Book Description

Twenty-two-year-old aspiring writer Edith (“Eddie”) Miller and her best friend Rose have always done everything together—from climbing trees and sneaking bottles of wine, to extensive kissing practice. But Rose has started talking about marriage, and Eddie is horrified. Why can’t they continue as they always have?

Then Eddie meets charming, renowned poet Nash Nicholson––a rival of Lord Byron, if he does say so himself––and he welcomes her into his world of eccentric artists and boundary-breaking visionaries. When Eddie receives an invitation to Nash’s crumbling Gothic estate in the countryside, promising inspiration (and time to finish her novel, a long-held dream), she eagerly agrees. But the pure hedonism and debauchery that ensues isn’t exactly what she had in mind, and Eddie soon finds herself torn between her complicated feelings for Rose and her equally complicated dynamic with Nash, whose increasingly bad behavior doesn’t match up to her vision for her literary hero.

Will Eddie be forced to choose between her friendship with Rose and her literary dreams––or will she be able to write her own happily ever after?

My Review

I thoroughly enjoyed Reputation, so I was thrilled about the opportunity to read this book, which takes place in the same Regency universe but features new characters.

Eddie has adored her best friend Rose since they were girls, and doesn’t understand why Rose wants to ruin everything they have by marrying boring old Albert. She’s thrilled to meet her literary icon Nash Nicholson, and even more thrilled when Nash invites her and Rose and Albert and various other eccentric personalities for an extended house party.

Without giving too much away, things are not as Eddie expected and over the course of this extended stay, friendships are tested and boundaries are crossed and Eddie realizes that there is a vast difference between idealistic and realistic.

This book had me hooked from the beginning. Basically, you have two complete fools who are too dense to realize that the other friend is in love with them. Yes, despite the “kissing practice”, neither thinks the other is serious about her adoration. It’s just practice, after all, not anything serious. But watching them stumble toward their Happily Ever After is simply delightful.

I would absolutely recommend Infamous. You don’t have to start with Reputation, but you really ought to read it as well, because it’s just as wonderful. As much as I loved Reputation—and I did, 12/10 would def recommend—I think I love Infamous a smidge more. I already have a paperback copy, and I’m going to be adding the Audible edition as soon as my credits roll over. I am already looking forward to Croucher’s next book!

I received a digital copy of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley