Solidly new adult. Very readable. Perfect for the beach, as advertised.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

The next installment in the Avalon Bay series. As a huge fan I was so excited to receive this ALC copy, however this one fell flat for me. I loved Bad Girl Reputation and Good Girl Complex however I think this was missing some of the back story and character building that makes these romances sing. It was an enjoyable read but I don't feel like it could stand alone without the rest of the series and it didn't hook me as much as the other two in the lineup

4.5/5 stars
This was the perfect summer read. The narrators of this audiobook fit the characters perfectly, I love a good dual POV.
Cass is looking for a summer fling as she spends her summer with her grandma in a beautiful beach town. Tate is the handsome guy that catches her eye. He’s attractive, funny and not interested in relationships. The perfect guy for a summer flight. But he only wants to be friends.
This friends to lovers romcom has tons of witty banter that caused me to audibly chuckle. The spicy scenes were well done as well.
There is also a subplot regarding relationships with parents and setting boundaries that I fully enjoyed. I got teary eyed a few times during the second half of the book.
I couldn’t stop listening to this and finished it in less than 24 hours.

The Summer Girl is the third book in the Avalon Bay series and follows Cassie Soul 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 golden (play)boy Tate Bartlett, 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 as much of a thing 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 color... 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 a person's hair is, ginger, amber, copper, or otherwise, nobody cares.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and it was a lovely read. It was great seeing the core group interacting, and they contributed to some very fun moments. And I loved witnessing Cassie grow more into herself and becoming more assertive. Tate is a sweetheart with a heart of gold who just wants to do right by everyone and should be protected at all costs (so long as he leaves the ginger joke alone)

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this ARC

i love the Avalon Bay series, and I think this one is my favourite. The set up makes it the perfect beach read, it made me want to go on vacation (I dont even like summer :P )
i really love rom coms that have a bit *more* in terms of depth, and this one provides a great emotional connection that makes you really invested in the characters.

Really fun and sweet and can definitely be read as a standalone if you havent read the other books (you should though !)

Elle kennedy did it again! I have absolutely loved this series so much! It was the perfect read this summer and I loved seeing this little world from so many POVs.

I loved this book! The characters were a bit younger than I am but they were still very relatable. Cass and I share the status of Ginger so I absolutely loved that. Tate was to put it simply, the man of my dreams (if he was a bit older, lol). The spice in this book was a little more forward than I’m used to, but it was still hot spice! I would give it a 3 out of 5 peppers just because there was more Rom Com in this book than spice. I listened to this via Audible so trigger for those who don’t like the F word, it’s used quite a bit. This would definitely be a book I would add to my forever library and would recommend to anyone teen age and up.

Thank you to @Macmillan Audio for the ARC. This was my first Elle Kennedy book and I loved it. This sweet summer fling between Cassie and Tate was so full of emotion and friendship, that I could not put it down. I look forward to reading more of her books.

This was easily my favorite book in the Avalon Bay series

Cassie is looking for a summer fling, and Tate is the perfect man to “fling” her. When he turns her down after worrying about hurting her, Cassie is heartbroken. But the friendzone lines are a little blurry.

Buckle in for some Gossip Girl Thanksgiving episode vibes.

⭐️⭐️⭐⭐.5

𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙆𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙙𝙮'𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣 𝘽𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨.

This is the third book in the Avalon Bay series and it’s hands down my favorite out of the three. I did enjoy the first two books for the most part, but this one was so good!

I did a combo of the ebook and audio, I loved the narrators.

Tate and Cassie are definitely the best couple in this series. I absolutely loved their banter and chemistry. I had such a fun time seeing some of the characters from the previous two books.

While these can technically be read as standalones, I always recommend reading them in order - just because you get so much more out of it. I know many people didn’t love the first two books, but I actually enjoyed them.

Cassie was a smart and fun FMC and Tate was just an all-around enjoyable MMC. I loved their journey throughout the book, this is definitely the perfect summer romance.

