Contemporary romance isn't my first pick of genre, but I've read a few lately that I have really enjoyed. When I saw this cover and read the synopsis, I had really high hopes for what this could be. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The relationship was utterly lackluster. It's what you would expect two college aged companions to swear to as love, but really is just temporary physical attraction. Their relationship wasn't built on anything more than lies and lust. They had zero in common, and I don't mean that in the "opposites attract" sort of way, I mean in the "this relationship is destined to fail" sort of way. The hero, Cooper, was a possessive boyfriend that needed therapy from his childhood trauma. The heroine, Mac, was a naive millionaire who fell for his emotionally abusive behavior and called it love. They had zero conflict resolution skills. Then the cheating, goodness gracious. Let's put a cheating element in every single relationship portrayed, and try to make it normal. This whole thing was just a train wreck!
While I don't mind a little smut working its way into a romance novel, this might as well been advertised as an erotica novel. There were way too many overly descriptive scenes for my liking, or really for a book in this genre. It made the relationship feel even more lust-filled, and did the believability of the relationship zero favors.
I listened to this book on audio and enjoyed the narrator. The reason this book gets 2 starts instead of one is because I really did enjoy Elle Kennedy's writing STYLE, I just hated the characters, their interactions, and the plot. I'd give her another try, but wouldn't recommend this book to any of my friends or family. I received a copy of this book digitally via NetGalley. I read and reviewed this book voluntarily, and all opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

Sassy, sexy, smart banter? Check.
Sweet and decent girl meets tattooed troubled boy? Check.
Super hot chemistry? Check.

Elle Kennedy has done it again! As usual, I love her work, and look forward to rereading this as soon as I get my hands on the physical copy.

Elle Kennedy is a comfort author. Her books are well-written and handle issues with care, but also contain enough emotional fluff to be enjoyable at any time, regardless of what you're going through. This one feels like a slightly sanitized version of the usual, which I did expect coming from a major publisher. I think this will expand her audience, and it's earned!

The leading couple have a natural friendship, and the chemistry is pretty sexy. I like that Elle's characters know how to apologize, and intend to work on their flaws while learning to leave space for others to make mistakes. It felt very true to life. The supporting characters are frustrating but grow over the course of the book. Elle doesn't leave any loose ends. It did drag just slightly around the 3/4 mark for me, but that's fine. I trust her and knew we were moving forward nonetheless. I already recommend her books to fellow romance readers, and and am happy to do so with this release. Also, I hope to read more about the supporting characters like we did with her other series.

I struggled trying to rate this book. On one hand it’s super cute and I loved the main characters and it wasn’t too emotional of a love story.

On the other hand, I’m not a huge fan of the “date on a date/challenge” trope. This one was a good version of that trope but still not my favorite. It’s too dishonest for me.

But the main things that kept this book a 3 star instead of 4 was the lack of resolution for the side characters. We learn so much about their complexity and issues they are facing and yet we get 0 resolution for any of them! At least nothing satisfying. I also feel the big reveal wasn’t as shocking or emotional as it could have been.

However, I thought this book was a super fun cute read if you just looking for something light hearted.

Was very excited to read more new adult from Elle Kennedy. This felt more mature and written very well from off-campus.

Opposites attract typical wealthy girl meets bad boy. Solid steamy and romance vibes. Felt a bit predictable at times but solid read

This one just didn't do it for me. I 'd heard a lot about Elle Kennedy's other work and was excited to give this one a try, but it fell flat. Mackenzie was really selfish and mean a lot of the time. The aspect with Cooper was bad too I mean pretending to like someone and then falling for them without saying anything is just a little lackluster. The scenery was well done and I did love the attention to detail that Kennedy had, it just didn't end up being for me.

This book read like one of my favorite rom-com movies honestly. The characters were cute and entertaining. I could see where this could spin off into a series. I didn't find the story to be unique but I did enjoy it. This is your classic good girl meets bad boy story. It is cute as all hell.

If you've ever seen Crazy/Beautiful with Kirsten Dunst, this book reminded me of that. If you haven't seen it, this book gives off Outer Banks vibes as well. Elle Kennedy sets the scene and a clear divide between the townies and the snobby rich folks.

Mackenzie is rich, she has always done what her parents have asked of her. She has always believed in "the plan". Although she appears to be on board for "the plan" she still finds these small freedoms. She is rich but she is also self made from her own business that her parents hate. I have a love/hate relationship with her because at some points she seemed too smart to behave so stupid. But alas, she is young so her behavior can be excused. We can chalk up her misgivings to being young and in love.

