I was very pleased with this book! I didn’t love the first installment in this series but this book really was great! I liked the character growth from Gen and Evan throughout the story and I loved their relationship with each other.
Bad Girl Reputation is a quick, cute read perfect for summer.

2.5 stars

I genuinely don't know how to rate and review this story. Because if I were honest and really fleshed out all my thoughts, it would probably sound super negative. Like, this book was red flag after red flag. Their relationship was incredibly toxic, and everything that would normally work for an alphahole hero in a paranormal or dark romance gave me all the icks in a contemporary setting. It's going to make me sound old, but I genuinely worry that a young woman is going to read this and be like, "Oh, is this romance? Is this what I should look for in a partner?" Girl no! Run! I also just wanted to throw a thousand therapists at all of the characters in the hopes that one of them would stick.

Despite all of this, I read it in one sitting and for the most part, enjoyed myself! Elle Kennedy's writing is easy and fun to read, and I'm sure I'll read whatever comes next despite all of my negative thoughts because, like Gen with Evan, I'll just keep coming back whether it's good for me or not.

I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did. When I first picked it up I didn’t realize it was the second in the series. I decided to give it a go anyway. I’m glad I did, it read like a standalone.

I love that this story speaks volumes about growth and second chances. I’m not naïve enough to think this is how things will always turn out but I like to know it can.

Genevieve and Evan are your stereotypical bad girl/bad boy troublemakers. I love the story of them trying to change and the chance of redemption. As someone who know what it’s like to want a bad boy to change his habits for love, I really appreciated a chance to see how all that could play out. Absolutely loved this! Pretty steamy too! 🥳


Thank you to NetGalley for the Ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of "Bad Girl Reputation" by Elle Kennedy.

I read Good Girl Complex back in January so I was delighted to find I was hopping back into the world of the Hartley twins, Evan and Cooper. When Gen comes back home for her mother's funeral she is no planning on staying long, especially when she runs into her ex, Evan, and almost immediately is back to making the bad decisions that caused her to leave town in the first place.

I really appreciated the fact that Kennedy didn't pin this whole character make-over on only Evan, or only Gen, when it came to this story. Both characters had to grow and realize that neither were the one causing the problems for the other and they needed to figure out their own lives for themselves. I also liked the immediate attraction between Gen and Evan that made it feel like they had been in love forever. Shelley Hartley made a come back in this novel as well and it was very interesting to read about her from Evan's point of view after only having Cooper's in the previous novel. She was much more human and though Evan was expecting her to bail each time he saw her he still had hope which gave this reader hope for her as well.
Cooper and Mac made a reprise in this story but I felt like they were a little flat. In fact with Gen being from the town of Avalon Bay it felt like Kennedy didn't make as much of an effort with the outside characters as much as she did in Good Girl Complex. The girls fell flat in way that felt almost like Gen expected them to be there when she wanted them to be but for the most part they didn't feel all that tight knit of a group. The only characters that really got enough attention asides from Evan and Gen were Harrison and Rusty who are the bad guy and the competition for Evan.
The one thing that really sticks out to me is that there wasn't really an ending to this. There was an epilogue but it was just another day in Gen and Evan's life. Things seem to be getting a little better, what with Shelly showing up but it didn't really feel like it was ending.

Overall I enjoyed reading this and it held my attention enough to be a quick almost couldn't put it down read. It's fun for a day or a few evenings of enjoyment but I was glad it wasn't much longer.

Read This If Enjoy:
•Small town vibes
•Second chance romances
•Reformed bad boy/girls

Thoughts:
I have been so excited for this one, because I loved Good Girl Complex! The second book in the series, which can be read as stand alone, didn’t disappoint. I loved the chemistry and banter between Evan & Gen. I also am a sucker for the reformed bad boy vibes. I do feel like it was a bit rushed and wrapped up a little too quickly. But I still really enjoyed it and didn’t want to put down. It’s a cute, quick, and easy read with some steam.

Bad Girl Reputation is a contemporary new adult romance with the second chance romance and forced proximity tropes. I should note that the characters in this book briefly recount the death of a parent and an instance of sexual harassment which could be triggering for some readers. I would recommend Bad Girl Reputation to fans of the Off-Campus and Briar U series by Elle Kennedy, the Beach Kingdom trilogy by Tessa Bailey, The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas, The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, and Every Summer After by Carley Fortune.

