I’m sure there’s going to be those that can pick this book apart but I LOVED IT. I really enjoyed the characters, chemistry, pace of their relationship, it made me giggle to myself, and story had me engaged. I will definitely be recommending this to others. I have read the other two books in this series. This is by far my favorite and it can definitely be read as a stand alone. It does have open door scenes.

Ok. I get it now. I get why everyone loves her books and raves about them all over bookstagram. Try not to react, but this was my first Elle Kennedy book and while it is part of a series I still absolutely loved it!

Cassie in on summer break from college before heading into her senior year. She is back in Avalon Bay, a place that holds many childhood memories for her. The family owned Beacon hotel has been sold as well as her grandmother’s house and the end of the summer will bring some sad goodbyes. Cassie has decided a summer fling is a must and has her sights set on Mr. Fling himself, Tate. What starts as a friendship blossoms to more and leaves them both wondering how this “summer fling” is supposed to end.

Book Vibes:
Small town
Friends to lovers
Summer fun
He falls first
Tricky family dynamics
Quick wit and banter

While I haven’t ready the first two books, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is a reference to Genevieve’s nickname and since she was the main character in the second book, I had no clue about the backstory there. Mackenzie from the first book is also in this one since she is the buyer for the hotel. I was not completely lost but I can see where I missed out a bit.

The Summer Girl had so many things that I loved! First off, the relationship between Cassie and her grandmother. LOVED it! Cassie is a people pleaser and I was so proud of her for finding her voice. She struggled silently until she just couldn’t do it anymore. Even with the struggles, heartbreak and disappointments she always managed to find the silver lining. As for Tate, he knew she deserved more than he could give her, he supported and encouraged her and together they lifted each other up. And finally, everyone makes mistakes. That’s a tough one in this book.

The Summer Girl is out July 17th!!

A huge thank you to @netgalley and @ellekennedy33 for this eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third book in the Avalon Bay series. I haven’t read the first two but I was able to read this as a stand alone.
The Summer Girl is a friends to lover romance with funny banter, spicy moments, family drama and an easy read. I felt that some of the family drama was a bit to much for this book and wasn’t entirely necessary.
I did enjoy this book and now I will be adding the first two books to my TBR.
3.5/5

Elle Kennedy brings us back to Avalon Bay in The Summer Girl. This is the third book in the series and follows Cassie, who is just in town for the summer visiting her grandmother, and Tate, a local who is normally not a relationship kind of guy. There's an instant attraction between the two but they try to stay just friends.

This slow burn, friends to lover story is a fun one. The dual POV gives the reader into insight into how both Cassie and Tate feel during the "will they won't they" phase and when they finally do get together, it's electric. Cassie and Tate face some adversity but do find their HEA. As always, Elle Kennedy delivers complex, fun characters that you can't help but root for.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So honored to get this ARC from NetGalley, thank you! I am a big fan of Elle Kennedy’s writing and this book has everything we want- delectable spice, deep subplots, sizzling chemistry and an enjoyable, feel good story. I love getting to visit Avalon bay and all the bad boys and girls that reside there. Ever since Tate was introduced into the series, I couldn’t wait for his book. Cassie is perfect for him and I love their journey- every time I think Elle can’t make another story better than her last, she proves me wrong. Their dynamic is addicting and I love the protective, instant chemistry they share. I thoroughly enjoy that these stories actually share a deeper subject throughout- be sure to read CWs if you have triggers. This book is a must read for my spicy romance friends!

I feel like Elle Kennedy is my comfort author. Her books are quick and easy reads that suck you in quickly and leave you smiling. The Summer Girl is no exception. Cassie and Tate are likeable, unproblematic MCs with great chemistry from the start. You know where this romance is heading from the get go, but I admit that there were a couple of twists along the way I did not see coming. I recommend this book if you enjoy:

☀️Dual POV
☀️Friends to Lovers
☀️Summer Romance

This book will be released on July 18, 2023 and it's a perfect beach read!

3.5 ⭐️

This book focus on Cassie and Tate. I will admit I skipped book 2 in this series, mostly because i forgot to read it, and forgot that Tate was in a FWB with Alana (if that was even mention in the first book).

Cassie is an ex ‘townie’ that is back in the bay for the summer intent on having a fling, and just so happens to witness an uncomfortable break up that ends up letting her meet Tate.

