This book was cute and such a fun read. I was very drawn to not only the good girl/bad boy trope from the start but also the contract of these two very different people from two very different worlds and how they navigate their feelings for each other. Mac and Cooper had the perfect amount of banter and tension and intensity and I was completely captivated while I was reading!

Such an amazing sweet book. I would highly recommend this to anyone. It’s clean, no sex scenes but still had a hotness to it!! Those kisses, sigh!! Couldn’t put this book down. If you love romance read this book ASAP!!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this e-arc.

I devoured this one in a day, I absolutely loved it.
It had some fun tropes in it such as bad boy/good girl and poor boy/rich girl. I thought all the characters were pretty well developed and likeable, except the ex-boyfriend of course. It was interesting to read the dynamic of the two main characters and the different backgrounds they came from, only to see how similar they really are.

I was hoping for maybe an epilogue with the future of the main characters. I ended up pretty invested in the hotel remodel, I’m not even gonna lie. But I was pretty happy with how the story ended for those two.

Good Girl Complex is a fun and steamy summer romance that I just couldn’t put down. It’s my first Elle Kennedy book and probably not my last. I enjoyed the writing, the plot, and all the characters.

What a great read. I so want a Cooper in my life. Some of the scenes were ohhhh so satisfying. I loved all the aspects to this book. It was empowering on both sides from each character. I would recommend this book to anyone that needs a good romance in a beach town.

(2.5) Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC!! I was super excited to read something of Kennedy's that wasn't set at Briar University. However, this was just a PG-13 version of the same story. This type of writing hits when you're seeking a cheesy read with a set plot, but it's not anything spectacular.

I read this in a day if that tells you anything about how good this book is. Also the fact that it's Elle Kennedy and anything she writes I'm likely to pick up and read cover to cover in one day also should tell you just how much I enjoy her writing and her books.

Sweet college freshman woman who comes from a wealthy family only at college to obtain her "MRS" degree per the request of her parents. Never mind the fact she has found success outside of them, they have an image they want to be protected and presented to the world, and Mac the ever dutiful daughter gives into their wishes, even if it's not the life of path she would have chosen for herself.

Rough, tough, and resident bad boy Cooper comes from the wrong side of the tracks. A local who dislikes everything that Mac and the world she comes from represents. Working as a bartender slinging drinks to the students of Garnet College has an altercation with Preston (Mac's current boyfriend) and ends up on the receiving end of the privilege that coming from money brings. Putting into motion the events of the book.

My one drawback of the novel and the plot is that when the other shoe drops, like it, always does, it was in the last couple chapters of the book. Which meant the resolution felt a bit rushed but didn't stop me from loving every second of the book. I can't wait for more and know that the Avalon Bay series may just be on its way to topping the Off-Campus series in my list of favorites.

Genre: romance
Pub date: Feb 1, 2022
In one sentence: Mackenzie may be a good girl, but that doesn't mean she's immune to the charms of bad boy Cooper.

Do not make the same mistake I did: this is not a YA romance. Yes, it may be about college-age characters and have a cute illustrated cover, but this book is spicy! I liked Mac a lot, and I related to her desire to get away from her controlling family and make her own path. Her opposites attract vibe with Cooper intrigued me, and I appreciated that Kennedy included their class differences in the story.

This ended up being more of a 3 star read for me because it felt a little over the top - the villain was a caricature and the sex scenes seemed like too much/out of place in the story. I also didn't like the cheating storylines and the reasons that Cooper initially pursued Mac. I think others will like this romance - but it just didn't give me the warm and fuzzies I was looking for.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have enjoyed previous Elle Kennedy books as I have read the Off-Campus series recently, but this book was not my favorite. I loved the new type of cover that she used for Good Girl Complex, it was one of the main reasons that it caught my attention! There was great chemistry between the main characters, Mackenzie and Cooper, but it took me a while to try to get through it. There were times where the character's thoughts and opinions about women kind of made me upset and uncomfortable as a women myself. Although, I am open to attempting to read it again in the future. I am sure that as the series continues, it will be a great journey with characters, relationships, and friendships.

An absolutely sweet and engaging read, I blew through this one in just a few hours because I couldn't put it down! With relatable characters that pull you in and a whole host of realistic antics, this one is authentic AND steamy. I loved so much about this book: the variety of characters and how they interacted with their families and friends, the town where it takes place, the spicy relationship. Lighthearted without being shallow- a perfect book to read either on the beach on cuddled on the sofa!

Elle Kennedy’s one of my favorite authors. I love her Off-Campus series, and was looking forward to The Good Girl Complex as well. Well let me tell you, I was not let down!

Honestly, if you’re looking for a well written comedic romance, then Elle is your girl! I can always count on her books to lift me out of a reading slump, which has been happening a lot lately. There were some really funny scenes and some serious ones as well. I really enjoyed reading about Mac’s growth in this book. Growing up with money, she always thought it could right every wrong. But Mac quickly learns that’s not a viable solution when Cooper enters the picture. Their banter and playfulness kept me intrigued in this book. I look forward to the next one in this new series! (Hopefully there are more to come)

Good Girl Complex is a fun and steamy summer romance that dives into socioeconomic differences, independence, and parental and societal expectations.

