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.

Abandoned by her parents, Georgiana Ellers is forced to live with her boring aunt and uncle. But all that changes when she meets Frances Campbell, a wealthy "it" girl. Georgiana goes from her safe middle-class life to partying it up with the Frances's inner circle. But is this new lifestyle everything is cracked up to be?

This was such a fresh story set in Regency, which I enjoyed. I will say this book is not a romance. It has romance elements, but this is more of a coming-of-age story meets Mean Girls set in Regency.

Georgina feels like her life is boring and that her life is too safe. She wants the friendship to have fun and. make her own friendships. When she meets Frances, she thinks everything in her life is about to change. At first she's shocked and maybe even scandalized by this world of drinking, partying and improper behavior. She then meets Thomas Hawksley the only one that seems to not be into the party life that Frances and her friend are into.

This book about Georgina finding out who she is, the person she wants to become and finding her own path in the world. It was a funny, smart and entertaining book. I couldn't stop reading it! It's truly a must-read.

CW: sexual assault and abuse

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this digital arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I just just finished “Reputation,” the new #novel from Lex Croucher, and let me tell you, the tea is piping hot.

This regency-era novel was marketed as Mean Girls meets Bridgerton, and that description is just about as apt as any.

Although Regina George will always be the queen of mean, Frances Campbell certainly gives her a run for her money.

She acts as a salacious and shrewd antagonist for the well-meaning but easily manipulated Georgiana Sellers. Not since Blair and Serena have a pair of frenemies gone head-to-head with such devilish opulence.

Now, I will admit that after the novelty of the Austen-inspired diction wore off, the middle of this book was a bit of a slog.

And at times I found it difficult to root for Georgiana, especially as she stepped on the people who truly cared about her in order to get to the top.

But I suppose flawed humans make for the most interesting characters, and leave supple opportunity for growth. Just like Cady Heron.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very fun book. I really enjoyed it!

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but it surprised me. It is such a fun book. I think this would really appeal a lot of YA readers. It reminds me of high school, but if I was in England during this time period.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Regency meets Gossip Girl is SPOT ON with this one - I inhaled this story! At times it does feel a little heavy handed on the YA themes, but I can’t fault it. Overall, it was incredibly fun and a great escape read. More in this mashup genre, please!

I've been in a regency era mood after finishing 'Bridgerton' and boy this was perfect. I went into this expecting a light hearted frivolous read but this is so much more than that. It has everything: a diverse cast with a bunch of queers and POC, a Darcy-esque romantic interest, and a bunch of drama. “Reputation” starts with a girl being seduced into a rich girl’s wild life and ends with healthy female friendships and love interests. This was well written and very funny for most of it. I was giggling to myself constantly because it was ridiculous in the best ways possible. After I got into it, “Reputation” is a page turner and I finished in a day. If you like Bridgerton or Jane Austen you’ll likely enjoy reading this. I’m going to list some trigger warnings now but they can be considered spoilers so proceed with caution.

TW: Sexual assault, drinking/drug use, neglectul/abusive parents, and a bit of violence.

Emma by Jane Austen meets the 2004 teen comedy Mean Girls; in THE BEST way possible.

This was an exceptional debut novel, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Lex Croucher.

This ARC was kindly provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lex Croucher's Reputation is billed as 'Bridgerton meets Gossip Girl with a dash of Jane Austen'. Though I wouldn't over-emphasize the comparisons, it does have elements of each.

Bookish, naïve Georgiana Ellersis is packed her off to her dull aunt and uncle's country home for the summer. Life is boring until she meets wealthy, wild young Frances Campbell and moves into her debauched circle.

Though Georgiana loses her way badly for some time, she eventually manages to find it again, and to see the new world she has moved into clearly.

Perfect for fans of historical romance. Lots of gossip and intrigue and I found myself wanting to join the girl gang. Took a bit for the story to get rolling but I couldn’t stop at about 50% through. A great narrative style and super fun adaptation!

3⭐️ for Reputation by Lex Croucher

TW: copious amounts of drugs & alcohol, sexual assault

Blurb: Abandoned by her parents, bookish and sheltered Georgiana Ellers is spending the summer with her stodgy aunt and uncle at their home in the English countryside. At a particularly dull party, she meets the enigmatic Frances Campbell, a wealthy member of the in-crowd who delights Georgiana with her disregard for so-called “polite society.”

