Back to Avalon Bay we go and I loved being back!

It got me into all the summer vibes back in June, when I read this advanced copy.

This is book two of the series. The twins each have their own book and I will say, their stories are completely different. You get pieces of Genevieve in the first book, but you’re left wondering what her story still is. Evan intrigued me in Good Girl Complex and I was excited to read this story.

Overall I enjoyed the book and loved coming back to this world. Seeing some things come full circle with past characters was great to read about. I do wish I could have gotten a glimpse more into their past. There were moments where statements were made but not enough background was given. But I loved the growth the characters took along this journey.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first in the series. Good characters and a good pace! Fun reads and I'll keep checking them out!

I am drawn to Elle Kennedy books and this one was not my favorite. The second book in her Avalon Bay series. This book follows Gen and Evan's romance.

Gen returns home when her mother passed away. She is now navigating the life she left behind the year prior. Can she keep her new good girl persona while trying to acclimate back into her old life.

Bad boy Evan tries to step back into his role as her boyfriend but Gen is determined to keep him at arms length for blaming him for being the bad girl she once was.

I’d like to thank St. Martins Press and NetGalley for giving me this arc for Elle Kennedy, as always all thoughts are my own.
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Bad Girl Reputation follows Genevieve West former wild child who is back in home town Avalon Bay for mothers funeral where she is trying to forget his past until she see him her ex-boyfriend Evan Hartley. This story follows the two as they try to come to terms who they are as their own person when they are not a couple.
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Let’s start with what I liked about this book I liked that the whole theme of Genevieve trying to stay on a path of trying to better herself due to her past mistakes which we later learned towards the middle of the book why she left town. I also liked how even though she did give into her temptations she immediately would try to Right them so that she didn’t feel guilt within herself.
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What I did not like about this book and why I gave it three stars was that even though the book was long and I feel like the storyline could have been more progressive then it just being Evan changing himself just for Genevieve in the beginning and not believing that she was trying to change to the better. I felt like there could have been more conflict that really showed how much Genevieve is tested by her former party girl days.
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I did enjoy the dynamic of Evan and Genevieve after they got past why she was trying to change and Evan going through his changes, he never tried to force her to be the “life of the party” after they communicated why she left.
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Bad Girl Reputation is available at all major retailer on October 4th, 2022

4.25/5 stars
I loved this book! I have been wanting to get my hands on an Elle Kennedy book and I am glad this is the first one I got to read. It makes me want to get the first one in the Avalon Bay series. The chemistry between Evan and Gen was clear from the start and it was so strong. This novel had the perfect amount of sweetness and steaminess, what I especially enjoyed was the relationship Evan had with Riley because it gave him a chance to act as a big brother since Cooper had taken on that role.

Picking back up in Avalon Bay with #BadGirlReputation by @ellekennedy 🌊

Reformed party girl Genevieve finds herself back home in Avalon Bay for her mother’s funeral. She plans to help her dad’s business temporarily and get back out of town… except her on again off again ex-boyfriend, Evan, has different plans.

Despite trying to keep their distance, Genevieve and Evan collide almost immediately into a delicious push-and-pull attempt at a second chance romance. Can they both move on from their bad reputations & really make a new start together? Will Genevieve ever regain her footing in her old town and let it feel like home? 🏘

While I loved the prequel, Good Girl Complex, I *adored* Genevieve and Evan’s angst-filled, sparks-flying, childhood romance grown up story. It can be read standalone or as part of the series. TW: there are some heavy topics including drug and substance abuse and problematic police officers, but, they keep the fast paced plot moving.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Bad Girl Repuration! Fingers crossed for a third installment in Avalon Bay!

Big thank you to Net Galley & St. Martin’s Press for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Elle Kennedy is a must read author for me but this book won’t be included in my list of favorites. A second chance romance for childhood sweethearts Gen and Evan when Gen returns to their hometown after disappearing without a word. Gen wants to grow up and act like a responsible adult which makes her think that a relationship with Evan is out of the question. The only thing out of the question for Evan is a life without Gen. The chemistry between the two of them is scorching and Kennedy”s writing always makes the pages turn quickly. I found other aspects of the book less satisfying. Their group of friends annoyed me and Al of their antics came across as more mean spirited and judgmental rather than justified. The us versus them mentality they had towards anyone not a townie got old. really quickly as did using people to make others jealous.. They all felt so much younger than they were supposed to be.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After all of the love I had for Good Girl Complex, I was sooo excited for this book! I love Elle Kennedy and had very high hopes, but this fell a little flat for me.

