Thank you, Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy. This book is the third book in her Avalon Bay series and I was lucky enough to get it right after I finished the two previous books so the characters were all fresh in my mind.

Cassie has come to Avalon Bay for the summer to spend her last summer in the family home with her grandmother and help her pack up the house before she sells it. Cassie is extremely close with her grandmother. The same cannot be said for her mother or father. Her mother is a typical narcissist and her father, who lives in Avalon Bay year-round, has a new wife and daughters and Cassie feels abandoned by him and replaced by them. On her first night there, she meets Tate, a handsome local who she instantly has a connection with, and who she decides she wants to have a summer fling with.

Tate has an extremely close relationship with his parents and comes from two parents who are deeply in love. He works with his father and they have a lot in common and he considers his mother his best friend. The two try to fight their mutual attraction but fail, and then try to stick with the concept of a fling but also fail, both falling for the other.

Enter family drama, entertaining storylines, the old characters from other books making appearances as well as previous storylines continuing through the series and you’ve got yourself a great book!

Both Cassie and Tate grew emotionally and socially, standing up for themselves against what held them back. The only thing I felt the book was missing, and maybe it is just me, is I would have loved to see a conversation between Cassie and her father explaining his side of what happened post-divorce and why he didn’t make more of an effort to see her. Her step-mother and grandmother explained some but nothing is the same as hearing it straight from the horse's mouth. All of the other conversations about important issues that arose (don’t want to give too much away) occurred but I felt like this was a conversation that the reader should have been privy to.

5/5 ⭐
3/5🌶

The summer girl is the third book in Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy and it's probably my favorite in this series. I was blown away by it.

Cassie Soul is in Avalon Bay for the summer visiting her grandmother who has sold the Historical Inn and she's helping her go through things and prepare her grandmother for the next stage in her life. They have an amazing Bond grandmother and granddaughter bond is solid strong and beautiful and I absolutely love their interactions. Cassie is also on a mission to ditch her v card this summer.
Tate Bartlett is a fun loving non-monogamous Ladies Man of the small town. He has a great chemistry with everybody but he also has this live life to the fullest attitude. And when he meets Cassie it's not in his greatest moment. He was just dumped by the woman he was very casually seeing and Cassie got to experience that in the shadows. It was an extremely embarrassing moment for her and she was hoping that he didn't see, and it was equally embarrassing for him although he played it off really well.

When they realize that they live next door to each other because Tate is house sitting for her grandmother's neighbor they form a pretty good friendship. She was very flirtatious and determined to lose her vCard and who better than Tate the player. But when he turns her down for his own reasons they form a friend zone relationship that is absolutely comical and angsty. His idea is to help her find the perfect guy for her to complete her mission if you will. And it is just a comical dumpster fire. Tate gets jealous Cassie is not having any type of connection like she had with Tate and so as you watch all of this play out you get the laughs you get the emotions you get the swooning and you can't help but feel for both of these characters.

When they realize the chemistry between them isn't going to go away they play on it, they act on it, and it is phenomenal. However we get the twist and the suspense and the craziness that we all love from Elle Kennedy and Cassie's mother comes swooping into town. And it is almost crazy reading everything that transpires. You can feel the tension between Cassie and her mother. You can feel the heartache and the insecurity that Cassie has anytime she's around her mother and it's heartbreaking


Then twists and turns keep on coming. Family secrets are let out and boy are they dozies which puts Cassie and Tate's relationship smack dab in the middle. Your heart will ache and break seeing this happen because you love these characters so much. The summer girl is by far a must-read I absolutely loved every single moment and I wanted to be able to go into that book into that world and comfort Cassie so much.

5 swooning summer Stars!

**I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Elle Kennedy for an ARC of this book! This will be available on 7/18/23!**

To start, I haven't read the first two, but after reading a few reviews, I was told it wouldn't effect this book. I totally agree! There were moments where I could tell that there were characters that probably had more back story, it didn't impede on the experience at all. This can definitely be read as a standalone.

This book was so lighthearted and fun. It had some deeper aspects, but the whole thing totally captured the "summer-fling-in-a-small-beach-town" aspect. It had the pining, some unrequitedness, and a little bit of spice.

