This is a second chance story about the Avalon Bay residents. It's the second in the series- after Good Girl Complex. Evan and Genevieve are together again in the same town after a long separation. They have a very messy history... but lots of chemistry... Will they end up happily ever after?

I wasn't crazy about Evan in the first book but we get more of his past in this second book so we understand him better. He is a likable character and has great chemistry with Genevieve. I like how both of them work out their issues and end up together in the end. The friendship in the book is amazing and the best part of the book.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc

This series will probably go down as the series Elle Kennedy would like to forget as soon as possible.

Don't get me wrong, this started great. I thought i was getting a great childhood best friends to lovers second chance romance. And i did get that tropes but it just wasn't great and i couldn't bring myself to care.

Elle Kennedy once said she didn't want to write a toxic relationship and i now understand why. She just couldn't do it justice. Fictional toxic ships could serve so hard when they are right. The buzz is just different. Sadly, Gen and Evan are that kind of toxic that make you wish they weren't a couple rather than make you wish root for their endgame.

With that being said, it wasn't as if Evan and Gen didn't have chemistry. They did. They also did have character development which is great but i just couldn't find it in me to care or love them.

The Friendships save a lot of books and i absolutely loved the friend groups in all of Elle Kennedy books. And the glaring trouble sign for this series is it's weak and fickle friend groups. Didn't like it in first book didn't like it in this one.

Bad Girl Reputation is a trope that Elle Kennedy hasn't done before atleast within her Off campus and Briar U series. The second chance trope got me intrigued but i have to admit that this was a dissapointment.

Although i thought this book is better than Good Girl Complex, while reading i enjoyed Good Girl Complex more than i enjoyed this book. The Main Characters were toxic and just not great.


My biggest complaint with this series though will always be the friendships that seem so messy and never wholesome. Elle Kennedy might have missed the trick with couples but the bigger reason for her books not being the same is because of not being able to replicate atleast the same level of Friendships OffCampus series or Briar U series had.

The second book in the Avalon Bay series is a wonderful addition. I became obsessed with the Hartley twins in the first novel, Good Girl Complex and I wanted to know Evan's damage immediately. If you loved the angst, heartbreak and romance of the first book in the series, this should be an instant buy for you.

We were teased by Evan's heartbreak and Genevieve West in the first book but it is so much more messy and complicated than you can even believe. I loved the story line of two people who have been in love with each other since they were children and through their messy and crazy adolescence, realizing that they needed to grow up together. Their love would always be there but they had to grow together for them to work out.

Such a good book for those that love contemporary, messy, new adult books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.