Tate is a playboy that is currently sleeping with one of his best friends and somehow ended up in a weird love triangle, or lust triangle i guess you could say, who ends up meeting Cassie at a party.

The couple hit it off right away, and you can feel the chemistry between the two, not just physical, but also in the form of banter and friendship. This book follows their journey or just friends to hopefully something more.

I thought that the book was good. I enjoyed the MCs for the most part and found very little complaints when it comes to their personalities, which isn’t always the case when it comes to books so woo.

I think that their chemistry was good and didn’t feel forced. I found myself genuinely connecting with both characters, and even she’d a few tears as the book progressed. I was constantly rooting for the two MCs to get together.

I will say though that sometimes it felt like the book was lacking. There were many times throughout where I felt myself losing attention in the book. It wasn’t one of those can’t put it down books, and I was easily distracted while reading it.

It was a lighthearted read with ups and downs that keep you reading.

My last complaint when it comes to this book is how women are written. I feel like I’ve felt it before, but this one for some reason was the tipping point. I don’t enjoy the objectifying of women, even if it was slight. Having boobs referred to as a ‘rack’ always grinds my gears. The way that Tate is first introduced in his pov almost made me dnf because he felt slightly sleazy and i didn’t like his inner monologue at first. I think the writing makes it seem like all men see at first is boobs and butt and you can’t encounter a guy without him going straight to that. He is written as a genuinely caring as sweet character so it baffles me even more that he’s written so poorly to begin with.

Overall, this book was cute, but would not be my first choice in recommending a lighthearted read to a friend.

I received an advance copy of this book, courtesy of St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Back in Avalon Bay for the third book, The Summer Girl, we get to know the granddaughter of the former owner of The Beacon Hotel. Cassandra is spending the summer with her grandmother, and hoping to have a fun summer fling.
Tate is the son of a local business owner, and the hot guy looking for good times, no strings attached. Seems like he might be the perfect choice for Cassie, but he friend-zones her.
Despite that, their relationship grows every time he tries to be her wingman to help her find a suitable summer fling.

This series gets better with every book! The character development is wonderful. The plot is an emotional roller coaster-with nervous new friendships, some steamy encounters, family drama, and first love.

I can not explain how much I loved this book! I laughed. I blushed. I cried. Then, finally got the HEA. I would definitely enjoy this book at the beach or pool.
I loved Cassie’s strength. I think some people might say she’s a people pleaser at the beginning, but after the trauma she has lived through, it’s a survival skill. This book did such a great job of showing the effects of certain childhood traumas, without trauma being the main plot.
Tate’s self awareness and ability to kindly communicate with Cassie on what she deserves is so beautiful.

I do think that there should be a few trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. While the author handled situations really well, I would have liked to have a little warning. I don’t want to put any spoilers in this review, so I’m not going to list them now. I will add to my reviews after publication day.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Elle Kennedy for the digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

Elle Kennedy is back with a stunning new romance that is a necessity for the beach bag. THE SUMMER GIRL transports readers back into the dreamy Avalon Bay, where a front row seat to Cassie and Tate's relationship is ready to set sail. Elle Kennedy did a phenomenal job with this next installment--which should be no surprise for the queen of romance. The main leads were so well defined in not only their relationship, but in their singularity as characters. They both had their own backstories and past that added layers of depth into the narrative. This book also tied family dynamics into the plot, which added more substance to the story as a whole. Readers can expect the same wonderful side characters, emotion, and yes--spice, from Kennedy's new release. Fans of her other books, and new readers as well, should absolutely have their eye out for this book come July 2023!

This is the thrid book of the Avalon Bay series, I've never read the other books but I'm so thankful that this can be read as a standalone. I don't think this book is for me. The pacing was inconsistent, at the beginning it was very slow, the pace picked up somewhere in the middle but then it started to lose its pace again. I felt that some of the chapters were really boring that I skim-read them. The parents situation also was too overdone, the parents situation didn't add or take away any of the plot, so it was unnecessary surprise plot in my opinion. For the main characters, I didn't enjoy the development of their relationship. It was too rushed and the 'i love you' moment didn't leave any spark in me. I'd recommend this book to those who enjoyed Avalon Bay series.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

Omg! This book was everything I needed it to be. I read it in one day- Valentine’s Day- and although it was cold out while I was stuffing my face with chocolate and the book was all summer vibes, I couldn’t have asked for anything more than I got. I was lucky enough to get approval to read Bad Girl Reputation last year; this sequel blew it out of the water.