Lonely and vulnerable, Georgiana quickly falls in with Frances and her wealthy, wild, and deeply improper friends, who introduce her to the upper echelons of Regency aristocracy, and a world of drunken debauchery, frivolous spending, and mysterious young men. One, in particular, stands out from the rest: Thomas Hawksley, who has a tendency to cross paths with Georgiana in her most embarrassing moments. Sparks fly, but Thomas seems unimpressed with the company she is keeping. And soon, Georgiana begins to wonder whether she’ll ever feel like she fits in––or if the price of entry into Frances’s gilded world will ultimately be higher than she is willing to pay.

Set against a backdrop of lavish parties, handsome men on horseback––and in a time when one’s reputation was everything––this edgy, hilarious romantic comedy explores sex, consent, belonging, and status through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine that Austen herself would have cheered for.

I’m giving this one 3⭐️ mostly because while I loved the concept & the idea behind it, for me, the story dragged. I didn’t get hooked into the story until I only had 25% left of the story. Georgiana was so starved for love & affection that she looked for it in all the wrong places. She was a likable character who made a few questionable decisions. The characters she surrounded herself with were horrid. Georgiana was warned that she was being used, she just chose to not listen. I did read an arc, but the end was super bizarre. While I liked the Mean Girls meets the 1800’s vibes, it just wasn’t a winner for me.

Inspired by Mean Girls, this regency story has all the casual cruelty and grappling for social currency that one would expect. The references are complete with a chapter that begins, "Get in, Georgiana. We're going shopping." Frances Campbell is our Queen Bee, and protagonist Georgiana is eager to become her latest sycophant, wanting an injection of reckless fun into her boring summer. The book showcases characters with a complete disregard for social norms whereas most regency romps only manage tepid or pointed departures from what is socially acceptable. Envision illicit drugs of all types, nude frolicking, and a complete lack of chaperones. The story takes a look at how a certain level of class and money excuses all else. The constraints on the behavior of middle and lower-class persons are mere suggestions for the elite, easy to ignore when the consequences are so ephemeral. This is another way it sets itself apart from historical fiction that emphasizes social pressures on aristocrats.

The story has a quick, biting wit akin to Georgiana's own subversive, barbed remarks. Several funny asides made me laugh aloud. Also, letter banter is the BEST banter, and this one delivers in that category 100%. I was unconvinced of the central romance plot til the correspondence started up halfway through, and then I suddenly found myself on board. It was that high quality.

While reading, my stress level was high, even though I knew all the bad decisions and situations were building up to a lesson to be learned. It comes at a steep price for many characters involved. The emphasis on needing to be cool or seem above everyone else made me cringe, with side helpings of peer pressure and harassment, bullying and exclusionary tactics. Add in quick judgments and nasty put-downs to make oneself feel superior. It offers a deep view of the root causes of the characters' behaviors. For example, our protagonist Georgiana is spinning out in bitter rebellion after being abandoned by cold, distant parents. She seeks affection and belonging at any cost.

There are several content warnings of note for this story: sexual assault on-page and other incidents that occur off-page with physical and psychological harm explored, gaslighting and victim-blaming following claims of assault, racism and slavery, homophobia/lesbophobia, domestic abuse, toxic relationships, a lot of alcohol and other substance abuse, and parental neglect. The author takes a worthy stand on the proper response to assault claims and offers a glimpse into a diverse regency world hampered by prejudice but not whitewashed or offering queer characters as mere sidekicks. It's an interesting book that manages to be difficult to read at some points, uproariously funny at others, sometimes reflective and other times barreling forward. It was a compelling read, and I am curious to see what the author does next.

One reviewer said that this book is “Mean Girls meets Bridgerton,” and I have never seen a more accurate description/comparison for a book. Reputation by Lex Croucher is a Regency-era inspired book that reads more like a contemporary YA. I don’t typically read contemporary YA, though sometimes the drama is compelling enough to keep me engrossed as it was in this one. I found myself thoroughly invested in Georgiana, her relationship with Frances and her friends, and the repercussions of said relationship.

Georgiana is an adult, by Regency standards, when her parents send her to live with her aunt and uncle in the country. It’s the start of the summer season and so those who would normally be in London for the social season are at home in the country relaxing and partying in a way that will made this self-proclaimed prude blush 😆 Lonely and tired of being a wallflower, Georgiana is surprised and elated when Lady Frances Campbell takes an interest in her. Suddenly, Georgiana finds herself in a world she never imagined she’d be welcome in – partying with aristocrats, drinking until all hours, experimenting with drugs are just a few of things she is introduced to.

