Lex Croucher’s Reputation is a wickedly sharp and hilariously modern Regency romp that blends the biting social commentary of Fleabag with the glamorous, scandal-filled world of Bridgerton. The story follows Georgiana Ellers, a young woman navigating the dazzling yet treacherous waters of high society, where gossip, parties, and morally questionable friendships reign supreme. Croucher masterfully balances witty humor with poignant moments of self-discovery, offering a fresh take on Regency-era fiction. Narrator Bessie Carter brings the characters vividly to life, perfectly capturing their charm, vanity, and vulnerability. With its clever dialogue, satirical edge, and a protagonist you can’t help but root for, Reputation is a must-listen for fans of period rom-coms with a twist.

3.5 stars!
This was fun but definitely not what I expected. I enjoyed the romance and the friendship with Betty. I honestly hated Francis and wish Georgiana had stood up for her at the end, she was consistently a horrible friend and has no redeeming qualities.
A fun time but probably won’t stick in my head.

A mix of Emma, Sense and Sensibility and Mean Girls.

Georgiana is thrown into a new group of friends who are beyond her means. Even though some of her friends warned here that she was not as rich as the others and her reputation would suffer the consequences, she still goes about making bad choices.

Just like in Emma eventually she has a coming to her senses moment which is when she decides to make better choices and also find the love of her life. For a debut novel this is really nice, but Lex Croucher certainly does better in her later books.

I received the audiobook from NetGalley and the narrator is great in distinguishing the characters! I really like her bored tone when reading Frances Campbell.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of the audiobook.

If you enjoyed Mean Girls but have always thought, maybe it could be a bit more Bridgerton, this is the book for you. It was a hilarious take on regency looking at a friendship group who'd rather drink their way through the stuffy balls than make themselves respectable for the marriage market. I enjoyed it immensely.

As an audiobook, it was fantastic. Bessie Carter was made to narrate this kind of book and she did a superb job of it. She managed to enthuse every witty joke with just the right tone to make it hit the mark every time. If you haven't read this book yet, or want to give it a reread, I highly recommend the audiobook as the way to do it.

I loved the characters, even Francis who I found just as fascinating, addictive and toxic to read about as Georgiana found her in the book. Georgiana did well in the "girl with a good heart really although she's been led astray" role as well, but honestly my favourite character was Betty who was incredibly wronged and I hope went on to have a very happy life after the events of the book.

Honestly the only complaint I have about this book is that it's not as gay as the others and in all fairness, it still has it's gay moments. I would have liked gay mean girls a lot but oh well.

many thanks to bonnier uk audio for letting me listen to this book.

i’ve seen this book described as bridgerton meets mean girls and honestly that’s a pretty accurate description. personally i think this story actually has more to offer than just regency romance since we get some more explorations of the characters a perhaps more accurate depiction of the time period and people are actually allowed to be gay. it’s a really fun story and listening to this audiobook really helped envisions the different characters and settings. i struggle describing books i like so this review is absolutely on the shorter side.

4⭐️

I actually received this book in print via the Rare Birds Book Club the first time I subscribed to it. I started to read it back them (years ago now...) and just didn't click with it. The character is a self-important teenager and I struggle to relate to this anymore. But when i saw the audio ARC was available on NetGalley I thought I'd give it a try and I'm glad I did. Mostly because I could sit less long with the whining of these teenagers. The narrator was excellent which helped the performance too!

Georgiana moves in with her aunt and uncle in a new village in Regency-era England and makes friends with a crowd of privileged toffs. She aspires to the connections this could bring her despite being unnerved by their attitudes and actions.

Sexual assault comes back multiple times - so it's a trigger warning for many people. I thought it was handled very well, especially setting it in Regency (albeit with a lot of anachronism.

What I did love about this novel is all the references and nods to Jane Austen novels. I expected this to follow more of a modern retelling vibe, but it was inspired by lots of different aspects and moments of Austen's novels, which I love.

I think if I'd been younger I would have appreciated this novel more, but generally I'll recommend it for those who enjoy modern Regency novels with teenage characters.

