I have really been enjoying the Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy. This is a new adult series that follows a group of friends who live in a sea side town popular for tourists to visit in the summer.

This is a fun small town romance with the city girl coming to visit the town for the summer only to fall for the “townie”. There are some really complex family dynamics tackled here that makes it not you everyday summer romance. But this would still make a great beach read!

Thank you @Macmillian.Audio and @Netgalley for my opportunity to listen to this one early!

I loved this book! I was really sad to not have another Hartley twin to read about.. but that went away very quickly for me. Tate and Cassie have chemistry, but he becomes her wingman to help her find her summer fling.

I love how awkward Cassie is and how Tate teases her. I love their nicknames for each other. I love that they tried to put off the inevitable.. and clearly lost lol. I really enjoyed this whole book!

The audio was done well too! At first, I didn’t love Tate’s voice.. but it grew on me and having both narrators really made it a fun listen!

I love Elle Kennedy and her Off-Campus and Briar U series. If you loved it those, I think you will enjoy this one!!

I love Avalon Bay. This was a great welcome back with the Beacon's re-opening.
Cassie having family struggles, made it very relatable.
I loved the Gilmore reference in it.
The audio narrators were great! I enjoyed listening to this one.
There were some hardships for Cassie and Tate to overcome, but the ending was chef's kiss.

3.5 stars

- my first in the Avalon Bay series and I enjoyed it!
- total summer vibes, perfect romance to read by the beach/pool🏖️
- fun banter and easy chemistry in a friends with benefits situation
- got a lil 🥴 with the way the MMC was lusting over FMC in the beginning but sure enough real feelings took over
- didn’t feel lost at all plopping into the Avalon Bay world but definitely will read the first two soon!

Cassie is staying with her grandmother for the summer in Avalon Bay. She’s sweet and kind of dorky and completely adorable. Tate is staying in the house next door. He’s the “hookup” guy – the guy who gets around the town but still maintains a positive reputation.  Cassie’s goal for the summer is to find a fling for her entire stay. So, what happens when she approaches Tate with a deal he can’t forget?
 
The writing:
I’m a reader of mainly dark romance and horror; however, I saw the ARC for an Elle Kennedy story and I jumped at the chance to try and get it. I have not read the other two books in the series, but after listening to the wonderful writing of Elle Kennedy again (it’s been a while since I’ve finished both the Off-Campus series and Briar U series), I’m ready to work backwards and start the other two books. Since this this is a lighter read for me, I want to tell you…. I’m not in any way disappointed.
 
This story was just lovely. I laughed, I teared up, I fell in love. l very much enjoyed the pacing of the story and I absolutely felt the love between Cassie and Tate. Their romance didn’t feel forced or coerced in any way and felt natural with zero moments of cheesy dialogue. 
 
Elle has a way with transporting you directly into the setting and making you an unnamed character, seeing all of the events unfold for yourself. You don’t ever feel like an outsider. Aside from the sweet story came some very real issues these characters have to deal with that almost give the storyline a darker feel without being too dark. Cassie and Tate both have to face up to some pretty harsh things. Can they survive it all?
 
The audio:
The audio was pretty great. I love Caitlin Elizabeth’s sweet voice as Cassie, and I actually liked her voicing Tate as well. She did a fantastic job giving life to the characters as they played out their scenes. I did not care for Teddy Hamilton’s voice though. I just didn’t feel like that voice fit MY Tate, if that makes sense. Definitely worth the listen though!
 
Epilogue:
I freakin’ LOVED this book. I wish I could get all of the thoughts out of my head that I want to write here, but that’s where I’ll end my review. This has been one of my favorite books of this year, and I guarantee it will be a strong contender for years to come.

This is the third book in the Avalon Bay series; let me tell you, it's the best one yet! Cassie, a college student, heads back to Avalon Bay for the summer, hoping to find a fling. Enter Tate, the charming sailing instructor, and notorious player, who initially puts her in the friend zone, but that doesn't last long. Their friendship feels incredibly genuine, and their chemistry is irresistible. The story has profound moments, but overall, it's a light and perfect beach read. The characters are endearing, and I especially loved the heartwarming bond between Cassie and her grandma. If audiobooks are your thing, the version narrated by Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton is worth checking out. Caitlin's voice suits Cassie's character beautifully, exuding charm and sweetness. Teddy Hamilton's narration is excellent, though some wished for a better female voice portrayal. Nonetheless, both narrators skillfully capture the emotions and banter, making the audiobook a fun and dreamy summer escape!

Thanks NetGalley for approving me for the audiobook, otherwise it was a 10 week wait on Libby!

Cassie Soul hasn’t been in Avalon Bay in years. Now that her grandmother is selling the hotel that has been in their family for years, she’s back for the summer, and in search of a summer fling. Enter: Tate Bartlett, Avalon Bay's golden retriever playboy. But he knows that Cassie is too good for a fling and friend-zones himself in the process, to quickly regret that decision. Cassie and Tate enter a kind-of-relationship, that ends up being the least complicated situation in their lives. Will their relationship last through the drama?

I didn’t think I could love this series more, but I was wrong. Tate is perfect. Truly. How much I relate to Cassie is honestly terrifying. Summer fling, next door neighbors, friends to lovers. I loved every second of it!

Reviewed on Goodreads and Instagram stories, posting on Instagram feed on Friday 7/21.

In a perfect summer romance we have old friendships, cute neighbors, sailboats, family secrets and lots of lust. Both Tate and Cassie are easy to love, and I found myself rooting for them from the very beginning. The balance of sweet to spice is very enjoyable in this book, and I didn’t find myself wanting more of one or the other. This is the book to read on the beach this summer!

Thank you MacMillan Audio for allowing me to read this through NetGalley.

