Genevieve West left town a year ago because she knew it was the only way to get her life straightened out. Now she is back in town for her mom’s funeral, and she plans to stay far away from her ex, Evan Hartley, so that she doesn’t fall back into her old bad habits. However, it is hard to avoid him in their small town, and Evan is determined to win her back over, even if that means turning over a new leaf himself.

I did not think that Gen and Evan made a good couple, unfortunately. Their physical chemistry was off the chart, obviously, but they did not bring out the best in each other. I did like some of the side characters, especially the brothers, and I would be willing to give the series another chance to read their stories.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

Good Girl Complex convinced me to read this book! and I'm hooked. I can't believe this book didn't enter my life sooner. I will be reading everything and anything that Elle Kennedy writes. This books made me feel like I was at home in my small costal town. I loved Genevieve, she was strong, likeable, and the way she grew was so satisfying! and Evan! The BANTER! Yes. Amazing! Loved it all.

Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy follows Genevieve West and Evan Hartley, two people with bad reputations who are trying to shed their former identities and learn how to be better together and apart.

I did not read Good Girl Complex, which precedes this book, but I pretty much got the gist of the first book when they introduced Mac and Cooper early on. I specifically chose not to read Good Girl Complex because I was told there's a cheating trope and that's not something I enjoy reading, but because this is an entirely different story, I don't think you NEED to have read GGC to read this.

Ultimately, this book was a 3.5/5 stars for me. There were moments where I laughed, moments where I gasped, and moments of pure hotness. But more often than not, I found myself not...really rooting for the characters. I know they were trying to break out of their immature habits, but their relationship is toxic. If I had a friend in a situation such as this, I would absolutely advise them to leave the relationship and never double back.

That's not to say that people can't change and grow up because they can, but it felt like they were trying to grow up and become better versions of themselves for the SOLE purpose of being together. Gen spends the majority of the book having sex with Evan while continuing to date Harrison, and only breaks up with Harrison at the very end of the book so she can propose to Evan, which was bizarre to me. They were messy and back and forth for the entire book, and then they get engaged in the last few pages? It felt very unrealistic.

I also think there were a few too many side characters. I don't mind multiple characters in a story, but during the epilogue two names were mentioned that I could barely place in my brain. I think between the drama between Cooper and Evan, the ongoing issues with Evan and Cooper's mom, and the drama with Gen + Randall, we had enough side character storylines that...we didn't need to add a bunch of other names to the mix. I mean, we meet a few of Gen's friends a few times, and there's one scene where they're at a bar and one of them says she's dating her brother...but nothing really comes of that. We could've lost that scene and a few of the friends entirely and the story wouldn't have been impacted at all.

I'm glad I finally got a chance to read an Elle Kennedy book since she's been recommended to me a few times, but it was a bit of a disappointment. However, if you did read Good Girl Complex and enjoyed it, you'll probably enjoy this deep dive into Gen and Evan's relationship.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Griffin for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This review originally appeared on Goodreads.

I loved this story, but really anything by Elle is devoured by me with no ability to savor it. The characters in this series have layers that make the story really enjoyable. I loved the dialogue too.

3.75
Thank you SMP Romance and Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC to read and review. I loved that book two was centered around Evan and Gen. We got to see snippets of them in the first book so I'm glad they got their own story. This was classic second chance romance and I loved seeing them mature. There was a lot of healing involved not just between Gen and Evan, but both of them and their families. I know this is a romance so I expect the third act break-up, but it was so sudden and lasted for maybe all of two seconds and I felt like it was just put in there to be there and didn't really help the characters to grow and realize they should be together. Like they already knew that at this point, so I didn't like the randomness feel. Other than that, I really enjoyed the alternate POV's, the love story, and the growth!

I absolutely adored Good Girl Complex, so when I heard about Bad Girl Reputation, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Bad Girl Reputation is a second-chance romance between two former lovers who can't seem to keep their hands off of one another.

