The Summer Girl is the latest gem in the Avalon Bay series, and boy, did it deliver! 🙌💎 With each book, I fall more in love with this interconnected world and the return of beloved characters. 😍💕
Our leading lady, Cassie, is in town for a visit with her grandma, but little did she know that her world was about to be turned upside down by her charming new neighbor, Tate! 😄🏡 Their meet cute had me laughing out loud, and their banter throughout the story was 🔝notch! These two are a dynamic duo of wit and chemistry! 🔥⚡
Out of the three books in the series, The Summer Girl easily snagged the title of my favorite! 🏆🌟 The way the story unfolds is as refreshing as a cool breeze on a scorching summer day. 🌬️💦 Elle Kennedy has once again captured my heart with her delightful writing and captivating storytelling. 💖✒️
If you're planning a beach getaway 🏖️🌴, don't forget to pack this book! It's the perfect companion for your sandy adventures, as it will make you laugh, swoon, and fall head over flip-flops in love! 😂
Highly recommended! Grab your shades, slather on the sunscreen, and dive into the enchanting world of The Summer Girl!

The Summer Girl is book 3 in the Avalon Bay series and it’s definitely my favorite of the series so far. I loved Cassie and Tate - the banter, the chemistry and the angst between them was soooo good!

This one has a friends to lovers, I’ll be your wingman vibe that I was totally into. Tate is determined not to be Cassie’s fling for fear of hurting her. Instead, he vows to help her find the perfect fling. Cue all the angsty moments and sizzling chemistry between them that refuse to be ignored. Sprinkle in some family drama - y’all I seriously detested Cassie’s mom so much. That woman was pure venom. Cassie and Tate had to deal with some big emotional issues while navigating their relationship. The balance between fun, sexy, emotional and tender was spot on in my opinion throughout this book.

The audiobook was wonderfully narrated by Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton. I binged my way right through this narration, unable to put it down once I started listening.

The Summer Girl is packed with chemistry and drama. I was expecting the chemistry, but not the angst. Elle Kennedy deals with the ramifications of parental divorce and how it doesn’t matter the age if the heart is not tended to. Kennedy also throws in parental emotional abuse regarding everything, but heavily focused on body image. Cassie also deals with neglect and the feelings of second families being made and loving and hating it at the same time.

Tate’s story focuses on the idea of parental dreams versus the child, or in the case the new adult’s dreams. Tate’s dad envisions leaving his business to Tate and has been training him to take over. Since Tate is now available, he and his wife are ready to start living their lives even though Tate is in his early twenties. Tate hasn’t had a chance to live his dreams yet and already he is being told that they need to be shelved so his parents can live theirs. Then the dream of a lifetime gets offered to Tate and difficult discussions need to be had.

In the midst of all of this is the seduction of Tate and then Cassie as each tries to have a friends-with-benefits relationship. There is lots of humor, misunderstandings, and steam before we get to any action.

Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton perform this story with perfect inflection. I just love the interchanging chapters and individual voices of Tate and Cassie. This story flew by with these two narrators at the helm. I would definitely listen to them again.

This is my first visit to Avalon Bay and I had a great time. If Elizabeth and Hamilton are narrating the others, then I will definitely visit again.

Cassie is returning to Avalon Bay after many years as her grandmother is planning to sell the hotel that’s been in their family for five decades. She’s planning to have an amazing time and hopefully find herself a summer fling. Tate is a sailing instructor and well known player, but loved by everyone. Tate and Cassie have an immediate connection their feelings only grow despite them trying to deny so.

“As Cassie and Tate walk the line between friends and lovers, they’re about to discover that their situation is the least complicated part of this equation. Because Avalon Bay is full of secrets—and their relationship might not survive when those secrets come to light.“

Elle Kennedys writing is a favourite of mine and The Summer Girl was no exception. The banter and tension in her books is unmatched. I enjoyed every part of this book from the friendships to dealing with family issues, and seeing the characters work through any issues and them growing stronger because of it. Cassie and Tate had an undeniable pull and chemistry from the very beginning and it only grew as their story went on, another incredible book from one of my favourite authors!

