I am firmly a read the series in order kind of person but having never read the Avalon Bay books (nor knowing they existed), I was totally drawn into The Summer Girl and now have books one and two on my list to read next. While this might be the third in the series, it can absolutely be read as a stand alone and I would recommend it!

Set in a small beachside town with the classic townie and summer resident set-up, Cassie has come back to where she once lived full-time to spend the summer with her wealthy grandmother. Her parents went through a contentious divorce and Cassie is still pulled in either direction and struggles with a clearly unhealthy relationship with her mother. Tate loves Avalon Bay and working with his family's business, but also longs for more adventures, especially on the water.

Read if you like summer romance, college age characters, open door scenes, character growth and family drama.

I'm an autumn/winter person to my core, but this book is desperately making me pretend I could be a summer person. Because this is a great beach read!

And I think it's that lighthearted, whimsical fun that comes from summer flings that I enjoyed the most about this story. It's balanced well with moments of sincerity and depth, but also entertaining in the process.

Because of its atmosphere and sweetness, this a great book if you want something where you can sit back, relax, turn off your brain, and just enjoy some adorable characters trying their best to navigate friendship and feelings.

𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡.

Cassie Soul is a Briar U student (SCREAMING at that little detail - IYKYK!) who vacations for the summer at her grandmothers in Avalon Bay. Only, this vacay is a little different. Her last time 'home' as the Beacon Hotel was recently sold to Mac.
Tate Bartlett is a breath of fresh air; everyone knows him and has nothing but good things to say by him - even though he’s developed something of a name for himself with the ladies. Tate is house sitting the house next door to Cassie grandma's for the summer. And, it seems like at every turn they're running into each other. Cass is developing quite a liking to him, It's not long before it's more than just a summer fling she's after.

My heart.
I'd like to say I've never felt a shroud of what Cassie goes through... but her positive outlook on life and always looking for that silver lining, I was just in awe of her.
And the way I fell for Tate Bartlett. This boy will have you swooning hard. He is literal perfection and will definitely hold a spot on my book boyfriends list!
The Summer Girl is such a fun read. Tate and Cassie had me smiling from ear to ear and eager for more. This had lots of angst, boy next door feels, and friends to lovers – it was like these two had been friends forever before they had even met.

I’ve fallen more and more in love with Avalon Bay and it’s characters with each book, and I highly recommend giving it a go!

𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙.

And I'm telling you the chemistry is there from the start with these two.

3.5 stars. This was super cute. Thanks to Netgalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my feedback. Cassie is back in Avalon Bay for the summer as her family is closing the chapter on the family business. She wants to have a fun summer and find someone to share it with. She wants a loose, casual relationship but she may have gotten more than she bargained for. Just the right amount of steam in this one. Tate and Cassie are adorable. My critique would be the language used when meeting parents. I’m all for using language of that of a truck driver, however, I don’t think it should be spoken in front of parents when meeting them for the first time. There has got to be a grace period. IMHO.

Thank you to Net Galley and Elle Kennedy!

I love Elle Kennedy books and this one is no difference. When I first saw the cover, I was 100% guessing it was going to be Alana/ Tate/ Wyatt triangle. Though I think that would've made a great story, I did like Cassie and Tate.

Cassie is a little insecure, people pleasing, and inexperienced while Tate seems to be charming, honest, care free, and very experienced. Cassie wants a Summer fling with Tate, while Tat initially wants just that he tries to resist Cassie as she seems more of a girlfriend type than a fling type. Major shock factor for the end plot twist.

LOVED IT! Would highly recommend. Great summer romance.

- Forced Proximity (Neighbors/ Small Town)
- Friends to Lovers
- Summer Romance

Thank you NerGalley, St. Martins Press and Elle Kennedy for an ARC of The Summer Girl, which is number 3 in the Avalon Bay series!

Cassie is looking for a summer fling when she is visiting her grandma for the summer when she meets Tate! Her nervous babbling made me laugh and I loved how sweet Tate was (ofc there was some great spice scenes too)! I loved seeing Cassie’s character development through the book and all the characters from other books being intertwined into the story.

Friends to lovers, family drama, spice- it was a good read for me!

This is not the messy pile of toxic waste I've come to expect from Avalon Bay, and I mean that in the nicest way possible because I LOVE the first two books, I adore how messy and toxic they are, it's super addicting to me. Which is why it took me a little while to get used to this story, because the messy elements weren't between the two main characters. In fact, this is more of a nice and wholesome story, a lovely summer read with a friends to lovers storyline.