I thought this book was an ok read. From the moment I met Genevieve, I was intrigued by her. I found her character to be relatable, even if she did have a bit of a wild streak. I was curious about what went down with her and Evan and was excited to see it all play out.

As with any good love story, there's always more to the story than meets the eye. There was obvious chemistry between Genevieve and Evan, but I found their overall relationship to be lacking. I wanted to feel more of a connection between the two of them. The physical was definitely there, but I needed a reason to root for them. As we gravitated toward the end of this book, the redemption factor finally came into play for both characters. Evan and Genevieve have both been through a lot and I wish we could have seen a little more growth from them.

Overall, this book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It had moments I liked, and others not so much.

Genevieve is trying to rehab her image. After being away for a year, she returns to Avalon Bay when her mother dies to help her family out. She is determined not to go back to her old ways, which includes dating Evan Hartley, her other half (and twin to Cooper from book 1) for most of her life. Can she resist temptation and become Genevieve 2.0? Or will Evan's bad boy irresistible ways drag her back into her old life of debauchery.

We've got ourselves a second chance redemption story here on both main characters. I really enjoyed it. The book starts with a bang and doesn't let up the whole time. The tension between the two was palpable from the start. I loved the dual perspectives. I think it was dynamic and necessary. The side plot between Genevieve and the dirty cop was entertaining. I also enjoyed the lesson of not being all good or all bad. I'm the type of person who can suffer from a little black and white thinking like Genevieve and it was nice to see these two characters mature, but still not lose their passion.

If I could ask for one thing it would be for Elle Kennedy to leave behind these immature toxic characteristics in her characters. Everyones a slut or a bitch and fighting and I feel like it's not really accurate to todays New Adult culture. I feel like you can have a bad boy without the toxic 2000s culture with it. I feel like a lot of these characters are straight out of the CW shows that don't seem super realistic anymore.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 10/4!

Genevieve, having to come back to Avalon Bay for her mothers funeral, is not excited to have to face the life and what people thought of her as that version of her was left behind. Attempting to rewrite her past and turn over a new leaf quickly becomes harder than she excepted because Evan wanted nothing more than to have the Genevieve back.

I loved the second book in this series and was so excited to read Gen and Evans story. Gen has a bad reputation and is trying desperate to grow up and in the process helps Evan do the same. The chemistry between these two is electric and I am forever and always a fan of anything Elle Kennedy writes! I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

I will start this review off with I did not read Good Girl Complex prior to reading Bad Girl Reputation, but in my opinion, I don' think I missed out on anything that would affect my review. If you have read it and think otherwise, please let me know.

The story follows Genevieve Wast, and Evan Hartley, two young individuals who used to get into trouble during their teenage years. When Geneive leaves unexpectedly Evan is left with an open wound with no closure, that is until she comes back when her mother passes away. Genevieve now has to face the past and her bad tendencies.

I'll be honest Gen and Evan have a very toxic relationship. I do not know if it is because there is so much sexual tension and no communication between the two or if it us just them as characters. I would have liked a little more back story from the past, like what trouble they have gotten into, more than just a few snippets. It would have been nice to have flashbacks here and there so you could understand why Gen needed a change so badly. I for one don't mind toxic relationships but some readers are turned off to that trope.

I also feel like the ending was very rushed. It was like in a blink of an eye Evan had finally realized why Gen was so determined to change and stay away and cut himself out of the picture when not even a chapter later she was back in his arms. I feel like I would have enjoyed the story more if they had a conversation and then went on a few dates prior to just jumping to an engagement. Especially since there was so much change and growth to the characters themselves.

I did really enjoy reading the story but just wish that there was a little more to the ending and more information in regard to their relationship in the past. It was a quick read that was really easy to keep up to. Overall, I do not feel that this story was memorable. It was good but doesn't have any components that really stand out that would make me pick this story up again.

