This was... disappointing to say the least.

Anyone who knows me at all knows the Off Campus series is by far my favorite book series of all time, so I was so excited to read EK's newest series.

However, this book was a complete and utter mess. My biggest problem with this story is that I felt absolutely no connection to the characters and really didn't care about either of them individually or as a couple. This is a (kind of?) second chance romance story, but we don't get to see them actually fall in love. Instead, we are simply told that they loved each other in the past and now that she's back in town they pick things up again.

I felt like the pacing was all over the place and really disliked the first 50% of the book. The last half was slightly better, but not enough to redeem this story in my eyes. There was simply nothing about this story that drew me in or made me want to keep reading.

I enjoyed this! I appreciate that this is a romance story that doesn’t shy away from real issues that couples can face, especially in youth. I thought that some of the character arcs felt a little rushed or otherwise not believable, but Gen and Evan’s chemistry was very convincing. Still, I found myself sometimes hoping that Gen would move back to Charleston because, at the end of the novel, I felt that the couple still had a lot to work through.

I just really was not into this one. When it comes to a romance, I usually know within the first few chapters if it'll be a good read or not. With this one, I just didn't get that feeling and I often don't waste my time on reading things I'm not into. I'm sad to say I wasn't a fan.

Bad Girl Reputation is the second book in the Avalon Bay series, and follows Evan Hartley and his childhood sweetheart-cum-ride or die, Genevieve. When Gen returns to the Bay a changed woman, ready to grow up and make something of her life, she’s thrown right back into Evan’s orbit. It turns out they’ll both need to try something new: adulting.

While I enjoyed Gen more than I thought I would based on Avalon Bay #1, there wasn’t much to this story. I really fell in love with the banter and chemistry between Mac and Cooper in Good Girl Complex, and I felt that this element was lacking in BGR. Perhaps I didn’t connect with the story and plot this time around, but I didn’t find myself spellbound by this couple.

Overall I would give this a 3.5/5. I do hope Elle Kennedy continues the series, as there are a few other characters I’d love to read about!

Bad Girl Reputation is a continuation to Good Girl Complex but can be read as a standalone. This follows Genevieve and the second Hartley twin, Evan and their amazing, angsty chemistry.
Genevieve, or Gen, is back in Avalon Bay for her mother's funeral. She left over a year ago, determined to put her life in order, and that includes leaving her relationship with Evan behind. However, as always, they just can't help themselves when they're around each other.

This is a story of redemption and reformation and growth as a couple. At least that's what it was trying to be. I understood the intent but it just fell a little flat for me. Evan and Gen had a toxic relationship, from their high school beginnings and brought out the worst in each other. Evan was supposed to be a bad boy but I didn't really get that from him. Maybe a bit immature but bad boy was a stretch. Also, his redemption arc wasn't that much of a change. He volunteered and all of the sudden he's a "good guy" and worthy of Gen's love? This one just didn't work for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and St.Martin's Press, for the ARC

This book was kind of blah at first, but once it picked up I really enjoyed it! I love Elle and the way she builds the storyline. Great book!

This book did not do it for me. I was really looking forward to this book being better than the first, but it fell flat for me. I expected more because I really loved the characters as they were mentioned in the first book. But in this story....their relationship just didn't feel real to me. I didn't get a feeling that there was a connection between them. The story was cute, but, yeah, not my cup of tea.

Bad Girl Reputation was a nice follow up to the first book of the series (which I did not particularly enjoy), however I still had a hard time connecting to this book.

To me, the characters were toxic and just not redeemable, even with their attempts to turn their life around. I would not want to be friends with any of the characters in this series.

The writing and story themselves were okay (more interesting than Good Girl Complex to me). However, a complaint I have about both books is that the drama happens sooo close to the end of the book that there is so little time to wrap things up. Things got solved in literally the last 2 pages. Also- it was a bit abrupt and unrealistic that all their worries went away once she said she loved him.

The book isn't necessarily bad, but it is just not for me!

