“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

I got this free ARC for a honest review.
I love Elle Kennedys books, the Briar U series is one of my favorite romances series. And i’ve enjoyed this Avalon Bay series a lot! This one did take me a little bit to get into, i paused on it a few times, but at around 30% i got back in and really started feeling the feels for it. I really loved Tate, he was such a sweetie, and i loved his family. I did like Cassie, she did have a few moments where she lost me, but then i did relate to her in some ways too. i liked how Tate was teaching her how to be more open with her feelings, and to stand up for herself. The end conflict was pretty unexpected, and emotional. I liked that it didn’t ruin the relationship, but then i did hate the reason for the end breakup. Overall i did really love this romance, Elle Kennedys so good at building chemistry and the banter between the couples. So this was a lot of fun!

This series hasn't been my favorite, but still an enjoyable and easy summer read. Much of the conflict revolved around difficult family situations, which I sometimes found hard to read because I really just wanted the heroine to tell her mom to shove it. I understand those difficult dynamics but maybe wanted a little less of the family drama and a little more steam, or focus on Tate and Cassie's relationship. There were also a couple of times when Tate sort of gaslighted Cassie about her relationship with her mom (asking something like "is it really that bad? Don't you have some good memories with her?) and suggested that she should give her mom the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure it was well-intentioned, but sir, there are times when you should listen and not give input. It felt like an immature response and I think maybe I'm just not the target audience for new-adult romances anymore. All that said, I enjoyed the friendship/relationship between Cassie and Tate, and Cassie and her grandma.

Summer Girl is the newest book in the Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy. This was a quick, easy read, but did have some serious topics dealt with, especially about narcissistic parents and feeling like you belong.

Cassie is back in Avalon Bay for the summer and is determined to have a fling. She is helping her grandmother pack up her life, to move away from the town that has been her solace during the summer for years. On her first night in town she finds the perfect candidate for her fling, Tate. Tate is a golden-boy that everyone in town seems to love. He's a sailing instructor and is no stranger to flings. However, he knows that Cassie is not the type of girl that does flings. She's gorgeous, funny and challenges him. He does not want to risk breaking her heart, so he puts her in the friendzone. As they spend more time together there straddle the line between friends and lovers and discover that their families may have some secrets of their own.

This was a quick and easy read. I really liked the banter and chemistry between Tate and Cassie and thought they were good together, both as friends and then as dating. The book has some serious moments and those are tackled in a sincere way, while adding some humour to the story.

Cassie is dealing with a lot. She feels abandoned by her father, her mother is a narcissist, and she is struggling to figure out where she belongs. She was a sweet character, but not naïve. She was strong willed, and stood up for herself when needed. I also really liked Tate. He was an aloof guy, but really was considerate of people.

This would be a great summer beach read. I enjoyed going back to Avalon Bay to read Elle Kennedy's newest book. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

i looooved this book so much! the first two in this series were meh to be but i found the plot and characters in this book so much more enjoyable and relatable! super fun summer read <3 4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, author, and the publisher for the chance to read “The Summer Girl” early. This is a strong entry in the Avalon Bay series. The friendship between Tate and Cassie feels fun and authentic and the progression from friends to lovers feels inevitable. The final act is really moving and surprising to the reader (no spoilers!). Overall, I enjoyed the characters, setting and story and would recommend to readers of contemporary romance. It’s a perfect summer read!

Uahwjdjdjeb tell me why the Avalon Bay Series has my by the metaphorical horns??? Its so good I am constantly in need of more from the characters on page both subject and background.

All our faves from Good Girl Complex and Bad Girl Reputation return in this novel staring the Bays favorite respectful player Tate and Summer
Girl/former resident Cassie. Cassie comes back to the Bay to spend time with her Grandma, give a final farawell to her family's former Hotel the Beacon, and of course look for a summer
Fling 😜

Will Tate and Cassie be able to retain a no strings FWB or will they fall victim to the sun, the waves, and love herself? Find out for yourself this July!!

