Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for providing me an Advanced Review Copy of Reputation by Sarah Vaughan.

The book begins in a gung ho fashion and I truly thought I'd be caught up in it. However, that didn't come to pass. It is perhaps the most repetitive novel I've ever read. Almost every chapter recapped the rest of the book and it felt like filler, At least half of the book could have been edited out with no harm to the narrative. In fact, a good editor would improve the book.

The primary protagonist of the novel is Emma, an English politician who is working hard on issues of women's rights. Because of this and her focus on female victimhood, she deals with vile and ugly emails, texts, twitter comments and feels like she's being stalked. She is a divorcee and does not get to see her 14 year old daughter, Flora, except on weekends. She makes the mistake of mixing business with pleasure by having a one night stand. From then on, her life is chaos and she gets accused of murder.

The novel explores bullying and sexual assault, especially in the age of media and technology. Flora gets into trouble by fighting back after being bullied. There is a question of whether she will face criminal charges and Emma is beside herself.

The novel has two main themes. It is a twisty mystery and the story of a trial. I found the trial interesting and the mystery too diluted for my tastes. I was able to guess some of the denouement and was not surprised enough by the ending.

As a stickler for grammar, I was negatively impressed by the very frequent use of conjunctions to begin sentences. Many of the sentences in this novel could delete the conjunction as the first word in a sentence without damaging the sentence's integrity.

Thai book had me flying through the pages. I originally requested it because of the Anatomy of a Scandal show but honestly prefer this much more. Love the tie ins to ex teacher and current problems in schools.

Reputation is a political drama/legal thriller that is definitely a page-turner! At stake is the reputation of Emma, an MP who fights for women’s rights but becomes embroiled in a political and legal scandal — and her fight turns to saving her reputation. The story is told from various perspectives, including Emma’s, that of her young teenaged daughter (Flora), and and that of her ex-husband’s current wife (Caroline). This novel has lots of heated courtroom action, which I enjoyed, and the storyline just screams to be made into a movie. All in all, this was a very good read.

This was a good book. I might have enjoyed it more if I had a better sense of the British political system and media, but overall I enjoyed it. The author does a really good job of portraying the sides of both mother and daughter. Both characters' guided and misguided understandings of one another seemed really authentic. The premise was a bit too convenient with the mom's legislative priorities and the daughter's bully/actions, but it came together nicely.

3.5 stars

I've now read three books by this author and once again, I'm impressed with how she incorporates thought-provoking subject matter into her stories. That's not something you get all that often in the thriller and mystery genres. While Reputation might not be my favorite read, I definitely have more positive feelings than negative towards it.

I strongly recommend going into books blind when possible so that way you can see everything naturally unfold rather than knowing parts of the plot ahead of time. Go ahead and read the publisher synopsis if you want more details because all I'm going to mention is the book features a female politician from the UK. It's a psychological thriller that starts off strong. I did struggle with the pacing around the midway points and I could feel my interest level taking a dive. But there's a respectable comeback towards the end so all was not lost.

If you have enjoyed other books by Sarah Vaughan, give Reputation a chance. If you are a first time reader, I'd recommend Anatomy of a Scandal as that's her strongest work in my opinion.

A masterful whodunit mystery filled with drama, tension, and suspense. A great read for fans of Lucy Foley and Shari Lapena. This story kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat.

I should have read the description a little closer or I was naive when I decided to try this book. I could not get into it because it is such a slow burn and I did not enjoy the politics involved

Discovered the author via her last work Anatomy of a Scandal series on Netflix.
Definitely dark & disturbing elements, but well-crafted & plotted—you can’t look away. Compulsively readable.
Excellent character development & relationship dynamics.
Timely topics & much to think about in terms of behavior/motivation/boundaries.
Can't wait for this Netflix series I hope!
With great thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books/Simon and Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm sorry to say I just couldn't get into this one. It was such a slow burn that the fire went out for me. I lost my matches and I couldn't get it restarted. It just didn't do it for me. The premise should have been a slam dunk but it was just not for me. To say this one dragged on and on would be an understatement. Skip it.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC: Emma is an MP who is subject to constant and overwhelming harassment. She faces constant threats of rape/murder/maiming on social media and in her personal appearances. Her marriage has broken under the strain and her 14 year old daughter, Flora, has responded to bullying by a social media gaffe as well. Emma is championing a law to outlaw naming the identity of victims of revenge porn, and her work subjects her to constant threats. Ultimately, a journalist who was both friend and foe is found mortally wounded in her shared flat. The book is a bit slow paced, the overwhelming threats almost mute the emotional response in Emma and the reader. Ultimately, it becomes a murder trial. After the trial, many truths are revealed, if not shared. An extremely telling moment was when conservative member of parliament speaks in Emma's defense, citing the harassment that she suffers as well. A very topical book about the pervasive misogyny that women face, especially if considered a public figure and the toxicity that occurs when social media amplifies the harassment. Solid popular fiction.

