Thanks NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC

Wow. It’s been a while since I read a book where I have so much to say, and I don’t even know where to begin. I both loved parts of the book, while having a tough time with certain aspects. I advise you look at the content warnings for this one. I am going to put a spoiler warning on this review since I don’t really know how to dig in without it.

Things I loved! The writing was phenomenal: fast paced, sparkling, adsorbing writing. I loved all the big group scene with Eddie’s family and with groups of friends. Each minor side character was impeccably characterized, and there were so many small hilarious moments, it was almost overwhelming. The banter in this book was among the best I’ve read.

I absolutely ADORED Rose. The most insightful and clear-eyed character in the book. I wish the book was in dual POV so that I could spend some time in her head. She is the perfect combination of intelligent, idealistic, yet practical. She understands the limitations of society and is willing to test the bounds, and is savvy enough to negotiate a scenario to be secure, protected, and happily able to be her true self in a way that works for her. She has ENDLESS wells of patience. Endless. Seriously. Rose deserves a goddamn trophy.

Things that are complicated! Eddie. Hoo boy. Here is a narrator I rooted for, but wanted to shake her senseless because how clueless can you possibly be!!!! About all the things!!! For such a smart young woman, she was also frustratingly naive and almost willfully blind. Obviously about Rose. Like - hello wake up!!!! I wish we had more pining. ANYWAY.

But mostly, I wanted to shake her because of NASH. Who is somewhere between complicated and legit vile. Mostly the latter. Sure, he was super charming and funny, and I felt like the story really wanted me to like him, and I did on the surface. But mostly, he read like red flag red flag RED FLAG *RED FLAGGGGG*. I was basically waiting for him to do something bad, it was a matter of time and *how* bad it would be.

Things that should have a content warning!! I seriously cannot believe that Nash drugged Eddie TWICE with the intent to rape her. So, yeah. Did not like. And it was made worse because I feel like the book didn’t really address how wrong that was. I was especially disappointed in Valentine, Kitty, and Liza and their complicity in the whole thing and in Nash’s other varied absolutely shitty behaviour.

Am I supposed to assume that brushing the almost rapes under the rug was done in the name of historically accuracy? I feel like that could have been handled a lot better. As someone with sadly some personal experience in this area, I don’t blame Eddie for not dwelling and for minimizing things, carrying on like things are normal. But for a book released now, I would have liked to see that addressed or challenged in some way. Unfortunately this damped my enthusiasm for the book.

ANYWAY

So, what could have been a 4-5 star read has been bumped down to…let’s give it 3.5. I know so many people who really loved it, and I get it. I just think that for me, as someone with the history I have…parts of it were difficult, especially since I don’t feel like they were properly addressed by the text. YMMV.

This is a diverse, queer, regency era romcom, and I loved it!!!

Eddie (Edith) and Rose have been best friends since childhood. But, even though they swore to never marry, Eddie is taken aback when Rose finds a match. When Eddie meets Nash, a famous poet, the story moves to a mansion full of artsy people without to many cares. Later, Eddie realizes that nothing is ever simple but possibly some things do not change too drastically.

I thought this was clever and funny and it gave me some good vibes. A perfect weekend read!

A queer friends-to-lovers Regency-era romance! This book appealed to me not only for being inclusive, but also for challenging the gender stereotypes, racial disparities, and norms of the time. However, I really struggled with the slow pacing - it made it hard to get and stay invested in the story, even though I genuinely enjoyed the banter and watching the romance unfold. I think I would have enjoyed it more if the story had solely focused on Eddie and Rose and left Nash out of the mix completely.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Lex Croucher's writing in "Infamous" is sharp and fun. I liked the romance and felt like the characters' feelings and motivations were clear and well-explored. For me, the time spent at Nash's island home went on too long, though I may have felt that way because I greatly enjoyed Eddie's family.

