Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I was not able to finish so won't be leaving a full review at this time.

I appreciate being sent an early release of The Lifestyle in exchange for my honest review and being honest I can say it’s not for me. I felt like it glamorized a lot of things that don’t align with my beliefs so that made me not be able to enjoy it. This author has talent but the subject matter wasn’t my cup of tea.

THE LIFESTYLE is a fun, easy read by Taylor Hahn, described as an Emma retelling.

A few notes - I didn't realize this book had originally been released in the 1980s, although it may explain some of why I didn't connect to the story as well. I enjoyed aspects of this book - I really liked Georgina and found myself rooting for her. On the whole, however, it wasn't my favorite Austen retelling, or story of modern marriage, or open marriage/polyamorous love/attempts to save a marriage/etc. Hahn is a great writer, and I would look for her other work and would likely enjoy it! Some of this story just fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review.

I desperately tried to like this. As someone who is polyamorous, any book dealing with "taboo" things such as ethical non monogamy might bring better understanding to it. Right? WRONG. The book felt boring and the lead character made me want to tear my hair out. I finished it only because it was an ARC and I kept hoping it would someone redeem itself.

This book was boring. The premise is the book sounded different and fresh, plus an Emma retelling. But the execution left much to be desired.

I'm trying to figure out if Georgia is supposed to be unlikable or not. If she's meant to be that way, then great. If not, then there's another disconnect. Like she was Gwyneth Paltrow playing Emma channeling Gwyneth Paltrow - not sure if this makes sense to anyone but me. But very pretentious, wants to be seen doing good and doing her best, but also a bit disconnected from reality?

Well written, so I'll give the author another try.

I'm absolutely lost on the just average reviews! This book was thoroughly funny, heartbreaking, and sexy all wrapped up into one big swinging time! You don't have to be a swinger or apart of "the lifestyle" if you will to enjoy this one! Anyone who's loved and lost or been in a relationship longer than a month will find that they've all had similar feelings to the characters in this book. It was honestly perfectly done, and I read it as quickly as humanly possible. Five huge stars!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Taylor Hahn, NetGalley, and Knopf Doubleday for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This one is… interesting. If you’re into swinging, this one is right up your alley. I had major FOMO not getting this as a BOTM way back when, but saw it was on NetGalley and decided to request. Characters were likable, but this fell a bit flat for me.

This one was just ok. I thought the swinging aspect was interesting, but I felt like there should have been more drama. It was a slow burn and took me a while to get into and the ending fell flat. It's marketed as a romance, but it reads more as a women's fiction book.

Going into this book, I thought it would be a very spicy read, I didn’t even know it was an Emma, inspired retelling. Well it’s not that strong of an Emma retelling and there is very little spice but you know what. This story didn’t even need any of those. It was still a really good read. I loved Georgina and I was rooting for her happy ending no matter how she got there with all her antics. 😂

This story about friendship and the swinger lifestyle, left a rather unsettling impression on me. It had the potential to be so great, and the most important scenes were just blah.

I love Ms. Hahn’s writing and will look into her more in the future.

I think the cover of the book is kind of scary. The story, though, was good.

I liked Georgina a lot. I wanted her to end up happy. The way she got there? The “lifestyle”, not so much. Seems an odd way to solve a marriage problem.

But, this was a good book and I liked it.

I was excited for this one...and while I liked it, I was sort of....bored? I also was expecting more of a romance book and it really was more Women's Fiction.

I enjoyed watching Georgina evolve from having to always be perfect and feeling like she has it all together, to realizing that she didn't actually have it together at all. How often do we all compare ourselves to others and think that we are so much better off? How humbling it is realize that wall isn't as strong as you thought.

So, this book. I am a sucker for any Austen retelling, When I read the synopsis of this being a modern Emma, I was ready to put aside my wariness.

Can swinging be empowering, I believe so. Was it written that way in this book? Not to me. What was branded as being feminist actually felt anti-feminist to me with the MC defying all of the rules of "the lifestyle."

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Can swinging save a troubled marriage?

The unique premise of The Lifestyle drew me in. However, the book didn't quite deliver on its premise. The Lifestyle is a women's fiction book with a romance element, not a romance or rom-com. There were some insightful messages about the benefits of making mistakes and allowing yourself to discover what you want out of life. I liked the book, but it isn't overly memorable. The Lifestyle is an ideal beach read.

I loved this story and Georgina sounds a lot like me. The characters were great and it all wrapped up at the end which I love.

I'm bummed about this one, honestly! The description SCREAMS drama, but there was very little of that in the book. Maybe I went into this with the wrong expectations, but for a book about multiple breakups, multiple swinger relationships and lots of interpersonal drama, there is actually not much happening here.

This is a new to me author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more by this author! I loved this book

This book was a twist on the traditional rom com, with such a unique premise! While i found that it ended quite neatly, i really enjoyed reading it. The main character was really relateable.

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you @netgalley for my #giftedbook!

Honestly, I went into this book not knowing "the lifestyle" is code for swinging. Nonetheless I am glad I read this book as I had no idea what the lifestyle is really like. When I think about it, my mind immediately thinks of the free love era that was the 60s and 70s. I enjoyed the modern twist and learning more about what it’s really like. I also appreciated that the love scenes weren’t too graphic and let my imagination fill in the holes.
The characters are well developed and likable. Have said that, at first, I did not like Georgina’s meddling in her best friend’s lives. As the story progressed, Georgina was forced to look at herself and reflect on how her behavior impacted others so that by the end, she realized her friends didn’t need her to guide them. She needed to learn to guide herself.
The book is a fun quick read that will keep you engaged and wondering what will happen next.