Good girl meets bad boy, college age romance. Rich “clone” Mackenzie meets hard-working “townie” Cooper. Mackenzie comes from a life where she is constantly trying to please the others around her, whether that be her parents, her boyfriend or the public. She lives a controlled and subdued life. What started as Cooper’s revenge plan, quickly starts to change into him falling fast for Mackenzie.

This book was just so cute! And everyone loves a tattooed, bad-boy character. I found myself routing for Mackenzie the whole time and was so happy to see her character arc. I loved the seaside setting and relatable age rage. It’s a light and fun read that I would definitely recommend for romance lovers!

This was just what i needed from a romance rn! I ate this up in one sitting and i loved the drama, the romance, and the inspiration to be a young girl boss🤩 I got this from netgalley and im so glad for it

I absolutely love Elle Kennedy’s writing style and this book is no exception. I will continue to read everything that she writes. I really hope this is the start of a new series!

This book was everything a girl who loves a small town romance would want. Miscommunication trope, head strong female characters, bad boys with tattoos, and small towns. This book leaves me wanting more from the Avalon Bay crew. I loved all the supporting characters and need more of them. Every single character has strong personality that makes them feel like they’re real. Copper and Mac have such a strong and fierce connection it makes me jealous. I wish I had my own personal tattooed boy who was obsessed with me **swoon**. I hope we can get more peaks at this couple in coming books!

4.5/5 ⭐️ The fact it took me literally two months to read this book was ridiculous but that’s only because of school. I loved these characters and Mac was great. It was just the right length, didn’t speed through anything, and left time for scenes that were important. Watching them fall in love was so cute and the scenery was fun to read about too. This was great!! I love this author alot!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Owning her own business, going to college. Having the perfect boyfriend. She seems to have it all.
Than you have cooper who is has always worked hard for everything he has, with dreams to do more. Having worked hard he resents the college kids in town for having stuff handed to them.
The banter and instant connection between Mack and Cooper had me hooked. Sparks fly and opposites attract.
A cute romance. A must read 💕

I thought this was going to be a She’s All That situation, but it quickly evolved into something else, something much deeper and more satisfying. The rich girl/poor guy, good girl/bad boy tropes are usually not my thing, but I found myself reading this book in one sitting. I have never read anything else by Elle Kennedy before, and this book has me intrigued to check out others by her.

The plot:
When local bad boy Cooper Hartley gets in a fight with rich-kid Preston, he decides to get revenge on him by making Preston’s good girl girlfriend to fall in love with him. Yeah, it’s pretty impossible to write a summary for this story without making it sound terrible.

What I liked:
I always appreciate a dual POV, but I actually wonder if this one might have been stronger as a single-person narrative. I also really liked the twin brother characters, both were fairly well developed and unique - and there was definitely enough to keep me invested in Evan’s story.

What I didn't like:
The ending was entirely too abrupt and the book really needed an epilogue.

Conclusion:
I’m still not entirely sure why I liked this book as much as I did, but it was fun to read. If my local libraries have any of her other books, I’ll be checking those out as well.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

4.25/5⭐️ I loved this book! I couldn't put it down, I read it so quickly.

Mackenzie comes from a wealthy background. She is the good girl who always does what her parents want her to do and does what she can to keep them happy, even when it's something she doesn't want to do. She meets Cooper, the local bad boy in the town where she's going to college. Cooper hates the trust-fund kids that come and go from his town, but he quickly finds out that Mackenzie isn't like the rest of them.

This was such a cute and fun read! I loved the two main characters, it also had some great side characters. Mackenzie and Cooper had amazing chemistry and there were a few great steamy scenes. Cooper was the perfect love interest, hot, funny, charismatic, with a traumatic past and a super hot bad boy persona. This was my first Elle Kennedy read and it's definitely made me want to read more. Overall, I really loved this book and would recommend it to any romance reader.

New Elle Kennedy? Yes please!

This is the classic good (rich) girl meets bad (broke) boy trope and I loved every second of it. Mackenzie and Cooper were brought together under questionable circumstances and at first glance are total opposites but find that they might just be what each other needs in life. One problem, Mackenzie is deeply committed to her long term boyfriend Preston. Is a safe, easy, planned out (albeit dull and controlled) life what she wants or a spontaneous, wild, free and happy the life for her?

Loved the characters in this book, Cooper and Mackenzie had great chemistry. I may or may not have a literary crush on Cooper. I have lots of questions from the end of this book - would love to see a sequel! This is a quick and easy read that you could easily devour in one sitting. The perfect feel good book for the new year!

