Eddie and Rose have been friends since they were children, but now as they have reached adulthood, Rose is suddenly engaged to be married. Eddie can't see why things need to change between the friends, until Rose's fiance introduces Eddie to her hero Nash Nicholson. Eddie is whisked away by Nash and his extravagant lifestyle when he promises her help with her manuscript. Rose is weary of Nash out of concern for her best friend. Can their friendship survive the stress that Nash puts upon it?

I really enjoyed so many things about this book. Lex Croucher has a beautiful way of writing and includes many flawed, but albeit loveable characters. The friendship between Rose and Eddie is explored in a captivating way that makes you feel as if you know the girls yourself. I enjoyed seeing how all of the characters came to interact and form relationships with each other. This book is also teeming with good queer representation, which was a massive plus for me! This book is definitely one to check out for lovers of tender sapphic romance.

*Huge thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Lex Croucher for making this ARC available to me!*

Aspiring author Edith (Eddie) has been best friends with Rose since the moment they met. So when Rose starts talking about marriage, Eddie feels left behind. She can't imagine life without Rose as her constant companion. The one bright spot is meeting poet Nash, whose work Eddie admires even more than Byron's. When he invites her to a house party, she's thrilled. Accompanied by Rose and her fiancé, she gets caught up in Nash's strange and self-indulgent world. Can her relationship with Rose survive in this house of secrets?

This book is just as fabulous as REPUTATION (which I stayed up all night reading). The voice is compelling and immersive, the story fast-paced and full of unexpected twists. It has a gothic quality to it, but the best part for me is the heartwarming and satisfying romance storyline. I could not love this book more.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I really enjoyed this book, although there were many places where it dragged a bit and felt too-long. I also don't know that I would call it "the best laugh-out-loud Regency romp of 2022" as it is advertised. There were funny moments, but a lot of it was more Eddie being painfully oblivious to what was going on around her. She's so in her head and fixated on the idea of being a published writer - as well as in complete denial about how she feels about Rose - that she doesn't really see what's happening until it's (metaphorically) hit her across the head a few times.

Poor long-suffering Rose stands by Eddie faithfully until she has to take a stand (which, good for her) and even then Eddie doesn't wake up to what's going on. Really, Eddie has a lot of growing up to do in this book before she becomes a likeable character. I was constantly tempted to shake Eddie and go "oh, come on!"

Nash was an excellent villain. He at first seemed fun and playful, and the scene with him charming Eddie's entire outlandish oddball family was endearing. Nash's charming of everyone takes on a darker cast, however, as the book progresses and his true character comes to light. As with everything else, his true character comes to light MUCH later for Eddie than for everyone else, as she is again painfully oblivious and in complete denial. She's fixated on the idea that he can get her published and all else is seemingly easy for her to ignore.

The 'house party' adventure gets wilder and stranger the longer it goes on, and I felt a lot of secondhand embarrassment at Eddie's refusal to see what's happening around her. Or maybe it's just a willingness to overlook just about anything with the dangling possibility of a book deal.

I mean, the house practically falls down around their ears and no one bats an eyelash. To say that the people in Nash's orbit are strange is... an understatement.

I found the cast of weirdos to be quite wonderful, however. I've always been drawn to the outcasts and those who buck the strictures of society, so I did appreciate the bohemian outlook they had. And I liked them all the way to the end - it's just Nash (and to a lesser extent his wife) that gets revealed to be more terrible every day.

The ending was cathartic after the mess that went down, and after Eddie's eyes are opened to a few things. Eddie still isn't my favorite character, but I did like her more by the end, even though I don't think she does enough to earn Rose's forgiveness.

The writing was really beautiful and evocative, and the audiobook performance was great. The narrator did a fabulous job capturing everyone's mood and personality, and the voices the narrator chose were perfect for the characters.

*Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Bonnier UK Audio for providing an early copy for review.

