This was a really fun read. Georgina loves control. She has a perfect marriage, career and life. That is until she goes to work after hours one night and discovers her husband cheating with a younger assistant.
After her anger passes, Georgina decides she can fix her marriage by declaring to her husband that they are now swingers. After befriending a group of swingers, Georgina and her husband navigate their new lifestyle in surprising ways. When Georgina meets a boyfriend from her past, things really get interesting. I received a complimentary e-book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Here we meet  Georgina who discovers her successful legal partner's husband infidelity at his office after hours. She enlists her friends to swing with her and her husband in an effort to rescue their marriage. Whitaker, her ex-boyfriend, walks in, and how this all plays out is anyone's guess.

This book's swinging actually makes it possible to examine relationships. While "the lifestyle" may help some of Georgina and her married friends, it isn't always a quick answer for them all. They are all struggling in different ways.

I gave the book 3.5 stars since I believed it was a simple, engaging read.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e arc. I liked the idea of this book being a Emma retelling but I just couldn’t get into it. This will definitely work for some people but it wasn’t what I expected and it didn’t work for me. It started strong but I lost interest about 20% in.

I really did not get into this story even though I thought it might be good. It just did not do anything for me and I was not able to finish it, I am sure others will like it.

Solid romance/contempo entry. I enjoyed the unique storyline, and the main character's hijinks as she explores the lifestyle and works toward saving her marriage. The end is a bit sudden, and could have used a bit more development, but still enjoyable.

I suspect that this book will work well for people who like Jane Austen's Emma. Unfortunately, I was reminded why I dislike that lead character. The busy body lead character didn't work for me. I think it was also not the right time. When women's rights are being eroded, a character reacting to her husband cheating by suggesting swinging was a tough sell. If they had come into the choice together it may have worked for me. That said, the writing was good. It just wasn't the book for me.

I went in with the comparison to Jane Austen’s Emma, and finished with a what the hell did I just read? I had seen my friend Caroline’s @texacalibooks review, and was still unprepared.
Picture solving your marriage problems with some soft (or not so soft) swinging. Maybe you don’t want to actually do anything, you just want to grab some popcorn and watch your husband participate with someone else. Georgina has some interesting methods of fixing up friends and working on relationships. They’re not for me, and they’re not very Emma. That said, I liked the writing and would pick up another from the author. Let’s see how she rewrites Sense and Sensibility.

I really wanted to like this one. It seemed fun and different. BUT I was super turned off by the fact that the MC agreed to join into poly relationships just because her bf was cheating. That's not light or fun, it's depressing. This was just a personal preference, and I'm sure others could look past that.

a fairly easy beach read type of book. i really enjoyed the side characters and the writing itself, its take on “modern” relationships, but it didn’t fully win me over by the end of it with the leads. i wasn’t really invested in the relationships in the way i’m used to being, but i made it to the end without getting bored by them so that’s a plus!

The Lifestyle by Taylor Hahn is an entertaining read about a woman trying swinging for the first time.

Meet Georgina. She's a successful lawyer who finds her lawyer partner husband cheating on her after hours in his office. In order to save their marriage she recruits her friends to join in swinging with she and her husband. Enter her former love Whitaker, the one who go away, and it's anyone's guess how this turns out.

The swinging in this book really allows for an examination of relationships. Georgina and her married friends are each struggling in different ways, and while "the lifestyle" helps some of them, it isn't necessarily a quick fix for them all.

Remember when I said it's anyone's guess how it turns out? Well, the book predictably goes where you think it will. I'm not usually a fan of infidelity so I initially couldn't tell how I would feel about the book. The swinging scenes weren't overwhelming or graphic and were even comedic at times. I thought the book was an easy enjoyable read and would give it 3.5 stars.

What's a girl to do? Georgina catches her husband Nathan having an affair so naturally she sets out to save her marriage by convincing her husband to join the "lifestyle" aka swinging. But not just her and Nathan, no no. Because Georgina cares about her friends and their relationships (which she sees as less than stellar) she also convinces them to become swingers too. What could possibly go wrong?

This book starts out strong. I really enjoyed it and was reading it quickly until about halfway through. Then it got tedious. There's never ending clubs and parties and it becomes very obvious very quickly that the only person interested in the Lifestyle might be Georgina herself. But is it the lifestyle she's interested in or certain members of the lifestyle?

As far as a debut novel goes this wasn't bad. I think as a reader I would've enjoyed the book a little more if there had been less droning on about the lifestyle and more about the interpersonal struggle and growth of Georgina and the other characters during and after the Lifestyle.

I was offered an early copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of The Lifestyle was promising but the execution didn't quite work for me. The pacing didn't really pick up until the final third of the novel. Overall the story touches on the swinger lifestyle and complexity of marriage but didn't delve quite deep enough into these themes.