Tate and Cassie were amazing characters with brilliant banter and tons of chemistry but what made this book even more amazing was the attention that was paid to the side plots which can often seem thrown in as an afterthought in romance books. This is possibly my favourite Elle Kennedy book ever and is on my top romance list.

Definitely pick this up if you love:
❤️Great characters
⛱Summer fling energy
💕Friends to lovers
🤞Kinda slow burn,
🤯Huge emotional pay-off
😘Banter
✨Neighbour energy
🤩Complicated family issues

And yes, also read it if you want to understand half of what I just listed.

In summary, don’t hesitate to grab this book as soon as it’s released!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book of the Avalon Bay series I read, and I will definitely be reading the rest of the stories within this world. The Summer Girl not only had a great romance plot line, but closely explored the boundaries of parent/child relationships. This is a great summer read.

Elle Kennedy is a new to me author and I love her!! This story was amazing, I couldn’t put it down! She ALMOST broke my heart and tears did fall, but I forgive you, Elle. Wonderful characters and amazing storyline. Happy dancing!

I think this might be my favorite out of the three. I suggest reading the first 2 in the series before you read this one. When I first heard this book was going to about Tate, I had mixed feelings but I am glad to be proved wrong. I really liked Tate and Cassie together, they had really good chemistry. I think this one was the hottest out of the three, with some good sexual tension. This one was sexy and emotional and I really hope we get more from this town. Highly recommend this series!

Ughh i loved this one!
Cassie and Tate’s banter was so hilarious!
The drama was very juicy too!☕️
Def giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️❤️

As Elle Kennedy says in her acknowledgements, "everytime I return to the world of Avalon Bay, there's a smile on my face from the words Chapter One all the way under The End". I literally could not agree more. In fact, this third installment may be my favorite yet! Friends to lovers, complicated family relationships, a happy ending. I can't even begin to explain how the relationship Cassie had with her parents made me feel, except that it was very very close to home. I love seeing characters like this, with real and pressing issues, that still get what they want and need in the end. Excellent third book. I hope there's more!!

elle kennedy did it again!!! i love her writing style. this was an easy read and cozy read. i loved it

TLDR Plot Synopsis: Cassie is the new girl for the summer in Avalon Bay. After growing up in the area she is back for a final summer to sell her grandmother's house and witness their family hotel's grand reopening. While there she meets her handsome neighbor, Tate, and they begin a flirtatious friendship that they both enjoy a little too much.

Spoiler-Free Review: Important disclaimer is that I did not realize this book was part of a set. I have not read the other Avalon Bay books and was a little concerned that this would ruin my experience in reading this one. That was not the case. I really liked this book. The characters were genuine and enjoyable (some of the side characters being so enjoyable that I'm now reading this series backward to read Jen and Mac's stories), and the plot was simple. I liked that there wasn't a lot of manufactured tension, besides the major event in the final act. I'm not sure if everyone would enjoy this since it was a very simple story, but for romance readers, this is a PERFECT beach read. It's light, summery, and still has some emotional overlay to back it up.

Nit-Picks:
Calm down with the CONSTANT talk about how big Cassie's boobs were. It was so tiresome and almost felt like it was written by a man in those moments.

I love beach town books, anything that feels like summer. I’d die for, and this book gave me all the summer feelings.
The summer girl is a duo pov, showing Tate and Cassie a set of characters with some insane chemistry, and lots of tension.
This is the third book in the series (which I learned after reading, so it could be read as a stand-alone), so I’m sure I would love much more after the first two books with the same setting of Avalon bay and characters.
It took me a lot longer to get through then expected, but I still really enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend everyone who loves the summer beach feel to also give them a read.

in hindsight i probably shouldn't have requested this book. i don't enjoy books about college-aged kids. this story felt off - there were inconsistencies in pacing - the initial framing of cass' relationship w her father was super confusing. the middle was good, ending felt haphazard and rushed. i felt some important scenes occurred off-page.

i feel like if you changed how cassie talks about her dad at the beginning of the book it would be a lot less confusing to me!! just my two cents.