This book was just as good as the first! I could not put it down for one second. I was hella engrossed in it! Everything was just so perfect.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.

I went into this with high hopes, but sadly it wasn't what I was hoping for.

I struggled to warm to most of the characters ( I did like Rose however).

I also predicted a lot of the major things in the book way before they happened.

What I was hoping to be an enjoyable read, ended up being a bit of a chore.

Being obsessed with Pride and Prejudice and a massive fan of Fleabag, I knew I would like Reputation so that was no surprise. When I saw Infamous on NetGalley I knew I had to have it and let me tell you: Lex Croucher outdid herself. Infamous is IMHO even better than her debut novel. The author cleverly tells a story about love and friendship in a contemporary way without ever feeling out of place for the regency era, the characters are bright and relatable and I so wish I could be part of their group. It is as funny as it is sweet and I highly recommend it.

🌿BOOK REVIEW🌿

Infamous by Lex Croucher

Eddie and her best friend Rose have always done everything together, and Eddie doesn’t see why that should change now they are 22 and entering society as young women. Through Roses fiancé Albert (who Eddie doesn’t like), Eddie meets Nash, a poet who challenges every single social norm. Nash invites Eddie, Rose, Albert and some of his other long term friends on a holiday to his Gothic estate on an island to inspire these young artists.

Eddie gives such Benedict and Elouise from Bridgerton vibes, and I always wonder what the author thinks of these comparisons!

I was going to call this an easy summer read, but there are some darker scenes and some challenging themes covered so do be aware of that. Like Reputation, this book has the regal regency language blended with modern day stories so well that it flows easily. The character building in this book was done so well, and I loved our main women- Eddie and Rose.

I do wish we got a bit more of the romance and the aftermath of the events at the end of the book but that is just my opinion. I also wasn’t expecting the creepy nature of the book and reading this one before I went to sleep maybe wasn’t the best idea, but not everyone is as big a scary-cat!

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

⚠️CW// drug use, sexual assault, toxic relationship, racism, death

I ended up DNFing the book mainly because of the main character Eddie and just how annoying she is. She is just insufferable and her use of all the characters was just awful and hurtful to read. She takes no accountability or care for her action.

It was really disappointing to read half of the book and there be very little mention of Kitty's culture which would have been interesting. Her forgiveness of Eddie is annoying too like no one holds this rich white MC accountable and perpetuates this notation she can get away with whatever she likes!

Overall the story felt lack luster and I just couldn't bring myself to continue reading cause I just didn't care about the relationship. It felt like they were trying to make a modern regency novel like the new persuasion film which was a flop in my opinion.

I just can’t get past how incredibly dense the heroine in this was and how much of the drama is dependent on her utter inability to behave like a sensible person. She’s clearly not a stupid person because she has managed to maintain her friendship with Kitty for years. And yet she just throws everything up in the air and away at the first sight of Nash and despite her hatred of society and parties immediately signs up for a house party with him. It sounded plausible in the blurb but when you’ve met Eddie it just… well. Let’s chalk it up as not for me, but if you’re after Byronic era Eloise and Penelope but with no Colin then this could work for you.

A great regency romp with excellent characters with an emphasis on friendship, creativity and differing ambitions.

Eddie Miller is an aspiring writer from a slightly chaotic family, and whilst her childhood best friend, Rose Li, has settled into life as a young Regency woman - parties and dancing and a future marriage - Eddie still can't understand why things have to change.

My favourite part of this book was the characters. Rose was my particular favourite - sensible but with a silly side and also just a good friend - but I also loved watching Eddie grow and develop, even if she could be somewhat frustrating at times. There were a few bits where it was obvious - as a reader - that she was making a mistake, but you could understand why she as a character was making that particular mistake. Similiarly, there were a few times Rose was talking perfect sense & Eddie wasn't listening and it was just arrrggghhh! But - for all I've just ranted - I did like Eddie as a character, and the frustrating moments gave her a chance to learn and grow.

