Beverly Books | The Princess and the P.I.

The Princess and the P.I.

Nikki Payne

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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 suspense novel.

Fiona Addai is ready to set her plan in motion. To honor the anniversary of her brother’s death, she’s going to steal back his brilliant invention from the ruthless corporation that stole and claimed it as their own. As a famed Reddit detective known as @Princess_PI, Fiona has used her online connections and sleuthing skills to time every step down to the minute. But with one disastrous misstep, 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, rife with tension and unexpected chemistry, unravels a dangerous web of corporate crime and familial secrets.

To bring the real killer to light, they'll need to trust each other—and that might be the most dangerous gamble of all.

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Posts about this title from Beverly Books

Beverly Books\ \ Kristian\ \ • Sep 29 2025

[Poll:\ \ Do you like to write?\ \ I’ve been a writer since before I could string together sentences. I’d heard good things about Romancing The Craft, so when I found out a day long workshop was happening near me, I hopped on it. An amazing caliber of authors filled the various panels of the day and it seemed like a great opportunity to connect with fellow writers.\ \ What is Romancing The Craft? \ \

Romancing the Craft is a one-day conference aimed toward marginalized unpublished and published romance authors which offers them programing to develop their craft, to learn from masters of the genre, and advance their careers through valuable networking opportunities with peers and other industry professionals.\ \ On May 3, I drove to the Rutgers Academic Building in New Jersey. The event started with an opening keynote between Mia Sosa and Sarah Younger. They told the story of how they came to the industry and how they became an author/agent duo. From there, Adriana Herrera and Sarah MacLean gave a masterclass about writing a romance novel. I love hearing authors speak about the way they approach stories. After that, there was a panel that spoke about the future of romance.\ \ \ \ I can’t say enough good things about this day-long workshop. When signing up, attendees had a two sections of workshops that had two choices. I went to the Writing A Character They’ll Root For with Alisha Rai and Refreshing the Classics: Romantic Retellings with Nikki Payne. People have been retelling stories for hundreds if not thousands of years, so hearing how Niki Payne broke down her method helped me brainstorm future stories on my very long roster of things I’d like to write.\ \ \ \ Romancing the Craft was a fantastic way to hear about craft and connect with authors and writers. If you are a marginalized writer and are about to attend a workshop I highly recommend it.\ \

Romancing The Craft

6 books

Posts about this book from across Bindery

The Cavanaughts\ \ Kate\ \ • Apr 30

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[Hello friends!\ \ I'm home. I'm home. After one week, two cities, and four different bookstores, I'm home from my very first book tour.\ \ There hasn't been enough time to recalibrate that this incredible life is, somehow, my reality. So instead, I'd like to chat about books. Specifically! All the books I bought while on tour. :)\ \ Because that was one of the most delightful parts of the trip. Getting to meet so many new-to-me faces and explore new-to-me places. And what friendlier faces and places than at independent bookstores???\ \ Here's a look at my fifteen best purchases:\ \ \ \ (Samwise is also happy I'm home so he can become the star of all my pictures again.)\ \ \ \ (I'm so ready to cozy up and get my puzzle on, perhaps with an audiobook for company.)\ \ Please excuse the preponderance of stats I'm about to throw at you. The books I bought were:\ \

53% hardcover vs. 47% paperback\ \
80% new-to-me stories (since I bought a copy of my own book, Becca's book that I beta read, and the Agatha Christie classic)\ \
20% nonfiction (Now Departing, How to Write Erotica, and The Haves and Have-Yachts)\ \
From 7 different independent bookstores (Liz's Book Bar, Love & Legends, Mysterious Bookshop, The Fountain Bookshop, Books Are Magic, The Ripped Bodice, and McNally Jackson Books)\ \
20% Fantasy (Jade City, Burn the Sea, Graceless Heart), 20% Romance (Love Bites, The Princess and the P.I., Gwen and Art Are Not In Love), 7% Contemporary (Superfan), 7% Horror (Thrall), and 26% Mystery/Thriller (The Ending Writes Itself, And Then There Were None, Grandma's Little Secret, and my book, Thanks For Watching)\ \ \ I'd love to get a stat on how many of the books have death as a central theme or plot point, but I might need to wait until I read them all. 👀 Dare I guess 50%???\ \ One of these stories is also going to be our first ever book club pick, coming in May! I am so very excited. (And I'll give you a hint: it's in the ~~fantasy~~ category.)\ \ Thanks, Story Scouts! Chat with you as soon as I've finished recovering from all the travel. In the meantime, happy reading! 📖](https://thecavanaughts.binderybooks.com/item/lzy4QN83TIFZeFFTjW0G/)

