Squee! I absolutely loved this book. Good girl meets townie bad guy and I could not put it down. The chemistry between Mac and Cooper was phenomenal. I have read other novels by this author in the past that were similar and she continues not to disappoint. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt but it was a fantastic read for me!

Elle Kennedy is arguably the new adult queen- she so brilliantly captures the angst and complexity of growing up and falling in love for the first time, and pairs that universality with unique and complicated emotional situations in a way that just sings to my soul. So, I was incredibly excited to dive into Good Girl Complex with its bad boys, opposite worlds colliding, beach life vibes, juicy revenge-tinged plot, and addictive characters.

This is the story of local bartender Cooper, recently fired from his much needed job thanks to the rich playboy antics of the entitled Preston. Cooper is out to make Preston pay and what better way than to seduce and steal his darling girlfriend Mackenzie. The plot has a tried and true one- we all know the story. Working class badboy townie pursues local rich, popular girl he perceives as a stereotypical clone for all the wrong reasons but unexpectedly falls in love with her for all the right ones when he discovers she’s so much more than he expected. But the familiarity of the story doesn’t make it any less enjoyable- I gobbled this one right up. Cooper is a delicious badboy who softens so sweetly with Mac, and Mac is super lovable as a girl just trying to find a space, and partner, where she can be accepted for just who she is, to find her authentic self.

Preston of course turns out to be the loser we all knew he was, and of course, Cooper’s lies are going to come to bite him in the butt, but what a sweet and engaging journey to get there. Cooper and Mac have a charming and witty chemistry, and I love them not only falling in love but also becoming friends. Elle really brings all the great opposites attract energy. On the surface, they couldn’t be more different, but when it comes to the essence of who they each are, their souls are so similar. Their connection is really the start of the story, and I loved their love. It ended up being quite swoony. I wish we’d had an epilogue to swim around in the ending a bit more- though perhaps the final published one will. We also have some great side characters I really adored, and I’m all about this new world.

Good Girl Complex is a lot of sexy and juicy new adult fun- and certainly has that Elle Kenney addictive charm. Loved being able to dive into a whole new Elle Kennedy world.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3989425896
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1953589830

I had high expectations from this book. Ive read Kennedy’s past work and I know she excels at writing the grovelling trope. So I when I realized this book had the “it was a bet trope” I automatically expected a well executed grovelling trope. I shouldnt have. I was enjoying the book so much but then after a while it seemed like Kennedy was just dragging out the book. Events that should’ve occurred at the 75% marked, occurred around the 90-95% marked. This made the ending and Cooper’s actions seem rushed and insincere. I still recommend this book. However, if you’re expecting a redeemable male lead who knows how to apologize properly, this book is not the one.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I could not connect with this book, no matter how hard I tried. This story is a typical good girl/bad boy, opposites attracts trope that was extremely predictable. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, and did not like the premise of cheating and using a girl in a revenge plot to get back at a rich kid who can't survive without his father's money. It felt like I was reading an episode of Gossip Girl and it just didn't connect for me. One of the positive things that came out of this book was the banter back and forth between Mackenzie and Cooper, but other than that, it fell flat. If you like the opposites attract trope and don't mind a predictable plot, then you might enjoy this one.

I have been anticipating reading this book since reading the Off Campus series this past summer. What initially enticed me about this book was the forbidden romance. I didn’t really care for the “bet” plot or the cheating. Thought the MCs really did have that banter and chemistry that made this book worth reading.

3.5⭐️
Embarrassingly, this is my very first Elle Kennedy book and let me tell you, her writing does not disappoint! Such great flow and I buzzed right through this book with a combo of reading the physical book and listening on audio.

I really liked both of the main characters and while they are NA, the dialogue felt super mature. I enjoyed the beach setting and especially loved Mac’s independence.

My issues were with the plot - immediately the premise felt pretty problematic. Too much cheating and lying. While the writing was great, it didn’t sit well with me - which is definitely a personal preference. I definitely wanted an epilogue here - but I have a feeling that this may be the start of a series - so I’m still hopeful for an update!

Cooper is a townie. Mackenzie is a clone. The pair couldn't be more opposite, yet when a bet crosses their paths,
they can't seem stay away from each other. The only problem? Mackenzie has a boyfriend and Cooper is after her as a pawn in a revenge scheme. But where does revenge end and love begin?

Good Girl Complex gave me immediate Outer Banks vibes, with the townies always against rich kids from the other side of Avalon Bay. I loved the feeling of the small coastal town. This new adult romance had some steam and several open door scenes, but I loved the banter between Cooper and Mac. They both dished it out, but could also take it right back, which I love to see in relationships. Cooper has her number and knows how to push Mac's buttons, but she never backs down. While I'm not a huge fan of a revenge/girl is the target trope and did not care for the setup of the meeting, the couple grew on me throughout the book. Besides Cooper and Mac, I honestly didn't find any other redeeming characters; I hated both of their friend groups, plus both of their families.

this book was an elle kennedy classic! I absolutely adored mac and cooper and I got all the feels of a great opposites attract romance the I love. The good girl/bad boy trope will never get old and i can always count on elle to deliver! I cant wait for the next books in the series!!