I love a good friends-to-lovers storyline and this one was just *chef's kiss*

I also loved the exploration of sexuality and gender in this time period, in particular, Eddie's realisation that 'oh, this is an option!'.

Another element of the setting I really enjoyed was the depiction of life amongst the more creative, rebellious, 'debauched' set, as Eddie befriends a famous poet and his friends. Especially when they decamp to his country home - decrepit old houses are just interesting and atmospheric, I don't make the rules!

I also really liked the ending here - a real smile as you read it ending!

Overall, a great read that's perfect for someone looking for a Sapphic Regency story!

Short review: If your favourite Bridgerton siblings are Benedict and Eloise, you are going to love this book. It is about finding a family and finding yourself. Funny and un-putdownable. I adored it.

Long review:
Lex Croucher has done it again, even better than Reputation! Infamous follows Eddie and Rose, best friends, as they navigate becoming grown ups. Eddie rejects everything society expects of her - she doesn't want to use her manners, curl her hair prettily or marry. She wants to be a writer. Her and Rose have always been on the same page, so when Rose gets engaged, Eddie is shocked, and determined to convince her that there is so much more in the world than marriage.

Infamous is an absolute romp. Laugh-out-loud funny, heart-warming and addictive. It is chaotic, and although I guessed the ending, I was surprised by the path taken to get there. Honestly, if you loved Reputation, bring this up. But also if you didn't, pick this up! I am on a reading high now. God, I loved this so much.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lex Croucher and Bonnier Books UK for the e-arc. I did however leave reading this arc really late, so I have bought my own version as well.

I loved “Reputation”, Lex Croucher’s first book, so I was really looking forward to reading “Infamous”.

Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. As I read for character, I find it helps if I like one of the characters, and I’m afraid I didn’t. Eddie was immature, Rose I thought was a bit smug, and I’m happy to say that I disliked Nash intensely, even before his true colours were revealed.

Having said that, the above is a very personal opinion, and it may be that I’m just not the right reader. The ideas behind the book, female independence and the development of an artist are interesting, and I can see the book being popular with a young female readership.

For this reason I’m giving it 4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books for the opportunity to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the shifting dynamics between Eddie and Rose, and that Eddie’s sapphic realisation was a slowburn as that is the reality for many people. I did feel though, considering it is a romance book, that Eddie and Rose as Infamous went on didn’t spend a lot of time together. Despite the slow burn of certain elements, towards the end of the book everything became very rushed and certain events were fairly underwhelming after a lot of build-up. There was also a plot thread left hanging that felt pretty significant and I’m surprised that there was zero closure on that.

This is not the book if you want anything approaching historical accuracy as there were several anachronisms in the dialogue but it’s still a fun time, even if the amount of interaction isn’t exactly what I’d hope for in a romance. I went in hoping for a sapphic Regency romcom and Infamous didn’t fully live up to that expectation.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lex Croucher and the publisher for sending me an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Infamous is a gothic, coming-of-age sapphic book with Pride and Prejudice vibes and I absolutely adored it! The characters are all lovable, except for one person, but it made the plot more entertaining and wouldn't have been the same without them. I was rooting for Eddie and her love for writing throughout and her dynamic with Rose was fun to watch unravel.

The only thing I have to say is that the end seemed a bit rushed and confusing, but apart from that, I loved it. It's the first book I've read by Lex Croucher and I'll definitely be reading more.

I loved Lex Croucher's debut novel and I had high, high hopes for Infamous. And it certainly didn't let me down!

Much like Reputation, this book is a regency era novel that pulls inspiration from contemporary media. This time around we're being told this is akin to Booksmart. One of my favourite films!

So I was immediately ready to meet Eddie and Rose, best friends who are teetering around the edge of their feelings. Like most young, sapphic women there is that moment of "Oh this ISN'T how best friends behave?" when Eddie realises that she really is in love with Rose.

Yes, this is a queer friends to lovers novel and it warmed my cold heart.