All the Books I Bought on My 1st Book Tour

15 books

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Jan 20

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\ \ I'm finally ready to share my pics for my 2025 bookish awards! These are some of the books I was most entertained by last year and I hope y'all will give them a try.\ \ The award for "Book I Couldn't Put Down" goes to You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom by Vincent Tirado!\ \ \ \ The drama was delicious and I felt so seen by the storytelling. For those who have read my previous reviews, this probably isn't surprising to you!\ \ ......\ \ The award for "Book I'm Still Thinking About" goes to A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera! \ \ \ \ Some folks may be surprised by the fact that I chose a Romance novel for this award, but IYKYK. This Historical Romance uses the context surrounding our MC's stories in such a powerful way that you might have to sit with yourself for a little while when you finish reading it.\ \ ......\ \ I've got a three-way tie for the "Spiciest Romances" of 2025:\ \ I Accidentally Hooked Up With A Vampire by Jessica Cage, Blood & Brujas by Mikayla D. Hornedo, and All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens. \ \ \ \ This was a hard decision to make and I almost threw in I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming for good measure. These novels had me speechless (many times)!! If you haven't read anything by these authors (and Kimberly Lemming), I suggest you add their backlogs, babes.\ \ .......\ \ My indecision plagued me for my "Most Fun To Read" books of 2025, too. I ultimately went with A Man for Mrs. Claus by Rebekah Weatherspoon, A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, and The Princess and The P.I. by Nikki Payne.\ \ \ \ These authors had me kicking my feet, giggling, and getting butterflies all story long! They gave me mystery, yearning, and safe spaces.\ \ .........\ \ Despite that, I have to say that my choice for "Coziest Novel" of the year goes to Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez.\ \ \ \ I'm a sucker for found family, but add in the location, the romance, and the beautiful writing and I'm sold. This Afro-Latina represented us so well!\ \ ......\ \ Last but definitely not least, my award for "Most Surprising Stories" of 2025 goes to:\ \ Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond, When The Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley, Lucha of the Forgotten Spring by Tehlor Kay Mejia, and Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo.\ \ \ \ These were the stories I didn't know I wanted! They were original, vivid, and kept me hooked. They may not be everyone's cup of tea but they hit just right for me.\ \ ..........\ \ Thank you to all of the authors who worked so hard to write these books and get them out in the world. They've brought readers (and librarians) like me outlets to rage, feel safe, and find ourselves. Keep doing what you're doing because it matters!](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/LrOsz1CACPDfE6bhjcc3/)

2025 Bookish Awards (Bookish AfroLatina's Version)

13 books

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Oct 9 2025

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\ \ You didn’t think I forgot to tell y’all about what I read in September, did you?!\ \ I had an awesome time reading the following 6 books:\ \

