A great new title -- maybe not just the thing for the very traditional Regency romance reader, but just perfect for the more sophisticated reader who is looking for something with sparkle and humor. It's a lot of fun, and at the end of the day, a very satisfying romance.

I hated this book.

I'm sorry. I'm trying to be generous, but I had such an awful time reading this book. This is not a romance novel. I'm not trying to gatekeep, but for many reasons this is not a romance novel and one central reason is that there is no romance. I made it through the first 60% of this book without having any idea who the love interest was and it ends, at the very most, with what could graciously be called an implied HFN.

This felt like a dark teen movie, with not only flawed and morally gray characters but absolutely unforgivable ones. Every single person in this book is mean and petty and selfish and vapid. The friendships are awful, the romance (when present) is entirely unfounded. There is absolutely nothing good, likeable, or noble about heroine.

One of the most essential aspects of a romance novel in my opinion is optimism. It can be set on a battlefield amidst a world war, it can be set on a planet with sex trafficking and slavery. It can be set within a Russian crime family with rape and torture and murder. But at the very core of every romance novel is hope, a belief in love and humanity and each other. A belief in something, anything. And this book had nothing. No hope, no optimism, no belief.

And the historical setting didn't make a lick of sense either. I'm not screaming "historical accuracy!" at this book because it prominently features BIPOC and queer (though nowhere near as much as advertised) folks in Regency society. I love that. I love all of it. I want every single Regency romance to have queers and BIPOCs living their absolute best, lavish lives. But I will scream about how this book seems to so drastically miss the point of a historical romance, that is the societal constraints on women and other marginalized genders and the suffocating pressures beneath which they must learn to love and thrive. In this book, I'm not sure what the point of the Regency setting was. It felt like Mean Girls in frilly dresses, with the politics and values of today. Everyone speaks, moves, and operates not only as though they live in the 21st century but as though everyone else does as well. I want strong, wayward, bluestocking, bombshell heroines. I want kind, generous, noble heroes. I want feminism and progressiveness and queerness. But the point of a historical romance is to negotiate these all of these things, everything about modern society with its issues and values, within the constraints and particularities of another time and place.

And to top it all off, there were some fun moments of light ableism sprinkled throughout.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

CW: sexual violence, excessive drug and alcohol use

Thank you @netgalley @lexcanroar and @stmartinspress for this gifted copy in exchange of an honest review.

This exceeded my expectations! It’s Bridgerton meets Gossip Girl and I loved it.

Georgiana Ellers is abandoned by her parents and sent to live at her aunts house. She’s a quirky bookworm who has lived such a lonely life up until now, without a family or friends who truly care about her. She meets Frances Campbell, a wealthy socialite, at the first party she attends of the season. She is immediately enraptured by her and her wild and improper lifestyle. As she begins to tag along to various social engagements, she continuously runs into the quiet Thomas Hawksley at her most embarrassing moments. She is smitten by this mysterious man, though she can’t quite get a read on his impression of her.

Georgiana soon begins to think this lifestyle comes with a higher price than it’s worth, and finds herself wondering if this is truly where she wants to belong.

I seriously can’t say enough good things about this book. It’s funny and full of predicaments that a young woman can find herself in during a journey of self-discovery.

I had a love/hate relationship with this book. In some respects, the story bears some aspects of resemblance to Jane Austin's Emma. But make no mistake! This is not like Miss Austin's Regency romances. The author also said did a great job making real the sordid underbelly of Regency England. I thought the author did a fanatic job forming real characters that captured the reader’s attention. My problem with the book was that the first half of the book dragged as the Bacchanalian partying of the characters continued on and on.

Georgiana, a young woman who just moved into the area and now living with her aunt and uncle, is desperate to find friends. She meets and forma a relationship with the local Duke’s daughter, Frances. Frances encourages Georgiana to join her group of friends and join them at a series of parties. Typical Regency era social norms are not followed, and the young people engage in drug and alcohol infused bashes. What Georgiana doesn’t know is that Frances is the queen of the local young adult opium eaters of the area. Opium pipes and laudanum are used in excess.

