I really liked this book and will definitely read more from Elle Kennedy! This was my first time reading any of her novels and the writing is really good, I loved the characters, and the side characters played a big role in the story which I always love. It was a sweet and fun romance, not exactly closed door but not THAT open either. Definitely a perfect, fun summer read that has the vibes.

Cassie is back in Avalon Bay for her last summer and this year she has big plans. Every summer she watches other people have these passionate but fleeting flings and she wants one of her own. Never mind that she’s never actually slept with a guy before. She’s determined that this will be her first summer fling.

So when she meets Tate, the town’s lovable player who has never had a serious relationship she thinks she’s hit the jackpot. But Tate is worried about her getting too invested so he plants her firmly in the friend zone and vows to help her find her fling. The problem is that the more time he spends as her wingman the more he realizes he should have taken her up on her offer. And when he does he’s shocked when he finds he’s the one getting feelings involved.

This is hands down my favorite book in the Avalon Bay series and I would go so far as to say it’s one of my favorite books she’s has ever written. The chemistry between Cassie and Tate is unmatched. Even as her wingman it was clear that no one had even a flicker of the heat that they did.

What took me by surprise is how well she incorporated the family drama aspect into the story. While Cassie and Tate’s relationship was a central piece, their career aspirations and family issues played a large role and honestly had me just as involved as the relationship. Especially when everything hit the fan and long buried secrets came out.

This one also had that found family vibe that I live for and I love how with each book the friend group gets bigger and closer. I think Cassie was the perfect addition to the gang and I can’t wait to spend more time in Avalon Bay!

4.25 stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thanks so much to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

This was such a fun summer read. As my first Elle Kennedy book, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this (third book in a series lol oops) but I can say I really enjoyed it. I absolutely loved Tate, but personally wasn’t a huge fan of that particular third act breakup. Cassie was a really great FMC. Her dealings with her mother were so familiar it hurt, and I really connected with her in so many ways.

Definitely recommend for that next summer read.

2.5 stars, rounded up.

This book was very much not for me. The MCs meet in the first chapter and then nothing happens for 150 pages. Very slow start.

In no particular order, here are some other things that bugged me:
- This is the first book I've read in the Avalon Bay series and, honestly, I found the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous really off-putting. FMC throws around thousands of dollars of other people's money with no concerns. Didn't love it.
- FMC is one of those women who thinks that, despite having had all sorts of sexual experiences, she's still a virgin because she hasn't had penetrative sex yet. Are there seriously people this age that still think like this??
- For some weird reason, BIPOC people are never referred to as such, they're always tagged by having "dark hair" and other vague contextual clues.

To be fair to the author, I'm pretty far outside the New Adult demographic and this story very much skews young. I'm just way past the stage where I'm angsting about my relationship with my parents and fumbling through first relationships. Younger reader may have an easier time relating.

I have so enjoyed this series. Interconnected standalone series that give you a little taste of the previous couples. I couldn’t remember 100% the previous books, but there was enough in this that reminded me without spoiling the other stories if you read them out of order.

Tate and Cassie’s story was another spicy delight with real, deep character connections. There are some deep topics in this- check content warnings (body image, manipulation, narcissistic parent, divorce, cheating, miscarriage, mentions of abortion, etc.). A lot heavy than I initially thought it would be. Probably a little heavier for a summer read.

I loved the growth I saw from the characters just in 300 pages. Elle Kennedy is a great go to author.

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this digital ARC.

When I first began reading this book, I assumed it must be a young adult novel because the dialogue and writing felt very juvenile. I soon realized it was not, but I just couldn't connect with the writing or the characters.

Thank you Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a care free story about summer vacations. A girl who is at a family home on an island for the summer is determined to have a summer fling. Enter Tate. She just happens to witness an awkward break up and gets caught. Which then puts into motion a flirty friendship that then leads to more. It was a fun story that is easy to get lost in, especially when we are in the middle of summer! It was fun!

I have not read the previous two books from this series, but that didn't matter. I wholeheartedly loved and enjoyed every minute of this novel. It's one that will completely captivate you from page one and would be a perfect beach read!

I felt like a young adult again getting wrapped up in Cassie and Tate's story. It took a turn that I wasn't expecting. That was a little heartbreaking, but I can see why the story had to go there.

The little sisters were adorable. The relationship between Cassie and her step mom was great. Not every step parent & step child gets to have that connection and bond, and while it was due to a narcissistic mother, it was a beautiful part of the book to watch play out through the pages.