This one hooked me from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down until it was finished. With that said, I did enjoy it and would recommend it overall.

I really enjoyed the story and the way we arrived at our unlikely romance. Mac and Cooper were an unlikely match that crossed both "class" standards and personality types. There was a little bit of steam (not too much), and a whole lot of anticipation to get there. Also, I am always happy when the comedy is brought to a romance novel. There are a couple of hilarious parts.

Dislikes, it felt like someone was apologizing the entire story. It started to get a bit annoying to me that the situations just kept happening where someone was needing to do so. Great things to be sorry for but seemed a bit extreme throughout the novel.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this early via E-ARC.

“She tastes like sugar and endless summer nights.”

another swoon worthy read by Elle Kennedy!

Good Girl Complex follows Mac (a rich girl who craves adventure and wants to break out of her families traditionally wealthy tendencies) and Cooper (a townie who enjoys adventures and taking risks but is also a hard worker at heart). If you are a fan of Outer Banks (aside from the mystery) you will LOVE this book!

It is set in a small town called Avalon Bay which I am already in love with. The characters in this are very lovable. My fav side characters were def Evan and Steph.

This is a such a cute new adult read. I love the arcs of both main characters but in particular Mac. Seeing her trust her instincts and take leaps to things she truly wanted was soo rewarding.

“Mac, you are a force to be reckoned with. You don’t take shit, you take names. Don’t forget that.”

I will admit, I didn’t LOVE the cheating trope in this. (It’s not a huge part of the book but it’s there.) and i felt like the ending was missing an epilogue (but let’s be honest, i always want an epilogue)

This was overall such a cute story! I enjoyed it and finished it in about a day and a half. I can’t wait to see what else Elle has in store for the characters of Avalon Bay!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you enjoyed and read Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus and Briar U series, you’ll like this too!

Good Girl Complex has a mix of light, fun moments, and tender emotions regarding social factors and difficult upbringing and family relationships. Elle Kennedy’s writing style is still similar to her previous works, which I find to my liking. The first half of the book sets us up to how Mac and Cooper met and see themselves becoming attracted to each other. It also introduces us to Cooper’s twin, Evan, and his friends that he considers family that I’m assuming will get their books too! I like the latter half of the book when Mac and Cooper’s relationship deepens and becomes more complicated as they work out their differences. You can’t help but root for them to succeed in their dreams, especially the Hartley twins. I’m happy I picked this up!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the eARC.

It’s a super sweet story. You have the classic rich girl/bad boy trope in a small town. Mac was a like-able heroine and I liked the friend group they had (Tate was probably my favorite! Hope to see him and Alana maybe!)
I do feel like the story could have been a bit less predictable. You were able to guess what would happen/how it would end.
Overall though, good book if you like cute reads and the rich girl/bad boy trope!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy of this novel. I really liked this romance. I think if Avalon Bay is a series, I might even like it more than Kennedy's hockey novels. My one qualm was that Mackenzie was a little irritating because of how ridiculously naive she was throughout the novel. However, I would definitely recommend this book to a romance fan.

My overall take on this book is that I just felt really old reading it?? Mackenzie is what? 19? And Cooper is probably a couple of years older. At the best of times they act their age, at the worst of times they act like they're in high school. So a lot of the time I would get frustrated with the choices they made but then I'd be like "well they are so young and these are mistakes young people would make." Long story short, I felt like a grandma reading this lol.

My major pros for this book were I loved how easy it reads and I loved the couple's chemistry. It was pretty clear to me Mackenzie and Cooper suited each other. Also, the banter was great!

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: cheating, toxic relationship with parents, death of parent due to drunk driving (past, off-page), parental abandonment, misogyny, sexism

While I enjoyed the small town beach setting and hope that there is a trend of NA being a category fully, I couldn't connect with this one. I struggle with red herring trope books as well as cheating and that is unfortunately the main crux of this book with some deception thrown in. It made it difficult to buy into the relationship. This book really centered on heteronormative gender stereotypes and in 2022 I would want more from a book.

