Aspiring author Edith (Eddie) has been best friends with Rose since the moment they met. So when Rose starts talking about marriage, Eddie feels left behind. She can't imagine life without Rose as her constant companion. The one bright spot is meeting poet Nash, whose work Eddie admires even more than Byron's. When he invites her to a house party, she's thrilled. Accompanied by Rose and her fiancé, she gets caught up in Nash's strange and self-indulgent world. Can her relationship with Rose survive in this house of secrets?

This book is just as fabulous as REPUTATION (which I stayed up all night reading). The voice is compelling and immersive, the story fast-paced and full of unexpected twists. It has a gothic quality to it, but the best part for me is the heartwarming and satisfying romance storyline. The audio narration is brilliant and fits the story perfectly. I could not love this book more.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I really enjoyed this book, although there were many places where it dragged a bit and felt too-long. I also don't know that I would call it "the best laugh-out-loud Regency romp of 2022" as it is advertised. There were funny moments, but a lot of it was more Eddie being painfully oblivious to what was going on around her. She's so in her head and fixated on the idea of being a published writer - as well as in complete denial about how she feels about Rose - that she doesn't really see what's happening until it's (metaphorically) hit her across the head a few times.

Poor long-suffering Rose stands by Eddie faithfully until she has to take a stand (which, good for her) and even then Eddie doesn't wake up to what's going on. Really, Eddie has a lot of growing up to do in this book before she becomes a likeable character. I was constantly tempted to shake Eddie and go "oh, come on!"

Nash was an excellent villain. He at first seemed fun and playful, and the scene with him charming Eddie's entire outlandish oddball family was endearing. Nash's charming of everyone takes on a darker cast, however, as the book progresses and his true character comes to light. As with everything else, his true character comes to light MUCH later for Eddie than for everyone else, as she is again painfully oblivious and in complete denial. She's fixated on the idea that he can get her published and all else is seemingly easy for her to ignore.

The 'house party' adventure gets wilder and stranger the longer it goes on, and I felt a lot of secondhand embarrassment at Eddie's refusal to see what's happening around her. Or maybe it's just a willingness to overlook just about anything with the dangling possibility of a book deal.

I mean, the house practically falls down around their ears and no one bats an eyelash. To say that the people in Nash's orbit are strange is... an understatement.

I found the cast of weirdos to be quite wonderful, however. I've always been drawn to the outcasts and those who buck the strictures of society, so I did appreciate the bohemian outlook they had. And I liked them all the way to the end - it's just Nash (and to a lesser extent his wife) that gets revealed to be more terrible every day.

The ending was cathartic after the mess that went down, and after Eddie's eyes are opened to a few things. Eddie still isn't my favorite character, but I did like her more by the end, even though I don't think she does enough to earn Rose's forgiveness.

The writing was really beautiful and evocative, and the audiobook performance was great. The narrator did a fabulous job capturing everyone's mood and personality, and the voices the narrator chose were perfect for the characters.

*Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Bonnier UK Audio for providing an early copy for review.

Having loved a bit of Bridgerton this seemed right up my street and it definitely didn't disappoint. Eddie is so naive and so trusting of Nash that he will do right by her it's questionable but it didn't spoil the read at all. The journey this took me on was so enjoyable and the twist at the end was great 😊

TW: alcohol and drugs, questionable consent?

Eddie is the most clueless MC ever and I loved her! 😂

Eddie is a writer and when meeting her idol at a party she is absolutely flabbergasted. When said idol seems to be interesting in her and her writing, her dreams of becoming a published author as well seems to be in reach.
Nash is absolutely chaotic, unreliable and flighty. He is also married and takes a little too much interest in Eddie. I was immediately suspicious and did not trust that man one bit!
But he is fun and different and also very handsome. When he promises Eddie to help her with her writing and contact his editor Eddie is in literal heaven.
Eddie is so extremely focussed on her dream, being blinded by Nashes shining personality and also so very naive, that she doesn’t really stop to think about anything else than her novel when he asks her to leave for a vacation.

Blessedly her best friend Rose is there to save the day. Over and over again.
While Rose is set on getting married and taking care of her own household, Eddie doesn’t get that decision one bit.
But she also doesn’t like the idea of Rose getting married to anyone at all. (Yeah Eddie, why is that?)

