I fell for Mac and Cooper both immediately within the first few chapters. I went on to devour this book. Cooper hates the local trust fund college students. While Mac technically fits this mold, she is also so much more. Watching each of them navigate a possible relationship is just addicting. There is an overall situation of deceit, which I generally loathe. It seemed to work well here. Perhaps because you get a bad boy and I love stories about bad boys!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced reviewers copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was a relatively enjoyable, quick romance read. I found it very predictable and the characters were a bit too flat for me. There was little growth and they reminded me of many characters in other romantic books. A lot of the good girl meets bad boy, somebody cheats, somebody lies, typical insecurities and they all live happily ever after (sort of!) I never questioned finishing the book, and enjoyed reading it, but it definitely wasn’t a “can’t put down, I am so sad this is over” kind of book.

Mac is a good girl, from a wealthy family, in a boring relationship. When she meets local bad boy Cooper, the wild girl inside of her is released. Will she fall for Cooper and throw out the quiet life she has built? Including the relationships that she has with her boyfriend and parents?

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy!

i have enjoyed several of elle kennedy's books before, so i was quite excited for this one. i admit, i requested without reading the synopsis, so that's my fault. this book wasn't for me, i wasn't a huge fan of the NA part, the tropes used, the characters. i am sure many people will love this book, i am just not one of them.

Good Girl Complex is the first installment in a new contemporary romance series by Elle Kennedy. I tend to gravitate to books with small town and/or university settings and this book has both. I also typically enjoy romances that feature the good girl/bad boy dynamic so Good Girl Complex just seemed like it would be a great fit for me.

Local bad boy Cooper Hartley is tired of the rich “clones” who invade Avalon Bay to attend college every year and act like they own the community and everyone in it. One night, at the bar where he works, he witnesses one of them forcing himself on a waitress. When the clone won’t take no for an answer, Cooper intervenes and ends up punching the guy. Rich boy whines to the owner and gets Cooper fired, which only fuels Cooper’s hatred of this guy and everyone like him. Cooper learns the guy has a girlfriend and decides he’s going to steal her right out from under the guy’s nose. Cooper’s quest for revenge doesn’t go exactly as planned, however, because when he meets the girlfriend, whose name is Mackenzie (Mac), he realizes that she’s not at all like her boyfriend and his kind, and Cooper wants to be friends, maybe even more than friends, with her. But can any kind of relationship survive between them if the truth about his revenge plot comes out?

I loved both Mac and Cooper right away so it was very easy to become invested in their journey. Both characters are flawed and come across as very realistic and relatable because of those flaws. Yes, Mac comes from money, but she is also an entrepreneur and a self-made millionaire. It’s an impressive accomplishment, particularly for someone her age, so it shocked me to learn that neither her parents nor her boyfriend Preston support her in this endeavor. They have her life mapped out for her and there’s no room on that map for anything that doesn’t revolve around her mother’s charity work and becoming Preston’s wife. Mac has always just gone along with what they’ve dictated, not wanting to upset anyone. But when she meets Cooper and they start talking, Mac suddenly realizes there’s more to life than pleasing everyone else. It’s a true awakening for her.

I also loved that as much as Cooper teaches Mac about being her own person and not letting anyone hold her back, Cooper also learns a lot along the way, particularly about passing judgment on an entire group of people just because he has had a few bad experiences. I also love that there’s so much more to him than his bad boy reputation and that he and Mac aren’t very different from one another, despite their different backgrounds. I enjoyed watching them interact – whether they’re being sassy, supportive, or sexy, their chemistry was off the charts. They made such a great couple that I was truly on the edge of my seat waiting for the truth about the revenge plot to smack them both in the face and hoping that they could survive it when it did.

Good Girl Complex is a great start to Elle Kennedy’s new series and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys watching characters figure out who they’re meant to be as well as who they’re meant to be with.

Sadly, this one didn't work for me. I loved the concept, but didn't end up doing well with it. I'm closer to 40 than 20 these days, so that may be a big reason why this didn't work for me. The whole "secret" was something that I don't love either, so yeah. Not a new favorite. I am positive this is a me thing, not an actual book thing.

