind myself that they were 18/19 years old. Given that the main characters are two royal teens (a prince, a princess), two nobles (Niamh and Kian), and the captain of the prince's guard: I would just expected more in terms of behaviour.

The pacing is all over the place as well and the majority of the book drags on for a long time (where nothing truly happens) until the author suddenly remembers that the book has a plot aside the romance (and Clía's underdeveloped attempt at getting Domhnall back) and tries to construct some plot points and some action scenes, which were meeh. Everything is very forseeable because the foreshadowing is utterly heavy-handed and the villain is such a boring choice. Even the betrayal was foreseeable. Also, for a military school, I would expect more training on-page. Instead, it's often done off-page and the author then tells the reader about it. The only semi-constant thing is the training between Clía and Ronan. As for missions: two. Two entire missions happen before the war truly breaks out. Everything else is solved off-page with time skips etc.

Plus points for the representation though. It's a queer-normative world and the book also includes chronic illness rep as well as mental health rep. We need more of that. As for the celtic mythology: I cannot say how accurate it is (in terms of names, the religion, the druid order, ...) because I'm from Germany. My knowledge of the Celtic world comes from a bunch of ADHD-related hyperfocuses but I'm far away from being an expert or being very familiar with it.

TL;DR: I'm still standing by my point that the book would've worked better as an unique idea with the Celtic setting. Maybe even with a second book that solves the entire crisis (and has them discover the other lost artefacts). Being its own thing would've helped with world building and the development of the plot because the author wouldn't had to base their characters on the movie's characters. It would've given the author the chance to truly invest into the politics of the book as well because currently it's very much brushed over. Yes, Inismian's politics are the reason for the war happening but it isn't truly explained in detail. The reader has to just accept it.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

TWs & CWs: death of a parent (off-page, mentioned in flashbacks and dialogue), general death, blood, general violence, war (themes), animal death (wild fantasy beast, not a pet or domestic animal), internalised ableism, kidnapping, threats of tortue, sexual content (on-page but vague language)

Trope(s): found family

Genre: Young Adult, (Romantic) Fantasy

Representation: Chronic Pain, bisexual characters, non-binary character, aromantic (demi-romantic) character, celtic mythology

Heat/Spice: 1 🌶️ (on-page but very vague and fade-to-black vibe)

Dnf at 35%. I tried pulling myself through the book but I just found the story uninteresting and the characters a bit flat. I do think that it is for a certain audience but sadly that did not involve me.

3.75⭐️


"You want to go after him? On your own?"
"I can handle myself." He smiled, and her heart
leaped.
"I know that. I was wondering if maybe you would want backup all the same?"


This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and while i had a nice time reading it, it didn’t completely satisfy my expectations.

I enjoyed the story overall even if from the beginning so many different places/kingdoms are being mentioned and things get a bit confusing, however as the story progresses, thimgs become clearer. Our FMC definitely isn’t perfect but she goes through some experiences that definitely help her mature, I didn’t like how everyone was constantly criticising her, like give her a break! She was struggling trying to conciliate the different versions of herself that the rest of the characters wanted to see (diligent and proper princess vs fierce and competent warrior) with her own desires (a quiter, more isolate life).
Her journey to become a skilled knight might’ve seemed a bit rushed/irrealistic , especially considering how everyone else was most likely a seasoned warrior but I appreciated her dedication to the cause and her perseverance!

Ronan, our mmc, was also a great character, I didn’t like his hesitation sometimes but he’s a fierce, loyal and tender young warrior who went through a lot since he was a kid.
I especially loved the emphasis on his chronic pain and his acceptance that it’s okay to respect one’s limits, especially those that don’t depend on our own will!

I have conflicting feelings about most of the other characters, i liked Niamh but I didn’t feel enough for the rest of the cast! Domhall’s behaviour towards Clía was so frustrating and at kinda odds with his other scenes so I couldn’t really form a coherent opinion on him.
I kinda saw the plot twists coming, but they weren’t completely obvious.

My main complaint is with the pace of the narration and the writing style that sometimes created a slower rythm, also some interactions between the characters resulted a bit stiff. Overall i would say that this book isn’t a well oiled machine, but it’s still a nice one!

