"This exceptional standalone romance takes readers on a captivating journey of self-discovery and passionate exploration. The sizzling chemistry between the main characters sparks both excitement and introspection. With unexpected twists and turns, the story keeps readers eagerly engaged.

The characters, despite their contrasting backgrounds, find themselves drawn together in a way that feels undeniably right. Their spontaneous nature and the challenges they face add depth to the narrative, creating an emotional rollercoaster that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

In this romance novel, the author masterfully crafts a tale of personal growth and fulfillment. Through the characters' experiences, readers are treated to a steamy and captivating exploration of their true selves.

Overall, this book delivers a memorable reading experience filled with passion, surprising plot twists, and a range of emotions. It is a testament to the skill of the author and the power of love. Published by St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, this romance novel is sure to leave a lasting impression."

Cassie is off to spend the summer before her senior year of college with her Grandmother in the gorgeous, beachside town of Avalon Bay, SC. The only thing she wants before returning to Boston is a great summer fling. Enter Tate. While their chemistry is undeniable from the beginning, Tate decides they should just be friends before Cassie catches feelings. What he doesn’t bargain for is that he might be the one he should be worried about.

I have always been a die-hard Elle Kennedy fan, but when I say I devoured this book I DEVOURED it. I started last night, read until I fell asleep, and then immediately picked it back up this morning. This is, without a doubt, an amazing summer read.

As always, I’m so wary of the female main character in the beginning of the book, but Cassie is a delight. She is, in the most simple sense of the word, a people pleaser. She doesn’t like to rock the boat and avoids confrontation with both of her parents (mom = narcissistic, dad = new family). The way she grows throughout the story and finds her voice and really learns that her feelings and emotions matter is wonderful journey. And she couldn’t have done it without Tate.

Tate. New book boyfriend alert. I am always rooting for the bad boys, but I love this guy and just how good he is. Friendly, supportive, sincere, loyal. He is everything Cassie needed and she is everything he didn’t know he wanted. Plus, the teasing and the banter…it gets me every time.

This is the third book in the Avalon Bay series and while the characters from the previous two books take on supporting roles, you don’t need to have read them before enjoying this one. This definitely reads like a stand alone.

If you need a great summer beach read, this is it. The book releases July 18th.

Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Griffin for this ARC.

The Summer Girl is definitely not a bad read. It’s a classic Summer read as a whole. Something you’d want to curl up with while laying on the beach. It has Avalon Bay, the perfect coastal town that you’d see on a magazine. The one you can only dream about visiting. On top of that you have rich, yacht club frequenting locals who for the most part seem kind. And an endless stream of locally owned businesses….a recipe for your picture perfect summer vacation read. All though I have read books by Elle Kennedy before and been fond of them, this one didn’t quite make the mark for me. Right away we meet Tate, a very boob-fond local. He’s quicker to comment on the main character’s physique than he is to take an actual hint. Normally a good, forward, cocky kind of guy is the recipe for a good romance, but Tate just wasn’t it for me. He seemed more superficial at first glance than our other male leads. He does have some redeeming qualities though…He’s a man who loves dogs first and foremost. That much is a good note in my book. And although he seems more focused on the physical side of his relationship, he does seem to have Cassie’s best intentions in mind. Is Tate a good love interest? Yes. Would I date Tate if given a chance? Not at all. Moving from this we have Cassie, our fun loving, “copper haired” heroine. I’ve come to know Elle Kennedy’s past leading ladies to be relatable for the most part…but Cassie Soul really wasn’t who I hoped she would be. She held her ground for the most part but she lacked some of the resolve I’ve seen in past leading ladies. She was definitely a fun and bubbly personality and I did still enjoy reading from her point of view. I understand she is supposed to have a sort of naivety about her but as a 20-21 year old it wasn’t par for her age.