Cassie's grandmother was precious, but Cassie's mother needs serious help!

All in all, it had me in my feels from the hard and heartbreaking moments to the swoony & steamy moments. I recommend you read this one.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cassie is visiting the bay for the summer and staying with her grandmother. She grew up here, but once her parents got divorced she moved north. Around the time Cassie left, Tate's family arrived. Tate teaches sailing lessons and helps run his family's business. He's a bit of a playboy, but also a sweet and sunshiny character. I was a little worried about picking up this book since I have not yet read the first two books in the Avalon Bay series but it was great as a stand-alone so there was no need to worry. Of course, I enjoyed this book so much that I feel like I need to go back and read the first two as soon as possible. Cassie’s mom was a narcissistic self centered, and the worst character in the book, but. I appreciate the author giving children permission to remove themselves from toxic relationships. I think more people need to be aware of toxic behavior and no matter who they are in your life you have permission to remove people from your life that does not align with your happiness.
Thank you Netgalley, St Martins Press and Elle Kennedy

This book (and series) was so much freaking fun!! I didn’t want to put it down once I started. Elle really never lets us down when it comes to her books and this was no exception. It was such a perfect summer read. I loved the beach town setting and the gradual progression from neighbors to friends to more.

Cassie is so adorably awkward. It made her character so endearing and you couldn’t help but love her. Tate was really such a sweetheart too. He has this playboy reputation, but he’s just a cinnamon roll at heart. This one is fairly low angst until the end, which unexpectedly made me tear up. It was a twist that I didn’t see coming (love that) and it really tugged at my heartstrings. These 2 together were so sweet and I really wanted the best for them.

The cute banter, the setting, the spice, THE WINDOW SCENE…it was all perfection. Cassie was supposed to just be a summer girl but you couldn’t help but want her to be Tate’s forever girl!

This book is my favorite by far in the Avalon Bay series!! It contains all the classic Elle Kennedy writing we love- good banter, good spice, and a story that sucks you in immediately. Thanks so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Elle Kennedy for this ARC!
 
The Summer Girl follows Cassie as she spends one last summer with her grandma in Avalon Bay before her grandma moves to the northeast to be closer to the rest of her family. They’ve sold their hotel to Mackenzie Cabot (from Good Girl Complex) and the hotel is just about to open at the end of the summer. When Cassie accidentally eavesdrops on Tate as his FWB situation is ending, they keep running into each other, especially since Tate is house-sitting right next door to where Cassie is spending the summer looking for a summer fling. When Tate agrees to help her find a fling, both realize that they may just find what they’re looking for in each other.
 
If you love wingman-turned-fling, good banter, competition (Beach Games time!!), and spice, this book is the one for you. If you’re new to Elle Kennedy and this is your first book by her, I HIGHLY recommend reading my two favorite series by her- Off Campus and Briar U which are incredible college hockey romance books!

In this third return to Avalon Bay, virgin Cassie Soul is looking for a summer fling. She wants fun, sun and to get some experience in bed. She meets Tate Bartlett, a "player" who is more than happy to give Cassie the summer she is looking for. After Tate is warned away because Cassie is a nice girl and nice girls catch feelings, he decides to be Cassie's wingman as she looks for her summer fling. Yeah, right! You can see from a mile away that these two are going to fall for each other.

Tate is sweet and kind and amazing. He finds himself falling when he's never done that before, so he has a bit of a shock realizing the depth of his feelings. He's also very careful with Cassie's heart, I thought, and the family drama that plays out seemed realistic as well as heartbreaking. Cassie's mother is a piece of work, and she manages to tank a few lives (she thinks) as she visits Avalon Bay, causing major distress during the grand re-opening of The Beacon. I did like how the book revisits the couples in the first two books in the series.

Overall, this is a very pleasant romance, almost a rom-com in terms of the banter between the main characters. I kept reading because I really liked Tate and Cassie and I was rooting for them all the way. This book left me with a huge smile on my face. The Summer Girl is a fun read with plenty of flirting, romance and just a little drama to make everything interesting. A good addition to the series.

I liked this one a lot more than I thought I would. This trope isn't my favorite but it worked in here. I found both characters really likable. They were great together. While I haven't read the other books in this series, I didn't feel lost. I figured out what the previous books were about as the other couples appeared in here multiple times. There was quite a bit of family drama. It was definitely hard to read at times but it added some necessary conflict to the story. I would recommend.

