As this is the third book in the Avalon Bay book series - I really don't think this is my favourite series by Elle Kennedy. It does not compare to Off Campus or Briar U, at all; however, all three are fine reads. I liked this book probably as much as I liked book two! (I liked 2 and 3 more than book 1). They're not bad - they're fine reads. I think all three struggle with the plot - there's a lot of nothing happening. This is a friends-to-lover, which I love. The beach setting is always great. Also love the cover!

I love Elle Kennedy's writing and her Avalon Bay series does not get enough hype. Tate is by far my favorite MMC from this series and I think I can also say that Cassie may be my favorite FMC for this series as well. The banter is top notch - the spice is immaculate - the tension is chefs kiss. The twist at the end I DID NOT see coming and even though Im not always a fan of the third act break up I think it made sense in the story and I liked how the two got back together in the end.

Elle kennedy did it again! She is the perfect author to read when you are in a reading slump. This was so easy to read and get into. I loved their chemistry and banter!

Thanks so much to St Martins Press and Elle Kennedy for ARC. Elle is one of my favorite authors. This was a cute and quick read for me. I loved Cassie and Tate. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good romance read. To be honest you can never go wrong for a book written by Elle!

2.5/5 stars
This book just wasn't what I thought it was. I was looking forward to this ARC because of the first book in the Avalon Bay series. The characters in this book felt flat to me. It wasn't until the last 80% of the book that it started to pick up. I loved seeing the old characters coming together this book and seeing how everyone is. I loved the set up of the Beach Games and wish we got to see the teams training for it because I think it would have been good content. I wish Cassie and Tate had more development in their relationship. I loved the friendship portion of their relationship but I didn't feel like they grew that much as the story went on. I wanted more substance out of both of them. I loved the ending but I wish some of the characters developed more. I also think this book could've been a lot shorter if Tate and Cassie would just communicate more openly. Thank you to NetGalley and Elle Kennedy for this ARC. I will still be reading more of Avalon Bay because I am addicted.

Great setting. I loved the beach town where summer vacationers come to visit. The characters are likeable and very intriguing (even mum and grandma). Cassie is a relatable character and down to earth, which engages the reader from the beginning. I found it spent too long discussing the details of the Avalon Beach Games and ended up skimming the majority of it so I could find out what the results were ( I honestly didn't care). It slowed down the plot for me, where I just wanted to carry on and see what happened with the families. I did love where the ending went and was happy with Cassie's relationship with her mum (instead of forgiving her and everything being wrapped up with a bow).

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book. Elle Kennedy books are instant buys for me! The character development is always great in her amazing romances with the perfect amount of drama! I was so excited about this book and It was so much better than I could’ve hoped for! I started reading this book and had to grab the first 2 books in the Avalon bay series to read! I didn’t want to put this down the chemistry and tension between Cassie and Tate was off the charts! I liked how their friendship blossomed into a relationship! I loved the unexpected twists and turns that happened I also enjoyed the family drama that was thrown in. Tate and Cassie are the cutest! I really hope this series continues because I just love all the residents of Avalon bay!

I could not get over the immaturity phrases and the way that he was talking like a teenage douche not a 21 year old. I was really really disappointed in this book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I think I've gotten far enough into the Avalon Bay books to discover I might just not be the biggest fan of this series, but alas, because I liked Kennedy's Off Campus and Briar U series so much, I was really hoping at least ONE of these would give me the same bliss. Unfortunately, this was a miss as well. Cassie was just not an enjoyable character to read and the plot dragged so much. Cassie and Tate sound great in theory, but I really was just not feeling their romance, and the reveal just didn't floor me or even keep me interested. I like Kennedy's writing, honestly, and I kept reading because the idea of the Avalon Bay books is really fun. I just don't think they were greatly executed.

A summer romance that has everything you want. Why have I never read an Elle Kennedy before? I loved the setting of Avalon Bay with the townies and the tourists. The town was quintessential summer holiday. I loved all the characters and the very real family dynamics. I thought it was just going to be a sweet young love but the emotional roller coaster that Tate and Cassie's story put me through was perfection.
The tension and banter between these two burned off the pages.
This is the 3rd of the series but can be read as a standalone. I can't wait to go back and read all of the stories of Avalon Bay.
I would recommend to any one that likes coming of age romance, sexy banter and small town contemporary romance.

My 1st ARC!!!!! So happy I got to read this before it comes out in July. I love Elle Kennedy books, I enjoyed the mention that Cassie goes to Briar U which ties in Elle Kennedys other series of books. For a romance story it really had all the feel good parts but also touched on hard relationships with parents which really resonated with me. Tate and Cassie’s love was so sweet, I did feel like the end was a little rushed but it was such a perfect feel good book.

I love a friends to lovers trope, and Elle Kennedy did not disappoint! This is the perfect summer read, and I can't wait to add a physical copy to my library!

