This is a story about second chances, forgiveness and redemption. I will say that there is a lot of push-pull and toxicity between the two main characters that won’t be for everyone. Knowing Gen and Evan’s upbringings and teenage history, I thought their messy relationship was fitting for the story. It was special watching them grow and mature and each try to live a better life than their past. I also loved that Coop, Mac and the rest of the friends we met in Good Girl Complex played a big role in the story. At first I forgot all the small details but Elle Kennedy does a great job reintroducing the cast and reminding you of what happened.

Read if you like:
-second chance romance
-beach town setting
-tight friend groups
-mending relationships
-bad boy/ bad girl
-book series

Thanks St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: 10/4/22

First, I did enjoy Bad Girl Reputation. Full discretion - not as much as Good Girl Complex.

Gen comes home for her mother's funeral and runs into her long-time on-again, off-again childhood love, Evan.
I have to be honest and say that I didn't love Gen and Evan together. He put off some serious red flags IMO - anger, jealousy, a lot of controlling behaviors... I would have a pretty intense "Come to Jesus" talk with my daughter/sister/best friend if she were dating someone like Evan. Yes, he had his redeeming qualities, but in my opinion they were overshadowed by his concerning behavior.

Not a book I would re-read but I'm not mad I read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3 Stars! Second chance romance where the main characters seem toxic for each other at first. I didn’t read the first book in this series but understood this one even if I got confused at times over who so and so was. This is the second book in the series and comes with an HEA ending. I did enjoy the story and how the two main characters grew up throughout the book. At first I was thinking they were both childish and toxic but they seemed to grow up a little bit. I just couldn’t really connect with the main characters, Gen and Evan. Still an enjoyable read.
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

This is book 2 of the Avalon Bay series. In this one, we meet the other twin of "The Hartley Twins" we met in book one. Evan is the bad boy, always getting into trouble, getting drunk, and sleeping around. He had one true love, his best friend and partner in crime, his on and off again girlfriend Gen, who up and left town a year ago without warning. Now she's back because the mother she never had a good relationship with died. She ends up staying but her year away was suppose to be her fresh start: she got sober and tried to get her act together so people would take her more seriously. Now that she's back, Evan wants to fall into destructive patterns but when she refuses he decides to start straightening up too before he loses her.
I didn't like this one as much as the first and again, like the first one, didn't enjoy it as much as some of her hockey romance series. I felt like the huge character change on both sides wasn't well paced and the ending wasn't as believable as it could have been. That said, it wasn't bad, just more disappointing since I was excited for it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, and my review is saved in a story highlight called ARC Reviews on my Instagram page.

This was a fairly easy read, but it was a little hard for me to get into. I don’t know if it was just that I’m too far removed from my early 20s or what. I felt like the whole “bad girl” premise just fell flat for me, like I was being told that she was bad and trying to change, but I didn’t actually feel the transformation. I did really like the relationship with Evan and Riley, and I actually felt like Evan’s personal growth was more impactful for me. This book may work better for others than it did for me. I’ll continue reading this series—I’ve loved a lot of Elle Kennedy books I’ve read before!

Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy is a good beach read. You might remember Evan Hartley, Cooper’s twin brother, from Good Girl Complex? His ex, Genevieve, is back in town and the two of them are used to getting into trouble. In this second chance romance, Gen and Evan are trying to determine if they can be good together or if their bad reputations are true.

What I liked: It’s a pretty easy read - light and fairly fun - with some family drama worked in. I liked the quiet beach town setting and the friend group (though they are featured less predominantly than in the first book I think). Gen and Evan are both fine characters.

What could be better: I felt like the drama and action were pretty subdued in this book and it was a bit predictable. Sometimes that’s a good thing in a book but in this case, I wanted more.

I like Elle Kennedy’s books but the Avalon Bay series is not my favourite of hers. I don’t really vibe with the bad boy or good girl tropes so it’s just not for me. Will I read the rest of the series just because I’m searching for another book like The Deal? Probably. I would give this book three out of five stars. I enjoyed it but it is not one of my favourite reads. If you are looking for a light and predictable distraction, this might be the book for you.

*Please note that the ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Wow! I loved this. I love the writing style and the whole story. Elle hit it out of the park with this one. Gen and Evan have an up and down relationship.