Thanks to HarperVoyager and Netgalley for a free earc, all opinions are my own

I adore The Princess Knight, it had me gripped from the first chapter. 100% Legally Blonde meets Fantasy (with more romance!), I really enjoyed it and would wholeheartedly recommend. Anyway, if you are looking for me, I am going to rewatch Legally Blonde to fill this bookish size hole..

2.75stars rounded up
I was super excited about The Princess Knight—a medieval fantasy Legally Blonde? That sounded like exactly the kind of fun story I needed. And while there were things I liked, overall it didn’t fully work for me.

The premise is great: a princess gets dumped by her fiancé (a prince, of course) for not being “strong” enough, so she decides to follow him to a hardcore military academy to prove him wrong. Along the way, she trains with one of his guards, Ronan, and, well... things happen.
I really appreciated the rep in this book—especially for chronic pain and autism. It was well done and felt natural in the story. The queernormative world was also really refreshing, and there were definitely some sweet or fun moments scattered throughout.

But the tone was all over the place. It’s marketed as adult, but it felt way more YA to me, which made the characters and plot feel a bit shallow. I didn’t really connect with Clía or Ronan much, and the romance didn’t have that spark or tension I was hoping for. Plus, the Legally Blonde influence didn’t go quite far enough. I could see what it was trying to do, but it didn’t really lean in the way I expected—and without that clear “Elle Woods energy,” it kind of fell flat.

Also, I wish the worldbuilding had gone deeper. There were some cool ideas early on, but they kind of faded away and didn’t really come back or build into anything bigger.
In the end, it wasn’t bad—it was a quick read, easy to get through, and had solid moments. But I just didn’t feel much while reading it. Not amazing, not terrible—just... okay. Definitely one of those books that might work better for a younger audience or someone looking for a lighter romantasy vibe.

This was … amazing! It was everything I hoped it would be and more!
As an avid lover of Legally Blonde, when I saw Cait Jacob’s writing a retelling but with knights, I was so so excited!!!
One think I was not expecting was.. how good the banter was. I was enthralled from the very first page.
The chemistry between our two main characters was wonderful and maybe I would have preferred a bit more spice. But that’s just me.
Overall, I adore it! 100% will purchase a physical copy.

Thank you to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.25⭐️

Just managed to squeeze this one in before the end of the month! This was such a fun read! I've been following this author since the early days of Bookstagram/BookTok, and I've been excited for this book since even before its days as 'Medievally Blonde', and so I was very grateful for the opportunity to read this E-ARC. And, on the whole, despite my issues which I'll get onto in a little bit, I really enjoyed this book and I think it's a really promising debut!

The concept for this book is original, taking the general plot of Legally Blonde and twisting it to fit a medieval, fantasy setting. I thought this was an interesting spin on a well known story, without relying too much on the original film, and instead still reading as unique and fresh. I found the worldbuilding to be very interesting, with a continent of distinct nations, an impending war, and really clever use of Irish mythology. This was one of the stand-out elements of the book to me, and it was clear how much thought and love had gone into this element, with careful respect given to the Irish language, naming, culture, and mythology, and I thought it fit wonderfully into this fantasy world. I thought this book balanced the light-hearted elements and the darker, harsher realities of war and suffering really well, and this brought an added depth to the story.

I also really enjoyed Clía's character, finding her to be an interesting take on the typical 'spoiled princess' character type, and I enjoyed seeing her come into her own and learn how to take responsibility to do what was best for her and her kingdom. Similarly, I thought Ronan was an interesting take on the usual 'brooding knight' style of character, and was approached with much more depth than I am used to seeing, with genuine love and care for those around him, and a backstory that helped to shape his motivations. Their romance was very sweet and respectful, and I enjoyed reading it. It may have been slightly cheesy at times, but I honestly didn't mind that here. My very favourite aspect of the book, and of these two characters, was the disability rep. Clía's autistic rep and Ronan's chronic pain rep - as someone who is both autistic and has chronic pain - meant the world to me. I resonated so deeply with both characters and their struggles, and was so moved by their positive disability journeys and the overall representation. Reading this really reminded me once more of the importance and power of diverse representation, especially when it is written by authentically disabled authors, as this book is. The representation in this book as a whole was excellent and respectfully done, with both MCs being bi/pan and a wider LGBTQ+ cast of characters, as well as other diverse identities, and this served to make this book feel safe to be immersed in.