This romcom is exactly what the doctor ordered. The Summer Girl follows Cassie as she visits her grandma in a southern beach town for the summer and tried her hand at her first summer fling.
Where Cassie is shy yet optimistic, her love interest, Tate, is confident and endlessly charming. I love the way, their initial traction turned into a real friendship which then developed later into more. It felt real and believable, and their dynamic was just so enjoyable to read.
I also love that the story didn’t stop short at just giving us the romcom aspect, both Cassie and Tate had complex relationships with their parents. The honesty and vulnerability of diving into the imperfect relationships between parent and child gave the story the extra sparkle that took it from entertaining to a truly enjoyable read.
I’m not the typical romcom reader (I’m usually more of a romantasy reader) but I would recommend this to all of my friends looking to giggle and kick their feet at some cute banter.

This was my 1st Elle Kennedy book. I’ve heard amazing things about her books and figured I’d check it out, not knowing exactly what I was getting into. This book relatable as it is hot 🥵 🔥 and Tate is amazing 😍🥰😘

The gradual progression of Cassie & Tate’s friendship/crush-ship flows so seamlessly. It felt so natural. I also enjoyed seeing Cassie find her voice.

I loved Cassie’s Grandmother. My gma was my best friend so I loved that aspect of the book.
There were things about Cassie’s parents that hit home for me so I could totally relate to Cassie and her frustration with her parental units. I could totally relate to everything about Cassie’s life…except the being rich part 😂🤣.

I could totally see the friendliness from Cassie’s mom, Victoria and where that was headed as I know someone who is very much like Tori. There are always ulterior motives. Cassie kept hoping that the people in her life would be better…but some people won’t change and it’s ok to leave those people behind #grayrockapproach anyone!? #workslikeacharm

I cannot wait to read the other books in the Avalon Bay series! I’m officially an Elle Kennedy fan ❤️

TW: Check them before reading. A lot of this hit home for me but it was more of a “ok so I’m not alone in dealing with this” way and not necessarily triggering for me.

Okay whaaaat I loved this one so much! Def my favorite of the series but I also knew I’d love Tate the most (playboy turned to one girl only). This story was done so well from the insta-attraction to the budding friendship to slowly falling in love. I actually loved this third act breakup cause it made sense AND there was some juicy drama I literally gasped out loud at one point.

Highly recommend this one (and honestly you can skip the first two because there’s not much about the twins, but still think the first two are worth the read).

"The Summer Girl" is the perfect summer read if you're looking for a spicy romance novel! This was my first Elle Kennedy book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found the side stories very enjoyable and liked that they didn't take away from the main story but added to it.
I wasn't expecting so much swearing but I got used to it after the first three chapters (not that I'm a prude but, the "F-word" was used a lot).
Kennedy definitely keeps you wondering right to end with this one. I'm looking forward to reading more Elle Kennedy books!

Welcome back to Avalon Bay!

I was so excited to receive the ARC of The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy because I absolutely love her other books! Elle Kennedy I think you are my summer staple….keep these babies coming! 😉

👏🏼 Thank you to NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

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. On her first night in town, she finds the perfect candidate: Tate Bartlett, Avalon Bay's fun-loving golden boy.

Tate, sailing instructor and lovable player, is no stranger to flings. In fact, he's always down for a good time. But the moment he meets Cassie, he knows she's not the girl you play games with. The last thing he wants to do is risk breaking her heart, and so he reluctantly puts her in the friend-zone... only to realize he made a huge mistake.

As Cassie and Tate walk the line between friends and lovers, they're about to discover that their situation is the least complicated part of this equation. Because Avalon Bay is full of secrets-and their relationship might not survive when those secrets come to light.

Thoughts:
☀️ All the summer vibes
💕 Loved the characters and their interactions especially between Cassie and Tate.
🌶️ Spicy moments
🎧 Loved the audiobook. Great job Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton
💔 Family drama and a lot of complex/strong friendships and relationships which made the story come together.
📖 A fun, page turner that I could not put down!