3/5 Stars

Gen and Evan are high school sweethearts who bring out the bad in each other. This book was good but not great for me because the relationship was so toxic. It was easy to read and the love between the two was obvious. It’s been a long time since I was that age and I’m sure that affected my interest. I enjoyed watching the two of them evolve to make mature choices in their lives.

The interaction between Evan and Riley was hilarious. The interaction between Gen and Deputy Randall was tense and terrifying. I’m sure many will enjoy the wild ride between Gen and Evan.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Elle Kennedy for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication.

I went into this book completely unbiased because I had never read an Elle Kennedy. Let me tell you... I could hardly put this book down!

Gen is a recovering "bad girl" - a year ago she was drinking, tearing up her town, partying with her friends constantly, and getting into trouble with her on again off again boyfriend, Evan. Then, one day she was gone and changing her ways. Now she is back in her home town for her mother's funeral and to help her family while trying not to fall back into her old habits. Old habits that include her relationship with Evan.
Evan has been stuck in a state of shock since Gen just disappeared one day and is determined to figure out why she left and get her back. When he realizes she wants to change her ways and leave her past behind, including him, he decides to get himself together too.

This book is HUGE on character growth. Gen is probably one of my favorite rom com characters now. The way she is determined to not be a "screw up" anymore and wants to get her life together is so motivating. Evan's growth alongside her is amazing as well. I loved watching them grow independently but also as a couple. From toxic to healthy, without losing their spark and connection.

5/5

Elle Kennedy blew me away with Bad Girl Reputation. I LOVED this book and the book before. She creates such relatable characters so you feel like you're in the room with them, rooting for them while wanting to be them at the same time.
Such a wonderful book!

Bad Girl Reputation is a fun read reminding you that second chances and starting over can bring exciting new possibilities or can remind you of what you may have lost from your past. Elle Kennedy's writing always pulls me in from the start, from her backstories to her characters, I feel connected from the very beginning and cannot put the book down until I know how the tale will end. Bad Girl Reputation was no different, I was instantly drawn to the chemistry between Evan and Gen and had to know how their story would end. This book has drama, angst, romance and steam, you won't want to put it down!

Gen and Evan have been fierce lovers since freshman in high school. They’ve been on again, off again but always explosively hot for each other. But to get away from all the toxicity of her hometown and of Evan, Gen leaves town and is starting to feel normal. Then her mother dies and her father asks her to come back to town to help out temporarily. Suddenly there he is: Evan.
And somehow they must find a way to be healthy together or lose one another forever.

However I almost got lost in how toxic their relationship was. I almost couldn’t get past the angst. But as I continued to read I really started feeling the redemptive quality of the book and soon I was jamming on it.
This is the second in a series and could be read as a standalone. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Bad Girl Reputation is the follow up to Good Girl Complex, a book which I absolutely adored. BGR follows Evan, Cooper's twin, who's been in love with Gen (Genevieve) since he was young. Their off again on again relationship was extremely hot, but equally extremely cold, especially when Gen up and moved away without notice a year ago. Left wondering what went wrong, Evan quickly reconciles with Gen when she's in town for her mother's funeral. Upon finding out that Gen is sticking around for awhile, Evan vows to win Gen back, but both of them know they can be as bad for each as good.

I did like this, it wasn't even as close to as good at GGC unfortunately. I was so excited to receive the ARC for this! The story is written in a similar fashion, but I really missed the inclusion of the town, of their friends more and of Cooper and Mac. All that was present, but not enough, it definitely missed that aspect. Because this was a second chance romance, it did become a bit repetitive, we're bad for each other, but no one makes me feel this way, over and over again all throughout the story. While there was a connection between Gen and Evan, for me the story really lacked the build up, they just keep going back to each other over and over, then separating, going back, it really lacked that tension. I liked the supporting plot, and the character development through the story, especially Evan's relationship with Riley. I wish we got to see more of Gen and Mac's relationship. I just wish for more all around, more story, more development, more of Evan and Gen in the past, etc. I think the story would have benefitted a lot if it was longer and a tad more similar to GGC. All in all, it was good, it kept me interested! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable spin on the typical with the focus on a bad girl this time trying to reform her ways. Gen is a great character - with realistic need to grow up and find her way while battling her reputation she earned in a small town as a wild girl growing up. It was nice to have the bad girl be the MC for once, she’s not a virgin and she’s not super sweet or shy or awkward - she’s fierce! I also really like Evan in this book (I read the first one and also enjoyed it). Gen really challenges him to grow up and be more than just a bad boy and it was great to that growth from the first book from a bitter womanizer.

