Between the title, the cover, and the description, this book made it onto my TBR immediately. The main character is named Georgiana Ellers, who is living with her aunt and uncle in a new place after her parents essentially decided that they need a break from her. She knows nobody until a young woman named Frances stumbles upon her hiding in an alcove at a party. From here on, Frances takes Georgiana under her wing and immerses her into her friend group. This friend group is wealthy and general rules don't seem to apply to them. They party, drink, do drugs, and fraternize without the proper supervision - all things that are not seen as respectable during that time period. Don't let the cover fool you, there are very dark topics covered in this book so please look up any trigger warnings (a big one is SA). Overall, I enjoyed this book enough to be interested in seeing it to the end, but the characters didn't entirely pull me in. I can't say I actually enjoyed majority of the characters and the main character didn't win me over until the end. Also if you're hoping for strong romance, it's there, but the book is NOT centered around that. Was this book incredible to where you have to read it ASAP? Not really. However if you like books set in this era, it's a quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eArc.

The perfect novel for those who love Bridgerton and Gossip Girl.

Lonely and vulnerable, Georgiana Ellers falls in with Frances and her unfathomably rich, deeply improper friends. Georgiana is introduced to a new world: drunken debauchery, mysterious young men with strangely arresting hands, and the upper echelons of Regency society.

This book is a wild ride and I think Lex for taking me on such an incredible reading experience. It felt like life was getting in the way and all I wanted to do was read more about George and the wild escapades the crew were going to get up to.

I loved getting to know each one of the characters and feeling like they were unique individuals and if they would have been cut from the story it would have suffered. To me, this was such a clean and tight book where no storyline and no sentence felt like filler. It was all necessary to tell a great and dynamic story that could be considered more historic fiction than rom-com. There were points that I laughed out loud and rooted for a kiss to happen but the story touched on darker elements that would better be described as historical fiction.

Final Thoughts - I loved this story and if you like Bridgerton, Emma, Gossip Girl or Means Girls then I think you should most definitely give this novel a chance.

Here is a Spotify Playlist by the author that goes perfectly with the novel.

TW: Drinking, drug use, grief, domestic abuse, sexual assault, mentions of homophobia, racism, slut-shaming, toxic friendships, violence & rape.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

While advertised as a hilarious historical rom-com, I found this book actually to be a bit darker and not quite historically accurate. Overall, I enjoyed read of this book but it was not what k expected! There are lots of adult themes (SA, disturbing drug abuse) centered around very real topics like racism, misogyny etc. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would definitely read again and read other books by this author but I reach for it when seeking a more serious read.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion

Rating: 3 Stars

This book was such a fun read! I read it in one sitting and I thoroughly enjoyed myself for the entirety of it. I found it so easy to get pulled into the story and fall for these characters. Can't wait to see more from this author!!

Reputation was a blast to read. I had been keeping my eye on this book since it's been published in the UK for a while already, and am excited for it to make its American debut. If Mean Girls met Gossip Girl met a Jane Austen novel, it would be Reputation, no doubt. I actually found myself distinctly disliking a majority of the main characters, but not in a bad way. The reader watches our main character, Georgianna, from whose wide eyes we see what is to her the glittering society world, turn into that which she at first admires from afar, but because of her ardent desire to fit in soon finds herself becoming exactly that. A bit of a country bumpkin, what else could she be but dazzled by the likes of Frances Campbell and all of her wild and witty friends? In very Mean Girls fashion, we get to see the whole cycle of Georgianna—from taken to sodden (literally—so many drunken parties these kids attend) to realizing what's right, this is as much a coming-of-age novel as a fun romp.

There are some serious subjects, however, that readers should be warned about, from potential sexual assault to substance abuse. Just because these characters are non-stop partiers—or perhaps exactly because they are—doesn't mean the glitter and gilt on their life is real or permanent. Rub too hard, and you see the darkness lurking underneath it all.

This is a perfect springtime book to coincide with Bridgerton Season 2, with its witty dialogue, snappy narration, it is a piece of immersive historical fiction worth adding to your tbr pile.