Cooper is the rugged town hottie so it seems. When he encounters Preston (Mackenzie's current beau) and loses his job, he decides to get revenge on Preston through his girl. What starts out as a revenge plan turns into love. Mac isn't the girl Cooper thought she was. She's everything and more.

Their love story is packed with drama but it does end with a HEA. I read this book in one sitting and found it to be super cute read that her readers will enjoy.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Mac and Cooper's relationship is super messed up and toxic right from the jump. Relationships founded based on an elaborate revenge plot will do that, I suppose.

Still, the chemistry between the two is really amazing. Mac is an entrepreneur who's part of the rich kids college crowd, and Cooper is a bad boy townie who hates the college "clones" with a passion. There's a little bit of an enemies to lovers vibe, but Mac doesn't realize she's the enemy... and then they become friends and the friends to lovers and mutual pining tropeyness abounds.

This also required some suspension of disbelief on my part, because I had trouble understanding how Mac is somehow a self-made millionaire based solely on her founding of two websites that basically sound like Reddit threads. O...kay? I also struggled a bit because so many of the characters were just downright unlikable - even Cooper and Mac at times. Mac's roommate Bonnie is the only character I was whole-heartedly in it for.

Still, both Cooper and Mackenzie some really great self-growth and come out the other side stronger individuals for it. And like I said, their chemistry is really amazing, with really fun banter especially when they're in a sort of frenemies stage of their relationship. This is a fun, flirty, steamy new adult college romance.

I'm not sure if this is part of a series - the title says it's "an Avalon Bay novel," so I'm hoping so because I'd REALLY like Bonnie's story!

Opposites attract in the "Good Girl Complex" making this book one I was eager to jump into. However, the more I read, the less I liked the characters. Not only did I struggle with connecting to the main characters, but the side characters weren't any better for me. I did enjoy Kennedy's writing style and would be interested in reading more from her. However, this one just fell flat for me.

"Meeting him finally revealed the possibilities I'd been missing. The exhiaration of uncertainty. Passion and curiosity. I was half asleep until I met him." ⚓

The actual blurb of the book doesn't reveal much about the plot but despite that, the book was honestly predictable and nothing new. It had the typical good girl x bad boy storyline where Cooper, the townie from Avalon Bay takes a bet from his friends to get Mackenzie to develop feelings for him in order to get back at her boyfriend but unknowingly falls for her along the process. This book was decent enough but I didn't feel the same magical spark that erupted while reading the Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy. I enjoyed reading the book and truthfully, Mac's "good girl persona" did win me over towards the end but I didn't like the fact that she had to make efforts to get to know Cooper's friends when they didn't deserve her warmth. I liked the fact that she had a mind of her own and had set up her self-made buisness without her parents money. Connor was surprisingly nice to her, he was described as a pric* but he wasn't that bad because he encouraged her to be her own person and stood up for her. In short, I was all hyped up about this new book but unfortunately it didn't meet my expectations owing to the foreseeable storyline.

Thankyou St. Martin's Press & Netgalley for the ARC

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
A special thanks to St. Martin Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book all thoughts and opinions are my own.
McKenzie Cabot Has been a good girl her whole life. She’s a people pleaser always trying to make everyone around her happy. From her demanding parents to her overbearing long time boyfriend. Even though she has several successful websites her parents are insisting she goes to college which means a move to the beach town Avalon Bay.
Cooper is a twin who has grown up in this tiny college town his whole life. His life has been hard. His dad has passed and his mom breezes in when she feels like it.
When a freak accident with a puppy puts them on the same path sparks fly. But Mac has a boyfriend so she works hard to keep it platonic. Everyone can see these 2 are meant to be but can they get there? You’ll have a to read Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy to find out. This book releases on 2/1/22.

Gosh, I wanted this to be a lot better than it was. I love Elle Kennedy normally and the premise of this sounded right up my alley. But I felt like it was a book I've read a hundred times and not in a good, comforting way. It was misogynistic and stereotypical and I couldn't wait for it to end. I can't say that I recommend this one but definitely recommend this author, in general. Hope you have better luck!!

Good Girl Complex comes out next week on February 1, 2022, and you can purchase HERE.