(3.5) Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this novel! First off, this book had insane chemistry! Elle Kennedy always does a great job showing how her characters are pining for one another. I adored Tate, which was huge for me because I do sometimes find characters in these types of books a little bit annoying and trying too hard to be "not like other girls." Lastly, I thought that the subplots about family in this novel were very well done and added dimension to a classic Kennedy novel.

I was so excited to head back to Avalon Bay with this book! Kennedy does another fantastic job of setting the scene with Summer Girl, bringing the small beach town to life for all of her readers. While this book incorporates many of the characters from the first two books, it also felt like it stood on its own.

YA hasn’t been my go-to for awhile, but this series falls squarely between YA and contemporary romance. The characters are at the crossroads in their life of where they’ll go post-college. I think it’s easy to forget how deeply you can feel in relationships at that age. That it’s possible to know who you want to spend the rest of your life with at such a young age. Readers shouldn’t discount Tate and Cassie’s love story just because of their ages (21 and 23). Kennedy does a fantastic job of writing their story.

I loved so many things about this one. Tate is house-sitting the home next to Cassie’s grandmother’s house. She grew up in Avalon Bay & he moved there with his parents when he was 12. Their friendship starts off so perfectly, with the spark of genuine friendship being so well-written. You see a lot of romantic spark in books, but I loved the way Kennedy built their friendship first. He didn’t want anything serious with her & neither did she want anything serious with him. But their feelings for each other grow & they fall for each other.

I was surprised by the “conflict” we get later in the book. Usually, we see the characters get together, then break up or separate for some reason or another, but the conflict that comes between them is unique and unexpected. If I’m being honest, it sucked me into the story even more. Both characters grow a lot in this story, which made it even more enjoyable to read.

Kennedy states in her author’s note/acknowledgements at the end that this series puts a smile on her face from the time she starts chapter 1 until the end of the last chapter. I felt the same sentiment. It’s obvious she enjoys writing this series. When an author loves what they write, it’s easy for readers to fall in love with the story line, too.

I own Good Girl Complex which is this series first book, however I read Summer Girl first even though it is the third book. I did not find that it was necessary to read them in order. I enjoyed the story of Cassie and Tate meeting over the summer and attempting a casual no strings attached fling (we all know how that usually ends in romance books haha) and was happy that they also focused on their families as well. It’s nice to have a little bit of depth in a romance. I thought it was a solid cutesy romance but nothing earth shattering. Would recommend for someone who is looking for something easy to read but still solid. Will definitely be going back to read the first two as well. Would be a good vacation/beach read!

Knowing from the other two in this series where the book was set I thought where better to read it than relaxing on the Carolina shoreline? I delayed reading this ARCS to be able to enjoy it where it deserved to be read. I Loved all of the Briar U, Off Campus series, and Good Girl, was I was ready to be amazed.

However, as I kept reading I found myself being distracted by everything because the story just didn't hold my attention. There was nothing wrong with the story I could point it; it was just a little flat. It took a while to really get going and the story felt too young for the characters. There didn't seem to be any real connection between Tate and Cassie besides convienence of location.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love everything Elle Kennedy writes and The Summer Girl is going to be everyone’s favorite beach read in 2023!
Tate and Cassie meet in Avalon Bay the summer of Cassie’s Senior year at Briar U… i love that we have an extension of The Deal. Cassie…Wants a Summer Fling but Tate convinced her to settle for a Platonic Relationship. Cassie can’t seem to get over the feeling she has for Tate and slowly works her way into his life until their past becomes the present and ruins any chance of the future.

When Cassie returns to Avalon Bay to visit her grandmother, she decides to look for a summer fling that will end before she returns to Boston. Insert notorious playboy Tate. These two decide to get together for the summer with no strings attached. So what happens when the summer ends and they have some strings forming?
The Summer Girl is the third book in the Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy and features Cassie and Tate as the main characters. I liked this book better than the second one and thought it was a great addition to the series. The plot of this book was good. It wasn't outlandish or anything like that. The characters were good and each had their own thing going on. Cassie is the sweet college girl who bottles her emotions and Tate is the local good boy who has probably slept with most of the Bay. Both of them are extremely nice and easy to read about. The only thing that was annoying was how Cassie would let things bubble inside her, but that's a part of character. Everything else is good and easy to follow. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. It was a cute and simple romance book by one of my favourite authors so I obviously enjoyed it. I gave this book 4/5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy a new to me by I'll be checking out more books by. The third book in the Avalon Bay series. Still really enjoyed this book even without having read the previous books in the series. Great storyline and likable characters.

This was a cute story about first love. Although it was predictable, I still enjoyed the book and really appreciated how caring, sweet and attentive Cassie and Tate were to one another. Their characters were developed well outside of their romance. This felt like a YA novel to me, especially with the dialogue between the larger friend group.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.