“Sometimes that’s more fun. Going someplace where nobody knows you… It can be exciting to reinvent yourself and play a role for the night.”

ARC REVIEW:

I’d like to start this review by saying thank you to Elle Kennedy and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an advanced reader copy of The Summer Girl.

Before reading this book, I genuinely thought Tate Bartlett and Alana would end up together. When I found out it was about Cassie Soul, a completely different character never introduced to the series before, I found it interesting to read about more than the first two. The Briar University references? I loved them. There was a short mention of Hastings as well, and I like to see that Elle Kennedy was able to incorporate her two worlds, even if it was a brief mention like that.

But I hope to never see the word “silver-lining” in a book ever again. After all the times Miss Kennedy mentioned it, I still have no clue what it is or why it was so important to the story. Maybe it was just an inside joke for Tate and Cassie? I’ll play it safe and use my “English is not my first language” card, so for all the Americans, you probably know what silver-lining is and are just laughing at me now. There was also a mention of “clout” as well, and that too is something I never want to see in literature again. Clout? Really?

Surprisingly, I enjoyed Cassie more than I thought I would. In the beginning, I found her to be very talkative and someone who always had something to say in talking, but as the book went on, her attitude towards her mother and the way she wouldn’t let her dictate her life was something I really liked. In most books I’ve read where the main character has a problem with one of their parents, it was always resolved and had the “second-chance” idea in the book. As someone who isn’t a fan of second-chances, I was glad that Tori was cut out of Cassie’s life for good.

Aside from some of the questionable words used in this book, I would love to see another one from this series again. It doesn’t hurt to read a sweet, summer romance like this, especially when Elle Kennedy knows how to write Avalon Bay.

I know I'm so unserious for giving this 5 stars but what can I say, I was entertained. They had such a cute relationship and fun banter. I liked that they started to get to know each other as friends first. They just encouraged each other to be better people and I love that.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Ugh I absolutely loved this book!!! Talk about swooning!!! I just loved the characters and the storyline! I have actually never read the 1st 3 books in the series (I didn’t know it was a series) but now I want to start from the beginning!!!

I adore Elle Kennedy for a myriad of reasons, but the way in which she creates these stories that are filled with such warmth and heart is one of my favorites, and this book is the perfect example of that. Summer Girl is the epitome of the perfect summer read, I fell effortlessly into this book and became absorbed in the genuineness found within its pages. Tate and Cassie are absolutely flawless. I couldn’t have loved them more, the immediate bond and repartee that existed between these two couldn’t have been better. It gave me Garrett and Hannah vibes feeding my Brair University loving soul. This is absolutely my favorite of this series, and I can’t wait to see where she takes us next. Elle will forever be a one-click author for me.

Elle Kennedy is the spice queen! I’m so excited for another Avalon Bay book. I’m ready to learn more about Tate’s backstory and for him to get his HEA. Full review to come!

I wasn’t expecting Tate’s story when I picked The Summer Girl up (I don’t read blurbs) but I wasn’t disappointed.

I liked the story and how Tate and Cassie grew together and found what neither of them were looking for.

And I loved being in Avalon Bay one more time. I loved seeing Mac and Gen again. They added to my enjoyment of this story for sure.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of The Summer Girl in exchange of an honest review.

Title: The Summer Girl (Avalon Bay series Book #3)
Release date: 7/18/23, read 7/13/23
Author: Elle Kennedy-an auto buy author for me
Book cover: loved it, summertime @ the beach
Format: e-ARC
Page Count: 392
POV: dual H/h Cassie and Tate
Setting: Avalon Bay, SC
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Tropes: beach read, playboy H, neighbors/friends to lovers, virgin h
Source: Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions are my own.

Quick summary: Cassie is visiting her g-mother for the summer @Avalon Bay. Beaches and summer flings are on her mind until she meets Tate. He is a handsome playboy definitely up for a hookup. He sees how naive Cassie is and tries to be just friends, but the more time they spend together the more attracted they become.

Content warnings/triggers: toxic parent, divorce, h has self-esteem issues.

