I think this is my favorite book in the Avalon Bay series, which is saying something because I've loved all of them. Tate and Cassie just had something so sweet and fun and very low angst. On top of that, the side stories and getting to see what all of the couples from the previous books were up to was really awesome. Side stories can often times be a little too much, especially when they deal with some pretty big family issues, but I found that these were done perfectly well and added a lot to the overall story line.

Cassie and Tate are such an awesome couple. I loved how they went from friends to lovers and I loved how they never shied away from their feelings. It was really refreshing to read about a "sort of/just a little" (IYKYK) relationship that isn't frustrating. The communication between these two was STRONG and I loved every minute of it.

One of my favorite parts was how they stood up for themselves and were able to handle everything that was thrown at them with maturity and grace. Honestly, I just loved them and this story so much.

Overall, I 100% recommend this book. If you love Elle Kennedy and you love this series, you will absolutely love this book!

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy had me running to download the first two books in this series. Not because I needed them to enjoy TSG—but because I was reminded of how satisfying Elle Kennedy books always are. Although I devoured this novel from my couch in Connecticut, it would have been the perfect book to read while on the beach or lounging poolside. A perfect fictional escape, highly recommend!!!

This is my favorite book so far in Elle Kennedy’s Avalon Bay series. If you read the earlier two books, I highly recommend this one. You will absolutely enjoy the impeccable writing and the character building. I LOVED Cassie and learning more about Tate; their relationship was so cute and I felt like I was along for the ride. I also really enjoyed getting glimpses of the previous couples (Mac and Cooper / Gen and Evan) still involved in the world of Avalon Bay. I really liked learning more about the Beacon Hotel and Lydia as well as Cassie’s family, especially her adorable little sisters.. I also loved the heartwarming relationship between Cassie and Nia at the end. Overall this is such a good book, Elle Kennedy can do no wrong!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is the third book in the Avalon Bay series and I will start by saying that this was my favorite book in the series so far. I really liked how this book wasn’t about a toxic relationship. I also enjoyed how Tate and Cassie started as friends first and seeing the whole friend group interact was one of my favorite parts.

A really important part for me was watching Cassie grow and stick up for herself. A lot of people can relate to toxic households / parents and it can be hard to stick up for yourself when you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Cassie showed so much growth in her relationships from the start of the book to the end.

I also didn’t expect the plot twist towards the end. I had to put the book down for a moment because I was in shock.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

Tate and Cassie meet on the beach after Cassie witnesses Tate being dumped.
Cassie is looking for a summer fling Tate worries Cassie will fall for him so he becomes her wingman. They become friends then realize they should just hook up and they both start falling for each other.

This book was a great addition to the Avalon Bay series. Cassie and Tate are both fantastic characters and their story was a dream to read.

The Summer Girl - Elle Kennedy

I read and enjoyed the two previous Elle Kennedy Avalon Bay books (Good Girl Complex, Bad Girl Reputation) so I was very keen to read this third instalment in the series. While these can be read as stand alone books, I would recommend reading them in order if you want to understand the backstory of many of the minor characters appearing in this book.

The Summer Girl is a perfect summer read. Both sweet and steamy, the story focuses on Cassie, who has returned to Avalon bay, where she spent a chunk of her childhood, for her college summer vacation. She is determined to have some hot fun this summer, in the form of a no strings attached summer fling. Enter Tate, local guy and sailing instructor, who is known for his history of casual relationships. He appears a perfect target for Cassie’s summer fling but – oh no! – he’s put her squarely in the “friend zone”, well so they think… Limits are pushed, things get heated and soon hearts are in danger of breaking. Throw in some toxic family members, related drama and you have the perfect escape and a sexy and satisfying easy read.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for sending me an advance copy of this book for review consideration.

The Summer Girl follows Cassie Soul in her return to Avalon Bay after her parent's divorce. She's in college and feeling inexperienced which leads her to the goal of finding a summer fling. Enter Tate Bartlett. Avalon Bay's fling expert who is NOT in the market for a girlfriend. I am sure we can all guess what happens next...

I had a hard time getting into the book at first. This was my first book in the Avalon Bay series (and can definitely be read without reading the others), but I think this contributed to the slow start since I had no prior connection to any of the characters. By the last 1/3 - 1/2 I was much more invested! Easy read and a great summer/beach story, but it also tackled some larger topics like Cassie's difficult relationships with her parents which gave the story a little more depth. It did make me want to give the other two books in the series a try!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy of this book.

Here’s to another book where I read the third book in the series before any of the other books. I was actually surprised by this book though because it was amazing. I had high expectations because of other books that I have read by Elle Kennedy and it lived up to my expectations and even exceeded them.

Cassie and Tate were absolutely adorable in this book. They had the cutest relationship and I loved reading about Tate falling in love with Cassie when he had never fallen in love with anyone before.

And the plot twist! Wow! I never saw it coming (mostly because it was insane) which made it all the more shocking. Although it was a little unbelievable, I thought it added to the story and made sure that the conflict between the characters happened. It can’t be a romance book without the conflict! The reunion was even better though.

