There was a lot that I liked about this novel! I enjoyed Eddie and Rose's quirky sense of humor, and the banter they had back and forth. The parties and group antics they both attended were interesting to listen to, and the information shared about side characters, although short, really added to the full casting and storyline. The narrator chosen for the audio version was lovely, and incredibly easy to listen to. I wish I could have heard more about Eddie's novel! She seemed like quite the unique writer for the time period.

Portions I struggled with: following the audio narrative of Eddie's time while on mushrooms, the length of time spent at Nash's estate seemed to go on far too long, some of the plot points or decisions made seemed unlikely or uncharacteristic for the time period, and Nash's intentions and actions seemed all too obvious from very early on. I wanted to shake Eddie so many times! Why are you choosing to believe Nash over your best friend and all the warning signs? Ugggh.

2.5 There were parts of this novel that really showcased the potential it had to be a great sapphic historical romance, with depth and complex characters. But in the end, it was just a slightly unbearable read.

I understand what Croucher was trying to do with this book, and specifically with Eddie's character arc. I get that she never actually loved Nash. I get that she just loved his work and that she was heartbroken over Rose and she wanted to avoid it all. I get that Nash gave her a sense of validation and a glimpse into a life in which she could potentially feel like she belonged. I get that it was all about Rose in the end and that Nash was just there as a distraction. I get that Eddie didn't want to admit her feelings for Rose and wanted to believe that her feelings for Nash were true love and not just a sense of adulation. Trust me. I get it all. But by god I hated almost every minute of it.

The thing is I actually liked the relationship between Eddie and Rose. And if the story had be exclusively those moments between them, I think I would really loved it. I loved listening to them talk to each other, tiptoe around their feelings for one another, all of those soft scenes where the lines between their platonic and romantic love started to blur. They made a really cute couple and I would've loved to see more of it.

But there was so much focus on Nash. I understand what he represents and that Croucher used him to make a point about compulsory heterosexuality and societal expectations. But I just didn't care. It was so nauseating to listen to the scenes between them. And I think it would have all been a lot more effective had I actually understood his intrigue and charm, but there wasn't a single likeable thing about him.

And the other downside of this is that I quickly grew to hate Eddie for being so stupid to fall for him at all. I'm just so over reading about these female main characters who believe they are so above it all, so different from every other woman because they don't give into societal expectations of marriage and motherhood, but then turn around and fall madly in love with the first man who smiles at them, even though he's clearly The Worst Person Ever and a borderline sociopath. And yes I understand that Eddie never actually loved Nash and she was a victim to his "charm", but him being a terrible person just felt so obvious the whole time that I spent the entire novel getting more and more angry at her. You can tell from the very synopsis of the book that he's not someone to trust so she just came off as insufferably naïve.

And it's such a shame because I so wanted to love her character. There were some sparse moments here and there where she undergoes some really interesting self-reflection, and what I wouldn't give to have had a main character who actually embraces her masculine side for more than one chapter at the very end of the story. There were was so much more that could have been done with her storyline, but Croucher spends so much time focusing on the most unbearable part of it all (Nash) that it made the whole thing virtually unreadable.

I actually did like Rose's character, but there isn't really much to her other than the fact that she loves Eddie. I would've loved to know more about how she came to terms with her own queerness, seen more of her own personal journey, understood more of the decisions she wanted to make for herself and her future. But I never really got any of that. Actually, if I had to choose, I'd say my favourite character was Simon and he had maybe 5 lines of dialogue throughout the entire novel.

I hated every minute of the first 40% of this novel. Then the next 40%-80% of the story had moments that were actually quite enjoyable, interrupted by a few scenes that made me genuinely sick to my stomach. Then the final 80%-100% of the book I found a little boring, saved only by the relatively entertaining and happy ending.

I really wish it would've lived up to its true potential and that Croucher had taken their characters down any number of other possible storylines. I wanted to love it, and when I was enjoying myself I could really see Croucher's true talent coming through. But sadly, it wasn't enough to redeem the overall experience for me.

I do want to read some more of their work, as long as it centers itself a lot less around insufferable men who win no matter what, because I cannot handle these types of stories anymore. So I don't think this specifically is a book I would recommend to people, but I do have hope that I could enjoy some of their other novels.