The narrator manages to bring each character of this hilarious regency era romp to life.

Mean Girls meets Pride and Prejudice feels right for this. The MC, Georgiana, is naïve in a likeable way and I like that readers have more of a clue of what is going on around her than she does.

This book also tackles some very heavy topics and hands the power back to the characters impacted which I really appreciated.

Generally a good book and written nicely with a lot of character given to each lady and gent. Overall, the book is really engaging and I loved the audio version - the narrator is spot on!
I think my main issue with the book was just that it wasn't really set out in a way I like (which is completely a me thing and not a general reader thing). I personally like a book with clear, beginning, middle and end and with there to be goals all of the characters are aiming for. I know that's a little basic but you like what you like. Because this one is more of general life - albeit, exciting general life - it just doesn't capture me the way a quest book would. I think I probably would of dnfed if it wasn't an audiobook for this reason, the narrator saved me since it is actually a good book!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Reminiscent of Jane Austen and Bridgerton - great for fans of historical romance.

Thank you to NetGalley aan the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this a lot. It was like Jane Austen with a twist. You can’t read this and not think of Bridgerton but it was more true to the world of Jane Austen if we can admit that not everyone was perfect. The cheekier side of this kind of fiction probably if Lydia Bennet told her story!

As the author's debut novel, I must admit I had a fantastic time with this book. Lex Croucher has crafted an engaging and entertaining tale that I recommend to anyone who enjoys Regency-era stories with a twist of privileged characters misbehaving.
Reputation by Lex Croucher is a delightful, Regency-era romp filled with scandalous behaviour and toxic friendships. It's a coming-of-age story where characters misbehave in true Bridgerton-esque fashion, indulging in drugs, alcohol, violence, and snogging—all set against a Regency backdrop.

The narration by Bessie Carter was superb, bringing the characters and the era to life wonderfully. I look forward to hearing more from this talented narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier UK Audio for gifting me the audio-ARC of this book. I eagerly anticipate more work from Lex Croucher in the future.

So, imagine if Jane Austen had a wild night out with the Mean Girls and then decided to write a book about it. That’s pretty much what you get with 'Infamous' by Lex Croucher. Our protagonist, Georgiana Ellers, finds herself in the classic “new girl in town” scenario, but with a Regency-era twist. Abandoned by her parents (ouch), she’s shipped off to live with her incredibly dull aunt and uncle. Just when she thinks her social life is dead, she meets Frances Campbell, the Regina George of the 19th century. Frances is rich, wild, and way too much fun for Georgiana’s own good. Suddenly, Georgiana's life is all about scandalous soirées, swoon-worthy mysterious men, and navigating the treacherous waters of upper-crust society.

The book is pitched as a Regency-era Mean Girls, and it definitely delivers on that promise. The writing is sharp and modern, which makes it easy to forget we’re supposed to be in a time when people still wore bonnets. Bessie Carter, the narrator, does a fantastic job bringing these characters to life.

While the book was entertaining, it didn’t completely wow me. It took me longer to get through than I’d like to admit – maybe because I wasn’t always excited to pick it up. It’s like a fluffy historical romp that suddenly throws in some heavy topics without much follow-through on the consequences. I kept waiting for a bigger punch that never quite landed.

Still, if you're dealing with a 'Bridgerton' hangover (aren’t we all?), this book might just be the pick-me-up you need. Just don’t expect it to hit quite the same level of drama and intrigue.

Reputation is Lex Croucher’s debut novel -
I first read it back in 2022 and remembered enjoying it so jumped at the chance to review the audiobook, narrated by Bessie Carter - Prudence from Bridgerton, no less!

Reputation is a messy mix of Austen and the tv show Skins, in the best way. Imagine a coming of age story with toxic friendships, drugs and alcohol, violence and snogging - but in a Regency setting!

The characters are all refreshingly complicated - no one covers themselves in glory in this story and almost everyone does something mean or stupid, or lets their past experiences colour how they react in their present in a negative way. Most of the parents in the book also sounded pretty awful, which definitely had a bearing on how the young characters felt and thought.

