I was drawn to the cover, the premise and title of this book. I love Regency romances and I'm all for Regency romcoms plus mixing a little Mean Girls would be so fun. Ultimately, I wanted more romance and more light comedy. The narrator did great!

I was not expecting the amount of drinking, smoking and drugs taking place in this YA. This is a dark teen drama, I don't know if this should be classified as YA/teen because the themes are very adult/mature. I think this book will gain popularity with shows like Bridgerton becoming popular but this book had hardly anything that made it regency. I appreciated more POC characters.

I know many drank then but this seemed excessive. 35% and all they did was drink and smoke. I wanted more to hold my interest than its tag line. This was a miss for me, the romance plot was too slow to start to keep me interested. The continued drinking turned me off from the characters.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the audiobook copy, these are my own thoughts and opinions.

Content: extreme drinking, smoking, LGBT+, physical abuse, rape and assault

This book is not the right fit for my audience. I found it to be humorous, but parts of it slightly vulgar. With that said, I can see this book being wildly popular on Bookstagram and the bookish social media communities. I'm sure that many people will relate to Georgania. It presents a different side of the culture and lifestyle of the Regency era.

Thanks to NetGalley for this audiobook ARC!

It's been a while since a book made me feel this much. The way that the plot slowly unfolded, small comments that seemed out of place in contrast to the atmosphere, but then everything just clicked and the small comments just actually were signs that you shouldn't just gotten out earlier? It was just such a good story about self-accountability and female friendships and how hard it can be to make the right decisions.

Reputation is a step into the wild world of Regency England seen through the eyes of Georgiana who has come to live with her aunt and uncle.  When Georgiana meets Frances her whole world comes alive with rich young adults who take what they want. Think lots of drinking, pretentious attitude, and passion.

There were some funnier moments in the book - the banter between Georgiana and her beau was what one comes to expect from a rom-com. But this book is also filled with some very heavy topics - drug and alcohol abuse, rape, physical assault, emotional abuse by family members to name just a few.  Not at all what I was expecting from a book marketed in the romance genre.

Sometimes a reader and book are not well-matched and this is the case with Reputation and this reader. I felt the characters were just not likeable and their behaviour was a little too pretentious.  Furthermore, it did not have the levity I look for in a rom-com. 

Audiobook Review:

I listened to the audiobook version of Reputation which was narrated by Bessie Carter.  Her expression and enthusiasm in this performance provided enhanced entertainment value to the book.  I would not hesitate to recommend the audiobook version of Reputation to those that appreciate this format.

DNF at 33%
I love unfolding teen drama and regency. Combining the two sounds like a match made for TV. In fact, I could probably watch this with a bowl of popcorn and not blink an eye. It didn't work for me on page. There didn't seem to be any relationship or character or plot arc developing and pausing reading for life didn't feel as disruptive as I would have hoped. The only thing that seemed to be happening was carousing and sneaking around to the detriment of others.
The best part of this book and why I would keep going is the narration by Bessie Carter. Her voice and performance is easy to listen to. However, when I would stop listening to switch to reading, I found myself wondering why I was continuing to read. I may go back to it if fellow reviewers say the last two two-thirds is magic.
Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy and Macmillan Audio for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

Did you like mean girls? Do you like a good ole regency romance but need something a little fresh? This is for you.

Reputation is witty and engaging and dramatic-- a wonderful read all around. This was a *truly* delightful take on my fave regency romance. A wallflower-y girl moves in with her Aunt and Uncle and sort of goes wild finding good friends and fake friends, trying out all sorts of new vices, exploring the wild side of the ton and eventually figuring out what she really wants and prioritizing her relationships. It was about friendship and found family and love. There were queer characters in there although they were not the main characters. Honestly, the whole cast was well written. While some of them were pretty horrible humans, it was absolutely interesting to read! I also reallllllly appreciated that not everyone in this story is just white/british, but some people have other cultural backgrounds which was refreshing and something I have really been missing in similar stories. The romance is sweet and develops naturally. All of the relationships are well written with an appropriate amount of 'instant connection's and work to build!

TW for sexual assault in this one as it is a major catalyst for the story, BUT it was not graphic or anything like that. There is actually no graphic/detailed sexual content in this book.

Beth, the friend is my FAVE from this story and I truly hope she will get her own spinoff because she is truly a gem.

Read/Listen if you like:
❤️ A brooding male love interest
❤️ A naïve MC finding their path
❤️ Regency Era
❤️ LGBTQA+ Representation
❤️ A wild friend group partying, exploring, navigating love, and the future

Audiobook Review:
The narration of this book was perfection for me. I realized after the fact that it was most likely something I enjoyed so much as the narrator’s voice was one I already associated from the era from watching season one of Bridgerton.

For the actual story, it has Bridgerton vibes for me, but on steroids. This book had drinking, drugs, wild parties, illicit affairs, and so much more as this followed Georgiana’s entrance into a new society group and navigating this new social circle.