Characters: Main and Minor
Cassie-20 will be Sr. @ Briar U. Babbles when she's nervous. A redhead (Cassie would say copper)
Tate-23, works @ family business Bartlett Marine and is a sailing instructor.
Alana-Tate's ex, Cassie overhears them and meets Tate for the 1st time.
Lydia Tanner-Cassie's g-mother, last summer in Avalon sold home and hotel to move North w/ kids and g-kids.
Peyton-BFF from Boston
Joy-friend has known Cassie since they were 5 yrs. old. Has the personality of a frenemy though.
Evan Hartley-Cooper's twin, engaged to Genevieve West-couple from Book #2 Bad Girl Reputation
Cooper Hartley- Evan's twin, has gf Mackenzie- She bought Cassie's g-mother hotel. - couple from Book #1 Good Girl Complex
Cassie's mom-a narcissist, cares about money and appearance. Bitter 2x divorcee
Cassie's dad-remarried to Nia, has 2 twin daughters born on Cassie's b-day. Doesn't know what to say to Cassie and vice versa. Did not fight for custody during divorce and Cassie is still upset about it.


Review:4****
I could really relate to Cassie about the estrangement with her father. Funny enough when I talk to my father it's very superficial. Neither of us want confrontation, so we never discuss anything real. Thank goodness my mother is nothing like Cassie's, or I would be in serious need of therapy. I love reading about a reformed playboy who falls for an innocent, sweet, and a little crazy woman.

I thought the Avalon Bay series was good, and then I met this book. It elevated the series to great for me. I absolutely loved Cassie. She was sassy and fun and a little awkward. Her relationship with Tate was so perfect.

My favorite scene in the book had nothing to do with the romance though. Cassie's conversation with her step mother, Nia was so perfect, and it made me cry. The family storylines in this series have showed a range of connections, traumas, and growth related to family burdens. This was no different and handled it beautifully.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Do you find the silver lining in the bad things that happen to you?

Overall, I absolutely loved this book! I live close to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach so I could picture/smell everything about the beach while reading this book. I fell in love with Tate and Cassie immediately. I was picturing Tate to look like Paul Walker in Varsity Blues and Isla Fisher. They are on the younger side on adults so if that's not your thing you may not enjoy it.

Hello romance and light spice! This is the perfect beach read.

OK! I will admit that before getting this book, I haven't read any other Elle Kennedy book so I had no clue that this was part of a series and book #3 at that! So it can obviously be read as a standalone and I will be checking out the first two book ASAP!

Thank you NetGalley, St Martins Press and Elle Kennedy for letting me read “The Summer Girl” in exchange for an honest review.

This has been a favorite read of the summer so far. I have enjoyed all the books in this "series" but this one has been my favorite.

Cass is back in Avalon Bay as a final Hoorah to the Beacon hotel, a building that was in the Tanner family for 50 years and has been restored by Mackenzie. All she wants is a summer fling, a summer romance, to have someone to spend time with all summer but knowing it will end in September when she returns home for college. Instead she finds Tate, herself and a community she didn't know she was missing.

I just wanted to hug Cassie throughout the entire book. She's adorable, funny and deserved the world. Tate stole my heart throughout the book. He's a f💋ckboy with a great reputation. He's scared of dating and not having that "it" feeling with his partner so instead he just doesn't date. I loved that he's not your typical "bad boy" instead he's a sweet boy who knows what he wants in life but just hasn't found it.



While this book is part of a series they can all be read on there own. They take place in the same location with the same characters but reading them out of order you won't miss out on the story lines. However, the couples might get spoiled a little bit.

The Summer Girl is the third book in the Avalon Bay series. It definitely helps to have read the previous books, but it can still be read as a standalone. I loved Cassie and Tate. They are both not looking for a relationship and since Cassie is looking for a summer fling, Tate decides to become her wingman. They are neighbors, who become friends, and then become something more. I didn't expect the twist at the end that sends them both in opposite directions. I enjoyed the dual POV from both Cassie and Tate, and overall thought it was a great summer read.

I really enjoyed Cassie and Tate in this story and there were some hilarious moments that had me cackling! I also loved seeing Cassie's growth as she started to stick up for herself more. I was not expecting all the family drama in this book I thought it was overall pretty interesting. I wasn't a huge fan of the third act breakup because it was majorly selfish of Gemma to ask her son to breakup with a girl he loves because his father cheated on her with the girl's mom. Like you chose to forgive your husband you don't get to take your unresolved feelings out on your son and his girlfriend

This book felt young and I completely mean that as a compliment. It’s so rare to read characters in their early twenties (20-23) that really seem their age. It was very refreshing!

I had a great time reading this one and definitely recommend it if you want to feel like you’re hanging out with your college friends and having the best summer ever…if they were all millionaires with summer houses anyway.