Georgina had the perfect life with the perfect husband until she caught him cheating and her whole world changed. After a friend suggests trying out a swinger lifestyle, Georgina thinks this might be a way to get her marriage back on track. Through this experience we find Georgina stop repressing things from the past and start enjoying life by living fully and not by how she thinks things should go.

I really like the idea of this story and how messy it was but I think the structure could have been handled better. The story tended to stay to ebb and flow a lot which made it difficult to hold interest at times. Also, the characters were just not connecting for me; it felt like we only scratched the surface and any real depth didn't happen until the end of the book. I will say I enjoyed all of the different encounters in the swinger world, but I wish the story as a whole landed a little better.

While this book had an interesting premise, I struggled through this one. I know I'm in the minority though because a lot of reviews are raving about this one. Not for me. ⭐⭐

This was hailed as an Emma retelling, which I could catch glimpses of in the story, but it read more like a much, much tamer version of Sex/Life by B.B. Easton (the TV show). I didn’t care for Georgina much and couldn’t be happy or sad for her.

I enjoyed the writing style so I think I’d be inclined to read future books by this author. The side characters, like Felix, were enjoyable. The portrayal of the swinging lifestyle was underwhelming for me.

I think there are some people who will enjoy this book a lot. I’m struggling to put this book into a category, but it kind of fits Romance and kind of fits Women’s Fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for a copy of the book.

This debut novel by Taylor Hahn was a unique take on the romance category and took me a bit out of my comfort zone because I for one was not very familiar with the lifestyle of swinging. What knocked down the overall rating the most for me sadly was my distaste for the main character, Georgina. Something about her just felt off and I really had to persevere through the majority of the story because of it. The final few chapters were redeeming though and if Hollywood could find a way to adapt this into a show I would be all for it! I appreciated the friendships in the story and I'm overall happy with the path this story took in the end. I can't wait to see what Taylor writes next!

Rating: 3.5 stars

3.5 pineapples for The Lifestyle. For a book about swingers, I was looking forward to a vicarious experience with lots of raunchy escapades to leave me laughing and blushing. Unfortunately, the raunch level was much less than the bodice rippers I typically pick up. If you like sweeter romances with not much onscreen action, you might like this toe-dip into an alternative relationship experience. If you are looking for heat, you will find this a bit lukewarm. Georgina is painted as a perfectionist career woman, and I did like her as a character. But one thing she was definitely NOT perfect at was baking/cooking.... umm, you would never stir butter into your muffin batter before popping them in the oven, store a bag of onions in the fridge, or add milk to your funfetti cake mix. Though not really a part of the story, I found myself looking for her next culinary faux pax as I found that the most humorous part.

Overall, really cool premise... I just needed more raunch!

Thank you Knopf Doubleday and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read yet another story about a lady realizing she’s settled in her relationship and life instead of going after what she wants because wanting things is scary? Does the mention of kink excite you even if it isn’t portrayed correctly or in-depth?

Pre-reading:
This book’s cover is so fun.

Thick of it:
Her office sounds pretty. She sounds like a Virgo lol. Oh god, she’s me on dates, haha. Belle the Disney princess as a character description in a book about swinging, got it. Nah, fuck him. Never an excuse for cheating. Either ask for permission or break up. So she and Felix end up together or what, lol? I know it’s shit for her lawyer case, but genetics boy is right. Don’t gaslight your friends ma’am. Suzanne sounds unhealthy and like she’s overcompensating. Makeup wipes are so bad for you. Sheesh, this book took a while to get going. I’m around 30%. She wants to swing but doesn’t even own a vibrator? Okay. Covered head to toe in black knit is neither dominatrix nor spy. All the characters’ names blur together. This. Is. So. Unhealthy. I didn’t know chocolate babka existed until a recent Trader Joe’s trip, and now it’s one of my favorite breakfasts. Completely agree with that marriage sentiment: I want to actively choose my partner every day. I don’t want somebody to get complacent because there’s a legal document saying that we have to be together. I don’t want to be taken for granted. Oh spicy, but terrible, terrible name. What crows? Oh sweet Jesus, do not have a baby. Fuck off, Nathan. That’s a terrible beer name. Manic pixie dream boy. Gag. Bestie, that’s not swinging; that’s just an affair. I hope you do get trapped. Good trope. Also, do all book characters just not check the weather before trips? Vegan is not likable, are you joking? Sorry, but everyone knows who Nicky Cage is. Half this book is just descriptions of clothes. I genuinely think about that paved paradise parking lot song a lot. I really don’t like this book. Everyone feels so immature. Did they really get rid of the chili peppers on rate my professor? G spot isn’t real. This book is unreal. Holy internalized misogyny. I don’t think I could fuck someone after they ate squid. Teeth brushing or not. Satisfied they didn’t work out. If it’s Felix, I called that shit like two pages in. Even in NYC, I don’t believe that they had a snowstorm dump 2 feet of snow, and it’s just Thanksgiving now. Math ain’t mathing. You tell her before he’s her husband? Oh bummer, I don’t want them together. I don’t think participation ribbons are blue. Hold on, does she not look at the accounts? How would she not notice money being transferred to his parents every month? Her marriage is definitely not the pedestal. Any man who blames pregnancy on the woman is a hard pass. What a blah ending.

