DNF at 30%. Incredibly boring and don’t even get me started on the cop shit. I slapped that book shut so fast when Randall made her say the alphabet backwards at a sobriety check and her COP BF who knew she drank nothing was just like -shrug- “sorry, babe, that’s the law you gotta do it.” Nope, nope, nope.

Evan is just an asshole, which is fine, his trauma responses make sense, but it’s boring to read about bc he just keeps throwing temper tantrums and then apologizing. Also, we’re supposed to like Heidi now? As if she wasn’t the villain of book 1? Anyway, I hate the side characters, all 100 of them, it’s impossible to keep track. If you like a town that oozes toxicity through its pores, this book is for you. Found family that’s blander than toast. Second chance romance that only happens because everyone is screwing everyone and the only single guy is a cop who will let you get arrested for being completely sober.

Bad Girl Reputation
3.5/5 stars

A quick thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

We start Bad Girl Reputation with a celebration of life for our main character Genevieve’s mother who she never had a close bond with. Genevieve returning home a year after running away from her life and starting over only to be right back in the thick of it when she comes back home to help and support her family through this very sudden (to her) loss. When she takes over part of the family business after being blindsided by her father that he needs help until he hires a new manager, she must now handle her tumultuous past and her on and off again ex-boyfriend that she left behind.

Our main characters Genevieve and Evan are high school sweethearts without the sweetness. Surviving high school by creating chaos, skipping classes, fighting constantly and being generally horrible people. Although in love with each other, Genevieve leaves town very suddenly with no warning to Evan or anyone else in town other than her family to get a fresh start when she realizes that there is no future for her, or Evan, if they continue like the way they did all throughout high school. Evan is very obviously hurt and scarred from her leaving, pissed off and still the same kid he was while he was a teenager. When they reunite at the celebration of life, it sets off all their unanswered questions and frustrations that are left between them from Genevieve’s perceived betrayal.

If you’re looking for a cute romcom, second chance at love story with lovable characters, this is not the book you’re looking for. There is almost no development in the characters, they don’t evolve into anything better and in fact stay pretty toxic throughout the whole series. Genevieve left town and Evan because she knew she needed to change, her toxic bad bitch party girl persona couldn’t hold her in life forever, and she would never change if she stayed in a town that not only knew her history and uses that as their view for her no matter how much she changes as an adult, but also that Evan would never change if they kept going on through their on and off cycle.

There’s no real character development, Evan stays his typical party boy self and does maybe one or two big gestures to show that he’s changed, but he still has the same personality that he did in the beginning and in their small flashbacks to their high school days.

I really liked Genevieve as a character but wish honestly that this wasn’t a second chance romance and that there had been someone else for her that wasn’t the only person from her past that could drag her back into all her bad habits or the other love interest (Harrison) that was the polar opposite and made to be specifically boring so you can’t be happy with wanting him either. She is portrayed as a decent human being that makes mistakes, and she recognizes her mistakes when they happen and apologizes for them, but Evan and Genevieve would not be the endgame I was rooting for. I honestly wish there was maybe a third love interest that was actually interesting, good for her, and not either bad boy central or vanilla cop.

I do have a few other frustrations regarding the content of this book, including the backhanded way to get rid of Harrison by tossing the side love interest to the mother of the teenager that Evan has for the big brother program. I thought that that was such a weird way to get rid of him and also a little bit lazy – although I am glad that him and Gen ended on good terms. Another thing I really hate – not just in this book, but in most books that I read, and especially in ones written by Elle Kennedy – is the use of sexual assault/high power characters that bring about certain forms of trauma without ever going through the process of dealing with that trauma and healing from it, it’s always 1. It happens, 2. It’s mentioned, 3. It’s never dealt with, 4. Everything is fine and it’s not something that is a real experience that requires therapy or some form of action to fix the lasting issues that come from it. Another thing, which is mentioned above, is how toxic Evan and Gen are together. Gen sets very clear- and thought-out boundaries to Evan while she’s back in town, and he immediately goes and figures out ways to disregard all her boundaries to get what he wants. Then, while all of this is happening, Evan’s twin brother Cooper is telling Gen to stay away from Evan, as if she’s the one going out of her way to weasel her way back into their lives when she is only there to help her family and then leave again.


Overall, Bad Girl Reputation was a fast read and not horrible. It did have some things going for it, but some things were just a little bit too hard to look past when it came down to reviewing and wanting to enjoy the book. I just have too much of a hard time liking a book when it comes to the toxicity of the main couple that is clearly written to be the most romantic thing in the world when quite honestly, it’s very much the opposite.

