Thank you so much to Bonnier for letting me read Lex Croucher's Infamous in advance! I read it in one day: on a bus, in the airport, on a plane and then al fresco over some very tasty focaccia in Berlin. I'm not sure whether it was the disrupted nature of my reading that meant I didn't enjoy this quite as much as Lex's first book, Infamous, or whether it was just a matter of taste.

Infamous focuses on Eddie (full name Edith) and Rose, two besties who have grown up in 18th century London and who definitely fancy each other. (This is not a spoiler, it's literally on the first page.) It's a book about art and exploring your sexuality and finding your role within a rigid, unforgiving society, and there's a whole cast of characters with very witty dialogue – from charismatic poet Nash Nicholson to self-centred artist Kitty to abolitionist Dayo to cool-rich-person Valentine. It's not at all realistic, obviously, but it's not supposed to be and I really liked the way Lex Croucher writes about writing – so often in books you just know the author is writing about themselves and their process, but this actually felt genuine and interesting.

I can't think of a single thing wrong with Infamous, but at the same time it didn't really grab me. I thought the characterisation, pacing, dialogue – everything, really! – were great and believable, but I couldn't put Reputation down and I didn't feel that with Infamous at all. Still, if you like Regency novels with a contemporary feel, then I would definitely recommend this! 🌟

"You...have come to rescue me from a fate worse than death"
"What fate is that?"
"Obscurity"

E-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (Thank you NetGalley).

Eddie Miller is a young writer who enjoys spending time with her best friend, Rose Li, and dreaming of being a published author. She wants no part in polite Regency society, and is dismayed when Rose starts to grow up without her. To put off adulthood a little longer (like doing a masters after an undergraduate degree), Eddie, Rose, and a crew of loveable eccentrics abscond to the crumbling gothic Manor owned by romantic poet Nash Nicholson (Eddie's literary hero) for a writing retreat. Drama and hijinks ensue.

I really really enjoyed this book. It starts with Eddie and Rose practicing kissing, which is a brilliant place to start a book. The plot is fast-paced and the reader gets swept up in the excitement of meeting one's hero and going to stay with them. Setting most of the story on an island could have limited the action somewhat, but the author avoids this by drawing on different aspects of the island and utilising the space fully. The characters are lively enough to ensure there is never a dull moment. There were a lot of references to the characters being cold, though, which made me appreciate my Teddy blanket all the more. The ending snuck up on me but the story had a satisfying conclusion, and even the parts that made me want to scream were enjoyable. My suspicions about the plot came true and it was fun to see how those played out.

As well as having a strong plot, INFAMOUS has a cast of diverse and engaging characters. The main character, Eddie, is interesting. She is very set in her ways and believes she knows everything and discovers that she actually doesn't know very much. As I am a similar age to Eddie and Rose, I felt their frustrations about the world and saw my own flaws reflected in some of Eddie's less desirable traits. Rose is Eddie's long-suffering beat friend; she is gentle and kind but isn't afraid to stand up for herself when she has to. Of the other characters, Valentine stood out immediately as one of my favourites, and I also loved Dayo. Juno the dog is a delight and she helped me visualise the scenes; she made everything feel more vivid and alive. Can you tell I'm a dog person?

For better or worse, we see Nash Nicholson through Eddie's eyes. I wondered if he would be similar to Thomas Thorne from Ghosts but the two are complete opposites (and would probably hate eachother). Nash is a vital character; he holds both the keys to the house and the keys to Eddie's future as a writer. Whether Nash is mad, bad, and dangerous to know remains to be seen. (I would have liked to learn a bit more about his relationship with Byron but that's just a personal thing).

The writing in INFAMOUS is strong, insightful, and witty. It manages to feel both Regency and modern, without the dialogue getting too bogged down in flowery Georgian language. The themes also juxtapose modernity with antiquity, and they work so well. There are good explorations of race, gender, sexuality, class, and trauma, although they could maybe have gone a little further.

Lots of quotes stood out to me. I've put one at the start of this reveiw, but my favourite was about London. It made stop and think about how well it sums up my feelings towards this place, and I'll be thinking about it for some time.

This book is perfect for fans of historical fiction, people who like LGBTQ+ fiction, and those who like their drama sprinkled with humour and jokes that always land and make you feel like part of the gang. It was a really fun read and I can't wait to read it again when it's published. Come and scream with me once you've read it!