While there is a whole new world of artists and possibilities opening up to Eddie, her and Roses ideas of life diverge more and more.
There is friendship drama, there is Nash drama, there is weird parties, ghost summoning and lots of alcohol.
All while Eddie is trying to figure out her weird feelings for Rose. (It takes..a while. )

I love Lexes style of writing. It’s so fresh and hilarious while still fitting the regency era vibe!
I loved the haunted house setting, the little secrets and Eddie getting pulled more and more into the depth of Nashes life without even realising it.
I got the most aspec vibes from Eddie, she is just so absolutely oblivious to any sexual advances and attempts! She is so out of her body and feelings, it sometimes seemed that she is so focussed on her novel writing she doesn’t even think about romance or sex at all! Any physical touch/kissing seemed so technical, without inducing any feelings from her part!

I absolutely knew what was going to happen in the end, that time was not a great time to be a woman. I was furious and wanted to punch someone.
I loved how it was solved in the end tho and was glad we got a kind of happy ending.

I wished Eddie wasn’t so SUPER clueless about everything and she would have been a little more firm with Nashes advances, especially after she realised how she feels about Rose. She really wasn’t a great friend.
Also I really wanted to know what happened to Henry? It was just kinda glossed over in the end what really happened that night.

All in all I really had a lot of fun with this! It’s a great story and I love Lexes humour a lot. I’m looking forward to any of their books!!!
The narrator did an amazing job, just like the one from their first book too.

Was a little sceptical at first, but I think it took a few chapters to get into.. but when it did.. what a book!!! :) Absolutely loved it!! The characters are great, very well written and Nash + Eddie are definitely full of humour and wittiness! The twist at the end was brilliant although I certainly wish one of the characters had gotten their comeuppance!! Overall 4.5 stars, great historical fiction with lots of humour as well as serious undertones and a theme of found family.

I liked the idea of "Infamous" but I didn't particularly like the novel: Eddie is so naive it's almost painful and the other characters are all rather one-note.
The subplot about a maid drowning was underdeveloped and not really brought to a conclusion.

Many thanks to Zaffre Audio and Lex Croucher for the advanced audio copy of Infamous via NetGalley, in return for my honest and unbiased review. Quick note: I don’t recap plots in my reviews, as it’s easy enough to read the book’s synopsis and blurbs, I purely focus on my feelings & opinions of how the books makes me feel.

What a rollicking romp of a story! I had not read anything by this author before, but I will definitely be searching out other titles by them.

My reading pathway is character development, and there is plenty of that in this book. Yes, it makes you want to take a large object and clout one particular protagonist ‘round the side of her oblivious little head…

Some of the topics explored in the book are quite deep and serious but are approached in a light-hearted way with a humorous slant and turn of phrase. However, it doesn’t diminish the emotion or importance behind the ultimate message conveyed.

The saddest part of the story is that a lot of the misogynistic behaviour described in the story isn’t necessarily related to the time in which it takes place, as I experienced an incident that could have fit directly into the book within an hour of finishing the book. In 2022. Lovely.

The narrator, Ellie Kendrick, was an absolute joy to listen to. Her intonations, voices and overall pacing was just lovely. It’s just so obvious what a professional she is and it makes a true difference listening to a book narrated by such a pro.

Overall, I definitely recommend the book and think the audiobook version is a brilliant way to take it in.

Moods: adventurous, challenging, emotional, funny, hopeful, light-hearted
Tropes: lover(s) in denial, oblivious to love
Pace: medium
Character development: medium
Plot or character driven: 50/50
Diversity: medium
Spice: 2.5/5
Trigger warnings: Alcohol, Cheating, Drugs, Misogyny, Sexual assault

Rating
Story: 4.5/5
Audio: 5/5

This review will be posted to my blog (www.mymentalshelf.com) soon.

Actual rating 3.5.

Now I’ll admit I’m still getting over the fact that a 28 year old character refers to themselves as past it which bruised my 36 year old ego a bit, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this fab queer regency romp! I loved Reputation and whilst the plot might’ve been a bit more predictable with this one, it was still a total lighthearted joy to read, and made me laugh lots!

Croucher is great at writing strong women who are way ahead of their time and Eddie is no exception - she’s ambitious, knows her worth and doesn’t take any crap from anyone, or at least until she falls under famous poet Nash’s spell. I loved the friendship (and maybe more…😉) between her and Rose and the fun dialogue this provided. The only thing I would say is things could’ve been a bit sexier but that might be because I recently finished A Restless Truth which was basically porn 🤷‍♀️

If you love regency reads, slow burn romance, dastardly (and drunk) men and women owning it then this is a great choice - a joyful, easy read to lose yourself in!