Cooper and Mackenzie believe what direction their lives are going until they met. This connection and their chemistry turns both of their lives upside down. Mackenzie questions her life path and Copper finds clarity in his purpose together they are an explosive couple in and out of the bedroom. Elle Kennedy takes you on a wild ride while they fans their happily ever after. Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this ARC

I need the next book like, yesterday.

This book hand me from the first chapter. Bad boy tatted local with a chip on his shoulder ready to confront douche-y entitled rich kids? Sign this girl up.

The characters, well-not Preston or the weird rich characters, in this book are so easy to love. Even ones that make it difficult end up winning you over. I loved the friendships so much and the camaraderie, this made me want to run out and go find my found family in the middle of a small coastal town.

Date her as a joke trope is usually not at the top of my list, but Elle Kennedy had me eating out of her hand on this one. It was just so smooth, and the chemistry between Mac and Cooper was just effortless. I swooned, and I knew what he was up to!

Frequently while reading this I caught myself stupid smiling and Mac's arguing and rebuttals or the cut things Cooper would say to fix him putting his foot in his mouth. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I can't wait to read Evan's book next!



Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 10%. I often like going into books without knowing much of what they are about. In this case - I knew the author, liked the cover and title - went for it. That was a mistake. Once I learned the premise - realized this book isn’t for me. Our hero is trying to take revenge on another guy - by stealing his girlfriend. This is who I’m supposed to be rooting for? No thanks. Pass. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading and listening copies.

This book was a fun, quick read with writing that had me hooked from the beginning. I loved the idea behind the plot, but couldn’t help feeling as if there was something missing for me. That said, it was enjoyable and I’m really looking forward to the next book in this series!

This was my kind of book! Mac and Cooper are from different worlds yet they couldn't be more perfect for each other. This book has an enemies-to-lovers trope even though Mac and Cooper personally weren't enemies. Cooper hated the snobby, rich kids who he referred to as "clones" and that included MacKenzie...at first. There was so much sexual tension in this book and it made you so invested in their relationship. Opposites attract in this story but when secrets come to the surface, they have to decide how much they want their relationship to survive and whether to forgive and forget. This is the first book I've read written by Elle Kennedy even though I have heard a lot of great things. She definitely did not disappoint! I can't wait to read more!

This story has a fun twist in that our lead is also in a relationship and it doesn’t immediately come to an end as the story starts. In some books I feel like the side plots stray too far from the main that they are just distracting but I’m Good Girl Complex I think they compliment and support the story well. It was a fun read and I would definitely recommend it.

I really enjoyed this listen! It is a fun, quirky, a little steamy, new adult novel about surviving college and finding yourself. 10/10 for this wonderful listen! I will be purchasing this on print as well when it comes out.

This was a cute story. I loved Mac and her ambition, her drive. I loved that she has made it on her own and take care of herself. Cooper seems like a nice guy who really loves her but other than her business, there isn’t much that sets this story apart from all the others. I enjoyed the story but there wasn’t anything really different here. Still the writing flowed smoothly, and the characters were likeable enough so I will probably read others from this author.

The narration was well done, no issues.

Meeeeeeh.
This book didn't quite do it for me. I'm unsure if it's because I just finished The Deal, also by Elle Kennedy (and it blew this one out of the water), or maybe it's that a used to nanny a pair of siblings named Cooper and Mackenzie? Hahaha

It just didn't click for me. Their chemistry seemed off and their problems seemed so silly to me. They clearly were a case of opposites attract but they were soooo opposite that I just didn't feel the love at all.

I'm sure this book will be a total hit for romance reads but it just wasn't my fave.

Thanks NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Elle Kennedy. This was my first Elle Kennedy that I read. It was cute. It surely is New Adult, I would not just label it as a romance without saying New Adult as it reads young but it is. a refreshing look at university years..surely hasn't changed. Good girl for sure....If you love Elle Kennedy and looking for a university setting romance, this would be a good read.

This is my first Elle Kennedy book though her books have been on my radar for sometime now since I keep hearing good things.

I do like the cover of this book it gives me end of summer - enjoy it while you can vibes which is relevant because the book takes place at the beginning of university. The story centres around Cooper a "townie" from Avalon Bay and Mac a well off girl who has finally registered for university after taking a gap year to work on her app. Her parents have pestered her enough that she has finally started at the same university as her boyfriend Preston.

From her introduction Mac sort of rubbed me the wrong way as she seemed entitled. I hate that people who are rich turn their noses up at university and end up wasting their tuition by partying and not putting in as much effort. It annoys me as someone who had to work hard and get student loans just to be able to go to university. I know there are a lot of people who would kill for a chance to go to university but just cannot afford it. Sure Mac is making her own way by the money she's received by her tech/app but she has her parents to fall back on if needed.