She grabs me, finding fistfuls of my hair, kissing me wildly. She tastes like sugar and endless summer nights. I'm hungry for both as my tongue slicks over hers and we soar so high it feels like we might never come down.

I listened to the audio version of this book and felt like the narrators brought it to life! I thought it was cute and would make a nice beach read. I had never read anything by this author before but I enjoyed her writing style and would definitely look for more by her to read in between thrillers.

This wasn't the book for me, I DNF around 20%. After a few chapters, I didn't like or care about any of the characters. The book starts out with a bar fight, and then a bet to get the rich guy's girlfriend as payback. Not a setup I am interested in reading as a romance.
The writing was fine, I am just not the right audience for this book.

Thank you so much @StMartinsPress & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 01 February 2022)

SYNOPSIS | Cooper is tired of the trust fund kids that flood his college town, especially when an altercation with one causes him to lose his bar job. He decides to seek revenge on him by 'stealing' his girlfriend & making her fall in love with him.

WHAT I LIKED:
- this story has got heat, chemistry & character development that I devoured
- realistically flawed protagonists
- I don't know what is going on with me right now but I am vibing with the good girl / bad boy trope
- I enjoyed this one so much that I am going to give the Off-Campus series a try (seriously where has Elle Kennedy been hiding all of my life)

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- oh I need an epilogue (or more books in the series I'm not picky!)
- I don't really like romances that start out dishonestly (this one starts as a bet)

I am so thankful I got to read this book early. I have heard nothing by good things about books by Elle Kennedy, but this is the first book I pick up by her.
This book is a multi-POV book, and it follows our main character, Mackenzie who is a people pleaser who has a successful internet business and is rich. She has a long-term boyfriend and tends to try and live up to everyone’s expectations of her. In contrast, the other perspective is that of Cooper who is the opposite of Mackenzie. He is a bit of a wild card, has a temper, and has grown up in this town. One night Mackenzie meets Cooper and their friendship blooms. Cooper brings out a wild side in Mackenzie that she is used to suppressing. While Cooper realizes he doesn’t hate this particular trust fund kid and starts to fall for her. Mackenzie finally feels accepted for who she really is by Cooper and his friends. Is the secret he keeping from her threatening her happy place?
This college romance was everything I was looking for. I loved the contrast between Cooper and Mackenzie. The POVs made it clear how differently they perceived different situations and how their thought processes were. I also liked how Elle Kennedy showed how their very different and difficult past allowed them to empathize with one another. Elle Kennedy brought the characters to life, I felt very connected to Mackenzie and Cooper and was able to relate to them. I loved how they each had their own flaws, but it was what made them loveable. My favourite romance trope was included in this book, but I won’t be mentioning what it was as I don’t want to spoil the book. I enjoyed how fast-paced the book was. The only thing is I wished the conflict was fleshed out a little more, but the book is a faced paced romance.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend this book. . I can’t wait to continue reading this Avalon Bay series in the future and to pick up more books from Elle Kennedy.

I stopped reading this about a quarter of the way through. it wasn’t bad per se, I just got bored with it. it felt somewhat messy and kind of like fan fiction, like it wasn’t all the way finished.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

DNF at 26%

I wanted to like this one, I really did. And I have it longer than usual before throwing in the towel... But it just didn't work for me.

I didn't particularly like any of the characters. I get it, they are all young and have some growing up to do, I just didn't care enough about any of them to really be all that invested in where they ended up.

This is my first title by this author and while it didn't work for me, the writing wasn't the issue so I'd likely give her another shot.

I'm unable to recommend this title.

This is a hard book to review for me. I listened to the audiobook, and thought the writing was amazing, as well as the narrators. The book brought me in from page one and I loved the idea of the story (wealthy “good girl” meets “bad boy” local). I thought the side characters and relationships were well written, antagonists fantastic, but what I mainly struggled with was the relationship between Mac and Cooper themselves. I basically just wanted more from them the entire book. More angst and swoon… it’s like she started to give it, then it fizzled out. This is also single POV, and I thought to myself multiple times “gah this would be so much better with dual POVs!” I also think it’s worth a mention that this book has infidelity (even though one guy is a jerk). Overall I was entertained enough to finish it, but not one I absolutely loved.

CW: cheating, alcoholism, parental abuse/abandonment

You can check out Good Girl Complex on 2/1!

Thank you @smpromance for the gifted eARC and audiobook in exchange for an honest review!