This was a light, fun summer read - need a book for your beach vacation? This one would be a good one to pick up.
Summer girl is part 3 of a series, but can be read as a standalone. Although, this book does have significant amount of time spent with main characters from the previous two books. Ultimately though, you will still be able to get lost in Cassie and Tate’s rapidly transforming neighbors-to-friends-to-lovers relationship.
Tate is a playboy with a heart of gold and Cassie wants a summer fling to gain experience before her senior year in college. The lovable playboy actually turns her down despite the steamy chemistry between them. This endears him to the reader even more - because who wouldn’t love the playboy that doesn’t want to take advantage to the good girl. As can be expected the chemistry between the two is just too much to keep them in the friend-zone.
This story was so much more than just the relationship between the MMC and FMC. New friendships form, as Cassie really finds somewhere she belongs. Cassie and her grandmother are close and their interactions were a joy to read. It’s the kind of camaraderie everyone wishes they could have with a grandparent. The real heartache in the story comes from the toxic relationship between Cassie and her mother. This one will eat at you as the story progresses. You will get satisfaction by the end though, rest assured.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

What a perfect summer read!! ☀️There’s everything you want in a book - it’s sweet, funny, spicy, and good vibes all around. Although this book is #3 in the series, it can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the others but I definitely plan to now!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I think this was my favorite of the Avalon Bay series books so far and I have had fun with all of them. Tate is your golden boy; undeniably attractive, enthusiastic as a lover, stays friends with all his exes, but never falls in love with any of them. Cassie is the sweet girl-next-door type who is trying to break her good girl image and just have a summer fling while staying with her Grandmother for one last summer before graduating college. This would seem to be your typical boy and girl fall in lust then love story, but there’s a whole lot more going on here that made me really enjoy it. Warned off Cassie by his friend Mac, Tate puts Cassie in the friend zone after a scorching kiss leaves him wanting more. Of course he comes to regret it, but where this book shines in the development of the friendship between Cassie and Tate. It’s easygoing, sweet, and just the right amount of playfulness where it’s easy to believe these two could be good together. Definitely a case of opposites attract, Cassie is the Yin to Tate’s Yang and they find that they compliment each other in so many ways.

Every good story needs a foil of some kind and that comes in the form of Cassie’s mother—a true piece of work. Check content warnings, but as a narcissist, she creates all the drama necessary whether it’s between herself and Cassie, Tate, or with Cassie’s father. Parents play a huge role in this book and at times I thought the story might skew a little too far from the romance plot. Yet by the third act, it becomes very clear as to how and why the parental figures play a role in Cassie and Tate’s love story, and it was a refreshing alternative.

An easy summer read, I’d recommend this to anyone who can handle family drama, and doesn’t mind their MCs collegiate age. Although I prefer my heroes older, Tate’s playboy persona was a fun change up and I enjoyed reading The Summer Girl. Elle Kennedy’s books in the series get better and better and Im guarantor enjoy myself while reading. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I thought this was a fantastic summer read! I haven’t smiled, laughed and felt giddy over a book in a while and this was everything I needed it to be. I loved the dual pov, the banter was amazing and the overall story was just so good. Even though this was a friends to lover romance , I enjoyed reading how they both navigated their complicated family dynamics and issues which made the story so much more interesting.

Ugh, to have a summer fling in a quaint little beach town!

This was a fun beachy read. Friends to lovers, summer fling turned permanent. Cassie and Tate were super cute together.

I was not prepared for the drama and the fact that I had to stop the book and BAWL at one part. Came out of NOWHERE! Definitely an interesting plot twist.

This was my first book in the Avalon Bay series and I will definitely be going back to read the others.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the storyline with the friends to lovers aspect.
There is just enough spicy moments to make this a enjoyable read.
The laugh out loud moments were great. I always enjoy humor in a story and this one delivered that.
Overall, a nice summer read.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Griffin for an earc of The Summer Girl in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was so cute and there was so much growth in it. I really loved getting to know Cassie and Tate and seeing them finally give into their feelings and go for it.

I thought it was funny how Tate volunteered to be her wingman yet found himself to be the worst wingman ever in my opinion. I really also enjoyed the family aspect of this book and dealing with a loving family and yet dealing with really toxic aspects within your family. Honesty I found that to be my favorite part of this. I loved how Tate and Cassie pushed each other to fight for the things that they deserve.

The characters were cute, the plot was cute, I enjoyed this book a lot!