2.5 stars rounded up! Check TW’s before jumping in! Sexual abuse, drug use, and heavy drinking! This is not your typical historical fiction novel. I struggled a lot getting into this one and staying interested.

It’s well written and funny, as well as deep and emotional at points. My blood was boiling on several occasions (empathy for the characters). Georgina learns some valuable life lessons over the course of the summer, and I would have loved to see a little more of her growth after everything that takes place. I really loved Thomas, and I loved that push and pull chemistry between him and Georgina.

I think maybe that this one just wasn’t for me, and that’s okay.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC

𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 is a diverse, amusing tale that takes you into the life of Georgina Ellers who, after moving in with her Aunt and Uncle, suffers from extreme boredom and loneliness until she befriends the vivacious Frances Campbell and does whatever it takes to try to fit in with this privileged, popular group that tends toward rebellion, debauchery and scandal.⁣
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Overall, I enjoyed this scandalous, entertaining, unique tale by Croucher that was a little different than I was expecting but is nevertheless a witty, creative, fresh take on the usual Regency romp.⁣

𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴:⁣⁣
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✔︎ Historical romance with a contemporary twist⁣
✔︎ Characters you can’t help but love to hate⁣
✔︎ Self-discovery⁣
✔︎ Female friendships⁣
✔︎ Lots of drama (at times heavy)

The blurb for this book paints it as a Regency-era Mean Girls rom-com. While there is some humor in this story, I don't believe it can be accurately described as a rom-com. But the Mean Girls comparison is on point. We have our lead character, Georgiana, the new girl in town after her parents have left her in the care of her aunt and uncle. She is dreadfully bored with only Mr. and Mrs. Burton for company, and wishes to have an opportunity to find new friends and have new adventures. And then she meets Frances, a party girl who comes from a wealthy family and has her own entourage. Frances welcomes Georgiana into her little group, and then the drama begins.

I should warn you that if you are looking for a light and fluffy Regency romp, this is definitely not it. The first part of the book is fun and flighty, but then shit starts getting really dark. There are all sorts of content warnings that should be considered prior to reading: excessive alcohol and drug consumption and abuse, on-page sexual assault and off-page rape, toxic relationships, domestic violence, racism, death of family members (off-page), and grief.

While I enjoyed this book overall, I did have some issues. First and foremost, this book has an abundance of completely unlikeable characters, including Georgiana. I just wanted to smack her self-absorbed face on so many occasions. The story is also rife with anachronisms, but I can deal with that because I enjoyed the modern flair. I was also pleased to see some LGBTQ+ representation, as well as acknowledgement that people in the Regency era were not exclusively white. I guess mostly my issue was that I was led to believe the book was one thing by the cover and the blurb, and it ended up being something significantly different. Had I gone into the book with a better understanding of how dark the tone would become, I probably would have enjoyed it more. So consider this your warning, prepare your mind, and dive into this book. Because many parts of it were delightful.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Georgiana Ellers was sad that she had been left at her aunt's house. Her parents seem to never care about her. She is melancholy, she had no friends, and her aunt was nice to take her in. It took them a month before they wrote to her to let her know how they were. They deserted her. It broke her heart. She meets Frances Campbell and her group.

Thomas Hawksley is a nice man who used to hang around Frances and Jeremiah's group until he lost his mom and brother. Then he started to realize this was not for him. He took care of most of the estate and the other responsibilities that pertain to his life. He also helped his father who worked with cloth.

This was an interesting story, about young people, rich people who live aimless lives. They do all kinds of things that are not necessarily evil but can be cruel on occasion. There are a few things going on with Georgiana and she is trying to find herself. I thought the characters were great, as was the tale. It certainly kept me entertained.

I received this ARC from Net Galley, and I voluntarily reviewed this novel.

This was a historical retelling of the movie Mean Girls. It was enjoyable but not one of my top ten. I had to push through to get to the end.

Reputation by Lex Croucher was a lot darker than I expected it to be. The blurb really doesn’t do the best job of explaining what this book is about. There have been a lot of comparisons to Mean Girls and that definitely hits the mark. This is almost like a regency version of the movie. So if you enjoyed the movie you will definitely enjoy that this book but if Mean Girls made you cringe (and for some people it was very cringe) then this book will make you cringe.

I think the first misconception of this book is that it’s marketed as romance but I felt that the romance storyline was secondary and not as well developed.
The other main issue is of race and homophobia. Which while mentioned in the book are not explored in-depth. So understanding the time period and the characters in this contact is somewhat difficult.

Now onto the good, this book was fun, witty, and entertaining. It almost was like a TV show version of regency romance. In some ways I think it would be better as a TV show than a book (a regency gossip girl).