Another day another Elle Kennedy ARC ! After reading Good Girl Complex, I was excited to get my hands on an early copy of Bad Girl Reputation, the next book in the Avalon Bay series. Shout out to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for coming through on this one!

My expectations for Elle Kennedy vary. I can usually rely on her for a quick steamy romance with a subtle kick of drama to amp it up- this book was no exception.

Bad Girl Reputation follows Genevieve (Gen) West and her ex Evan Hartley (the trouble causing twin of Good Girl Complex’s Cooper Hartley) as Gen navigates a new sober life back in her hometown after a year away. In an effort to get Gen back, Evan also decides to make some life changes. Together we get to experience the undeniable sparks between Gen and Evan, and just how dangerous those sparks have gotten.

I actually really enjoyed reading Gen’s story. It’s easy to support her decision to ‘grow up’ after diving a bit into her past and seeing the utter chaos she used to thrive in. Growing up with 5 brothers, and absent mother, and a forgiving father left a big life with little consequences. We soon learn what the final straw was and realize what cause Gen to pack up and leave town without so much as a goodbye. Now that she is back in town for her somewhat estranged mother’s funeral, will she be able to keep up her “good girl” lifestyle … or will she be sucked back into her bad girl past.

Evan on the other hand was basically the worst for the first 2/3rds of the book. Under the belief that he and Gen are endgame and her decision to avoid him being just a game to make him jealous, he continuously undermines her and his interruptions of her date are nothing short of psychotic. It isn't until a verbal slap to the face by a couple of Gen’s brothers that he finally gets the hint and turns into a decent human. In the end I did like him, but his horniness and argumentativeness reminded me of a hormone-crazed teenager.

In typical Elle Kennedy way, you get your happy ending - though not in the way you may expect!

Overall this was a cute read but Evan’s attitude drove me a little too crazy for me to give this any more than 3 stars. I know there are no more twin’s to write love stories for, but I hope Kennedy keeps up the series and dives into the love triangle teased between Alana, Wyatt and Tate. Here’s hoping!!

If you like reformed party girls, bad boys gone soft, and a whole lotta sexual tension... Then this book is for you!

I LOVED reading about Genevieve and Evan. While Evan was a huge character in Good Girl Complex - Genevieve was more of a mention here and there and I didn't really put a lot of thought into her character. In this one, i got so much more from her and Evan. And I love them. It was so sweet and relatable to read about them getting in to trouble together growing up but managing to grow together into a beautiful couple.

It was definitely a read that doesnt necessarily draw you in immediately and you finish it in 24 hours - it was a little slower and its good if you just want to destress and read about a roller roaster romance. Usually with books like this, you expect some sort of crazy moment 3/4 in where its like will they, wont they? But it was relatively short lived and the fact that she proposed to him in the end warmed my heart.

I loved reading about Genevieve's journey to be a better person and to leave her old habits behind and although I didnt love Evan in Good Girl Complex, he was amazing in Bad Girl Reputation. You couldn't hate them if you tried. The passion between them was magnetic and i always love a second chance romance. Amazing story!!

Thank you St. Martin's Publishing Group and Net Galley for sending me this copy early to review. Can't wait for the release!!

I really love Elle Kennedy and her Off Campus series so I was excited to read her newest book, Bad Girl Reputation.

Genevieve West is trying to be a reformed bad girl and figure her life out. Coming back home for her mother’s funeral and seeing her ex, Evan Hartley, is not helping when he is just as wild as she was. Evan, on the other hand, is hellbent on getting her back - even if it means he has to change himself.

Gen and Evan have some incredible chemistry in the book but I thought a lot of the book felt slow. I liked the interactions between Evan and his twin brother, Cooper. I liked how both Gen and Evan were willing to change and grow out of their wildness for each other. Read it if you like second chance romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC.