First off, I have to say that, overall, I was a bit disappointed with this series; I absolutely love Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus and Briar U series so, in comparison, her Avalon Bay series just didn’t live up to my high expectations. But admittedly, I enjoyed Bad Girl Reputation a lot more than I did the first book in this series (Good Girl Complex). Furthermore, I liked how, because of reading book 1, I already knew most of the main characters and I was already familiar with some of the storylines; therefore, even though you might be able to read Bad Girl Reputation as a standalone, I highly recommend reading Good Girl Complex first.

I loved that Cooper and Mac (the main characters in Good Girl Complex) continued to be prominent characters in book 2; some of their storylines, like Mac’s hotel and Cooper’s drama with his mom, even carried over into Bad Girl Reputation. I thought that it was so cute and swoon-worthy that Evan, despite his reputation for being a bad boy, tries to “woo” or court Gen, as if she’s the only girl in the world for him; he even starts doing some heartwarming charity work to try to prove to Gen (and himself) that he can be more than just a troublemaker. Furthermore, I loved how Gen and Evan’s relationship was passionate, sincere, and rife with history. Lastly, without spoiling anything, I thought that the ending was a “chef’s kiss”.

On the downside, I thought that there were some missed opportunities in this book; for example, it probably would have been hilarious if Kennedy included a full description of Evan’s disastrous sailing attempt instead of just briefly recounting it. I also wasn’t a fan of all the police corruption nor the conflict regarding the Hartley brothers’ mom because they weren’t as interesting to read about in comparison to the main romantic storyline.

The beautiful beachside setting of Avalon Bay makes Bad Boy Reputation a perfect summer read, or a great escapist read for the colder months.

Your typical rom com and friends to lovers. A good story that I enjoyed reading.

Evan and Gen were two great characters to have together. Excited to see how is next in this series

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Since reading the first book in the series, I read Misfit which was not my thing. I'm relieved to see that my love for Elle Kennedy has not waned, at least for more adult /New Adult books.

We learned a little about Genevieve West from the first book through the lens of Evan Hartley's twin brother Cooper. To Cooper, Gen left Avalon Bay without an explanation or word. There's definitely reasons she left, and it wasn't something that makes Gen unlikeable or irredeemable.

Gen has spent the past year in Charleston, away from family and friends working for a real estate office. She returns for her mom's last days and her funeral. Gen wasn't close with her mom and didn't really get any closure from the difficult relationship. Gen has something of a bad girl reputation from her years growing up in Avalon Bay with 2 wild older brothers, and her relationship with Evan since the 7th grade. The question isn't whether the two love each other but whether they are good for each other and end up together, if they can grow up and be in an adult relationship. Gen's reasons for pushing Evan away are hard to understand at first. She's very guarded about the reason she left town except for her older brother. She feels like she needs to surpass her bad girl reputation without Evan by her side.

Meanwhile Evan learns more about himself and his strained relationship with his mother. To be more than just a member of his uncle's crew building homes and doing renovations. He tries an old folks home as a volunteer with some hilarious results, then becomes a Big Brother to a kid named Riley who lives with his aunt.

Gen agrees to help her dad with office work until he can find an office manager. Her original plan to return to Charleston falters when she finds her place again amongst her friends and family. However, the reason she left is haunting her and becomes an increasingly difficult to ignore problem. The creepy cop who put his hands on her and tried to exert his power over her when she told his wife what he did ...Gen decided her drinking was a problem and part of the reason she was in need of a big change. I'm glad that she told Evan pretty early on in the book what happened to make her want to leave town. The focus of the book was was not on her trauma or the creepy cop who stalked her around town when she returned but on her relationship with Evan and if they have a future. While there was some fake dating that was 1 sided- which I felt was only to make Evan jealous, the reader knew there was no real love triangle. Gen also got an exciting job opportunity as a reason to stay, and an affirmation of her family's love and support. I really enjoyed this book and hope there's more books in this series.

TW for sexual molestation by a cop and mention of drugs, loss of parents mentioned.