One of the first things I noticed was how quickly we were thrust into the relationship dynamic of Cassie and Tate. Although I do wish it were prolonged a little bit I did enjoy their banter. Tate always managing to somehow rile Cassie up at every turn. Tate definitely was a good choice of someone to pair with Cassie. They made a good couple for a feel-good beach read despite their “differences”.

Yes this book is marketed as a whimsical and fun summer read, hence the name “The Summer Girl” but it definitely has moments of depth and reflection. This much I can appreciate. It adds a touch of a real world perspective to the book. It has a way of grounding the reader while also still providing a cute summer read.

Although I have had a few critiques I did thoroughly have fun with this read. I would definitely recommend it as a lighthearted read. Something that should be in your beach bag this summer.

title: The Summer Girl

author: Elle Kennedy

publisher: Avalon Bay

publication date: July 18, 2023

pages: 400

peppers: 3 of 5 (on this scale)

warnings:

mean mothers
alcohol

summary: Cassie is at her grandmother's house for the summer, hoping for a no-strings-attached fling. On her first night, she overhears Tate, getting dumped and decides he'd be a good candidate for flinging. Unfortunately for her, he thinks a platonic friendship is a smarter bet for them...for a while.

tropes:

friends-to-lovers
summer romance
small town
mean mother
distant father
uncaring stepmother
cool grandmother

little-kid twin sisters

what I liked: a lot about this book was fun to read. There are some twists and turns I really didn't expect.

what I didn’t like: The first part of the book didn't show the two main characters together enough. I'd like to have seen them spending more time together.

overall rating:  4 (of 5 stars)

I love the Avalon Bay series. Every book is easily bingeable. I really enjoyed the boy next door, just friends, hidden family drama tropes of this one. Will definitely read whatever comes next in this series!

The Summer Girl is book 3 in the Avalon Bay series. Cassandra is visiting Avalon Bay for the summer and wants a Summer fling. It’s the last summer before her senior year at college and it's the perfect time for some fun. Cassie witnesses Tate getting dumped and their attraction was immediate. Cassie finds out Tate is the town player so he is exactly what she is looking for. The character development is light on this series, and this book is no different. While these are adults in their young 20s it reads like a younger novel. It was a fun and easy read with a little bit of spice. Doesn't have the magic of the Off Campus Series though.

Dear friends, get ready to add this wonderful story to your summer reading list. I mean it. The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy has me yearning for a reread on the beach. It’s the perfect summer read, in my books (see what I did there?). This is book three in the Avalon Bay series and while it does work as a standalone, trust me when I say you’ll be aching to read the rest of them as soon as you’re done.

Meet Cassie. She’s a college student who hasn’t spent a full summer in Avalon Bay in years. With the family business going up for sale, she returns to say goodbye and maybe have a summer fling. She’s 21 and who knows what the summer will bring! Meet Tate. He’s a sailing instructor who is always down for a good time until he meets a girl who changes everything. Will Cassie and Tate walk the line between friends and lovers, or will the secrets of Avalon Bay prove too much for their relationship to survive?

This was my first read from Kennedy and it will not be my last. I was hooked by the entertaining plot as a reader, especially when she gave us a hero who is best friends with his mom and dad. As I’ve gotten older, I found joy in spending time with my parents and wish it was something I had more of. I found this story to be a breath of fresh air and the characters are easy to fall in love with. I cannot wait to read the first two books in the series because I don't think this book gave new readers many spoilers. Anything written by Kennedy will be immediately purchased in the future and again, go add this to your summer reading list right now!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I was really excited to read the third Avalon Bay book! I found it to be a light, fun, fluffy beach read, which felt as much like summer as you could imagine.

I love standalones in a series with character crossovers because it just feels like you already know the people involved, and the atmosphere especially when the setting is a small town like Avalon Bay.

I thought Cassie and Tate's story was fun, and of course, spicy in the best ways. I've been an Elle Kennedy fan ever since the first book of hers I read, and am always excited for the next.