This was my first Elle Kennedy book and it was such an enjoyable read! To be honest I didn't think too deeply into the story as I was reading it - the one thing that did annoy me was that from page 1 you know there's going to be a horrible miscommunication/conflict, and it happens basically 10 pages from the end so it did all wrap up relatively quickly.

However, the romance was very sweet and I actually really loved Mac, the main character. She was different and cool, but not in a 'not like other girls' kind of way.

I am really interested to see who the next book is about - I'm particularly really interested in Steph or Evan!!

Perfect summer romance book! Lovable good girl and the bad boy from town, set in a cute small town during summer. So excited to have recieved this ARC from net galley. Pick this up for a fun, beach read.

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
Tags: Contemporary Romance; New Adult Romance; College Romance; Small Town Romance; Beach Town Romance

Cooper is a local boy to the small beachside Avalon Bay, a town dependent on, yet resentful of the tourist / rich folk crowds they depend on. When a run in with a rich, college frat boy leaves Cooper down a job, he’s riled and ready for some revenge. Cue the arrival of said rich-frat boy’s longtime girlfriend to the area as a new student. Cooper and his friends hatch a plan for Cooper to seduce her away from her boyfriend, and break up with him as a means of revenge. What starts as a half-hearted plan, changes when Cooper meets and begins to fall for MacKenzie…

Elle Kennedy is honestly a go to author for me, and I loved her New Adult series Off Campus and Briar U. So when I saw she had a new NA book out (even though it wasn’t with my beloved hockey players) – I knew I had to read it. Elle doesn’t disappoint delivering a great world / setting that I wish I could visit, and a new set of interesting characters who I can only hope will spin off to have their own stories as part of a series.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Cooper and Mac – and I liked that it didn’t come together too easily. I loved how independent Mac was and that she was a bada** in her own right – I mean having her own tech business? Not like a side hustle, but legit? That was a really cool bit. Cooper gave me a bit of Garret vibes (for those who read her Off Campus books), and I loved him – so I was into it. I also really enjoyed Cooper’s twin Evan – and the seeing the relationship between the brothers (and the relationship that builds between Evan and Mac).

I read the entire book in a day. It was a fast, easy read and I look forward to (hopefully) more Avalon Bay in the future – (*fingers crossed* here’s hoping for an Evan or Steph book next).
Special thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy – all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Good GIrl Complex is a fun and flirty opposites attract romance. Elle Kennedy's main characters are young adults from opposite worlds. They arent' supposed to be together but they keep finding a way into each other's lives.

Mackenzie is a young woman who is about to start college. She has always lived a 'privileged' life but isn't the typical money-craving princess. She is tough, sassy, and a boss. At such a young age, she already has a successful internet business. Her parents don't really know about it and it's not because Mac hasn't tried to tell them about it. They want her to complete college and marry into another powerful and rich family. She is following the path as she is enrolled in college and her boyfriend Preston is already planning their future. When she meets a 'townie', Cooper, it only helps her realize that her planned life isn't for her.

Cooper is a hardworking, loyal young man. He has always had to work for everything. He and his brother Evan always look out for each other and that is a special bond that readers get to read about. Cooper is sexy and every girl notices. One night at work, Cooper meets Preston. Preston is arrogant and annoying giving off major eye roll vibes. So, Cooper decides to steal his girl just because he can. That leads to his interest in Mac. But that quickly changes when they start talking. Their attraction is undeniable so it was easy to root for them to be together.


I give Good Girl Complex 3 stars. Elle Kennedy is such a great author and I always enjoy her reads. However, I just couldn't really get into the story. I liked it but it took me a bit to finish the book. I think the characters are great I just felt like something is missing. The characters are okay, the chemistry is there, it just seemed like there were filler scenes that didn't push the story forward. Not my favorite by this author but I am still looking forward to reading more of her work.

Highly recommend this book! This was my first book to read by this author and I can't wait to read more! The characters and the story stay with you long after you finish the book. One of the best books I have read in a long time.

2.75/5

Let me preface this by saying I have read all of the BriarU series and the Off Campus series and I LOVED them. So needless to say that I was super excited to see that Elle Kennedy would be writing a NA romance!

This story just did not sit well with me, and it was not the story itself because Im all for the small town bad boy and the preppy rich girl love story - I mean Dirty Dancing is my favourite movie of all time. It was the characters that turned me off of this book.

Starting with Cooper, man did not just have a chip on his shoulder he had a whole ruffles bag and was really unfair to Mac in the comments he would make. Then there was Mac who would say one thing and do the complete opposite? If the characters were a little more likeable I would have liked this book a little more.