If you are looking for a typical historical romance leading to a “happy ever after” ending, then this is probably not for you. Oh there is a very satisfying ending, but the relationship between Georgiana and Thomas languishes until the book’s halfway mark.

As I said, I had mixed feelings about the book and almost quit reading when the Bacchanalian bashes grew tedious. I enjoyed the second half of the book far more, and am glad I hung with it. I am glad the NetGalley game me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I started the book twice and just couldn’t get into it. I was never the curious child looking from trouble, so I didn’t relate to Georgiana and didn’t find myself interested in her story. The book is set up to be Georgiana and her obsession with Frances, which a lot of young women will likely find appealing. It’s written well and would likely keep young adults interested.

I found the characters to be annoying and did not feel invested in the story. I liked the idea of the plot, but the execution fell short. I knew I would struggle through the book when I was not too fond of the first chapter.

Young adult Georgiana moves in with her aunt and uncle after her parents decide that parenting really isn’t their cup of tea. Without any means or friends, Georgiana’s life is rather aimless until she meets Francis. Wealthy and reckless, Francis offers Georgiana the fun she craves at a cost that becomes steeper than Georgiana can pay.

This was an interesting story that was much darker than I was expecting. It’s angsty and twisty, with plenty of back-stabbing and power plays. There’s also abuse, assault and drug use, which may not be appropriate for younger teen readers. The protagonist was a miss for me. I can understand wanting to fit into society and “live”, but she’s so two-faced that I found her very unlikeable, and her character arc didn’t have enough evolution by the end of the story for me to change my mind. At it’s core, this is about women wanting more than the role society has prescribed to them, but they waste so much time dragging each other down instead of lifting each other up.

While set in the Regency, this book is very much a product of modern times in the sense that scandals and cruelties only hinted at in Austen or even Georgette Heyer are pretty explicitly drawn here. I've seen many reviews likening the novel to Emma, Mean Girls, and Bridgerton. These are accurate comparisons. It is extremely well written, with an Austen-like cast of vivid characters. The lead is Fanny Price trying to be Emma Woodhouse, who gets Elizabeth Bennet-sassy when she's drunk or high. The lead must learn, in the same ways as Cady Heron did, the respective values of self and social-worth. The ending will leave you with some satisfying violence and hope for the characters' futures, despite the fact that human nature- whether in the 19th, 20th, or 21st century- tends not to change overmuch.

The "Mean Girls meets Bridgerton" description is apt, but Reputation is so much more than a Regency-era rom-com.

For starters, it's about friendship more than romance. The friendship between Georgiana (the bookish, sheltered main character) and Frances (a wealthy and popular but troubled young woman) starts as a mutually beneficial arrangement: Georgiana gets invited to parties, and Frances gets an admiring sidekick. Their bond develops real depth as Georgiana starts to see Frances's vulnerabilities, and as Georgiana forms her own social ties and Frances becomes needier the balance of power between them shifts. But as Frances struggles, her cruelty becomes more pronounced, and Georgiana's high-class friendships - and all her other relationships - are at the mercy of her charismatic and powerful frenemy.

Of course, there is also romance, with a Darcy-ish (but vulnerable) male lead. There is a cast of nuanced and entertaining side characters. There are characters of color and characters of varying sexual orientation. And there is a villain, who emerges as such only gradually and almost as an afterthought.

The narration has a snappy wit that rivals Austen's, while providing more interiority for its main character. Although I couldn't pinpoint any outright anachronisms, the sensibility of the story "feels" modern; this was initially strange, but I quickly grew to enjoy it - and everything else about this delightful story.

Has Jane Austen ever been sexier and hot than right now? With the huge hit series, Bridgerton, Netflix opened the door for a new generation of fans for Regency England and romance. Jane Austen is like the original rom-com writer and there is a reason many of her novels continue to be remade into modern stories or films. Like so many others, I adore Jane Austen—and I am always on the look out for new takes on the ‘Regency rom-com’ genre.

