Genevieve is back in Avalon Bay for her mother's funeral, and her dad asks her to stick around to help with the family business. But she is determined to maintain her new sobriety and stay away from all her old triggers, including her on again/off again ex, Evan.

This is a second chance romance, but more, it is a second chance at growing up. Both have a history of being the "bad" boy or girl and hearing that it's time to be an adult. Despite a shared history, they come from quite different places and motivations. Genevieve and Evan both have to work hard to become responsible and to learn if their new adult versions of themselves are still compatible.

I enjoyed getting to see more of Copper and Mackenzie, but I would have liked to see that Cooper had further grown and evolved.

This book included so much fun and lots of laughter mixed with really serious parts about growing up and what it means to be an adult. I found the tone changed a bit becoming increasingly serious as the book continued.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

CW: assault, alcohol and drug abuse

Wow. I loved this. It’s a new favorite honestly. I knew I had to know more about Evan and Gen’s dynamic after it was hinted at in Good Girl Complex… this did not disappoint. The tension, the love, the growth, the understanding they have for each other is everything.

This book was so funny and so sweet and hot?? I was going through it with a different emotion every few pages. Sorry to my loves Mac and Coop, but Gen and Evan are so much hotter. I actually cried tears of joy toward the end of this. I feel so stupid crying over Blow Pops, but Evan and Gen turned my heart to mush.. Did I kinda see them getting married? Yes. Did I still cry when she asked him? Absolutely.

Gen and Evan are such strong characters, yet so soft and sweet. I love them so much. Evan willing to do anything for her is just a punch straight to my heart. This book was so touching. I love that they know eachother so deeply and understand each other’s trauma. I love that Evan was willing to change into a better version of himself for Gen. He’s still funny as ever. I about died when Lloyd popped up to get back at him about the bird. And the entire thing with Riley just tugged at my heartstrings. I want for Evan and Gen to have 7 kids so badly, and for Evan to be the best stay-at-home-dad ever.

I loved seeing more of the characters from Good Girl Complex from Gen’s point of view. I’m excited to see more of Avalon Bay.

ARC REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️
What happens when the worst influence on you also has your heart?

🌊 Gen is a reformed bad girl after having left Avalon Bay a year ago. Now she’s back and can’t seem to resist her constant on again off again bad boy, Evan.

This is the second in the Avalon Bay series and while it can be read as a standalone, I do recommend you read Good Girl Complex first.

Here’s what I liked:

🌊 the setting. Kennedy set up this southern coastal town in the first novel and continued it here. Avalon Bay has an Outer Banks feel to it and just screams summer. It is also filled with side characters that give it a true feel.

🌊 Gen and Evan. Both were great characters who had big journeys to take. Both loved being the bad ones and had to find their footings being good.

🌊 Evan’s relationship with Riley. On his quest to be better, Evan becomes a big brother to a local teen. That relationship was probably my favorite.

All in all, this was a good read. There were times when it felt a little repetitive and predictable but I still enjoyed the characters and their story.
🔥 there are a couple spicy scones.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC book in exchange for an honest review.

Bad Girl Reputation is the perfect reminder of long summer days, and an intriguing second chance romance. Elle Kennedy creates another amazing visit to the steamy beaches of Avalon Bay, and I enjoyed every minute of the trip.

Genevieve and Evan have dated on and off since middle school, and the impulsive pair got into plenty of trouble together. That is, until last year when Gen suddenly left town without a word. Now she’s back in Avalon Bay for her mom’s funeral, and is unsure how to navigate her relationship with Evan, who had been her boyfriend and best friend. She’s made a lot of changes in her life, including sobriety and thinking before she acts. Is their romance toxic for both of them, or are they truly the only ones who understand each other?

When the book begins, I honestly wasn’t sure that I could buy into Gen and Evan together as a positive relationship. But then the story shifts gears, and Evan makes the most of his second chance with Gen. Once the story focused on redemption for both Evan and Gen, I was all in and couldn’t wait for them to work towards their happily ever after.