Unfortunately, Infamous was far from an enjoyable read for me. It took me quite awhile to make my way through the book because I just couldn't get into it. The story, the characters, it just didn't draw me in. Honestly, the best part about this book is that it's over.
Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and the author for access to this ARC.

Eddie has always dreamed of publishing her writing--and when her best friend's new fiance introduces her to her idol, Nash, it suddenly seems like that dream is now in reach. Nash starts initing her to hang out with him, and praises her writing--even though he hasn't read it yet. But when she (and Rose, and Rose's fiance) accept his invitation to spend some time at his lakehouse, tensions rise between all of them.

I was really excited for this book, but honestly just about every part of the description seemed off. I wouldn't classify Infamous as a romcom (a gothic romance, sure, but very little of the book was at all funny--in fact, it was mostly about Eddie, and many of the people around her, being miserable for one reason or another); I'm not sure I caught the "deliciously feminist twist;" and honestly the romance itself felt like a subplot. A LOT more of the book was spent on Eddie's relationship with Nash than on her relationship with/feelings toward Rose. I love slow burns, which this was, but the tension between Eddie and Rose never felt romantic or sexual; it just felt like conflict. Both Eddie's writing and her friendship with/feelings for Nash got a lot more attention than anything with Rose, and I found myself wondering when anything was going to happen between them--not in a fun anticipatory way, but more like I was waiting for the romance novel to feel at all like a romance novel.

In the first act, I liked Eddie and Rose together, but it quickly seemed like they had nothing in common. And, again, the nature of their conflict didn't really make me long to see them together. I liked how things started between them and I liked how things ended between them, but I wanted a lot more out of the middle.

I think a lot of my issue with this book was the marketing: I went in expecting one book and got another book entirely. If you want a gothic romance where the romance is a bit more background and the focus is on the struggles of being a writer, this may be the book for you! If what you're looking for is a romcom that explores the main relationship a fair amount, this is probably not the book you're looking for.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of INFAMOUS by Lex Croucher. I liked Reputation, so I was excited to try to next one from Croucher. INFAMOUS was similar to Reputation in that it was filled with a bit too many long scenes describing all their upper-class partying, and the main character made a bit too many really terrible decisions for a bit too long. But, also like in Reputation, the romance made up for it enough that I still enjoyed the book overall. Eddie and Rose had a very sweet childhood friendship-to-lovers romance that was easy to root for. I also just really had fun with all the historical details and the Victorian environment as a whole. There were a few loose ends that left the ending a bit unsatisfying, but just enough were tied up for me not to hate it. So, I had my issues but for the most part I liked it.

Eddie and Rose have been inseparable since childhood. Will their friendship survive Rose’s engagement and Eddie’s friendship with a famous poet? Or will spending time at the poet’s isolated estate with Rose, her fiancé, and a crew of artistic individuals be what it takes for Eddie to realize that her friendship with Rose is more than just a friendship?

What I loved:
-Bridgerton vibes but queer
-how absolutely clueless Eddie was for 99% of the book
-scenery descriptions
-a weirdly charming yet absolutely despicable villain
-the humour!

This was a fun read and I really enjoyed getting to read a queer historical (ish) romance. Was it the most accurate portrayal of the time? Probably not. Was it a super cute romance that’s worth the read? Absolutely!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced reading copy!

Lex Croucher’s writing really shines through her witty dialogue, flawed yet lovable characters, and embracing the beauty in “ordinary and wonderful mundanities.” This book was originally pitched to me as Bridgerton meets Booksmart meets Dickinson (which are 3 of my favorite things on the planet), so I was STOKED to get this eARC. INFAMOUS follows childhood best friends Eddie and Rose through a collective quarter-life crisis in which they are clearly in love with each other and have no clue how to handle it. After meeting Nash Nicholson, one of Eddie’s literary heroes, they’re pulled into a world of eccentrics and artists before being invited to spend a month with Nash & co. at his families country estate. It’s all very ~Byron & the Shelley’s go to Geneva~ and probably a little concerning that now I want to go spend a month in a crumbling English estate with regency-era eccentrics. Gothic-ish antics ensue, dramatic secrets are revealed, loyalties are tested, and it still manages to be a genuinely joyful read. You can’t help but root for Eddie (even when she’s oblivious), and Rose is a perfect angel who’s never done anything wrong in her life. The last chapter had me happy sobbing at 2 AM, and I just wanted more of these two idiots.

