Reputation by Lex Croucher is a regency Mean Girls. Listed as a romcom I found it more a coming of age story as Georgiana navigates a friendship with wealthy, charismatic, bisexual, biracial Frances that has her making poor decisions to be part of the in crowd.

There is romance more towards the end as reputations are on the line from too much debauchery partying, lies and schemes.

An entertaining read for fans of regency historical fiction and Gossip Girl antics with a tinge of romance

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for an honest review!

I began this book before its release date, but just recently finished due to....life, I guess? But it was not at ALL what I expected!

Like most everyone else in the world, I am still reeling from the release of Bridgerton's second season on Netflix. I am also a life-long reader of historical fiction/historical romance/regency novels. They are my SHIT and I will read those books until the cows come home.

While Reputation included a bit of romance and the like, I was pleasantly surprised by the focus it gave to our female characters and their thoughts or struggles when it comes to confidence, love, friendship and navigating the social season. Georgina is one of my favorite leading ladies I've read about in while and I found her so funny and so relatable! She picked herself up after family tragedy and came into her own, showcasing self-discovery while delivering it all with sarcasm and wit. I genuinely love this book and will definitely be purchasing a physical copy to add to my collection!

This book defied my attempts to categorize it.

It is a comedy of manners, and an examination of the self-absorption and callousness of the Regency period's one percent.

It is a discourse on how not to behave. (Listen to the exhortations of your elders. Do not snort cocaine in the drawing room. Don't go into the hothouse with the rake.)

It is the Regency version of a guide to winning friends and influencing people.

This book reminded me why books are better companions than most people and why being a wallflower is more fun and more rewarding than being a mean girl.

Georgiana Ellers reminds me of Mary Elizabeth from Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. She's the misfit of the group. She doesn't have the background or the social swagger to be a part of the spotlight. But she desperately, desperately wants it. Until she sees that it's cracked and broken. That there are no pedestals and the mean girls really are mean. Malicious in fact. And so unhappy they want everyone else to feel the same insecurity and misery.

This is not really a romance. It's more like the story of a girl finding herself in a field full of both immature idiots and dreams. It's about an intrepid girl finally realizing her own worth, and finding others that recognize it as well.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reputation is the story of Georgiana, sent to live with her aunt and uncle when her parents relocate to the seaside. Georgiana is simply bored out of her mind, at least until she is welcomed into the wild world of Frances. Frances is very wealthy and relishes in breaking rules. As Georgiana struggles to maintain appearances with the group, she will need to decide how far she is willing to go and who she wants to be.

Reputation was laugh-out-loud hilarious. This is my favorite type of writing, with witty banter tucked into every line. This is a multicultural regency world with LGBTQ+ rep, with nods to Jane Austen and Emma. My favorite part of the story was when Georgiana was able to decide for herself who she wanted to be. I also loved getting to know Thomas and Betty! I can absolutely see Reputation being compared to Mean Girls, especially in regards to Frances. This was a fast-paced and hilarious regency rom-com. Reputation is available now. Thank you so much to Lex Croucher, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

What a fabulously fun book! Reputation by Lex Croucher was everything I didn't know I needed. Witty, charming, yet serious at times, Croucher kept me engaged the whole time. From her entertaining dialogue to the diverse characters (thank you for this!!), Reputation is a debut not to be missed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think this book was fro me. It was well written but I don't think it met the expectations I had or the premise with which they were promoting the book.

Georgiana has just retreated into the shadows of the very dull party she’s been dragged to by her equally dull aunt and uncle when she meets the enigmatic and wild Frances Campbell. Frances is everything Georgiana is not: popular, wealthy, and effortlessly cool, but for some reason Frances wants Georgiana as a friend. As two girls grow closer, Georgiana finds herself drawn deeper into a world of super wealthy teens, mysterious young men, and debaucherous parties. But the consequences and stakes seem to ratchet higher and higher with every party Georgiana attends, and before long she is questioning if this world she longs to be part of is worth the price of admission.

Oh wow, I loved this so much, historical inaccuracy be damned (in absolutely no Regency world would so much unchaperoned nonsense be going on, and that is just for starters). Georgiana is deeply relatable, even when she is unlikeable - a rare feat! - and Lex Crouther has managed to create a whole group of characters who are complex and multidimensional and feel like real teens. Despite its Regency setting, these are kids dealing with timeless issues: wanting to fit in, abandonment, cliques, unrequited love, grief and guilt, assault, consent and slut-shaming, and the ever present power dynamics of class, misogyny, and patriarchy. It does at times veer a little toward the preachy side, but I felt like that was earned, plot wise, so I didn’t mind. Highly recommended, especially for teens (or adults!) who love Bridgerton, but do note that it comes with serious CWs: heavy drug and alcohol use, sexual violence, parental abandonment, and sibling loss.

