Bad Girl Reputation was just as bingeable as Good Girl Complex - and we finally got an epilogue!!

I didn't love Evan in Good Girl Complex all that much, but hearing his perspective in Bad Girl Reputation completely changed my opinion. Turns out he is way more sensitive and genuine than he was given credit for before! I am so glad we finally got to meet Gen - her dedication to self-improvement and her boldness in chasing what she wanted in life was so inspiring. I appreciated that both characters went through a lot of personal growth throughout the book. Their relationship felt very real, and though it was not perfect, their love was so powerful. This was definitely spicier than the first book too!

Read this book if you love:
- reformed bad boys (& girls!)
- second chance love
- friends to lovers
- small beach town vibes

If you liked Good Girl Complex, this is definitely worth checking out - and you still get a decent bit of Mac and Cooper too!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a cute second chance romance. There was enough angst to keep the tension going. Both Gen and Evan went through some great character growth.

Genevieve is a reformed party girl. When she returns to her hometown for her mother’s funeral, she’s tested against old habits and an old ex. Can she and her ex Evan really coexist in the town?

A spicy love story that shows that couples can grow together and support change. Find out if Gen and Evan can make amends in this second chance story.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

classic elle kennedy!! I really enjoyed this <3 this series has kept me interested in the characters and more! who doesn't love a bad boy?!

On the one hand, I really liked Bad Girl Reputation and found it much more satisfying than the first book in the series. On the other hand, I feel like there is so much character development on display here that doesn't really get explained or otherwise feel earned. In the immediate aftermath of reading this book, that left me feeling a little disappointed, but with time between me and finishing this book, I look back with more fondness than I felt right after finishing it so I think that's probably a good sign.

Essentially, this book is following Gen and Evan. Gen is back in Avalon Bay because her mom died, but she left really without saying bye to anyone, particularly her long time boyfriend, Evan. However, Evan comes to her mom's funeral and the two realize that the sparks between them have certainly not faded away. But Gen is trying to turn over a new leaf. She wants to be a "good girl" now. She doesn't really drink anymore, nor does she go out and party. Evan, on the other hand, has almost not changed at all. He may have even gotten worse. Gen fights her attraction to Evan for the next... while of the book, with limited amounts of success. Meanwhile, Evan decides he's going to prove to Gen that he can he can be a good person too.

I think it's more Evan's character development that bothered me more than anything, because you don't actually get to see him develop. You just get... sort of told that he's volunteering now to prove a point and then... he's... reformed? I'm not really sure what my takeaway with Evan is supposed to be if I'm being totally honest. So while I enjoyed the story, I just wish Elle Kennedy's talent with characters had been a little more on display in this particular book.

Oh, and the narrator did a great job! I really enjoyed listening to this one.

I’m definitely not as in love with this series as I am with her other ones. However I think this is series is a fun summer read series and I did enjoy reading it.

In Good Girl Complex, I absolutely adored Evan and couldn’t wait for his own story. I loved his friendship with Mac, and those were the heart strings that tugged in the sequel as well. They had this mutual understanding and just a genuine friendship that didn’t serve a purpose other than just being there for one another. Bad Girl Reputation centers around second chances, redemption, forgiveness, and growing up.

In our first person, dual POV story - Bad Girl Reputation follows Evan and Genevieve. Genevieve had skipped town a year ago, but after her mom’s sudden death - she finds herself back in town but trying not to fall back into her old habits. That includes her on and off again ex boyfriend, Evan. Evan was a mess while Gen was gone (as we saw in Good Girl Complex) and he realizes how destructive him and Gen are with her guidance. They both work on trying to become better versions of themselves, growing up after being together since 7th grade.

I will say that the way that Gen treated Evan frustrated me a ton, but I think that’s kind of the point. We got to see both of their characters grow over the course of the book - but I still feel like Evan deserved more. That’s probably just my protective instinct, but we end up with our happily ever after - so that should be all that matters.

Looks like I'm in the minority here, but I couldn't love this book. Was I captivated and rushing through? Absolutely. But did I also feel horrible about loving the drama of an absolutely toxic relationship? Yes. The writing and the characters are great. But also super toxic, as is the whole relationship. I'm glad that they were able to figure themselves out, but I also couldn't get behind him not hearing her requests to not do something stupid and thinking how quickly this could escalate to something horrible and dangerous in real life. And for that reason, I dropped a star.