I had some problems with the writing. The number of times it was mentioned that Cassie is just "so short and small and lanky with the biggest boobs ever and omg they're just so big" really distracted the story. While it is mentioned that being told by her mother about a breast reduction was a major insecurity for her, it could've been fleshed out in a much more mature way. Tate was also very flatly written as a playboy but somehow no bad blood with anyone. I wish these two had more depth to their characters other than the little we were given. Granted, I haven't read the other books so I can't speak to any background provided in those.

While I love a good camp-esque theme, this was a little overdone. Beach Days was such a fun concept, but I didn't need multiple chapters to read about it. It didn't progress the story or the characters at all, except for us to have another "i know my knockers are so totally big, but believe it or not, I'm still really good at balancing" moment and an excuse for her parents to be in the same place at the same time.

I loved the way the family drama came together. I felt so mad on Cassie's behalf. The author worked through the miscommunication really well. Her mom really was the villain and was written in such a believable but heartbreaking way. The twist at the end literally made me gasp.

Was this the best book I've read? No. frankly the writing and character building felt very amateur. Did I still read this in a day? Yes. It was light, fluffy, and good to read after a book hangover. This is my first Elle Kennedy novel I can definitely see myself reading more by her.

The Summer Girl is by far my favorite of the Avalon Bay summer series!! The Good Girl Complex is a book I devoured in one plane ride so I knew I would really enjoy the rest of the series. I loved this friends to lovers neighbor romance between a curvy virgin and the townie playboy. The chemistry between these two was exactly what I needed, it was GREAT. It was their honest friendship! Steamy and heartfelt and full of complex family drama. I truly loved every second of it! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early e-reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Just like when you are in the mood for a cozy holiday romance, there comes a time in the year when you are ready for a hot summer fling and Elle Kennedy is the perfect author to turn to when that time comes, especially her Avalon Bay series.

Book three of the series, The Summer Girl, introduces a newcomer, Cassie, to the regular cast of characters as the FMC. She is visiting her grandmother, the previous owner of The Beacon Hotel, and Cassie brings her own backstory that highlights themes of body image, negative self-talk influenced by a narcissistic mother, and navigating as a child of divorce.

Like the first two books, it is primarily a summer fling with another hot Avalon Bay local, which of course begs the question, what are they putting in the water? Tate, the MMC, is the highlight of the book and his wholesome relationship with his parents is very endearing but don't let that fool you, Elle Kennedy knows how to make a good boy a little bad.

To nitpick, this book felt like a backslide on the maturity scale in this series of books, which may be in part due to having a 20 y.o. FMC and there were some cheesy lines and moments that were borderline cringe. However, this book delivers as a quick, easy-to-read summer romance that entertains you from start to finish. I will surely be adding any new additions to this series to my TBR.

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

Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Kennedy and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC copy of this book! This story is very fun, addictive and perfect for the summer time. I would highly recommend this as a book to read by the pool or beach to really get into the vibes Elle Kennedy has created with this series.

This is the 3rd in the Avalon Bay series and another fun one, but can be read as a standalone. Cassie spent summers on Avalon Bay for years but after her parents got a divorce she had not been back. Now as a college student she returns because her grandmother is selling the hotel that has been in their family for decades.

She wants to celebrate her twenty-first birthday and have a summer fling. She meets Tate Bartlett who is sailing instructor and adorable, but is not looking for anything serious. Their attraction is instant and they try to keep things casual.

They come from very different backgrounds which could make it challenging. Another fun one. Cassie is naïve and sweet, but unsure of herself. She is trying to navigate her relationships with her parents and stepsisters.

There are some steamy and graphic sex scenes, so be prepared. This story is about several kinds of relationships and a fun and quick read.

I really enjoy this Avalon Bay series, and The Summer Girl is #3. Hopefully there will be more! The narrator switches between the two main characters, and the setting, as always, is *chef's kiss*.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I am obsessed with Elle Kennedy’s writing and story telling. I really enjoyed the first two books in The Avalon Bay series. I was extremely excited to read The Summer Girl and finished it in one sitting. I was hooked from the beginning that I couldn’t stop reading. The Summer Girl follows Cassie as she spends the summer in Avalon Bay looking for a summer fling. Cassie and Tate have great chemistry and angst together. I enjoyed the appearances of the other characters from the previous novels. This is the perfect summer read and Elle Kennedy did not disappoint. Overall, The Summer Girl is a fun and spicy novel about a summer fling that turns into romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Elle Kennedy and St Martin's Griffin for this ARC. I can’t wait to purchase a physical copy.