Listening to Taylor Swift all week was the perfect mood for this book.

Tate is the hottest guy in town (obviously), in Avalon Bay where he teaches sailing to rich vacationers. Cassie is a romantic-hearted virgin (but not done in an annoying way) looking for a summer fling. He doesn’t do relationships (of course not) but he’s complete mush for Cassie and it’s adorable. They try to be just friends because they’re neighbors and she’s only a summer girl…but that obviously doesn’t work.

They are such a sweet, romantic couple and I really loved how their relationship progressed. I was all emotional about their happy ending.

Elle Kennedy did a great job with the characters and the family relationships. I felt so much for what Cassie was going through with both of her parents. Her mom is a narcissist and her behavior was spot on.

The spice is there but not graphic. You know what they’re doing, but it’s not very descriptive. Weirdly, it felt appropriate to their age even though I’ve read extremely spicy books with the same age characters and didn’t mind at all. I guess Cassie just seemed so naive that it worked best this way.

It’s the perfect book to recommend to younger romance readers! It felt like what “new adult” books should be.

It’s part of a series but I didn’t read the others and it wasn’t needed

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really cute YA summer romance ! It was very light, but also had some interesting themes. I liked the characters and their relationship. I liked how they communicated throughout the book. I don't think it was a favourite but it was definitely good and I think a lot of people would enjoy it!

I loved this story! Makes me want to go to the beach for a summer fling. The characters were relatable and predictable, yet not. The romance was building. Characters had conflicts, resolutions. All and all I thought this was a well written summer fling love story, it was fun and makes me want to read the rest of the Avalon Bay series!

There’s nothing better than reading a series that’s set in a beach town, in the summer, on the beach. It makes me feel like I’m right there with the characters, experiencing everything right along with them. Especially the Avalon Bay crew.

Even though the first two books are focused on the Hartley twins, we get to know their friends really well along the way. So I really enjoyed the switch from the twins, to one of their friends. Tate was adorable; I loved reading his POV and getting an inside look at his relationship with his family & his life. It took me a little while to get into Cassie’s character at first. But once the layers started to peel off and you learned more about the reason behind her quirks and her background, I ended up really liking and understanding her. It was a slower paced read, but I enjoyed it! Definitely perfect for the beach! 4 ⭐️s

Avalon Bay how I've missed you! The third book in the series did not disappoint and reminds me again just how much I enjoy reading Elle Kennedy's books.

I absolutely loved the chemistry and banter between Cassie and Tate. The sweet girl next door and the ultimate playboy, yet together it just feels right. Possible summer fling, turn friends, turn jealous wing man who actually maybe does want more than he thought he could give.

This is the perfect summer read to add to your collection, and overall just a fun little getaway.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital copy for my honest review.

And she does it again! This author doesn’t disappoint!!! I read the book before so it’s awesome to see the crossover between characters.

We meet Cassie who goes to Avalon Bay sometimes, but this summer she decides that she wants a summer fling and she finds the perfect person. He’s the biggest flirt in town, Tate, and when she tells him that she wants to fling with him, he is taken aback and decides to just be friends, he became the perfect wingman and this friends to lovers trope was perfect!!

Not only do we get HEAVY family drama, we get also some secrets revealed that can break everything up. Not only did this book give me a “coming of age” feel when it comes to Cassie, it was also so heartwarming. It’s a perfect summer read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This was great! 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. I enjoyed every moment that I spent with Cassie and Tate!

Cassie and Tate were both wonderful characters and I felt that they absolutely belonged to each other. The banter between them was well done and I loved the chemistry that they shared. I liked getting to watch Cassie and Tate deal with their family issues and appreciated the way that they supported each other. I couldn’t wait to see them figure out a way to work things out.

Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton did a great job with this book. I thought that their voices complimented each other incredibly well. I loved the way that they were each able to bring the characters to life and add just the right amount of emotion to their reading. I couldn’t put this audiobook down once I started listening and believe that their narration took the story to the next level.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a wonderful romance featuring characters that were easy to fall for. I cannot wait to read the earlier books in this wonderful series.

I received a review copy of this book from St. Martin’s Griffin and Macmillan Audio.

I really liked this story a lot! A new adult novel is Elle K’s sweet spot and she does a great job with the cinnamon rolll/playboy male characters. The chemistry between the two was spot on and I couldn’t wait to see how their relationship was going to progress.