A lot of the book takes place in a crumbling manor on a remote lake after Eddie is invited on a writing retreat to sleaze-ball Nash. Ew.

I love the representation, the joy, the silliness and the darker aspects of the novel.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It's a truth universally acknowledged that every girl who likes girls at one point in their lives has had a best friend who they are kind of in love with.

Childhood friends to lovers is one of my favourite tropes so to see it in a regency setting, with two women was absolutely incredible. Rose and Eddie's really felt like two very dynamic and real characters. Part of the reason for this is that they have amazing chemistry and banter but the other reason is the very open and honest discussions around sexuality and gender they have with each other.

Something that I really admire about Infamous (and Reputation - Lex Croucher's first regency novel) is the voice. The novel has such a strong, witty voice that genuinely reads like modern Jane Austen (but queer! and with more scandal!)

It's such a talent to be able to write in a regency voice and have it completely grounded in that period. There is SO much detail and real world references put into this novel it really breathes regency. We had references to Byron, the whigs and tory parties, and we were given a little Frankenstien as a treat.

I cannot recommend this book enough.

Described as “Bridgertons wild little sister” and perfect for Bridgerton fans , I was excited to request and read an advanced copy of Infamous by Lex Croucher. Prior to reading Infamous I decided to read Lex Croucher’s first regency romance, Reputation. This was mainly because with the similarities in design of the cover, I wanted to ensure there weren’t any crossover characters with stories that wouldn’t make sense without the first novel. However readers can be assured that the two novels are completely standalone and you can read which ever takes your fancy first, although I do recommend reading both.

Both Reputation and Infamous are light hearted, fun and easy to read. I found both novels are an interesting modern twist on regency romance and certainly not for the faint hearted with content including drug use, alcoholism and sexual assault. Whilst this was engaging and clearly important features for the progression of the storyline, I was uncertain how this would fit with the regency time period, would unmarried Eddie and Rose really have been allowed to spend months without chaperones away from society dabbling in drugs and alcohol?

That being said the writing is descriptive, witty and the story is a joy to read. I certainly preferred Reputation however would recommend both novels to LGBTQ and regency romance fans.

3 ⭐️ An enjoyable, but somewhat dark, LGBTQIA Regency Romance written for the 21st Century reader

Happy Release day to Infamous and thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books for an eARC in return for an honest review!✨

As with Lex Croucher’s previous book, Reputation, Infamous was a Regency Romance like no other. While the society as a whole and the ton are all too familiar for fans of the genre, many of the characters have more of a freedom to express themselves than you would normally see explored in a regency romance and there is also a darker edge to Croucher’s regency society that is often not depicted so explicitly in a romance book.

For me the inclusion of drugs and alcohol as well as the exploration of gender, race and sexual identity makes this feel more modern, or more specifically for a modern audience, than regency books I have read.

This book does have trigger warnings- as well as the above issues there is also attempted sexual coercion/questionable consent on multiple occasions.

I enjoyed this book but I wasn’t compelled to read and read until i’d finished it in one go. I didn’t gel with Eddie as a MC and found her incredibly frustrating and difficult to like. Nash was awful and I wanted to punch him so.many.times. Especially when my theories were confirmed. I also found there were a few questions that hadn’t felt like had been properly answered or clarified as much as I would have liked at the end.

Despite this it was a really interesting read, a great idea and had modern rom com elements amongst both a regency society and a gothic house setting which made it unique!