Definitely my favorite of the Avalon Bay series yet! Cassie grew up in this cozy beach town until her parents divorced when she was ten, where her mother got full custody and took her to Boston. Cassie's back in AB for the summer visiting her maternal grandmother and her dad, stepmom, and half-sisters. She set one goal for herself while she's there- find a summer fling. She longs to experience what most of her friends have already- that short, sweet, fun time during the summer and then going back to normal life. She meets Tate her first week in town and they hit it off instantly. Tate's gorgeous, hard-working, and damn funny. He's normally not one for relationships, preferring hook ups and not catching feelings. But there's just something about this girl. They end up agreeing to be platonic so that no one ends up getting hurt, but of course, it doesn't stay that way for long. There was definitely some deep family trauma that was discussed & they both navigated it together beautifully. Their relationship felt so natural and genuine that you just can't help but rooting for them. And their chemistry is next level! This is definitely the spiciest of the Avalon Bay series so far and I was here for it. I would highly recommend this book for a great summer romance read! 4.5 stars.

The perfect summer beach read! It has tons of witty banter, heartwarming friendships, and real emotional battles that feel so real. Loved every minute of it!

Cassie is in Avalon Bay for the summer and is determined to have a summer fling. The problem: the one person who she wants to fling with isn’t interested in her. Or at least that’s what he says.

Tate likes to play the field. Casual hookups are his specialty. However, when the perfect relationship drops in his lap, he’s worried she’s not the kind of girl who can do hookups. So why is he regretting his decision to just be friends?

The supporting characters really play a huge role in this story. I love the various relationships that are on display as well as the effect everyone’s decisions have on the people around them. We see Cassie start out as an average college student and really transform into her own person. And as someone who’s currently going through the same struggles as Cassie, this story hit HARD with me.

Summer Girl is the third book in the series, however it can be read as a standalone without any issues. Wonderfully written, well polished, and emotionally beautiful. This was my first Elle Kennedy book, but it will definitely not be my last.

Favorite quote: “Always leave the house dressed as if you’re going to be murdered.”

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun YA romance, set in a beach town. Tate and Cassie meet in an awkward breakup scene on a darkened beach during a party. Their joking banter during this first encounter sets the tone for their relationship and easygoing dialogue throughout the book. They become friends, and intend to stay that way for the rest of the summer, but their mutual attraction has other ideas. Family relationships and drama are side stories to this romance that creates a fuller picture of their personalities and their desires for the future. The sex scenes are creative and spicy and sweet. Looking forward to reading the first 2 books of this series.

I binged the heck outta this book. It was so cute, perfect summer vibes. I would 1000% go visit Avalon bay any day!

Cassie and Tate. Ugh they were adorable and so cute and I just can’t with them, I loved them. This book was surprising in several ways, the relationship with the parents and how it effected them both in different ways was so interesting. I could definitely relate to some of the family issues they had and especially Cassie’s body image issues. As someone who has a generous bust and did from a very young age, people’s comments and things do tend to linger in your thoughts. So I loved seeing that while she was pretty confident and loved her body she did still struggle a bit. Cassie and Tate’s love story is a new summer favorite. I can see myself going back to reread this every summer to get in the mood for the season!

Thank you to Netgalley,Elle Kennedy, and St Martins press for the arc!

By far my favorite of the Avalon Bay summer series!! I loved this friends to lovers neighbor romance between a curvy virgin and the townie playboy. The chemistry between these two was fire but it was their honest friendship that I really loved too! Steamy and heartfelt and full of complex family drama. I truly loved every second and thought the narration by Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton was excellent. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review!

CW: past parental infidelity, toxic parental relationships, body shaming

Returning to Avalon Bay with the third book in the series and y'all it was the best one yet. While the universe that we see created in Elle Kennedy's novels usually lends better to reading an entire series at the same time, the cameos from previous books were limited enough that I didn't feel like I was missing something since it's been ages since I've read the first two books in the series.

I love a friends to lovers and Cassie and Tate were no exception. You could see their chemistry, their intentionality, and how they grew both together and individually over the course of the story. While the third act reconciliation felt a little rushed, and I would have loved a bit more to the epilogue this was another great visit to Avalon Bay!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review!

