Fans of Good Girl Complex are going to eat this one up! The Genevieve “carrot” is dangled for us in GGC, but we don’t know much about her other than vague mentionings of a past with Evan. Elle Kennedy piqued my curiosity in book one of this series when it came to Evan & Genevieve.

This book picks up right where book one leaves off. Evan, Cooper’s twin, has spent the past year pining for the great love of his life, Genevieve. She left without an explanation, and he’s not dealt with her absence in the healthiest of ways. Genevieve left town because she knew she needed to shed her “bad girl reputation,” and she knew she had to go cold turkey. Her mother’s death brings her back to town, where she’s forced to work through the on/off relationship she had with Evan. There’s no doubt these two love each other, but can either of them “grow up” so they can have a healthy relationship?

I loved seeing Cooper & Mac regularly throughout this book. Fans of GGC will be thrilled with all their cameos. I don’t know if I loved this one as much as the first, but towards the end, it really picked up for me, and I found myself rooting hard for Evan and Gen. I loved the push & pull of these two characters. There are more emotions in this one than the first, but not in a way that will make you cry. It’s just two people who are genuinely trying to get their lives straightened out so they can love each other without the weight of their poor decision-making. I loved the second chance story line…not just in the love story sense, but in the sense that they each got their own second chance for themselves.

I also feel like the author dangled some more “carrots” throughout the book, but especially in the epilogue, for another book (or two) in this series. I really hope my suspicions are right! 🤞🏻

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book is set to be released in October.

Second chance romance and Evan and Gen’s whole relationship was incredibly toxic. When they were younger, and it didn’t seem to improve with age. Evan’s “transformation” also felt very forced and disingenuous. I struggled to connect with either of the MC as they felt immature. And Cooper drove me crazy with how rude and unsupportive of a sibling he was to Evan. This one was just not for me. I hope others enjoy it more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I never read the first book in the series, and have only read the Off-Campus series by EK. However, this was sadly nothing to write home about.

There were parts I liked, like the chemistry the two main characters had. Unfortunately, that was heavily shadowed out by the immaturity of the characters and just how overly cliche this felt. There was nothing to these two but their chemistry. Nothing.

I do applaud EK for tackling a few heavier topics in this one. I know that isn’t easy.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Rating: 🔥🔥🔥

I have mixed emotions about this book. The whole book was based on a toxic relationship that never really gets solved. Yes, there is character growth but it felt very forced on Evans' part. It didn’t seem like he wanted to change for himself but more so he could win Gen back. Besides that, Elle did do a good job of showing Evan's growth. Watching him with Railey was always hilarious and fun. I also felt while there were a lot of secondary characters this book went through them fast then Evan went through girls in Good Girl Complex. With Cooper being his twin brother his presence was oddly lacking in this book and when he did show up he was nothing but rude and unsupportive. The constant drama was entertaining and the sexual tension between Gen and Evan could’ve set the pages on fire. I was a little disappointed that the Evans nickname for Gen never got explained but overall it wasn’t a horrible read. I didn’t love the book but I didn’t hate it 🤷🏼‍♀️

ARC received from NetGalley

This book 😍 Second chance romance! MMC pursuing the girl he loves! Reforming the bad boy!

Genevieve moves back to Avalon Bay after he mother’s funeral after spending a year away to “reform” herself from bad girl to grown up. Her ex, Evan, is waiting for her when she returns and will stop at nothing to win her back. There’s nothing I love more than a H who knows what he wants and doesn’t stop until he wins her over.

This is such a cute story about first loves, forgiveness and second chances. There’s no doubt Gen and Evan love each other but they have to figure out how to become better versions of themselves in order to have a healthy relationship: is love enough? It’s a perfect portrait of that early 20s angst and figuring out what being a “grown up” means. The banter between Gen and Evan was top notch. This had a good blend of fun, heart, and sexiness.

I really felt like I was visiting Avalon Bay - the town and side characters come to life in true Elle Kennedy style. These characters felt like friends and I was sad to see the go when I was finished.

I hope we get to see more of Alana and Harrison in future books!

I haven’t read Good Girl Complex yet but I didn’t feel like I needed to, in order to enjoy this.

3.75 Stars ⭐️

First, this book can definitely be read as a standalone and can be read before reading Good Girl Complex, which was something that I was worried about. The only thing is that the book spoils who ends up together from Good Girl Complex, but I didn't mind and would definitely go and read Good Girl Complex again after this.

I enjoyed this book and loved that there were multiple aspects to the book other than the romance between Gen and Evan, while that was still the main focus. Some other things that this book explored included complicated family relationships and dynamics with parents, death, personal growth, and friendship.

One thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the relationship between Evan and his "little brother" Riley and how they both seemed to open up and grow together. Riley taught Evan about the important things in life, forgiveness, and made him truly examine himself and his relationships. Evan helped Riley to learn to open up to others, gain more confidence, and start to feel some joy again after his mothers death.

While this book hit on some deep topics, there were also more lighthearted and funny moments in this book such as all of the things that went on with the Old Folks home Evan volunteered at (if you know, you know). Also, I just have to mention that I absolutely hated Deputy Randall, which I know was the point, but I could not stand him and he got all of the bad things he deserved. He was a disgusting human being.

The only issue I had with the book was that the plot line moved kind of slow and it just seemed like there was something missing within the storyline, but I can quite put my finger on what. At times their relationship can be very frustrating as well and at certain points I couldn't connect to the characters.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and think that many other people will too. Especially if you are a fan of second-chance romance, bad guy turned good, dual-pov, and character growth.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book!

This was a much deeper read than I expected. It's been a minute since a book has made me feel this involved in the outcome. Both, Gen and Evan as characters, show a wide range of growth and self-realization that I was sprinting to the end. As always, the comedic timing and trajectory of where Kennedy keeps pushing us as readers are exceptional. Really stunning work by Elle Kennedy.

I’ve been putting off reading this one on my NetGallery shelf as I thought I would miss things having not read Good Girl Complex first. After reading a fellow bookstagram review, she mentioned it could be read as a stand-alone so I was excited to not have to put this off anymore.

This is a story of second chances, forgiveness and redemption. It has love, spice, friendships, and just enough action in between. I fell in love with Evan and the way he loves Gen. The only reason why this wasn’t a 5 star read for me is because I felt there were some aspects of the story that could have been explored more. I’m even more excited to read Good Girl Complex now to get back into the world of the Hartley twins.

Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martins Press for this eARC!

I was so grateful to receive this eARC from @netgalley and @stmartinspress. Thank you! It comes out October 4th.

Bad Girl Reputation is the story of Genevieve and Evan, who have been dating on and off since high school. They both feel like they are meant for each other, but being a party girl and bad boy mean their relationship has been full of high highs and low lows. Then Genevieve hits rock bottom and takes off for a year, leaving Evan heartbroken. A tragedy strikes that reunites them, but neither is convinced that they are good enough for the other person. Will they give each other a second chance?

I loved Genevieve and Evan. Their feisty personalities and sense of humour made the book such a fun read! The book also featured some great side characters and the fabulous coastal setting of Avalon Bay. I wish I could visit! This is the second book in the Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy, but it can stand alone.

#NetGalley #BadGirlReputation #BookReview #Bookstagram

I have been lucky to receive an advance copy read of Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy.

If you haven’t read Good Girl Complex you need to start there as this is a sequel to this book. And even if it wasn’t a sequel they are both highly recommended reads.

You will always remember the ex and sometimes you may even want them back. And this is the case with Evan when his ex Genevieve who is back visiting in town.

In their small town lots can be talked about and lots can happen. Therefore let’s see if sparks fly again between Genevieve and Evan.

Also if you have read the original book you will see a continuation of our favourite couple Cooper and Mackenzie. It also continues the family drama with Shelley.

The book covers, love, loss, drama on all levels and past mistakes.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Look out for the book coming to book stores near you on October 4, 2022!

What book are you looking forward to coming out this year?

This is a 4.5 stars ⭐️ for me!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this book! This wasn’t my favorite story, but I think it’s just not my flavor of bookworm food and that someone else would really enjoy it.

What I loved:
🖤 the character development - I know a lot of the decisions made were really immature but I felt like they still had grown a lot by the end of the book compared to the first scene
🖤 dual POV - I will never stop loving reading the male character’s perspective!

What I wished for:
🖤 more depth to the relationship - it was difficult for me to connect to the characters when there wasn’t a deeper connections between themselves
🖤 less physical relationship and more deep feelings

Overall if you want a spicy second chance romance then I definitely recommend this book for you!

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 is they are trying to stay away from each other or not. The flirting and the banter between the two is *chefs kiss* and the spice is even better! Being able to hear from characters from the first book was perfectly balanced with the new storyline and characters in this book. Genevieve is such a strong character but she is trying to reinvent herself while the past keeps popping up wherever she goes and she does a great job of navigating it and changing her whole outlook on life and on herself as a whole. Evan is a bad boy that radiates golden retriever energy when it comes to Gen, he will do anything and everything for her, and he is willing to show her that just to get her back and bettering himself in the process. 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.

This is a story of growth and redemption, of forgiveness and second chances.

