The Summer Girl is my favorite in the Avalon Bay series. Cassie is returning to Avalon Bay after some years away to spend the summer with her grandmother. Her dad, his wife and her half sisters live in Avalon Bay, but she doesn't see them a lot. I thought this aspect of the The Summer Girl was really well done, watching Cassie navigate these relationships and find her footing in asking for what she needs and wants. Everything about this tugged at my heartstrings.

Tate is a local boy who is always in for a good time. Despite some initial reservations they end up getting together and I enjoyed every minute. Tate certainly wasn't perfect, but he pushed Cassie in all the right ways, including showing her that it's ok to ask for what you want and need (re: her family).

Cassie's mom is a narcissistic bitch and you could see her scheming a mile and a half away. This caused some issues that did result in a 3rd act breakup, but not in a traditional way.

Despite the heaviness it was a great summery read!

Cassie and Tate just may be my favorite Avalon Bay couple! They seem the most down to earth of all the characters so far. Cassie grew up in the bay. She only moved away when her parents divorced. She’s back for the summer and wants a summer fling. That’s the last thing Tate wants. The more he resisted, the less willpower he had around Cassie. I loved how this summer was also a time for Cassie to connect with her father, stepmother, and twin sisters. Her mother’s indiscretions coming out into the open caused great repercussions for Cass and Tate. I felt that was a pivotal point in the story for them. All was not lost though. Some time away from each other and a conversation between Cassie and Tate’s mom steers Cassie in the right direction with blessings.

Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton lent their talents to voice the characters so wonderfully. Their personalities came to life!

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

I loved this book, and plan on buying the rest of the series. The mfc goes to her grandmother beach house to spend the summer and decided that she needs a summer fling, and ends up gaining a whole new grips of friends. Loved the characters and absolutely loved the spice. The only thing that I didn’t like was when they would do voices for the opposite sex.

Cassie Soul hasn’t been back in Avalon Bay for a whole summer in years, but the time has come. Her grandmother has sold their family’s boardwalk hotel and Cassie returns to the beachside town to spend time with her family before the grand re-opening…and maybe find herself a summer fling in the process. The first night in town, she finds the perfect man for the job: Tate Bartlett. Tate is no stranger to a good fling - he’s always down for a good time! But he realizes quickly that Cassie is not the fling kind of girl and he quickly friend-zones her to protect her heart…only to realize later that he's made a huge mistake. As the pair straddle the line between friends and lovers, they find that the least complicated part of their lives is their relationship. Because when you’re a part of a community like Avalon Bay, the secrets that abound threaten everything that you try to build.

This is definitely not your average summer fling romance. Don’t get me wrong, the tension between Cassie and Tate from the get go is delicious, but the fact that they actually start their relationship as friends is glorious. I’m not usually a slow burn kind of girl, but this slow burn was done in such a fun way. And anyone who reads romance knows that there is a good chance there is going to be a third act breakup - but even that part of the book was handled differently than most!

The relationships that develop throughout the book flow so naturally. Kennedy is able to bring new girl Cassie into the fold while giving us the perfect glimpse into the lives of the residents of Avalon Bay that we already knew and loved from the first two books. I really do love a good romance series - we get to watch different couples falling in love while revisiting a world we’re already comfortable in.

And oh my goodness, the SPICE. Kennedy knows how to write a spicy scene and it SHOWS. And she weaves it effortlessly into a story that is both hilarious and emotional at different points. I spent various parts of this book laughing out loud and crying through all the emotions. Talk about a roller coaster!

This is the first audiobook I've listened to narrated by Caitlin Elizabeth, but she captured the voice of Cassie wonderfully and I look forward to future audiobooks from her. And Teddy Hamilton…listen, if you’re an audiobook listener (especially romance!), chances are you know Teddy Hamilton. I really don’t think I need to expound upon the beauty that is the voice of Teddy Hamilton. IYKYK.

Because we love a content warning, it’s important to note that there are some things in this book that could be triggering to some people including emotional abuse and mentions of miscarriage and abortion.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy is the third Avalon Bay book. This is the follow up to Bad Girl Reputation, which I previously reviewed If you’ve read any of the Avalon Bay books, you’ll be sure to see old friends like the Hartley twins, Mac, and Gen.

