Title: The Princess and the P.I.Author: Nikki Payne
Pages: 480
Publication Date: Sept. 16, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
Synopsis:
An amateur online sleuth must enlist the help of a jaded PI to clear her name while taking down a shady tech start-up in this exhilarating romantic caper.
Famed Reddit detective Fiona Addai is great at solving problems—online, that is. Cold cases, reality TV scandals, everyone calls on @Princess_PI. It’s her way of escaping her strict religious life at home and the memory of her brilliant brother’s sudden death. But when the sheltered sleuth tries to apply her inquisitive skills to real life, her plan to reclaim her late brother’s invention from the ruthless corporation that stole it goes disastrously wrong. Now, instead of getting justice, Fiona finds herself accused of murder.
Maurice Bennett is no stranger to insomnia. These days, he’s not losing sleep over the cases he’s solving—but running from the one he couldn’t. Instead, he’s been settling for small-time scandals that don’t stir up the guilt he’s buried. But when he spots Fiona Addai at the center of a murder investigation, something clicks. And for the first time in a long while, Maurice feels that old spark of intrigue.
However, Fiona is not the helpless damsel she appears to be. Sure, she needs Maurice’s help to clear her name, but she’s got conditions of her own: she wants a crash course in real-world detective work. Maurice isn’t exactly thrilled. With every late-night stakeout and tension-filled interrogation, their partnership starts to feel a little too close for comfort. To bring the real killer to light, they’ll need to trust each other and that might be the most dangerous gamble of all.
This blog uses affiliate links for some book recommendations, and if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this little bookish corner of the internet!
My Thoughts on The Princess and the P.I.:
I had a feeling going into The Princess and the P.I. that I was going to like it, and I wasn’t wrong! I admit, I took one look at that gorgeous cover, saw that the book was by Nikki Payne, and I was sold. I really liked her other romances, and though this was a little different from her other books, it was equally enjoyable.
From the moment I met Fiona Addai, I loved her. Reddit legend and mystery solver by night, sheltered preacher’s daughter by day, Fiona’s entire life is thrown in an upheaval when she tries to take back her brother’s invention and becomes the lead suspect in a murder. I loved her growth over the course of the story and how she breaks down the walls of her carefully constructed life. With the help of Maurice, the sexy private investigator, Fiona begins to realize that she is more than the daughter of a pastor, a grieving sister, and a devout rule-follower. She’s clever and astute, brave even when she’s scared, and constantly searching for the truth in the case, in herself, and in the people around her.
Of course, my favorite part of the story is the romance between Fiona and Maurice. So swoon-worthy! Maurice is jaded, broody, and nursing old wounds, but he’s also deeply intuitive and surprisingly gentle, especially when it comes to Fiona. I love the way he treats her and makes her feel seen. He pushes her to be her authentic self, not what other people want or expect. Their dynamic is loaded with sexual tension and banter, and though I didn’t always love Maurice’s train of thought, overall I enjoyed their relationship. They are a great team, and they complement each other so well with a relationship that is a great blend of sexy, sweet, caring, and funny.
The mystery itself is a tangled, high-stakes situation that is much more duplicitous than I expected. Fiona’s late brother’s invention and the ruthless tech world she steps into make for an intriguing backdrop, as does the mysterious religious cult with some deadly secrets in its closet. There are some darker themes and elements, and though they don’t overtake the story, I would suggest checking out the content warnings before reading.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
I will not shrink.
Love that cover! I used to think I didn’t like illustrated covers, but over the last year or so I realized it was more that I don’t like cartoony covers with no clear faces.
That’s what first drew me to the book. That cover is gorgeous!