I struggled a bit with writing a review for this one. For me, Reputation has a mix of elements that I really enjoyed and some less so!

I liked the way author Lex Croucher mixed the regency setting with more modern themes. I know this was presented as Mean Girls meets Bridgerton, but I think it's also got some Bad Girls Club vibes! If the "society constraints" of the era typically turn you off, I would recommend giving this a try! With that said, I think true regency fans might struggle a bit with some of the liberties taken here as well.

Character likability is tough when you're creating that Mean Girls female friendship dynamic and the main character Georgiana (and most of the other characters actually) have some real flaws! For me, plot-wise it took me a while to connect to this. It felt like there were some storylines that left the reader hanging or wanting more--Frances's parents or sexuality, for example.

I did enjoy the interaction between Thomas and Georgiana. I loved the correspondence between the two, it was written really well and had the witty back-and-forth that I personally enjoy. As you get to know more about Thomas's backstory, their early interactions take a darker tone in retrospect, I couldn't help but think what initially drew him to her.

I think this would make for a great book club pick because there is a lot to discuss! There's family drama, romance, friendship, coming-of-age and broader gender/society role themes all involved in this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A classic tale of a middle class woman in Regency England who starts out sweet, falls in with the wrong, very cruel, aristocratic friends but comes about by the end of the book after tragedy befalls her. A classic tale but with a twist: there are Black and Indian characters. In fact, the author writes in the notes that it is in part “a bid to reverse the trend of whitewashing the historical stories we tell.” It succeeds in this and will be a very good addition to the few similar romance novels on offer.
However, I found it very difficult to read the parts where the cruelty occurs. But that makes sense, cruelty should be difficult to read about.
In any case, I could recommend this book to my patrons.

A refreshing take on a Regency tale! Mean Girls meets Bridgeton with a delightful main character, Georgiana. The small bits of epistolary-style letter writing helped move the story forward in an interesting way. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but the story picked up halfway through and kept me so enthralled that I couldn’t put it down. More on Georgiana: a witty, book-loving, somewhat socially awkward woman who reminded me much of myself, just trying to fit in and making some mistakes along the well. Well-written with a diverse cast!

"Reputation" by Lex Croucher
Interesting story
This may be a good story. But I never developed an attachment to any of the characters. And, as to romantic comedy, I never did find the comedic side of the story. Thus the 3-star vs 5 review. Happy Reading ! !
NOTE: I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley
This review expresses my honest opinion.

This book was everything I’ve ever wanted in a Regency-era book!! Lots of drunken debauchery, partying, and friend dramas, which reminds me of my time in high school lol. It was a pretty fun read, although a little monotonous at times (party after party after party).

Georgiana was very witty and funny and I loved being in her head for the duration of this book. Reputation very adequately portrays being a young adult in Regency-era times. I do wish there wasn’t as much female friendship drama - we don’t need any more catty popular girl behavior. I understand the drama though, but it definitely could have been resolved a lot easier.

The romance was very sweet and wholesome, and exactly what the main character deserved. There was also DIVERSITY which was excellent - the author very appropriately notes the amount of whitewashing that happens in Regency-era books and movies. There were also important conversations around drinking/alcoholism and sexual abuse in this time period.

Overall this was a really fun and entertaining read!! Highly recommend it, especially if you’re a fan of this time period and/or Pride & Prejudice.

Reputation will be published on April 5th, 2022. Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Regency mean girls. I rated this book a 3.5 out of five stars. Overall, I enjoyed it but it was not what I was expecting.

Trigger warnings: sexual assault, rape, drug/alcohol abuse, domestic violence

Georgiana, a 20 year old in regency-era England, is forced to move in with her aunt and uncle when her parents decide to move without her. At a party she meets affluent Frances who takes Georgiana under her wing and introduces her to her friends and brings her along to wild parties. At one such party, Georgiana meets Thomas Hawksley and is immediately intrigued by him. However, Mr. Hawksley is disinterested in the wild partying and doesn't get on well with Georgiana's new friends.

Overall, I really liked this book, but I found the beginning to be a bit boring which brought my overall rating down. The first 50% of the book bored me and I found it a bit slow, but the last hall I loved. The description of the book was a bit deceiving. First, it says it's a romcom but I found that the romance was more of a subplot and the main focus was on Georgiana's friendships and the toxicity of them. It's also darker than I was expecting it to be. The story dealt with sexual assault and rape. A big part of the ending and the climax dealt with SA and how the character's dealt with it. I did like this aspect of the book, I just wasn't expecting it based on the description of the book. This book did have humor to it, but I would not call it a romcom. It had a splash of romance, but it's primary focus was on young women finding their place in a male-dominated world. Overall, I liked the book and would recommend reading it, but don't be deceived by the description, it is not a light fluffy romantic comedy.