DNF at 20%, unfortunately. I found it difficult to connect with the characters, and am not really into the bullying stuff. The premise definitely pulled me in, but it ultimately fell a little flat. I do think others will like it though! If regency is your thing, definitely give it a try!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

Reputation was exactly as advertised - Mean Girls meets Bridgerton - and it was definitely fun to read once you got into the meat of the story. The first half of the book was a little slow, but once the characters and the world were introduced, things definitely picked up.

Georgiana Ellers finds herself the new girl in town after her parents move to the coast, leaving her with her aunt and uncle. She meets the popular, wealthy and kind of scandalous Frances Campbell at her first dinner party and their friendship takes off from there. Georgiana is new to the area and really naive and Frances opens up her eyes to a brand new world full of drunken debauchery, wealthy hijinks and all kinds of scandal as she starts to spend time with Frances and her closest friends. She gets swept up in their lifestyle, leaving behind a lot of herself along the way to fit in with the in-crowd.

Along the way, Georgiana meets Mr. Thomas Hawksley, a reserved and quiet man who is invited to a lot of the same events, but tends to stay on the outskirts of things. She’s intrigued by him and his exotic good looks, but he looks down on the extravagant partying done by Frances and her friends, including Georgiana. After things come crashing down for Georgiana, Mr. Hawksley steps up to help her out, clear her name and ensure her safety. The romance definitely wasn’t the focus of this story, but it was sweet all the same - it felt appropriate for the regency romance time and I liked that they took the time to see who each other was beneath their acquired public personas.

While most of this book was fun, light and easy to read with an interesting twist on regency romance. But it also covered some darker topics when it came to Georgiana, Frances and her group of friends. All of it came together really well and made for a really unique read.

I recieved an advanced copy of this book in exchange of my honest review.

This book was fabulous in so many unexpected ways.

First off, the tone in this book is not what you would expect. It is fun, but also delves into some heavy situations.

The story to me is less of a traditional romance, which focuses on the relationship between the two leads, and more of an exploration of one woman, Georgiana Ellers, stepping out into the world for the first time.

I had a love hate relationship with Georgianna. There were times I felt for her and related, a girl who mostly ignored all her life, dying to be seen. Well she finally does when she catches the eye of Frances Campbell. From there the ups and downs of being dragged into a lifestyle that is not compatible with yours but you still force yourself because for once you are doing something and mean something.

Georgianna also had a lot of negative traits as well. She is not shown to be this perfect angel in this den of sinners. She is not nice a few times in her pursuit to gain approval. But ultimately that is what I really enjoyed a lot about the book.

I love Austen retellings, I like historical books. I like romantic Comedies, I love watching characters interact and grow. I read these types of books a lot. So reading Reputation, which kept me on my toes and I can say when I got to the end it was completely different then how I expected it to be.


I will say, I am rating it 5 stars based soley off the fact that I really had fun reading it. It is by no means a perfect book. I am sure those who really love historical romance will find many issues, as it is very moderized and takes a lot of liberties with the time and setting. I also understand that the Heroine is, probably to some people, an irredeemable character, not fun to be around and just selfish with out realizing it. But to me, the flaws in the book are overweighed by the fun parts, the witty writing and just really subtle and clever things that author has done to get the book from point A to point B.

“Get in Georgiana. We’re going shopping.”

Reputation is the hilarious and dramatic marriage of Jane Austen and Mean Girls. Georgiana Ellers has found herself in a new town, living with her middle-class Aunt and Uncle. At a party, she meets wealthy and mischievous Frances Campbell, and gets her ticket into the elite in-crowd. Enamored with a sense of belonging and importance, Georgina falls into a new scene: full of drinking, drugs, debauchery, and the drama of upper-class society. However, Georgiana soon discovers that she’s in over her head. Is this high society life worth the price?