Bad Girl Reputation is the second book in the Avalon Bay series, but can be read as a stand-alone. Personally, I loved Good Girl Complex too and highly recommend it. Both books feature a fantastic found family of locals and longtime friends who are all characters the reader wants to spend more time with.

If you are a fan of steamy, new adult, second chance romance, read Bad Girl Reputation. Elle Kennedy is a master, and she creates unforgettable characters and a story of redemption that I devoured.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As the author said in the acknowledgements This is a story about "redemption, forgiveness, second chances, and the difficulties that come with shedding your past and trying to be a better, healthier version of yourself."

Evan and Genevieve have been off and on again since as long as they could remember. But a year ago Gen left without a word, and is back in town after her mom dies. They start to get back into old toxic habits with each other. They both can't seem to stay away and eventually agree to start dating the proper way and show the other they have changed and grown up. They go on some dates, get into trouble both together and separately. Will they be able to get their shit together individually and as a couple?

Were the characters in this book messy and immature? Yes. Did I love every minute of it anyways? Also Yes. Though the characters exhibit a lot of toxicity, by the end they do grow and become better people. And the drama is what kept me so engaged in the story. Over all this was a hit for me and I would be open to reading more if this series continues.

Second chances can lead to true love, right?!? This book explores that theory as Genevieve has returned to her hometown. If you like romance, spice, drama and conflict, this book is for you!

I loved this sweet, spicy love story with second-chance themes, which took place in Avalon Bay. It was nice to hear more about the characters from the first book in the series as well - Mackenzie and Cooper. This story follows Cooper's twin brother, Evan, and his long time on again off again girl, Genevieve. The story hooked me right from the beginning with the steamy romance scenes and the hilarious moments between friends and siblings.

This one was a fun time. It was giving me the Outer banks(Netflix show) vibes. So Genevieve comes home for her mother's funeral. She left without telling her ex-boyfriend Evan who she use to get into trouble with as a youth. She had moved to Charlotte to start over and make something of her life. When she comes back she keeps running into Evan and lets just say that old habits die hard. These two are like magnets. Genevieve becomes conflicted and tries to distract herself by going on dates with the good boy police officer. She also come face to face with the sheriff who wants to make her pay for what she did when she use to babysit his kids. Lots of good drama and angst. I enjoyed it.

time to get rid of that bad girl reputation ✨

Title: Bad Girl Reputation
Author: Elle Kennedy
Pub. Date: October 4, 2022

*thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this one, but it just wasn’t for me. Although there were themes of personal growth throughout the story, it wasn’t showcased enough for me to be 100% okay with how the book ended.

Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely rooting for Genevieve & Evan bc I could sense their connection and chemistry together, but Evan’s personal growth story seemed a little too far fetched for me.

A lot of unnecessary drama for me and not as engaging as I hoped it would be 🥲

All this to say: just because this wasn’t for me, doesn’t mean that it won’t work for you, I still encourage anyone who wants to, to give this book a shot when it publishes next month 🫶🏻

Read if you like:
- bad boy & bad girl vibes 🕶
- second chance romance 💞
- dual POV 👥
- spice 🌶
- witty banter 🗣
- personal growth 🌱
- complex family relationships 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Rating: ☀️☀️/5

I honestly really enjoy Elle Kennedy's writing style.
This is a great costal relaxing read. You have an angsty relationship and a small town at the center of teenage drama.
Elle Kennedy has a great way of bringing in topics of alcoholism, addiction and death.
I highly suggest reading this series. I really enjoy having the story of both brothers and really hope there will be more about them in another book.

I really enjoyed Good Girl Complex and couldn’t wait to return to Avalon Bay for the follow up, Bad Girl Reputation. Elle Kennedy did not disappoint. It was quick, enjoyable, and a fun second chance romance. I liked the bad boy/bad girl change in this book. Genevieve and Evan are messy and explosive.💥 Their angsty push/pull was entertaining, but I also really enjoyed seeing their growth together and as individuals. Their chemistry was sizzling! The new and known supporting character were fantastic and added so much to the story. I loved seeing Mac and Cooper again.