Thank you #Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Lex Croucher definitely entertains her reader with Reputation, a Jane Austen inspired novel. Croucher takes the Regency period and presents it as a time of debauchery and deception. When Georgiana Ellers's parents abandon her to the care of her kind, but dull, aunt and uncle she longs for some excitement. Georgiana is thrilled to be befriended by Frances, the leader of the "fast" crowd. Unlike Georgiana, Frances is from an ultra wealthy family and has no concern for her reputation. When Georgiana meets the handsome and kind Thomas Hawksley, she falls in love instantly (of course!). Thomas shuns the antics of Frances and her friends. Georgiana begins to question her friends' ethics, especially after one young man is not at all gentle with her. Crocher's characters are excellent, especially the talkative, but loyal, young Betty Walters. The romance between Georgiana and Thomas is heartwarming and would definitely make Jane Austen smile. Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Frances Campbell turns Georgiana's world upside down- and not in entirely good way- in this updated (for want of a better word) Regency. Georgiana has lived a sheltered life; Frances not so much. Yes it does have echoes of Mean Girls in how Frances molds Georgiana to do her bidding, as she has molded her other acolytes. And fans of the Regency Romance should know that its very modern in its approach to pretty much everything. While most of it is light, there are also tough topics involving abuse of various kinds, but there is good diversity. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Very entertaining.

This book was okay. I really enjoyed the regency era and felt the author did a good job of making it into a rom-com regency instead of just your typical regency romance.

However there were part of the book where I was bored and I felt things were over discussed. I also did not enjoy the amount of sexual assault that either happened on the pages or was eluded. Overall an entertaining book and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ebook. This is my honest voluntary review.

I almost gave this 2 stars. For more than half the book I found it hard to get through. All the characters were frivolous and awful, I couldn't sympathize with George, and things seemed VERY inaccurate for a Regency era story. The characters behaved in waya that would have been scandalous for their society, talked very vulgarly in almost modern terms, and it just all seemed unrealistic.
The main character wasn't even redeemable until sadly she was almost raped. She then realized how low she'd fallen with her choice of friends and use of alcohol and drugs. Thats when the story turned around. Things got more interesting, Thomas was the gem of the entire novel. I dont know what he saw in George, but he made things MUCH more fun to read haha
His father and Mrs. Burton were also supporting sweethearts after the situation, and George's character improved dramatically. Towards the end she grew on me and I loved how it ended. So 3 stars from me!

Georgiana has been dumped by her parents, while they take an ocean holiday, off with her aunt and uncle. A rather dull couple who could spend their days watching paint dry. At her very first dinner party she meets Frances and this starts a whirlwind of a friendship.. or so she thinks. She’s not sure she fits in with this group of wealthy and gossiping and drunken debauchery socialites. She meets Thomas and at every opportunity makes a fool of herself in front of him. Her feeling for him grow, but he could care little for her.

This story is an ode to Jane Austin and her stories of fitting in and relationships. It’s funny and takes Austen’s voice and implodes it into a edgy new voice. Georgiana’s character is quirky and funny and she’s the klutz so many of us hide ourselves from, yet she embraces it. She’s a bookworm who is use to escaping the world until it’s thrust at her. She starts to question if she can truly fit or if she should even try. Does conforming yourself truly make you happy?

At first it took me awhile to get into the story, but it was humorous and hard to put down. I mean our main character starts out trying to fascinate her aunt by talking about Viking funerals and following a lover to death. You know great dinner conversation lol. The character of Frances made me want to jump into the pages and play a regency mean girl. I do think the story as a whole could have been a little better executed but all in all I definitely recommend if you want a good laugh of the era.

I don't think Jane Austen would have “cheered for” this book's heroine, Georgiana. I think Jane would have been horrified by this book. This is definitely a book that gives a very contemporary spin on Regency-era society. Yes, there was drunken debauchery, opium abuse, as well as other mind-altering drugs but not as it is presented here with young women. Young unmarried women were chaperoned and held to strict standards. Family scandal was to be avoided at all costs. This book plays fast and loose with Regency-era facts, just as does the Netflix Bridgerton series. If you want your contemporary romance all dressed up in Regency fashions along with a dose of TV show Mean Girls, then this is the book for you. But not for me.

A Victorian England story about a young lady who becomes friends with a group that loves to participate in the more sordid activities (behind close doors of course). Georgiana has been essentially abandoned by her parents and sent to live with her aunt in a part of the country where she knows no one. She soon falls in with Frances, who introduces her to a wilder world with drugs and alcohol (and for some, sex). She also soon meets Thomas Hawksley, who she becomes enamored with. However, as she becomes closer and closer to this group, she starts to see their darker side. Can she keep her reputation intact?