BAD GIRL REPUTATION - ELLE KENNEDY
4⭐
PLOT
Wild child Genevieve West returns home for her mom's funeral with a resolution to stay away from her ex Evan Hartley. Their relationship was wild full of passion from which Gen is trying to escape. But in small town isn't possible to stay away esp when Evan is hell bent on getting her back even if it means he has to change himself.
Can a bad reputation even truly be shed?
Will Gen and Evan get a second chance they deserve.

MY THOUGHTS
I always wanted to read Good Girl Reputation but didn't get a chance and jumped to this though can be read as standalone. I would recommend read the 1st which I intend to read soon.
It was a fun quick read and loved how people mature with age change themselves and lifestyle as they settle in their lives....loved the character development .
I enjoyed the dual POVs and the steam which was an essential part of the story and works well.
In all a good 2nd chance romance.

Bad Girl Reputation is the story of Gen and Evan. They were their small town's "wild kids" and when she comes back to town after leaving without saying good bye, sparks fly and tensions are high. He doesn't know why she left and when he does, the work and growth they both do in order to be together is so rewarding. It's steamy and fun. I loved getting a little more from Cooper and Mac. I enjoyed this book while on vacation and the easy way it let me pick it up and dive right back in was just what I needed.

Honestly, not my fave. But definitely didn’t hate it either. It was just fine. It was fun to see all these characters again and even meet a few new ones, but I felt that the story was a tad slow. I did get bored a couple of times, but even so- it was still a fine book.
I adore Elle Kennedy and tbh I would read a dictionary if she wrote it.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading a book by this author. I found that I couldn’t relate to the characters and it was hard to root for them when so much of their bond seemed predicated on toxic behaviors and unhealthy patterns. The supporting characters didn’t seem to have much depth or offer much in the way of advice.

I did feel for the characters and their broken relationships with their parents. I understood that to play a role in their actions but still found them hard to enjoy.

Genevieve returns home after a year away where she focused on improving herself. She returns home after her mom passes and finds herself surrounded by the things she had fled from the previous year. One of those things is Evan, her on/off again boyfriend who helped fuel her reckless ways.

I am glad that we got to know more about Evan as we learned a little about him in the first book. I like how Gen stood her ground and wanted to be a better person while not giving into Evan's reckless ways. The book tackles dealing with past demons that make trying to move forward in the same area difficult. I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend!

The second book in the Avalon Bay series blew me away just as Good Girl Complex did. These are the first books I’ve read by Elle Kennedy, and she is immediately an auto-buy author.

Bad Girl Reputation brings us Gen who returns to Avalon Bay, the town she grew up in and left suddenly, after her mother passes. Gen is running from her past in Avalon Bay, including her on-again/off-again boyfriend Evan. The two together can be downright toxic but have a pull that is too tempting to completely cutoff. While Gen is set on changing her life for the better (getting her shit together, if you will), Evan is committed to winning her back.

I was unsure where this book was going to go at first. It was refreshing to not know exactly where our girl would end up, but I had a sense that it would be a great story. I got a little Sandy and Danny (Grease) vibes from Gen and Evan as well (love).

For sure you can read this book as a standalone, but Good Girl Complex is so good, why would you only read one?!

Do I recommend it? Yes, yes, YES. It has spice, it has drama, it has those warm fuzzy feelings.

ARC provided by Netgally for an honest review.

After reading the first book of this series I wasn't sure about this one. But this book was much better than the first one. It's about Evan (Cooper's twin brother) and Genevieve. It's still doesn't have the wow factor that her Off Campus books did, but overall a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. This review is wholly my own.

Exes to Lovers (again) storyline. Has the makings of a Hallmark Movie (or maybe Lifetime).

Likeable, fun characters who are just messy enough to seem relatable.

Kennedy's writing is impeccable as always. She is one of those authors I seek out when I need something easy to relax my brain from all the thrillers and she never fails.

Let's be real - this type of story has been told before, multiple times so don't expect anything earth-shatteringly different, but it is a good book that you won't regret, especially if your brain needs a little bit of a break.

I definitely recommend.