This book is a wild ride. Georgiana is a quirky, sheltered bookworm who just wants to fit in. She admires the life of Frances and her friends, but she eventually realizes their lives aren’t as glamourous as they seem. Her friends struggle with racism, sexual assault, and having to hide their sexual identities. As a reader, it was obvious that these people were acting out in order to forget their struggles, knowing they could get away with it because of their money and social stature. Georgiana, however, takes time to see that. This is so relatable to me, as someone who wanted to fit in with the “cool kids” at school, so you are willing to do things you know aren’t right. I loved Georgiana’s character growth through this story, along with her hilarious quips. Frances? The perfect mean girl. Oh man, Lex does a great job of putting the reader in a love-hate relationship with this character. Sometimes I wanted to give her a hug, other times I wanted to pull her hair out.

My only complaint about this book, and it’s a big one, is that I strongly believe it was categorized incorrectly. This book is excellent for what it is, but it is absolutely NOT a rom-com. Is there some romance in it? Yes. Is it the main plot of the story? No. I would consider this book to be a historical drama, with romance and comedic elements. Please do not go into this book thinking you’re getting a romantic comedy, because not I only will I think you’ll be disappointed, you’ll also be ill-prepared for the traumatic topics that are explored in this book.

CWs: attempted sexual assault, implied sexual assault, alcohol poisoning, discussion of family loss, drugging, slut-shaming, homophobia, racism, domestic violence

(Note: I was provided an advanced copy of Reputation by the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

I really enjoyed Reputation. I started this book thinking it would just be a historical romantic comedy. What I have found to be true about romantic comedies is this: there is romance, there is comedy, and there is so much more. Reputation is also about classism, privilege, and toxic masculinity all rolled into this very funny and engaging story. Our main character Georgiana finds herself very bored while living with her aunt and uncle. Then she meets the most popular girl in town and finds herself thrust into the flashy world of the younger upper class. If you like Bridgerton, Mean Girls, and Pride and Prejudice, this book on for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free advanced reader copy of this book I'm exchange for my honest review.

If Mean Girls and Emma had a baby, it would be Reputation by Lex Croucher.

After being forced to move in with her aunt and uncle, Georgiana Ellers is desperate to get out of the house, to do anything like the heroines in her favourite books. At a dreadfully dull dinner party, Georgiana meets the breathtaking Frances Campbell, daughter of Lord and Lady Campbell.

Georgiana gets swept up in the extravagant and debauched lifestyle of Frances and her wealthy friends. And, of course, there’s this brooding man, Mr. Hawksley, who is always in the right place at the right time to catch Georgiana whenever she stumbles over her own two feet.

This book was exactly what I was looking for: something light, fun, and quick to get through. It does have some darker content, but on the whole, it was an amusing read.

The writing style was great too. The author did a superb job of embodying the language of this time, while keeping it fresh.

Reputation is also fairly diverse. I don’t know much about the period, but the author has stated that this era is currently being whitewashed, and she wanted to have racial diversity that represented this time. There’s also queer representation.

My favourite line from the book has to be, “Get in, Georgiana. We’re going shopping.” Iconic.

This was an excellent debut, and I cannot wait to see what else the author comes up with next.

CW: SA, drug and alcohol abuse.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for an arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

I found it difficult to keep track of all the characters. The wasn't much relationship building and that was most likely a reason why I wasn't engaged in the story as I normally am. There was a lot of things happening and dialogue but there wasn't any depth to it. I feel that if there was more relationship development, I would have enjoyed the story more.

If Bridgerton and Mean Girls had a baby you’d get this book. It was an enjoyable story about the lives of overprivileged young adults with too much free time. This book handles a lot of dark subjects (assault, drug use, alcoholism) and does it well enough although a few things seemed to be glossed over quickly. Thomas was by far the most compelling character and at times I really couldn’t understand what he saw in Georgiana. There were a few loose ends that weren’t really addressed - Frances’ parent drama for one - but overall a fun read.

When I heard how this book was marketed (Bridgerton meet Mean Girls) I knew I had to read it. However, I was not prepared for how dark this book got, nor how much I wouldn't care for the characters. The book is a good read if you are really into romance novels or reads with a lot of trigger warnings.

