Elle Kennedy knows her audience and consistently delivers what they come to her for. The heat here is real, and the tension is palpable. Unfortunately, I think Kennedy tends to rely on addictions in place of building actual characters, and thus her books read sort of like a dramatic fanfic. Which isn't bad, but makes her books come off very juvenile.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧Song Pairing: Summer Girl - Leighton Meester from the classic film Country Strong 😂

💭What I thought would happen:

Loved Good Girl Complex & Bad Girl Reputation, knew I had to carry on with the cool people of Avalon Bay

📖What actually happens:

Cassie has returned to Avalon Bay for another summer of sun and fun. Staying with her wealthy, dramatic grandmother and avoiding her mother as best as possible. First night at a townie party she lays her eyes on Tate, the most beautiful man she’s ever seen and may be the perfect guy for a summer fling.

🗯Thoughts:

I think this is my favourite of the series so far! I think I need to read more from this author as this is the only series I have gobbled up so far! If you have suggestions let me know!

The perfect summer book. When reading I felt the sun on the face and could smell the saltiness of the ocean instead of the actual smell of forest fire that is consuming my neck of the woods…

I loved the conflict with Cassandra and her parents, more so her mother and then the complicated relationship with her father and his new family. But most of all I ADORED Cassie’s grandmother. I want a sassy southern nana cloaked in Hermes.

Pick this one up! Pick up the whole series. You won’t be disappointed!

Thank you @macmillan.audio @smpromance @netgalley for a copy of this summer read. I have enjoyed this series and this story focuses on Cassie, who is visiting her grandmother that will be moving away from Avalon Bay. Cassie meets Tate on several encounters and their connection is undeniable. I love seeing Cassie and her relationship with her grandmother and her search for a summer fling. Tate is such a sweet heart and how he embraced Cassie into his circle of friends. The surprise really shocked me and added such an interesting element in the story. A perfect summer read.

I enjoyed the dual POV and narration which brought the story to life.

Cute and spicy. I thought the twist was an interesting one I had not seen before. I continue to enjoy this series and love Elle K.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced reader's copy for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley & Elle Kennedy for an opportunity to read this book! This book was a perfect summer read. There was romance, drama, coming of age, family lies/miscommunication, and tension. I enjoyed watching Cassie and Tate grow over a period of time, while learning to process pain and make room for love.

Read if you like:
🔥 Spice
💋 Friends to Lovers
😘 Hookup to More
🏖️ Beachy Vibes
2️⃣ Dual POV
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Messy Family Dynamics

I thoroughly enjoyed my return to Avalon Bay and if there are more stories for this series I will definitely be reading them as well as trying to catch up on Elle Kenndy’s backlog soon!

I love the rich and pretentious mixed with the locals vibes that we get in this series were we have working class and extreme wealth side by side and seeing how those sides either come together or butt heads.

I really enjoyed Cassie and Tate’s romance and loved how they were friends first and he was helping her find a summer hookup after he had friendzoned her to them coming together and finding that hooking up with your friends can be fun. 😉

Overall, another enjoyable beachy summer romance from Elle Kennedy that I recommend if you have enjoyed the rest of the Avalon Bay Series so far.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for my ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. I have mixed feelings about the book. I thought the storyline and plot were decent and it did keep me reading, BUT and a big but, I felt like much of the conversations were cringy! The author did not need to be so vulgar with her descriptions. There are books where I think it works, but this one was so light, that when those conversations were thrown in, it felt gross. I also did not like all of the body shaming throughout the story. I can't even count how many times they talked about Cass's large boobs. If certain parts of this book were re-worded or omitted, I think I would have enjoyed it more.

Cassie and Tate are too cute! Their friendship was adorable and I loved how they supported each other. Cassie’s relationship with her mother and how you saw her grow and learn to stand up for herself is something that I feel is really relatable for lots of girls her age. Also the relationship with her father and stepmother just melted my heart.

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it like I thought I would. I think the main characters were great, but there were too many side characters with such minor roles it was kind of hard to remember/keep them all straight. Also, maybe it’s just because I’m awkward around new people but I feel like how she just instantly made all these new friends was a bit rushed.

Thank you to Netgalley, st Martins Press, and Elle Kennedy for the opportunity to get an early arc for review.
I’ll be honest, when I first requested it, I had no idea it was #3 in a series. I just saw Elle Kennedy, knew I loved her other work and requested it. So I went out and bought the first two to read first so I can have a good foundation for the third. I absolutely adore this series, but this book specifically - it was so lighthearted and easy to read. Great characters with amazing chemistry. This one is the perfect, feel good summer/beachy/vacation type read. Lots of laughs, romance, a little bit of spice sprinkled throughout - overall a great read!

3rd in the Avalon Bay series but could be read as a stand-alone. You’d be doing yourself a disservice though as the characters from books 1&2 are sprinkled in. This one follows Tate and Cassie. Strangers to friends to eventual lovers after jumping some hurdles. Definitely a twist that will make a girl gasp aloud and startle everyone around her (oops) 🤷🏻‍♀️

Tate is adorable even though he has that f-boy reputation and Cassie is all over the place being awkward and wanting a fling because she’s a virgin. A little on the strange side. Some over emphasis on her being skinny with big DD boobs. How they communicate though is so grown up and that’s appreciated!

Overall, book 2 was my favorite but I’d recommend the entire series.