Elle Kennedy does it again! I have loved all her books and this one is no exception.
You can feel the love that Genevieve and Evan have for each other in everything they do no matter if they are trying to stay away from each other or not. I absolutely devoured the flirting plus the banter between the two of them and the spice is even better! Being able to hear from characters in the first book was perfectly balanced with the new storyline in this book. I love when a strong independent FMC gets pared with the golden retriever bad boy.
The evolution of each of these characters and of their relationship as a whole is why I will always pick up an Elle Kennedy book.

Uhm, ok loved this. I really enjoy Elle Kennedy's writing and was so excited for book two of the Avalon Day series. I was NOT disappointed at all.

Gen and Evan were both flawed characters that were trying to become better and had really lovely development throughout the story. There were some conflicts that I thought were unnecessary, but over all I enjoyed the relationship and pacing of the story!

I would highly recommend this book and Good Girl Complex to romance readers and am already looking forward to book three!!

I absolutely LOVED the first book in this series and was hoping the next would focus on Evan. You can definitely read each of these as a stand-alone, but you will miss backstory if you read this one first - and honestly the first was a better book too so don't skip it. I enjoyed getting both Genevieve and Evan’s points of view, you could see the internal struggles within them both regarding the same situations. It helped that I adored both of them the whole book and was rooting for each of them separately and hopefully together.The way family dynamics were brought in, added so much to the story. Not only were you getting a spicy romance you were getting family issues, past behavior consequences, and overall just a good story
Thank you o St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin &NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this arc

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Spice: 🌶🌶 2/5


Tropes/Subjects:
Childhood friends to Lovers ✔️
Second Chance Romance✔️
Small Beach Town Romance ✔️
Dual POV ✔️

G E N E V I E V E
I 👏🏽 APPLAUD 👏🏽 Y👏🏽O👏🏽U 👏🏽 GEN! She knew her life as it was, was destined for destruction and she decided to be the one that said "FXCK THAT! I'll be MORE than my reputation & I'll come out stronger" & she fxckn did! Was it hard? of course, that shit isn't easy even IRL but she handled it & her character development?! Chef's kiss😘

" 'Why are you punishing yourself for caring about me?' (Evan)
'I've just decided to start caring about myself more.' "

TELL ME THAT ISN'T QUEEEENNNN SHIT!!!


E V A N H A R T L E Y
cause you know my boy sounds soooooo much more like a bad boy when you put his whole name together! ok, look before I get into this.. FULL DISCLOSURE I love me some bad boys.. but who doesn't right?

A bad boy in love with a bad girl

1. Evan was SOOOO smitten with Gen from the beginning of time, that he KNEW & without a SINGLE DOUBT IN HIS MIND that he & Gen were endgame. & WE LOVE A SELF ASSURED KINGGGGG!

"Even saying her name gets my heart beating faster and fills me with anticipation. I think about her even a little, and I become impatient for the next time I can see her."

3. The minute he KNEW he had to change as well, not for GEN but for HIM. DUDE?! I KNEELED! 🧎🏻‍♀️

Let me tell you something, though, that I've started to figure out myself: If the change is going to stick, you have to want it to. That means doing it for yourself, not only because you're trying to impress someone else. Change, or don't. Either way, you're the one who's got to live with the result."

Did he have some flaws? Yes, but I tend to ignore those like I do red flags 🤷🏻‍♀️


Honestly, I didn't have high hopes for Bad Girl Reputation after reading Good Girl Complex. But the two.. DO NOT COMPARE. This book reminded me of the Elle Kennedy I fell for when I first read her stories like, Briar U, Off Campus, & Him. & THAT'S the Elle Kennedy, I'll continue to read.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

"Bad Girl Reputation" by Elle Kennedy is the second book in the Avalon Bay series, a second chance romance with pasts and futures intertwining leaving two people to face if who they are together is worse than who they could be together.

"Change, or don’t. Either way, you’re the one who’s got to live with the result.”

I am genuinely surprised by how much I liked this book. GGC was legit one of the worst books I have ever read EVER, but this book made up for it. (I have yet to decide if this book was only good because Good Girl Complex was that wholly unbearable, but I'd probably say the latter). The sexual tension was enjoyable, but it was really fast for a second-chance romance. She gets back in town, and they rehash old feelings, which isn't unrealistic when you have so much history, but the history is almost outlined in bullet points. I wish they explored a little bit more of Gen's life in Charleston and how Evan was when she left. It seemed like a plot point that was just there but wasn't. This happened a lot when going through the different events from Kayla and Randall, even Evan and Shelley's reconciliation. I am impartial as to whether this is 3.5 stars or 4.