I was completely absorbed by this book. Croucher has such a fantastic way of writing that really makes her characters feel so alive.

As a writer (or at least hobbyist writer), I really connected with Eddie. I really loved watching her be dragged into a world where she so longed to belong. It was a pleasure to experience her journey!

I absolutely loved Reputation so I had a feeling that I'd love this too, but I wasn't prepared for quite how much I would love it. I know that I will be revisiting this book in the future and I'm already recommending it to friends and family. I'm also hoping to convince the library I work in to buy a copy (fingers crossed).

A wuick, easy read that was dark in places. Well writtne with a compelling sotyrline and well developed characters that although I found them unlikeable, they were were believeable and added something to the book. A great read.

A very odd journey with Rose and Eddie as they challenge their friendship and enter the married mart as young ladies with a bit of an odd upbringing. Eddie is desperate to be an author and celebrated for being a literary great, however as she enters the right circles it all looks a bit odd. Rose follows her to support her but even their bonds are tested as they work out whether marriage, literary fame and passion is the right way to go,
Rose and Eddie aren’t especially likeable characters and the situations are bizarre which made this a bit of a challenge to read.

In Regency England, Eddie Miller is attempting to pen her debut novel. Her best friend Rose is talking of growing up and getting married, while Eddie's attempting to hold onto their days of hiding in a treehouse and practicing kissing together. When she meets her literary hero, Nash Nicholson, at a dinner party, she gets ushered into a world of drunken excess, erratic artists, and crumbling lake houses, much to Rose's chagrin. The lifestyle Eddie thought she desired isn't all it's cracked up to be; she's finally making sense of her book, but the nights are cold, the parties are loud, and her feelings regarding Rose and Nash are only getting more confusing...

While Croucher's sophomore novel is just as witty and heartwarming as their first, the dark elements are even darker (check content warnings!). I genuinely can't wait to force this book upon everybody I've ever met and all of their friends.

*content warning provided by author: drinking, drug use, unhealthy power dynamics, sexual assault, mentions of racism, threat of gun violence, mentions of parental death, mentions of death by drowning.

I loved the characters and the family dynamics in this one, could almost see it as the first in a Bridgerton style series! A really funny and refreshing take on the genre.

Lesbian. Historical. YA. Romance. This would be great for anybody starting out in the regency romance genre. Light. Fun. Read.

An utter delight - I loved Reputation and I think I loved this even more. An improvement in terms of the writing (the humour in this is so well placed and also very funny) and the cast of characters who are all very distinct and enjoyable to read about - all with their own motives and personalities. I was a big fan of both Rose and Eddie, and Eddie is a very relatable character to me personally but also quite frustrating at times - the character growth was much needed by the end, but that's just being in your early twenties really. Satisfying ending, would read again and recommend to many.

I really enjoyed Infamous, and was glad to discover that not having read Reputation first didn't impact on my experience at all. My only issue was that I found Eddie to be exceedingly frustrating at times. However, there were a great blend of characters to balance her out, and I especially liked the Miller family dynamics - Beatrix filled me with joy each time she appeared.
The book really gets going in its second half, and I found the crumbling gothic manor / literary salon setting really interesting. Certain plot points were visible a mile away, which at times only increased my frustration with our main character, but I adored the conclusion and found this to be overall a really enjoyable read, which I raced through.
I think I'll go back and read Reputation as well now!

I struggled to finish even the first chapter of this book, I simply did not find it enjoyable and can’t bring myself to recommend it

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of "Infamous" by Lex Croucher. This is the sequel to "Reputation"

This book was spectacular and so much better than the first book. Eddie and Rose were amazing protagonists and the whole story was just beautifully written.

I really enjoyed Reputation, but I think Infamous knocks it out of the water. Lex Croucher’s voice and style have really established themselves here and I thought this book was gorgeous - funny, furious, romantic. Totally it’s own thing.

I utterly fell for Eddie, laughing out loud at almost every page, swept up in the giddy riot of her thoughts, her feelings, her family.

Her family! I’m an absolute sucker for a good ramshackle family and I would have happily spent several hundred pages alone hanging out with Eddie and her siblings … give them ALL books please!

Reading this was pure pleasure. All the stars!