Source: NetGalley

unfortunately, this one fell really flat for me, and i’m so bummed because i wanted to love it. it’s described as a romcom, but the main couple aren’t really in a romantic situation for most of the book. i think the amount of different plotlines created a situation where i never really felt connected to the characters and i found myself wishing i was done with it sooner. this definitely could just be a ‘me’ thing, because there are so many high ratings, so if this sounds interesting to you, i would say go for it! it just didn’t work for me. i did read this partially on audio, and the narration was good!

DNF @ 30%

I'm so sad that I just couldn't push myself through this book. I absolutely adored Reputation and this gave off the same vibes, or so I thought, but it just missed the mark entirely. The characters were very one dimensional and I found myself not being able to keep them separated in my mind. The plot was....there, I guess.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me, but I do think there is an audience for it!

"I like kissing Rose...more than I like kissing Nash!"

In the second book (Reputation is book one) of this representation romance series, Infamous by creative author Lex Croucher, it takes Edith "Eddie" Miller a long time to admit kissing, just for practice of course, her lifelong best friend Rose Li is much more enjoyable than kissing the famous poet Nash.

At 22 years old Eddie wants to be a writer and when she's invited with Rose and her boring fiance to Nash's mansion she can't wait to get his help not just in reading her manuscript but maybe introducing her to his publisher.

It is soon apparent, at least to us readers that Nash is a charming jerk, I pictured him being played by a young Hugh Grant, and his interest in Eddie is definitely self serving and at times a bit cruel.

There are some very funny moments with the cast of quirky characters at the mansion and their British humor, including a very cheeky rabbit. But there are also some reveals about hypocrisy from the so called elite of society.

I read and listened to this besties to lovers sapphic Regency romance. The ability of narrator Ellie Kendrick to go from uproarious hijinks to coming to terms with your love for someone society says you shouldn't love is inspiring and beautifully written.

Eddie is fighting her feelings but Rose is the revelation knowing how precarious her position in the world is as the daughter of a privileged Chinese man helping other immigrants. She just wants a quiet married life but as Eddie finally realizes she will lose more than her friend if Rose marries they just might become Infamous in this regency era of polite society.

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

I didn’t love or hate this book. I felt very indifferent about it. I just didn’t really connect with any of the characters. I tried to love it but I just couldn’t.

INFAMOUS
Lex Croucher, Author
Ellie Kendrick, Narrator
Regency Romance
This book is about an aspiring female writer and the many ups and downs she must go through to get her novel published. Then having the novel stolen from her and having it published under someone else’s name.

I absolutely love how Lex Croucher is not afraid to show the seedier side of the regency era. Things that happened that don’t come to light in mainstream books about this time period. Especially the rampant drug and alcohol problem and the fact that despite the fact that people like to hide it there was LBGTQ+ people then as well as now. I would give this book a solid 5 out of 5 stars. I can’t wait to see what Lex has waiting for us next.

Overall, I think this is a deeply engaging story though there are some things that make it difficult for me to rate. I went in expecting it to be a sapphic historical romcom, and it does have those elements, but it is just as much about abusive men and the people who shield them. So I just couldn't reconcile the one with the other, the lighthearted tone with the upsetting content. While I did enjoy Eddie's point of view, she is a very frustrating character to read. The whole time I kept wishing she would take other people's emotions and views into consideration instead of being so self-absorbed and selfish. She and Rose are best friends but she doesn't make an effort to enjoy what Rose likes or even try to make nice with Rose's friends, her fiance, or her parents. Even when they move into romantic territory, Eddie continues to be hurtful and oblivious, and honestly I wanted to shake her. Then there's Nash, who is a champion gaslighter, manipulator, and all around horrible person. I kept waiting for him to get his comeuppance, to face any sort of consequences for his crimes, but nope. So that really soured the book for me. I felt like a lot of threads were just left hanging, and Eddie and her friends walked away and did nothing to bring Nash to justice. I also couldn't believe all the people who continued to stand by Nash even when they knew how terrible he was. And yes, that is probably the historically - and sadly, currently - accurate response to fame and power, but I wanted some kind of closure.

So my mixed review is that I did like the queer characters and romance, the brief discussion of race, the gender nonconformity, etc, but the overall story was much heavier than I was expecting.

Pros:

I think lovers of historical fiction who crave sassy and strong female leads and some sapphic rep will love this book and the antics of Eddie.

Cons:

I struggled with the beginning as it felt Eddie was a bit controlling and dishonest.

