I didn’t connect with the characters in this story like I’d hoped to. The family dynamic was fun between Gen and her brothers and I thought her past relationship with her mom was an interesting storyline, but none of the characters were really likeable for me which made it hard to take a real interest in their lives.

Now I understand the rave about this book! This was a beautiful story about true love, second chances, and personal growth. It was that feel-good read that tug’s at your heartstrings and keeps you believing in that forever-love. Elle Kennedy is a new favorite for me.

A cute second chance romance. i was hooked from the beginning. I read it in one day because of how much i loved it 🥰

Thank you NetGalley and the St Martin’s Press for providing me with this eARC in return for my honest review!

Ellie Kennedy has me hooked on the Avalon Bay series, more specifically the Hartley twins… I quite enjoyed Mac and Coopers story but Gen and Evans is next level…

A reformed bad girl moves home after the death of her mother and tries to stay away from her bad boy ex-boyfriend. The push and pull of this romance is passionate, explosive and so intense!!

If you’re a fan of the childhood best friend to lovers and second chance trope with aspects of addiction, forgiveness, growth and learning how to love this book is definitely for you!

3.5 stars

The beginning of this book was very hard for me. I didn’t like the characters very much until I got further into the book. I guess I had a hard time understanding their motivation and seeming lack of care for the consequences of their actions. I’m also not a love triangle kind of person and there’s a small one going on through a good portion of this book.

That being said, I appreciated how hard both Evan and Gen worked better than selves. Their attraction and love for one another did not win and they kept finding themselves pulled back into their relationship. Toward the middle of the book, when Evan starts working on his own life, I started liking them both a lot more. And I got into the idea of them being together.

This book has some very hot shmexy times and kept me guessing what would happen next. I enjoyed this book and I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it.

I've been a fan of Elle Kennedy for a long time. She was my gateway into romance a few years ago, and I liked this book, I did...but knowing this author so well, I feel like there were some missed opportunities. Both main characters grew and matured throughout the story, which was necessary. Unfortunately, the unbelievable elements of the story make those character changes less powerful. Slight spoiler that a young, early 20s, office manager is hired as the GENERAL MANAGER of a hotel and charming bad boy becoming a Big Brother within a week without a background check or vetting. Being asked to suspend belief is OK, I don't think romance novels need to be true to life, but suspending reality about the ways the character matures is hard for me to accept.

Overall, I did like the book. The continuation of the twins' relationship with their mother was unexpected and heartening. The chemistry between the MCs was great once we got to the second half of the book. At the beginning there was too much focus on the negative aspects of their relationship and the judgement from those around them. It took awhile for the story to pick up once the criticism finally died down.

Thanks so much to #netgalley for an early copy of this book!

"I've always loved myself best in Evan's eyes. The adoring way he looks at me: part impressed, a little intimidated. But mpre so, the person he thinks I am. The way he tells it, I'm invincible. Thunder and lightning, Not much scares me, and even less when he's around."

Genevieve West, aka Gen, is back in town after her moms funeral, and is sticking around to help with her familys business. After abruptly leaving town just a year before, Gen is doing everything to stick to her new reformed image, rather than the bad girl rep she has back home. This is easier said than done when she's surrounded by the people from her old life, like Evan Hartley.

Gen and Evan were in a long time on and off again relationship before Gen fled town to change her ways. Refusing to be drawn back to him, and get sucked back into her past behavior, Gen is not willing to get close again. However, Evan refuses to give up, and if changing his ways will win Gen back then he's ready to make that change.

I am no stranger to Elle Kennedy's books, and I actually really enjoyed the Off Campus books quite a bit, so I was surprised when the writing and story of this book fell flat to me. It was still a decent and quick read, but I felt like not a lot happened, especially nothing too memorable. The characters could have been better developed, and I wish we got insight of Gen's life while she was away and exactly how she changed. The book made it seem like she went from wild party girl to working girl fast and cold turkey, which is fine but there was something missing.

I did enjoy the second chance romance between Evan and Gen, and that it forced him to grow up because the glimpses of their past was extremely toxic.