It was fine! I was really excited for this book truth be told even though I've since heard some not so great news about the author I was still happy to get this ARC. Unfortunately, this is just a story I was already too familiar with and that I think has been told better elsewhere. I really did not vibe with Mackenzie at all - going from my last book where the protagonist was so lovely and I was rooting for her to this book where I genuinely did not care about her problems was very jarring. Maybe this is because of my cynicism, I'm not sure but it still ended up being just a book where I felt like an outsider to a story I didn't actually care about. My favourite character was definitely the Daisy and truly the scenes she was involved in I was the most invested. Overall, it was fine but I'm glad I won't have to buy a copy to read it :/

This was a light, fluffier book with a dash of humor that I really needed. A great beach read and for any book club. Relatable and realistic. The man candy was nice too!

Recommended!

Thanks to Netgalley, Elle Kennedy and St Martin.s Press Griffin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 2/1/22

I couldn’t put this book down. I stayed up all night and called in sick the next day to finish it in one sitting.

This book had me laughing out loud multiple times.

It did have some “After” vibes.

Definitely has some 🌶🌶🌶

I love Elle Kennedy's Off-Campus series so I was excited to read this new series. Sadly, it did not hold my interest like her other books have. It took me months to read it and I only picked it back up so I would just have it finished.

I didn't like that Mackenzie had an issue with her boyfriend cheating on her but then turned around and did the same things with Cooper.

I did not like the implication that she was a good girl because she had money, created an app, and had a fancy family.

I wasn't a huge fan of any of the characters and never found myself rooting for Mackenzie and Cooper.

(3.5⭐️) Angsty and full of steam. Kennedy puts a new spin on the good girl meets bad boy trope in this quick and easy read.

Mac and Cooper come from very different worlds. On the outside they seem as opposite as night and day. One is a trust fund kid living a life of wealth and privilege. The other is always fighting to get ahead. But not long after the sparks start to fly between the two, it becomes pretty obvious that at their core, they both just want to be accepted for who they truly are.

And while Good Girl Complex dives into some real issues, at its core this book is pure chemistry. I enjoyed watching Coop and Mac learn to be friends first building the tension. And when that first kiss finally happened, it was pure fireworks. From there the book smolders all the way to that happily ever after. Kennedy definitely knows how to write heat.

But I’ll admit… I like to think I’m still young. But reading the anguish these young adults went through definitely reminded me that it’s been a minute since I was in college. And for that reason, I think younger readers will enjoy this one even more than I did. That said, I will definitely read the next installment in this series.

Thank you Elle Kennedy, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

I absolutely LOVED this book and am hoping that Evan and Tate and the rest of the friend group get their own books!

Mac is a college student from a wealthy family who runs her own very successful business. Cooper is a working class guy who is fired after an altercation with Mac's boyfriend at the bar where he worked. Cooper's friends encourage him to seek revenge by making Mac break up with her boyfriend to go out with him...only Cooper finds he has a lot in common with this rich, successful girl. The beach fire scene where they connect is AMAZING! The book is so well written, the characters are so well-developed...5 stars!!

WOW! Elle Kennedy has been a name that has been circling the likes of Booktube and Booktok for a while, and I was always curious, add that with the premise of this new story I knew I had to give this one a try. I was pleasantly surprised! Mackenzie and Cooper are from opposite sides of the tracks in Avalon Bay, a quaint little beach town that just so happens to have a prestigious college campus. Cooper is a local, or a 'townie' as they say in the book, just trying to make it out of this town because his past has had its fair share of heartbreak and Mackenzie seemingly has it all: money, parents that are known in the political spotlight, and a long-term boyfriend who she trusts and cares for, and yet something is missing. I don't know what it was about this book, whether it was the dual perspectives, the funny banter between friends and the hero/heroine, the tropes that were just cheesy enough, or this very charming love story, but I just couldn't put it down, I'm sure this will be in a lot of readers top romance reads lists of 2022! (I'm definitely including it in mine!)

Squee! I absolutely loved this book. Good girl meets townie bad guy and I could not put it down. The chemistry between Mac and Cooper was phenomenal. I have read other novels by this author in the past that were similar and she continues not to disappoint. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt but it was a fantastic read for me!

Elle Kennedy is arguably the new adult queen- she so brilliantly captures the angst and complexity of growing up and falling in love for the first time, and pairs that universality with unique and complicated emotional situations in a way that just sings to my soul. So, I was incredibly excited to dive into Good Girl Complex with its bad boys, opposite worlds colliding, beach life vibes, juicy revenge-tinged plot, and addictive characters.

