Bad Girl Reputation is the follow-up novel to Good Girl Complex, and I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this! I have to admit, at first I was a little skeptical about Genevieve and Evan's relationship, but as the book progressed, I started to really understand why people love the "it's always been you" trope. Keep in mind, my hesitation only came from the fact that I don't think their relationship was totally healthy to begin with. It does change and progress of course, but that was my initial thought. However, I was extremely invested in the storyline by the end and ADORE the ending of this book! The character development (not only with Gen, but Evan as well) makes the characters feel that much more relatable and real. I ended up really loving Genevieve and Evan together, and I am so happy to have gotten to watch their story unfold in such a real way. Elle Kennedy certainly knows how to make her readers wish they, too, had a Hartley brother in their lives.

If you're looking for the "it's always been you" trope, adorable banter, great character growth/healing, and the kind of spice only a rom-com with a cartoon cover can provide (you know what I mean), then absolutely check out both Good Girl Complex and Bad Girl Reputation.

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK IS SO GOOODDDDD!!!! The chemistry between Gen and Evan is absolutely P O P P I N G and every time their in a room together 🔥🔥🔥🙈🙈 I really, really love the character development in this book. And even tho normally second chance romance is not my thing, Elle Kennedy DOES IT SOOOO WELLLLL

Gen and Evan have been in an on-and-off relationship since they were quite young. Their relationship def had some toxic tendencies so Gen decides to jump ship and yeets out of town to work on herself. A year later, she's forced to return to their small beach town for her mother's funeral, and Gen not only has to find her new place in life, but reconnects with Evan.

The growth the two characters go through, with themselves, their families, and together, is so inspiring. You can tell in the beginning of the book the two are definitely not meant to be together, but as they mature and find themselves, they begin to really blossom.

The relationship is both steamy and sweet, and I've never wanted a bad boy more 😫😫 This def made me want to read the first book as well, so looking forward to more Elle Kennedy!!

This was a fast & easy read. The character development was amazing, as was the relationship development. I'm so glad I gave this book a chance because it certainly did not disappoint. It was a funny & light hearted story of two people who are trying to do better getting a second chance.

This book was entertaining, but I can't get over how toxic and immature all the characters are. I thought the main characters were sexy but would never encourage two people like that to be together. Whew! I don't think that this book is supposed to be super deep, so I will give it the benefit of the doubt because I was entertained reading it (and I read it quickly). I also have not read Good Girl Complex and will be reading that to get Mac and Cooper's story.
I feel like all of Elle Kennedy's books are like this. I loved the Off Campus series but felt pretty similarly regarding the immaturity and toxicity. If you're looking for a quick read with drama, toxic men, and sex, these are for you. I would definitely take this book on a beach vacation to read while drinking a margarita.

*Thank you Netgalley, Elle Kennedy, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.*

This book is the second book in the series set in Avalon Bay. It centers around Cooper’s twin brother Evan while he tries to woo his ex girlfriend Genevieve into falling back into love with him. This is a second chance romance with a great beach background and a large cast of dynamic characters, some you love and some you don’t.

I had a few misgivings when I started this book. I was very concerned that this book would rely heavily on toxic behaviors in the relationship between Evan and Gen. Luckily that wasn’t the case and I was happy to see the couple progressing and better themselves individually.

The best part of that process was they worked on themselves before trying to come together as a couple. They both truly wanted to change and not have the heavy weight of their past continuing to affect their lives. They wanted to be better so they made small changes that had big impacts.

I am surprised but I think I might like this book even more than the first one. The history was great between the two and I loved their passion and chemistry for each other. This definitely won’t be the last book I read from this author.

While I enjoyed the premise, I found the execution to fall a bit flat. A second chance romance, it has a lot of potential but I found Evan to be a bit over the top and immature. He sets out to be a better person for Genevieve who has done just that. But for Evan it seems contrived and sudden. At the end I was waiting for a dramatic scene or plot twist but never really foe that. This one was just ok for me.

this was a book I was really looking forward to reading after I finished the first one. this book is about Evan, Cooper’s twin, and his long time, on/off again girlfriend Genevieve. Gen skipped town a year ago without so much as a goodbye to Evan. Evan did his best to try and move on, but when they reunite at her mom’s funeral…it’s like no time has passed. Gen is trying to get rid of her “bar girl” reputation, and that means trying to avoid they guy she used to get into so much trouble with. Evan wants to prove that he can change too, and help her realize that they belong together.