Special thanks to Netgalley, St. Martins Griffin Publishing and Author Elle Kennedy for the opportunity to read and review this digital advanced copy novel. Anticipated release date July 18, 2023. Reviews provided on Netgalley, goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and tiktok

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy is an exceptional addition to the Avalon Bay series, offering a captivating friends-to-lovers romance between Cassie and Tate. Their electric chemistry and genuine friendship bring depth and authenticity to their relationship. With a perfect mix of steamy moments and heartfelt emotions, Kennedy crafts a tale filled with complex family drama and personal growth. The book's engaging writing style, dual point of view, and immersive narration in the audiobook version enhance the reading experience, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in Cassie and Tate's journey. The characters' development, relatable themes, and the picturesque setting of Avalon Bay make this book a delightful standalone read or a treat for fans of the series.

While the book provides a lighthearted and engaging tone, it also tackles sensitive subjects such as past parental infidelity, toxic relationships, and body shaming. These themes add depth and realism to the story without overshadowing the romance. Cassie and Tate's chemistry is palpable, and their transition from friends to lovers feels organic and believable, keeping readers eagerly anticipating their happily ever after. The plot twists and the sense of community in Avalon Bay create a compelling narrative that keeps readers engaged throughout.

Though there are some aspects that could have been further developed, such as the repeated focus on Cassie's physical attributes, The Summer Girl remains a delightful and entertaining read, offering a perfect blend of romance, humor, and relatable characters. Whether you're a fan of the Avalon Bay series or new to it, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking a heartwarming summer romance with a touch of drama.

I really enjoyed Good Girl Complex and Bad Girl Reputation so I think I just expected this book to be a bit more like those two books, but this book came across more like a standalone book.

I thought Cassie and Tate had such great chemistry, which is why I live friends to lovers trips but Cassie’s came across a bit young where as I enjoyed Tate as a character. The difference could be in that he is working class and she has money so his family interactions and working for what he has is a bit more relatable.


Things about this book:
Beach read
Tourist town
Open door romance
Virgin heroine
Friend to lovers
Summer fling

Elle Kennedy can do no wrong and this book is testament to that. I loved reading all about Cassie and Tate and their friendship/relationship. This book was funny, cute, spicy, and just overall a great time. I really enjoyed seeing how the dynamic of Cassie and her parents changed over the course of the book and how she grew to stand up for herself, I definitely feel like I need to learn a thing or two from her.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Elle Kennedy for allowing me to receive this ARC!

DNF after the 15 comment about how big the protagonist chest is. Super sexist and not a great summer read that I was hoping for.

3.75/5⭐️

I devoured this book in 1 day/3 sittings! This was my first introduction to Elle Kennedy + an ARC from Net Galley!

tbh most the book I wasn't super impressed and it felt very basic new adult romance. It didn't have a lot of action/depth and was mostly just flirtation and friendship(relationship) building. I was sorta just not engaged. Tate was a gem and Cass was a relatable protagonist. This is a good beach read and to break up heavier and more deep novels. It's a brain break tbh.

the last 80 pages though really hooked me. The PLOT TWIST was unexpected imo. When reading it, I did not like the twist at all and I felt like it was filler but after sitting with it I feel like it moved the plot along and was goooodd. It added more suspense to keep me hooked. I would def recommend and read the rest of Avalon bay!

Book Review ☀️-
I have made it my mission to try and up my netgalley percentage and I’m finally up past the 80% mark!

Do you use Netgalley and if so are you good at keeping your percentage up?

On to the review! The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy is the 3rd book in the Avolon Bay series.

Book 1 of the series wasn’t my favourite by I kept going. Book 2 got better so my hopes sky rocketed but book 3 unfortunately just wasn’t amazing.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad it just felt meh and a bit immature. If it wasn’t for the spice I wound have thought it was YA. Most of the book was predictable but I did enjoy the ending more than the rest.

Elle Kennedy never disappoints and I am just enamored by The Summer Girl. Cassie Soul is looking for a fling and finds the perfect candidate in sailing instructor and lovable player Tate, only when Tate meets Cassie, he knows she’s not one to play games with, so to protect their friendship, he says no to a fling—except their chemistry just might be too much to resist. Oh I adored going back to Avalon Bay. I think this is my favorite in this series. Cassie and Tate are just wonderful. The banter is so good and bright, the characters have so much chemistry, the steam is sexy, and it’s just wonderful. I relate so hard to Cassie’s struggles and I just loved her. She’s funny and feisty and I loved watching her find her voice. And Tate is just perfect. He’s funny and charming. Their friendship is so fun and I love the drama and conflict of this book and the balance of it. I was so hooked and just really had such fun listening to and reading this book!

Light and easy, the perfect summer read!
This had me laughing and enjoying the ride.
There are quite a few steamy scenes too if that’s up your alley. I could deal without all the cursing, it felt forced but other than that I enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Elle Kennedy, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. The Summer Girl comes out July 18, 2023.

The Summer Girl is a pretty light hearted and fun summer read, a book I can imagine reading while sitting on the beach. It was fun being back in the Avalon Bay world, and I loved getting a deeper look into Tate's story. Cassie was likable and funny. Elle Kennedy did a great job on creating a found family feeling. If you are looking for a fun, romantic summer read I suggest The Summer Girl!!

Elle Kennedy does it again with a great summer read from the Avalon Bay series. Cassie and Tate have chemistry from the beginning.

She's a senior in college visiting family in her hometown for the last summer before they sell their home. He's a local house sitting next door. Cassie is looking for a summer fling to take her virginity and at first Tate turns her down. In the end, these two get into so many shenanigans and the book is an enjoyable ride of their relationship and family drama.