The book was kind of cringey but maybe it was written that way because 20-year-olds are pretty cringey. This was an ARC though so it could potentially get less cringey before publication. That was my only problem with it though.

I’m excited to read the other books in the Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy.

I almost didn't make it past the first 10% of the book (I clearly didn't read the synopsis closely enough, as I wasn't expecting Cassie and Tate to be so young), but I am so glad I did: It didn't take long for Tate to charm his way right into my heart, and I loved his chemistry with Cassie and their friends-to-lovers storyline. The secondary plot points were compelling and felt genuine and well-developed. Overall, this book was well-written and engaging, and I would definitely recommend, especially for college-age and 20-something romance readers.

In the latest installment of The Avalon Bay series, Cassie is a summer girl, and she wants a fling for the summer. Tate, our sweet little playboy, is just what she needs. Elle Kennedy is one author that I'll read without any hesitation. The Avalon Bay series has been a fun one, defiantly makes me want to live in a small beach town. I wasn't sure how i was going to like Tate, but damn. He's a playboy but with golden retriever energy. I like Cassie character, it's fun She's from Briar U it ties in her other series. The summer fling premise of this book is fun, we all know how well a "no-strings attached" type relationship never lasts. I was worried about the ending of this book and i was worried we may not get a HEA. However the way it ended is for sure a happy for now, I'm hoping shell write more to this series seeing as we have a few girls like Alana and Heidi who could use a story. Id like to see more of Tate and Cassie in the future. Cassie more is such a difficult character and her narcissistic personality is so difficult and frustrating. I really felt for Cassie every time her mother disparaged her appearance or choices. Like Cassie i had a hard time trusting her when she was suddenly nice to her daughter. Cassie had so much growth in this book, its hard to stand up for yourself and put boundaries in place to protect yourself especially if its with a parent. Overall, i enjoyed this book it was a perfect balance of spicy and sweet. I would give this book a 3.5/5!

I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. I adore the Him series and Top Secret and I also liked The Deal and Good Boy. This book was fun. There are a lot of characters, probably some from earlier books in the series, which I haven’t read. The main characters are a good match. You can really feel that they enjoy each other’s company. Cassie has some family issues, but things are not too heavy. Their first sexual encounter was great, very different and hot. Things I didn’t like as much were <spoiler>the fact that Cassie’s insecurities about her body were completely dropped and forgotten and the very late twist related to Tate’s mother which felt unrealistic and forced.</spoiler>. But those are not deal-breakers. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read.

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy
Avalon Bay #3
Publication Date: July 18, 2023
New Adult Romance

It’s summer (we are just going to talk about that ice storm we received overnight and I’d prefer if you didn’t burst my bubble) and you know what that means! Time to travel back to Avalon Bay to seek out a fling. Cassie grew up in Avalon Bay but hasn’t been back since her parents’ bitter divorce. With her grandmother selling her hotel she decides to spend one last summer in the town she grew up in. She encounters local heartthrob Tate in a rather embarrassing moment for him and the way she handles it left him intrigued by the ginger who just happens to be his neighbour for the summer.

Sometimes you are having a week. Sometimes you have to forego your responsibilities, grab a glass of wine (or two) and binge an entire Elle Kennedy book in one sitting. Is it possible to pause an Elle Kennedy book? What kind of self control must one possess? I couldn’t help after every few chapters or so, particularly towards that ending, thinking to myself “this week on Avalon Bay” because boy does this head into ridiculous soap opera territory. I ate it up. Every second of the ridiculousness that seemed contrived and was only there to force our couple apart. I..ATE. IT. UP.

Kennedy has written countless spicy romance books and yet somehow they all seem incredibly different in terms of smutty scenes. The one in this book will definitely live in my brain long after I’ve put this down.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Elle Kennedy novel and I can understand what the hype is about. The Summer Girl was a quick and easy beach read with some fiery romance. While I enjoyed this book (especially the end), I was ultimately left wishing that there had been more depth to the characters and plot.

Tate and Cassie were characters that you've definitely read in a million romance novels. Cassie is inexperienced and quirky. Tate is popular, flirty and a bit of a playboy. In meeting Cassie, Tate finds himself wanting to 'get serious' and have a real relationship for the first time. I acknowledge that part of the fun of romance novels is the predictability of the relationship and the HEA. However, these two were just so dang static and conventional for me. It felt like the same facts were being repeated over and over - Cassie has a narcissistic parent, her relationship with her dad/step-mom is strained, and she copes by seeing the silver lining in things. On the flipside, Tate loves to flirt with girls and sail, he's close to his super-in-love parents, and somewhat scared to confront his future.

I wish certain things were more deeply interrogated to add greater depth - how has Cassie's parents' drama influenced her own feelings towards relationships? Other than making her cry and see the "silver lining" in things, how does her mother's criticism of her body affect how Cassie views herself? Why does she actually want a fling so badly this summer? Why didn't Tate feel like he could be vulnerable in the same way with any of the other girls before? I recognize that a serious and thought-provoking romance might not be the aim of this book, however, addressing some of these questions and giving us more depth would have made it a 4-5 star read for me.