This one had a very Bridgerton type feel, if Penelope ended up in love with Eloise! We meet Eddie (aka Edith) and Rose, who have been best friends since they were very young. They have reached a time in their life where they have to start thinking of prospects for marriage, and their life becomes a series of balls and awkward conversations with men. Rose is enjoying the balls and the men and is ready for marriage. Eddie, however, hates every minute. She doesn’t want a man and marriage, but instead dreams of becoming a favorite author. Rose meets a man which leaves Eddie feeling lonely and left out. At this point she meets the infamous Nash Nicholson, a poet who she has admired. Nash invites Eddie, along with Rose and her suitor to his Estate for a holiday. Eddie’s time with Nash was frustrating to me. It is clear from early on that Eddie is in love with Rose, although it took her a while to realize. Eddie and Rose skirt around their feelings a lot. I adored Eddie and watching her grow throughout the story. And the ending was … perfect! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for and ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A great read for anyone wishing that Bridgerton had better queer representation. Its cozy and gothic all at once. If you wish you were at Lord Byron's mansion the weekend Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, this book is for you!

Infamous was my first novel by Lex Croucher, and came highly recommended by friends whose taste I highly rate, value, and trust. Happy to report that surely enough I had a thoroughly entertaining time on this rollercoaster ride of joy, frustration, discovery, growth, and intrigue. This story was certainly was not short of drama, and moments of great distress. Certain sequences had me actively physically repulsed to the point where my body was involuntarily gagging in response--content warnings for both implied sexual assault, sexual harassment in the book. I screamed, "THE AUDACITY!!!!!!!!!!" so many times I lost count.

The final 10% of this audiobook had my jaw on the floor, mouth agape, hand covering it, gasping multiple times, groaning in frustration and agony, cheering and giggling with glee and laughter, truly such an immersive experience. I really was not expecting the stunning ending, which felt so earned and deserving after everything the characters endure throughout the course of the story, and pushed this book into a favorite that I can see myself reaching for as a comfort read in the future. The more that I sit with it after having finished the novel I feel my affection towards this story grow larger and larger. Quite possibly my favorite romance novel HEA I have ever read in my life. (Big declarations, I know. But this ENDING. It really hits the perfect spot for me). The core romance is a slow burn, but the payoff is worth it.

In Infamous, we meet 22-year-old aspiring novelist, Edith aka Eddie, and her best friend Rose who have thus far experienced all of their life milestones together--climbing trees, sneaking alcohol, practicing how to kiss. When Rose decides to get married and Eddie meets renowned poet and self-proclaimed rival of Lord Byron, Nash, and gets invited to his crumbling countryside Gothic estate for mentorship and a place to finish her novel-in-progress, Eddie soon finds herself torn between her complicated feelings for Rose and their friendship, or her literary dreams and her equally complicated dynamic with her mysterious newfound mentor Nash, who is diverging from the image of the literary hero Eddie envisioned in her mind.

I really enjoyed both the friendship aspect in addition to the romance of this story. I truly believe that the foundation of long-lasting, deep, stunning relationships are built on deep connection and friendship and I felt that here in Infamous we truly to get to experience that with our characters relationship progression. I related a lot to Eddie's journey with her identity as well as Rose's journey as well. The a-ha moment where something just clicks inside your brain felt very grounded. It reminded me when I experienced that moment myself (which wasn't actually until my 30s--thank you Céline Sciamma) and I felt seen and affirmed in a way I have not had the opportunity to feel thus far. I really appreciated the intersectional representation of queer identities in this text as well, there are so few novels with stunning bisexual representation and it is so refreshing and affirming to be able to read a story that does just that and executes said representation with such deft, nuance, reverence, and respect. Huge props to Croucher for writing this for the culture and giving us a stunning, well-written story that can be a source of joy, entertainment, and comfort.

With regards to the audiobook specifically, I really enjoyed narrator Ellie Kendrick's performance. The timbre and tone of Kendrick's voice is extremely pleasant on the ear and her vocal personalities felt distinctive to each character in an easy, natural but simultaneously identifiable way. The rhythm and pacing was wonderful and helped ease me into a mental groove which I routinely found myself getting deeply immersed into the story and yelling out in my room in response when certain plot reveals happened or shocking moments occurred. I never once felt pulled out of the story, and felt that the energy continued to build upon itself throughout the narration, culminating in a truly euphoric ending.