I really enjoyed Gen and Evan’s story but it just felt like something was missing. I really liked Cooper and Mac’s story because it gave me Outer Banks vibes and set up the environment so well, but I think that was missing from this one. Understandable because it’s a sequel, but the town just lost some of its magic.

You could see that Genevieve had changed, but I didn’t really have a moment where I saw that Evan REALLY changed. He was always the softer-hearted twin and even with the Big Brother storyline it felt a little like he was just going through the motions?

I also think the book could use some more backstory behind Gen and Evan’s relationship. We hear about all of the trouble they got into but no real interpersonal details from that time before, which seems odd to me because Evan was so wrecked when she left? I think it could just use a little more finessing. I did like the ending a lot so that gave it a bump in my eyes. Rounding up from 3.5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I received and ARC of this book from NetGalley

This one went down like smooth whiskey. Well-written and fast-paced with a lot of heart behind it. Bad Girl Reputation is a second change romance about flawed people learning that they can change and not be defined by their pasts.

I enjoyed both Gen and Evan as characters. They are flawed but relatable and even though some of their actions are questionable, they definitely learn and grow throughout. It felt very real to me and I liked that. I appreciated that the story was about two people who were equally destructive and self-sabotaging. One person did not redeem the other; they did it for themselves.

I read most of it in one day. The pacing was perfect, the story hooked me immediately, and I didn’t want to put it down. Some good spice, but not overly spicy. Overall, I really enjoyed this one!

4.5 stars, definitely recommend.

Really this was more of a 4.5 out of 5 for me but good reads doesn't have 1/2 ratings. This was an AMAZING read. I read it in one sitting and have no regrets. Evan and Gen had a LOT to unpack in this but their story was amazing. So much history and the obvious love on both parts was swoon worthy.

I don't want to give anything away but pick this up when you have the chance!

I love Elle Kennedy and her books so much! And while I liked this book, it was my least favorite I’ve read of hers (Off-Campus, Briar U, and Good Girl Complex). There wasn’t a ton of plot to it besides second chance romance but I did really enjoy reading more on Evan. I also really liked meeting Gen and watching her really come into her own while still being herself.

*Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Elle Kennedy, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This is my first Elle Kennedy book, so I went in blind and was immediately addicted. Bad Girl Reputation is the second book in her Avalon Bay series, and I don't think you need the first one to know what is happening. This is the second chance love story of Genevieve and Evan. For a romance, it is very emotional and there are some very uncomfortable scenes, but a book I will remember for a long time.

Bad Girl Reputation begins as Gen comes back for her mother's funeral. She left Avalon Bay for a year without saying goodbye to anyone after a dangerous encounter with a cop and his family. She left Evan with no explanation, which I felt should have been talked about but was barely touched on. When she sees Evan again, they are immediately on fire. As they try to fight their attraction to each other and date others, they always find their way back to each other. This wasn't an easy story to read. It was volatile, angsty, and sometimes uncomfortable. In the beginning, both Evan and Gen are toxic people who need to grow up. While it is unrealistic to think they could do this in the timeline of this book, which is one Summer. I enjoyed the plot, and it was well-paced. I thought the ending was a little off, but the characters won me over.

The book was good, but doesn’t come close to living up to the greatness of the first in the series. While I really liked the storyline between Gen and Randall- I wish it took a bigger role in the plot. I just wasn’t invested in Gen and Evan the way that I was in Mac and Cooper.

I’ve read most of Elle Kennedy’s books, including Good Girl Complex, so I was excited to get an early copy of Bad Reputation from NetGalley. I enjoyed this book more than Good Girl Complex. Evan and Gen’s story of young love gone wrong and then coming back together made for a good read. I would give it a solid 3.75 stars.

I’ve never read Elle Kennedy before, and I didn’t read the previous book in this series, so I have nothing to base my opinions on, but I didn’t love this book as much as I hoped to. I appreciated that the story focuses on the growth arcs of the two main characters, but every single character in this book needs that reality check. They’re all in roughly their early to mid 20s, and it seems like no one has bothered to really leave town and move on, and all they do is have parties and friends k and get high.

I struggled too with the AMOUNT of characters mentioned in the book, it was pretty hard to keep them all straight. The other bit I struggled with was that EVERY relationship featured in this book, whether between the MCs or the secondary characters, was problematic! It’s hard to champion for a couple when all you’ve seen from them is a toxic AF relationship.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press. All opinions are my own.

