Reputation: ‘If Bridgerton and Fleabag had a book baby’ Sarra Manning, perfect for fans of 'Mean Girls'

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Since we are all merged in this huge human web we call society, what we do, may eventually, affect others in the most unpredictable harmful ways… The analysis of class was particularly well done, something that often goes under-examined in novels of the regency that focus on the middle and upper classes. Georgiana is of a lower class than many of the other characters in the novel, and through her eyes we are able to see both her fascination with the more exciting parts, and disgust at the uglier parts, of the behaviour of the rich and powerful. Okayyyy not as bad as I was expecting! Overall I think I liked the story but I also think I didn’t for a good portion of the book. If that makes any sense (we all know it doesn’t).

I found the writing to be good - it's reasonably well written and fast paced, and had me engaged throughout. However, I did struggle to place this in terms of age range. It reads very YA, yet the subject matters that are dealt with are quite mature. We have sexual and domestic assaults, and drug and alcohol abuse involving individuals in their early 20s. It's very Mean Girls goes to regency Britain with modern language and swearing (even going so far as to use a well known Mean Girls quote as a chapter opening) and is completely historically inaccurate to the extent that at times I forgot this was suppose to be a historical romance. There's little mention of the time period itself beyond vague mentions of the French, King George and riding about in carriages.The storyline throughout is so cute and I sobbed a lot. But in classic Lex style, I was laughing throughout! All of the other characters, particularly everyone that worked in the house just hold such a special place in my heart and I could give each an essay on why I love them so. The sexual assault storyline was well handled and served to demonstrate the patriarchal society they were trapped in, which was even worse then than it is now. I loved Georgiana's aunt and uncle rallying around her and proving how much they love her, I LOVED Thomas and his father standing by her and I also really liked that Frances softened a bit after Georgiana saved her, but still remained perfectly Frances and quite mean. You know, do all the stupid “important” things pre-adult girls are expected to do before (hopefully) growing older and wiser?! It’s a little under a year since I read @Lex’s first book and, honestly? They just keep getting better. Compulsively readable, hysterically funny, and touchingly relatable casting genuinely human characters who are clearly more than a little Neurodiverse chafing against the stifling manners of regency England. Daphne and the Duke will be passing the Bonkerton baton to Lord Anthony Bridgerton for Season 2, which follows the second book in the series The Viscount Who Loved Me, and let’s just say a scandalous love triangle is afoot in the Ton.

Though it's likely unintentional, Reputation stands to profit from the wave of excitement generated by Bridgerton earlier this year, incorporating atypically racy elements into a typically conservative genre. What Reputation does better than Bridgerton, however, is romantic tension. My main gripe with Bridgerton was that it failed to understand that one of the most enthralling parts of the Regency romance is withholding gratification, especially when it comes to the main romantic arc- what is sexier than the Matthew MacFadyen hand flex, or the dance scene between Anya Taylor-Joy and Johnny Flynn in Autumn de Wilde's Emma? Croucher, on the other hand, gets this spot on, bringing in the reserved Mr Hawksley, who stands out for being far more level-headed than almost all of Georgiana's new acquaintances. Without revealing too much, Croucher paces the romance of this novel just right, ensuring both Hawksley and Georgiana are fully fleshed out, so their relationship never feels clunky or forced. Reputation is razor sharp, funny and I was totally hooked from the start. Definitely one for you if you screamed at the trailer for the Gossip Girl reboot."If Bridgerton and Sex Education had a book baby, it would be Reputation. A classic rom-com with a feminist Regency twist, the debut novel from Lex Croucher is this season’s incomparable diamond. Norse warriors were often burned on pyres with their boats, along with a great many of their personal effects. She had read about the custom in one of her uncle’s books, and had talked about it animatedly and at length earlier in the week at the Burtons’ dinner table while eating her potatoes. She was just getting to the part about wives and thralls following their masters into death when her aunt had slammed her hand down onto the table in an out-of-character display of force and cried, “Are you quite finished, Georgiana?”

Georgiana Ellers – George is the protagonist and third-person POV from which we take in the story. She is the daughter of an ex-teacher and of the middle class, and when the story begins, she has just taken up residence with her aunt and uncle—Mr and Mrs Burton—after her parents moved to the seaside. George is the Jenny Humphreys ( Gossip Girl) or Kady Heron ( Mean Girls) of the story. Thomas Hawksley– A friend of Jeremiah’s who seems more reserved and stays away from the trouble everyone else seems to get into.

8. Something Fabulous – Alexis J. Hall

Both romance and mystery fans will find their bookish match with Manda Collins’ quippy Victorian tale with a whodunit twist.