Frances and her crew are not kind by nature. They are not empathetic to those that are poor, and truly do not understand some of Georgiana’s references. I found myself entranced with their lifestyle, just as Georgiana was. I’ll also admit that a few scenes were appalling to me considering the age of the girls (like binge drinking at unchaperoned parties). This is probably due to my own age, which is now closer to forty than my early twenties and being a mother who wants to take these girls and hug them and shelter them from the cruelty they will inevitably face. But I digress….

There are so many things I could expand on from the plot, but all I will say is that this is a fast-moving, character driven plot with lots of drama, intrigue, and romantic entanglements around every turn of the page. Truly, it was hard to tear myself away for even sleep as I wanted to know what would happen next. I wound up listening to this one, and the narrator is fantastic. She captures the essence of each character with little inflections and changes in the tone of her voice. It was easy to follow what was happening because of her.

Overall, I really enjoyed Reputation. Georgiana’s summer is a whirlwind adventure, full of heartache, new friends, and budding romance. I honestly couldn’t read it fast enough. While this is billed for YA, I’d strongly recommend it be 16+ as there are some themes that may be inappropriate for younger readers such as drug/alcohol abuse and rape/attempted rape. If you enjoy YA contemporary, even though this is set in the Regency-era, I highly recommend it.

This book had me at Gossip Girl. It was a fun and quick read - great for in between more intense reads.

This book did not feel like a romance at all and the characters and the way they acted made me feel like I was reading a YA book and that’s not something I would usually read.

I love Historicals but unfortunately this story was not for me

This book was overhyped, and I wanted to love it, but I just did not. It was fine. I really had to force myself to finish it, and it wasn't really my cup of tea.

This book was a regency tale from someone who is probably a Jane Austen fan but wanted a little less propriety. It was funny in spots and sad in spots.

Reputation is Bridgerton meets Mean Girls + Gossip Girl in the Regency era. Georgiana is abandoned by her parents and is forced to move to a new town with her aunt and uncle. Soon she meets Frances Campbell, a member of the wealthy "in" crowd, where she gets sucked into the evil underbelly of the Regency rich elite.

I love Mean Girls, so I was very hopeful for the premise of this book, however, the book fell flat for me in print form. I found myself gravitating toward the audiobook, where the narration was excellent. I found the escapades and debauchery monotonous, where I was hoping for more character development, instead of constant parties and cattiness. I didn't gravitate toward any character in particular and I found most of the girls unlikeable. Overall, this book just wasn't for me.

IThank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I REALLY wanted to love this book. A book described as Bridgerton meets Mean Girls meets Jane Austen? My first thought was "sign me up!" but I wish it wouldn't have been.

Georgiana Ellers, the main characters, was abandoned by her parents and sent to live with her aunt and uncle in the English countryside. At the beginning of the book, she met a firecracker of a woman named Frances Campbell, the wealthy leader of a crowd that Georgiana desperately wanted to fit in with. She quickly falls in with them and their excessive drinking and drug use.

I hated every single character. I ESPECIALLY hated the main character. She was a follower who had no original thought of her own. Halfway through the book when it seemed she might grow a backbone and stand on her own two feet, she didn't. I was hoping she would do a 180 when a member 0f the friend group almost died from over imbibing, but NOPE. She just kept going down the rabbit hole because she was SO desperate to have friends and to be in the "in-crowd".

That's all I really have to say about this book because, to be honest, nothing else about this book stuck in my head and I only enjoyed the last 15 minutes of it. This was one of the worst books I read this year and I'm really sad to say that because I greatly anticipated it. I'm also disappointed because SO many people described it as "funny" but I didn't even chuckle once in the 7 hours and 2 minutes I spent on it.

Set in Regency era England, Georgianna goes to live with her aunt and uncle after her parents move to the coast. There she falls into the wrong crowd and makes friends with Frances. Frances, and friends, lead her to do things that she would not normally do. Georgianna ends up making a mockery of her own reputation and must salvage it.
Opinion
I am not normally one for historical fiction but this book called to me. I will admit to finding parts of the book a bit slow but overall the book was quite intriguing. George, though a bit of a brat to her aunt and uncle, goes through so much and certainly grows as a character. My personal favorite character was Thomas who was steadfast in his actions and tried to pull the better out of George. The things that George faced in this story are similar to what teens face today. Her friends had problems with substances and she tried to impress the "in crowd." Through this, the book is relevant to adolescents who can learn a thing about holding their own character.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.