Whilst I did really enjoy this book, and will be heartily recommending it in the lead up to its release, I did have a few issues. I think, on the whole, this book just needed a bit more polish, and whilst it is a promising debut, I think it is still very clear that it is a debut. Whilst I think the side characters were distinctive and nuanced in their characterisation and identities, they just seemed to exist simply to be there, and I think could've been utilised much more for the plot. Similarly with the war and politics and villain motivations: it all existed, but never felt fleshed out quite enough. The pacing faltered a bit in places, (especially in the middle, where the switch from the 'knight-school' style of plot to wartime scheming felt a bit unsteady and awkward) and some scenes felt skipped over or simply addressed in monologued narration where they should've been drawn out, and vice versa, some scenes felt too focused on when it wasn't needed. There was also a little bit too much convenience (beware some minor spoilers here), for example Clía finding the jewel, and serious injuries seeming to disappear/be forgotten about after they happen (especially after the camp battle/kidnapping section). I think this book/world/characters just needed more time to develop/be neatened up. There were some loose threads in this which might suggest future books, and I'm really hoping we get more in this world to allow for that development and strengthening.

Overall though, I did really enjoy this book and do recommend checking it out! Whilst I thought it was a fun read, it managed both light and dark moments satisfyingly, and the representation was outstanding and did really move me. I think this was a promising debut, and I am really looking forward to whatever Cait Jacobs does next!

Unfortunately for me this was a dnf which I am gutted about! I just didn’t vibe with the writing style and the world building!

I would like to start by saying how grateful I am to have been given the chance to read this book early.

I really wanted to love this one because the cover is gorgeous, the description sounded like it was right up my street but this one unfortunately fell a bit flat for me. There were some aspects I did still enjoy. I love the connection between the main female character and the guy helping to train her. I am a sucker for a he trains her trope.

For me, the pacing was a bit too slow. It seemed to focus a LOT of time on the training parts and there didn't seem to be much action. I think I prefer the high stakes, lots of action reads so maybe this one was just too slow for me and im not the right audience. Its hard to put my finger on what it was that I struggled with.

The Princess Knight is a delightful, fresh fantasy romance, and I truly loved it. The romance was so sweet and I loved how Clia and Ronan were there for each other. And then, of course, there's all the wonderful Irish mythology, the chronic pain rep and the queer normative world, all of which were great. Plus, The Princess Knight feels like a proper fantasy, I don't know how else to explain it. Where many other romantasy books lean into the romance more while using pretty boilerplate plots, this one is different and far more entertaining.

The only thing I have to note is that the pace dragged at times. But this wasn't a big problem honestly because I was enjoying the book overall.

So, all in all, if you like fantasy romance, but you're tired of the same old, same old, this is a good book to pick up. I can't wait until October so more people get to read it!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC!

ARC Review
3 stars
The Princess Knight could be described as Legally Blonde but in a fantasy world full of action and where our FMC becomes a warrior.
I have many thoughts on this book. For starters, this is not a bad book, the writing is great, and so are the vibes, and there is a high chance this was just not for me. This was a very anticipated read and maybe I needed to manage my expectations better. Still, to name some of the issues I faced with this book:
- the pacing felt really slow, the story picked up around the 70% mark for me, and I think this is because the book is way longer than necessary. There’s some repetitiveness, and I believe the story could do the same it already does with 100, or even 150, pages less.
- I didn’t actually buy the romance in the main couple (I honestly found more tension between Clía and Niamh than with Ronan). I just wasn’t feeling the tension that you’re supposed to get in a kind of “forbidden” or impossible romance. This could also be because I found the characters a little superficial and lacking depth, which made me feel disconnected from it all.
- this book reads more YA than Adult, and that is definitely not something I was expecting.

I did really enjoy the character growth in Clía, and the chronic pain representation.

Overall, I do hope people like this book more than I did. Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the e-arc.

Thank you to Harper Collins, Magpie and Cait Jacob’s for the ARC.

The original title for this book would better suit it. While I understand the concept as ‘legally blonde’ meets medieval romance, I didn’t hink the FMC would be dumbed down so much.
If I’m honest this book was a struggle for me, I think I like my FMC’s a little more punchy and the MMC’s more morally grey.

Overall it was a fine read but i struggled with the naming of characters and places (my problem, no one else’s), the personalities and overall lack of thrill.

