Wow, this book was an absolute gem!

I will say, I wasn't quite expecting the love story to be a second storyline (being labeled as a romance novel), but it ended up being perfect for this novel.

This was such a proper blend of a historical romance meets Gossip Girl meets Mean Girls that I'm honestly blown away at the accuracy! If it were to be turned into a movie/show I imagine it being a blend of Bridgerton and Marie Antoinette (the glorious 2006 film produced by Sofia Coppola and starring Kirsten Dunst)

Reputation had a little bit of everything I didn't know I have always needed from a historical romance. I loved the scandalous nature of things (honestly, the fact that ankles were involved made me pleased as punch), plus the clique drama which I feel was a very real thing, and then the little trysts. Ugh. I can't with how much I enjoyed this.

And I laughed so much! Truly, I laughed out loud often. This factor was probably my favorite piece by far.

I commend Lex Croucher for her whit and brilliance in this novel and I am desperately hoping to see more like it in the future.

I huge thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advance listener copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this Regency romance styled in the fashion of a naughty Jane Austen novel. Georgiana has been sent to stay with her Aunt and Uncle and is introduced to a circle of men and women who are definitely not above reproach. I made it to about 30% but I just couldn't recover from the lack of a compelling storyline and had to set it aside. The audiobook narrator was just okay. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advance copy. Fans of Julia Quinn's Bridgertons series might enjoy this more than I did.

I think I need to give up on this.

No words against the narrator, she was so good.
BUT!

Literally nothing is happening. One third in and nothing happened apart from the main character meeting this Francis wealthy lady chick and wanting to be around her to party and drink and do all kinds of mayhem even though apart from drinking no other mayhem took place.

And there were a few scenes of open bullying weaker characters who just had the misfortune of being kind to the MC and I felt so uncomfortable at those scenes being just swept off and not addressed in any way that i have to give this up.

Reputation is a hilarious, clever, and sharply written Regency novel that reads like Mean Girls and Jane Austen hitting it off at a fancy party and it's just as enjoyable as it sounds. It carries all the delights of reading of someone coming into their own and finding their place among the cutthroat high society parties and social groups of the time. I found Georgiana Ellers to be a compelling protagonist and adored each and every one of the side characters and their complex narratives, most especially Frances Campbell and Betty Walters. A perfect recommendation for readers who want their historical fiction laced with a modern sense of debauchery. I listened to this on audio and while the prose itself was as lovely as one can expect from Lex Croucher, the narration by Bessie Carter was phenomenal and drew me into a genuinely immersive experience so if you're inclined toward audiobooks, you can't go wrong with this one.

(As a side note for those wanting to read this for the first time: many people seemed to expect this to be a sapphic romance and while there are LGBT side characters and Georgiana does show curiosity and occasional interest toward women throughout, the main romance is straight. Lex mentioned that they were writing Georgiana as they were figuring out their own attractions, and so while Georgiana is not necessarily on-page LGBT representation, she could reasonably be read as someone who is similarly exploring her own orientation.)

Note: I listened to this on audio, so I apologize if I've spelled the names wrong.

When I first began reading this story, I was enamored. The comparisons to Bridgerton are apt. It was a historical tale with a modern twist, something akin to Jane Austen with less propriety and more LGBT characters. It was a shoe-in for a 4 or 5 star rating, I thought.

I spent the first 35 percent of the book sure that I was reading about a regency era woman realizing her feelings and attraction for another women. I know I am not the only person who got this impression. I was quickly disillusioned when it is revealed that Frances was already in a pseudo-relationship and Georgiana was apparently to pine over a man who she had scarcely shared a word with. (He was a boy, she was a girl, can I make it any more obvious? 🙄)

This not only disappointed me, but it angered me slightly. There was heavy implication that Georgiana was a wlw and was attracted to Frances and then it was very suddenly dropped and never touched on again. I now realize why I saw someone put "sapphic (?) mc" in their review.

I continued on, thinking that the characters and plot would still have me in for a relatively good time, but as the story trudged forward, I realized none of Frances' group was ever going to change for the better.