The Summer Girl is the third book in the Avalon Bay series and follows Cassie who's in the Bay for the summer and is looking for a fling to take her virginity and show her some passion, which brings her right into the arms of Avalon Bay's most notorious playboy Tate, whom we already know and love from the first two books, except he's afraid she'll catch feelings for him and offers to be her wingman instead of her fling. A friendship sparks and the two slowly form a mutual bond that help each other grow until other flings are out of the question.

"Hey ginger" "my hair is not ginger, it's copper!" Is a recycled joke throughout the book that gets old very quickly and I wish it wasn't recycled as much as it is, especially because at one point Tate internally acknowledges she's copper and not ginger, but he doesn't want to give her the satisfaction of being right... about her own hair colour... because that makes sense. Also I can guarantee that no one (that I know of at least) puts this much energy into convincing people what shade of red their hair is, ginger, amber, copper, or otherwise, nobody cares.

Also, I understand the concept of sneaking around and all, but Tate is housesitting an empty house next door and yet they insist on sneaking around and hooking up in her bedroom, under the same roof as her mother and grandmother, when they could be in an empty house. That just seemed really strange to me.

There is a timeline issue in the book I believe. After they kiss at the party for the first time, the next day Cassie goes to see her dad and they decide to go turtle browsing the day after that, where they run into Tate and Cassie reminisces about yesterday's kiss, except it would've been two days ago, not one.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and it was a lovely read. And I loved witnessing Cassie come more into herself and become more assertive, and Tate becoming more grounded. Tate is a sweetheart and should be protected at all costs (so long as he leaves the ginger joke alone)

Thank you so much for letting me have this opportunity to read an arc of The Summer Girl, I cannot express how much I appreciate it. I loved being back with the people of Avalon Bay.

The Summer Girl is the third book in the Avalon Bay series and in my opinion the best so far. Thanks to Netgalley I was able to read this book in advance of publication.

Cassie Soul has big plans for her summer. For the first time in 11 years she is spending the entire summer in Avalon Bay, turning 21 and is looking to have a no strings attached romantic fling.

One of her first nights out she stumbles upon Tate Bartlett and his latest hookup mutually deciding to not be a thing any more. No fuss and no muss break up and that that is exactly what Cassie wants. Tate checks all of the boxes of what she is looking for in a summer fling and the immediate chemistry does not hurt either. Little does Cassie know that Tate is her neighbor for the summer and that in a small town like Avalon Bay their paths would continuously cross. Both hesitant of getting emotionally involved Cassie and Tate decided to be friends only, how long will they be able to avoid the sparks when together?

I adore Elle Kennedy’s books. She is able to create a world with characters that overlap in each book, but yet each book and couple are entirely their own. We get a chance to revisit Tate’s friends who were featured in the earlier books, the Hartley twins, Evan and Cooper, and their significant others Mackenzie and Gwendolyn. It feels like I am checking in on friends when I read each progressive book.

While I like the proceeding books- Good Girl Complex and Bad Girl Reputation, this book was a little bit more complex and in my opinion a little bit more relatable. Cassie has self doubts and insecurities and how they are portrayed in the book is relatable and hit home for me.

If you are looking for a good summer read this is the book for you. If you are already a Elle Kennedy fan you are doing yourself a disservice if you are waiting to read this book and the entire series.

Unfortunately, I was pretty bummed out by The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy. For context, I have not yet read the other Avalon Bay books, but I do LOVE Elle Kennedy, especially her Off-Campus series (like, everyone else on earth). That all said, The Summer Girl just didn’t jive with me. At best, I would give it 3 stars.

The concept of a summer fling is very cute and I could get into that, but I felt like the storyline lacked real context (it went too quickly from Cassie and Tate being strangers to him being oddly enamored by her, for really no clear reason. e.g.,Tate would repeatedly say, “Cassie is the nicest girl in the world” and I couldn’t quite sort out how he would come to that conclusion after running into her at two parties and outside of a pet store). I also felt like Kennedy made a big-ish deal out of Cassie’s virginity and her giving it to Tate, to then brush it under the rug like it was a nonevent. Seemed strange to spend 50%+ of the book harping on her wanting to find a fling, so she could punch in her v-card - plus Tate freaking out over him taking it - to have them finally have sex and basically act like your run of the mill causal couple. Idk, seemed strange to me.