Infamous is the story of Eddie and Rose. While Eddie is determined to make her own way in the world without bowing to societal norms, Rose must consider her family in the choices she makes. Best friends from the beginning, Eddie is shocked and hurt when Rose becomes engaged to a man who prides himself on the breeding of rabbits. When an irreverent and charming poet meets her and promises her literary success, Eddie and Rose find themselves forced to decide what is truly most important.

I absolutely LOVED Infamous!! It solidified Lex Croucher for me as one of those authors that I will read anything they write- grocery receipts included! Croucher writes incredible historical queer romance. Their writing is witty and joyful, while not ignoring serious social issues of the time. I personally loved the LGBTQ+ and non-binary rep!

Lex Croucher writes about queerness, diversity, hilarious shenanigans, and an aching love between two friends who know almost everything about each other. Nash is such a well-written and entertaining character and also I wanted to slip through the pages and push him off a cliff. The supporting cast brings in a beautiful element of queer found family, especially with Valentine and Dayo. I could have read books about their lives as well and hope to see them again!

Eddie and Rose have a yearning, slow-burn love story that I could read over and over again. I highly recommend Infamous! This book would be great for readers who love Little Women (Eddie is similar to Jo Marsh). I also think readers who enjoy authors like KJ Charles, Alexis Hall, and Freya Marske would enjoy Infamous.

Infamous is available March 21, 2023. Thank you 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

Thank you, Lex Croucher, for yet another banger. Infamous is a Regency sapphic, friends-to-lovers romance + heartfelt coming of age story, with the humor, fun language, and top-notch bants I've come to expect from the Croucher's gorgeous brain. Eddie, the MC, is an oblivious, infuriating ding dong who learns a lot about herself and the world, and Rose is her kind, generous, and sharp-witted bff. The side characters are *chef's kiss* and mostly super-queer, and the bulk of the story takes place in a dilapidated, haunted castle on a small island in the middle of a lake. Need I say more?

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Sapphic Bridgerton you say? Friends-to-lovers with coming-of-age hijinks? Sign me up! I loved Reputation by Croucher, but I may love Infamous even more 💗.
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Twenty-two-year-old Eddie has been best friends with Rose since childhood. The two have always been inseparable, whether sneaking bottles of wine or practicing kissing in their treehouse. But while aspiring author Eddie wishes to remain single and continue this life indefinitely, Rose is ready to enter society and marry. When Eddie befriends her literary hero, poet Nash Nicholson, he welcomes her into his circle of eccentric artists. But is there room for Rose in Eddie’s new exciting life? And will Nash live up to his hero status?
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Eddie gave me all the Eloise Bridgerton vibes 😍. Her passion, wit, and creativity are rivaled only by her unapologetic magnetic personality 💗. While Eddie is fairly naive at the beginning of the story, I loved watching her mature and find herself.
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I read and listened to this one. Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for these digital ARCs in exchange for an honest review.
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Infamous - Lex Croucher
4.5/5⭐️
Pub Date: 3/21/2023

This was my first book by Lex Croucher. I absolutely loved her writing style and will definitely pick up her other popular historicals. I loved Rose- I related to her character so much. Eddie was intolerable, but I understand how Rose and Eddie are a perfect match. I can't wait to meet the Board and present myself to the chairman ;)

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and author Lex Croucher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review. Infamous comes out on March 21, 2023!

-"Her mother, it was whispered, had been exposed to far too many books from a young age, and it had engendered in her a curious mind and a lack of respect when it came to propriety for propriety’s sake. This deficit of character was excused only because her husband had been particularly prosperous over the past decade— enough so that Mrs. Miller never had cause to look with horror upon her four daughters and wonder how, exactly, she would be profitably rid of them."

-"You realize that you are the outlier here? Everybody else manages to follow the rules of decorum perfectly well without looking as if they have one foot trapped in a mangle all the while. It’s not that difficult, Eddie— just try to imagine that other people are actually worth" - Rose

I read this because I loved Reputation! The hilarious witty banter is still present in this book, but Eddie has got to be the most clueless character ever. The twist at the end with her writing made me sad, because it was so obvious what he was doing. Not my favorite ever, but still looking forward to other work by this author.