I’ve enjoyed this series so far and look forward to reading the next installment.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for our gifted copy of Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy

Rating: 3 star
Genre: Romance

I really enjoy this author and I wanted to like this one, but it was a miss for me. It just felt like a really young, toxic relationship that I couldn't get into. Maybe that's just me showing my age!

If you love turbulent, new age romance books, you might enjoy this one.

Elle Kennedy is one of my all time favorite authors. Her books just makes me smile every time. Whether its the interesting characters or scenarios, I cannot stop reading. . Which was why I was super excited to receive a copy of the book!!
This book was the second book of a series, I have to admit I didn't read the first one, but you don't need to read it to catch up. And yes, I will read the first book. So it can be read as a standalone.
The story was about Genevieve coming back home after a year away to get herself together and to escape her bad girl reputation. She did that by ditching her on/off again boyfriend Ethan. As usual with second chance romance, it was pretty much given what will happened to these two people from the beginning. Unfortunately, the first half of the book wasn't too great. More meh for me. I believed the hot chemistry between them but didn't understand why there were together in the first place. I needed more of their shared happy history. The second half was so much better and Ethan turned out to be a great guy. I especially loved how he tried so hard to be a better person. I would say the secondary characters were okay, some I would ditch in a heartbeat, but others like the siblings and Riley were amazing. The epilogue was cute and sweet. I can guess what the next book in the series would be about and I cannot wait. Overall, if you are a fan of EK you will enjoy this book!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had a hard time getting invested in the story. It just didn’t seem to have that wow factor that I was hoping for. I love Elle Kennedy, this book was just not my favorite.
This is the second book in the Avalon Bay series, but can easily be read as a stand alone.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

E-arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read and liked Elle Kennedy's other series and was really looking forward to this one. The story started in a promising way— two exes reuniting after one year post a messy separation, them trying their best to stay apart but being drawn towards the other, childhood best friends to lovers, interesting friendships/family dynamics.

Even with all this, I had a hard time getting invested in the story.

Genevieve and Evan were interesting characters. They have explosive chemistry and definitely had their moments, but their push and pull relationship was toxic. Which I don't mind if done well, but it was kind of half baked here. Most of the drama happens towards the end and I felt the plot was wrapped up in a rush due to this.

Nonetheless, this is an easy, one-time read and people who enjoy small town and/or sexy, second chance romances will like it!

I’m a huge fan of Elle Kennedy’s writing. I really loved this book. It felt different from the rest of the books of hers that I’ve read. It was definitely a story about redemption, love, forgiveness, and second chances. Where Good Girl Complex made me laugh and was generally happier and lighter this book gave me all the feels. It had much more complex characters and dynamics and I really appreciated the difference. I love Gen and Evan and loved getting to see Mac and Cooper and the gang through a new set of eyes. I love how passionate and fiery Gen and Evan are. I absolutely loved this story and it’s not so much a romcom because of the heavier topics but I still enjoyed it. It’s definitely different from the usually happy goofy romances but I loved the raw realness of it.

I really appreciated the epilogue and seeing the changes and updates on the characters. I really love the Avalon Bay group and can’t wait to see who’s story is next.

If you’re a fan of Elle Kennedy’s books I think this is a must read and if you haven’t read her books I highly recommend them.

Thank you St. Martins Press/ St. Martins Griffin for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you know anything about me, you know second chance romances are my absolute jam. My favorite trope. The crème de la crème of contemporary romance, some might say. So when I found out BGR fell into that category? I had to have it.

BGR follows Genevieve, a rebel who left the small town of Avalon Bay for greener pastures. The death of her mother brings her home, where her father and brothers rope her into helping with the family visit. Her stay ends up longer than she anticipated… leaving her just enough time to run into her very tall, dark, and tattooed ex, Evan.

Genevieve and Evan’s reconnection is INSTANT. Their chemistry? Perfection. The tension? 🔥steamy🔥. I couldn’t help but root for the MCs not only to reconcile, but also to accomplish their goals throughout the novel.