Didn't love this one. Which also helps to prove that regency books written by modern authors are hit or miss for me. And this one was indeed a miss.

As someone who thoroughly enjoyed Reputation, I was excited to receive a copy of Infamous, Whilst overall I found it to be another enjoyable, witty read, it was much slower and harder to get into and oftentimes felt like nothing was happening. ~3-3.5/5

This was so much fun! I laughed out loud and loved it the whole time. I never thought historical rom com would be my vibe, but I surprised myself and loved it.

Another brilliant book by Lex Croucher. I loved Reputation and I was so happy to see a new novel by Croucher on NetGalley. This more than met my expectations.

This is a Regency story that feel immediate and enthralling. It shows a side of the era that feels more real, less picture perfect and precise, less polished and more diverse and complex.

Eddie is a fantastic main character--intriguing, infuriating, endearing and brilliant. Much as I love Eddie I have a lot of adoration for Rose as well. Two very different but very engaging characters--with their distinct voice, background, portrayal.

The way Nash blasted into the story and elbowed his way into prominence was simply delicious. It is such a send up of the Byronic ideal and all that goes with that. A send up and an inversion of the myth, to the reality of the facade and the subterfuge that goes into celebrity and being "it" in any era. His arc from scene-stealer to villain was splendid--he's just the kind of wanker you love to hate.

By going behind the trappings of this time period, Croucher centers the story on the creatives, the diverse communities that thrived at that time.

I am a sucker for friends-to-lovers arcs and this provided that in such a satisfying way ,while staying true to the time period and conventions of that time.

There is a happy ever after and it's on their own terms, in their own way, defying the rigid guidelines of societal expectations and finding the loopholes to live their lives authentically with each other. Croucher has such a lively writing style--the voices sharp and distinct, the characterization on point, the dialogue witty, the asides truly entertaining. There is a freshness to the way this book is written, a period story but with a contemporary twist. Truly a book I could not put down.

I would read anything Croucher writes. Truly a splendid book and one of my top books of the year.

Five enthusiastic stars.

I loved this book. While I did see one of the major parts of the ending coming, I still very much enjoyed it, and felt the emotions it intended to incite. I wish the antagonist had gotten comeuppance, but other than that this novel left me very satisfied.

There's just something about Lex Croucher's characters. I loved Eddie and Rose so much. And I want Nash to burn in the depths of hell. Thanks for the ARC @netgalley. And thank you to Lex Croucher for writing period novels that feel like real people!

This is an interesting take on classic historical romance books. I enjoyed reading a wlw historical romance as they are few and far between in comparison to heterosexual historical romances. But that's where my enjoyment of this book really ends. I didn't love the characters or the plot and found it a struggle to get through.

Eddie reminded me a lot of Eloise from Bridgerton, so fans of her may like this book. As someone who found her tolerable most of the time, this book wasn't really for me.

The plot was entirely predictable. This is true of lots of romance books (as one usually assumes the two characters will end up happily ever after), but it was especially present in this book. I assumed every single plot point before it was revealed. This took some of the joy away from the book as I felt like I didn't actually need to keep reading to find out what would happen.

This was honestly a very fun read. This story follows Eddie, a aspiring writer, and her best friend Rose, who in Eddie’s mind betrays their friendship by being courted by a man. Infamous is a historical romcom with elements of LGBTQ moments, which I loved. Will Eddie choose her aspiring writing goals or her relationship with Rose? Read to find out! 3.5/5 stars.

this is a solid sequel to Reputation! I really liked what Lex did with this novel; however, at times, I felt as if I I was just mindlessly flipping through pages of filler where nothing was happening. But overall, the pages I did connect with, the characters were great - very nuanced, very complex! P.S this book is very witty! All that being said, I'd give it 3-3.5 stars. Not quite 4 stars given some of the "what's happening" I felt while reading it, but everything else was well done.