I have so many thoughts about this book.

For starters, I love Avalon Bay. I have loved every book in this series. I have loved these characters, these relationships, these friends. I have seen them mature and grow into themselves throughout the pages. I have stayed in touch through glimpses of how well they're doing in someone else's story line. I love these people. They're amazingly well written. They have depth and they have struggles and challenges that I read them overcome.

This book is no different from the other two in the series. There's one thing that has bothered me, and that is that I wish everyone was slightly older. I am not sure why, but their actions always made me feel like they were too young to be so mature. I felt like these characters especially were at least 27 years old. I felt like many of their feelings are what I felt as I slowly approached 30, freaking out because I thought I had to suddenly be a true adult and not an imposter adult pretending to pay my bills on time and that I liked kale over dino nuggets. One more thing that bothered me is that Cassie often speaks grammatically incorrect. She's an English major, if she were any other major I truly would not care. It would actually make sense for her character to be even more careful with her grammar. The way she speaks though, it's wrong. She makes mistakes often, the most blatantly obvious is when she says things like, "me and mom" instead of "mom and I". It's a small thing, but I feel like her character wouldn't make that mistake, not when she's so adamant about getting perfect grades and impressing her mother. There are areas in the book with a few spelling mistakes but that seems more of a small oversight than anything else.

Now, please, allow me to go on endlessly about how much I love this book.

Tate and Cassie? Incredible banter. I physically laughed throughout this book. Any time they were going back and forth, I would laugh and have a really amazing time. I even cried towards the end when we see Cassie finally stick up for herself. Tate and Cassie are truly wonderful characters and I cannot wait to catch a snippet of them in the next Avalon Bay book (there is going to be another one, right Elle? You owe me since I did cry thinking you were going to make this a painful read). There was one part of the book where I highlighted and wrote a note saying something along the lines of, "JEEZ ELLE!! TWIST THE KNIFE A LITTLE HARDER WHY DON'T YOU?!!" because it hurt so much to see things falling a part for our two lovers.

The relationships we see in this book were harder to read for me. I think because the relationship Cassie has with her mother is too realistic as I also have a. similar relationship with my mother. Every encounter in the beginning, I was cringing from second hand embarrassment. I knew exactly why Cassie acted the way she acted, it was self preservation, something I have done my entire life with my mother. And how it all escalates throughout the book, it was just tough to read. And then I cried at her last interaction with her mother. It was like Cassie was standing up for every girl who has a not-so-kind mother who unabashedly talks down to her own daughter. I'm not ashamed to admit, I had to stop reading and grab tissues.

I loved this book. It is a feel good summer romance and that is exactly what I want in my life right now. Low stakes, little conflict, everything I want in a summer read. This is the perfect book so go tan with at the beach. Please please please, I beg you, read this book. You're going to fall in love with these characters. (Also, Elle Kennedy? Hi, it's me, I'm obsessed with you. Please write another book in this series. I'm literally begging you. I'll send you a pic with me on my knees begging if it gets you writing)

Oh, and I'm doing a Youtube video coming out probably June 3rd about the Avalon Bay series so stay tuned for that! YouTube.com/myfriendmademereadit

We return to Avalon Bay once more in this installment, and I enjoyed our leads so much! It was fun to see the MMC that everyone treats like nothing but a good time fall hard for this FMC. I can't wait to see what's next for Avalon Bay!

This book really got me excited and ready for summer. The Summer Girl is the third book in Elle Kennedy Avalon Bay series, and it was so good. I had such an awesome time reading this book. It was super compelling, and I loved Cassie. Her and Tate’s communication was great in this book, and I loved that open dialogue they had. Their relationship developed at a great pace, both of them going through a lot of both positive and negative situations together, some of which had shocking implications that could tear apart a lot of foundations in their lives. I also really liked all the new things and friendships that Cassie experienced, it seemed like the perfect summer with the sailboats, fires on the beach and a hot summer fling. I would really recommend picking this book if you're looking for summer romance, this book was a really amazing time.
I received this advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

The Summer Girl
4-4.5 ⭐️

This trip back to Avalon Bay just might be my favorite!

