I really loved this book and was excited to see Evan’s love story come together. This was definitely a redemption story for both of them. Curious to see if a third book comes out for Avalon Bay!

Really enjoyed this book! The characterization of Evan and Gen really came through in the writing. Gen was hard to empathize with at first, trying to change her reputation by pushing people away. Her development got better throughout the book. The real standout is Evan and his growth. Love a bad boy on a reformation journey. Fun read, perfect for a cozy read.

4.5 ⭐️
Gen and Evan - best friends since childhood, lovers in the most passionate sense, but also very passionate fighters - bad boy/girl reputation, one’s fire and one’s gasoline; depending on the situation the can switch roles. Because of this, Gen up and left without a second thought to goodbye only to return after the passing of her mother. Gen is welcomed back home to this persona she tried so hard to push away, realizing as much as Evan brings out the worst in her behaviors, she can’t live without him.

This book is 🌶🌶🌶🌶
But also so many messages in the character development that I really enjoyed. You’re growing up in your 20s, and I would be lying if I said that was easy.

I loved the entire premise of the story, the subplots were on par - highly recommend.

This felt much different than a traditional elle kennedy book and i can’t quite place why- but i absolutely loved it. This book was full of second chances, forgiveness, self-reflection, and love. & sprinkled in some heavier topics like problematic law enforcement, addiction, neglectful parents, etc. - Which i think was done well and didn’t make the book feel too heavy.

Gen and Evan had been in an on again off again relationship with a tendency to go on wild, reckless endeavors. After an unfortunate run in with a piece of shit officer, Gen realized she needed to escape the life she was living and skipped town. After her mother passes, she returns to town again. Gen and Evan have such a magnetic relationship and they find themselves drawn back to one another instantly. But Gen worries that Evan will destroy the better version of herself she created and allow her fall back into old habits.

*From here on might contain spoilers (kinda)*


Gen and Evan had such a connection that i actually believed in so deeply, which i think is often hard to depict in a book. They are genuinely perfect for one another and if they would’ve ended up with anyone else i would’ve rioted.

I really loved the idea of self-refection and improvement that was in this. i thought it was portrayed in a very realistic manner. & i loved that Evan was so supportive of her and what she believed in while also helping her realize that she didn’t need to be perfect. & that the work she put into herself was real and not a facade she created. & the growth that Evan had was incredible. He had an amazing character development between Good Girl Complex and this book.

Riley was such a fun addition to this story and i really loved seeing the dynamic between him and Evan. As Well as Harrison, i thought he was cute. There was a whole slew of secondary characters and i really enjoyed all of them.

Evan and Coopers mother, Shelley, always hits a little too close to home. But i’m really happy they got to reconnect that relationship and i’m rooting that they get a happy ending with her.

My only gripes with the book would be that

A) Cooper didn’t feel at all like the same character from Good Girl Complex but that could just be me. Cooper and Evan are fighting like their highschool classmates not brothers.

B) Evan and Gen didn’t get “back together” until like 10 pages to the end. Which is fine, i just wanted a little bit more. I would’ve taken more of them and little less of the side plots. I didn’t feel like i got to see enough of their relationship. The ending just felt a little rushed.

C) I didn’t really like the Randall plot line, it felt a little not thought out and “let me throw an antagonist in here” kind of situation.

I throughly enjoyed this book and Elle Kennedy just has a way of captivating her readers with her writing. & i will continue to read anything she writes because i’m obsessed with her. It was a great romance, a little heavy, but great nonetheless. Great for anyone who loves a second chance/redemption story. 4/5

Thank you so so much to Netgally and St. Martins Press for providing me with an earc in exchange for my honest review. I am always so incredibly grateful!

I went into Bad Girl Reputation blind. I had heard about Good Girl Complex, but I had not read it. I’m always interested in the stories where the character with a bad reputation is trying to turn their life around. That is exactly what Genevieve is trying to do when she comes home after her mother passes away. That becomes difficult to do as she encounters Evan, her ex.

Evan and Gen both struggle to put the past behind them and become better versions of themselves. This book gets right to the heart at what it means to face the demons of your past and the forgiveness that is needed to move on, as well as the strength needed to take a second chance at love.

I loved every bit of this story! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC! All opinions expressed are my own.

Bad Girl Reputation was a very heartwarming book about sacrifice and redemption!

Gen and Evan have been thick as thieves since children but as they got older that bond grew! These two were a mix of fun and consequences! When Gen’s actions become too much she bolts in search of a fresh start! Now that she’s home she has to face who she once was, grow from her mistakes and hold strong to who she wants to be!

I really loved how strong willed Gen was. There were times when I wanted to grab her from the book and hug her. She really had some learning to do but she never shied away! I admired that she faces her demons and didn’t flee! I also loved how sincere and full of love Evan was! You could feel the fate between the two and how intertwined their lives were! Evan could’ve laughed at Gen and said good riddance but he didn’t! He stood beside her and together they found their way!

Evan and Gen sizzle. This was such a fantastic second chance romance, one I’ve anticipated since reading Good Girl Complex. Evan’s melancholy over his lost love in book 1 prepped me for something deep and gut wrenching. But the reality was so much better than I anticipated! I loved watching Evan evolve, how much he loved Gen and how it was the heroine who turned the relationship around! He was absolutely the protective type but he’s also soft and tender. The combination was hot! I loved the ride these two took and can’t wait for more from Avalon Bay. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a bad girl who has a good heart. I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

This is book 2 in the Avalon Bay Series, and I did not read the first one (Good Girl Complex) yet. This book can absolutely be read as a stand alone. Though, I am now really interested in book 1 and have it on my TBR.

This book was delightful. It is a contemporary romance about childhood friends turned lovers, who are giving it a second chance after a year apart. The chemistry and banter between the 2 MCs is fantastic! There is just the right amount of back story, that I was really invested in the MCs, their relationship with each other as well as side characters, and the resolution of some past problems. This book takes place in a beautiful small coastal town. The writing about the setting was great. I could picture it so easily and it just seems dreamy. The book ends happily, and everything is tied up nicely in the epilogue. I highly recommend it!

I’ve read some of Elle Kennedy’s books before so I knew I was going to like this one. It’s so easy to read and so enjoyable, very much a summer vibe. I loved Gen and Evan. Their whole will they won’t they dynamic was so fun and made me laugh at times.
I honestly didn’t read the first book but I don’t think you really have to. I liked Mac and Cooper in what little content they got, Mac seems like a fun girl so I might give her book a chance!!
All in all I wouls recommend if you want a quick fun read!!

Elle Kennedy is one of my favorite authors. I will read anything from her.
Personally, I thought this was WAY better than Good Girl Complex & feel this could be read as a stand-alone.
This has that Elle Kennedy charm that we all know and love. I really enjoyed Genevieve and Evan and having the dual POVs added to the story.
This book was driven by character development rather than plot. I loved that we were able to witness their second chances, growth, redemption and forgiveness.

I thought this book was captivating and extremely well written. It was so easy to fall in love with Gen and Evan from the very beginning. I loved how there were many twists and turns throughout the book, and the small town vibe with all the characters. I loved that it was fast paced and right to the point. I even shed a few tears.

Just so boring. I didn’t care about any of the characters at all. I’m still utterly baffled how Elle Kennedy wrote this AND the Off-Campus series because it feels like two completely different authors.

This was an amazing childhood friends-to-lovers/ second chance romance! Gen moves back to her small beach town after her mom's death and has to face Evan, her ex that she left with no explanation a year ago. She is attempting to clean up her "bad girl" image, which means avoiding Evan, despite their strong chemistry/attraction, because he represents the past she is so focused on moving on from. 5/5 read, love any and everything by Elle Kennedy, so this was an amazing read I was able to have ARC access to thanks to NetGalley. :)

So glad I could read and review this eARC before it releases this fall. I loved this cute + spicy romance. I especially enjoyed getting to dive into the story of Evan and Genevieve. This was a story of redemption and a second chance at love. Getting to hear both perspectives really made this book that much better.

I was rooting for their relationship the entire time I read this book. I loved the character development from both main characters. Their toxic push-pull relationship evolved and became so much more as the story developed. I loved the spice and heat between Evan and Gen.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this little series. A fun and fast paced read that I will be recommending!

I enjoyed my trip back to Avalon Bay for the wild relationship of Genevieve West and Evan Hartley. They have a long history of romance, recklessness, and trouble.

Gen returns back home after her mom passes away. She had left Avalon Bay a year prior without saying goodbye to Evan and it nearly tore him apart. While home, Gen has decided she needs to turn her life around. She wants to curb the drinking and partying and most importantly, she wants to stay away from Evan. But there is just too much history, too much chemistry, and too much love between them that this proves extremely difficult. Evan also decides it’s time to get his life together as he knows Gen deserves a better man. He sets out to to make these changes and justify his worth.

I have to say, I didn’t particularly care for either of these characters in the beginning of the book. They grew on me as the story developed and I watched the actual changes taking place. The bad boy/bad girl persona was definitely not very flattering on these characters and I was happy to witness their growth, their second chances, and their redemption. It was a story about not letting your past define your future and having confidence in yourself to become a better person.

I enjoyed the characters, the banter, the inner conflicts and the struggle and hardships of friendships and family. Evan and Gen both travel a long way back to each other…the destination not measured in miles but in change and a new way of seeing things. I enjoyed their journey.

Not sure what it is about this series. but it unexpectedly surprises me each time. As a secret romance book lover and reader of over 100 of them a year, I feel that are very few that manage to stand out when majoirity have the same tropes. Bad Girl Reputation was adorable though. I loved the characters and they were very authentic and enjoyable. The relationship and history between the two was perfect and really enjoyed this one. Highly recommend.

Unfortunately, Elle Kennedy can’t seem to learn from past mistakes and stop writing thinly-veiled racism within her books. I definitely think this story had a ton of potential, but it fell flat in so many ways. The characters didn’t have much chemistry unfortunately, which is a bit of a shock because I think what the author does well in their back catalog is dialogue.

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy. Elle Kennedy is one of my favorite authors. This was a second chance romance that I loved!

The second installment in the series. This book focuses on Cooper's twin Evan and his on and off girlfriend Genevieve. A steamy story of second chances. This fiery relationship was so fun to read about. It was so nice to get more insight into who Genevieve is. I have to say I liked her a lot more than I thought I would. We learn so much more about their past relationship in this book. It really makes you feel for these characters and what they're going through when they cross paths again.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love this author so much! Her books always draw me in immediately and leave me satisfied when they’re over. This was such a good story about two people who seem wrong and toxic for each other but just fit. It had a great story and kept me entertained.