*4.5 Stars

Bad Girl Reputation is the type of book that you can read in one sitting. Two childhood best friends and lovers, Evan and Gen, find themselves reuniting after a falling out that causes one of them to skip town. After spending years chasing an adrenaline high together from bad decisions, Gen decides she needs to grow up and fix her reputation. Unfortunately for Evan, Gen doesn’t see him in her new and reformed lifestyle. Trying and failing to avoid one another, Evan and Gen are two people who are destined to stick by each other’s side.

This book is fun and fast-paced. While it is part of the Avalon Bay series, it can 100% be read as a standalone. Everything you need to know about the plot and characters are in this book. It is the perfect late summer/early fall read.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an early copy. As always, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Elle Kennedy for the chance to read an early copy of “Bad Girl Reputation.” I really enjoyed this second chance love story between Genevieve and Evan. I liked that the romance between them built relatively slowly as they both tried to re-establish trust and make positive changes in their lives. Evan’s role as a “big brother” to Riley was a particularly enjoyable relationship to read. This is the second book in the series but it works well as a stand alone. I enjoyed this book even more than the first book and would definitely recommend this to readers of new adult romance.

Got an advanced copy of this thanks to @netgalley. It was not my favorite. I really struggled to like the main characters. And I really didn’t like the casual misogyny throughout. It was not my cup of tea.

thank you netgalley and st martin's press for an arc of this book!
this was so toxic and evan made me so mad... no relationship whatsoever and evan was a child

Elle Kennedy is one of my favorite authors and I always look forward to her new releases. Bad Girl Reputation is the follow up to Good Girl Complex, a book which I absolutely loved.

This is a story about second chances, forgiveness and redemption. There still was angst and steaminess but also growth and maturity. If you didn't like Good Girl Complex, I definitely recommend still reading this one.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book!

Evan and Genevieve have been on and off again since middle school. Gen skipped town and ghosted Evan but now she’s back in town and they can’t seem to stay away from each other. It was nice getting more Mac and Cooper in this book!

This book started strong with Gen’s background on leaving town to get sober and start making better decisions in her life. Evan as well is trying to grow up and get his life together. This could have been a wonderful coming of age book, of growing up, getting sober and what happens when life gives you a second chance but it didn’t deliver.

Gen and Evan aren’t super likable for most of the book and constantly bringing up their toxic past relationship while showing them basically making some of the same choices when they’re supposed to have learned from the past was awful. I did appreciate the growth we got in Evan throughout this book. His effort is clearly shown and you really do root for him. And Gen’s realization that her behavior in her teens wasn’t Evan’s fault after she’s blamed him for forever but her choices was good to see her deal with.

Now the romance/lust was legit! They had explosive chemistry, clearly drawn to each other and at the end we finally get them trying to date and then all of a sudden boom she’s proposing out of no where. Just too rushed, didn’t really feel why they belonged together now except the past and lust. Literally up until the moment she proposes, Gen is dating another guy, Harrison, as well as Evan. She clearly states multiple times she feels no chemistry and can’t even kiss Harrison so basically she’s stringing him along for some unknown to us reason and it rubbed me the wrong way.

Overall a fast easy read but definitely not the best I’ve ever read from Elle Kennedy. I enjoyed the first book more than this one.

I was very excited for Gens and Evans story. The buildup that started in Good Girl Complex got me hooked. I really like that they wanted to be better versions of themselves so they can be together and acknowledged their problems, both in their relationship and as individuals. One of the only things I didn't like is how the author used a line from a previous series in this one. Was probably intended to be cute, but felt dry from me.

Elle Kennedy does it again!!! In the sequel to “Good Girl Complex” readers will be reintroduced to Evan and get some insight into the complex relationship that Evan has with his high school sweetheart Genevieve. Forgiveness and second chances are always a possibility when one works on making that happen by bettering themselves.

