Infamous

A Novel

By: Lex Croucher

Narrated by: Ellie Kendrick

Named A Most Anticipated Romance of 2023 by Goodreads and Bookpage

"Croucher infuses this energetic Regency era friends-to-lovers sapphic romance with zany wit, joie de vivre, and a distinctive literary bent... Bookish readers who wish that Alcott’s Little Women were a bit more explicitly queer will lap this up."–Publishers Weekly

"Narrator Ellie Kendrick does an outstanding job portraying the time and place of this friends-to-lovers sapphic romance, set in the Regency era. Kendrick's evocative narration captures the drama and contrasts the diversity of the characters, along with their moods and personalities, with distinctive voices."–AudioFIle

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?

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2023 Lex Croucher (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Croucher’s novel is witty, well-written, and heartfelt and will intrigue those looking for writerly heroines and friends-to-lovers romance between women."–Library Journal

"Gleeful and unruly, Infamous brings Gen Z zeitgeist to some seriously hilarious Regency angst. Croucher is a rare talent, with a genius for hijinks, hot messes, irrepressible characters, and turns of phrase that will stick in your mind until the end of time. Eddie's coming-of-age arc shines with insights into the wild, worthwhile work it takes to find yourself, and find love."–Joanna Lowell, author of The Duke Undone

irritating

Honestly, I really liked the beginning of the book. It was clever and fun, but by the end, I was ready to pull my hair out. The lead character is too clueless, to the point of frustration. Eddy might be one of the most irritating characters I've read. the narration was good.

Not surprising

The main character was hard to root for. Along the whole story people are warning her to be careful and she doesn't heed anyone's warnings and is just oblivious to the world around her

Great story but a bit predictable

I really enjoyed the story and the narration but, at times, could definitely predict the plot. I thought the main character was a bit annoying at times, but I believe that was part of her development. Overall, it's a great listen, and I'd definitely recommend it in you're in the mood for something light.

Lovely & empowering story

I absolutely love period pieces, and this is now one of my favorites! The story is well thought out and it flows beautifully. It’s subtle but very intimate. I love it all!

intriguing

The story took me on an unpredictable journey. The story and characters were entertaining and I enjoyed the narrator’s accent.