🌶️🌶️🌶️

Content Warning- narcissistic parent, parental divorce

A great addition to the Avalon Bay series. This book dealt with some weighty subjects, but it felt lighter than the previous two books. I think a lot of that is due to both Tate and Cassie’s personalities. On another couple, these stumbling blocks would become make or break, full of self-loathing and destructive choices. But Cassie and Tate get passed them. They’re both stronger than they think they are, and are both coming from a healthier history of relationships (or flings). This was a fun read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

“No situation is entirely bad. There’s always a silver lining. Always. You just have to look for it.”

The Summer Girl was a breezy, fun and flirtatious read that has lighthearted banter and a lot of heart. Cassie is spending the summer in Avalon Bay and is determined to have a summer fling. When she meets Tate, she is instantly drawn to him, but since he is her neighbor, he offers to be her wingman instead. Can these two resist the attraction between them or will this friendship turn into something more?

“You taught me how to stand up for myself. How to be honest with the people around me.”

I loved the easy, charming banter between these two. Their friendship and chemistry seemed so real and I loved watching them grow closer. Cassie struggled with revealing her true feelings and confronting those close to her when they hurt her, and Tate really supported her while pushing her to stand up for herself. Throughout the story, both of them showed growth and were able to become stronger because of their relationship. The twist at the end was a bit unexpected but did serve to ultimately strength their relationship in the end.

Full of delicious tension, a bit of angst, and whole lot of emotion, steam and heart, The Summer Girl was a charming read and Tate and Cassie are a lot of fun. I’m enjoying this series and am looking forward to read more about Avalon Bay.

As much as I love Elle Kennedy, I have yet to read a book by her that fills the void that the Briar U universe left in my soul. The Avalon Bay series is *fine* but it's no Briar U.

This story follows Cassie on her last summer at Avalon Bay before her grandmother sells her house and moves to Cassie adopted hometown of Boston. Cassie's excited to be away from her horrible mother, and then she meets the neighbor. Tate is housesitting for the house next door to Cassie (Obviously that's how real life works), they're both young, attractive, and single, so of course things happen.

Again, this book was fine, just like the rest of the series is fine. I appreciated how it handled Cassie's mother, the bombshell made me gasp so loud it scared my cat, and I wanted to hug Cassie's stepmom because she's wonderful.

Thank you Elle Kennedy, St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

If you’ve read the Avalon Bay series, The Summer Girl will definitely surprise you when it comes to couple in this book! This is the third book in the Avalon Bay series and follows Tate and Cassie. I loved that Tate got his own book and that we finally got to learn more about his character. The banter between Tate and Cassie was funny, but there were times that their relationship came off as juvenile. I really enjoyed Cassie’s character development throughout the book. It was great to see how their relationship helped her feel more comfortable with being more assertive with how she’s feeling.

This isn’t the first book of Kennedy’s that I’ve that constantly refers to FMCs as super busty and being slightly quirky. In this book the character’s description did play a role in part of the FMC’s confidence. However, this is something I’ve noticed a lot in this author’s books and most of the time it’s unnecessarily repeated throughout the book. In my opinion it sometimes pulls the focus away from any connections other than physical between the main characters.

This was a fast paced book that is told from a dual POV and makes for a great summer read! Overall, I did enjoy this book and look forward to reading more about the characters of Avalon Bay.

This was the third book in the series. It can be read as a stand-alone. Not sure if there would be more but would love it if there was a fourth book coming soon. Pretty please !!!
Cassie decided to have a summer fling and she choosed Tate the local resident goof ball, hardworking, and sweet guy. Yes, he had a history with the ladies and that was one of the reasons why he friend zoned her from the beginning. Yet, after getting to know her, he wanted more. Their slow burn of a relationship was very sweet. Though I did wish for more of the sexy times they had together. There were some drama but not too aggravating or annoying. There were funny bits along the way that made me laugh out loud. There were also some new characters that I wanted more of along with old favorites like Genevieve and Evan that I enjoyed.
Overall, I loved this book. I highly recommend this gem to those that enjoy a great romance.
I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my review.