Release date 10/4/22

“Bad Girl Reputation” is the second book in Elle Kennedy’s Avalon Bay series. In this book, we follow Gen and Ethan. Gen is in town for her mother’s funeral when she runs into her ex-boyfriend, Ethan. When they were together, they were known as “the bad kids,” content with spending their days drinking, smoking pot, and getting into whatever kind of trouble they could find. But things have changed. Gen is determined to live her life better and Ethan is determined to win Gen back. Can these two really change their reputation and become the person that they want to be?

I didn’t read the first book in this series but I wasn’t confused reading this. There were hints to what happens in the first book but I never felt lost reading this book. That being said, this was a hard book to connect to. There were so many characters doing so many different things. Gen had a bunch of brothers and I couldn’t tell you much about any of them.

Second chance romances are always a hard trope for me to like and that comes down to the fact that I have to believe the couple needs to be together despite it not working I it the first time. This book is dual POV from present day and I feel like it would have worked out better if it had flashback chapters instead. We are told about the way Ethan and Gen were in the past in short little stories between characters but we never really see what happened so it makes it hard to connect to the relationship. It just feels like two characters that were never good together are trying to force themselves to fit.

I am all for a toxic relationship in a book. Give me all the angst and drama but I just feel like this book never really fully went there.

There were some things that I really did like about this book. There were some funny scenes that made me laugh. I think that this could have had a really good conversation about sobriety. It never fully went into it but it did talk about how just because one character is getting completely sober, it didn’t make other characters “bad” for still wanting to drink. Some people can control themselves more than others so I thought it was nice that the book touched on that. Also there were some conversations about how just because someone made mistakes in the past doesn’t mean they will always make mistakes. People can change and grow and you have to be able to accept that even if it is hard.

This book could have really wrecked me if it would have just done more. But it just felt very surface level with its messages. I rounded this up to three stars for Harrison because I really loved that character. If we could get a book about Harrison, I would really enjoy that.

This book just didn’t do it for me. I hate that the romance was based on a lie. I just didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters. It just fell flat for me.

i don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to receive an arc. I immediately devoured Gen and Evan’s story. Their love was undeniable, so much so that it felt inevitable through the whole book. While I didn’t love it as much as Book 1, I enjoyed going back to Avalon Bay. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review. This is out in October!

I enjoyed reading BAD GIRL REPUTATION and am glad there was a second Avalon Bay novel. I found myself not being able to put this book down and was able to read it within a couple of sittings.

I enjoyed Genevieve and Evan together - their chemistry and history, family dynamics that add depth to the story. While I am not a fan of the back and forth in their relationship, I get it and can get over it.

I loved how the characters from GOOD GIRL COMPLEX were in this book throughout and from a different POV. And the new characters like Riley, love him!

Overall, I loved the ending and absolutely loved the epilogue. This book made me laugh and I my feels. Definitely a must read.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. You can find my review coming soon on my instagram page @talkgoodbookstome

Let me begin this review with the fact that I did not read the first book in this series. With that being said, it was super easy for me to jump into this story so prior reading is not necessary. This can definitely be read as a standalone story but I'm absolutely planning to go back and read Good Girl Complex because I'm dying to read Mac and Cooper's story!

I adored Genevieve and Evan! Their story wasn't easy or free of complications and outside influences. It was gritty and rough, full of emotion and heartbreak. But it was also beautiful and real. These two childhood sweethearts and best friends have seen their share of wild adventures, getting into trouble while loving life. When Gen took off and fled town, she broke Evan's heart and destroyed everything they had built. But Gen returns a changed woman however, things are far from easy for her. She needs to rebuild her relationships and the trust that she destroyed. Gen works hard to prove she's changed for the better but it's an uphill battle that she fights at every turn. She not only faces her ex Evan but also his twin brother Cooper, a police officer who holds a serious grudge against her, and the friends and family she left behind.

Evan never got over Genevieve and when she returns he does everything he can to be near her and get close to her again. These two have incredible spark and chemistry but their similar personalities lead to some serious conflict. As they work through their issues with one another, they both also work on bettering themselves. Ultimately, these two find their HEA after a very bumpy road.