Post-reading:
Look, a book about swingers should be exactly my cup of tea. Raunchy, and funny, and lovely and awkward. That is not this book. The characters don’t feel like real people. They’re too immature and don’t have the understanding of the world that people in their late thirties should have. They read like second-year college students. No one in this book has a healthy relationship, yet you have a protagonist acting like she’s had some big revelation about love and relationships. It doesn’t have any groundbreaking observations, and those few observations aren’t even properly explored and developed. It all feels very half-formed. I actively dislike the author’s portrayal of sex-positivity. It’s not. This book is not sex-positive. It‘s rife with internalized misogyny, and it’s tiring to read. Hard pass on this one.

Who should read this:
The bored housewives who settled in their relationships and lives and were titillated by Fifty Shades of Grey.

Do I want to reread this:
No

Similar books:
* Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney-assholes with problematic sex lives
* Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee-lawyer realizes she doesn’t want to lawyer and falls in love with an old friend
* Book Lovers by Emily Henry-type a career lady realizes there’s more to life than work

Overall I enjoyed this book. It’s a really interesting concept that draws you in, and I liked that Georgina had a cast of friends that were really unique. The ending was cute and good. Some of the middle I got a tiny bit bored by, but overall it was a cute and quick read.

I really enjoyed this book! And I'll start by saying, after reading a few reviews ... I did not expect to like it all that much. I got this as an ARC on Netgalley (thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group). I originally requested it because I like Jane Austen retellings (Emma is my favorite) and I was intrigued by the idea of a swinging-based romance, but I was also skeptical that it could work well given the expectations of the genre.

The Lifestyle story follows Georgina Wagmans's journey of self-discovery, aided along by "the lifestyle" and her friends.

Things I loved about this book:
1. fun, escapist vibe - I have no idea what its like to be a high-powered attorney-in-New-York-City-type person, and I enjoyed that view point

2. Witty and a little silly- honestly, describing this as a good fit for those who liked Sex and the City is fairly spot on. It was probably unrealistic in the same way SATC was unrealistic but it was also similarly fun!

3. Georgina's character arc - I LOVE watching a main character fuck up big time but learn from it and learn how to really fulfill their potential and become what & who they want to be. And I especially love it when that process involves their friends and community.

I really think many of the less-than-stellar reviews here are due to a mismatch between expectations and the reality of the book. That's reasonable, it happens! I think some people see a book about swinging and they think it will be chock-full of sex (not the case, though there are some good scenes). Others see this described as an Emma retelling and expect a perfect mirror of the pl0t (not the case, though I'd argue it still a pretty good Emma parallel from a character standpoint).

Finally, and here's where I think the biggest disconnect comes in, this book is marketed as a romance and I don't really think that is an accurate label. It is romantIC, but I would posit that the main plot of this book is more about the main character discovering who she is and what she wants out of life, with some romance included as a sub plot. And if you approach this book with that in mind, I think it is super enjoyable.

From an "Emma" standpoint, though this book doesn't fully follow the plot, I do think Georgina is truly a modern-day Emma Woodhouse in character. She's sure she has everything figured out and that she knows what's best for everyone around her, when in reality she is beyond misguided and her "well-intentioned" meddling causes far more harm than good.

As mentioned above, the main storyline of this book really focuses on Georgina's internal journey. With regard to the "romance" label, here's why I'd not fully consider it a romance (mild spoilers below, hidden to be safe):

(view spoiler)

TO BE CLEAR, I don't really care that much about "the rules of romance." I don't think they always need to be followed, nor do I think a book that strays from the "rules" is a bad book. However, I DO recognize that all genres have basic guidelines (e.g. all mystery books get solved!) and the further you stray from those guidelines the less your book fits into the genre. So I'm highlighting here the ways in which I think this book strays from some of the basic romance guidelines. I think its for these reasons that when people pick up the book expecting romance, they may end up a little disappointed.

Additional disclaimer - this book is pretty white and very straight. Even within the swinging, its all fairly hetero (if I'm remembering correctly). That doesn't make this a bad book, but I wouldn't pick it up expecting a lot of diversity in that regard.

All in all, I thought this was a fun book to read. In my opinion, many books of this sort of "fun, flirty" type are overly saccharine, steeped in cliche, or honestly just poorly written. This was none of those things, and instead offered a refreshing and witty option for those searching out such books.