Like all of Croucher’s books there is also lots of representation - people of colour and queer characters which for YA these days I think is great and important. The book also covers some fairly dark themes whilst also remaining witty and acerbic, which steers it away from more formulaic historical romances.

Yes it’s not historically accurate and anachronistic, it’s a modern story of the pains of growing up chucked gleefully into a Regency setting which I am always here for if the world-building and the details are included so I get my history fix.

Bessie Carter was a fabulous pick for the retelling of the story on audio and I thoroughly enjoyed her rendition of the characters.

I will post a review on my instagram, @charlottereadshistory on 20 July

The characters in "Reputation" are richly developed and multifaceted, each grappling with their own insecurities and desires. George, Lissa, and Dan's interconnected stories unfold with depth and authenticity, allowing readers to empathize with their struggles and cheer for their triumphs.

Croucher's writing is witty and engaging, infused with humor and keen observations about contemporary youth culture. The narrative moves at a brisk pace, keeping readers captivated as the characters navigate the complexities of fame, friendship, and personal growth.

Although I was excited to receive this due to what I had already heard about it I can’t say I was impressed. I enjoyed it after sticking it out but that was hours in. I think the book was just not one for me as it seemed like it was all parties and no romance. I also felt due to it being an audio book maybe a physical trigger warning being said at the beginning would’ve been nice.

At the very end it was nice and concluded and I enjoyed the fact the female main character did try to stand up for her own body and know her worth.

DNF 54%. I enjoyed the first half and then just lost any interest I had in this book. It's not necessarily bad, I just don't have the urge to finish it, genuinely none. So.

3.5⭐️

This book is very much like Jane Austen / Bridgerton theme met with a new age theme and vocabulary at times.

There are various aspects covered, including alcohol, drug abuse, and domestic and sexual abuse.

I found this at times a little slow in parts. However, I also feel it was a wrong time for me for this book as when I read blurb, I very much felt I'd enjoy it more. The context and backbone of the story were definitely there for me. I just didn't seem to be able to fully immerse myself as much as I'd have hoped.

Georgina character offered a lot throughout the whole story when she meets Frances and takes us through a journey of self-discovery, leading to some difficult tumultuous times with some humour and heartfelt moments along the way.

With thanks to Netgalley & Bonnier Audio UK for this ARC in return for an open, honest review.

3.5 stars.
Mean girls meets Jane Austen but with scandal more like Bridgerton; get in Georgiana (loser), we're going shopping!
Our protagonist is Georgiana a somewhat naive but likeable FMC, who is easily persuaded into debauchery by her new friend, Frances. Heavily referenced to scenarios like Miss Austen wrote in her books, this was an easy and familiar read.
Georgiana matures throughout the book from aspirations to be popular, peer pressure and bad decisions making her fall into her mistakes to ending with a rounded character. In my opinion, very good character development.
The relationships between the friends are very human; there is no perfection in each person they are made up of bad decisions and differing moral ranges. Much like the relationships, the book is a dichotomy of hues; the witty banter and sarcasm made this book laugh out loud funny and lighthearted, however the book definitely highlights some very dark themes (racism, homophobia, spousal abuse, verbal abuse, references to rape etc.)
All in all though, a fast paced read which would appeal to the type of person who doesn't need an authentic regency read.

Thanks to NetGalley and BonnierUKAudio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

Good lord I devoured this book. It was such a fun read and I loved seeing the darker side to females of high society. It’s rare to have the FMCs lead the men astray. 10/10 recommend and would love a follow up story to see how all the characters ended up.

Plenty of 19th century novels have been reimagined as romantic comedies and they work very well, since fashions and attitudes change, but human nature doesn't. This inverts that tradition, and basically takes the plot of Mean Girls and makes it Regency. It's an entertaining story and the characters are very well portrayed and believable. If anything I thought the ending of the story was a bit overblown and didn't fit with the more subtle happenings in the rest of the novel, but it was still a really enjoyable read.

I enjoyed the narration, and the Bridgerton connection was fun.