Despite that, this book still had touches of Elle Kennedy’s classic charm and relatable writing style that kept me reading the whole way through. I will definitely still keep reading her books because BriarU and Off Campus still have a place in my heart!

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Kennedy and St Martin's Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This was exactly what I needed right now to give some happiness and joy to stressful times. I loved the characters on this one and I tend to enjoy the challenges that get people together. I really enjoyed how different these two characters were from one another while still having some things in common, like stubbornness, that causes them to knock heads. I flew through this one and really enjoyed the small town, coastal vibes and the interesting ways that both ways that the main characters make their livings in the end.

This book wasn’t what I was expecting, but turned out great!!!! I loved the characters!!!!!!! Plus the writing style and dual pov was great!!!!!!! I love Elle Kennedy books and highly recommend The Deal! One of my favorites to this day!!!

~Good Girl Complex Review~
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3.5/5
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I love the off-campus series by elle kennedy so when i saw this one on Netgalley I knew I had to request it. I’ve heard really good things about this one and i’m excited to dive right in.
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Pros:
+i love dual perspective books
+dramatic irony!!!!!!
+cute dog. any book with cute animals instantly gets 10 extra bonus points
+love the “im gonna clean up your battle wounds” trope and the “im going to complain the whole time while you do it but secretly love the attention” trope
+the banter and tension ahaha
+bonnie!!
+drama
+the brotherly love
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Cons:
-i’m not super into the “i’m going to try to get you to like me because of a bet” trope
-i also hate hate hate cheating especially when the person doing it is a hypocrite who has stated “cheating is stupid.” like bestie what do you call what you are doing rn??
-men with anger issues
-using the term “wifey material”
-the “boohoo im rich and have problems just like you” trope
-STOP WITH THE MUTUAL PINING OMG THE MISCOMMUNICATION TROPE IS SO ANNOYING JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER
-why does there ALWAYS have to be girl on girl hate. seriously why
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i’m so conflicted on this book because while it was entertaining it was also SO annoying at times. the end was also very abrupt so idk if i fully am satisfied with it. i would recommend this if you like elle kennedy but it’s def not my fav!!

I have read a fair number of Elle Kennedy books and enjoyed the heck out of them. I love her skill at writing conversations. The banter and flirting and fighting are always fantastic. And she brings that skill to The Good Girl Complex, giving it a great rhythm and readability. But the overall story wasn’t my favorite and the characters were unlikable all around. The richie collegiates vs poor townies dynamic was too cliched for me and so on the nose it nearly hurt.

There’s a difference between taking a favored trope and bringing it to life with a new story and taking that trope and just creating a checklist. This story could literally be placed 10, 20, or 30 years ago, and with the exception of cell phone advancements, it would fit right in without an eye blink… because it’s been done and there was nothing inventive or new to make it stand out. It isn’t timeless, it’s tired.

Mostly, I’m disappointed. It’s not horribly written, so I experience just enough of the EK magic that I know exists, but it surrounds a plot and characters that didn’t work for me. The setting and setup hit you right away so you know exactly what you’re in for but it doesn’t deviate or go anywhere from there. So it wasn’t a total surprise… just a letdown.

Overall, I didn’t like spending time on it. The ending and reconciliation was too quick, contrived, and without the desired emotion. There are many others of the author’s work that I’d recommend. But not this one.

2.5 Stars
I forgot about the back and forth banality of these types of new adult romances. There wasn’t any fun banter (for me) and it’s simply drama of the push/pull angst variety. I love a little angst when it serves the story progression, but it was all too predictable and I wanted more from the characters.

I couldn't reason with some of the decisions the main characters were making. A few of those decisions completely contradict their characterization. Such as a supposedly successful entrepreneur/millionaire MacKenzie stays in a benign relationship, lacking love and passion to appease her parents and follow “their" plan. Don't even let me start about the legal paperwork Evan and Cooper's uncle present to them and which they immediately sign without knowing anything about the particulars. While the uncle is shown to be offering them a generous gesture, reading before signing should've been par for the course. Especially concerning Cooper's potentially successful furniture building business.

With all that drama throughout the story, I was amazed at how the ending seemed to wrap up quickly and simply. I’m not sure what I think of that when throughout the entire story, there were so many outside influences factoring in. Trust me, I get the irony when I complain about the college-age drama, but then also how it simply wrapped easily. There's no pleasing me, I guess.

On a positive note, I found it to be an easy read, even if I was occasionally shaking my head at the banality of these 20-somethings.