I’m not an Austen reader so I can’t compare this to Emma, but I can say that the premise was interesting - Georgina’s husband has an affair, so she decides that they should become swingers to save their marriage. What ensues should be funny and sexy and entertaining, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I never connected with Georgina. She spent all her time trying so hard to manage everyone else’s lives that I felt like she was herself one-dimensional. The writing also had a stilted quality that might have been partially because that fit the character, but made it hard for me to get swept up in the story because it all felt so clinical. I did enjoy the concept, and I liked the way that other relationships in the book changed and developed, so it might just be that Georgina wasn’t the character for me. If you enjoy a portrait of a marriage trying to figure itself out, New York City, and the idea of checking out “the lifestyle” vicariously, this book might be right up your alley even though it wasn’t up mine.

Thank you Knopf Doubleday for the chance to read and review The Lifestyle by Taylor Hahn. I am going to review this one in two ways, one as a general reader and one as someone who values different identities and unexpected plots and books that cover women's lives at all ages and recognize that women have complicated and changing desires, needs, and relationships.

As a general reader, this is a 3 star read for me as I did not fully connect with the plot and the characters lives and experiences, I felt a bit distant from the story at times. I was also expecting more of a Jane Austen vibe and that wasn't present for me; sometimes going into a story looking for a certain feeling or style of story matters and here my experience was perhaps limited by what I was hoping for versus what was written. That does not mean the story was not good, just not what I was looking for.

However, there is a lot to note about this book for potential readers, particularly those looking for a book that has a woman exploring swinging/different relationships BUT also, importantly, thinking and learning about herself. I love a book that has a woman valuing herself, and being written as multidimensional and as ever changing, even in midlife. I also think representation of different approaches to relationships is always welcome and appreciated and this was present throughout the narrative in many ways. This might mean the book is just right for some readers and audiences and also good for a discussion and book club!

Overall, this is a 3 star read but also a respected read for me, 4 star for ideas, content, and novelty.

First and foremost, this wasn't a retelling of Emma, nor was it close to Clueless. The Lifestyle is its own beast, and beyond the similarities between the main character and Emma, you won't find much else to cling to, let alone find any connections with. I'm not quite sure why that had to be a selling point for this book, but I think it did it a disservice, rather than aid it in getting people to enjoy the premise that much more. Beyond that, this is just a book that mostly felt empty. I'm not sure I liked the characters, but I mostly believe that it's because none of them were given well-rounded personalities, especially Nathan and Whitaker that were so flat, they might as well have become wallpaper.

Georgina is incredibly dislikable, and not in the way in which an Emma or Cher manages to charm you, just in a way that isn't even fun to read about. Nothing she does makes sense. Nothing she does endears you to her. We are told time and time again how great she is, and yet nothing about her actually backs that up. For a main character, there isn't much to root for. With the exception of how she treats Meredith.

All in all, especially as a Jane Austen fan, this was a book that didn't have much of anything to offer me. I'm giving it two stars because the writing wasn't horrible, and it had an interesting enough premise. I just don't think it did anyone any favors, especially not the characters, nor anyone who enjoys Emma or Clueless. This book would be a skip in most circumstances.

A wonderful read a book that took me places I never expected.I enjoyed from beginning to end and found myself laughing out load.I predict this will be a big hit.Thanks#netgalley#knopdoubleday

I’ve never read “Emma” so I didn’t know what that comparison was. Basically I requested blind. To be completely transparent, I regretted requesting this book at first because of reviews I read on NetGalley BUT I was so glad I actually stuck with it and read all the way through.

The swinging “lifestyle” would never be something I’d personally want for my marriage or think of in terms of trying to “save” it BUT when I remove myself from the book and just read it for the story it was, I actually really enjoyed it! Georgina irritated me because she couldn’t see just how obnoxious and self centered she was. People that have a personality like hers where they try to “fix” people get under my skin. Thankfully she had characters around her to balance that all out. The book had so much self growth and discovery for every character, parts that were funny even when uncomfortable and I am always happy with a well rounded ending.

This only works as an Emma retelling in that the main character is fairly oblivious to the emotional lives of everyone around her. Beyond that we're just looking at someone too immature to know what she wants in a relationship going around trying to wreck everyone else's.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the chance to read and share a review of The Lifestyle. I was intrigued by the premise of the book but I felt that some of the characters didn't have a mind of their own at times (early on). That gets cleared up near the end. Overall it was a fun read but I'll not forget the crazy experience she had at the first party.....WHAT?!

What I didn't like was, well a lot. I think we can judge a book by the cover, which was awful. This trend of cartoon type characters on a cover is completely lost to me. Why? It is not appealing. Almost immediately, I like Georgina, a lawyer who is married and they both work at the same firm. Climbing the ladder and billable hours gives me the background. Then the friends, who I liked a lot., have been around since college, keeping close contact, all superficial. All of the friendships she has are surface. She even tries to sabotage her friends marriage, because she always wanted them together.

Georgina meets with a client and bam, I want to be a swinger. The reasons given, the story lines and me questioning "what the hell am I reading?" It would seem to me that highly educated people can not fix a marriage based on sex with other people. If you are in a relationship or married like Georgina, and you are not fulfilled, it seems like like something to address way before you chose this activity.

I didn't give it a chance to get explicit or into details. I gave up when the characters are SO easily swayed into this type of activity. The fact that one couple thinks over night and texts the next morning that they are in, is mind blowing.