Enter this book. I was instantly drawn to this book and couldn’t pass on it. I loved the mash up description of Jane Austen meets Mean Girls and honestly—that’s exactly what this book is! I love regency England and I think with the popularity of Bridgerton I think a lot of younger readers and reads who ‘don’t read romance’ are looking for books to fill the giant Bridgerton hole in their hearts and this book will be a welcome distraction for many who are in this boat!

For me, I love romance. I read so much romance it’s not even funny, especially when I want something that’s a quick read and will leave me feeling happy. And books that are historical romance always get bonus points for me because I adore historical fiction and this book just sounded like a quick distraction that would leave me wondering if it was time for me to read some more Austen?

Summary
The hilarious debut novel from Lex Croucher. A classic romcom with a Regency-era twist, for fans of Mean Girls and/or Jane Austen.

Abandoned by her parents, middle-class Georgiana Ellers has moved to a new town to live with her dreary aunt and uncle. At a particularly dull party, she meets the enigmatic Frances Campbell, a wealthy member of the in-crowd who lives a life Georgiana couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams.

Lonely and vulnerable, Georgiana 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.

But the price of entry to high society might just be higher than Georgiana is willing to pay … (summary from Goodreads)

Review
So when I said this book was Austen meets Mean Girls and I cannot drive that point home enough. It’s basically Mean Girls in Regency dress. In the early 2000s Mean Girls was the ‘IT MOVIE’. When it came out, I really enjoyed it though now when I watch it, it’s a little cringe-ish. Nevertheless, when I picked up this book I was fully ready for Mean Girls meets Regency England—cringe-ish or not! Going into this book, I think it’s important that readers be aware that there is a lot of modern language in this one. While yes it’s a Regency era book, there is a heavy dose of modern language and issues that we don’t see in many traditional ‘Regency era’ novels. I think y biggest hangup for this one was the genre labeling. On one hand yes it’s a historical fiction novel but it read more modern. Yes it has romance but I don’t know that I would actually classify this as a ‘rom-com’ as it really felt more about the women than romance and it had a much more serious storyline than comedy. And finally, is this adult fiction, I mean yes—-but for me this one read a little more YA than adult fiction and I think it’s because the characters felt a lot younger. YA is a tough genre sometimes. I love YA as much as the next person but when I picked this one up, I was expecting something a little different than what I actually read. It’s hard to define this one in any one specific genre. It’s certainly a mashup of a lot of different things.

So does it sound like I hated this book yet? Well that’s not the case! I mean, the cover and description promise a lot lighter of a plot than I actually read but it wasn’t a bad story. Purists of historical fiction/rom-coms will probably find more to criticize in this book but I think you have to go into this one with an open mind. It’s got a lot to offer readers especially in the main character Georgiana. She is impressionable and young and seeing her interact with the other characters really drives home just how impressionable she really is. I think some readers will identify with her insecurities and struggles to fit in. Even if you are an adult reader I think there is a lesson in Georgiana’s story that people will connect with.

The next natural question becomes—where do I rate this one then? This one was hard. In general I am more of a historical fiction purist. I like things to feel authentic and less modern. However there is an edginess to this one that I found exciting and appealing. The author did a great job constructing a story that had both fun elements to it and more serious topics that I think readers will enjoy so I think that has merit to it. I ended up going with 3 stars for this one. It was good and I liked it well enough to recommend to friends but I don’t know that I loved it in the way that I was expecting.

Book Info and Rating
Format: 336 pages, paperback

Published: April 5th 2022 by St Martin’s Press

ISBN: 9781250832832

Free review copy provided by publisher, St Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: historical fiction, Regency lit

This book was so much fun. I just loved being drawn into this story and these characters. I want more from this author as soon as possible.

I’m don’t think the phrase romantic comedy should be used with this book as it has a great deal of drug abuse, alcoholism, and sexual assault. It’s much more Emma than P&P and a lot more cruel. The character’s meanness allows for a lot awful/demeaning/bulling situations to be written, and I found myself skimming to keep my boundaries.

Oh Georgina… what a story! A lovely girls parents can’t Be bothered with her and send her off to live with her aunt and uncle. She gets caught up in a high society crowd of so-called friends who are so spoiled and entitled they steer her in the wrong direction with booze drugs and parties way out of her league. Grab this one it’s a great read.