This book was good, but not as good as I thought it might be. I've never watched Bridgerton, and the description says it has major Bridgerton vibes, so maybe I would've enjoyed it more then. I didn't feel like a lot of characters were very likeable (which I'm sure is somewhat the point), but that always makes it harder for me to connect with the story.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Reputation. I decided to stop reading after about 35%. I love the concept of this story, and the diverse cast and queer representation were good. I decided to stop reading because the characters continued to be so mean, and it seemed it was just one scene after another of getting drunk/high. I was hoping the plot would have moved along a bit quicker.

*arc provided by NetGalley and publisher*
4✨
means girls meets Emma! this book was so much fun, and the perfect book to read after finishing season two of bridgerton. lex croucher captured the regency era in a interesting and modern take. i think Georgiana was a likable character and Thomas was SUCH a heart throb. The character arc of both Georgiana and Frances was evident and I think by the end of the book you appreciated the results of their relationship. The conflict surrounding Jeremiah was very interesting considering the time period, I don’t feel like it would’ve been talked about but it felt like a modern take. writing was easily accessible especially with the regency era, and plot was easy to follow. only criticism is I wished that there was maybe less drinking and partying. i think it was just over the top, and wish that the friend group had better interests. overall would recommend and can’t wait to get my copy, come release day!

Thank you to both Netgalley and Edelweiss for sharing a digital arc of this book with me, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so excited to read this book based off the pitch, and I wanted to love this book, but this book was not for me. With so many others I need to read, if a book doesn’t grab me within the first couple of chapters, I end of DNFing it. And this book was one of those instances. I’m not going to go into specifics why I didn’t like it, because it seems like most people do, and I don’t want to tarnish someone else’s choice about whether or not to read it, simply because of my personal preferences. I can see how this book would 100% appeal to others, and I still recommend taking a read, no matter my opinion on it!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the digital arc in return for my honest review.

Calling all Bridgerton fans. If you’ve finished the recently released second season and you need more Regency era aesthetics, try Reputation.

A whimsical story about a group of friends struggling with the ever-present guilt and shame of preserving their sterling reputations, and then immediately doing things to tarnish them. I liked where the story was trying to take me, but I didn’t like the execution.

I did not finish at the 50% mark. It failed to captivate me at all, even after binging Bridgerton to get the aesthetic vibes.

I find the pacing really slow and the plot is very light. It’s very much a character driven story. There’s four main female characters and a couple male characters who just aren’t super important to the plot. Of the four female characters, Georgianna and Frances are fairly detailed, but Jane and Cecily fall flat. I can barely recall their names, let alone details about them.

I also expected there to be more LGBTQIA+ representation, and so far, I’ve only seen a few passing scenes. It was disappointing.

I fully expect this to be beloved by someone, but it’s just not for me. I enjoyed the time I spent reading, but I will probably never think about it again.

If I do return to Reputation, it will probably be via audiobook, as they had a Bridgerton actress narrate and I’d like to see if I enjoy listening to the story more than reading.

This was not for me. I was so excited to read this book but I don't know what I was thinking but it was not this. I found the whole plot to be meh. I found the whole "coming of age" to feel more YA than adult romance. I just did not like this

Reputation is mean girls meets regency. We follow a new girl to town as she navigates the social structure and hopefully lands a spot with the cool kids. We see how the need to fit in can destroy who you are and make you act out of desperation. It took me about halfway to finally get into this book. I’ll be honest I enjoyed the romance more than the parties and such. But I think that is a personal thing because I was never a “party girl.” If you are a mean girls fan you will love the parallels and this book will be a fun regency romp.

Reputation by Lex Croucher is a fresh and unusual way to reflect on different historical and social realities that are problematic. The story takes current situations and places them in a Regency Romance setting for a twist that initially made me uncomfortable but that I eventually accepted and grew more comfortable with.

The main character, Georgiana, has been left with her aunt and uncle while her parents move to the coast for her mother's health. Feeling a bit lost and alone, she is the perfect target for the local mean girls who befriend her and then turn her life upside down. Along the way, she meets a diverse cast of characters that wake her up and present her with a different world – much like the author has done to the reader. She is a bright and quirky character that I could quickly embrace and sympathize with, and I loved to see her grow so much during the story.

Using snark and wit, the story's narration left me both appalled and in stitches with laughter. The formal language used when adults were around slowed my reading pace down. Still, the more current language of Georgiana and her acquaintances was quick and easy to read, being more relatable and less full of the extras that formality dictates.

Recommended for watchers of Bridgerton and anyone who is intrigued by the mash-up of eras, this Mean Girls meets Bridgerton meets Gossip Girls meets Jane Austin story will leave you in awe and wonder.