There are also family dynamics and some twists I didn’t see coming. The spice wasn’t too over the top and I loved the friendships in this book.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend reading it this season. I love Elle Kennedy’s writing and this whole series. The chemistry between our characters is swoony and captivating. Highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Sexual Content, Body Shaming, Emotional Abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Panic Attacks/Disorders

3.5 stars--I may be in the minority when I say this, but this one just wasn't a home run for me. It's not a bad beach read if you're in the mood for that, and there were some parts that were fun, entertaining and a bit steamy, but not enough to keep my interest the whole time. This book exudes small town vibes with a friends to lovers trope.

I didn't dislike the characters and the chemistry between Cassie and Tate were on point. While I haven't read the previous two books in the series, I didn't find that to be a problem when reading this third installment. It could be a standalone. I probably won't go out of my way to read any other books in the series.

If you are looking for a mindless read to pass the time at the beach or by the pool, then this is a solid choice, but you may be disappointed. You probably won't even remember what you read days later. You can't say I didn't warn you.

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Cassie Soul hasn’t spent an entire summer in Avalon Bay in years, not since her parents divorced and her mother spitefully whisked her away to Boston. Cassie returns to the quaint beach town to spend time with family, ring in her twenty-first birthday…and maybe find herself a summer fling.

Tate, sailing instructor and lovable player, is no stranger to flings. But the moment he meets Cassie, he knows she’s not the girl you play games with. The last thing he wants to do is risk breaking her heart, and so he reluctantly puts her in the friend-zone…only to realize he made a huge mistake. Soon, his attraction to Cassie becomes impossible to ignore. He wants that fling now. Big-time.

 And maybe even something more.

-

I want to preface this review by saying if I had read the book instead of listening to the audio, I probably would’ve liked to more. I personally don’t like when men narrate for women, and while there was both a male and female narrator there was a lot of time when the male narrator voiced females and that is something I’m not a huge fan of. For that reason, it took about halfway into the book for me to really get into it. So, while I wasn’t loving it at the start it did grow on me and I’m glad I stuck with it.

In my opinion, the start was far too slow and all the action came in at the end which, was good because I finally got what I wanted it I felt like I sat through a lot of filler to get there. The characterization wasn’t my favorite for the main characters, but when the family drama set in that’s where I really got invested and felt like I wanted to stick around for the resolution.

Some parts of this book were a little far fetched and dramatic for my liking, and all in all I’m not going out of my way to read more by this author - it was a nice light, summer read that if you’re in the mood for will check the boxes of mild spice and family drama

I have had the pleasure of reading each of the books in this series and so far they have not disappointed! Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martins Press for providing me with physical and audio copies!

Summary:
College student Cassie Soul hasn’t spent an entire summer in Avalon Bay in years, not since her parents divorced and her mother spitefully whisked her away to Boston. Now that her grandmother is selling the boardwalk hotel that’s been in their family for five decades, Cassie returns to the quaint beach town to spend time with family, ring in her twenty-first birthday… and maybe find herself a summer fling.
On her first night in town, she finds the perfect candidate: Tate Bartlett, Avalon Bay’s fun-loving golden boy.
Tate, sailing instructor and lovable player, is no stranger to flings. In fact, he’s always down for a good time. But the moment he meets Cassie, he knows she’s not the girl you play games with. Cassie is gorgeous, hilarious, and, frankly, the coolest person he’s ever met. The last thing he wants to do is risk breaking her heart, and so he reluctantly puts her in the friend-zone… only to realize he made a huge mistake. Soon, his attraction to Cassie becomes impossible to ignore. He wants that fling now. Big-time.
And maybe even something more.
As Cassie and Tate walk the line between friends and lovers, they’re about to discover that their situation is the least complicated part of this equation. Because Avalon Bay is full of secrets—and their relationship might not survive when those secrets come to light.

This book is part of a series, but its one of those series where each book can also be read as a stand alone, and that is something I love!

This one was the perfect summer beach read. Elle Kennedy always has a way of creating such fun and loveable characters. There were so many heartwarming moments, banter between the characters, and overall lots of parts that just felt so real and relatable.

I think this one may have been my favorite of the series! If you are looking for some fun summer characters, check this one out for your next beach read!

This was my first book by Elle Kennedy and I was not disappointed! I loved the summer vibes, and the overall story was super cute, but I also touched on a few deeper topics, which I always enjoy and look for in all my romance novels.