It takes time to build a good Reputation, but only a moment to tear it asunder.

Emma, a relatively new politician, is no stranger to facing judgement from the public. However, everything intensifies after a photo shoot meant to make Emma appear powerful and fierce has the opposite effect. Instead of building confidence and trust among her constituents, the trolls threaten violence against Emma.

The situation escalates as Emma’s daughter Flora gets bullied, and Emma finds a body in her home. Soon, Emma will have to face more than just the court of public opinion.

This multi-pov thriller is exceedingly well-written. The reader experiences the story from every angle, with each voice distinct. The beginning was a touch slow, but the rest was gripping.

This novel shines a light on the changeable nature of the media. It reminds me of a very recent courtroom trial that seemingly had the whole world watching.

This was my first time reading Sarah Vaughan, but I’m sure it won’t be my last.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

Reputation
Sarah Vaughan
Atria/Emily Bestler Books/Simon & Schuster
Publication : July 5, 2022

Emma Webster, a mother to Flora, a junior politician (MP, Portsmouth South) in the parliamentary party, and a feminist, was highlighted in a magazine that made her look cold, smug, and self-serving. It definitely hurt her reputation. At a public meeting, Simon Baxter, a veteran, demonstrated his anger at her neglect to help soldiers after duty by throwing the magazine on the table with clenched fists and threatening to keep his eye on her. He eventually left after repeatedly being asked to leave. Emma had to reassure her staff that he wouldn’t bother them again.

The constituary office, where Emma works, receives a hand-delivered, untraceable letter that says Emma will soon be drinking acid. Unfortunately, Flora (Emma’s daughter) opened it and ever since she has feared for her mother. She wished her mom wasn’t a politician. (Emma has also been violently threatened many times on Twitter.) Later, Emma receives a second text from an unknown number that calls her a bitch and reminds her he is watching her.

Meanwhile, all this negative attention her mother has been receiving has backfired on Flora’s reputation. She is being bullied in school and on social media. (It should be noted that Emma promoted laws in Parliament to protect women from porn revenge, abuse, etc.). Her mother has no idea her position is impacting her daughter’s life. Until the police arrive at her ex’s home and tell her and David (her ex and Flora’s father) and Caroline (David’s wife) that Flora has videotaped a topless, young girl in the gym locker room and forwarded it to a boy. This is exactly what Emma has been trying to, and succeeded in, making revenge porn a criminal offense. Now her daughter is facing criminal charges. To make things even more complicated, Emma has slept with, and then rejected, Michael, a tabloid journalist who wants to write an article on Flora’s huge mistake.

Then, the unthinkable happens. And, Emma’s reputation hits a new low.

The story is fast-paced and had me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. I liked the characters even though bad decisions were made. I imagine living under the pressure of a public, political career would create tensions and result in quick, impulsive, wrong decisions.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Triggers: Strong language, revenge porn

I got this as an ARC through NetGalley – it’ll be released on July 5, 2022. This is a twisty, twisty political thriller from the same author as An Anatomy of a Scandal, and I can totally see the parallels. Emma is a Member of Parliament who has had to sacrifice a lot for her job – her marriage, and even time with her daughter, Flora. Emma seems to be making an impact, though – she works with a journalist to get the story spread of a bill she’s working to get passed that protects young women from online abuse. That same journalist is found dead at her home a few weeks later, and after it gets out that Emma spent a mistaken (and drunken) night with him, she’s arrested for his murder. But as the trial goes on, we learn more and more about what really went down that night, and there are (lots of) surprises along the way.

Name of Book: Reputation
Author: Sarah Vaughn
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: July 5, 2022
My Rating: 2.5 ~ Rounded up!

I love courtroom drama. But this was a struggle for me.
I hung in there but it just wasn’t a wow read for me.
I am sure other readers will enjoy it!

Want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for my honest opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 5, 2022

4.5 stars!

I must admit, this is the first thriller I have ever read. And WOW. I might be hooked now!