And that lead me to get angry once again, because the group is 3/4 LGB characters and the 1 (assumably) straight girl was the nicest of the bunch of them. If I am being unclear: I think it is negligent at best and hateful at worst to depict all of the non-straight characters as being morally corrupt. And yes, there was a terrible straight man in the story, but that does not detract from the point.

By the time the end rolled in, which was kind of ridiculously dramatized in a way that wasn't even fun, I was so sorely over this novel. Georgiana puts in the leg work of apologizing to those around her and trying to be a better person, but somehow still wants to be friends with people who were no true friends to her. Baffling.

Also, the actual romance we got was boring. Sure, the guy is nice, but there was no tension, nothing that made me even understand why these two were so drawn to each other. Macfayden's hand clench as Mr. Darcy had more romantic tension and longing than the entirety of the relationship depicted in this book.

<b>Plot Concept:</b> 4/5
<b>Plot Execution:</b> 2/5
<b>Pacing:</b> 4/5
<b>Writing:</b> 4/5
<b>Characters:</b> 2/5
<b>Romance:</b> 1/5
<b>Narration:</b> 5/5
<b>Overall Enjoyability:</b> 2/5

Fine if you have your expectations set low. Terrible if you were expecting wlw romance, character development for the friend group, and a lead character who had a better head on her shoulders.

I was already somewhat familiar with Lex Croucher from their YouTube channel a while back. I wasn’t necessarily surprised that they’d written a book (this isn’t their first), but I was a little surprised that they’d written this particular kind of book. It isn’t a genre I read much of normally, but in the spirit of broadening my horizons I’ve been trying to expose myself to more of it. I’m glad I did. Regency romance with a modern twist is exactly the fun read my gray January needed.

***May contain spoilers***

Our protagonist, Georgiana, is a mix of both Cady Heron and Lizzie Bennet. The comps got that much right. What I’d really like to talk about though, is how Croucher has fleshed out the rest of our “Mean Girls” equivalents. I love that we get insight into the backstories of Frances (equivalent of Regina), Jane (equivalent of Gretchen), and Cecily (equivalent of Karen). In this respect, Croucher strikes the right balance of honoring their influences and creating something new. I would also like to point out that I was pleased to find that there are characters of color represented in this novel.

With regard to plot, my experience with the genre so far tells me that this is not typical regency romance fare in the least. Those looking for more of a straightforward Pride and Prejudice retelling won’t find it here. If, however, you are a fan of Mean Girls (as with most of my generation) then you’re in for a mostly fun read. That being said, this novel does touch on some sensitive topics like substance abuse, sexual assault, racism, depression, and domestic violence, so please read with care.

I did listen to the audiobook recording of this novel, so while I had no problems with the quality Bessie Carter’s voice, it did seem slow to me. I ended up bumping up the playback speed so I could focus better.

Reputation comes out stateside April 5th so you can go pre-order it now and when you’re ready, listen to the playlist inspired by it that Lex has put together on their blog! If you’re in the UK, it’s already out–enjoy!

Star Rating : 8/10
Would I recommend? Yes. Content warning for discussion of drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, grief, depression, and racism.
Similar Titles? Luxe series by Anna Godbersen

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I requested to read Reputation by Lex Croucher as it was one of my most anticipated books of 2022. I am a lover of historical fiction and regency romance, so the description of this book immediately appealed to me. It has been pitched as Mean Girls meets Jane Austen, whilst most “for fans of” blurbs don’t live up to expectations this really did seem like a regency rewrite of the films Mean Girls or Clueless.

We follow Georgiana Ellers, who has been left behind by her parents (with well-meaning but ill prepared relatives) as they go off to begin a new life without their only daughter. She has very little money, no marriage prospects, and longs for more excitement from life. Despite her comfortable upper middle-class upbringing she is not ready for the high society world she stumbles into after meeting the ‘spirited’ Frances and her extremely rich, yet very badly behaved friends.