Overall the book was fine, just nothing exciting to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, and Elle Kennedy for the early copy of this book!

↠ 3.25 stars

I didn't love this as much as the first one mainly because Evan wasn't my favorite character - He's reckless and a little impulsive. I loved Gen and her newfound lease on life. I wish there was a way to find a solution to her not losing her old self - it was mentioned but never really addressed.

I think Gen and Evan were great together based on their personality and upbringing. I did enjoy the second chance on the love storyline and reading about their shared history and past.

They were super cute with their little traditions and I appreciate the mom making a come back
All in all a good love story especially if you love a reformed bad girl and bad boy

4.5 Stars!

Bad Girl Reputation stood out to me in a number of ways. Elle Kennedy's writing consistently makes me happy. She's great at pulling me into a story, making me fall in love with the characters, and making me laugh. All those things happened with this book. I don't remember there being a ton of second chance new adult romances because the characters are still pretty young, but this one worked beautifully with childhood sweethearts. 


Evan and Gen were interesting characters. They were wild child best friends turned on and off again girlfriend/boyfriend. Their relationship wasn't built on healthy things when Gen ended it and left town. I was mad at her for doing that at first because of Evan's hurt and confusion about it. As I got to know her and understand her reasoning, I realized what a smart cookie Gen actually was. 

While Gen was a work in progress, Evan was a mess. He wanted nothing more than to get Gen back. I was unsure of his actions at first, but the harder he tried, the more I felt them ring true. His navigation of becoming a better person had some pretty hilarious moments, too. 

Another thing that was great about this book was getting to see the twins' relationship through Evan's eyes. I enjoyed seeing Evan through Cooper's eyes in that first book, but I loved seeing Cooper through Evan's even more in this one. It was especially interesting when it came to Gen and their mother. 

One of the things that makes Kennedy's series shine is her ability to make me fall in love with not just the main characters but an entire group of people. I loved getting to know Cooper's friends in the first book, so it was fun to get to know them a little better in Evan's book. I'm very interested in getting to know Wyatt, Alana, Tate, and Lauren better. There was a lot going on there behind the scenes. I also loved the new addition of Riley. The relationship between Riley and Evan was so cute and special. 

The one thing that bugged me a little was Harrison. I couldn't believe he was still around after a certain scene. I thought there would have been a bigger reaction to his unwillingness to step up. He was actually an annoyance throughout the whole book, but I am not actually complaining about that. I liked what he did for Evan and Gen's story.

So, yeah. I'm happy to report that Bad Girl Reputation was the romance I was hoping it would be for Evan and Gen. I had a great time reading it and getting to know both characters. Their romance was wildly sweet. I'm hoping we will get more books in this series.

Who doesn’t love a good second chance romance? This one is a doozy where she ghosted him a year ago and is back in town due to a death in the family. These two most definitely have all the sparks and attraction, they’ve had it since they were young, and it isn’t their issue at all. Bad girl and bad boy used to fit together so perfectly, but now it is time to grow up. Understanding this is the first step, but getting there isn’t easy. Taking it slow, but not committing, is the way to figure things out. Elements of your past always seem to follow you though, and getting past those is not as easy as it seems. Loved these two and their struggles as they overcame them, and loved their story!

Second chance is one of my favorite tropes so my expectations for this book were already pretty high, and Elle Kennedy managed to meet them! I absolutely loved the character development between these two characters and I absolutely adored their relationship. This is definitely one of my favorite books of hers!

this was such a cute and fun read great for the summer! filled with her usual lovable characters, witty banter, and the typical steamy angst/drama you’d expect from your romance!

💙 Small Town Romance
💙 Bad Boy / Bad Girl Redeemed
💙 Second Chance Romance (HS Sweetheart)
💙Complex family dynamics

This is book 2 in Elle Kennedy’s newest Avalon Bay series – a small town romance series that focuses on some of the locals as they grow, change, and of course find love. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but I think I liked this one even more. Gen and Evan were real and both very truly flawed. I loved how we got to see them both slowly grow and strive for change throughout the book. Not just together, but looking to themselves. It was a really compelling and heartfelt story.