Things I liked:
•Beach town setting
•Dual POV with dual audio narration
•Dynamic characters with distinctive personalities
•Complicated family relationships
•Character development
•Good balance of funny and emotional

What I wanted more of:
•I would’ve liked more competition between Tate and Cassie during summer games
•I would’ve loved to learn more about Victoria’s relationship with her mom.

Would I recommend this audiobook? Yeah! Both of the narrators do a great job bringing the story to life!

Honestly I’m dnf’ng this one.
The virgin trope is killing me.

The female narrator is also grating on me. The way she reads the 6 year old girls is so bad. It’s like they are toddlers. 6 year old girls don’t talk like that. They’re 6! Not 3. It’s so bad I can’t.

The male narrator is a favorite. But between the bad tropes and the boring story and the bad female. I can’t. I’m so sorry I wanted to like this series. But each has gotten worse.

The two narrators did a good job of bringing this story to life and I was invested in the characters' romance and emotional journeys. I especially liked the female narrator. Overall, it was a lot of fun. But there was too much focus on virginity/losing it/physical characteristics of a virgin. And at times it felt immature. This author may not be for me, but I enjoyed her work for the most part. Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by Elle Kennedy and I can see what the fuss is about. THE SUMMER GIRL was a fun friends-to-lovers romance. I was a little caught off-guard, though - at times it reads a almost YA (the main character is still in college) but the sex scenes are VERY steamy. I liked the family storylines and the third act twist but felt like the book was on the long side - 400 pages and 12+ hours was a lot for a romance. All that being said, it was a great read and listen while I was relaxing at the pool, and I'll probably go back and read the first two in the series.

3.5 stars.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.

4.5🌟

This was AMAZING and so fun!! I really wasn’t the biggest fan of the first two books in this series, but this one was delightful. Cassie and Tate had such amazing chemistry and their journey was filled with so much fun, laughter and emotion. The plot twists at the end kept me on my toes and Cassie especially had so much growth ! I was so proud of her by the end of this book!!!

"Cassie...I would like to fling you."

Cassie should be thrilled with Tate's declaration. That's what she wanted, a summer fling, so why does it feel all wrong?

The Summer Girl, third in the Avalon Bay series, can be a standalone read but keen romantic comedy author Elle Kennedy makes you want to read the whole series.

Cassie is back in Avalon Bay after years away since her parent's divorce. Grandma Lydia, the coolest grandma ever, is selling the family boardwalk hotel and there's a big summer end event. College student Cassie feels this is the perfect summer to just have fun, maybe lose her virginity, and get started on adulthood.

When she has the most awkward meet cute with bad boy playboy Tate, he's getting dumped by his latest conquest, she thinks she's found the perfect fling partner.

What she doesn't expect is they become friends. He even becomes her wing woman to find her the perfect fling. Yeah that's not going to work for too long.

I got to read and listen to this definition of a beach read. The cute naivety performance from narrator Caitlin Elizabeth combined with the sexy deliciousness of narrator Teddy Hamilton was almost too much steam. Tate is conveniently house-sitting next door to Cassie and when they discover their bedroom windows look into each other, let's just say I don't know how the steaminess didn't fog the windows because they sure fogged my glasses and ears. The Summer Girl is a cool hot beach read.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

What is supposed to be an easy and spicy summer fling, turns into so much more.

I was expecting the fling that turned into a relationship, but there was a good amount of family drama focus.

This book alternates between Cassie and Tate and the author does a good job in writing style to bring out the difference in personality just by the way each character acts and talks. I'm glad this book didn't feel one dimensional, since I hate it when it's easy to forget which character is talking because of them blending together. Tate comes off a bit of a playboy at the beginning and Cassie a bit naive, but I started to grow to like them by halfway through the book.

As far as the family drama went, wow did the author portray classic narcissism. I wanted to slap Cassie's mom in the face probably as much as she did. She was definitely over the top, but intentionally so.

This is a fun summer read, but be ready for some firery romance and crazy family drama all around. Oh and the audiobook version of this book even made me blush, especially during Tate's chapters.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this Audiobook for my honest review.