The Summer Girl is a fun, banter-filled, easy and slightly spicy read to add to Kennedy's new adult backlist. If you've loved the Off-Campus books, chances are you'll love this one just as much.

I had a good time reading this book overall. I really liked Cassie's character, and Tate's most of the time (I'll expand on that later). Their teasing banter is what made the book for me. They've got an easygoing, fun friend-/situation-/relationship going, with chemistry from their first meeting. I was hooked from the very beginning. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve.

Another aspect I really liked, was the portrayal of what a high-conflict divorce/separation does to a kid. The loyalty Cassie feels towards both her parents, the toning down and changing the conversation about one parent when talking to the other, trying to keep them from meeting each other face to face so they can't fight, feeling responsible to break up their fights... It was really well done.

So why only 3.5 stars then? A few reasons...
* The thing that bothered me the most was the inconsistency in Tate's character. Tate is written as this respectful player (isn't that an oxymoron? Or maybe it's often just bad execution, or like an endangered species... But I digress). He does seem like a mature 23 year old a lot of the time, one of the popular guys that just has a good heart, loves his parents, is determined and ambitious... HOWEVER. Kennedy then goes and gives his inner monologue these sleazy moments every so often, that made me yuck and I honestly felt like Tate would be more respectful than that? Yeah, he's young, but still? It bothered me to no end.
* The too-easy conflict resolution. Tate and Cassie fight two times, and each time the fight starts and is resolved in the blink of an eye, which gave me such whiplash. Also, I felt like Cassie was way too quick to forgive and forget, and then agree to do the deed.
* The diagnosis. Listen, I'm not a fan of diagnoses in general. But especially in books, if you're going to diagnose a character, get it right. It bothered me so much, because clearly, this was just to further the plot. Especially in a time period where everyone is labeled a narcissist, which I'm sick and tired of, it was disappointing to read this incorrect portrayal in a book that will most likely get a lot of readers.
* Another thing I cannot stand is core-family kids giving advice to non-core-family kids about how to resolve their issues with their parents. Tate giving Cassie advice about how to fix her relationship with her mother and father almost made me DNF the book because I got so mad. People who've only known safety in parental relationships need to stop telling others to confront parental figures, as if that situation is inherently safe and the child will be heard, validated and thanked for doing so. They most likely won't. Kids develop coping mechanisms for a reason. Sometimes, speaking your mind is not safe, and making it out to be like Cassie is a coward for not speaking her mind and taking up space-which she hasn't been allowed to do-was a d!ck move on Tate's part.

Without these gripes, the book might've received a solid 4 stars.

*thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Loved every minute of this book. It was fast paced and I liked the characters developments. I liked Cassandra and Tate together and how their relationship evolved.

The drama at the end was a surprise but I liked how it ended and the lesson about how you can still change the outcome of certain relationships and cut ties with a toxic relationship.

I also liked how the characters were new adult age. I liked seeing MacKenzie open her hotel. This was well paced and a five star read.

I'm in between moving now but will post this on my blog later.

My favorite of the series by far.
Swoon worthy at times. The perfect summer beach read. Was sad when it ended because I wanted more.

Romance

This is definitely a light summer read. The author tried to give the story some substance by having the two main characters - Cassie and Tate - deal with some complex family dynamics. Those small bits of depth are the only things that redeemed this novel, for me at least.

Cassie travels home to Avalon Bay with the determination to have a summer fling and lose her virginity. She meets several guys, but the only one she connects with is the local F***boy Tate. Tate is handsome and popular, has multiple jobs - one of which is housesitting for the people that live right next door to her grandmother.

What starts out as nothing, becomes a fling and turns into love. There is some major family drama as Cassie's parents are divorced. Her mother is a narcissist and her father seems to only care about his new family. Tate's parents are awesome, but an incident from the past threatens their happy family.

Ok - so what's the problem? The dialogue is awful when it comes to the Tate and Cassie relationship storyline. "Hey babe, nice tits" type of conversation. Yuck!

This took me forever to read as I was not engaged - at all. I should have probably just DNF'd it, but since it was an ARC from NetGalley, I felt obligated. Of course, by the time I finished the book, it was already published.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a classic Elle Kennedy book; very readable and a great summer read! Cassie and Tate had great chemistry, and I really enjoyed reading their story.