There were many twists and turns that happened due to the poor decisions that Georgiana and her friends made, but you still found yourself rooting for her, as well as for Francis.

I appreciated the ending with the nod to characters being able to live their truth and have happiness.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC of this book! I am so thankful to obtain a copy to read in advance of its release!

This book had so much potential! The author leans heavily on the mean girl trope and never quite recovers. I disliked all the characters and felt there was no real redemption at the end for any of them. Skip.

Gossip Girl meets Pride and Prejudice? YES, PLEASE! Lower class Georgianna is thrust into the elite circle of regency society, and it might just be her downfall.

This bitchy, riotous take on the Regency era had me gasping with shock and flipping the pages at the speed of light. I would love to see this story adapted to the big (or small) screen.

4.5 ⭐️

This was the perfect modern touch to a Jane Austen-esque story. Think mean girls meets gossip girl meets Emma meets pride & prejudice ?!

I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook courtesy of Net Galley and Macmillan audio and I had a hard time pressing pause.

Georgiana’s desire to add some spice into her life and be part of the “it crew” was completely relatable to your average teenage rebellion nowadays . Experimenting with alcohol and drugs and relaxed modesty … it was super entertaining to read.

As someone who loves the idea of Pride and Prejudice more than I actually liked the story, this was the perfect story for me.

Huxley was the perfect gentleman… quiet and understated with a bit of a mystery about him but a heart big enough to make you swoon. Betty was the chaotic good friend everyone needs in their corner… and Francis was your typical misunderstood popular chick with a hard exterior but a secret soft side that makes a subtle debut.

Honestly I loved this so much. I also enjoyed the addition of lgbt love interests and the slight discussions about the dangers of excessive drinking.

TW: sexual assault, alcohol abuse , drug use , implied / attempted rape

I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of this once it’s published!

This was another addition to the "period romance girl squad" vibe going on in the book market, although nothing that stood out for me. A more irreverent nod to Emma, and heavier than the romcom it was marketed as, Reputation was nonetheless a Fine way to pass the time while I worked.

Being a devout Austen and period romance fan, I appreciate nods to classics, and those abound here (as does alcohol and partying, less to my taste). There are Willoughbys, a plotline from Northanger Abbey, there are mean girl moments that made me cringe as much as The Box Hill Event in Emma. But...I found little to sigh wistfully over in this period romcom. The romance fell pretty flat for me, and I never quite got a feel for the protagonist's personality? She was more a neutral gauge for other characters - not as mischievous as Frances, but cooler than Betty.

The story was reminiscent of Evie Dunmore's work, with modern ideas, queer, and BIPOC characters worked into a regency Clueless / Mean Girls mashup. Unfortunately I think I found parts of it just too anachronistic? One scene read like a bad party I once went to, in a bad way. It felt like watching the contemporary Dickinson show, it's hard to stifle the cognitive dissonance.

This was largely okay! The narrator, actress Bessie Carter of Bridgerton and Hollywood fame, did a great job with the material and probably elevated my opinion more. A solid three stars.

Thank you Net Galley for this Advanced LIsteners Copy of Reputation! I have been wanting to read and/or listen to this book for SO LONG and it did not disappoint! One of my favorite genres of media is "rich people behaving badly" and this Gossip Girl meets Bridgerton checks all my boxes. It's such a fun and fresh take on the Regency era, and it feels like a really modern take on a period piece. This is the sort of book you give a friend who "doesn't think" they would be into historical romance or the Regency era. It's got a Mean Girls vibe to it which feels fresh and instantly relatable to any Millennial who grew up with the movie. I am so happy I got the opportunity to listen to this and I can't wait for it to come out in April!

petty petty petty... this book was not an enjoyable one for me. None of the characters were likable and the entire premise was gossip girl meets Downton Abbey, which sounds nice but just didn't work this time. The narrator was okay, but her exaggerated accent was a bit annoying.

A bit misleading…..states RomCom, but has a dark side. Set during the Regency time period with the Mean Girl attitude. Really could been any era as there really isn’t to much “Regency” in the story. Mostly about partying and partying hard! Miss Georgiana Ellers is sent to her boring Aunt and Uncle, there she meets Francis Campbell, party girl, mean girl that allows Georgie into her circle of friends and vices. Georgie is thrilled to be included. It’s a story of friendship and growing up. I thought there may never be a end to all the partying, it seemed to drag on before the storyline finally comes thru. Some storylines barely touch on a topic and was never really went anywhere. The best thing was the narrator, but as for the story was lacking in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #Reputation

Reputation is definitely a mix between Bridgerton and Mean Girls. It took a few chapters before I could get into the book. Once I did it was an easy listen. It had a mix of funny, heartfelt, and toxic friendship moments. I really wish the book spent more time talking about Thomas and letting his character develop more.