Also, the 3rd act bomb with Cassie’s mother was WAY out of left field (I’m sure some people will say that Kennedy makes it clear that Victoria is a narcissist and a borderline sociopath, but the drama with Tate’s dad was just too extreme for me, to the point that I think it robbed the book of being a cute summer fling romance). And then to end with Cassie’s spontaneous trip to New Zealand without any real planning or communication with Tate was effectively a cherry on top of a crappy sundae, for me.

I also felt like the actual writing was not up to Kennedy’s normal standard. I felt like she spent too much time explaining things to her reader in an amateur way. Honestly, I think I could have gotten more on board with the plot, development, and writing style if this was classified more as a young adult novel, but to know how fabulous Elle Kennedy can be, The Summer Girl was just a bummer.

Honestly, I had to power through at the end. I would have much rather been reading the Briar U series or some other romance. I’ll still read the other Avalon Bay books, but I’m hoping this will be the most lackluster of the set.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Marten’s Press for granting me this ARC. :)

Though this book is the third in the Avalon Bay series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone. I did enjoy the connections made between the other books, and it's nice to get a glimpse of the previous couples.

I really enjoy Elle Kennedy's writing, and she's quickly becoming a favorite of mine. There's a little bit of spice, but it doesn't overtake the book. I loved seeing Tate and Cassie's relationship unfold. It was a quickly forming friendship, but it felt believable, and I loved their banter and the way they were able to open up and be honest about their feelings. I found Cassie very relatable when it came to the relationships with her parents, and it was nice to have those struggles represented.

if you love dual POVs and friends to lovers, I think you'll love this one too! It'll make for a great summer read.

I think this has been my favorite Elle Kennedy book yet. All the emotions are in this book. Cassie and Tate have such strong chemistry and their personalities compliment each other so well. The Summer girl can be read as a standalone or with the other two in the Avalon Bay Series.

Cassie was born in Avalon Bay, but when her parents got divorced, she moved away with her mom to Boston. Her grandparents used to own the Beacon Hotel and she is selling it. Cassie decides to go spend the summer with her grandmother and help her pack up her stuff in preparation to move. Tate is house sitting for the people who live next door to Cassie's grandma and they instantly hit it off. Cassie is looking for a summer fling and Tate fits that description based on his reputation. He wants to be just friends, but neither of them can ignore the spark between them.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Elle Kennedy for this advanced copy.

Tate and Cassie has good banter between each other. I liked the book overall. I liked little Easter eggs from their other universes.

This book in 3 words: Entertaining. Spicy. Amiable.

Cassie Souls is headed back to Avalon Bay for the first time since she was a kid. While she's looking for a summer fling, she meets Tate Bartlett, a handsome local. What will this summer entail?

This is the third book in the Avalon Bay series AND IT IS MY FAVORITE ONE. I couldn't ask for anything more... sizzling chemistry, banter, angst, dramatics, the beach. This book is an easy one to devour.

Cassie and Tate are a blast to read. The chemistry it hottie hot hot and sometimes it feels like they're magnets. It truly feels like they bring out the best in each other. Paired with the spice, it feels like Kennedy has crafted the perfect balance.

I loved the theme of found family, tradition, and the power of one's voice. While this is a beachy read, there are significant themes at play.

I really like Elle Kennedy's writing style. It seems like typical plot points and tropes are always a touch different. The story is rich, but easy to follow, and there's a strong voice for each character.

If you've not read any of the Avalon Bay books... now's the time!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin Publishing for the digital copy. All thoughts are my own.

This is third book in the Avalon Bay series and I might of read these books out of order but it’s okay there is some spoilers in this book containing the other characters in the series but this is still a standalone book where you don’t need to read the other books to know what is happening in the book.

I generally love this book, I want to visit the small beach town of Avalon Bay and find my summer fling and find me a Tate that could teach me sailing. I love the main characters Tate and Cassie. The character development was excellent and the author did a wonderful job with putting each character through there necessary conflict in order for both of them to grow. Cassie was a enjoyable character to follow, she has such an easy going personality and her family dynamics is relatable to a lot of people. Tate is such a sweetheart and he is the best guy a girl can ask for. It does feel like he lives in a “perfect world” but once the events happen in the book he is able to grow. I really enjoy this read and I hope Elle continues the series. Read this book if you enjoy a summer romance, small town and family drama.