LOVED LOVED this book! I thought it was even better than the 1st in the series, Good Girl Complex. I loved reading about Evan and Gen and their past. I loved the dual point of views. It was nice to catch up with Cooper and Mac and read more about their family and friend group. Perfect about of steam, laugh, and serious moments.

Special thanks to NetGallery and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

I am a huge fan of Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus and Briar U series - I cannot tell you how many times I’ve re-read those books! So, I was very excited to see that Elle was writing a new series set in a cozy beach town.

In Bad Girl Reputation, Genevieve returns home to Avalon Bay for the first time in a year for her mother’s funeral. At the reception, Gen bumps in to Evan, her childhood friend turned lover, who has now become a virtual stranger in her time away. It’s clear from the start that Gen and Evan share a long history and, despite Gen’s attempts, they both still feel that attraction towards one another. While Gen remains in town to help her father and family, she sets a firm rule: no Evan.

But in a town as small as Avalon Bay, Gen finds that her hard and fast rule may not be so easy to follow. Gen and Evan’s history is complicated and their previous relationship was (at most times) very tumultuous and toxic. But is a real second chance romance in the cards for them?

I’m not going to lie, Good Girl Complex (book 1) was not my favorite book of Elle’s. Despite this, I decided to go into Bad Girl Reputation with an open mind and found my opinion on this book to be about the same, sadly. I didn’t connect with the characters like I wanted to.

The book had so much drama and angst - a little too much, if I’m being honest. I wanted so much more growth from both characters and felt myself getting very frustrated with their actions and lack of maturity. At times, the pacing was much too slow for my taste and I would start to lose interest.

This book is very different from her other popular series (Off Campus and Briar U), but I do think Bad Girl Reputation deserves a spot on your TBR if you enjoy angsty new adult romance with lots of drama.

A special thank you to St. Martin’s Giffin for the advanced e-book copy!

Okay so this book was much better than I was expecting. I didn’t love the first book from this series but I do love Elle Kennedy books so I needed to see if this one lived up to my high expectations 😅

Genevieve returns home after a year away where she focused on improving herself and getting away from her “bad girl reputation”. 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.

The book is written from Evan and Gen’s POV. I actually liked both the main characters. Evan is the twin brother of Cooper who the first novel centers around and Evan is by far the more likable/tolerable twin. Cooper was often mean whereas Evan is able to actually treat the woman he cares for with respect.

The book tackles dealing with past demons that make trying to move forward in the same area difficult. Gen is a strong female lead that is able to put herself first and doesn’t change who she is for a guy.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

✅️ Second Chance Romance
✅️ Ex-Party Girl & Bad Boy
✅️ Possesive/Protective Alpha
✅️ Duel POV

⚠️ Death of parent
⚠️ Substance abuse

This is the 2️⃣nd book in the Avalon Bay series. Can be read as a Standalone, but better if you have read the 1st book.

Genevieve West moves back to town after the death of her mother. 💐 She had left town and tried to work on herself/sobriety, leaving her ex Evan Hartley behind. ✌️

Evan finds out Gen is back and vows to win her back. After their toxic off & on previous relationship, can it be done? 🤔

I loved seeing how these characters owned their own imperfect personalities and made choices to grow and be better. ❤️🌹

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eARC!

Loved the character development of Gen and evan! everyone can relate to how much you change from highschool but deep down your spirit is the same. this book captivated me from the first page!

thank you st martins press for the ARC!

Honestly was pretty disappointed with this one. Evan and Gen’s story truly had so much potential and the way it was written just fell short. At times the story was very heartwarming but it was just filled with too much fluff and way too many plot holes. Evan’s relationship with his mom growing was truly the best part other than Gen realizing she can change. I’m happy they got their happy ending but just felt like something was missing

This was the perfect next book in The Avalon Bay series. It was nice to see some characters from a different point of view. I also loved that we still were able to include characters from the first book, even if they were not the main focus. The writing flowed well, the story kept my attention, and I honestly couldn't put it down.

DNF - 46%

In my opinion, this book contains very underdeveloped and stereotypical characters fitting them into the files of ‘bad girl’ and ‘bad boy’. I found the spice to be underwhelming and the plot very boring and overall unpleasant to read about. Considering i found Good Girl Complex just fine I do have to say I’m not impressed.

I just can never dislike a Elle Kennedy book and “Bad Girl Reputation” lived up to my expectations. After devouring her whole backlog and then waiting for “Good Girl Complex” to release, and loving it, I was so excited to see the next in the Avalon Bay series to come out. I loved the chemestry between Gwen and Evan. We most definitely heard about her in Good Girl Complex and to actually finally meet her and see their continued story about why Gwen left, I loved their character growth. I can’t wait for Elle Kennedy’s next book!!!!

Big thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for sending me an E-arc of Bad Girl Reputation in exchange for an honest review.