This was a very cute summer read. The beginning I was a little leaning towards categorizing it as a YA book, but the sex scenes stepped it up and overall I liked the main characters. Not my favorite of the Avalon Bay books but still a good read.

If it wasn't for the sex scenes I would have thought this book was YA. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators did a very good job but the female sounded very young. I was thrown off at first because of this. With that being said this felt more like a high school romance than an adult one. Also, I can't get passed the crude talk describing women's bodies. It was a turn off for me!

My first Elle Kennedy book, I finished it and immediatly went backwards reading the other Avalon Bay books.
Cassie and Tate have this intense immediate chemistry. I loved that it was early on and fast. Tate didn't want to break her heart so he tried to remain platonic but that quickly failed.
I wish I could give you so many sexy scenes! You need to read this yourself to find out. Just think...their houses are side by side and so are their bedroom windows. Enough said.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy
Narrators: Teddy Hamilton and Caitlin Elizabeth
Rating: 4.5 stars
Steam: 3 chilis
Pub Date: 7/18


Elle Kennedy has done it again! I have yet to read a book of hers that I didn’t like, but this one might be my new favorite. The friends-to-lovers, dual POVs, and the sizzling chemistry between Cassie and Tate had me hooked right from the start.

College student, Cassie Soul, is back in Avalon Bay for the first full summer since her parent’s divorce. But now that her grandmother is selling their family-owned hotel, Cassie is back to reconnect with family, visit favorite spots, and potentially find a summer fling. That’s where Tate Bartett comes in. A popular figure in Avalon Bay, Tate finds himself enthralled with Cassie, and they strike up an unlikely friendship. But friendship isn’t all either of them wants, and as summer goes on, it gets harder to resist their feelings.

Cassie is an incredibly likable character. Her relatability, kindness, and sense of humor drew me in, making me root for her throughout the story. And then there's Tate, Avalon Bay's charming golden boy. Tate's endearing qualities, such as his sweetness, strong work ethic, and love for his family and dogs, made him an irresistible book boyfriend.

The sparks that fly between Cassie and Tate are undeniable. Kennedy skillfully balanced the steam (of which there was plenty) with a compelling storyline. There’s a crazy twist that I didn’t see coming that added a layer of intrigue and depth to the plot, leaving me on the edge of my seat. I also adored the cameos of Mac, Cooper, Evan, and Genevieve, which really brought all three books together.

I alternated between the audio and the ebook, and I really enjoyed both versions! Teddy Hamilton is one of my favorite narrators, and he acted out Tate’s voice exactly how I imagined it.

Overall, The Summer Girl is the perfect beach read, filled with witty banter, endearing friendships, and emotional battles that resonate.

Read if you like:
*beachside settings
*boats
*complicated family relationships
*steamy open-door romance
*virgin heroine
*friends to lovers
*”it’s just a hookup”

Thank you so much to Macmillan audio for my free audiobook and to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC to read and review. The Summer Girl will be available on 7/18.

I love a good Elle Kennedy book, so I was thrilled to get an early copy of Summer Girl.

I enjoyed reading Cassies character development as she grew through the book. 10/10 for this Summer Fling !

This was my first book by Elle Kennedy and it most certainly won't be my last! I adored everything about this novel and immediately went and got the first two in the series! Kennedy does a fantastic job of describing Avalon Bay and taking the reader on an enjoyable ride. The characters were well defined and each had their own little quirks. The angst and teasing between Tate and Cassie was every readers dream. I couldn't turn the page fast enough to see if they got together. I head this was considered a stand alone but i'd almost fair to say that it's better to read them in order. I found myself a lot of the times very confused about the characters because there were so many. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will easily read whatever she writes next!