After watching Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix and being completely enraptured with the storyline, I didn’t hesitate on reading this book. And I am so glad I did.

This is about Emma, an MP doing all she can to not only do her job well, but be a good mother to her 14 year old daughter, Flora. Emma is working on a law in Parliament to try and bring stronger punishments to those who use revenge porn as retaliation, which I felt was so relevant to today.

As the story went on it was obvious why the book is called Reputation. We are watching as Emma, Flora, and many other characters are trying to uphold their reputations while not caring about those of others. I really enjoyed how we saw these events effecting each person and how they reacted differently.

I also loved reading each character’s perspective and how the author used social media in a way that helped support the story instead of getting bogged down in it. And highlighting not only the toxicity of social media but also how women are more brutally targeted? Fantastic.

The only issue I had was that some of the court scenes went on a bit too long, but it didn’t pull me out of the story. I literally couldn’t stop reading. I needed to know what happened!

This was an amazing read and I definitely highly recommend it!! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the advanced readers copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I thought Anatomy of a Scandal was good so I was anxious to read this one. Sarah Vaughan has crafted a another psychological thriller that is timely, relevant, chilling and disurbng. The synopsis explains this book is about reputation and the perils of social media through the stories of Emma, who is an MP in London, and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Flora.

The plot is excellent and the writing style as well. There were places the book dragged a bit for me, but overall it kept my attention. The references throughout the book are to reputation. It is hard to imagine the influence social media has on our lives and our reputation. I think we all know someboy who has felt the damage, even if we haven't experienced it ourself. The book makes you realize how much each of us values our reputation and how easy it is to be damaged.

Thanks to Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published July 7, 2022.

A psychological thriller with some intense subject matter. This was a good book. It bogged down in middle section a bit but was overall enjoyable.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Phew, this book was much heavier than I anticipated. I was thinking it would be sort of a whodunnit/classic thriller and it ended up closer to “Gone Girl”. I liked it? I think? Some very intense subject matter, and some minor peeves, but overall interesting and relevant topics and definitely very twisty and suspenseful. Most of the characters were fleshed-out and fascinating, if not always likable. Some of the secondary characters were more forgettable but that’s fine.

The things that took me out a bit: there’s a fine line between unreliable narrator and just feeling like you’re holding back information arbitrarily for the sake of suspense. This one definitely crossed that line in a few places. I think you could have kept it mostly the same with just a little less of the “teasers” and it might have been fine but those + the structure + the unreliable narrator were a bit too much. Likewise, the themes of reputation and how women are perceived were really interesting, but probably didn’t need to be hammered home quite so explicitly and so frequently.

Also I was fine with it for the most part, but don’t read this if you have a weak stomach for violent sexist language, since that’s a major theme.

Reputation
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 7/5/22
Author: Sarah Vaughan
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 336
Goodreads Rating: 4.03

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a digital advanced readers copy of the book for me to read for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: As a politician, Emma has sacrificed a great deal for her career--including her marriage and her relationship with her daughter, Flora. Fourteen-year-old Flora is learning the same hard lessons at school as she encounters heartless bullying. When another teenager takes her own life, Emma lobbies for a new law to protect women and girls from the effects of online abuse. Now, Emma and Flora find their personal lives uncomfortably intersected--but then the unthinkable happens: A man is found dead in Emma’s home, a man she had every reason to be afraid of and to want gone. Fighting to protect her reputation, and determined to protect her family at all costs, Emma is pushed to the limits as the worst happens and her life is torn apart.

My Thoughts: We live in a world where your reputation is everything, it can take years to build and second to destroy. Once destroyed, it could more years to reestablish yourself. Social media is everywhere and we put every part of our lives on social media, hopefully this book will make you hesitate to do that. That is what made me want to read this book. This book is classified as a thriller, but could also be classified as fiction due to the very strong message it relays. The book is narrated by several characters, mainly Emma and Flora, from their own perspective. I loved the court scenes as I generally gravitate toward legal scenarios. The characters were very well developed, had depth, strong, and the female characters were portrayed as very intelligent. The author’s writing was complex, thought-provoking, gripping, shocking, creative, and just brilliant. This story does not follow a typical thriller with red herrings and unreliable narrators, it a story that absolutely could be real, which is what makes this book so good. This is the first I have read by this author, but will not be my last.

A good premise and solid writing but drags on quite a bit for no discernible reason. I enjoyed the first half of the book and the last 10% but the middle was very long and uneventful. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.