The book is a fun (if a little unrealistic) look at high society regency life through the eyes of an outsider who longs for nothing more than to be an insider. It does have some real laugh out loud fish out of water moments but also explores the difficulties of life during this period for those who did not fit in to societies expectations. It was an enjoyable read and a very well narrated audiobook. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

THIS WAS SO FUN!!! Ahhh it was so nice to be immersed in this world for a little while. This is exactly how the reviews describe it - The perfect mix of Bridgerton, Mean Girls and Gossip Girl.

I was completely hooked on every word, funny jab, salacious action and the delightful love story. I listened to this on audiobook, and the performance was really good. This was one of those audiobooks that led me to sit in my car much longer after parking just to listen to a few more delightful words. I found myself thinking about this even when I wasn't listening.

George's character was so likable, and it was so easy to understand, yet wish against, her desire to join Frannie's crowd. I thought the plot was paced really well, and I was so happily surprised by many of the plot points. I recommend this to anyone!

I adored this book! It was cute and light and fun. It is YA so I would for sure recommend it to my students but also throughly enjoyed it as a not so young adult. In the book description it said "Bridgerton meets gossip girl" and that is a spot on description! I have to say I enjoyed this way more than the Bridgerton book series (the show and books are very different). This book felt like pride and prejudice with a modern twist. Fun and enjoyable, a great beach read!

Well, this is a different flavor of regency romance. It is not really in the vein of Jane Austen, it shows the sordid underbelly of regency high society culture. The witty banter and love story of the main couple still fit the bill but the irreverent debauchery that fuels the story makes it very different than the propriety of Austen's heroines, but does dive deeper into the scandelous society that she alludes to. It all works out in the end, of course, but was not quite as wonderful as I would have hoped.

I was excited about Reputation because I am a fan of Bridgerton and Mean Girls. However, I got to 30% of the audiobook, and I’m not feeling it. I cannot connect to the characters and am bored. I have read a handful of historical romance books maybe it’s not for me. I bet others will like it.

Regency-era romance with modern twist!

While the story takes place in Regency-era England, the characters deal with issues relevant to today. Georgiana Ellers is a small-town, bookish young woman who has spent her life trying to do the right thing in a futile effort to please her schoolmaster father and ailing mother, who basically don’t care that much about her. When her parents decide to move to the seaside, Georgiana is shipped off to live with her mother’s sister, Mrs. Burton and her husband. While attending a party with the Burtons, Georgiana meets wealthy, titled, charismatic young woman named Frances. Because of that fortuitous meeting, it doesn’t take long for Georgiana to become part of the popular crowd—Frances’ debauched circle of friends. The book is funny as it describes their escapades. However, after several experiences, Georgiana comes to understand the popular group isn’t as wonderful as it first seemed. As the story continues and Georgiana is influenced by serious, steady Thomas Hawksley, she grows and develops a backbone. By the book’s end, we are rooting for Georgiana to have the courage to act on her convictions and do the right thing even though the repercussions to her reputation may be severe. I give 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5) to this interesting, well-written book. The narrator did a great job.

I listened to and reviewed an advance reader copy of the audiobook; thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book felt like gossip girl meets Jane Austen in this coming of age regency novel. The story follows Georgina who recently moved in with her aunt and uncle after her parents moved due to her mothers headaches and had to choose between their daughter and books. Georgina loved mostly a quiet life of reading until she met Frances the it girl of the small community where Frances summered. Georgina and Frances hit it off immediately with there witty banter but little does Georgina know she’s getting in way over her head. Over the summer Georgina meets Frances friends drinks does drugs and goes to unchaperoned parties. She also meets Thomas a suitor Georgiana cannot resist .

I really liked this book I listened to the audio book and enjoyed the narrator she was easy to understand and tell which character she was reading. This book was described as a rom com but felt it was more of a drama it definitely goes into some dark topics that are not normally discussed in these type of historical romance. I loved the main character Georgina but at times could not understand some of the choices she was making, the other characters were really hard to like leading to some complex feeling about these characters. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book.