I got to about chapter 6 and had to stop unfortunately. I couldn't connect with the characters or story at all. Every time I would start I'd zone out and completely miss parts it just couldn't keep me engaged.

Thank you to the author and netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A rollercoaster of a read, and an absolute joy to follow Georgiana's journey into (and out of? possibly?) the rabbit hole of society. This book dips expertly from a fluffy, hilarious party of a rom com into a surprisingly poignant reflection on society inequalities, integrity, and agency. I personally adore the kind of intentional, passionate historical novel that allows its characters and their mindsets to feel familiar to 21st century readers, and Reputation delivered on that. A book that expands our view of a stuffy, whitewashed historical era is always a plus. Reputation treats its (extremely flawed) characters' arcs with compassion, and I was thoroughly satisfied with its conclusion.

An adorable book that I couldn't put down. It was witty and engaging and knew how to use its characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to.more from this author.

I absolutely adored this book. It was witty, fast-paced, and just all together lovely. I couldn't put it down.

I think what I loved most was the side characters and how they were written. Everyone was important for this story, even Mr. Burton who was a man of few words, but made them count.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book!

St. Martin's Griffin,
Thank You for this eARC!

Just from reading the description I knew it was going to be fabulous.
Now I know what all the hype is all about because I'm still thinking about this book!
I can't believe this is Lex Croucher's debut novel!

Reputation by Lex Croucher
Is a funny, classic story with the Mean Girls twist.
And I loved every page of it.

Georgiana has just moved to a brand new town to live with her aunt and uncle.
While at a boring party she meets an evasive and one and only Frances Campbell, who is a wealthy member of the in crowd.
Unpopular and exposed Georgiana soon finds herself friends with Frances and and the other rich friends. Who are living a life she can't seem to fathom.
Finding out the the only way to enter this high society life could be higher than Georgiana thinks!

What a fun, exciting book this was!
There isn't one bad thing to say here!
I loved the character Georgiana and I laughed out loud multiple times.
And the other characters were exciting and I enjoyed getting to know them as well.
The writing blew me away from page one. It's hard to believe that this writing came from a debut author.
A quick and entertaining read, that once you start, you won’t be able to tear yourself away from. Expertly plotted and perfectly written
Virtually every page was a delight of wondrous sentences and the truest dialog I've read in awhile.
This book exceeded my expectations.
One of those, I'll read one more chapter, and another, and then I got to the end in one sitting.

I don't think I'm the audience for this book. It's a well written romp suitable for a YA audience, essentially about a group of bored teens who could be in any college setting. Instead, they're set down in some historical era or other--it's not quite clear when--just for amusement. The only history appears to be carriages and a very careless pretense at chaperonage. I do hope the book finds its audience but that is not me. I will not be posting any reviews online. The writer does know how to write and should get credit for that.

Reputation is great mash-up of Netflix Bridgerton and Mean Girls .Story is creative, clever, and entertaining with loads of clever word play. I highly recommend this book when you're next in the mood for something completely different and entertaining! I look forward to more from this author.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF for me about 40% through. It just didn't grab my attention like I thought it would. I was sold when I saw Bridgerton meets Gossip Girl but I don't think one really lived up to either.

I just couldn't get into the plot and it just felt like a bit of a chore to pick up. The plot wasn't really there and Georginia just felt childish. It wasn't what I was really hoping for and I couldn't bring myself to force my way through it.

Although it is set in the Regency era, the story topic felt modern. Wanting to fit in is not a modern occurrence and that is precisely how Reputation begins. Georgiana Ellers has grown up with emotionally distant parents and now that she finds herself living with her aunt and uncle, it is no surprise that she jumps at the chance to become part of the cool crowd. When charismatic Frances befriends her at a boring party, Georgiana puts reservations aside and joins in on some bad behavior. Being around Frances is probably the most fun she has ever had and she is desperate to continue the friendship. As the story progresses, we see the cost of that friendship.

The author has done a wonderful job of creating a detailed and story that is easily relatable. The characters were very nuanced and varied. I was impressed with how many different character types existed throughout the book. Each of the characters had an integral part in moving the story forward. This book was a delightful read. It covered some very dark topics incredibly well. This book is easy to recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Griffin for the arc.