I would recommend to readers who love films such as: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), wished Harriet and Emma got together in Emma (2020), Carol (2015), The Handmaiden (2015), Maurice (1987), Rebecca (1940); the shows: Bridgerton, Fingersmith, Tipping the Velvet; and lovers of Sarah Waters, Emily Henry, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, and Daphne Du Maurier. I could definitely see it as a Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime original film, or part of a series including the other Croucher regency romances. I feel like there is a queer-representation-gap in the on-screen regency romance market that is desperately wanting to be filled and Croucher's books could be the answer we have been searching for. Just a thought! x

Infinite thanks to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of and the opportunity to read this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This story was a little slow going for me at first, but as I listened I found myself becoming drawn in and wanting to discover what was to become of Eddie, Rose, and Nash. The House party was entertaining and I also enjoyed the glimpse into life in that era. The audiobook is narrated by Ellie Kendrick and she does a fantastic job. I'm looking forward to going back and reading Reputation next.

I had high hopes for this book when I first read the synopsis but it fell a little flat for me. I found the beginning to be a little boring and hard to get into. For something that is promoted as a LGBTQIA+ romance there isn't nearly enough focus on that and instead spends too much time with the vile Nash. It did pick up about the 1/4-1/2 way mark so I'm glad I didn't give up on it but it was far from my favourite read this year.

This book was cozy and enticing. I listened to it twice within four days of receiving access to the title.

The narrator does a fantastic job and brings Eddie to life. The book is a coming-of-age story following Eddie and Rose as they grow up and figure out who they wanna be.

My story was mirrored within the story of Rose and Eddie, and I think a lot of readers will feel the same.

We need more of this type of LGBTQ literature. High school me might have come to some conclusions a little earlier. :)

I would recommend this book to any individual trying to find themselves. There are some more mature scenes and topics so check TW before reading.

If you are a fan of the classic tale Little Women, then you’ll delight in Lex Croucher’s new audiobook. Narrated by Ellie Kendrick, Infamous is a sapphic take on Alcott’s original. Listeners will no doubt delight in the many parallels between these two tales of family, friends and self-discovery.

Infamous is a Regency romance. WLW fans that relish period pieces filled with subtext immersed in the language, fashions, and social norms of the early 1800’s will find this audio enchanting. Like all true Regency stories, this features fast-paced, intelligent dialogue and implied sexual tension. It comes off like a swoon-worthy Jane Austen—romantic and sensible. However, Croucher infuses it with a bit of modernism that’s quite appealing. Listeners will surely walk away from this witty romance with a smile.

Though Infamous is somewhat predictable, it still delivers in all the essential ways any well-written narrative should. It makes good on its promise to be entertaining. This is an inviting friends-to-lovers romance filled with zestful, coming-of-age themes. Listeners find the characters persuasive and fitting for the era. Eddie isn’t exactly the most sympathetic character as she’s self-absorbed and short sighted, but her flaws plant themselves on listeners’ hearts in a way that can’t be denied. Rose, on the other hand, is easy to love. Together these two work to create a “queer Regency romp” that one cannot resist.

As far as the narration, Ellie Kendrick does a fine job of transforming the words of this tale into a layered and dynamic production. At a running time of nearly 11 hours, listeners will learn to appreciate the nuances of her voice and pitch as she breathes life into Croucher’s characters. She’s a good fit, and I’d listen to her again.

Strengths…

Well-structured prose
Smart, witty dialogue
Nicely crafted story world
Engaging characters
Strong, well-suited narration

I read Reputation last year and when I saw this one I was very excited for another regency-esque book from this author. I gotta say though, this one didn’t hit as well as the other one did for me. I found myself less interested in the outcome and disconnected with the characters this time around. I didn’t actually care what happened with them - I still finished it but the story was just meh.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook of this one!

It was a cute story but was super predictable and not much really stood out to me.

I loved all the representation, just felt the story lacking.

This was the kind of audiobook which made me laugh out loud while listening. HUGE Georgia Nicolson vibes: listening to this audiobook truly felt like reading the Georgia Nicolson books for the first time all over again, if Georgia Nicolson had been queer. Just really good fun. Thank you NetGalley for letting me listen to this prerelease, and thank you Lex Croucher for a delight of a book.

Infamous was an excellent historical fiction story that followed a female author protagonist. This main character was both brave and putting on a brave face when she internally is scared out of her mind.

This story is witty, and delicious in all the right ways, with love, conflict, coming of age, following dreams, and new and old friendship. It’s really a wonderful historical read.

There is a sapphic love angle that makes the reader yearn for everything to fall into place, while realizing the historical difficulties.

Also, there’s a vacation home that’s ominous and delightful, and a perfect place for the bulk of the book to occur.

The audiobook was well done. I listened at 1.75x speed (my normal listening speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook.