I am honestly surprised by the mixed reviews for Sarah Vaughan's Reputation. After I write my review I will go back and look at some of the negative ones to see what others didn't like. I, for one, really enjoyed it. It was very difficult for me to put down once I started it. It is labled as a psychological thriller but, in my opinion, it turns into a Legal Thriller/Courtroom Thriller for a large portion of the book, and I loved that aspect. I thought all parts of the plot were pretty well done.

Emma, a politician whose platform centers on women's issues, struggles to balance her previously normal life with a husband and a daughter, the high of being sought out by the media for her opinions, making real changes, and definitely with the downside of public life-trolls, threats, haters.

Emma's marriage has taken its final bow before the book even starts, but she and her ex are as amicable as can ever be expected. Her daughter Flora is struggling, but not sharing that struggle with her mother. Her mother's fame and polarizing opinions are causing social bullying and isolation at school for 14-yr-old Flora.

I appreciated the well drawn-out picture the author painted of what a woman in a public life might face and the fallout even to members of her family and her friends. I think it was described in such a way that no one could necessarily deny the danger or even the differences between female and male public figures. I felt that even though Emma definitely seemed to like the spotlight more than I ever would, as a reader, as a woman, as a mother, I could understand her. I understood why she made many of the choices she did and why she had the guilt over them that she did. I found her quite relatable and thus I was invested in how the story would turn out for her.

The ending of the book wasn't a big surprise to me, but it didn't really disappoint in any way, either. Basically, Reputation is exactly the kind of book I enjoy and would recommend to all my friends.

I really enjoyed this book, which I would classify as a legal drama. A large majority of it takes place in the courtroom, which can sometimes get a bit boring and repetitive in some books, but the writing was engaging and kept my interest throughout. I genuinely had no idea whether or not to believe Emma's story and if she would be found guilty or not.

I also liked how the book highlighted how women, particularly those in the public eye, are treated in social media. Overall, a very enjoyable book for me that i I would recommend if you like legal thrillers and books with feminist themes.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one from Sarah Vaughan - she does a phenomenal job of creating really nuanced and multi dimensional characters that you get deeply invested in. I loved that Emma was not a one trick pony - her decisions and actions were messy and hypocritical and very, very human.

What made this particular story so addicting was the fact that Emma had to work so hard to grapple with the many conflicting issues that kept popping up in her life, while also wrestling with who she was as a person, a politician and a mother - and how those aspects of her personality would collide and balance as her life continued to implode.

No spoilers - but I personally loved how often Emma's decision making made me mad, and had me yelling at her in the book to make better choices. It was so perfectly done, and I couldn't set this one down until the very end.

A perfect summer read!

An entertaining psychological thriller about a politician who gets caught up in trying to protect her daughter. Fast paced and very relevant, this was hard to put down. Highly recommended. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

It's pretty obvious from all the other reviews here that most people enjoyed this book, but I am not one of them. It just felt uncomfortable and I had to force myself to pick it up again and again.
Emma is an MP who seems to live for her job and causes she's feeling strongly about, but I felt she was doing all that at the expense of her family, especially her daughter. Her ex had moved on to find happiness elsewhere.

Online and sexting bullying were the topics at hand and I do think more does have to be made of laws preventing this from happening to others. Of course it comes back to bite Emma when the subject matter hits too close to home and yet she seems oblivious to the bullying her 14 year old daughter is experiencing due to Emma's career.

I did not like any characters except Flora, the daughter and felt sorry for her. The others were just plain unlikeable and worse.
thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

I finished this book a few days ago and I'm still unsure of my feedback towards it, so I'm settling for a 2,5 stars, rounding down to 2. I can't name 3 things I loved about it, but I also can't name 3 things that I really hated about it. The premise was interesting, but I think I was expecting something else...

We start meeting Emma, a MP that focuses on woman issues for her electorate. This was potentially a win for me, but it wasn't explored enough in the book, in my opinion. Emma, herself, feels less of a protagonist and more someone to whom the story is happening to, and this lack of agency on her part was slightly annoying. I'm not sure if Vaughan wanted Emma to lean towards unlikeable, but it is how she struck me.

Emma has a complicated life and I understand why the book was called 'Reputation' - she deals with the pains of being a woman in a male-dominated field (politics), she focused on her career and that led to the failing of her marriage (according to other people, because I believe the end of her marriage is her ex-husband's cheating, but well...), and her daughter has a difficult life at school and she's not close enough to be part of it.

The other characters in the story where there and some of them felt quite forced, in particular Caroline, the new wife, and her relationship with Emma's daughter. Overall, chapters not from Emma's perspective were a lot more interesting, adding a new lens to the book. In terms of pace, it was very very slow, and there where chapters in which nothing happened, just fillers that could be considered mood-setting, but didn't add to the story.

The trial was the most interesting part of the book, but arriving there was hard. I thought about abandoning this book several times. Nevertheless, the plot itself was interesting and I was surprised by the revelations at the end of the book. I'm still divided, unsure if I liked or not the plays in morality and hypocrisy, as well as the undertones of the value of a mother's protection.

Unfortunately it didn't hit the spot for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked Anatomy of a Scandal (and even the Netflix adaptation!), so was excited to pick this up. Although I didn't enjoy it quite as much, I still found it exciting and timely.

I enjoyed bits of the story the courtroom scenes were a bit drawn out of me especially being a criminal buff. Overall loved it and looking forward to the next one!

Sarah Vaughan delivers another beautifully written, low and slow suspense novel. As with Anatomy of a Scandal, Reputation delves into British politics, courtroom drama, and subtle, but menacing, sexual harassment of women. As to the latter aspect, Reputation takes on online bullying, particularly revenge porn, just as Anatomy focused on date rape.

The protagonist of the novel is Emma Webster. Emma is new to Parliament and has made online bullying the focus of her time in office as the result of a teenage girl's suicide after her boyfriend released revenge porn online. She even has a compatriot with the press that is helping with her name recognition by supporting her cause. Better yet, this journalist is also single, personable, smart, and attractive. Emma is kind of a mess personally though. She never seems to be available to her own teenage daughter, Flora. Fortunately for Flora, she has a devoted father and stepmother, but 14-year-old girls still need a mom.

Two events occur that drive the story line of Reputation. First, Emma's daughter Flora retaliates against another girl's bullying by sexting a topless film of the bully to a boy in their class. The obvious question arises -- how is what Flora did not as egregious as the revenge porn that caused another girl's suicide. How can Emma support her daughter without damaging her own political agenda. Second, the aforementioned journalist dies after an accident at Emma's flat. Although Emma claims it was an accident, the facts of the matter are in question. Accident or murder?

If you're familiar with Sarah Vaughan's writing style, Reputation is much like Anatomy of a Scandal She is the master (mistress?) of the slow burn. Personally, I'm a fan because I love good writing and plotting. If you're looking for a lot of action, Reputation may not be for you.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me an eGalley.

Reputation is a thriller steeped in political and legal intrigue, along with the fallout from online abuse on social media. Sarah Vaughan expertly builds suspense and discomfort in this story, and kept me rapidly turning pages to the end!

Your reputation is so important and in this media age so easy to lose. Emma Webster is an MP and is harassed online constantly. A body is found in her home and she learns how her online image affects her as her trial plays out. An enjoyable read and recommend to those who love courtroom dramas.

Thanks to #Netgalley for the free copy of Reputation by Sarah Vaughan for my honest review.

“Reputation” was a very well written and timely novel. Although I found the timelines to be a bit confusing at times, (with constant back and forth and by multiple character perspectives) overall the story was fast paced enough to hold my attention and I read it quickly. For me, this was less of a mystery/thriller and more of a political drama mixed with domestic suspense.
I definitely will look forward to Vaughn’s next read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this novel!
Strong 3.5/5

Unfortunately, I just didn't get into this. The pace was slow for me and the plot not all that gripping. I liked the author's previous book, but this one was a miss for me.

After loving Sarah Vaughan’s @svaughanauthor Anatomy of a Scandal and totally binging the Netflix adaptation, I eagerly dove into her new release, Reputation, and all I can say is, dear Netflix, please bring this to my streaming service soon!

All women can relate to Emma and her fears, and I spent part of my 4th of July holiday week engrossed in Sarah Vaughan’s latest outstanding psychological thriller. Thanks to my partners at @atria for my copy.

Thanks for the opportunity to review!

Link to Instagram post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfzGIoXLB5i/

I was excited to get lost in this suspenful novel, but could not get into it. The writing was wonderful and the story was good. It just wasn't for me. If you are a fan of Sarah Vaughan, I implore you to give it a try for yourself.

I wanted to like this one so much, but I felt like I struggled! For me it had a strong start and seemed to unravel, and it just wasn't for me. But, I think this author is wonderful and look forward to future books!

Reputation is an exceptional read. I love all the drama. What would you do for family? Perfectly paced as the conflict is revealed. What a mess social media has made of our world. Many times, reading this I felt the strands of truth woven deep in my mind.

Vaughan knows how to deliver! Highly recommend Reputation and all the authors backlist.

Bestselling author, Sarah Vaughan has written another bestseller. Reputation, a new psychological thriller weaves the story of a politician and her fight for justice after a body is discovered in her home.
Another a slow burn in the first couple of chapters, I really enjoyed the book and couldn’t out it down in the last hundred pages. Highly recommended.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for my honest review

I was underwhelmed by this thriller about a female British MP who is thrown into the spotlight when a body is found in her home. It was long and I didn't care about any of the characters, although the message about the treatment of public figures is a good one.

Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for a copy to review.

This has all the elements I wanted in a book, I’d definitely recommend this to my family and friends