I received an ARC for the audiobook from NetGalley. The Summer Girl is dual POV and is narrated by Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton. What I love about this series is that each of the books has different narrators, giving all the MCs their own voice. I really loved the narration of this book and felt drawn into Avalon Bay. Their timing and delivery of every line felt perfect.

I really liked Bad Girl Reputation, but I LOVED The Summer Girl. While Evan and Gen were rough around the edges, Cassie and Tate were pure SUNSHINE for me. I am all about the book boyfriend, but I honestly have no idea who I love more, Cassie or Tate.

Cassie is spending a full summer in Avalon Bay for the first time in years. She’s navigating her fraught relationship with her mother, her uncomfortable relationship with her dad and his new family, making new friends at the behest of her grandmother, and even looking for a summer fling. Enter Tate Bartlett. Fresh out of a friends with benefits situation (where Cassie watches him get dumped,) Tate is just looking to have a great time this summer. From the beginning, the banter and ease with these two were spectacular, but Tate decides to Friend Zone Cassie because she’s not the kind of girl you fling. As their friendship grows, so do the obvious sparks and the two can no longer keep away from each other.

Tate is like the most lovable F-Boy ever. He is super hot, charming AF, a sailing instructor, and is good with kids. He’s a good friend, trustworthy, has a great relationship with his parents, and calls his 2 dogs his kids. What I love the most about him is that he teaches Cassie to set boundaries and encourages her to share her feelings with her parents. He genuinely cares about her and when she’s hurt, he’s hurt.

Cassie is so endearing with her positive attitude and looking for the silver lining in every situation. Her awkward rambling makes me love her so much more. She is incredibly sweet and wants nothing more than to be loved by the people that she loves. I love that she starts to take more ownership of her feelings and her life.

Cassie and Tate are so good together and when they’re together it’s 🔥🔥. I felt like this book had less heat, but more heart than the previous book. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of spice, and I found myself so caught up in the story. Cassie and Tate are my new favorite summer couple. I loved them so much I started listening to the book again!

This was undoubtedly my favorite book in this series. Cassie and Tate were great character with wonderful chemistry and fantastic banter. Although this is part of a series it can definitely be read as a standalone and what a fantastic beach read this book makes. I really enjoyed Cassie and Tate as the main characters in this story. Cassie was inexperienced but by no means naive. She was a smart, sassy girl who knew what she wanted and was not afraid to go after it. Of course things aren't always as easy as we'd like and the road to Tate had a few obstacles she needed to overcome. But I enjoyed watching her get through those barriers and move towards her own happiness. I also loved her relationship with her grandmother. Tate is a fun-loving guy who has a reputation as a player but once he meets Cassie he realizes she's not one to be toyed with. I loved his soft and sensitive side and how he treated her with such care. These two were made for each other. There was just the right amount of emotion...and of spice...in this fun summer read!

The Summer Girl AUDIO by Elle Kennedy is a delightful listen, beginning as a story featuring a clueless miss looking for a summer fling but growing to be so much more. There were twists and turns in the plot, for one. Ones I never saw coming. There were decent characters, including the female protagonist, Cassie Soul, who had been born in Avalon Bay but left after her parents’ divorce when she went with her mother. To Boston. Tate Bartlett was a man who loved women, especially the no-commitment hookup. He had the ideal life: he worked for his dad at the boat dealership and in the summer also worked at the yacht club teaching kids how to sail. Cassie saw him as the perfect summer fling but When her friend MacKenzie warned him not to hurt her, he backed off. He housesat next door to Cassie’s grandmother every summer and it turned out his bedroom faced Cassie’s. They developed a friendship, mostly through texting across the night. He really liked her.

Cassie’s life was complicated with a stepmother who didn’t like her, twin sisters whom she adored, and a mother who was a complete narcissist, in the clinical sense. She was an artist and very creative. So much so that she made up stories to tell the girls and approached her ex-step-brother to illustrate it. It was fabulous. Her mother came early for her visit and almost seemed approachable. Cassie waited for the other shoe to drop, which eventually it did. In a big way. Tate finally gave in and gave Cassie the fling she had been looking for. It was a really great story.

The story was narrated by Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton. Each time Teddy started a chapter he sounded liked a gangster but then smoothed out. Caitlin was a terrific Cassie. Altogether it was a great listen. I recommend it for listening while you are floating in the pool.