Bad Girl Reputation is the second book in the Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy.

Genevieve (Gen) left Avalon Bay to make a break from her wild child days, so when she comes back for her mother's funeral, seeing her old boyfriend--bad boy Evan--sends her into a spiral that has the potential to undo all of the progress she's made.

Evan was devastated when Gen left and is still stuck back at that time: drinking, hooking up with tourists, and essentially living the high school life. Gen is deathly afraid of getting back into her old self-destructive habits with Evan, who is still as sexy as he was in high school. But if Gen hurt Evan that much, why should he let her in again?

These people have so much chemistry! But what do you do when the person you love is bad for you?
This is all I want in a second-chance romance. Without flashbacks we learn about Gen and Evan back in high school, who they are now, and what they want out of life. This book has a lot of introspection about making the choice to be the person you want to be, the difficulties and pain of moving on from your past self, and letting wonderful family and friends support you.

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for access to this electronic review copy.

bad girl reputation was a fun follow up to good girl complex and i think i liked it even more! gen and evan’s chemistry was oozing off the page and i loved how we got to see not only their journey together, but their individual journeys.

right off the bat, you’re thrown into the story and evan and gen’s relationship, but i like how you piece together bits and pieces throughout. i think where it fell flat for me is it reminded me so much of kennedy’s other book, the mistake, and i wanted a little bit more of evan and gen together. still a great read though!!

3.8/5 ☆
Book 2 in the Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy follows the second Hartley twin, Evan, and former bad girl Genevieve, Gen, West. I quickly read Good Girl Complex prior to reading this ARC just for a bit more context and right away, I can say that I infinitely enjoyed book 2 way more.

This was overall an easy read. I really liked the character development with both MCs in not only themselves, but in their relationships too. Second chance romances are a hit or miss for me, but I really appreciated this one and the lengths Evan went to work on himself to be better for Gen.

We also see Gen mature. As a former bad girl, she definitely struggled in being confident in the decisions she made and while part of it was due to her toxic relationship with Evan, she also needed to do some reflecting. We see her own up to her mistakes from the past, confront some of her insecurities from past trauma, and find a new sense of confidence when she secures a new job and faces the feelings she has for Evan. I definitely think Evan didn't have to handle things the way he did at the end of the novel, but it ended up working out. We also get an epilogue this book, which really ties up everything unlike Book 1.

Tropes:
-TW: SA
-Small town romance
-Second chance romance

I have a god instinct that I will love Genevieve and Evan’s push-pull, angsty, in-out relationship more than Evan’s twin Cooper and Mackenzie’s story! I was so right! Gevan ( that’s how I named them) is explosive! Their attraction is not palpable! It’s on fire! So hot, so intense, so tempting!

Gen returns back to Avalon Bay she’s left without saying goodbye to Evan. They were childhood sweethearts: okay I’m correcting because nothing is so sweet about their relationship dynamics: their explosive chemistry, nonstop fighting, throwing tantrums, jealousy attacks and makeup sex is the pattern of their on-off relationship status for years. They’re a little toxic, volatile! They are even bad for each other but they cannot help themselves. It’s impossible for them to stay away from each other as well!

Gen understands clearly she’s in deep trouble after hitting the rock bottom. So leaving the town to find an appropriate job and loft at Charleston, keeping her sobriety, staying away from her addiction; Evan. But her mother’s sudden death forces her come back to her home, helping her dad’s business, spending a few months in town till her father finds another manager.

Evan learns the real traumatic reason why Gen left and why she’s so adamant to stay away from him. Even his twin brother Cooper thinks Gen brings out the worst of Evan, but he is completely wrong! Gen is trying too hard to leave her bad girl reputation behind, growing up, taking responsibilities, taking care of her family.

If Evan wants to get back the girl he’s lusting for years, he has to get his act together, learning to be mature. Could his plan work? They are like a dynamite together! Could they slow down and act like grownups to form less toxic more devoted relationship?