I think the author is setting this up as a long series as there are a lot of side characters/couples who are introduced and that did cause some confusion. There were also a lot of side stories going on that distracted me from the main plot of the story the romance between the two characters.

Overall I enjoyed the story even though I couldn't really empathize with the characters (who has enough money to just go buy a hotel?) Not sure I will continue the series - but I would like to read more about Coopers twin Evan and Daisy (the dog)

I really enjoyed the narration and the characters.The storyline of "good girl" meets "bad boy" was similar and predictable. I enjoyed it but still wanted more from it. Felt like it was lacking a big conflict/resolution.

Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this Audio ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book y’all ! 😍😍😍

It was exactly what I needed. A flirty romance with just the right amount of steam and not a whole lot of conflict.

The main conflict being the dichotomy between Rich and Poor, Mac being wealthy and privileged vs Cooper being your resident bad boy just trying to make ends meat.

We quickly learn that Mac isn’t like the rest of the “clones”, but her boyfriend is basically captain A-hole (behind her back, obviously . To her he is the perfect catch)

Cooper is the right amount of rough around the edges, a twin (hello 🔥) , with a troubled past that leaves him guarded.

What starts off as a revenge plot quickly turns into a really sweet relationship. I was hooked.

The dual POV is always a favourite of mine when it comes to romances and this was no exception. Seeing Cooper fall for Mac and vice versa from their POV was *chefs kiss*

The character growth was present but not overwhelming (they are in their early 20s though so it felt more realistic)

This book was like a mix of She’s All That and Gossip Girl and I couldn’t recommend it more. Perfect for a beach read! Short sweet and predictable in the best of ways ♥️

Honestly , I got this as an audiobook but I already know I want the physical book as well.

4/5 ⭐️

If you aren’t a big reader of New Adult fiction then this is the poster child for the perfect New Adult story. This type of book wasn’t popular when I was that age. What I would’ve given for a story like this when I was 18-22. I love the college setting in the small town. There are great characters here too. Can easily see this becoming a series.

I can equate this story to something similar to After or Beautiful Disaster. The romance is good and gets a little spicy. You definitely are rooting for the main characters to get together but it gets messy and at times a bit problematic. And honestly that’s the age of the characters. It wasn’t the writing at all - its just in that age range we all make these types of avoidable mistakes.

I may be in the minority but I haven’t read Elle Kennedy’s other very poplar series. I know. SO many have recommended it to me. I unfortunately cannot compare the two here.

I definitely recommend this one if you love the new adult genre. Otherwise if you want to dip you toe in and see what its like - it is a good starter book for that.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin for my copy of this book!

This book was really cute! I enjoyed the relationship between Mac and Cooper. I think I liked the journey of them getting together more than the book after they got together. Watching him put the moves on her during the bet was so cute. Overall would recommend

Good Girl Complex is a college romance told in dual, alternating first-person POV. It is a standalone story set in the fictional town of Avalon Bay, a seaside community in the southern US (possibly South Carolina) that is home to upscale Garnet College.

Mac and Cooper’s love story is a beautiful blend of gorgeous setting, character development and growth, and sparkling chemistry. I have not read a story so unique and unpredictable as this in quite a while; I loved that it did not fall into many formulaic tropes, and I never knew what turn the story would take next.

As is typical of an Elle Kennedy masterpiece, each and every character in this story had depth and nuance that left me desperate for more. From Bonnie, the spunky and supportive roommate; to Evan, the complicated twin; to Daisy, the adorable puppy they rescued together, I loved every single one of them! I sincerely hope there is an Avalon Bay series in our future!

The audiobook was excellent. Both Joe Arden and Ava Erickson were wonderfully cast, and they did a phenomenal job of painting the scenes with their delivery of Elle Kennedy’s words. I was especially impressed at the clear distinction between dialogue and inner monologue, something that I often struggle with when listening to audiobooks. Ava Erickson especially performed in a way that captured Mac’s entrepreneurial spirit perfectly, which undoubtedly contributed to Mackenzie Cabot being one of my favorite strong female leads.

This was a refreshing new adult romance with a lot of character growth and a strong cast of supporting characters. I look forward to potentially revisiting Avalon Bay in the future!

I love opposites attracts especially with a bad boy! Mac and Cooper had insane chemistry and I instantly found Cooper to be my kind of guy.

Only downside for me was the cheating element of the book. I'm not a fan of any cheating, even when the cheater is an a**hole.

A classic good girl/bad boy story about two characters who assume they could never belong in the other’s world. There’s a dating bet that starts it all, there’s revenge, there’s the secret that could change everything—all tropes we’ve seen before and which lead to an obvious ending. Unfortunately what could have been an entertaining, though predictable, story missed the mark for me.