The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick by S. Isabelle\ \
When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley\ \
The Princess and the P.I. by Nikki Payne\ \
You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom by Vincent Tirado\ \
The Dating Prohibition by Taj McCoy\ \
You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue\ \ \ As you can see, I read a mix of historical fiction, romance, suspense, horror, and magical realism! If you already follow me, you probably noticed that I already posted a review for You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom for the Latine Heritage Month posting challenge. I also interviewed Nikki Payne in anticipation of The Princess and the P.I. release, so please go and check those out!\ \ Here are the rest of my reviews:\ \ \ \ The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick is the perfect YA read for fans of Bridgerton & Jane Austen!\ \ Miss Stella knows exactly who she is & what she believes. She's strong-willed, witty, & beautiful! Despite the fact that she's a Black girl in 1860s London & inherits a great estate, she refuses to marry anyone in order to seal the deal. Stella knows she's in a vulnerable position but she also knows that following society's conventions could leave her in a loveless marriage to some controlling jerk, which would take away the freedom she currently has. I really enjoyed getting to know her! If this sounds up your alley, I realllllly think you should pick up this book.\ \ \ \ When the Tides Held the Moon\ \ I love this book! It's a fascinating & powerful historical fantasy romance that I think everyone should read.\ \ Benigno “Benny” Caldera came to NYC for a better life after the hardships he faced in Puerto Rico. The San Ciriaco hurricane hit the island hard. Benigno works as a blacksmith & is tasked w/ constructing a tank for a Coney Island attraction. His design grabs the attention of the man who commissioned it for a mysterious new show he's planning. The man lures Benigno into a job at his establishment, Luna Park, w/ the promise of much better pay, which is where he meets a diverse group of performers. What the owner fails to tell his new hire & his current employees is that he plans to capture a real-life mermaid to display.\ \ This story revolves around Benigno, the merman he comes to know as Río, & the crew of performers as they come to terms w/ what it really means to be free in a society that deems all outcasts. It's a beautiful story! There was so much fantastic representation in this book: the MC is a gay Boricua, the performers include folks from places like South Asia & Eastern Europe & some of them were also queer and/or disabled.\ \ When the Tides Held the Moon is a fantastic choice for readers who want romance, social commentary, found family, & empowerment!\ \ \ \ The Princess and the P.I. blends romantic comedy w/ suspense & social commentary incredibly well. I loved just about every minute of reading this book! It's a continuation of the love stories of the Bennett family.\ \ Maurice Bennett is all grown up & running the detective agency he dreamed of for years. There's just one problem, he can't sleep. A case he failed to close 3 years ago still haunts him every day & night. Since then, he's been wrapped up w/ investigating cases of infidelity. On the day he decides he wants out, he witnesses something wild.\ \ On the anniversary of her brother's death, Fiona Adai is determined to take back the invention (a tech vest) that is her brother's legacy. Unfortunately, her meticulously thought out plan goes down the drain when she tries to steal the vest off of the CEO & he drops dead in front of a huge crowd at a tech expo. Now, Fiona is suspected of murder! Maurice saw the whole thing & realized that she was a part of the same cult church that covered up the case he tried so hard to solve 3 years ago. He decides he will help Fiona prove her innocence in exchange for her help at his agency.\ \ There's so much to love about The Princess and the P.I.! For one, Fiona is a hot nerd who can hold her own w/ Maurice. She's very perceptive & I loved seeing her become a confident woman after having been shamed for being herself & her interests suppressed for most of her life. She & Maurice have explosive chemistry so the slow burn was excruciating but paid off, in my opinion! I don't want to give too much away so I'll just say that if you're a fan of Jane Austen's books and/or Nikki Payne's previous novels you absolutely need to run & get The Princess and the P.I.\ \ \ \ The Dating Prohibition is a super spicy romance featuring the brother's best friend trope!\ \ Kendra back in her hometown to get started on her dream of opening a speakeasy bar & supper club. While she's happy to see her friends & family again, living in her brother's in-law suite brings back the feelings of living in his shadow. Everyone still calls her by her childhood nickname like nothing has changed! Things have changed for her longtime crush & big brother's bestie B.J. Seeing Kendra again gives him intense & complicated feelings.\ \ Kendra and B.J. are like magnets! I enjoyed their chemistry & their playfulness but I think Kendra's convos w/ her girls were probably the funniest parts. I really liked Kendra's drive to get her business running & B.J.'s academic research. \ \ There were a few issues that I don't think were really resolved (no spoilers) & some small details that didn't work for me. Regardless, I still think this is a solid contemporary romance that is great for foodies!\ \ \ \ You Dreamed of Empires is a short and very trippy book! I enjoyed the way historical fiction blended into magical realism whenever the characters consumed psychedelic foods. Essentially, it’s about the emperor of the Aztec empire Moctezuma and his people “welcoming” Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and his people to Tenochtitlan. At this point in Moctezuma’s life, he is relying more and more on hallucinogens in his everyday life and although they are used in practice by the spiritual leaders in his society, he seems to be indulging more than necessary. The story centers around his sister/wife, princess Atotoxtli, dining with the conquistadors and their two translators, Friar Aguilar and Malinalli, an enslaved Nahua princess, at a welcome meal. \ \ This book has made me curious about the Indigenous perspectives of European colonizers in fiction, so I’m gonna be diving into those stories when I get a chance.\ \ Have you read any of these books yet?\ \ Join for free or login](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/yy9gJbmNdfVE7bLcDfhK/)