“I had resigned myself to the notion that life would pass me by—that there would be no great adventure, no close companions, no tales to tell. I would be nothing—nobody of importance to anybody in particular…Perhaps it’s unforgivable vanity, but now that I have had a glimpse of this world, I don’t know how I could retreat into my old life and be content.”

This book is like Mean Girls meets Regency England and will definitely fill your Bridgerton void.

There was something so expert about the way this story is told. The first half is so fun and frivolous, following Georgiana and her friends as they debauch around the English countryside, sneaking off at parties to drink entire bottles of wine and dabble in an array of drugs. And then, the narrative takes a turn as events unfold and relationships sour and what felt like a wild summer fantasy all become incredibly real and tense. While the first half was so fun, I struggled with the pacing at first. We travel from party to party and for a while it feels like much of the same, until you realize that Croucher has perfectly set the stage for the plot to thicken, with a ton of character development along the way.

The author captured so many things deftly. Class and privilege being one of the most prominent. Georgiana is well-off but miles away from the wealth of her newfound friend group and Croucher really got it, that universal desperation of wanting to fit in with the “right” friend group, only to realize that all the DIY fashion and faking-it-til-you-make-it was for what? The approval of people who will never really understand you, or take the time to try? It’s an incredibly relatable facet of young adulthood and growing up that was portrayed so well here.

And then there’s this cast of characters. They’re all so messy and flawed but for the most part likable. Frances was such an interesting and complex character because she’s intoxicating. As a reader, I was just as enamored with her as Georgiana was. But she’s also capable of such cruelty and self-centeredness that you almost want to write her off completely. She’s definitely reminiscent of Regina George. I also loooved our romantic lead. I’m a sucker for a quiet, broody cinnamon roll. I wanted just a tad more from the romance at the end, though. Not sure when I became someone who is personally offended by the lack of an epilogue but here we are.

Overall this was such a fun romp that also had so much emotional depth, snappy dialogue, and swoony romance.

I have to admit this is truly something akin to Mean Girls meets the younger side of Bridgerton. Georgiana (George) is basically forced to live with her aunt and uncle when her parents abandon her. At a not so exciting party, Georgiana meets Frances. She is the epitome of high life society with her wealth, wild entourage and drunken debauchery. Georgiana learns to love, fight for what is right and find what truly matters in this novel of personal growth and finding oneself.

Georgiana is everything I think most bookworms can see themselves as. Quirky, fumbling, eccentric little wallflowers just waiting for something to happen that excites us like our books do. She was so easily relatable and even at her almost worst, I found her endearing and thought provoking. Though the gravel conversation with her acquaintance did make me think about my own personal “meeting a new friend” weirdness. Like I said, utterly relatable even at an adult age.

Even though this may be regency, I did find a lot of the topics relevant to today. Sexual pressure, underage drinking, alcohol poisoning, abandonment and so much more resonated on a deeper level than I expected. Croucher did an excellent job weaving such relevancy into the narrative. It has many topics that were tastefully done that I think even the younger side of readers can find pause in.

The audio is narrated by Bessie Carter who plays Prudence Featherington in Bridgerton!! You have NO idea of awesome I think that is. Especially after binge watching that series as soon as it came out in one day. She is an excellent narrator in my opinion. I felt her emotional voice and overall disposition fit Georgiana perfectly. To be honest I ended up listening to the majority of this novel I enjoyed the audio so darn much. It’s perfectly paced, excellent tone and the type of regency tone you want to hear for a novel like this.

Thank you Macmillan audio and St. Martin’s Griffin for the gifted audio and digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.

Wow, I absolutely adored this book! This is the perfect combination of Mean Girls and Bridgerton - so it’s safe to say it was as fun as it was romantic! Georgina was such a great protagonist. She was flawed, but you were really able to see her growth throughout the story. Her inner dialogue was so funny because she was just so uninterested in finding a suitor and doing what was expected of a young woman of her age. The strong theme of friendship was apparent throughout the book, and I feel it was just as satisfying as seeing the romance unfold (which, the romantic love interest was absolutely swoon-worthy and I'm obsessed with him). The representation presented in this book was just icing on this already amazing cake - I could not recommend this book enough!

