Reputation by Lex Croucher

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were many, built fun. It was a down-to-earth book.
Well-written.

Okay, I knew I was going to like this one, but I ended up truly loving it! This book was funny and fast-paced and full of (relative) debauchery and then the inevitable consequences… the main character was relatable and interesting. The “fast crowd” that she becomes friends were all individual characters with their own motivations. The relationships with her family members were also so well written, conveying the messiness that occurs in families no matter the time or station. I was very invested in Georgiana’s fate and found myself cheering her on as she made her stand in the end… I look forward to whatever Croucher writes next!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me an e-ARC of "Reputation" by Lex Croucher!

Have you been on a Bridgerton/period drama binge lately? Have you wanted historical romance that is culturally accurate while maintaining some modern-day ideals (feminism? queerness being widely accepted? yes please)? Then you will want to read "Reputation" by Lex Croucher - this Victorian take on Mean Girls is fun, flirty, and yet surprisingly thoughtful with the discussions had by characters on the duality of sexual reputation between men and women in those times.

I DNF’d around 30%. I loved the Jane Austen feel at first but I’m not down with catty, nasty women. This is a case of me not reading the description thoroughly enough to really grasp the Mean Girls comparison.

This is literally Mean Girls meets Gossip Girl set in the Regency era. It was full of messy characters and entertaining. It won't be a book for everyone and I wouldn't recommend it for Bridgerton fans because it doesn't have the same vibes and it can be dark at times, but it was also humorous at times.

I didn't know I needed a debaucherous Regency-era coming-of-age story, but I did and I loved it and I can't wait for book two

Reputation is such a fun, witty read perfect for fans of Gossip Girl. Think GG with a regency twist like Bridgerton! Readers who enjoy rom-coms will be thrilled to get their hands on Reputation for a delightfully magical time.

This book is a must read for any fans of the Bridgerton series. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and I enjoyed the "Mean Girl" aspect of the book. This book also had humor which I appreciated.

Okay, I knew I was going to like this one, but I ended up truly loving it! This book was funny and fast-paced and full of (relative) debauchery and then the inevitable consequences… the main character was relatable and interesting. The “fast crowd” that she becomes friends were all individual characters with their own motivations. The relationships with her family members were also so well written, conveying the messiness that occurs in families no matter the time or station. I was very invested in Georgiana’s fate and found myself cheering her on as she made her stand in the end… I look forward to whatever Alex Croucher writes next!

Mean Girls meets Bridgerton and Jane Austen in this Regency Rom-Com.

Abandoned by her parents, Georgiana Ellers is forced to spend the season with her aunt and uncle. At a particularly dull party, she meets Frances Campbell, a socialite living a life of excess with her small group of friends. Intrigued by bookish and sheltered Georgiana, Frances brings her along in the group’s escapades, showing her another side of life. Faced with a new world of drunken debauchery, mysterious young men, and the upper crust of society, Georgiana might soon realize the price of such freedom is more than she is willing to pay.

This was not at all what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. The characters were interesting and very flawed. Georgiana is naïve and impressionable, easily swayed by her new group of friends. Frances is vindictive and strives to always be the center of attention. These two opposing forces create an interesting dichotomy and creates a lot of the conflict in the story.

The writing was easy to read and captured the style of the regency era, while still feeling fresh. There are definitely darker themes than I was expecting, namely drug/alcohol abuse, and sexual assault (both on page and off). So definitely be prepared for that.

Overall, I think this was a solid debut.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lex Croucher, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc of Reputation in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of Bridgerton and Gossip Girl will love this book! The characters and drama are addictive and the story left me craving more. Can’t wait to see other books from this author

I really enjoyed this debut from Lex Croucher. I have always loved regency-era books and Reputation is no different. The romcom was great and loved all the characters! I loved the way the characters interacted with each other. I will definitely be reading more from Lex Croucher in the future

This book was adorable and smart - set in Regency England but with a very distinct modern voice. I'm not certain I have read anything set in this time period that deals with issues like alcohol and drug consumption, sexuality and gender diversity, race, and familial relationships to name a few.

There were several laugh out loud moments (I particularly enjoyed Betty and Mrs. and Mr. Burton, who seemed absolutely befuddled by everything Georgina did). I loved Georgina and her attempts to fit in with a social class she is desperate to join and her maturity and growth as a character along the way. And let's just say Frances might just go down as the meanest mean girl since Regina George.

This wasn't what I expected but I loved every minute of this fun Regency romance with its fresh, feminist approach. I knew as soon as I started reading that I would not be able to put this book down until I read the last word. This is the first book I have read by Lex Croucher but it definitely won't be the last. If you enjoyed Bridgerton, be sure to read Reputation. I received an advance reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review. I enjoyed it so much, I purchased a copy for my keeper library.

Wow…I have read some boring books in the past but this one was a complete snooze fest! I only got to 20% in and had to tap out. The most exciting thing was them smoking pot and that was a yawn.

entertaining book for fans of bridgerton and gossip girl, but I had to trudge to get through. Fun time period

I had high hopes for this but unfortunately, I was disappointed. I couldn't stand any of the characters so it took a while for me to get through it. This definitely reads as if it were a Mean Girls clone set during the Regency Era and considering how much I used to love that movie I fully expected to be entertained but this book just wasn't for me.

This book was magical. Each plot twist, each scene made me feel something deeply. Be it a laugh or a tear, or a gasp at the sheer drama. I would recommend.

Georgiana Ellers moves in with her Aunt and Uncle while her parents go on vacation after seemingly not caring much about their daughter. Georgiana finds out quickly that her Aunt and Uncle are pretty dull and if she's going to have any fun this season, she's going to need to make some friends.
After befriending Frances Campbell, Georgiana is introduced to a world she didn't know existed. Frances is filthy rich, also with seemingly inattentive parents and she behaves as if nothing will ruin her. She introduces Georgiana to a world of drinking, drugs, and indecent frolicking with the opposite gender. Frances and her friends are also a pretty mean group of people who know they are at the top of the food chain and belittle anyone under them. This includes Betty Walters who is a loyal friend to Georgiana even after all of the times she doesn't stand up for her. When Frances starts becoming jealous of Georgiana, she begins trying to take her down. It doesn't matter that they were great friends before this.
This book is the Mean Girls of the Regency Era. I enjoyed the character development and storylines but I wish Georgiana's relationship with Thomas Hawkley was developed a bit more. I also was expecting it to be more like Bridgerton but it really aligned more with Mean Girls. The beginning was a bit slow but once I got into the story I became more interested in what was going on. Overall, it is a great read. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm definitely still interested in reading Reputation now that I am interested in historical romance. I was not able to read before publication date due to busy life schedule but I do intend to.