This is the story of local bartender Cooper, recently fired from his much needed job thanks to the rich playboy antics of the entitled Preston. Cooper is out to make Preston pay and what better way than to seduce and steal his darling girlfriend Mackenzie. The plot has a tried and true one- we all know the story. Working class badboy townie pursues local rich, popular girl he perceives as a stereotypical clone for all the wrong reasons but unexpectedly falls in love with her for all the right ones when he discovers she’s so much more than he expected. But the familiarity of the story doesn’t make it any less enjoyable- I gobbled this one right up. Cooper is a delicious badboy who softens so sweetly with Mac, and Mac is super lovable as a girl just trying to find a space, and partner, where she can be accepted for just who she is, to find her authentic self.

Preston of course turns out to be the loser we all knew he was, and of course, Cooper’s lies are going to come to bite him in the butt, but what a sweet and engaging journey to get there. Cooper and Mac have a charming and witty chemistry, and I love them not only falling in love but also becoming friends. Elle really brings all the great opposites attract energy. On the surface, they couldn’t be more different, but when it comes to the essence of who they each are, their souls are so similar. Their connection is really the start of the story, and I loved their love. It ended up being quite swoony. I wish we’d had an epilogue to swim around in the ending a bit more- though perhaps the final published one will. We also have some great side characters I really adored, and I’m all about this new world.

Good Girl Complex is a lot of sexy and juicy new adult fun- and certainly has that Elle Kenney addictive charm. Loved being able to dive into a whole new Elle Kennedy world.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3989425896
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1953589830

I had high expectations from this book. Ive read Kennedy’s past work and I know she excels at writing the grovelling trope. So I when I realized this book had the “it was a bet trope” I automatically expected a well executed grovelling trope. I shouldnt have. I was enjoying the book so much but then after a while it seemed like Kennedy was just dragging out the book. Events that should’ve occurred at the 75% marked, occurred around the 90-95% marked. This made the ending and Cooper’s actions seem rushed and insincere. I still recommend this book. However, if you’re expecting a redeemable male lead who knows how to apologize properly, this book is not the one.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I could not connect with this book, no matter how hard I tried. This story is a typical good girl/bad boy, opposites attracts trope that was extremely predictable. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, and did not like the premise of cheating and using a girl in a revenge plot to get back at a rich kid who can't survive without his father's money. It felt like I was reading an episode of Gossip Girl and it just didn't connect for me. One of the positive things that came out of this book was the banter back and forth between Mackenzie and Cooper, but other than that, it fell flat. If you like the opposites attract trope and don't mind a predictable plot, then you might enjoy this one.

I have been anticipating reading this book since reading the Off Campus series this past summer. What initially enticed me about this book was the forbidden romance. I didn’t really care for the “bet” plot or the cheating. Thought the MCs really did have that banter and chemistry that made this book worth reading.

3.5⭐️
Embarrassingly, this is my very first Elle Kennedy book and let me tell you, her writing does not disappoint! Such great flow and I buzzed right through this book with a combo of reading the physical book and listening on audio.

I really liked both of the main characters and while they are NA, the dialogue felt super mature. I enjoyed the beach setting and especially loved Mac’s independence.

My issues were with the plot - immediately the premise felt pretty problematic. Too much cheating and lying. While the writing was great, it didn’t sit well with me - which is definitely a personal preference. I definitely wanted an epilogue here - but I have a feeling that this may be the start of a series - so I’m still hopeful for an update!

Cooper is a townie. Mackenzie is a clone. The pair couldn't be more opposite, yet when a bet crosses their paths,
they can't seem stay away from each other. The only problem? Mackenzie has a boyfriend and Cooper is after her as a pawn in a revenge scheme. But where does revenge end and love begin?

Good Girl Complex gave me immediate Outer Banks vibes, with the townies always against rich kids from the other side of Avalon Bay. I loved the feeling of the small coastal town. This new adult romance had some steam and several open door scenes, but I loved the banter between Cooper and Mac. They both dished it out, but could also take it right back, which I love to see in relationships. Cooper has her number and knows how to push Mac's buttons, but she never backs down. While I'm not a huge fan of a revenge/girl is the target trope and did not care for the setup of the meeting, the couple grew on me throughout the book. Besides Cooper and Mac, I honestly didn't find any other redeeming characters; I hated both of their friend groups, plus both of their families.

this book was an elle kennedy classic! I absolutely adored mac and cooper and I got all the feels of a great opposites attract romance the I love. The good girl/bad boy trope will never get old and i can always count on elle to deliver! I cant wait for the next books in the series!!