ANYWAYS, RILEY CARRIED THIS STORY <3

Content/Trigger Warnings: Mentions of Past & Some Present Alcohol & Drug Use/Abuse, Mentions of Past SH.
(*Additional Warnings May Be Added Depending On What I Remember Over Time)

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Genevieve and Evan have been best friends since they were in grade school. This obviously leads to them falling in love, but they seem toxic for each other. Gen eventually leaves town after an issue with a local cop. She up and goes without saying a word to Evan. When Gen returns to Avalon Bay for her mother's funeral all those feelings, good and bad, start rushing back for both of them.

This is the second book in the Avalon Bay series, the first follows Evan's twin brother Cooper. It was definitely hinted at in the first book that Evan and Gen would be the next couple we got a glimpse at.

Gen and Evan's story was cute, but it wasn't anything super stand out for me. Not a ton of spice and I didn't find myself needing to pick it up and read it.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun time.

I loved the first book in this “series” duology whatever. And this was even better. I love a messy, isn’t always perfect mc and this gave me 2. I absolutely love Evan, his POVs were my favorite, we love a man who falls first and harder.

I’m usually not the biggest fan of second chance romances but this was done so well. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for an easy rom com with a pinch of plot.

Gen is convinced to keep her distance from her ex Evan, when she goes back home for her mom's funeral. However, it is impossible to not run into him and not manage to fall in love all over again.

Honestly, it was a bit too much. The bad girl persona was overbuilt and there was so much aggression in their chemistry. To be completely honest, no one really went out of their absolute way to avoid the other. Overall, what could have been a 100 page novella, ended up being a 300+ page novel.

Definitely not my cup of tea.

I went into this series very excited seeing how I've never read anything from this author but I've wanted too. Throughout reading book 1 and this book I seriously got After by Anna Todd vibes. The men were so broody and stubborn and hard headed. Felt kind of unoriginal to me. Again I understand that it is hard to write a unique book seeing how it feels like most types of characters you can write have been overdone. It was a good book and I'm glad I was lucky enough to receive this arc and I did enjoy reading this.

Romance

I wanted to like this book more than I did, but I really didn't like the characters that much.

Genevieve returns home for her mother's funeral. She left town the year prior because she had been accosted by a copy over her bad behavior. She realized that she needed to get herself cleaned up and find a way to create a life that didn't land her in trouble constantly. When she took off she didn't really tell anyone and left her boyfriend Evan without any explanations. Now, she's back and trying to deny that she an Evan have anything more than physical chemistry.

Parts of their story is so sweet. They were friends first as pre-teens and then eventually took the relationship to another level. The problem is that they tend to dare each other into making bad decisions and neither one has really gotten their lives straightened out.

Seeing Gen's changes makes Evan want to change and be someone she can see a future with and I loved that part of the story. Evan's inner monologue and dialogue with Gen was very immature and all centered around their chemistry.

I just didn't love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.

I love a book that you can read for just enjoyment and just lay back relax and jump into other people's problems!

I definitely understand why this is so hit and miss for people because the main characters can be annoyihn at times but I think if you let that go and just focus on how they handle those issues between each other it becomes enjoyable to read. I think Gen and Evan had amazing chemistry and at the end of the day, what more could I want from a feel good book.

Overall, it was a great quick read that I really liked!!


thank you, st. martins press, for the ARC!

"Change is a choice we make every day, a thousand times a day. We choose to do this one thing better. Then the next. And the next."

While I didn't particularly enjoy Good Girl Complex I really wanted to read about Evan & Gen's relationship. Evan was introduced in Good Girl Complex as the identical twin to its male lead Cooper, but we only heard about Gen because of how her supposed actions affected Evan and influenced his dickish behaviour, so I was very interested to get more of a backstory on their past. Unfortunately, what we get is a very toxic second-chance romance between a girl trying to shed her party-girl image and live a sober life and a guy who can't take 'no' for an answer and doesn't believe that his supposed 'best friend' is being genuine in wanting to change her ways.

"Evan and I have always had this tension between us. Pushing and pulling. Making each other jealous and manipulating a response. It's all part of the bad habits I'm trying to break. Yet, in doing so, I'm repeating the steps."

I think I may be ageing out of enjoying Elle Kennedy because I just found it, overall, to be quite juvenile. And yes, comparatively, 22 is young, but their actions (Evan's more so) were so immature. I also didn't appreciate that Gen kept stringing along Harrison knowing full-well that their relationship was going nowhere while she still had feelings (and kept hooking up with!!) Evan. That was totally unfair.

Everything wrapped up much to quickly and neatly, throwing up happy resolutions between so many intertwining relationships, it was a bit of an eye-roll. I won't be continuing with the series after this.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.