On the positive side, both actors who performed the audiobook did a great job voicing the characters. They were compelling and easy to listen to, and they fully embodied the characters for me. As far as the story itself, the author has a strong command of the character’s voices, and much of the dialogue felt believable. It was a quick read(/listen), and it held my interest.

That being said, my interest was sometimes out of morbid curiosity rather than caring about the characters. The love story felt shallow and silly at best and like blatant harassment and abuse at worst. The male character, Cooper, spends much of the novel objectifying female characters and crassly pressuring Mac to have a physical relationship with him despite her constant protests and reminders that she had a boyfriend who she will not cheat on.

Of course the most troubling part of the entire narrative is that Mac DOES somehow find his harassment appealing and comes to believe that she and Cooper are “friends” before they become romantically involved. The idea of a female character believing that the guy who keeps trying to coerce her into sleeping with him behind her boyfriend’s back and who has never once displayed a positive personality trait is an example of true “friendship” is one of the least believe things I’ve read in a very, very long time. The appeal of Cooper to Mac never made sense for even a second, and it made the rest of their relationship very hard to buy into. This book tried hard to make cheating and sexual harassment sexy, but hiding this within a romance doesn’t doesn’t make it more acceptable.

I also found the discussion surrounding money to be very unbelievable. Mac comes from a rich family but she also happens to be a self-made millionaire at 21 even though we never observe any of the skills or intellect required for her to attain this. This didn’t feel relevant to the rest of her character—it was sort of thrown around as a casual fact. The conversations between the wealthy characters sounded like caricatures of rich people instead of what ANY real people actually sound like.

I do think there is a target audience for this book who will enjoy it, but it will require overlooking a lot of problematic issues.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a free audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll start by saying overall I enjoyed this book.
My biggest complaint is the storyline has been done so much that I kept thinking of movies and other books that it reminded me of. I kept listening to see how it was going to play out and if Elle was going to add in any unexpected twist. It goes pretty cookie cutter but I enjoyed it.

Joe Arden & Ava Erickson did an amazing job narrating.


*I was given an audio copy of this book by #netgalley to give my honest opinion

Well, I think this may be my first and last attempt with Elle Kennedy. I’m usually willing to overlook what reads as a cliched synopsis if I think the tropes themselves can be adapted enough to still tell a compelling story. And Good Girl Complex seemed like a breezy, beach town romance attached to a very hyped author that I’d always wanted to try. Unfortunately, what I wanted to be a fun if not forgettable read was instead a narrative littered with red flags.

The Flags:
- The very foundation of the main leads’ romantic relationship was cheating. No matter how much of a tool Mackenzie’s current boyfriend was, that kind of disloyalty rankles.
- I don’t want to call Mackenzie a pick me girl… but she’s a little bit of a pick me girl. This book outright states she doesn’t have many female friends and finds it easier to connect with guys, which I don’t think could spell this characterization out any more clearly.
- Mackenzie is also a #girlboss. I do not find fault in any of the characters that questioned her split-second decision to purchase an entire hotel to take on as a remodeling project with absolutely no prior experience working in this industry as a 20 year old.
- Cooper’s identity as a “bad boy” hinges solely on his tattoo sleeves and the occasional fight he gets into, always in the name of somebody else’s honor. He’s not the reckless, rough around the edges archetype pitched in the synopsis. He might actually be one of the most morally unambiguous characters in the entire novel actually.
- Mac’s idea of being “wild and adventurous” is enjoying carnival theme rides, a concept that is wholeheartedly endorsed by Cooper. I have nothing more to say about that.
- The entire third act breakup did not need to happen. Cooper had weeks to own up to his dishonesty and instead ignored every opportunity despite almost being caught out halfway through the book. This isn’t even miscommunication, it’s being obtuse.
- The grand gesture was an anonymous post… on an app. And the male lead had the audacity to outright call it a grand gesture in the narrative. That wasn’t self-aware, that was self-congratulatory.

The one genuinely wholesome relationship that had actual development beyond insta-love was Mackenize’s friendship with Cooper’s twin brother. I’ll admit I did enjoy watching his prickly attitude soften towards her as they were able to work through this initial animosity through events totally removed from Cooper himself. But for a romance novel where this was only a sideplot to a sideplot, this ultimately didn’t sell me on the book as a whole.

In the end, I think Good Girl Complex could find an audience in those who are willing to look past the frustrating use of very familiar romance tropes. But between the wooden characterization of the main leads and the dishonest (and disloyal) circumstances surrounding them getting together, unfortunately this novel did not work for me.