Bad Girl Reputation follows Genevieve and Evan as they navigate trying to be around each other again after being apart for a year. Evan just wants Gen back but Gen doesn’t think they’re any good for each other.

This book is full of fun banter, chemistry you can’t ignore, tension, and heat. It’s a journey of two people trying to better themselves while trying not to fall back into old ways with each other. It’s the perfect mix of childhood friends to lovers and second chance romance. Super fun, easy read!

At times o had a very hard time following wtf was going on in this book. I thought the concept was a great and I was pulled in by the description but I just could not connect with the characters or the plot at all. I really wanted to love this but just could not connect!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review After I struggled to get through the first Avalon Bay, I was hoping this one would turn it around for me. It did, but only slightly. I just don’t find these characters as likeable as the ones in the off campus series and I don’t know what it is! I just didn’t care about Evan and Gen- like at all. Disappointed, but it’s sitting at a 3 for me.

I absolutely loved this book, I finished it in two days and couldn’t put it down. This book follows Genevieve, a former “party girl” ready to make changes in her life. Her ex boyfriend, Evan, wants her back but hasn’t shown her he can stop his “bad boy” behaviors. She is sick of partying and making bad decisions, so he promises her he will properly date her and make changes in his life. These two have a lot of history together and have been friends since childhood.

I related to Genevieve so much I felt like I was reading about myself at times. I love that she isn’t your typical “innocent” heroine and has a edgy personality, which you don’t see often in romance books. I think that aspect really made this book stand out to me. Evan and Genevieve’s sexual tension was amazing and the spicy scenes were great. You can definitely tell these characters are meant to be together and have a lot of chemistry. I can’t wait to read about the other characters in the friend group!

This book does talk about alcoholism, drugs, and a death of a parent so make sure to look up trigger warnings.

Elle Kennedy does it again. This book is a story unlike anything I've read and you absolutely fall in love with Genevieve and Evan. Her follow up to Good Girl Complex can be read as a stand-alone or is the perfect way to follow up Cooper and Mac's story (and Daisy!!).

In the coastal town of Avalon Bay, readers get to meet Gen for the first time as she returns back to town. And you get an immediate taste of the couple that has been: Gen and Evan. These two on again off again high school sweethearts are a little spicier and a little more badass than any other your typical romance couple. Their bad streak has followed them for years and Genevieve is ready to start cleaning up her act. Starting with leaving Evan behind. But their string that ties them together is more like a pair of handcuffs and someone threw the key away a long time ago.

This story of love follows these two lovers as they grow with each other despite an abundance of brothers who don't particularly approve, a past they're trying to escape, and maybe a cop or two getting in their way. This spicy story fills you with joy as Gen and Evan work on finding their way back to each other. So run, don't walk, to pick this book up when it's released!

Huge thank-you to St. Martin's Press & Netgally for providing me an Advanced Reader Copy of Bad Girl Reputation!

tropes: second chance romance, friends to lovers, bad girl/bad boy, reformed bad girl/boy

Unfortunately, this book was not a hit for me. I really loved the first book, Good Girl Complex, which is surprising because it wasn't universally liked. However, I find I am falling in the minority again with Bad Girl Reputation in that I didn't think it was that great of a read but everyone else seemed to love it! I am not a huge fan of second-chance romances - I prefer to watch the characters build their relationship over time rather than pop in while they're still in the middle of figuring things out. I also found the pacing a bit slow.

Elle has become one of my favorite authors. Her writing style is just so amazing. I absolutely loved this book

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶/5

This was super quick and sexy read for me. Elle always writes stories that will suck you in and make you never want to leave. Avalon Bay is no exception. After reading “Good Girl Complex” I was dying for the Evan Hartley’s story with the mysterious Gen.

I loved this take on the second chance romance trope. Gen and Evan had a really toxic relationship in the past and this book shows them trying to first be better for themselves before they can be better for each other and I was rooting for them the whole book.

You could really feel the chemistry these two people have and how much history they share in their fun and witty banter. I loved that they shared this commonality having bad relationships with their mothers which really bonds them and cements their connection. They understand each other more than anyone.

I’m really hoping for more from this friend group, there are someone fun characters that’s I know would have such interesting stories, Alana and Tate intrigue me 😏

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Elle Kennedy for this ARC!

I enjoyed every single moment of this second chance romance! I loved good girl reputation and when I saw there was a second novel in the series I had to jump on it! This one has the same feeling as the first novel but instead of a good girl/ bad guy trope, we have bad girl/ bad guy working on growth and growing up.

The writing was light and written well. The characters were fully developed. The plot was great. Filled with loads of humorous moments to lessen the severity of feelings you get from bettering yourself.