The Summer Girl | Elle Kennedy
Summer fling turned the real thing in a coastal vacation town

Tate has a reputation in Avalon Bay. He’s charmed nearly every girl in Avalon Bay, but never falls in love. He may get around, but it always ends with no hard feelings. Contrary to his player status, he hasn’t left a trail of broken hearts because the rules are always clear: no getting attached because this is only fun and temporary. Cassie is back in town for the summer as her grandmother says farewell to the family hotel. While she looks the part of every summer clone with the good name and family fortune, she realizes that she’s been playing the emotional-neutral game for too long and the one thing missing is passion. Tate may be the perfect mix of looks, charm, and experience, but can Cassie possibly hook-up all summer without catching feelings? More importantly, can Tate?

Boy, do I love a player with substance; sweet and spicy, all the way. I love the chemistry between Cassie and Tate that jumps off the page from the very start. Thankfully, it’s not some insta-love situation where the guy changes his ways with a single look. The development of this relationship seems a bit more realistic and true to the characters and how people behave outside of a romance novel. They both try denying the connection, and the grip is tight on the ‘just friends’ declaration. It doesn’t take long to recognize the unique way that they bring out the best in each other (emotionally, and on a spicier level). I’m a big fan of emotional depth in characters so seeing the inner workings of Cassie’s family relationships was a brilliant balance to the romantic tension and spice.

From a plot perspective, everything was running so smoothly for so long that I was on the very edge of my seat anticipating the third-act breakdown. Brace yourselves! There were unexpected tears and heartbreak that I didn’t think there were enough pages left to resolve HOWEVER I was not disappointed. Surprisingly emotional but truly beautiful resolution, so don’t worry  I have enjoyed residing in Avalon Bay for the last week or so – The Summer Girl is third in the series so far so I made sure to catch up before diving into this part of the story. I’m sure there will be more to come – all in all, a brilliant beach read: Country Clubs, boardwalk strolls, wingman ad the local with live music, beach bonfires, and all the spice that comes with the BEST summer flings.

4/5 stars
Massive thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC for review!

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC!

I am really enjoying this series and love seeing the character development. This book follows Avalon Bay local Tate and "new" summer girl Cassie as they meet and try to just be friends. I definitely recommend reading these, I can't wait to see who the next book focuses on (Wyatt?, Heidi?)

Of course Elle does it again i freaking love all her books!! The spice the plot everything is just amazing!! Cant wait to read some more books she releases! This was book 3 in the series and it does not disappoint ❤️

this series truly does not hold a flame to her other work. this was SÚPER corny and can we please the body shaming in the past? this felt very formulaic and was overall pretty disappointing

This is a fun beach read! It was a happy surprise to get a Valentine email from NetGalley with this book available to read! This is book 3 in the Avalon Bay Series and it stood well on its own.. It was a coming of age story about Cassie Soul, a college senior coming to Avalon Bay to stay for the summer with her Grandma as they see the beautiful restoration of a hotel that was originally owned by her family. She is hoping to enjoy a summer fling and meets Tate, her neighbor. He’s a sailing instructor at a club and also helps his dad out at their boat store. He thinks Cassie is gorgeous and funny but wants to just be friends, so he doesn’t break her heart. I liked that they got to know each other as friends before they get together.

Cassie’s mom is the villain in the story and very nasty the way she body shames Cassie among other things. Her father also lives in Avalon with his new wife and twin girls and Cassie would like to be closer to them. Cassie is also thinking about what she wants to do once she graduates. I really liked both Cassie and Tate. Tate’s close to his parents and dreams of sailing solo on a trip.

The book’s also got some spice (It’s Elle Kennedy, after all) and when Tate sees Cassie start to date Aaron, he decides he wants to risk it and go out with her. Their romance was sweet.

There are some big twists I didn’t see coming, wow! It took me a little to get hooked into the story but then it was hard to put down. Thank you Elle Kennedy, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for this fun summer read.

The Summer Girl was a quick, fun perfect beach read. It has me very excited for summer and warmer weather!

Apparently, I am on some sort of friends-to-lovers kick, and I’m not mad about it. While the friendship came about quickly between Cassie and Tate, I found it believable and really enjoyed their chemistry and love story.

I have not read the other two books in the Avalon Bay series, but I did not feel like I was missing any vital information by not having read them. The other characters made appearances, but nothing that really took away from the storyline.

If you enjoyed Elle Kennedy’s “Off-Campus” or “Briar-U” series, I think you will also enjoy this book. I am excited to go back and read the first two in the series! This releases July 18th!


Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest review.