I am definitely enjoying this series, and cannot wait for book three, The Summer Girl!

What I liked;
🍭 Second chance romance
🍭 Childhood best friends to lovers
🍭 Steamy chemistry
🍭 Character growth
🍭 Daisy 🐶


Mark your calendars, Bad Girl Reputation publishes 10/4/22!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Elle Kennedy for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I found the story of this book to be a bit meh, but I appreciated the growth of the characters and the sex scenes were quite steamy.

Gen and Evan's story is about forgiveness, second chances, and trying to better yourself for a healthier and safer future.
They started out dating as teenagers with an on again-off again relationship. They got into constant trouble, fights, drugs, making each other jealous. Not a healthy relationship by any means but their chemistry was/is and always will be off the charts and they know it which makes for one hell of a story.
Gen leaves town, without even a goodbye to Evan, after some things happened that opened her eyes to the life she was leading. She wanted to get rid of that bad girl reputation and thought the only way to do that was by leaving. She returned a year later when her mother passed away and that's where the forgiveness and second chances of this story come into play.
There's also a golden retriever named Daisy in the book who you will absolutely fall in love with if you're an animal lover like myself.
I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Elle Kennedy, St. Martins press and Netgalley for this ARC!

This was a nice feel good kind of raunchy all the open endings get resolved really nicely by the end. I enjoyed it!

I loved this book! I think the progression between the two characters was well done and I couldn’t help but swoon a little over both MC. This was definitely the perfect book to follow up the good girl complex with which I enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I am a huge Elle Kennedy fan. I have read all of her books. So I went into this book with high expectations. This book exceeded all my expectations. I loved this book so much!!! The romance between Evan and Genevieve was everything I hoped it would be and more. This book was a childhood best friend to lovers and also second chance romance. I normally am not a huge fan of second chance lovers but I really enjoyed this one. I really enjoyed watching both characters evolve and find themselves. I also loved the relationship between Evan and his mom, Shelley. I was so happy to read that that relationship was mended. I actually enjoyed this book more than the first one, Good Girl Complex. This books will definitely be apart of my book club!!

This was a really fast paced second chance romance. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters. Evan’s character was my absolute favorite! I also really enjoyed how the book focused on the individual growth of the main characters and not just their relationship. It was entertaining and well written. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes second chance romance! Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this in exchange for an honest review.

Gen and Evan are bad for each other. They can’t stay apart, but together, they are the worst versions of themselves. This book is their journey to becoming better people so they can be together.

I am just not a big fan of this couple. They were so toxic and neither one of them really improved. It was giving Grease in the worst possible way. I enjoyed the story, but I did not ship or root for the couple at all.

I am thankful to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

Overview: After her mother passes away, Genevieve returns home to Avalon Bay determined to leave her destructive habits in the past by finally being a responsible adult. However, this proves challenging as she continues to be drawn to bad boy Evan Hartley, with whom she shares a long and passionate history with…

Thoughts: This is the second book in the Avalon Bay series, and it certainly has Elle Kennedy’s signature sizzle - the chemistry between Evan and Genevieve was hot (warning: there are several open door scenes). I liked the theme of redemption throughout the book, with Evan, Gen, and Shelly all trying to better themselves, but the overall plot fell a bit short for me. I also didn’t love how Genevieve was stringing along Harrison while she was obviously still involved with Evan. I actually found myself more interested in some of the side characters, such as Harrison, Alana, and Gen’s brothers, so I’ll definitely continue reading this series!

Summary: If you were a fan of the messy Avalon Bay characters first introduced in Good Girl Complex, Bad Girl Reputation is probably a good bet. I’d recommend this for fans of second chance romance in a small town setting.

Big thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this digital ARC!

I wasn’t drawn into this book like I was with the last one. I liked that the characters were the same so you were able to see how the characters in the first book were doing, I also liked how relatable this book was. But this book didn’t grab my attention like the other. I am not sure if it’s because I thought it was slow or because I had high expectations going in from how much I liked the first book. Almost a 4 ⭐️ for me but not quite there