*Thank you to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for the ARC*

My initial impression after finishing this book? I’m sad. I was approved for this book before I had a chance to read Good Girl Complex so I tore through that one so I was nice and ready for Bad Girl Reputation. The issue with series is it’s impossible not to compare one with the other and I really, really liked GGC so I hoped I would love BGR, but I just didn’t get the same fuzzy feelings I usually do from Kennedy’s books. Not to say that it wasn’t a cute story and still a solid 4 stars, but I’m sad cause I was left wanting…more! I had a nibble of Genevieve and Evan in book one, but I wanted a feast in book two. Instead I was left with a sampler platter, delicious but, you know.

The premise of BGR is simply “what happens when the party girl and the bad boy grow up” as succinctly stated by Gen herself. After leaving town and her wild antics behind (on again/off again bf Evan included), Gen returns in hopes of starting fresh. But Evan wants to pick up where they left off, old habits and all, until he realizes he also needs to change. A second chance romance filled with chaotic trips down memory lane and sparks that won’t stop flying between the fiery former couple ensue.

My favorite parts of the book are how honest and vulnerable the characters are. Although they’re supposed to come off as destructive and too cool for school, they’re upfront and communicative about their feelings, even though these types of characters tend to put up a front. For instance (spoiler warning), Evan is refreshingly realistic about his negligent mother and comes clean about how Gen’s ghosting made him feel instead of just putting on a tough guy act. Instead of playing it cool or trying to hurt her they way she hurt him, he’s upfront about his feelings, even though he’s admittedly got abandonment issues with his mom already.

I also love characters who know one another inside and out and are just in tune with each other without needing to convey much. It sparks joy.

However, an aspect I desperately WANTED to love was the woo that Evan promised Gen to get her back for good. I was so ready to fall (back) in love right along Gen but I’ll just have to accept the fact that his inner growth and their strong mutual attraction was enough. *deep sigh*

Although it’s the second book of the series, it can be read as a standalone as long as you don’t mind some spoilers from the love story in the first part. A quick gripe about sequels though, sometimes there’s too much back detail and more world building to set up for future plots. I kept imagining side characters ending up with their own story lines so it took me out of the moment at times thinking ahead.

Overall, I did enjoy Bad Girl Reputation and would highly recommend it for fans of Good Girl Complex since Mac and Cooper are featured throughout. It does deal with heavy topics such as CW: alcohol/drug use, abuse of authority, sexual assault, death of a parent, and depression but there’s lots of light hearted moments and witty banter to break things up. Publishes in October ‘22.

Elle Kennedy does it again and she hooked me from start to finish with a story so different from what she has us used to but at the same time so good.

Gen and Evan are exes who have a past together, an intense and turbulent relationship full of passion, love and friendship but also bad decisions, their relationship has been toxic for both of them, and Gen is willing to prove after her return to the town that she is not the same girl who left, that she has changed and wants to stay clean and this requires staying away from Evan and all their noxious past, but Evan is willing to fight for her and show her that they can be good together.

This is a unique, intense and angsty story, about friendship, redemption, forgiveness and love,, I love Evan and Gen, their sizzling chemistry spills off the pages, their emotional connection is epic, their love is deep and intense. I love the dynamics of friends and I hope the author gives us more of this world, get ready for a roller coaster of emotions, highly recommended for fans of:
second chances
angst
intense emotional connection
epic banter
fierce chemistry

Just incase anyone was wondering if I’m predictable, here it is.

Starting another ARC mid-series and putting it down to start at the beginning. (Someone remind me of this when I’m drooling over an advance book that’s number 16 in a series, commitment)

Speaking of commitment that’s what one of our main characters, Evan, was not looking for over the past year. Instead he was chasing the memory of his long time best friend/girlfriend (Genevieve) who straight up ghosted him.

Gen left town with no explanations and didn’t come home until a year later when her mom passed away. Determined to put her “bad girl” tendencies to rest she gives up on the vices that could lead her astray including Evan.

Is Avalon Bay big enough to keep her from her best friend?

Things to note: said best friend is almost the definition of irresistible.(Did I mention he’s a twin?) Evan is notorious for his panty dropping charm. Who knows what could happen if he put in a little effort..

Cheers to NetGalley for this ARC

If i could describe this book in one word, it'd be: hot. I am dying to read more Elle Kennedy books!! Thank you netgalley + the publisher for the ARC.

This one just felt too young and immature for me. I got tired of the antics and them being jealous and breaking up/getting back together every five minutes. Honestly I feel like Harrison dodged a bullet.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.