I was invited to listen to a free audio version of The Summer Girl by MacMillan Audio, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacMillanAudio #ElleKennedy #TheSummerGirl

Absolutely love the writing in this. The small town coastal town are perfect vibes. I couldn't get into the narrator of the audiobook but overall it’s a very good read.

Enjoyed reading! This main character was much more relatable than the previous. I loved watching her grow into herself as the novel progressed

This is a perfect summer read! The beach setting and the "summer love" vibes made it a very enjoyable read. I really liked our main male character Tate. He was charming, sweet, and great with our female main character Cassie. Cassie was a bit immature for me at times but it was nice to see her mature as the book went on. The familial dynamics in this book were very interesting too. They went places I didn't expect and that kept it very interesting. As always, Elle Kennedy knows how to write a book that is the perfect balance of romance and steam. 3 stars!

Wow! This book was amazing! Cassie and Tate had me all over the place, but in a good way! The characters were all written wonderfully! I also want to say, during the beach games scene, the building sand castles competition “who brought their own cement?!” had me literally laughing out loud for a solid 2 minutes! I couldn’t stop! This was the first book I’ve read by this author and didn’t realize there were other books in the Avalon Series when I requested as an ARC but I will definitely be reading them!!

This was a fun and entertaining summer romance. I found some scenes (especially the steamy ones) to be cringey, just odd descriptions and over-the-top language, maybe it was just the male narrator. The ending was also a little disappointing. But overall, it was entertaining and i can see why this author is popular - if maybe just not for me.

Unpopular opinion: really didn’t love this book. I went into it blind, so that accounts for some of it, I suppose. My personal opinion is that this book was too vulgar in both language and steamy scene/discussion. It took away from the core of the book for me. Having never read this author before, I didn’t know it might be so.

I do appreciate the opportunity to have experienced this eARC. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley.

My lord I loved this book so freaking much.

Elle Kennedy gets better with every book in this series, and it’s no surprise that Cassie and Tate’s story is my favorite so far.

Cassie is a summer girl who is looking for a fling, and all Tate DOES is flings. But when these two collide…fireworks.

They were so sweet and hot and funny and lovable. I loved seeing Mack and Cooper and Evan and Gen again, and I loved how Tate really helped Cassie work through her family issues, and how Cassie turned Tate from a ladies man to a one woman man.

All said this was phenomenal, and I adored the audio. Can’t wait for what’s next! (Please say it’s Alana!)

4.5 rounded up to 5 -- I have a bunch of Elle Kennedy books on my TBR but this was the first one I actually read (listened to, actually). Thank you @netgalley for this ARC!

The audio: I loved Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton's narration! They were great at reading different voices and their inflections were perfect. Five stars for their reading. I think audiobooks are always a little more interesting than other versions, and I tend to like books a little more when they're read to me lol

The story: I really did enjoy listening to this. It was a slow burn between the two MCs, who became friends after a misunderstanding. I was sitting at my desk working when the first real 🌶️ scene hit, and safe to say it was very distracting. I loved the dual POV and the time passing over the course of a summer. And OMG I was NOT prepared for the twist toward the end. Didn't see it coming one bit. My jaw DROPPED. Highly recommend this one!

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.

Is this another summer beach town love affair? Yes. Did I eat this up like Sunday Brunch? Absolutely.

Elle Kennedy knows just how to write a love story to make me know exactly whats going to happen and still be so excited that its happened. I was given an ARC of the Audiobook by NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin.

I found myself shocked, blushing, giddy and laughing throughout this whole book, it's a wonderful summer read!

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.

Something about the male narrators voice was unpleasant to me at times (personal preference), but I enjoyed the other narrators a lot. I personally would prefer this on ebook.

This is the third novel in the Avalon Bay series. 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.
This was a fantastic friends to lovers romance. The family drama was a bit wild, but I loved this story and the couples' romance.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

This book had a lot to live up to for me because I was so obsessed with Elle Kennedys other series. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.

Thank you NetGalley and Elle Kennedy for the opportunity to listen to this book early. This book was so stinking cute…. And perfectly spicy🥰 I loved the summery feel of this book. I loved the voices chosen to narrate they fit the characters perfectly and brought them to life.

The way the relationship blooms between the Cas and Tate is adorable. I love how he’s a good boy/playboy. If that makes sense lol

The twist this book took was so interesting…. It definitely kept me listening and once again I’m still obsessed with Elle Kennedy.

The ending *chef’s kiss*👌🏼💋