Ok, the first 3/4 of the book was a bit rich kids doing bad things but then it got me in the last quarter not gonna lie. I enjoyed the writing. Chuckled throughout. Appreciated the inclusion of multiracial characters in Regency England, because truthfully how could you not expect there to be interracial marriages at the height of the British Empire. Anyway, I was a bit bored with Georgiana and Frances’ friendship, I mean you could clearly see where it was going. But zing! Georgiana decides that will not be her story and goes beyond being “…nobody of importance to anybody in particular.”

LOVED loved loved this book.

The writing had me captivated from the start to finish, and I found myself reading it almost straight through one sitting. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for access to the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a long-time Austen fan, I was so excited to read this debut from Lex Croucher. It did not disappoint - Reputation is a refreshing take on the Regency era that perfectly blends what you would expect from a classic text with a dash more debauchery and a lot of heart. Ultimately, this is a novel about coming into one’s own, and Croucher executes this so well.

I really appreciated the more diverse set of characters and the Croucher’s approach to tackling the realities of the era, as well as exploring topics around sex, sexuality, consent and drug abuse.

And the banter between Georgiana and Thomas? A+.

5⭐️

#netgalley #reputation

I rated this book 3.5 stars. I’m a big fan of Jane Austen and historical romance so I was very excited to read this book! I loved that this was a historical romance but with sex, drugs, and debauchery thrown in. I also really enjoyed reading about the relationship between Georgiana and Frances. I took some stars off because I found it to be a little over-dramatic and cheesy at times.
Overall it was a funny and quick read!

Thank you NetGalley for this ebook.
I enjoyed the read even though the start was a bit slow for me.
Although I wouldn’t catalog it as a rom-com, I enjoyed the complexity of the characters and the story development, specially because of the regency era which makes it a bit different and gives it an interesting twist.

So much to like in this book and a few things I didn't care for. It was good to see that the Regency period was not all sunshine and roses. People had their problems too, even, or maybe especially, in the higher classes. Drugs and alcohol were still a problem and people rejected anyone who was "the other." Racism existed, whether it be anti-Indian or anti-black. And people of privilege got away with murder, just as they do today. Some things, unfortunately, don't change. The main character, Georgiana, was young, naive and easily influenced by those around her who were, for the most part, Mean Girls! Writing was excellent with great witty passages, especially between Georgiana and Thomas, but some parts seemed overly dramatic. Read to the end and things, of course, worked out, but sometimes I wanted to shake Georgiana and other times, I wanted to comfort her. Guess that's a sign of good writing. As this was a debut novel, I expect great things from Lex Croucher in the future.

Thank you, Net Galley, for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Never had the chance to read genre by Lex Croucher, “Reputation” is a first for this reader. Where to begin. The story starts off a bit slow for me in the first couple of chapters but picks up pace around mid-chapter three. Georgiana Ellers. is a young woman who is sent to live with her aunt and uncle after her mother and father to some extent abandons her. and begins to become restless with the way her life is going and planned by them. She meets Frances Campbell, who is part of the wealthy ton and who along with her privileged friends draw Georgina into a dark area that expands her uncharacteristic behavior and indulgences. It is journey where she makes quite a few mistakes, takes risks and meets Thomas Hawsley, who is unimpressed with her and the individuals she surrounds herself with. He takes a fancy to Georgiana and sees something different in her, although she can’t see it herself.

Georgiana is at times a likeable character and there are moments in the story when she is not. Unfortunately, the path taken leaves her to consider whether her relationship with Thomas is worth more than the bigger price she will have to pay to fit into the aristocratic elite world she has now become accustomed all for the sake of friendship.

I almost put this story down but glad the pace picked up for me to finish. What I like…the author’s descriptive sceneries to give you a vivid picture of what was going on and the incorporation of African and Indian individuals going outside the norm of what we read in most HRs. What I did not like…the repetitiveness of the use of alcohol and too many unlikeable characters. In any case, the author did an okay job of pulling together this story although it had its quirks.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.