I adore Elle Kennedy's writing and am absolutely addicted to The Avalon Bay series. I was so excited to be getting Tate's book and our fun-loving golden boy did not disappoint. We also have our FMC Cassie, who was once a summer girl in Avalon Bay but hasn't spent a summer there in years. Her parents went through a bad divorce and her mother moved her away to Boston. But now Cassie has returned for one last Summer since her grandmother is selling her beloved boardwalk hotel (we know this place well from the first Avalon Bay book!). Cassie has big plans for the summer, spend time with family, celebrate her twenty-first birthday, and have a summer fling. As fate would have it, Cassie meets Tate on her first night out and he seems like just the guy for a summer fling, but he is reluctant and doesn't want to break her heart even though he is no stranger to summer flings. He soon realizes his mistake after putting Cassie in the friend zone. He realizes he can't resist her and wants the fling with her badly. As we know, things in Avalon Bay can get complicated and Tate and Cassie's relationship is no different.

Tate was so swoony and I adored Cassie. This book was just the right mix of spice, emotion, humor, and cuteness. I can't wait for the next book in the series! I can't recommend it enough, especially for summer <3

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

Tropes & what to expect:
- friends to friends with benefits to lovers
- summer fling
- small town romance
- family drama

A fun summer read featuring Elle Kennedy’s signature humor and swoonworthy romance.

The summer girl follows 20 year old Cassie (a Briar University student, iykyk) who returns to her hometown of Avalon Bay for the summer to spend time with her grandmother and dad. Oh and she’s looking for a summer fling, which is convenient since Avalon Bay is apparently exclusively inhabited by hot people.
She meets Tate when she accidentally witnesses his fwb ending things with him (talk about a meet cute) and they (kinda) hit it off. There’s a lot of banter, and the sparks fly (Taylor’s version) from the moment they meet.
After a few bumps in the road, they decide to have a summer fling, on one condition: they aren’t going to fall in love.

Elle Kennedy is the undisputed queen of college romance. While this book doesn’t technically have a college setting, the overall vibes were similar to her Off Campus and Briar U series. Elle’s writing style is engaging and easy to follow and I really liked the characters. Cassie was so fun to read about, with a strong personality and a vulnerability that really made me feel for her. I also applaud Elle Kennedy for representation because I’ve never ever seen my body type represented in a book before and that alone made me connect with Cassie. She does have some insecurities (as well as mommy AND daddy issues) that were explored in such a realistic and healing way.
Tate is definitely book boyfriend material (even though he’s blonde) and some of his actions and words made me melt. He’s… experienced but still a genuinely good guy and not in a cliché kind of way.
The romance was so sweet and swoony, and in typical Elle Kennedy fashion, the spice was of course immaculate.

I really enjoyed their story but ended up not giving a full five stars as the plot was mostly predictable and all the family drama felt a bit forced and unnecessary at times.
All in all a quick and fun summer romance — adding the entire series to my TBR as we speak!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Elle Kennedy for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The Summer Girl! This was such a quick and fun read for me. The romance was adorable and the spice was excellent. Elle Kennedy is known for her addictive writing, and this book is no exception. I just devoured the story of Cassie and Tate — by the way, I’m obsessed with them. I also love how Cassie’s self confidence grew throughout the novel and she was finally able to connect with her family in the way she wanted and deserved. This is my favorite book in the Avalon Bay series so far, the perfect summer romance read!

This was a great beach and escape read..I-loved Cassie and Tate and their friends to lovers romance. It was a delightful read.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I swear all of the books from the Avalon Bay series are just perfect summer reads and The Summer Girl is no exception. This is book 3 in the series, but each book follows a different couple, so they can be read as standalones (but then you will miss out on all of the amazing characters so I don’t recommend skipping any of the books 😉). The Summer Girl focuses on Cassie who is visiting her family for the summer and longtime local Tate. Cassie is determined to find herself a summer fling and when Tate turns her down, she starts the hunt for another candidate. As time goes on these two go from friends to lovers as Tate finds he can’t help but give in to his attraction to Cassie. Even though it’s only supposed to be a fling, things quickly heat up as secrets emerge and Tate and Cassie start to feel more than they planned for. Their story was a fantastic read and I am already ready to take another trip to Avalon Bay, so I hope Elle Kennedy has more books planned for this world in the future. For now, make sure you have July 20th marked on your calendars so you can grab your own copy of The Summer Girl. ☀️

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me an eARC of this book.

A big thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of "That Summer Girl" in exchange for an honest review! 💕

In "That Summer Girl" by Elle Kennedy, I adored the dynamic between Tate and Cassie. Starting as friends and then a fling, their connection was so strong from the beginning.

While "That Summer Girl" didn't give me that 5🍷 feeling, I still loved the story and the author's ability to make me feel like I’m the characters’ friend. The way Tate and Cassie's relationship developed was a highlight for me, showcasing the power of genuine connection and emotional growth.