Elle Kennedy is one of my auto-buy authors, so I’m incredibly grateful to have been approved for the ARC. I didn’t read the synopsis before requesting, so I was pleasantly surprised by the contents of the novel.

Good Girl Complex follows Mackenzie as she begins her first year of university despite already owning her own internet business. Once in the small beachside town, she meets Cooper who upon first appearance looks like your typical tattooed bad boy, but there something below the tough exterior. Not all is as it seems as these two, who are from very different worlds, collide.

What I enjoyed most was watching Mackenzie and Cooper fight their attraction to each other. The angst between the characters was palpable and fire hot as they tried to reconcile their growing feelings and the fact that they come from very different backgrounds. Though Good Girl Complex is not as steamy as some of Kennedy’s self-published work, it does offer a handful of very well written scenes that had me reaching for a glass of cold water.

Though Mackenzie came off as aloof sometimes, her character growth was a pleasure to read as she became more self-aware. I also enjoyed Mackenzie’s struggle with her parents, though I am happy that it was a very minor subplot.

As mentioned previously, Cooper is your typical tattooed bad boy; however, below the surface Kennedy revealed a lot of insecurities that became integral to the plot and his budding relationship with Mackenzie.

Overall, Good Girl Complex is a fun and steamy summer romance that offers more than just a cheap fling between the characters.

Elle Kennedy knows how to write a book that is HOTTT. This is my first of her books, and I’m a total convert. The banter is spot on, and it is very steamy.

Mackenzie and Cooper are brought together by the fact that Cooper wants revenge on her boyfriend, with intent to steal his girl. I love the dynamic of the goody-goody rich girl and the bad boy (who is secretly a softie). I’m glad Mackenzie is so down to earth- she surprised Cooper and myself.

I devoured this book! I was a little worried in the first few chapters that this had too much of an Anna Todd feel, but that went away as I continued to read. I enjoyed the characters and story development. 4/5 stars

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy is a steamy romance between two twenty-somethings. Set in a coastal town, the setting is like another character in the ook, providing plenty of detail to the storyline.
With frequent sex scenes, mild violence and adult issues, this book isn't for the YA set. The quick moving plot line is what saves this book from becoming just an excuse to read a mildly exotic love story. The story line is good and does propel the story along without ever going off the rails. It would've been easy to get sidetracked on one of the characters backstories, but the author has a streamlined style that provides enough detail to feel invested, but not enough to feel weary.
Definitely a good read unless you don't enjoy beach novels, sex or happy endings.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book drew me in from the first chapter! I really related to the characters, and the writing was spectacular. I got the same feel that I did whilst reading “Malibu Rising” from TJR, which is high praise! I read this story start to finish in one afternoon and as always, books I finish in one day automatically get 5 stars! I was also super excited to see that this author has manyyyyy books already published, so I am excited to pick a series by her and dive in to new storylines!

This was a quick read. I thought it was a little predictable, but I was rooting for the main characters to stick it out. Both the ex and the parents were jerks, and I was glad that she kicked them to the curb.

DNF: 35%
I requested this book because two reasons; The blur seemed interesting and it was written by the same author of the Off-campus series and Briar U series, so yes, I thought it was going to be a good read, however, in nutshell this book is just no good.

Let's start with the two main characters, they weren't likeable at all. There was no connection between them or the reader, and honestly, I didn't care for what would happen to them. It's painful to say it, but they both were TSTL

Then, there are the different tropes in the story, I had a problem with all of them, besides I feel that some sensitive issues weren't handled properly, like overseeing the practical assault on a girl and instead of addressing the situation, the guy who was defending her got fired. So, nope,

Also, we have the cheating part, The bad guy cheated which was wrong but the protagonist did too, and is that okay? No, it's not. it's even worse. We can't justify a wrong action for revenge, That is childish and beyond idiotic. In simple words, cheating is never ever okay.

I'm so disappointed with how this book was written, the plot and every character in the story, that I don't think I will read any of the next books in the series.

I received an ARC from St. Martin's press through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. And I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Elle Kennedy has written one of the most realistic couples I've ever read. Cooper and Mackenzie bicker, they lie  they are not perfect people. But that made me connect with them more. Because they were good at heart and their chemistry was fire.
MacKenzie is strong willed, smart,and successful. But she has lived her life in the lane that was planned out for her by her parents. Cooper is a townie that's been pushed around one too many times. He sees Mac as the perfect path for revenge.
Cooper's friends and MacKenzie's parents were infuriating at times. And I would have liked to see a little more remorse and maybe some apologies from some of them. But overall this was a fun and sweet read.

This novel is The Outer Banks meets How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Definitely a twist on the typical boy meets girl storyline, but this girl is independent, witty and smart, add to that a beach town and I'm interested.

This was such a fun and quick read. I started reading Elle Kennedy's books in July and I have been obsessed with them ever since. The characters, the storylines, and the relationships were all fun to read. This also felt like a step up from some of her most recent books, so that made it ten times more enjoyable. I also adored the Outer Banks vibes of this story. The whole book was truly a joy to read and I can't wait to check out more stories by Elle Kennedy in the future.