Elle Kennedy wrote a beautiful story of love, loss, forgiveness, and redemption. It'll tug at your heartstrings while also making you laugh and snicker. She alternates between humor and heartbreak and it works so well for this story. I really enjoyed it and cannot wait to read the next story in the series. 4 stars

Former bad girl Gen comes home for her mother’s funeral and sees her ex, handsome bad boy Evan. They end up almost hooking up at her mother’s funeral and the rest of the book is them figuring out if they want to be together.

I can’t decide if I like Elle Kennedy’s writing or not. Sometimes the word choices are bizarre and “townie” vs “clone” makes me feel like she’s trying a little too hard.

I read both of these Avalon Bay novels and I’m just “meh” about them. Communication problems, reformed bad girl/boy, fights, and way too many drinks make for chaos. Maybe I’m just too old to enjoy these now.

Anyway, there is of course a happily ever after and it was satisfying enough.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a second chance, best friends to lovers to enemies to lovers relationship and I was here for all of the steaming off chemistry.⁣
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The constant battle between these two of fighting then making out, then trying to make each other jealous, to hooking up was 🔥🔥.⁣
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The chemistry between these two was legit dynamite; when they tell you kiss and make up, these two couldn’t keep their hands off of each other no matter how hard they tried.⁣
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These two grew up together, Evan losing his dad young and his mom running off; and Gen coming from a huge family and not having the best relationship with her mom, they were always stirring up trouble. ⁣
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Gen leaves for a year, only to return for the funeral of her mom and getting caught up in helping her dads business to stir the pot with Evan again. The journey these to took to finally get it right is filled with chaos and love and insecurities and so much growth. I really enjoyed it.⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second book in the Avalon Bay series from Elle Kennedy. I really enjoyed the first book, and was really looking forward to Evan and Gen's story next. This book didn't disappoint. As usual for Kennedy's books, it was an easy, fast-paced read, with a good sprinkle of spice and a solid new adult plot.

This story follows Evan and Gen, who dated for forever and got into all kinds of trouble as teens, until Gen up and left town a year prior and dropped all contact with Evan. Now, she's back after working hard to clean up her act. The story follows Evan and Gen trying to figure act two. Can they see each other without devolving into trouble again? Are they meant to be, or is it a recipe for disaster?

I loved our two main characters, even though they are gritty and not always the best people. They were toxic and thrived off fighting and making each other jealous. They brought out both the best and the worst in each other. However, this is a true second chance story. A story full of hurt, of forgiveness, of striving to become the best version of yourself and redemption, of shedding your past reputation. I loved both of their journeys, individually and together, in this book.

I also loved that we got to see more of Mac and Cooper. I'm not sure if there will be books with their friends, but I'd love to see Alana, Heide, and Steph's stories as well!

There were a few things that weren't my favorite in this, like an almost love triangle (it had a purpose in the plot though), but overall was an entertaining book, and I hope to see more from Avalon Bay!

My review will be posted to Instagram the week before this is released.

Was a bit disappointed with this followup in the Avalon Bay series. I couldn't connect with either of the main characters and while the whole book was about Gen and Evan trying their relationship again, I wasn't convinced that they should. Particularly Gen's side of the story was so angsty and not as enjoyable as the previous book.

This book was a lot of fun, I read this in a little over a day and it was so fun the entire time. I have enjoyed Elle Kennedy's writing since I read the off-campus books and this was no exception. I would recommend this book to someone who wants something short and fun because those are the type of books Elle Kennedy writes. I love Evan and Genevive and their relationship throughout this either book, second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes so I already knew I would enjoy this book, but I didn't anticipate loving this so much, I even think I liked this one more than the first book in the series which I absolutely adored.

Amazing book by Elle Kennedy. I loved the first book and this one was just as good. She captures the characters perfectly. You will not be disappointed with this one. It’s a must read!

I DNF'd at about 10%. I didn't like any of the characters, I found them immature and frustratingly boring. Everything was about over drinking and pot smoking. I know she usually writes college-age characters, but this was like reading what high school students think college kids sound like.
The characters had more attributes I'm used to seeing in darker romances, but without the follow through or background present in a dark romance. I didn't like the way the leads talked to each other, the people around them, or even themselves. I was not having a good time, which is surprising since I loved the entire off-campus series.