I have to say that I enjoyed this book more than the first one. Gen and Evan have so much history together, and while not all of it may be good…they still know each other better than anyone else. this book is about redemption, change, and love. just like the first book, I wish the ending was a little longer and not so rushed…but it still made me happy!

(follow my IG: coffeeandbook_reviews for more reviews)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this ARC!

*Spoilers!*

Genevieve West is the self-proclaimed bad girl and comes back for her mother's funeral after moving away from her hometown. There she encounters her ex-boyfriend Evan Hartley who also is bad news. They have a long history of doing the wrong thing together. After they have a heated moment a few feet away from all her family she realizes she needs to make a change. Her dad asks her to help out with the family business and that's where she promises to herself, she won't have anything to do with Evan.

Slowly but surely, she starts to better herself not just romantically but, in her sobriety, as well. I really enjoyed seeing her realize she's a good person and her past mistakes don't define her. It also brushes off on Evan who at first tries to better himself to get back with her, he later then realizes it's also for himself and his relationships with his family. I liked the push and the pull of their relationship and especially their sexual tension.

I also connected with Genevieve's large family. She is the only girl with five brothers. I have five sisters, so reading about their different relationships pulled on my heart strings. This book was all about second chances which I think the author did well and had me rooting for both Evan and Genevieve.


While I did enjoy Bad Girl Reputation it wasn't my favorite. I found myself rushing a few parts just to get to the end. I still would recommend it if someone was looking for a book with good sexual tension, complicated family relations and second chances.

Outer Banks meets One Tree Hill! Elle Kennedy knows how to write the best book boyfriends! Another great book with lots of lovable characters. I love all the recurring characters we met in the first book. This book is a second chance love story that tugs at your heart while also making you laugh!

Thank you Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

I had read Good Girl Reputation previously and wasn't a big fan of it. Since I had read a loved pretty much everything else Elle Kennedy has written, I decided to try this next book in the series. I am so glad because I enjoyed Bad Girl Reputation way more than Good Girl Reputation.

Elle Kennedy has a knack for you loving (most) characters in her books, which makes it easy for series continuation. When I read GGR, I loved Evan. Did he make a ton of mistakes? yes. Did he sleep around? yes. But he was written where you could tell he had a good heart.

In BGR, Evan is reunited with Genevieve, his love who had left Avalon Bay previously without saying a word and taking his heart with her. Gen was hesitant to start seeing Evan again, and even starts dating someone else, but the reader can tell the pull and magnetism they both had to each other. We also see Evan work to change himself for the better because he wants to and not because Gen expects it. The growth for these two characters was a big theme in this book, and is a challenge for most couples in real life. How do you grow up and grow together at the same time?

Of course Cooper and Mac are back, seeing as they live with Evan, and Cooper is as grumpy as ever. We got a good introduction to Gen's family and Evan and Cooper's mom even makes a reappearance. I love second chance books, so this was a cute one for me to read.

I would love to see Alana's story as she navigates between Wyatt and Tate next.

3.5 stars for the second installment of the Avalon Bay series.

Let me start off by saying Elle Kennedy's Off-Campus series is truly perfection. I devoured it. Sadly, it also means that I have high expectations for her writing --- and both books in this series fell short of those standards.

I was excited to learn more of the back story behind the second Hartley twin, Evan, and his long time on-again, off-again girlfriend, Gen. I know the whole point was they were both trying to reform their wayward ways to see if they could work together as tamer adults, but too often they were just immature assholes to one another.

These characters don't have the same depth and excitement as other Elle Kennedy couples. While it was a fun read, definitely enjoyed some of her other works much more (Read the Deal if you haven't already --- seriously).

While I was disappointed by both of these books, I will definitely come back for thirds if we get more of Tate + Alana.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is the kind of book I used to love when I was first getting into romance, but isn’t so much for me anymore. Darker characters, dives right into steaminess, etc. I can appreciate it, but I think I’m not the main audience here anymore.

This was my 1st time reading Elle Kennedy and she did not disappoint. I was worried I might miss some things since I have not read Good Girl Complex yet, but that was not the case. This book is great as a stand alone story. I loved the main characters and enjoyed their banter. I loved seeing them both grow together and help eachother become better people. Overall the plot was very enjoyable and there was just the right amount of spice. I'm looking forward to reading more of Kennedy's work.

Not the worst, but not the best. To be fair, I think I would have liked this book more without comparing it to her previous work. The Risk is (in my opinion) Elle Kennedy’s best work and I keep hoping to find that same witty/sexy banter in her new books. This one didn’t have that, so again I’m disappointed but it’s my own fault. This book did have a good amount of angst and the story was interesting enough to keep me reading.

I really liked this book! I liked how Gen and Evan weren't instantly back together and how both of them grew up in the end. I didn't like how Gen was seeing Harrison but still hooking up with Evan though... But the whole Randall thing was also crazy. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick drama filled romance book.

This one was okay. It was a super quick read, so perfect for a fluffy, afternoon book. I just didn’t find the characters super loveable which made it frustrating at times, but that’s just me. Otherwise it was good!

I read the first book in the series and absolutely loved it. So I could not wait to read this story about Evan and his ex, Genieve.

I liked both main characters but I agreed with Gen they were toxic together. I loved that she works hard to try and change her life and I also loved that she inspires Evan to also change his life and have a more fulfilling life. These two have the love for each other and so I liked that they wanted to do better.

I felt at times their on and off relationship was a bit much and they are very volatile together. I wasn't sold that they could be a forever couple as they really liked the push and pull and breakups.

The author did a great job telling this story and I loved watching these two main characters grow up.

Firstly, I wanted to thank St. Martin's and Elle Kennedy for allowing me to preview this novel in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Like others, I wanted to place this between a 2 and 3 star review.

Firstly, I wanted to like this novel so much more than I did. It has everything I want, fated lovers, great spice, and genuinely heartfelt moments.

Those beautiful moments are totally overwhelmed by the lack of true character development. I will be honest, I did not read the first in this series, coincidentally Good Girl Behavior was on my night stand when I was approved for this text. I gather we likely would have met Gen in the first text, even as just a side character, and that could have done more to set up this long-standing relationship between her and Evan. But for all that history, their relationship felt a little one dimensional. I love a protective man as much as the next romance reader, but you can only hear about how much Evan wants to kick every man's ass and stake his claim on Gen so many times before the trope becomes worn. Pair that with Gen's perfect rack I had to keep hearing about, and I just was left wanting more character development. I get that these two were constantly in trouble and always choosing the most dangerous and stupid options, but Gen's wake up call reads a lot more legitimate than Evan's turn around that results in bird being eaten. Ultimately, his relationship with Riley really buoy Evan's image in my mind.

In the end, I think this book just wasn't really for me, but I could see other readers really enjoying these two flawed but loveable characters who do work hard to overcome their pasts..

Bad Girl reputation had everything I wanted. Forgiveness, second chances, angst, witty characters. I loved reading Gen and Evans and getting a whole new side of Evan. The growth the characters showed and how they ended made me so happy. Another great book from Elle Kennedy.

I was fortunate enough to read and review the first in this series and loved it. When I saw that the second half of the “Hartley Twins” was getting his own story, I immediately hit request for an ARC of it.

The plot:
Bestselling author Elle Kennedy returns to Avalon Bay in this sexy second chance story about two exes who can't stay away from each other, Bad Girl Reputation.

This was a fun world to swoop back into. I got glimpses of Cooper and Mac, which I loved seeing, and the book did a great job of continuing their story while giving Evan and Gen their own airtime.

Overall, this was not as much fun to read as the first. I found Evan to be an unsympathetic brat for most of the book, even if he was funny while doing it. If you liked the first, I would definitely recommend the second but I don’t think it works as a standalone.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.