This entire series is sooo cute. All very summer romance books. Its all about her tryng to find a summer fling but she never found that fling. We catch up with the previous books characters and we can also see how each story is special in its own way. Its precious and funny. Its frustrating and perfect. another amazing story

Before her last year of college, Cassie gets to spend an entire summer in the town she grew up in. That is, until her parents’ divorce at 10yrs old. Through the book, the author develops the characters beautifully.

As a small aside: I appreciate how she gives some glimpses into what it’s like to live with a narcissist, and what narcissism is.

The narration of the audiobook was really well done. I really like that there are two voices, to represent both Cassie and Tate’s point of view. Makes it easy to follow along.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I was not able to jump into this audio book the way I hoped. I was excited from the title, but was so sad once I started listening. The MMC first thoughts about FMC were about her chest. As someone who’s been objectified over this it just didn’t sit well with me. The book wasn’t for me and that’s okay. I’m just not a fan of objectifying someone :/

The narrators voice made this very difficult to listen to. It was very piercing. I got bored listening to the story, but I honestly couldn’t get past the voice.

Blonde fuck boy with dimples and a good reputation? How do those things all come together? I don’t know but Elle Kennedy pulls it off with Tate. He is known for hooking up a lot in his small beach town but everyone loves him and women don’t have a bad thing to say about him. Without learning more, you KNOW that is a man who treats women right. So when cute and rambling Cassie returns to Avalon Bay and wants a summer fling, Tate seems like the perfect option. But pump the brakes, Mackenzie, ever the level headed one, gives Tate some advice and he friend zones poor Cassie, instead deciding to be her wingman. Side eye. As you would guess, that doesn’t stick.

The Summer Girl is a dual POV, friends to lovers summer read. Third in a series of stand-alones; it is not necessary to read the first two books, but I recommend as the main characters of those stories make many appearances. My love for Avalon Bay, as a setting, grows with each book. I genuinely wish I could visit for my own summer vacation. It provides the perfect back drop for a beach read, and this book leaned heavy on that, with the yacht club, pool days, bonfires, beach games, and sailing. I loved it all. Plus the banter, cute rambling, friends with benefits and trying not to fall for each other vibes. Plus there’s spice? The window scene…

What was great about this book was not only did it have all the feel good things I mentioned, but there was outside conflict that gave the story depth and meaning. Not to mention I loved seeing a man help a woman find her voice and empowerment.

I hope the Avalon Bay series continues. I am eating it up and there are more characters whose stories I want to see. I am looking at you Alana.

~Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio arc~

This was a care free story about summer vacations. A girl who is at a family home on an island for the summer is determined to have a summer fling. Enter Tate. She just happens to witness an awkward break up and gets caught. Which then puts into motion a flirty friendship that then leads to more. It was a fun story that is easy to get lost in, especially when we are in the middle of summer! It was fun!

Audiobook was great! It was dual narrators, which is my favorite!

I loved the audio!!
It was such a fun listen, I definitely enjoyed listening to the “the summer girl” then I would have reading it. It’s such a good beach read too, if you plan on taking some books/audiobooks with you.
Elle Kennedy never misses

The perfect summer read for anyone who enjoys summer reads. I wish I would've been on the beach while listening to this book, then it would've been the perfect summer read in the perfect summer location. I can see my patrons LOVING this book at the library.

If this isn’t the most perfect summer read I don’t know what is. I despise the virgin trope so it’s saying something for me to even finish this book let alone recommend it to others—exceeded my expectations and any hesitations I had were forgotten after that window scene. That. Is. all.

I loved The Summer Girl audiobook! It was my first audiobook & it was a total hit. I was captivated from start to finish with this read !

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy
Avalon Bay series #3. Contemporary romance. New Adult. HFN. Can be read as a stand-alone. Alternating first person chapters between Cassie and Tate.
Cassie Soul is spending the summer of her twenty-first birthday in Avalon Bay. She plans to have a fun and easy summer and to reconnect with her father and step sisters. Maybe she’ll even have a summer fling. Tate seems to be the perfect candidate to have some fun with but he’s keeping her firmly in the friend zone.

🎧 I alternated between a paperback and audiobook. The narration was done by Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton. I loved these two together. Caitlin was new to me, but Teddy has been a favorite for awhile. They both clearly portray youth freshness, anxiousness, and breathless lust. Since both POV’s are first person, it was easy to track male, female to Teddy and Caitlin.
I listened to this at 1.5 for the best conversational speed.

Summer beaches, friends, parties, sailing, lust and good times. Then there is family and complications. It’s a typical summer in Avalon Bay.

Low angst. Blooming love. Reconnecting. Getting rid of misunderstandings.
A wonderful summer beach read. I didn’t realize this was a series until writing the review and now have to go find the first two books by this author. It was a book filled with emotions and hope and I want to experience those again and again.

I received copies of this from NetGalley and the publisher Macmillan Audio.

Cassies grandmother is selling the hotel that has been in the family for generations so she plans to spend the summer in Avalon Bay with her and see her father as one last goodbye to the place she grew up. She also decides that as an almost 21 year old a summer fling is a much needed aspect she needs added to her life.
Tate Bartlett is the town player, he loves sailing and partying but when he meets Cassie he’s warned to not go there with her because even if she can’t admit it, she isn’t the type for a hookup or fling.
Now Claire has to navigate her feelings for Tate as well as try to med her relationship with her father and the rest of her family she had to leave behind when her parents got divorced and she was forced to move to Boston with her judge mental mother. Now the two must try to stay friends while living across the street from one another and having a perfect view into each others bedrooms. They both want more but they don’t know just how much more they want.
Super fun and easy summer read, perfect addition to the Avalon Bay series.