If you’re looking for a Bridgerton-esque romcom, then Reputation might just be for you! Definitely for fans of Gossip Girl and I even think Mean Girls, Repuatation is a regency era rom com all about who has the most money and the most pull.

I really did enjoy the time period and the humor at times but this book moved glacier slow for me which is why I gave it the lower rating but I also wanted to be fair since I’m just now starting to get into romcoms and this one just might not be for me!

Fans of Mean Girls and regency/historicals - rejoice. Because Reputation is the perfect crossover of those two ideas. Georgiana is abandoned by her parents and forced to live with an aunt and uncle. They are not particularly wealthy or high up in society and are frankly, boring. Georgiana needs to make friends, so when Lady Frances Campbell takes an interest in her - Georgiana will do anything to keep Frances' attention and regard. Even immoral, illegal, and possibly ruinous things that could take her down a very dark road. Add in a mysterious youn man and it's about to get interesting...

I want to start off this review with a trigger warning for SA and attempted SA. I didn't realize going in and got kind of slapped in the face by it so I wanted to make sure it is well known for anyone else picking up this book based on my review. Now, I found this book to be wildly entertaining - it is very much like Mean Girls if you picture Frances and Regina George and Georgiana as Cady. Add in some forbidden LGBTQ romance and drugs/alcohol/reckless behavior and you have Reputation.

I loved the romance portion of this book as Georgiana meets her man. She is clearly caught between him and Frances' group and wants to have both. She makes some really bad decisions but by the end is a great character. The ending and epilogue are very satisfying as well - but again, make sure to pay attention to triggers because it isn't something that I saw coming.

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

Honestly this book just wasn’t for me. I tried to start it a few times but struggled to get into it. It wasn’t what I was expecting. I can see how some would enjoy it!

Georgiana Ellers, who spends most of her time with her nose stuck in a book, gets sent to live with her aunt and uncle. She’s desperate for a bit of excitement, and her wishes seem to come true when she meets Frances, the daughter of Lord and Lady Campbell, at a dull dinner party. Frances introduces Georgiana to her inner circle of wealthy friends, and she gets swept up in a world full of extravagant parties and drunken debauchery.

I struggled to get into this book at first, but I’m so glad I pushed on because I ended up really enjoying it! Despite several heavier issues, which I felt the author handled really well, this was a fun and witty read and it definitely gave me Mean Girls vibes! Although she frustrated me at times, I felt for Georgiana and I loved how she came into her own and learned to stand up for herself. I adored Thomas, but Betty was hands down my favorite side character! We could all use a Betty in our corner! This was a highly entertaining, quirky, fresh and fun debut!

Mean Girls, but make it English history.

Although I did end up enjoying this book, and it had some important messages about the ethnic make up of Britain and the way reputation can work for or against anyone, there were sections that drew it out a little too much.

A very fun book historical ya contemporary about a group of mischievous girls who don't really love upper societies rules. I look forward to reading more from Lex Croucher and maybe more in this series?
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Young people behaving debaucherously in the Regency period?! I'm already obsessed.
Reputation pulled me in from its first few pages, pulling readers along with Georgiana as she enters into the orbit of Frances Campbell and her friends, and a live of excess. Georgiana gets swept up in this world but even as her choices became more and more chaotic, I loved her all the same. The story lets her fall hard but it also lets her get back up, following such a wonderful character arc through the whole book. This book also isn't afraid to face the darker elements of the life these characters are swept into, full of alcohol and drug abuse, predatory young men not willing to accept no for an answer, and even simply the way their behavior as a group fueled much cruelty towards anyone not deemed "important" enough for their circle.
I'm tempted to call this a Regency Mean Girls story (and there are some fantastic MG references in the book!) but I do want to emphasize that this book really feels like its own story and very much stands on its own two feet. I also appreciated the author's decision to pull in queer rep and some racial diversity amongst its main characters, pointing to a history that media tends to whitewash but was far more complex and diverse than is often acknowledged.
Lastly, a just want to say how much I LOVED Thomas Hawksley!!!! Honestly, the romantic subplot burning its way through this book was just so good, and fit in so well with the rest of the story. Georgiana and Thomas have such a good dynamic together and I loved every scene that they shared.
In short, I highly recommend this one. I truly loved reading it and would absolutely return to it again.