When sheltered Georgiana is sent to live with her aunt and uncle and finds herself increasingly bored and lonely, she meets a young woman, Frances, at a party and is immediately caught up in Frances' world of debauchery and unchaperoned parties. Though her new friends' reputations are often protected by their families' places in society, Georgiana unfortunately is not allowed the same protections. She becomes enamored with Thomas, who has given up that life after the tragic death of his brother, and who has no time for her apparent lack of morals and the drama surrounding her.

Though this book started off a bit slow for me personally, I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected! The drama was definitely a bit YA which I think is maybe what turned me off initially - very Mean Girls-esque. But I loved the relationship between Georgiana and her aunt, as well as Georgiana's growth throughout the book. The inclusion of diversity was great and reminded me of what the Bridgerton Netflix show has also tried to do.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

When her parents move to a seaside resort for her mother's health, Georgiana is sent to stay with her old-fashioned aunt and uncle in a quiet village. Bored out of her mind, with little company but books, George is thrilled to meet Frances, a young woman of aristocratic birth with a flair for having fun. George soon becomes caught up in a whirlwind of unchaperoned parties where wine and other substances flow freely. She becomes enamored with Thomas, a young man on the fringes of Frances's set, who gave up the wild lifestyle after the death of his brother. Can she convince him she's not the frivolous girl she seems?

This is a wildly funny Regency new adult coming-of-age rom com. The voice sucked me in from the very first sentence, and I literally stayed up all night finishing it. It's easy to see how George quickly gets in over her head, making not-so-great choices in her desperation to make friends who can rescue her from her dull, circumscribed life. The love story is secondary to the friendship between George and Frances, but still strong.

The audio narration was brilliant and added to the enjoyment of the story. Don't miss this book!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Ended up enjoying this one a lot more than I expected! I think it takes a little while to warm up but once you start to see the inner workings of all the characters a bit clearer it becomes super fast paced and easy to read. The only thing I didn't love is that it feels like a Mean Girls retelling more than I thought it resembled Gossip Girl - I can definitely see why that comparison is valid but, especially towards the last third of the book, I could not get the image of this playing out exactly how Mean Girls does. If that was the point and I'm completely missing it I'm sorry!!
Overall, really liked this! The romance is sweet, the protagonist is lovely and well fleshed out, and all the characters were so vivid I could picture them clearly!

I enjoyed this Regency Romance. It reminded me of the Bridgerton (TV) series in terms of diversity and the more modern views and the way the characters acted and spoke a bit, but was deeper and a little more serious at times like a Jane Austen book. It is also a clean romance, though there is a good bit of innuendo and mentions of off page shenanigans.
Reputation dives into topics of racism, classism, sexism, and homophobia, but in a way that feels more authentic to the time. Unlike Bridgerton, there is no alternate version of history mentioned to account for the race mixing. This is done more accurately, meaning people of color are included, but they still struggle and they are not in any way a majority. And while the main group of teens that the main character falls in with do many outrageous things, including the girls, the fact that they are able to be so wild is mentioned in the story as partially forgiven because they are upper class (which would definitely have helped in that time), and they do not, in fact, all escape any type of consequences..
I liked how the book managed to tackle such tough subjects and still feel fun and frothy throughout much of the book. I also am glad it was not just a book about a girl learning that she needs to be good in order to have a happily ever after. The consequences are real, but so is the fun and friendship at the heart of the novel.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this incredible arc!

I had such a fun time with this book! I loved the main character and the love interest. Along with delightful conversations and banter, there is still a deep side to this story which only made me love it more!

Perfect for fans of Bridgerton!

Out on April 5th!

I don't usually read historical romances but I gave this one a try based on the description and cover (LOVE the cover!). I thought it was only okay. I liked the modern sensibilities in a historical setting but the romance didn't do it for me. I actually thought that it was going to be a queer romance based on the description and the chemistry between Frances and Georgiana and was slightly disappointed that it was not. I would definitely recommend this to fans of historical romance.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC.