I enjoyed this book a lot. I liked Evan, Gen was alright they both annoyed me at times but overall I liked them. I liked the involvement of the characters from book one. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was looking forward to reading the sequel. It took me at least a quarter of the book to feel invested in the main characters of Gen and Evan. It seemed like a big part of their struggles could have been solved with some open, clear communication. I had a hard time feeling a connection to their relationship.

After the book finally got moving, I was motivated to finish and see how it ended. While I did like the first book more, I'm glad I was able to see another relationship in that world.

I was hoping I would love this one more that the first. it was good but nothing I would scream and share about. I found myself more so reading to finish since I was already invested than reading for enjoyment

I had trouble finding Evan and Gen’s motivation in this one. Didn’t really grasp why Gen dropped Evan out of nowhere and skipped town a year earleir, and just didn’t get why Evan couldn’t her go for the first third of the book. For that, it just made the book drag on.

We finally get some clarity on why Gen left town, and it was completely out of left field, which I’m sure was the intent.

After seemingly coming to terms with the incident, Evan and Gen can’t seem to stay away any longer.

I enjoyed readind about the main characters’ history, just didn’t seem to care what they did in the present.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to reading this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVE Elle Kennedy's Off Campus series and I had high hopes for this story. Sadly this story just didn't have the same effect on me.

This main characters, Gen and Evan, have very toxic relationship. Which is fine, but I feel like they didn't truly over come their toxic traits. It took me a while to get into the story and really want to read it. I couldn't ship them the way I ship other characters in romance books.

This book definitely has a good spicy level for the few scenes it did have but the romance was not there for me.

Although I struggled with this book, there were a lot of good lines. Reading "When are you going to accept that I'd be happy watching paint dry with you." was maybe one of the sweetest lines I've ever read in a book. However, it was hard to get past the toxicity of the relationship. I understand that the main purpose of the book was a story about redemption and reinvention, but it feels as if the characters can never truly grow unless they aren't together. Their most fulfilling moments are when they are separated, and every time they interact their old toxic habits come back. It was hard for me to root for the characters because it always felt as if you were waiting for one of them to mess it up. While they tried so hard to become new people, it feels as if they still never got past who they were in highschool.

I love Elle Kennedy and will read anything she publishes. I read the first book in this series last year, and it was like no time had passed when I picked up Bad Girl Reputation. Historically, I like the characters from the first book in a series better than the second, but dang I loved Gen and Evan even more than Cooper and Mac. The fact that they completely accept each other for who they are, never feel like they have to hide anything from each other, and always cheer each other on is so refreshing in a romance novel. So many romance novels rely on secrets and lack of communication, but Gen and Evan are the opposite. They definitely go through some growing pains and have to figure out who they are separate from being "Gen and Evan" but it was nice knowing they always cared about each other.

I really hope this isn't the last book in the Avalon Bay series, because I definitely want to spend more time with the "Fuck Around and Find Out Gang" and see what happens with Alana, Wyatt, Tate, Steph, and Heidi.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

Bad Girl Reputation follows Genevieve and Evan, who are exes and have also been best friends since childhood. Together, Evan and Gen were destructive, allowing their bad habits to rule their decisions. A year ago, Genevieve packed up and left town without saying a word in order to try and get her life together, leaving Evan heartbroken. She's now back in town and we watch as her and Evan reconnect while also trying to fight their pull.

I liked this book a lot better than the first book in this series. I found myself more invested in Gen and Evan's characters and their stories compared to Cooper and Mac. I love the second-chance aspect of their relationship, I find that the characters in these types of stories have a stronger connection which makes you want to root for them. I als really liked how in order to be together again, both of them had to grow individually first. Evan's character development was so sweet to see, I loved his relationship with Riley, and I admire Gen for being able to put herself first and do whatever she needed to do to bring herself to a place where she was proud of what she does. Gen and Evan had a lot of really sweet moments together which i really appreciated, but I did feel bored and uninterested at some parts. At times it felt like their relationship was just missing something, something that would make me feel consistently invested in their story. I think there was more potential with their relationship that did not get explored.

I also wish there was more development with their friend group as I felt like there were so many problems within it in the first book and some of those problems just continued into this book and had little to no growth or development by the end of this book. I feel like having a strong friend group can really add to the story and that is something this book and series lacks.

I will say, I am very satisfied with how the book ended and am so glad there was an epilogue this time! The epilogue was cute and it was nice just being able to see everyone together and getting along.

I was really intrigued by the premise of Bad Girl Reputation, but it wasn't a good fit for me. Gen moves home after her mother's funeral to help out her father at the family business, and is determined to remain sober and stay away from her ex. But at the funeral, the two of them make out, and it gets harder to resist him from there.
I ended up DNFing, because I just couldn't get myself to want Gen and Evan to get together. Most of what we get about their history in the first quarter of the book sounds incredibly toxic, and it really seems like Evan hasn't changed-- or, at least, if he did, then he's changed right back at the sight of Gen. Gen's friends also seem pretty toxic overall and not at all supportive of her sobriety. Overall, at around the quarter mark, I couldn't find myself believing that Gen could healthily stay in her hometown-- interacting with her friends and Evan-- and remain sober. Usually even with second chance romances I can feel the spark of what they used to be/could be again, but it seemed like I was being told that they had occasionally been good together, rather than being shown it. Maybe my feelings on the matter would have changed down the line, but as of the quarter mark, I just desperately wanted Gen to leave town and everyone involved to find people to surround themselves with who would support and uplift them.

Thank you St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy in exchange for a honest review.

Oh boy, this was a book that I thought would be five stars and the five stars ran away in terror. I was so excited about this book because I loved her Off Campus series (if you read any of her books you should read those and the Briar U series they are *chef's kiss*).

There are so many red flags in this book and I am concerned for the main characters because Evan and Gen need therapy (so much of it). I could not ship them because their relationship is so toxic that even if both changed a new leaf they should never get together especially if the best part of your relationship is the make up s*x (like no).

I DNFed it at 20% because there was no redeeming it. The only good thing about the book was Copper and Mackenzie because they were the voices of reason (too bad nobody listened to them).
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I wasn't expecting to love this one, but I was expecting to enjoy it a bit. After all, Kennedy's Off Campus series has amazing reviews. But sadly, this one just didn't jive with me. The characters were bland, the romance was nothing I could root for. Honestly, it felt like Gen and Evan were better people apart from each other, so I couldn't ship them. Other than that, there really wasn't much to this one. It was meh.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review</i>

Love it when I can read a book with characters I already know. The first book was awesome and I was so excited to read this too. Couldn't put it down from the time I picked it up. You won't be disappointed!

This was a perfect summer beach read! If you love this author, I would definitely recommend this book. I need to go back and read her other series!

Really loved this second chance romance! I really need to read the first one now of the Avalon Bay series!

Elle Kennedy is a great writer and I love her romance novels! I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who wants a great read for the summer on the beach! Also that cover though is gorgeous!!!

I couldn't even finish it. Got super bored.
Kind of bummed that I didn't like it because I really do like the author.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

DNF- not my cup of tea. I liked Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series, but this book was really toxic. I think it may have been better if I had read the first book first, but this was an ARC, so I read it first. Anyway, Evan and Gen seem to have a really toxic relationship and I just couldn’t get invested in it.

This was just OK for me. The cover seems not quite right for the story. I will recommend to patrons I think would enjoy it....

As an Elle Kennedy fan I had high hopes for "Bad Girl Reputation", and she hit it out of the park. This is an excellent summer romance with more substance than most.

I am SO glad I gave Bad Girl Reputation a chance after not loving Good Girl Complex. This book is way better and has the classic Elle Kennedy charm we know and love.

I found myself struggling to connect with Mac and Cooper in the last book - so I was so excited when I truly loved Genevieve and Evan's dynamic! I loved that this was a book about second chances not only through the main romance, but in second chances to better yourself, to be who you want to be and to believe in yourself enough to make those changes for your own good, and the good of others around you.

I also don't think you need to have read the first book to love this one. And if for any reason you didn't like the first one I would still encourage you to give Bad Girl Reputation a chance!

ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Bad Girl Reputation in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed Bad Girl Reputation. It definitely gives voice to redemption. There are 3 characters that are set on redeeming their pasts. The confession of Gen's father about her mother was really needed in the story and I am so glad that Elle Kennedy gave us that! The spice is fantastic. It's not only a romance, but a story of forgiveness.

A solid 4/5! :)