Regency era novels with a slight modern twist always intrigue me, so I was excited to see a new take with Reputation. If you’re more of a “purist” historical reader, then this novel may not be fully for you. For me, I love these types of novels where it is set in a historical period but mirrors some modern-day elements. The story follows twenty years old Georgiana Ellers, who is sent to live with her aunt and uncle after her parents decide to relocate to the seaside. At a dinner party she meets Frances Campbell, an elite socialite who loves trouble. As Georgiana grew up more sheltered, she is fascinated by Frances’s world and is excited to become a part of it.

Throughout the novel Georgiana explores the meaning of friendship as she navigates those that are true friends and those that have less meaning. There is also a romance that develops between Georgiana and a man named Thomas Hawksley. This is more of a secondary story compared to the friendships, but it was still well-written. I enjoyed Georgiana and Thomas’s interactions and how Thomas was more open with his emotions. There are interesting secondary characters, such as, Frances, Cecily (Frances’s friend), and Betty (a girl Georgiana meets). While they may not all be likable, they all worked together within the story.

The novel itself is full of scandal that is exposed as Georgiana navigates this new world. She is a painfully naïve character, so she is frustrating at times, but she has great growth over the course of the novel. She makes many mistakes and does terrible things at times, which she eventually needs to reflect on. There are some darker themes throughout the story, such as alcohol abuse, sexual assault, and racism, just to name a few. These are touched on throughout, but I do wish that they were explored in greater detail. The general outline follows a similar structure to Mean Girls, so it is easy to see why this comparison works. As I listened to this on audiobook, I greatly enjoyed the narrator and it helped move the story along at a decent pace. There were some places in the writing that were a little slower, but the audiobook kept me interested. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and I look forward to reading the author’s next release!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin and Macmillan Audio, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Meh… that is how I felt when this book finished. It was just okay. Francis was an awful selfish character. Georgina had no self confidence and did not feel the spark come off the pages between her and Thomas.

I really enjoyed this book, and it was not what I was expecting (ie it's not a typical romance).
Most strikingly, the narrative style has that Jane Austen tone/style to it that I love, but it is also incredibly modern seeming as George finds herself being drawn into a hard partying and drinking crowd (debauchery indeed). Croucher writes about the young, rich, and privileged in a space that is usually mired in decorum - especially for ladies. It is realistic that such privileged rich kids could get away with this behavior because they would be protected by their wealth and each other - after all, in an unchaperoned cottage who is there to report to society what may or may not have happened in a dark corner?
I got definite Mean Girl vibes - George is the young, naive Katy who is brought in by the captivating Queen Bee Frances (I love that George introduces her as knowing she is instantly in the presence of a Main Character) who does ultimately live up to her Regina George-esc nature. The novel is less a romance about George, and more of a novel describing how she falls into this partying lifestyle and how it effects her. It is not a traditional romance, but I wouldn't hold that against this book. The narrative voice alone is worth the cost of entry (and the audiobook narrator is FANTASTIC - I would pick up an audiobook in the future solely because she narrates it) and it was refreshing to follow multiple characters' (even though we only ever stay with George's POV), even if most of them do not experience any growth whatsoever.
I do enjoy George's romance arc with Thomas, but I'm also glad I barely glanced at the book description, as her romance with Thomas doesn't develop until the novel is well under way (another thing that marks it apart from what I would consider "traditional" romance which is exclusively concerned with developing the relationship between the hero and heroine) - the main relationship is George's friendship with Frances, and it was a relationship I really enjoyed exploring with Croucher.
HUGE DISCLAIMER though - sexual assault is a significant factor in the climax/resolution of the novel, so if that is a deal breaker for you, you won't want to pick this up. I do like what Croucher does with this plotline, but I was also shocked by its presence in the novel.

LIKES:
📝 vivid, emotional yet jaunty & funny writing
🇬🇧 set in the english countryside!
📜 recency-era historical vibes
📖 light bookish vibes
🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQIA+ representation
👭 explores friendship dynamics
💰+ class dynamics
👨‍👩‍👧 + family dynamics (lightly)
🆔 + mixed race identity in 1700s british society
💊 examines substance use & abuse
🫀 a deep, dark complex friendship & love story
👨‍💼 an icy, reserved, misunderstood love interest!
🌱 coming-of-age/personal growth vibes
•
DISCLAIMERS:
⚠️ DM me for TW!
🦥 a little slow to start
👎 unlikeable leads at times
🤨 some of the social dynamics felt unrealistic for the time
•
VERDICT: a FANTASTIC regency-era rom-com-dram serving ALL the jaunt, humor, & high society tea we want + all the emotion, representation, & introspection we NEED! Perf for pre/post-Bridgerton OR those wanting to dip their toes into historical reads with a contemporary feel!

4.25 stars

This one was a fun mix of (loosely) historical romantic fiction combined with some interesting anachronisms (largely in some speech patterns and phrases). The description of this story as a blend of Gossip Girl and Bridgerton with touches of Jane Austen also fits. The characters and plot were dramatic and relevant, if a bit predictable at times, but they were enjoyable, and it was clear that the writer was trying to appeal to contemporary audiences with some of her choices. Overall, I did like this one, and I’ll keep an eye out for similar work from this writer in the future.