Once again, a heartfelt thank you to NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read and review "That Summer Girl" by Elle Kennedy. This book is a shows the importance of relationships, standing up for yourself, honesty and the beauty of summer love. ☀️ 💕

#BookReview #ThatSummerGirl #ElleKennedy #NetGalley #RomanceReads #BeautifulConnection #4.5Stars #BookLovers

Twenty year old Cassie is spending her summer in Avalon Bay at her grandmothers house. When she meets neighbor Tate the sparks fly, but he puts her in the friend zone. Maybe Cassie won't be having that summer fling after all.

There is more to this story than romance. Cassie has a strained relationship with her divorced parents. The family hotel has been sold and is being renovated and so much more.

I have not read any of the previous books in the series. I didn't feel like I was missing anything. It can easily be read as a stand alone.

If you're looking for a quick, easy beach read with a little smut then this one is for you.

I am not the target audience for this book and think it was too young for me to enjoy as much as younger people will.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

The perfect romance book for the summer. Cass is looking for a summer fling and meets Tate. They both don't want anything serious but they get to experience some serious life moments together along the way. Quick paced with a little bit of spice.

☀️ The Summer Girl ☀️

Releasing July 18, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

☀️ Small Town
☀️ Summer Romance
☀️ Dual POV

The Summer Girl is an adorable addition to Elle Kennedy’s Avalon Bay series! It was a quick, fun read.

I really enjoyed learning about Cassie and her family, and I liked reading about the couples from the first two Avalon Bay books.

Cassie and Tate’s relationship was very cute, and felt very natural. However, I do feel like the childhood trauma and family took the spotlight over the romance in this novel.

Overall, this was a great summer read, and I would recommend it to romance lovers.

Spice - 🌶️🌶️ .5

Third book in Elle Kennedy's Avalon Bay series. This series is contemporary romance/new adult romance, with a nice mix of a small resort town feel paired with vacation/summer beach vibes. Elle Kennedy writes in multiple genres, and I've read most of her work. I have a soft spot for her suspense stories and hockey stories, but I think she's found her real niche in new adult. This is a stand alone, but features some characters and themes previously introduced in the first two books. Kennedy's writing style is always appealing to me, and I enjoyed the sweet and sexy mix of this story. This is a great series for summer pool reading.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin via Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

This is my favorite book in the Avalon Bay series!

If you're looking for a perfect summer read with the beach vibes, look no further. Cassie is looking for a Summer fling when her neighbor puts her in the friend zone. She also has a manipulative mother, who constantly tears her down. Tate has such large dreams, but wants to support his family business.

I adored this small town, summer romance and the wide variety of characters. Easily devoured the entire book in a single day and was so glad to have another adventure in Avalon Bay with some characters we've previously met and loved.

Hands down - The Summer Girl is the best of this series. I love this beach series by Elle Kennedy. I think the town and the hotel and the group up friends is just great. Summer Girl is a fling romance. Let's do this just while I am here for the summer. A fling. It won't last. until it does. Filled with great friends, summer fun and family drama that blew my mind, The Summer Girl is the book we want to read poolside or at the actual beach. You can totally read it as a stand alone. But there's some history in the first two books that you won't be sad to get.

The Summer Girl is book three in the Avalon Bay series. The Good Girl Complex is my fave of the three, but this one was a very close second!

I love the setting & how previous characters, and their stories, are woven into this book. Cassandra & Tate's story is sweet and I enjoyed their banter. At times Tate seemed immature but it was nice to watch him mature as their relationship progressed. Not a huge fan of the twist that is sprung on us late in the story, but overall I have really loved this series. Perfect beachy reads with young love stories. Hoping it will continue with a book 4.

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC of The Summer Girl in exchange for my honest review. 4 stars.

Leave it to me to start my Elle Kennedy journey in the middle of a companion series. Oops. While The Summer Girl is book three in the Avalon Bay companion series, and the past characters do show up in this book, my reading was not hindered by starting here. I liked the past characters and plan to go back and read their stories.

After Cassie and Tate's initial "meet cute," I struggled with this book until the 30% mark. I even considered DNFing at one point. I struggled with the dialogue, and the inner monologues of the two main characters. Once I got used to it, the story fell into place.

Cassie and Tate are great together. Their banter was good, and they had a lot of chemistry. I liked seeing a playboy-type character who cares about the girl's feelings.

There is a lot of family drama involved here, and Cassie's character grows significantly because of it. The third act break up wasn't even obnoxious, it made sense with the story, and neither of them is the "bad guy."

I think a lot of people will enjoy this. It is the perfect, mildly steamy beach read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A friends to lovers novel featuring Cassie, who has come home to Avalon Bay to spend time with her grandmother, and Tate, who teaches sailing. These are golden young people and they make a good match. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A light beach read.