Nobody in Particular

In an intimate-feeling novel by Gonzales (The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist), an anxious scholarship student and a shamed royal princess navigate individual trauma in their quest for love. Upon obtaining a music scholarship, pianist Danni leaves her home in Boulder, Colo., for Bramppath, an all-girls boarding school in the fictional European country of Henland. At Bramppath, she feels like a fish out of water and tries to hide the parts of herself she feels might make her stand out, including her scholarship, her bisexuality, and her stage fright. Soon, however, Danni befriends classmate Molly; through Molly, Danni meets Rose, Molly’s former best friend and the princess of Henland. As Danni and Rose grow closer, Danni contends with the increased public scrutiny that being in Rose’s orbit incites, while Rose endeavors to salvage her own reputation following a traumatic event involving reckless partying, which contributed to Rose and Molly’s strained relationship. Via Danni and Rose’s alternating first-person POVs, Gonzales explores heavy emotional themes relating to grief, mental health, and substance use. Energetic and passionate prose propels this queer romance, and elements of royal intrigue add suspense and friction to the girls’ love story, particularly as Danni works to manage her anxiety. Danni and Rose read as white; Molly is of Korean descent. Ages 13–up. (June)