Genevieve West and Evan Hartley grew up together in the small town of Avalon Bay. They partied hard and loved even harder until one fateful night made Gen question how she was living her life. She left town without a word and broke Evan's heart. Gen returns to Avalon Bay for her mother's funeral and discovers she is still very much in love with Evan. She tries to stay away from him because while Gen has shed her party girl ways, Evan is still embracing his bad boy reputation.

Gen & Evan's chemistry is palpable and they are unable to stay away from each other. Evan realizes quickly that he will have to change if he wants to keep Gen in his life. She has a hard time trusting Evan and herself at first. The evolution and growth of these characters is very well done. I did not love Evan in Good Girl Complex and there are a couple of moments in this book where I don't necessarily like either main character, but I love them both by end. I'm excited to see who the main characters will be in book three.

Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

First and foremost, I enjoyed Bad Girl Reputation more than Good Girl Complex. I found Evan and Gens chemistry to be absolutely off the charts and I really liked their banter as well. It was a wonderful story of growing up and finding out who you want to be while not forgetting who you were. This book is an easy and enjoyable read and the ending was very sweet.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm soo soo grateful that I got to read this early! Honestly, what a fun second book follow up from the first one- I liked this one better tbh! I found the characters more relatable and realistic, the storyline was more nuanced than book one. I truly enjoyed the way that Gen had to deal with her own history and make choices to get to a future she wanted. And obviously, steamy!!
Such a fun read, I buzzed through it. Highly recommend!

I have read many Elle Kennedy, and they have been greats reads and this is not an exception! “Bad Girl Reputation” got my attention since the first chapter! Another thing I loved is the dual point of view, it’s great to see what both characters are thinking and feeling! Thank you to Net Galley, Author, and Publisher for this ARC! 💗

I don’t read rom-coms a lot but I did want to give this one a chance because I heard so many good things about the first book in this series.

Gen - Our female main character. The author portrayed her like she had good character growth but there were still times where I felt like she was acting immature. Case in point : HARRISON. Its always a 🚩 when a character treats a side character shitty for me. It puts me off the entire book.

Evan - *swoons* his character growth was something I enjoyed reading. Him supporting Gen through her baggage earned him a couple of brownie points from me.

But where is the growth as a couple? I feel like we missed a huge chunk of development there. From trying to stay away from each other to declaring their love? It was very anti-climatic for me.

All in all, this wasn’t my type of book but i could see other people enjoying it.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy!

This book in 3 words: Soulful. Funny. Redemption.

Genevieve is back in Avalon Bay, the hometown that keeps her sometimes-toxic-true-love and party days, after her mom passes away. Evan, her former twin flame, keeps turning up, but what's the right move towards her future and changing her bad girl reputation?

I love Elle Kennedy's ability to discover the voice and tone for her characters. Evan and Gen are on fire (physically, mentally, emotionally) and they have such a strong presence throughout the dual POV chapters. That seems like it should be "automatic" but just because a book is multiple POV doesn't mean it's executed well. 

While I enjoyed the story, character, and plot, I wasn't as invested as I was with Coop and Mac in Good Girl Complex. Gen and Evan seemed wildly immature at times (BUT STILL JUST AS ENTERTAINING). But take that how you will, I still started and finished this book in 2 sittings... I wanted more and couldn't get enough. Sometimes, you just need a book where the characters are a hot mess and this is one of them. 

In all honesty, I think readers of Good Girl Complex will like this book more than those who didn't read it, but it's still a standalone.

This was a very okay read. I could not gauge how old the MCs were supposed to be, but judging by their behavior, this is a new adult novel. Evan and Gen were a very toxic couple and I was actually rooting for Gen to ditch Evan and get with the nice guy Harrison that she went on a date with. They'd fight, they'd have great sex, they'd fight again, etc. The heroine made an honest effort to break this cycle and, to his credit, the hero tried to better himself, but for the wrong reasons (he wanted to look better to Gen). I just didn't get the impression this couple would make it in the long run. Overall, a light read that passed the afternoon.

After reading and really enjoying Good Girl Complex, I was so excited to be back in Avalon Bay with the Hartley Twins!

This is a second chance romance packed with love, friendship, goals, and great character growth! I love the small town connections and long time friendships created in this story.

Evan and Gen are reunited when Gen returns back to Avalon Bay for her mothers funeral. After suddenly leaving town and her relationships, Gen is not only back she is rekindling her old life that she was desperate to get away from. Old feelings return along with everything she left behind.

The on and off again relationship keeps everything interesting. The connection between both characters is so magnetic. It's nice to have familiar characters from Good Girl Complex blend into this one.

All in all I really enjoyed both books, they are great summer reads! Though this is the second book, it can also be read as a standalone.
When it comes to Elle Kennedy I've never been disappointed.

Thank you so much to netgalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced copy