Synopsis: College student Cassie Soul hasn’t spent an entire summer in Avalon Bay in years, not since her parents divorced and her mother spitefully whisked her away to Boston. Now that her grandmother is selling the boardwalk hotel that’s been in their family for five decades, Cassie returns to the quaint beach town to spend time with family, ring in her twenty-first birthday… and maybe find herself a summer fling.

I started this one while away on a girls weekend with my bestie and I flew through it. The story had the perfect summer/beach town setting that set the perfect reading mood and the well paced flow kept the pages turning with ease. Cassie and Tate were so much fun. Their banter was hilarious (those nicknames) and their chemistry was undeniably hot. 🥵

I adored the friendships and enjoyed that we get to catch up with our favorite characters from the previous books, but my favorite relationship was between Cassie and her Grandmother. It was so darn sweet and made me think of and miss mine. 🥰

What I enjoyed;
☀️ Friends to Lovers
☀️ LOL Banter
☀️ The Spice
☀️ Family Drama
☀️ Grandma/Lydia

The Summer Girl publishes 7/18 and you’re going to want this swoony emotional romance in your beach bag. While you don’t “need” to read the first two books, the previous characters were so much fun, so why not!?

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such a good addition to the Avalon Bay series. I’ll admit I went into it unsure how much I’d like Tate as a lead, but Tate and Cassie were great together.

This is a small-town, friends-to-lovers romance featuring a summer fling that is meant to be much more.

The main characters were great although some of the secondary characters, while necessary for conflict, were a bit difficult. I will say the Elle Kennedy has not shied away from strained parent-child relationships in this series!

What I loved in this book:
✔️ Friends-to-lovers
✔️ Small town setting
✔️ Chosen family
✔️ Growing in confidence (both)


💚 Mental Health Awareness Month 💚

There is quite a bit of discussion about navigating a toxic relationship with a narcissist which is good to see reflected!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Elle Kennedy for a chance to read this summer romance

📖 I received a gifted e-book copy in exchange for an honest review ✍🏻

Read dates: 05/21/2023- 05/24/2023
Goodreads review posted: 05/24/2023
Instagram review posted: 05/25/2023

The Summer Girl is the third and final book in the Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy and I have to say it's definitely my favorite out of all three!

The Summer Girl is the story of Cassie and Tate. Tate is the nice guy but also the hookup guy. He's not looking for any type of relationship and his usual FWB, Alana, just told him she's done and just wants to go back to being friends. Cassie, who's in town for the summer, just happens to over hear the "dumping" and can't help but feel awkward especially when Tate catches her trying to sneak off. They quickly become friends and almost more but Tate backs off with the intention of trying to protect Cassie and her feelings. He ends up becoming a sort of wingman and their friendship continue to blossom.

I found Tate to be soooo sweet and funny. He was just an all around great guy and I definitely think that was what Cassie needed and deserved for her first time. Cassie has had it a bit rough but always manages to find the silver lining in every situation and I really admire that about her. Her mom can kick rocks though, jesus what an awful human being. I really loved her grandmother too, even though I thought for a second she would keel over...you scared me more than once Elle! Getting to see how everyone reacted to the restoration of the Beacon was cool too. We started with it in basically ruins in the first book and now we get to see the grand reopening in the last, very nice! And getting more of the couples from the previous books was great too, the beach games were HILARIOUS! I wish we got a bonus scene of the results of the bet the girls and the twins made that would've been icing on the cake!

Overall this was definitely a hit for me! It was refreshing to read a romance where the main conflict isn't even about the featured couple. Some might call this too sweet of a book but I really liked it and it was so easy to read and I did not want to put it down because I just needed more of Tate and Cassie! Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for gifting me an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!