A review by afarinfallahi
Reputation by Lex Croucher

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is not the genre of book I would usually go for (romance just isn’t my thing, and I feel like I was the only woman on the planet who just couldn’t get into Bridgerton) so I approached this with a combination of curiosity and trepidation. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that I thoroughly enjoyed it and could not put it down. 

I think it’s a testament to Lex Croucher’s writing that I found myself rooting for such a flawed main character (and her very swoon-worthy love interest!), and despite the fact that the book uses quite a few predictable romcom tropes throughout, it felt like a refreshing, funny, clever take on the genre. 

I also really appreciated the feminist retelling of some of the conflicts that happened throughout the novel, as well as the (albeit brief) mentions of British history that didn’t try to sugar-coat the role the British Empire played in colonialism and the slave trade. 

The fact that this book is marketed as a Regency-era Mean Girls - while very accurate in some respects - does it a bit of a disservice, in my opinion, as it goes much deeper than your typical Jane Austen-inspired romance novel or teen movie. I’m really looking forward to seeing what Lex Croucher comes up with next. 
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