This book was so funny. The description was perfect in setting me up for this story and what to expect. It's a great addition to modern day historical stories and I can't wait to see what else Lex Croucher has in store.

TW - sexual assault.

This book is more Heathers meets Less Than Zero than Mean Girls. A little harsher doesn’t make it a bad thing. This just isn’t your average Regency, although there is a little epistolary sweetness in the middle of some serious topics.

The main character, Georgiana has been left with her older aunt and uncle. In search of a little excitement she falls in with a group of well off friends who are decadent and wild.

The book was well written so I am giving it 4 stars.

I saw Bridgerton meets Gossip Girl and I didn't need ANY further info. This was so much fun. Regency romances have been my favorite thing this year, and after reading so many I loved this different vibe of seeing what the troublemakers of the season are up to. I absolutely adored Georgiana and grew to like her new group of friends. Georgiana was a great narrator. She was snarky, naive, and truly just adorable. She stressed me out only a few times when I wanted to yell BUT YOUR REPUTATION. I loved the at-times questionable friendship between Georgiana and Frances that I couldn't help but root for. I am glad they had each other when neither of them had much at home.

I am just so glad I read this. I will be buying the physical of as soon as it comes out, and I will be recommending to anyone that needs their Austen novels to be a little more provocative. Queen Charlotte would be most entertained indeed.

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for this eARC. Reputation by Lex Croucher is out on 04/05/22 and you won't want to miss it (clearly). Who do I have to bribe to get anything else Croucher writes??

Georgiana, a quiet miss comes to stay with her Aunt and stumbles into a group of friends of questionable character. She quickly becomes ensconce in their group despite not being of their standing. Throughout the summer the groups activities become more and more outrageous. Georgiana’s own behaviour so unlike her character simply in a desire to be included. This story truly shows the perils of peer pressure and the desire to be liked and accepted, as well as how easily it is to lose yourself in that process. Her strength of character is seen by a one determined friend and one intrigued gentleman. It is through their loyalty and support that she is able to find herself again. Though the story took me longer to get into, I did enjoy it in the end. So much angst, but that is exactly to be expected at this age.

After a lifetime of disinterest from her parents and quiet evenings with bookish friends, Georgiana Ellers is sent to live with her equally middle-class and somewhat high-strung aunt and uncle for the summer. In the midst of a dull party, she discovers (or rather, is discovered by) a spark of light: Frances Campbell, leader and crown jewel of the town's most fabulous (and scandalous) wealthy in-crowd. From that night on, George and Frances become inseparable, and Georgiana''s life takes a turn from deeply boring to drunken and improprietous. And as one does, she meets a boy who is extraordinarily out of her league. But is the price of this lifestyle one she can afford? After all, one cannot fall out without being in...

Trigger warnings: Rape, sexual assault

While I did not personally make it through even two episodes of the show, I suspect there's a bit of Bridgerton-fishing afoot with the cover of Reputation. But I won't hold that against the publisher for what was a witty, sometimes dark, and altogether relatable coming-of-age story.

I was pleasantly surprised that Reputation, despite its cover and description, was less a romcom and more about a group of 20-somethings testing their limits and trying to find their place in a conservative world. The sexual tension, while there, is not the glue that binds this book together- It's George's relationships with Frances and with Betty, Frances' with Jane, and the unchecked power that then, and now, comes with being a wealthy white male. Even the final page of this book focuses not on a romantic relationship, but of a friendship, and I loved that.

I'd love to say Georgiana is a breath of fresh air, but her friends are so carefree that her bold nature is only remarkable when compared to what you expect of women of this time, versus the representation of her peers.

With that said, this book was hard to categorize - It feels like it classifies as YA while dealing with mature subject matter (assault, rape, drug/alcohol abuse) and doesn't quite hit the notes of a period piece. It could just as easily have been set in the year 2021 if a few references to carriages were removed.

I also felt as though there were a few missed opportunities to explore beyond class - With multiple biracial (set in a time of blanket whiteness in the wealthy class) and LGBTQ+ characters, there could have been more conflict (internal or otherwise) set around those topics. Jane, for example, was a character who seemed to exist primarily as a foil for Frances' unexamined queerness and I felt like she deserved more.

Overall, this was a well-paced, charming, and enjoyable read- Particularly for someone who too often rolls her eyes at the latest chicklit release.

Big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing an ARC copy with me in exchange for my honest review!