Steam: 3

3.5 Stars (I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

My first time reading Elle Kennedy which I enjoyed and was easy enough to read in a couple sittings. I realized that I really like the name Mackenzie as a girls name and Preston will always be associated with a rich entitled douchebag. This gave me slightly early 2000's - 2010 with a small town vibe with the division between the locals and tourists/university students. I like Mac but I did get frustrated with her back and forth of fitting into her family's mold and being her own person. Like she has her own businesses and has made her own money. Cooper is a bit of an macho meat head but not horrible. Their chemistry is great but both their friends/family are kind of assholes, there is a dog involved that is adorable. This review is all over the place but you kind of have to read it to understand. Hopefully we get another book with Mac's college roommate

This is a wonderful classic of the rich kids who feel money buys them everything and the town people who they walk all over. Cooper Hartley was having a bad day and he paid for it. Fired from a part-time job for defending a waitress. He is itching for revenge and so the group of them set their plan in motion. Mackenzie (Mac) Cabot has reported into college. In her gap year she started a business and has people in place to run it. She is bored but her roommate is a hoot. Off they go for some fun and meet the Hartley twins. Mac for the first time feels like herself. Not trying to please anyone. It seems Coop thinks she is playing a game. The back and forth between them is hilarious and sexy. The plan they hatched, no one wants to exact revenge. Mac is a down to earth person. The truth always comes out. She told her parents off. Now she is settling in to her next project. Can she live in the same town with Coop? The whole group wants them back together. Only Mac can decide.

Wonderful book!

This was a light and fluffy read with minimal smut. It also had a fairly predictable plot (if that’s something you enjoy). I enjoyed parts of this book, but had mixed feelings overall.

I liked Cooper, as he was more well-developed and empathetic than Mackenzie, but hated the infidelity plot. Mackenzie had potential, but was simply annoying. I also felt as though there were subplots that were started, but never finished.

This is a simple read and there is nothing majorly wrong with it, but will personally not be a reread.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this ARC!

A classic good little rich girl meets a boy from the “wrong side of the tracks,” and the two fall in love once the boy convinces the girl to let go of her inhibitions and become the person she’s always wanted to be.

While a quick and mostly fluffy read, I found this book a little more difficult to get through because of its treatment of Mackenzie, the main heroine. Following a plot that I found misogynistic and with a premise that is overdone, I couldn’t lose myself in this book the way I could with The Deal of The Score, the two Elle Kennedy books I prefer. If you’ve ever read After, the plot is reminiscent of the first book, and there are even the same stereotypical players: the good girl, the bad boy love interest, the bland high school boyfriend, girl friends who lie to the good girl, and the spurned ex-hook up. The misogynic premise of After transfers here as well, and I take the same issue with the original setup itself as well as the women who find it best to lie to another woman despite knowing the hurt they’re causing. The less than savory premise is what I can’t get past. We’ve seen the tired trope of a boy being initially interested in a girl for the wrong reasons so many times, and I think it’s time we leave that trope in the early 2000’s where it belongs. We shouldn’t be sending a message that such deception is romantic or that taking advantage of a woman’s emotions for personal gain is somehow okay.

As for what I enjoyed, I appreciated Mackenzie’s character for what she was--sure, she had the classic pitfalls of a rich girl who isn’t exposed to the real world and a penchant to throw money at all of her problems. Aside from Mackenzie’s privileged background (and honestly her lack of acknowledgement of her privilege), I found her character to be refreshingly independent. At no point did I feel that Mackenzie was dependent on Cooper, and I appreciate the storylines about running her businesses (which I would have appreciated more of). At the end of the day, while I believe that Mackenzie has much more learning to do, she was good at sticking up for herself and what she believed.

All in all, while I find some enjoyable aspects of the main heroine, I find it difficult to get behind its problematic and tired main plotline.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s, and Ms. Kennedy for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

<i>The Deal</i> by Elle Kennedy is one of my top 3 comfort re-reads. Despite it’s main character’s OTT asshattery, Garrett and Hannah’s relationship never fails to put me in a warm fuzzy headspace.

Unfortunately <i>Good Girl Complex,</i> while exhibiting all Ms. Kennedy’s compulsively readable prose, dialogue and characterization, was no <i>Deal</i>. (It’s a high bar, I know.)

I had a lot of difficulty accepting the basic premise. I just don’t think I can fully get on board with a character who wants to get revenge on person A by destroying person B. This is oblique, I get it, so let me be clear: I’m not sure how wrecking Mackenzie (an innocent person)’s life, is going to truly get revenge on Preston, whom it was obvious from the beginning probably wouldn’t particularly care. I just don’t think that Cooper or ANY of his friends could fully recover from that, for me. Hot body or no, that’s just something I couldn’t really forgive.

Frankly, I really admired Mackenzie, and the way she pursued her goals and dreams and built her business, and I thought she deserved better.

I also thought the ending felt a little rushed and unfulfilled. There wasn’t enough followup with Mac’s parents, or with her hotel project, or even with Cooper. Definitely a HFN ending.

As compelling as the chemistry between Mac and Cooper was, and it SURE WAS, don’t get me wrong, the bad beginning left a bitter taste in my mouth that I just couldn’t shake.