The premise of this book was very promising, I love queer romance set in the regency period but unfortunately this book fell a bit flat for me. It had some wonderful moments, Croucher has an amazing knack for very clever, witty dialogue between characters and I enjoyed dynamics of the friend group at Bede House, but overall the plot was too unstructured for me and the romance seemed to take a back seat to instead focus on the trials and tribulations of a side character. I was also hoping for more queer found family supporting each other and forming community in a time like the regency period where most of that, if it occurred at all, was in secret but the moment that did exist were fleeting and short.

The story had so much potential which is what I found myself with struggling the most after finishing. There were numerous side characters (Albert, Bella, Dayo) that I wanted to know more about and to read their stories, even more Eddie and Rose would have been wonderful but the Eddie and Nash arc was focused on too much and I think that detracted from the fun escapism type of read this book could have been.

I enjoyed this writerly, queer historical a lot! It was much closer to an old-school bildungsroman, for me, than a romance, but it was still a fun and well-rounded read that didn't feel like any other historical I'd ever read. Overall it's medium-grey in tone, not overly light or dark, which made it stand apart for me right away. TW: it contains on-page attempted SA involving drugs.

The cast and setting being bohemian and scandalous, the very edge of the demimonde, made the whole store feel more modern than a lot of Regency books. There was still enough Regency atmosphere and token concern for propriety that it felt plausibly of the period, so I enjoyed how off the rails most of the plot was. I've been reading a lot of historicals set in the upper crust/bon ton, so this was a great chance of pace from the pathologically uptight Bridgerton ballrooms. Most of the book is set on a literally=crumbling island estate that added a lot of depth and darkness to the background of the story and makes it feel that much more modern.

In most books the symbolic-scary=ruined-manor would be the centerpiece, but this book is all about Eddie. Her journey, her maturity, her naiveté, discovering her bisexuality, her identity as a writer and a woman. She was so young-feeling that I felt for Eddie even as she was blind to everything going on around her AND being a complete ass as a consequence, which isn't an easy feat to pull off! She feels like a larger-than-life figure and was a compelling anchor for the story.

I wish more of the romance with Rose had been on the page, as it was absolutely my favorite part. But a lot of the book is Eddie being manipulated by the most strangleable, genuinely dark and gross and horrible, real-feeling villain I've read in a long time, across any genre tbh. At times the pace was a little slow, but I turned the pages at a clip hoping he'd suffer a gruesome and painful bodily injury in the next chapter. If that had happened, the book probably would have gotten five stars. (I'm being totally serious, for the record.)

Other than that, I appreciated that the interesting and diverse side characters in the ensemble cast got as much development as the leads, feeling like real people with lives outside the events of the book and their own morality. There's a non-binary character and a BIPOC abolitionist character that feel well-rounded and well-situated in the time period. I like any historical that acknowledges the struggles people outside the norm have always had to face.

A few quibbles with the ending aside, this was an engaging and fresh read that tugged hard on my feelings. Wished it had more romance, but mostly I was pleased with it as a coming-of-age. Also, I would 100% let Juno the dog tromp mud through the house and put her head on my pillow. A+ fictional dog.

Full review on Goodreads, link here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5084723483

Infamous by Lex Croucher is for people who are team “Jo March is a lesbian” and for people who spent lockdown re-reading classics and binging Bridgerton on Netflix. This book is an amazing mix of modern and historical, with just enough language from both time periods. It had everything you love in classics but with clearer language and a story that more people in our modern society can relate to (It basically caters to people like me who love classics but struggle to read the fancy and unfamiliar words used so often).