Let’s not forget a decent guy named Harrison also tries too hard to take his girl out of his hands! Could Evan let her girl ride into the sunset with another guy! No way! Game on!

I enjoyed this angsty, fiery, powerful story a lot! Gen’s brothers and Riley are my favorite supporting characters!

Gen was tough cookie! I loved her smart, determined and confident attitude! Evan was a little jerk at the beginning but his determination to take back his girl earned him several brownie points!

The series keep growing on me! Even though you didn’t like the first book, I recommend you to read this one as standalone! I highly recommend it!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I requested this because I've read the deal and a few other books by this author in the off-campus series. I actually didn't read the first book in the series before this, but it can be read as a standalone. This felt more mature than the off-campus series, but I liked it less. Cooper was cute enough especially with the dog and his 'little brother' Riley but that's where it stopped for me. He's described as a bad boy but. . . isn't at all? This just didn't do it for me. If you like second-chance friends to lovers I'd recommend.

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Bad Girl Reputation by @ellekennedy33

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC! 👏

I was so excited to read this! It was everything I hoped it would be and more. Classic @ellekennedy33 combo of spice, witty banter, and emotional moments. I loved these characters and their journey both individually and through their relationship. It was effortless to read in the best possible way. I am hoping there are many more books to come in this series!

#badgirlreputation #arc #romancereads #newbooks #upcomingrelease #northsurreysecondary #netgalley #ellekennedy #avalonbay #bookstagram #bookseries #readallthebooks #booknerd

This is a second chance story about the Avalon Bay residents. It's the second in the series- after Good Girl Complex. Evan and Genevieve are together again in the same town after a long separation. They have a very messy history... but lots of chemistry... Will they end up happily ever after?

I wasn't crazy about Evan in the first book but we get more of his past in this second book so we understand him better. He is a likable character and has great chemistry with Genevieve. I like how both of them work out their issues and end up together in the end. The friendship in the book is amazing and the best part of the book.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc

This series will probably go down as the series Elle Kennedy would like to forget as soon as possible.

Don't get me wrong, this started great. I thought i was getting a great childhood best friends to lovers second chance romance. And i did get that tropes but it just wasn't great and i couldn't bring myself to care.

Elle Kennedy once said she didn't want to write a toxic relationship and i now understand why. She just couldn't do it justice. Fictional toxic ships could serve so hard when they are right. The buzz is just different. Sadly, Gen and Evan are that kind of toxic that make you wish they weren't a couple rather than make you wish root for their endgame.

With that being said, it wasn't as if Evan and Gen didn't have chemistry. They did. They also did have character development which is great but i just couldn't find it in me to care or love them.

The Friendships save a lot of books and i absolutely loved the friend groups in all of Elle Kennedy books. And the glaring trouble sign for this series is it's weak and fickle friend groups. Didn't like it in first book didn't like it in this one.

Bad Girl Reputation is a trope that Elle Kennedy hasn't done before atleast within her Off campus and Briar U series. The second chance trope got me intrigued but i have to admit that this was a dissapointment.

Although i thought this book is better than Good Girl Complex, while reading i enjoyed Good Girl Complex more than i enjoyed this book. The Main Characters were toxic and just not great.


My biggest complaint with this series though will always be the friendships that seem so messy and never wholesome. Elle Kennedy might have missed the trick with couples but the bigger reason for her books not being the same is because of not being able to replicate atleast the same level of Friendships OffCampus series or Briar U series had.

The second book in the Avalon Bay series is a wonderful addition. I became obsessed with the Hartley twins in the first novel, Good Girl Complex and I wanted to know Evan's damage immediately. If you loved the angst, heartbreak and romance of the first book in the series, this should be an instant buy for you.

We were teased by Evan's heartbreak and Genevieve West in the first book but it is so much more messy and complicated than you can even believe. I loved the story line of two people who have been in love with each other since they were children and through their messy and crazy adolescence, realizing that they needed to grow up together. Their love would always be there but they had to grow together for them to work out.

Such a good book for those that love contemporary, messy, new adult books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.