Reviews with content warning for Racism - Reputation

Caroline Bingley wishes she could Mean Girl like this!!! Reputation is a stellar novel debut from Lex Croucher and I have to say, Lex absolutely nailed it. I have always loved the Regency era for historical fiction but I often find that many people try to copy the structure of Jane Austen without actually hitting the social commentary relevant to the time period Austen was writing within. But that critique of social norms is absolutely crucial to the stories that Jane was writing. Likewise, Lex has written a hilarious yet hard-hitting romp that feels relevant to me as a contemporary reader. Reputation flawlessly walks the line between bad girl energy and the confines of the time period's social hierarchy. Money, class, and social standing all play a major role in who "gets away" with doing what, and for whom a Reputation really matters. (Forgive my title drop.) Lex just pulls back the curtain a little bit more than Jane ever would, and focuses on a type of story that I really haven't gotten to see play out in this time period.

I found myself truly feeling for all the characters, even our leading Mean Girl herself. Because Georgiana is whisked into this high-scandal world with such intimacy and freedom, she is able to understand more of the motivations behind Frances & Co.'s choices later on. But because we understand the risks that come along with that world, I watched some of Georgiana's decisions play out with hand-wringing, nail-biting nervousness. While heavy at times, the harsher (much harsher) side of this high-class, rich, party world felt thoroughly in line with the tone and pace of the rest of the book. A thoroughly satisfying ending brought it back full circle: not too neatly tied off with a bow - but exactly what I could have hoped, for each of the characters I had come to care so much for.

Pick up this book as soon as you get the chance! It's a delight; I read it in less than 24 hours because I simply could not put it down! Bonus points for this book if you love fun letter-writing correspondence within a book because the letters back and forth are A+, one of my absolute favorite parts.

Content Warnings

kiaelisereads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Content Warnings

elementarymydear's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Did I spend the last four days on the various motorways of this country, listening to this book with a massive grin on my face because it was everything I never knew I wanted in a book?

Absolutely.

This book brought me so much joy. It’s a coming-of-age story filled with friendships, relationships, secrets, arguments, and questionable decisions, but all set in regency England. Although you can’t help but draw comparisons to Bridgerton and Mean Girls, this book stands on its own two feet. It is, how do you put it? So. Fetch.

Georgiana Ellers has had a very sheltered twenty years of life, so when she is sent to live with her aunt and uncle she takes the first opportunity to have all the adventures she has only ever read about. She meets the charismatic Frances Campbell, and gets drawn into a life of raucous parties and scandalous situations. Soon, however, she becomes aware of a dark side to some of her new acquaintances and her own character – plus her newfound friendship – is put to the test.

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The cast of characters were what really brought this book to life. Georgiana, while painfully naive, had a fantastic character arc that carried the book through its conclusion. Many of the characters – particularly Cecily, Frances’ dim but kind friend, and Betty, a plain but ultimately heroic girl often left on the sidelines – surprised us as the book went on, showing more depth to their characters in a way that made them extremely likeable. Even the prickly Jane was hard to dislike, and the love interest, Mr Hawksley, really came into his own in the second half of the book. The dynamics between the friends felt very true to life, and it was a joy to be a fly on the wall for their shenanigans!

As much fun as this book is, it did have some much darker moments and themes than I expected. (If you’re considering reading this book, I would recommend checking the content warnings on StoryGraph and the author’s website; be aware that this book contains sexual assault). The different tones and themes needed were perfectly balanced, and although some of the characters do go through some traumatic events, the story was still about the characters themselves, their own strength, and how they coped with what happened to them. Croucher was able to portray very well, through the unworldly eyes of Georgiana, a character slowly dealing with and coming to terms with her trauma.

I haven’t read many regency romance books, but I’ve read enough to know that they are obsessed – and I mean, obsessed – with propriety and scandal, especially for an era that was much less morally conservative than the later Victorian era. It was a pleasant change to read a modern regency book that featured very few spinster aunts clutching at pearls, and scandalous behaviour that we with our modern eyes can also disapprove of, not just fabricated scandals about necklines and chaperones. It was also great to see a diverse group of characters in historical fiction done in a historically accurate way. Two of the characters are mixed-race, both of them with aristocratic fathers who married women they met abroad. There were also some queer characters who in their own ways have to deal with their queerness in a society that has no space for them. Importantly, though, none of these things were the most interesting part of any of the characters. They all felt well-rounded and real, just like any other group of young people set loose in the world for the first time.

This book was like no other. It was a breath of fresh air to read, and is hopefully the first of many wonderful novels from Lex Croucher. A special shout-out to Bessie Carter as well, for a fantastic audiobook narration.

Content Warnings

writtenontheflyleaves's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Reputation by Lex Croucher 🍷
🌟🌟🌟🌟
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🕯The plot: Georgiana Ellers’ dull stay with her aunt and uncle livens up considerably when she meets the rich and rambunctious Frances Campbell at a party. Falling in with Frances and her coterie of equally privileged friends gives Georgiana a glimpse of a charmed existence, drinking and revelling into the early hours. But there are risks attached for a girl of little means like herself, and even for Frances dangers lurk behind the glittering facade. Can Georgiana survive the summer with her reputation intact?
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I’ve been a big fan of @lexcanroar since their YouTube days so I’ve been looking forward to reading this for a long time! I flew through it in just over a day and enjoyed it immensely. Georgiana felt very real to me; she was funny and well-meaning but also naive and a little selfish at times. This made the key dramas of the novel much more thorny and believable because she didn’t behave perfectly - the lessons she learns throughout the book were well-earned, as was her romance with Thomas. Their correspondence made me laugh a lot, and I loved him as a character!
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There are some dark themes dealt with here, chiefly sexual assault and rape, and I thought these were well-handled. The reactions of the characters to the events of the novel chimed with my experiences of how these issues often play out in real life, and though there were some classic Regency romance Big Moments, I found it easy to be swept along with them. Also as a side note I adored Betty. She deserves the world!!
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🎩 Read it if you liked Bridgerton the show (I can’t speak to the book!), witty repartee and historical fiction with a sense of humour. If you have a holiday coming up and are looking for a fun read to jump into and not surface til you’re finished, this could be it!
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🚫 Avoid it if you’re avoiding stories about rape and sexual assault, or don’t like to read about heavy drinking. Also if you’re looking for more of a steamy/ sexual romance - there are Bridgerton vibes here and a lot of sexual tension, but don’t go in expecting Bridgerton-style sex scenes!

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enyaceleste's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was everything I wanted it to be and MORE. The hype for this book was real and Lex Croucher delivered. It felt lighthearted and incredibly funny while discussing heavier themes such as racism and sexual abuse. I cannot wait to read more books by this author. Reputation was easily my most favorite book I've read so far this year.

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han2709's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

As described, bridgerton meets fleabag. It is more fleabag than bridgerton and just didn't ring true for me. It was witty but the attitudes were two modern and that made the plot unrealistic. Yes, it was nice to see women in a historical novel with some spirit but it just wasnt for me personally.

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questingnotcoasting's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was one of my favourite books of 2021 and I've been thinking about rereading it for a while. It's a fun story but also covers some deeper themes. The characters aren't always likeable but they're complex and interesting and in particular I like seeing Georgiana's development. It's exactly my sense of humour and the references to Mean Girls and Jane Austen's novels are so clever.

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