I really loved watching their story unfold and seeing them both stumble and find their ways forward, both as individuals and in how to make their relationship work in the present and future in a healthy way. I thought both Gen and Evan were interesting and complex – it was nice having the alternating POVs and getting a glimpse into the mind of each throughout the story: seeing their takes on past, present and hopes for the future.

As always, Elle Kennedy continues to impress and I can’t wait to see who’s story we’ll be getting next. She definitely let me wanting more with many of the side character dynamics currently happening in the background of this one.

Thank you to St Martins Press for the chance to read an early copy!

Bad Girl Reputation is the 2nd book in Elle Kennedy's Avalon Bay series. This is a book that follows "Gen" and Evan. Gen is determined not to fall in the trap of Evan again, because falling for a bad boy is not in her plans. The chemistry is fire- Elle is good with steam. I would say this is a solid follow up to the first book and while not necessary, it would probably be best to read the prior book first

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fast paced romance about self growth and second chances, which I liked. However, there were times I found the plot to be predictable and not overly exciting. I also had a hard time connecting with the characters, making this just an OK read.

I LOVED this book! Elle Kennedy is an auto-buy author for me, and Bad Girl Reputation easily has jumped to the top of my favorites list. I loved the writing, the story, and the characters. The setting of Avalon Bay makes this feel like a perfect summer read, any time of year. Both Gen and Evan are flawed yet relatable characters, making their love story an easy one to root for. This was an easy 5 ⭐️ read for me!

(I definitely recommend reading Good Girl Complex first to appreciate the side characters, but I will say I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first.)

I am so pleasantly surprised by this book. The first one was just not my cup of tea, I would say I felt a little old reading it and maybe it would work for others. I took a gamble and thought I would read this because I was still interested in these two main characters and I am so happy I did. The conflict in this book felt so real and so a part of growing up, there were mature conversations, and ultimately a real sense of two people who really love each other. I am very excited about this book coming out because it feels fresh and I cannot wait to recommend this.

Another great book from Elle Kennedy! I really enjoyed this cute and fun read! The chemistry between the two main characters was great and I loved the dual pov. I also love that this book shows the growth that anyone can have. No matter their “reputation”. Definitely a must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the arc!

Bad Girl Reputation is a funny, heart swooning story of a second chance romance, between two people who are trying to better their lives. The story follows Gen and Evan, two characters who have been on and off dating since high school during their rebellious years. When Gen comes back from a year away, it is up to her and Evan to see if they can actually work things out this time, or will they both drag each other back down to their old ways.

This was a fun and romantic read that I quite enjoyed. This is a second in a series but I have not read the first book and still very much enjoyed this. I would recommend this to fans of the author or genre, or if you're looking for a quick rom-com read. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A solid 4 stars.

Bad Girl Reputation is the second book in Elle Kennedy's "Avalon Bay" series. This is a second chance book that follows Genevieve "Gen" and Evan who have, let's say, history together. After having left town for a while, Gen returns to Avalon Bay determined to stay on the right path and not fall back into bad habits, one of which being Evan. Unfortunately for those plans, Evan is not willing to let her go, even if it means reforming his "bad boy" act.

I really enjoyed reading this book! To be honest, I was a bit skeptical going into this book due to things I have heard about book 1. However, I thought this book was cute and enjoyable. I liked both Gen and Evan and getting both of their POVs really added to the story, in my opinion. To be honest, I didn't care much for Mac or Cooper as main side characters or the typical last hurdle of the book (the one that happens at the 75-80% mark). I would've liked the resolution to the last hurdle to be prolonged a little bit as I felt it was a tad rushed, but it didn't bother me too much where I would "deduct points".

Overall, I'd recommend this book, especially if you've enjoyed Elle Kennedy's other books. Also would recommend this if you're looking for an easy and cute fall read.

Release Date: October 4, 2022

More info:
POV? Dual (first-person)
Cheating? No
OW/OM drama? No
HEA? Yes

Key Tropes/ Tags:
- second chance
- bad girl/bad boy
- small town

List of possible triggers:
<spoiler> SA, mention of drugs </spoiler>

Condensed review to be posted to Instagram.