3.5 stars
This books did have some humour, particularly at the beginning, and especially with young Beatrice, she was a hoot! Oh dear, poor Eddie, she was so young and innocent and found out the hard way, what life could be like. Eddie lived for her writing and lived in her own bubble. She was
fascinated by her idol, the poet Nash, and hung on his every word. Nash did seem to be a charismatic man, with many followers but was that really who he was? Eddie also has a close relationship with her friend Rose Li. However, Rose is about to become married. There are a number of interesting secondary characters and although I enjoyed this book, I did find the pace quite slow and there was one event that wasn’t resolved. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love a happy ending. That moment of relief, followed by happiness when you realise that the second book is just as good as the first. Please tell me that Lex Croucher is going to keep writing these funny and heart-warming coming-of-age romances? I’m a bit addicted…
Rose and Eddie have been friends forever, but as they leave childhood behind things start to change between them. Rose starts to talk about marriage, but aspiring writer Eddie wants everything to stay the same. What will she do if Rose leaves her and she has no-one to listen to her stories?
It’s not ‘real history’, it isn’t pin-point accurate for the period, but that is not the point. Infamous is just joyfully itself. There will be Bridgerton comparisons, but ignore them. This is good in its own right.

When I first saw this on net gallery, I couldn't of requested to read this quicker. I have read lex first book reputation and I absolutely loved it so I was completely overjoyed to get accepted to read this ! All I can say is now that I have read this, is that I was not disappointed and it was such a great read !  
 
It explored a number of topics including womens roles in the early 19th century . I love how lex uses strong women characters in her book which use their own mind and have their own ideas what they want really want (other than to be married) Eddie really wanted her work to be publish and she was very determined for it to happen, unfortunately she is just too trusting and a bit naive, especially around this handsome married poet Nash.  
 
I loved how the story line was also focused lgbtq relationships during that point in history ( they had to be hidden) and I loved how Eddie was trying to work out for herself her sexuality due to a number of factors questioning it.  
 
It had me going through so many emotions including laughter, Joy, Anger but it was totally worth it.

Laugh-out-loud funny with some really emotional moments too - another fantastic novel from Lex Croucher!

We meet Eddie and Rose, best friends since childhood, who are beginning to come 'out' into society. Eddie dreams of becoming a writer and is shocked when she realises her dreams and Rose's plans dont seem to be matching up. After the girls come across famous poet Nash Nicholson at a party, they are drawn into a world very different to the one in which they grew up. Relationships of all kinds are tested as the girls navigate young adulthood and Eddie reassess what she really wants from life.

Really recommend this book for fans of Bridgerton - or anyone who wants to have a laugh while also getting to know some fantastic characters!

Thank you to Bonnier Books Ltd and Netgalley for the e-ARC and the chance to review this brilliant novel!

Infamous by Lex Croucher is a beautiful historical LGBTQ+ romance that captivated me with strong writing, great characters and an engaging storyline.
Edith "Eddie" Miller and Rose Li have been best friends since childhood, but as young women now out in society it seems like they are starting to grow apart. Rose seems keen to marry and has settled on a suitable if rather dull man who meets her family's approval. Eddie could not imagine any worse fate, instead of settling down she dreams of becoming a writer so when she meets one of her idols. poet Nash Nicholson and he seems keenly interested in her work she is on cloud nine. The fact that she finds him incredibly attractive doesn't hurt either, even though she knows he is a married man. When he invites her to visit his crumbling gothic estate , along with Rose and her fiance and some other friends , telling her it would be the ideal place to work on her novel , she excitedly agrees. Once there she gets a glimpse of his hedonistic lifestyle and tempestuous marriage, and begins to question how well she truly knows him and what will bring her true happiness in the future.
Eddie is a great character to hang a book on, she is determined and strong willed, almost to the point of being stubborn, but is also naive and at times I found myself wanting to shake some sense into her. Nash is deceptively charming but certainly has a darker side that the reader is more aware of than Eddie is. Though he is described in the book as a rival to Byron, I felt while reading that the character of Nash could have been based on Byron and there could even be some parallels to Byron's relationship with Mary Shelley in the dynamic between Nash and Eddie. I loved the friendship between Rose and Eddie, and seeing it develop over the course of the book was a real pleasure. The writing is descriptive and evocative of time and place but still feels fresh , and there was a thread of humour throughout that I really enjoyed.
I went into this book not really knowing what to expect, but it turns out that it was a real treat and one that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical or LGBTQ+ fiction.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.