This book sounded like a really fun concept to me and I couldn't wait to read it. But for me personally, it was just okay. I wasn't blown away but it did keep me interested enough to want to know what happens and stay with it until the end.

Maybe it was just a little more political than I was expecting - I don't mind following some court politics in books, but I've never been a huge fan. But I guess because Clía is the sole heir to the throne, it was likely to be expected as she is out to prove she's more than just a pretty face.

I found it a little unrealistic that Clía didn't think to ask for training before she left her palace - how to at least hold a sword and some basic manoeuvres. I still feel the first test could have went similarly because it would still have shown just how inexperienced she was compared to the others.
I do think if she was putting that amount of time into training, she would have greatly improved but I'm not sure a few months would have had her at the same level as skilled swordsmen who had been in wars and serious combat all their lives so again, maybe a little unrealistic there.

I liked Ronan, Murphy and surprisingly Niamh best out of the characters. Ronan's chapters were just that much more interesting I found. But the romance was a little anticlimatic. I don't need spice - especially because the characters are so young - but it seemed angsty and then a little rushed when it actually came to the romance.

I didn't like Domnhall at all. Clía is far too nice, especially when he's smirking and carelessly opening his mouth without letting his brain catch up and this happens a few times. I'd have liked him put in his place a little more, especially when she proves herself like she wanted.

I can see the similarities to Legally Blonde at times, but Elle was definitely more badass and I think Clía had the potential to be and just fell a little short.

I think this might end up being part of a duology or series with how the books ends. It is wrapped up but there's still questions and plot left to be explored.

3.5⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction, Magpie and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

3.5

I'm starting this review with what I hope we are ALL in agreement with - switching the title of from Medievally Blonde was an absolute travesty.

The Princess Knight is a fantasy take on Legally Blonde which is honestly such a fun and unique take, the actuality of it though...it was a little dragged out at parts and maybe didn't totally work? That being said, I had a FUN time!

We follow Clía (aka Elle Woods) who on the day of her engagement announcement to Prince Domhnall, has the heart-breaking news he no longer wishes to marry her as he needs a 'strong queen' and not just a pretty face...sound familiar? What then follows is Clía enlisting herself into a military academy (what, like it's hard?) to prove her worth with the idea of winning Domhnall back and showing him she is so SO much more.

PROs
- protective MMC Ronan
- Irish folklore
- character growth
- v. cute banter
- magical pets
- LGBTQ+ rep

CONS
- lack of worldbuilding
- 'miscommunication' trope
- did her parents actually have any purpose?
- questionable decision making
- moustache twirling villains

Overall, I got what I wanted out of it! I was just maybe expecting too much - but it's a fun ride all the same.

Thanks so much Netgalley & publisher for the ARC - Release date 14 OCT

Thank you for the ARC!

This book had an engaging premise: a princess who sets out to win back a prince by becoming a warrior. I liked the concept and appreciated the training journey the protagonist goes through—this kind of transformation arc is usually something I enjoy.

However, while the setting includes magic, it plays a very minor role. The story focuses far more on training, strategy, and battle preparation, which wasn’t quite what I had expected from a fantasy title.

The romance subplot was well written in terms of chemistry and pacing, but personally, I’ve realized I’m not really that much in the mood for romantasy right now—especially when the fantasy elements are so minimal. Still, it wasn’t badly done, just not quite my preference at the moment.

Overall, this book may appeal more to readers who enjoy slow-burn, low-fantasy warrior stories with some light romance.
2,5 stars

Thanks to HarperCollins and to Netgalley for this eARC.

I've been sold on The Princess Knight ever since it was called Medievally Blonde. So you can only imagine how excited I was to be approved for this ARC! I loved this book, the setting was fantastic, as was the character development of our main character, Clia. Lovvvved this book.

This was a fun read! Read through it in 2 nights as I was eager to see how Clia progressed through her training and how her relationship with Ronan would develop. The war aspects were written really well and we easy to comprehend what was going on in thier realm. I look forward to hopefully more books set in this world as there is so much to explore.

Arc supplied by NetGalley and Magpie for a fair review

4 star

This was one of the most whimsical and darling books you will ever read, the romance was really sweet, the setting added to the story and the characters felt so realistic so overall a really great spring fantasy book