So this was fun!!!!! I have a little bit of mixed feelings about it overall, but the parts that worked for me I LOVED. Starting with the good: the tone was a great mix of lighthearted and sincere and serious, the main characters were likable (and frustrating but in a realistic and relatable way), the setting was a vibe, and it was so gay!!!!
I was yelling at Eddie to figure things out as I was reading because I was so invested in her well-being, and I absolutely adored Rose but was bummed she did not get more page time. Their friendship and complicated dynamic was the best part of the book!
Some things that didn’t work so well: the pacing was a little off for me, and I disliked just how much time Nash had on page. The side characters felt a little flat to me and I wanted more about them!
I’m definitely going to read more from this author since I loved their writing and this book left a good impression on me overall!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I was so excited for a queer Regency romance, but this one fell flat for me. Unlikable main character, poorly fleshed out supporting characters, slow story pacing that made reading feel more like a chore than a joy.

Eddie and rose have been best friends for years. When Eddie asks rose to swear to never get married and she obliges she thinks that’s it and her and rose’s relationship will never change. Eddie is shocked one day to find rose isn’t taking her pledge as seriously as she had intended her to.

I really wanted to like this one, I enjoy both historical and queer romances a lot, but this really fell short for me. I really didn’t like Eddie all that much which made it hard for me to connect with the story. On top of not liking Eddie I felt that all the other characters also seemed to lack any sort of development. This one just was really a miss for me sadly.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Eddie/Edith is upset about her best friend's engagement. Though I thought it got off to a slow start, this is an entertaining read with a somewhat predictable ending, good for a light humorous read on a weekend. I like stories set in the stuffy, snob-nosed society of Regency England when they are filled with characters that go against the grain, bringing a smile and a laugh to the stiff blue-bloods of the era.
I recommend this for some light laughs for the afternoon of reading.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review freely.

Infamous was a delightful regencey-era romance novel that focuses on the Eddie, an aspiring writer and her quest for success, which ends up looking a little bit different than she thought it would. Croucher weaves a delightful tale of passion and found romance. My favorite part of the book was Rose - and I wish we could have heard more from her/her internal thoughts more. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another Croucher book in the future!

I loved Reputations and wanted to like this story and I did until the last 1/3. It just didn't really do it for me. I found the various reveals around Nash to be a lot and I quickly lost interest.

I have received an audio arc of this book and will be leaving my review on that copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with Lex Croucher's engaging and fun period novels when I read Reputation, a rom-com set in Regency style England. Infamous follows a similar trajectory, bringing humor and wild heroines alive during this fussy and polite time period.

Infamous follows Eddie (short for Edith) as she grapples with the engagement of her best friend Rose. Eddie can't see why Rose should marry, as they promised each other as girls that they would not. Eddie is also pursuing her literary dreams when she meets one of her all-time favorite poets, Nash Nicholson. Swept up into a new clique of artistic types, Eddie finds herself moving farther away from polite society. If you like wonderful female friends to lovers, haunted estates, villains and drunkards, then this is for you!

While the plot twist is easy to see coming for all but Eddie, I still enjoyed this romp. I am devoted to Lex Croucher and all she writes from here on out! The audio version is perfectly narrated and bingeable!

It’s ok. I was entertained and the story is strong, but it’s just not my cup of tea. I found the story a bit slow and too predictable. This is a great queer book set in the regency era. I applaud it for being inclusive and touching on topics that needs to be addressed, but it just fell a bit short of reaching its full potential.

I loved Reputation and had high hopes for this one. I'm a huge fan of period pieces and love the way Lex Croucher writes theirs.

Infamous started a bit slow and the ending was somewhat predictable. But I love all the characters; they are all unique and interesting in their own ways. Eddie and Rose both have their own coming-of-age stories that are entangled with one another. They balance each other perfectly and leave the reader obsessed with them together.

Thank you for the digital copy, I ended up receiving a audio ALC and will be listening as I loved experiencing Lexs last book that way and reviewing on my socials that way. Thank you again for the digital ARC.