Gen and Evan have always had a toxic relationship, always bringing out the worst in each other even though they loved each other. When the relationship is good, it is good but when it is bad, it is BAD. It isn’t until Genevieve realizes she has hit rock bottom does this relationship end but not with any closure leaving Evan to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. Evan overcomes this pain by acting out in a self-destructing manner as seen in Cooper and Mac’s story.

Then one day due to an unforeseen and unexpected occurrence does Gen come back to her hometown and her past that she tried to leave behind. Only this time when Gen comes back does she make a vow to herself to stay away from everything and everyone who she believes is not good for her. Only time will tell if Gen is able to resist the temptation of allowing her bad girl past to come back in and ruin any progress of making the necessary changes to herself.

What I loved about this story was it was very much about self-reflection and growth. It is never too late to make changes and become the person that you want to be even when the deck is stacked against you. Gen and Evan are some of my favorite characters so watching them be able to grow independently before they can grow together was very inspiring. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can’t wait to purchase it when it becomes available Oct 4th. If you love stories about characters who make tremendous growth then this is definitely the story for you.

A big thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC for my honest review. I truly loved this story and look forward to purchasing it. 4.5 stars ✨

This is a story about second chances, forgiveness and redemption. I will say that there is a lot of push-pull and toxicity between the two main characters that won’t be for everyone. Knowing Gen and Evan’s upbringings and teenage history, I thought their messy relationship was fitting for the story. It was special watching them grow and mature and each try to live a better life than their past. I also loved that Coop, Mac and the rest of the friends we met in Good Girl Complex played a big role in the story. At first I forgot all the small details but Elle Kennedy does a great job reintroducing the cast and reminding you of what happened.

Read if you like:
-second chance romance
-beach town setting
-tight friend groups
-mending relationships
-bad boy/ bad girl
-book series

Thanks St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: 10/4/22

First, I did enjoy Bad Girl Reputation. Full discretion - not as much as Good Girl Complex.

Gen comes home for her mother's funeral and runs into her long-time on-again, off-again childhood love, Evan.
I have to be honest and say that I didn't love Gen and Evan together. He put off some serious red flags IMO - anger, jealousy, a lot of controlling behaviors... I would have a pretty intense "Come to Jesus" talk with my daughter/sister/best friend if she were dating someone like Evan. Yes, he had his redeeming qualities, but in my opinion they were overshadowed by his concerning behavior.

Not a book I would re-read but I'm not mad I read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3 Stars! Second chance romance where the main characters seem toxic for each other at first. I didn’t read the first book in this series but understood this one even if I got confused at times over who so and so was. This is the second book in the series and comes with an HEA ending. I did enjoy the story and how the two main characters grew up throughout the book. At first I was thinking they were both childish and toxic but they seemed to grow up a little bit. I just couldn’t really connect with the main characters, Gen and Evan. Still an enjoyable read.
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

This is book 2 of the Avalon Bay series. In this one, we meet the other twin of "The Hartley Twins" we met in book one. Evan is the bad boy, always getting into trouble, getting drunk, and sleeping around. He had one true love, his best friend and partner in crime, his on and off again girlfriend Gen, who up and left town a year ago without warning. Now she's back because the mother she never had a good relationship with died. She ends up staying but her year away was suppose to be her fresh start: she got sober and tried to get her act together so people would take her more seriously. Now that she's back, Evan wants to fall into destructive patterns but when she refuses he decides to start straightening up too before he loses her.
I didn't like this one as much as the first and again, like the first one, didn't enjoy it as much as some of her hockey romance series. I felt like the huge character change on both sides wasn't well paced and the ending wasn't as believable as it could have been. That said, it wasn't bad, just more disappointing since I was excited for it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, and my review is saved in a story highlight called ARC Reviews on my Instagram page.

This was a fairly easy read, but it was a little hard for me to get into. I don’t know if it was just that I’m too far removed from my early 20s or what. I felt like the whole “bad girl” premise just fell flat for me, like I was being told that she was bad and trying to change, but I didn’t actually feel the transformation. I did really like the relationship with Evan and Riley, and I actually felt like Evan’s personal growth was more impactful for me. This book may work better for others than it did for me. I’ll continue reading this series—I’ve loved a lot of Elle Kennedy books I’ve read before!

Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy is a good beach read. You might remember Evan Hartley, Cooper’s twin brother, from Good Girl Complex? His ex, Genevieve, is back in town and the two of them are used to getting into trouble. In this second chance romance, Gen and Evan are trying to determine if they can be good together or if their bad reputations are true.

What I liked: It’s a pretty easy read - light and fairly fun - with some family drama worked in. I liked the quiet beach town setting and the friend group (though they are featured less predominantly than in the first book I think). Gen and Evan are both fine characters.

What could be better: I felt like the drama and action were pretty subdued in this book and it was a bit predictable. Sometimes that’s a good thing in a book but in this case, I wanted more.

I like Elle Kennedy’s books but the Avalon Bay series is not my favourite of hers. I don’t really vibe with the bad boy or good girl tropes so it’s just not for me. Will I read the rest of the series just because I’m searching for another book like The Deal? Probably. I would give this book three out of five stars. I enjoyed it but it is not one of my favourite reads. If you are looking for a light and predictable distraction, this might be the book for you.

*Please note that the ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Wow! I loved this. I love the writing style and the whole story. Elle hit it out of the park with this one. Gen and Evan have an up and down relationship.

3/5 Stars

Gen and Evan are high school sweethearts who bring out the bad in each other. This book was good but not great for me because the relationship was so toxic. It was easy to read and the love between the two was obvious. It’s been a long time since I was that age and I’m sure that affected my interest. I enjoyed watching the two of them evolve to make mature choices in their lives.

The interaction between Evan and Riley was hilarious. The interaction between Gen and Deputy Randall was tense and terrifying. I’m sure many will enjoy the wild ride between Gen and Evan.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Elle Kennedy for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication.

I went into this book completely unbiased because I had never read an Elle Kennedy. Let me tell you... I could hardly put this book down!

Gen is a recovering "bad girl" - a year ago she was drinking, tearing up her town, partying with her friends constantly, and getting into trouble with her on again off again boyfriend, Evan. Then, one day she was gone and changing her ways. Now she is back in her home town for her mother's funeral and to help her family while trying not to fall back into her old habits. Old habits that include her relationship with Evan.
Evan has been stuck in a state of shock since Gen just disappeared one day and is determined to figure out why she left and get her back. When he realizes she wants to change her ways and leave her past behind, including him, he decides to get himself together too.

This book is HUGE on character growth. Gen is probably one of my favorite rom com characters now. The way she is determined to not be a "screw up" anymore and wants to get her life together is so motivating. Evan's growth alongside her is amazing as well. I loved watching them grow independently but also as a couple. From toxic to healthy, without losing their spark and connection.

5/5

Elle Kennedy blew me away with Bad Girl Reputation. I LOVED this book and the book before. She creates such relatable characters so you feel like you're in the room with them, rooting for them while wanting to be them at the same time.
Such a wonderful book!

Bad Girl Reputation is a fun read reminding you that second chances and starting over can bring exciting new possibilities or can remind you of what you may have lost from your past. Elle Kennedy's writing always pulls me in from the start, from her backstories to her characters, I feel connected from the very beginning and cannot put the book down until I know how the tale will end. Bad Girl Reputation was no different, I was instantly drawn to the chemistry between Evan and Gen and had to know how their story would end. This book has drama, angst, romance and steam, you won't want to put it down!

Gen and Evan have been fierce lovers since freshman in high school. They’ve been on again, off again but always explosively hot for each other. But to get away from all the toxicity of her hometown and of Evan, Gen leaves town and is starting to feel normal. Then her mother dies and her father asks her to come back to town to help out temporarily. Suddenly there he is: Evan.
And somehow they must find a way to be healthy together or lose one another forever.

However I almost got lost in how toxic their relationship was. I almost couldn’t get past the angst. But as I continued to read I really started feeling the redemptive quality of the book and soon I was jamming on it.
This is the second in a series and could be read as a standalone. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the ARC in return for an honest review.