The Regency “in” crowd—darkly beguiling! Surprising!

I puzzled over what sort of Regency romance I’d wandered into, but the life of Georgiana Ellers goes from a throughly uninspiring season sponsored by her aunt, to rackety doings with bored young things in a nanosecond. This was a delight. Austen like observations combine with commentary that both terrifies and stimulate. I kept waiting for George to come to her senses. I was both shocked and enamoured by her need to be more, her unusualness being led down a potentially ruinous path.
Talk about the “walk of shame”. This has it all. Like the Lost Boys, the lost wealthy children playing often vicious games come as a shock to Georgiana. The daring Frances Campbell—a style setter, both daring, friendly and vicious, hiding unhappiness by attacking. But then when you so want to be part of the “in” crowd, to move in these incandescent heights of society, you join in and dampen your conscience. Which is just what Georgiana did, until she couldn’t anymore. I did feel like I was moving more in the flapper society of the thirties than Regency times. Certainly Wickham would be more at home here than others I could mention. Then we rarely cross into those more debauched places when dealing with sweet young things during the Season. No Almanacks and insipid lemonade here. Rather it’s drugs and cognac. Sapphic encounters and rape. Coming of age sucks, especially when seeking adventure, to be part of the “in” crowd at any cost—sharpened stakes and all.
I know at the end I was standing on a church pew cheering Georgiana’s bravery and the daringness of Miss Betty’s adroitness. And then there’s the hidden hero. Mmm! Thomas Hawksley is a joy!

A St Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

It's hard to believe this is a debut novel, but it is! If I had to describe Reputation I would definitely say it's rom-com meets regency Mean Girls. There are parts that had me laughing out loud, but there is also bullying, rape, toxic relationships, drug and alcohol abuse, societal pressure and other hard topics in this book. It had me hooked from the start and I was all the way in and couldn't put it down!

Georgiana Ellers has been dumped on her aunt and uncle for the foreseeable future, while her parents go off on their own. She's thoroughly bored until she meets Frances Campbell at a party and becomes instantly enamored by her wealthy, and seemingly-care-free friend.

They spend the summer getting up to all sorts of mischief, from un-chaperoned parties and weekends away, to excessive drinking and experimental drugs. Things start to go pretty wrong though and Georgiana starts to wake up to the truth of what is really going on. Can she change course before it's too late?

Reputation is billed as being “Bridgerton meets Gossip Girl” and I couldn’t agree with that more. I could run down the friend group in this book and name the character from Gossip Girl that they are minus an actual “Gossip Girl”. Our heroine, Georgiana (to be referred to as George from now on) is the Jenny of the group. She has been recently abandoned by her parents and left to the care of her Aunt and Uncle. She strikes up an unlikely friendship with Frances (the books version of Blair) who comes from a wealthy family and is thrust into her world of parties and impropriety. However, George’s station in life does not afford her the shield of wealth and status that it does her friends and she is desperate to hold on to them at all costs.

It took me about half the book to care about George because I found her desperation to be friends with Frances and her group to be off putting. Because of her desire to fit in with them she behaves in ways that make her unlikeable, especially when she is cruel someone that her new friends find beneath them. While I didn’t particularly care for her, I did enjoy the different view of society that we get from the typical historical fiction. The turning point for me was when George’s crush on Thomas started to turn into a friendship with him. Until that point it had just been a story of George and her friends getting drunk and/or high and it was refreshing to get a different aspect of the story. Along with the addition of more Thomas in the story Croucher also starts to infuse more heart and reflection into things which is when I started to see George in a different light.

I was surprised by what this story ended up being and I admired the stand the author took when it came to the subject of sexual assault. I also respect how Croucher had space in her story to show how different women handle different things that happen to them and doesn’t condemn anyone for how they choose to cope. George truly came full circle in this book and I loved her character arc. I do wish Croucher had spent some time earlier in the story humanizing George because I was way more invested in what was happening when I felt a connection to her.

This is a book that I think a fan of modern romances might enjoy if they want to dabble their toes into the historical side of things. However, if you are already a lover of historical romance I don’t think this is one you will enjoy. Reputation feels like someone took an historical romance and modernized it rather than writing a historical romance. The synopsis of this book refers to it as a romantic comedy and while I didn’t find it that humorous, I do think it has the lighthearted feel of a rom com. Which would make this the perfect book for the beautiful spring days we are (hopefully) having.