TW: tape, sexual assault, alcoholism, drug and alcohol abuse, bullying

This was the perfect Jane Austen gone wild (like Hangover kind of wild)!
Mean girls and Bridget Jones combined with the original P&P.
I absolutely loved it!
Georgiana spends the summer with her aunt and uncle, so her parents can spend it at the beach. At a party she meets Frances, a rich high society princess, adored by her many friends and worshipers.
Georgiana is quickly pulled in by her personality and get tangled in her lifestyle of wild parties, including a lot of alcohol, drugs and beautiful bachelors.

I absolutely loved the style of writing, it was hilarious and super easy to read for a historical fiction. P&P is one of my favourites and I love all the modern age retelling of it, so this one became an instant favourite as well.
The way this group of friends at first seems so fresh and new and exciting and soon you realise how they all have their own problems and secrets and nothing is as shiny as it seems.
The way it starts I thought this would be a fun and fluffy romance. But it was not. It totally took me by surprise, the way this story got very dark at times. I wished there were TW included in the book, as well as in the audio.
I think the heavier themes were taken very seriously though and the way the story progressed was very well done. The way the story went is a very modern take, and I was happy about it.

This group of friends immediately pulled me in and I was very pleasantly surprised how queer this story is! There were a lot of queer side characters, which is so nice to read in a historical fiction!!!
At some point in the story I wanted to strangle all of them, they were soooo mean!!! It was the perfect historical Mean Girls.

The love interest and romance in this was everything! They were so cute and romantic and hilarious together.
The letters!!! Bridget Jones would have been proud. I laughed my ass off.

Miss Walters was the real shining star of this book for me. Her (social) anxiety and general nervousness and rambling warmed my heart. It was so relatable.

The ending was perfect and made me want a sequel so badly! 10/10 would recommend if you like historical fiction with a modern twist!

Also the narrator was absolute perfection. She had different voices and accents for every character and she made this book come alive!

Laugh out loud hilarious! It’s a mashup of Jane Austen and a 90s high school coming of age story. Narrator is also perfect and sounds just like Kate Winslet.

Advance audiobook from publisher via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.

After starting to really get into Emily Dickinson I wanted to read a regency era book so bad and this definitely satisfied that. Think Brigerton meets Gossip Girl, this book tells the story of Georgiana who is spending her summer season with her aunt and uncle. She accidentally enters a group of troublemaking friends and quickly discovers the scandals and drama happening behind the scenes of the upper class. It delves into lots of predictable topics about that era and the unfortunate naivety of girls in this time. Honestly enjoyed her relationships with male characters more than her group of girlfriends and the ending felt very rushed. Great audiobook because of its heavy descriptions and wordiness, it takes you into another world!

Enjoyed the modern take set in the Jane Austen of her era. I loved Georgiana, her attitude and whit was priceless. though some characters were dreadful with their attitudes, it was pleasant reading experience.

I had high hopes for this historical teen romance, but unfortunately it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Georgiana is sent to live with her aunt and uncle for the summer and ends up accidentally meeting the most popular and improper girl in the ton. Desperate for a friend, Georgiana is swallowed up by Francis' group of ne'er do wells and ends up having the time of her life drinking, attending parties, and generally ignoring all proper society.

When things start to get out of hand though, Georgiana realizes this group truly only look out for themselves and she has to decide what she wants out of her life...and who she wants to spend it with.

Although I enjoyed the audiobook aspect, this story was simply not for me. The characters were irredeemable and too destructive and narcissistic for my taste. I did enjoy the developing romance between Georgiana and Thomas and truly would have rather spent more time with them, as they got to know each other!

3.5 starts...fun cute book. It wasn't a favorite of mine, but fans of means girls and bridgerton would love it.

This audiobook for Reputation was SUCH a great romp through regency London. It is absolutely for fans of Bridgerton & Julia Quinn but it is also for all the readers who may (or may not) have felt stifled by the characters of Jane Austen. Let's face it - in 2022 we want to read about messy characters, friendships, and society's flaws and we hope that this is not the only generation to have ever felt such chaos in their lives! This book delivers everything I could have asked for, including accidental touches in a wine cellar. What a dream.