A light summer read that is part of the Avalon Bay series. This can be a stand alone novel, as you do not need to have read the other books in the series to understand the plot, but I think you might enjoy it more if you’ve read the others. I have not read the other books, but thought I’d give this one a shot, and I think I would’ve been more invested in the story if I had read her previous books.

Cassie is home from college and visiting her grandma in Avalon Bay. She meets playboy Tate, who is watching the house next door. They try to start as friends, but soon cross the line and are more. As Cassie becomes a different person, they fall for each other more and then a secret is revealed at the end,

Although this was light, fun, summery, and a little spicy, I think for me, I felt a little bored while reading it. If o had read the other books, I might have been more interested.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an arc.

3.25 stars. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Cassandra is back visiting her grandmother in the small beach town known as Avalon Bay, where she lived for the first ten years of her life. Cassie decides that this is the perfect time to start a summer fling full of passion, and she has her sights set on her hot neighbor Tate.

The setting of this story was everything I wanted in a summer read. I read majority of this on the beach and I found it matched the vibes perfectly. However, the actual chemistry between Cassie and Tate was lacking for me. It was built up on physical attraction which is fine, but I felt like I needed to see more of an intimate connection to believe in them as a couple. It felt very surface level, and when it came to those deep moments, we were told it happened rather than seeing it play out, if that makes sense. I will say that I really enjoyed the subplots that both Tate and Cassie faced and I think it really helped their character growth. The ending wrapped up a little too fast for my liking, but I still found my reading experience enjoyable. I personally haven’t read the prior books to this one, but I would suggest others to do so because we get quite a few glimpses of those couples.

Summer Girl is the third book in Avalon Bay series and I think this is my favorite of the three!
Cassandra Soul is an Avalon Bay girl by heart. She left her little girl hometown when she was eleven following the divorce of her parents. Every summer she comes back for a week or two to spend time with her grandmother who happens to be a legendary icon of this small beach community as the former owner of the Beacon Hotel. Cassandra is in town again for the summer to stay longer and to say proper goodbye to Beacon Hotel before the family will hand it over to the new owner. Aside from Beacon’s formal handover and inauguration, Cassandra is set to find that one summer fling in the summer town she always loved.

I love the depth of the story. The romance of Cass and Tate was not the only focus of the plot. I was already invested in the characters from the first two books and yet I still enjoyed all the side stories with more characters of this lovely small town and all its charm! There was a twist that gave the romance such heartbreaking outcome. I happen to be at the beach when I read this making me wish I was literally in Avalon Bay surrounded by quaint summer vibe and I could not be more than happy of how this story turned out. Perfect for summer read and its very entertaining that was surely worth the time.

Thank you St.Martin’s Press via Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange of my honest review.

The Summer Girl is the perfect story to start the summer vibes going. I enjoyed the first book in the series, and while I haven’t gotten to the second yet, I jumped into this one because it has more my favorite tropes; friends to lovers, summer fling to true love, and a believable third-act breakup. Cassie is inexperienced and ready to break out of her shell. Tate is very respectful and a cinnamon roll despite his outer persona. I loved their development throughout the book, both as a couple and helping support each other in their family relationships as well. I skimmed through most of the beach games chapters, it was a little too detailed and didn’t seem to matter to the overall storyline, but was fun to see more interactions with past couples.

Overall a good quick read. I liked these characters and the plot was enjoyable enough to keep me intrigued. If you’re looking for just an easy summer read I recommend giving this one a try! This small summer town vibes just makes me want to read this on a beach somewhere. Great vacay read for sure!

Are. You. Freaking. Serious?! Avalon Bay is THE place to be, am I right?! This series consistently DELIVERS. I never want it to end.

First of all, @ellekennedy33 is a writing genius and has a way with words that captivates the reader and makes them completely fall in love with the story and characters. Hence why Avalon Bay is my fav fictional setting and has my fav characters.

Cassie returned home to Avalon Bay for the summer to see her grandmother (who happens to be the woman who previously owned the Beacon before Mac bought it in GGC) and visit with her dad’s family. She immediately ran into Tate (blond, hot, surfer boy physique) and they hit it off almost instantly.

Both having obligations, they knew it would be best to only be friends and skip the whole summer fling thing so no one would get hurt but as soon as they started hanging out and texting they knew that was nearly impossible. They agreed to fling but not let it lead to anything more. Just a fun, flirty, sexy summer. What could go wrong?

Fast forward a few weeks (and a few disasters later) and their fling was on the rocks and their families despised each other. There was such amazing character development in this story and familial drama that just kept you wanting to read more. And the ending? Freaking perfection. Y’all know I love a good grand gesture to end the book and WOW, this was a good one!!! This will be the perfect summer read for 2023 - be sure to preorder this book asap! Release day is July 18th

Thank you @netgalley and @smpromance for giving me the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an honest review 💕

What an absolute ride. I can truly say I was not expecting the big plot twist, not something I feel like you see often in a romcom.

What I liked: the reality of being raised by/dealing with a narcissistic mother. This was very well written, I feel like I highlighted 90% of the interactions between Cassie and her mother. They were so spot on and it was therapeutic to see Cassie stand up for herself and come into her own. Also, Cassie’s younger sisters may have stolen the show for me-absolutely adorable.

What I didn’t like: overall I liked Tate, but his character did give me a bit of whiplash. He was this sweet, golden boy who no one could ever say a bad word about, and yet he did several douche-y things (don’t want to spoil anything). Also, with my whole chest: fuck Gavin and his “truths.”

Obsessed.

With the series. The town. The people. The Hartley’s and their better halves. And now with Tate and Cassie.

Tate and Cassie go through all of it in this book. From heartache to first love to family drama (the drama! I am shocked.) to moving on to friendships it’s all here.

Go to this town, cheer on these characters (except Tori. Never Tori.) and fall for them one page at a time.

Read it!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review.

“You are not flinging with a six.” She is utterly aghast. “Over my dead body. I’m willing to compromise and settle halfway between a six and a ten—Tate’s a ten, right?”

I loved this book. I appear to have the first few of the series on accident but that’s okay. I loved Cassie and Tates story.

Cassie is entering her senior year and she wants to experience a summer full of passion. Her and friend decide she’s going shop for a summer fling.

Tate is a don’t get serious type of guy. He’s friends with benefits decides it time to part ways. Cassie witness the break up. Tate is not used to being on the receiving end of a break up.

He’s drawn to Cassie but she not the type to have a fling. She’s the type of girl that puts her heart and soul into it.

This was a fun read! I enjoyed the humor between the two MC. I definitely did not expect the ending. I was not a fan of Tori and was glad with her outcome. Overall it was a quick entertaining read. I would highly recommend checking out.

Cassie is visiting Avalon Bay for the summer, a place she has not visited since her parent's divorce.  After witnessing Tate get dumped the two discover that they are neighbors and a friendship develops. Cassie decides to have a summer fling and Tate agrees to be her wingman.  The more time they spend together, the closer they get and their relationship begins to evolve into more.

I loved the atmosphere of Avalon Bay, it gives summer beach vibes and feels like a vacation.  Knowing this is the 3rd book in the series, I was interested in seeing how these characters would tie into the first two books. It was fun to get to see characters from the previous books and I wanted to go back and read them again since it’s been a while. But it’s not necessary, this can be read as a standalone. 

The writing and pacing flowed well and the story pulled me in, but I didn’t feel like I connected with the characters.  If I’m honest there was a lot of focus on Cassie’s boobs and talk about Tate being a player. I wasn’t sold on him being a player, he was dumped at the beginning of the book and I found him to be a really good guy and a huge cinnamon roll.  

There was plenty of romance and spice but what stood out was the focus on family relationships.  Cassie and Tate, cute friends-to-lovers, romance propelled the plot forward but central to the story was their relationships with their families. I adored Tate and his relationship with his parents from the very beginning.  We also see him working through his career decisions and what his dad wanted for him.  Most of all we see Cassie's relationship with her dad and step-mom family evolve. We won’t even mention her mom…ugh!  She had a good relationship with her grandmother, who was a bit of a spitfire, and an adorable one with her twin half-sisters.  

It had some cute banter and steamy moments, the window scene for sure.   Most of all it had a HUGE twist that I didn’t see coming. Seriously, the reveal pained me.  I may not have connected with the main characters but I fell in love with several of the supporting characters.  For the plot to take that turn, I felt like the rug was pulled out from under me.  I felt every bit of the shock, pain, and turmoil as the characters.

This entertaining book had spice, tension, and drama wrapped up in a lighthearted package.

This was cute. A few surprises, but didn’t wow me. A few times I felt like giving up on this one. The ending did make me smile, but won’t be recommending it.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for my advanced copy.

Publish date: July 18, 2023