I want to add that the constant reactions to and remarks about Cassie's chest by those with whom she has a platonic relationship felt unnecessary to me. Tate and her mom's comments contributed to the story which I respect but everyone else's observations felt repetitive.

Also, given the dual narration, I wish that Tate had more going on from his perspective. So much of his initial chapters revolved around his romance with Cassie. While it was fun reading about his perspective on Cassie and the whole situation, the limited nature of his side of the plot contributed to the repetitiveness mentioned above where it felt like we really didn't know much about his character outside of Cassie, flirting and sailing.

All that said, I did enjoy the final third of this book. The big reveal caught me off-guard. It felt far-fetched and dramatic, yes, but it is a fun fictional beach read and I really liked that it didn't revolve around a miscommunication between Tate and Cassie. I know it happens in almost every romance but I absolutely hate reading third-act breakups that revolve around contrived issues between the two MCs. This was a nice change of pace. The crazy final scene/makeup moment was also sweet to me.

Overall, if you are looking for a light, sweet and uncomplicated beachy romance, The Summer Girl is for you!

This book is a dual POV and friends to lovers story. I liked the main character, Cassie, she's sweet but not too naive. I liked watching her grow throughout the book. It can be read as a standalone. I read the Off Campus series and it's nice to dive into a new series with this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I so enjoyed this book! It was the perfect mix of spicy summer romance with real, heartfelt relationships. I loved Cassie and I was so proud of how she grew as a person and found her voice in this story. Will definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, St Martins Press, & Elle Kennedy for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

4 solid 🌟 for this ultimate summer beach read! I haven’t read the already published Avalon Bay books, but will have to cozy up with them soon - I do love some small (beach) town shenanigans.

Cassie is an easily lovable MC who snags the eye of that dreamy dude every early tween (and maybe thirtyish++ me) salivates over.. oh Tate 🔥. The story is what you expect it to be .. and yet .. I devoured this chunkier-than-I-like-my-lighthearted-romances romance! (I think it could have been edited down just a teensy bit more… I did enjoy the beach games.. but they didn’t really advance the story… or did they?)

Writing was good, steaminess was less than I expected, conflict was a bit forced.. and yet.. EK made me feel the summer feels ☀️ 🏖️ ⛵️ maybe I can convince the Hubs to start up sailing?!

Smart and beautiful Cassie Soul grew up in Avalon Bay but moved away to Boston after her parents divorce. And now she’s back in the Bay for summer break from college and she’s looking for fun and a summer fling. Enter Tate Bartlett, a gorgeous player who also happens to be the nice guy that everyone loves. Cassie thinks that she’s found her fling in Tate, but is he up for it? Can they just have fun this summer without catching feelings? You’ll have to read to find out! Enjoy this fun and flirty beach read with just enough family drama, angst, and spice!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

I have very much enjoyed reading Elle Kennedy’s Avalon Bay series—I think this is my second favorite of the three! I enjoyed Cassie and Tate both as characters and as a couple. I liked the glimpses of other couples from previous books. My favorite part, and what makes The Summer Girl different from the others in the series, is the parental/family drama—I did not expect it, but it really added something to the story!

I didn’t realize The Summer Girl featured college aged characters, but that’s on me. I generally enjoy my romance characters to be a little older, but the age worked for this story.

I usually hate the miscommunication trope, but I liked it here! The parental relationships/drama added an interesting layer that I appreciated. I didn’t feel like the MC and the love interest’s connection came off as organic and genuine, but it was okay. Decent amount of spice!

The Summer Girl gets a 3/5 for me. I wouldn’t read it again, but I’d recommend it for romance readers that are looking for a college-aged romance. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I’ve fairly enjoyed the Avalon Bay series with Good Girl Complex being a clear winner for me of the three. With that stated, I didn’t hate The Summer Girl, but I also didn’t love it.

Cassie is a 20-year-old who is in Avalon Bay for the summer and immediately connects with Tate who is the golden boy sailor of the crew. I must start with the fact that I thought this story was going to be about Alana and Tate rather than introducing a new character, but I actually liked that twist. I just didn’t like Cassie. She started out as a reminder of my younger self. She’s a virgin that was set on finding a summer fling, enter Tate Bartlett who is known for delivering a great experience while staying as an FWB. Cassie wasn’t relatable to me at all. She was single-focused for most of the book, yet it changed every two chapters. Her character development, while valid, read very woe is me throughout the book. She also didn’t feel like a main character to me which is sad. This book felt the most immature out of the three for me.

The biggest turn-off for me with this book is that it’s following this new trend of very delayed physical interaction. The first spicy scene isn’t until after 50% of the book, and they don’t actually have sex until almost 72% of the book has passed. I wouldn’t have minded this if I saw Cassie and Tate building a connection. The bulk of that time is spent elaborating on pieces from the first two books, background development, and unnecessary family development that doesn’t tie into the story as you’d probably think. I want to believe the relationship is valid and possible when reading romance novels. I just didn’t care about this couple. There are multiple chapters about the Summer Games that could’ve been replaced with chemistry development between the couple. There is way too much shopping and pieces on The Beacon when I would’ve loved to learn more about the characters or their romance. There are several scenes that are mentioned between the couple that I would’ve loved to see played out.

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