I labeled it a DNF by 42% and could care any less what happens to Georgina.. I wasn't invested in it at all.

This fun romp is a sassy Emma retelling, this time following Georgina as she leaves her comfortable life with her husband and takes up a swinging lifestyle.
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Georgina has her life planned carefully. Walking in on her husband with another woman is not part of the plan and neither is a divorce. To save her marriage she decides to try out the lifestyle and encourages her friends.
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This book in the long run is little about the lifestyle and a lot about these relationships, while some of these couples are not necessarily worth rooting for it’s definitely an interesting look at relationships.
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Thank you #knopf and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit that I’m not the biggest fan of Emma, but I do love Jane Austen and I do love a retelling. I didn’t hate THE LIFESTYLE but I also didn't love it. My biggest issue was that I didn’t fully fall in love with Georgina. There were definitely parts of her character I loved (the whole bit with Meredith was fantastic), but I ultimately found her to be annoying, and not in an endearing way. Again, this may have to do with the fact that she’s based off of Austen’s Emma.
I definitely recommend this to people if they’re intrigued by the synopsis. It was highly bingeable and a fast-paced read. It’s just not a story that will stay with me.

I really enjoyed this! The lifestyle aspect of the plot gave it a twist not often seen in romcoms. This part of the plot is not going to be for all readers but if you are open to it, it is a very enjoyable book.

Now this book is one of a kind and I absolutely know it's going to garner lots of attention. I guess it's still left up to readers where they fall in loving it or it not being their cup of tea. Just be aware that this novel is sexually explicit - which makes sense based on the synopsis! Thank you to Doubleday for the opportunity to read an e-ARC copy!

I didn’t finish this as I hadn’t read the description and realized it was about swinging and knew it would have to much sexual content for my personal preference.

I loved this story! I do have to say, for a rom com with characters participating in "the lifestyle," it is pretty tame compared to most erotic romance novels I've read. I kind of get the Emma inspiration but this would be better served promoting it as a polyamorous rom com. I will be recommending this one to all my romance fan patrons. I look forward to any and all of Taylor Hahn's future novels!

One of those stories that I wanted to like more than I actually did. I really liked Georgina as a character and appreciated how she lifted up other women in her life. However, she was certainly flawed, and I can't believe one meeting with someone readers barely get any warning on changes things. I would have liked to see more development with the many relationships with people in her life. I think that would have made this book more enjoyable for me. I'm stuck between a 2 and a 3. I did appreciate how the focus was more on the characters than the physical acts between them though!

Thank you to Knopf Doubleday for our ARC copy of The Lifestyle by Taylor Hahn.

Rating: 4 star
Genre: Fiction/Romance

This book is a really unique, challenging one for me to review. I'm going to start by saying that this book will not be for everyone. I would encourage you to read the synopsis or message me with questions! All of that being said I would suggest you go into it with an open mind. I enjoy books that open my mind to other lifestyles (you will see the pun I did there if you read it!). This book was well written and really made me think about how love and relationships can look different for everyone.

I would encourage you to review the synopsis on this one; however, keep an open mind. I believe that this is a book that a lot of people are going to talk about! I'm also really impressed with Taylor Hahn, as this is her debut book. I'm excited to see what she writes going forward!

3.25 stars

Georgina Wagman is a 30-something partner at a law firm who catches her seemingly perfect husband, Nathan screwing a first year associate/mentee. In a desperate attempt to save her marriage with not-so-perfect-anymore husband (and by extension her sham of perfect life), she suggests they broaden their mundane lives (sex and in general) by becoming swingers and embracing “the lifestyle.”

At her first such party, she randomly runs into an ex boyfriend, Whitaker Nolan, her first love in college and whom she left to go to law school. As this is a book based on Jane Austen’s Emma, Georgina rather unhelpfully tries to matchmake, fix and meddles in all of her friends’ business. Frankly, I found Georgina annoying AF, even with the best of intentions, and she realises (thank fuck) after many, many chapters that she should really mind her own beeswax.

Overall, this was an interesting read because it offered a unique retelling of a beloved classic romcom. However, I would not rush to shelf this book in the romance section, rather Women’s Fiction with a romantic subplot. The focus of this book was Georgina’s evolving sense of self and the confidence she eventually finds in being messy, taking risks and ultimately happiness based on her own rules.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. I loved this book! This debut has it all: romance, heartache, friendship, and totally flawed characters. The story is laugh-out-loud funny and the situations are unbeatable. I totally recommend this book to readers who enjoy a spicy rom-com and love to experience a poignant yet funny story.

This modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma combined with a behind-the-scenes peek at the lives of New York swingers is wildly entertaining, hilarious and heartwarming.

Georgina, like Emma, doesn’t know how to mind her own business. Her endless meddling in her friends’ relationships and belief that she knows best is rather annoying, but at the same time her love for her friends and her desire for their happiness is endearing. She is a complex character like all of us, which makes her relatable even when her decisions or circumstances are not.

My favorite part of this story was seeing how the different characters approached and responded to the swinging lifestyle, and how they eventually each used the experiences to make more empowered decisions and communicate their desires more effectively.

Totally recommend to anyone looking for a quick, entertaining read with humor and heart.

This book was one of a kind and took me for a ride that I did not expect! I LOVED ever second of it.