The Summer Girl is book three of the Avalon Bay series of interconnected standalones. This is by far my favorite of the series! Cassie is back in Avalon Bay to help her grandmother pack up her home so she can go live closer to her family. While she is there she wants to have a summer fling without all the feelings. She just wants to have some fun before she starts her senior year of college. Tate is the town player but when Cassie suggests they have a “friends with benefits” fling, Tate turns her down because he doesn’t want her to catch feelings and get her heart broken. I loved everything about this book…the banter, the angst, the humor, the spice, and the friendships (and getting more of Mac, Cooper, Gen, and Evan). Tate and Cassie are couple goals! I loved the chemistry between them and the sexual tension was there from the get go! I think my favorite part of their relationship was the fun, lighthearted banter between them. It had me laughing out loud several times. However, I wasn’t prepared for the emotions in this book at all! I had to grab a tissue more than once! Overall I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend especially if you are looking for a cute and fun summer read!

I listened to the audio while following along with the ebook and I highly recommend that you listen to the audio. It was well done and Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton really brought this story alive for me. They made me feel as if I was right there with the characters.

5/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️
5/5 🎧

I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to feel about this book heading in... I liked the first two Avalon Bay books, but they didn't have the same magic that her Off Campus series had. However, it feels like Elle got her groove back, because this book may be my favorite of hers! I absolutely loved the storyline and these characters. Add in the fact that Teddy Hamilton voiced Tate and this audiobook was an absolute dream to listen too. He did such a fantastic job (as always) and I really loved Caitlin Elizabeth too. She wasn't my favorite at first, but she quickly grew on me and I loved these two narrators together.

I loved that Tate wasn't a true playboy, not really. He enjoyed sleeping around prior to this story, but the truth was deep down he was just looking for a love like his parents had. I think it helped that this was a friends to lovers story too, we really got to know Tate before him and Cassy dived into their fling.

Cassy's issues with her parents about broke my heart. This one had me tearing up a little at the end as Cassy finally found out how a mom is truly supposed to act. Her mother is absolutely vile in the beginning of this story and it made me want to scream. The situation with her dad and stepmom also had me breaking, she just felt so unloved and unwanted for so long. She's a strong woman to go through what she had and be as amazing as she was.

I was not expecting the third act to go the way it did. But I really enjoyed how it all came back together in the end. These two were meant to be and their relationship was so special. This story had me laughing and tearing up so often, I just loved it and now I'm officially excited to head back to Avalon Bay again soon.

I loved this storyline! I read Bad Girl Reputation last year and it was not my favourite (I still need to read Good Girl Complex), so I’m glad this one has helped me with loving Avalon Bay. The characters are still extremely young (it’s New Adult and they’re college age, with a virginity plot line), but I did get into it pretty quickly.

There was sooo much going on here - major family issues, selling family homes and businesses and spending one last hoorah on the island, learning about long-ago infidelity and that parents perhaps are real people with real feelings, too. Some are good people, some are irredeemable.

There’s a ton of character development as we go through this one - both main characters are on great personal journeys and I really enjoyed how much they grew up and learned about themselves in such a short summer. While there was drama and heartache involved, it wasn’t a tearjerker to get to the end and I appreciated the whole experience.

A definite recommendation and I of course recommend the audio version, as always! Narrated by Caitlin Elizabeth, who was a great Cassie Soul, returned to her hometown for the summer (aka The Summer Girl), and the magnificent Teddy Hamilton as Tate Bartlett, the playboy neighbour. Teddy was brilliant, as always!

I received an advance read and listen copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin), and Macmillan Audio, and this is my honest feedback.

Elle Kennedy is one of my favorites - she always provides fun, spicy reads that have plenty of depth. And I appreciate that. I was beyond excited when I got The Summer Girl because I adored Good Girl Complex. Don’t ask me which was better because that’s just impossible.

The fact that Cassie had deep seated issues that stemmed from her parents and had some serious issues she needed to work through made this read even more likable. And Tate cautiously helping her through them? My heart is so full.

I struggled their push and pull, it was either to the extreme or too chill, and for some reason that really bothered me. But when it was good, it was great!

This audio was done so well! I couldn’t stop listening because the narrators did such an amazing job conveying emotions and pulling you in. Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton killed it!

This is an easy, sweet summer read that is MOSTLY lighthearted.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, 2 🌶️🌶️ spice Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advance copy of The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy. Although this title is in the Avalon Bay series it can be enjoyed as a standalone. I did not read the first two books in the series and did not find any issues following the storyline. Will definitely be revisiting the first two books in the series now!

Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton did an excellent job bringing Cassie and Tate to life. This title provided a refreshing take on the "townies vs. summer home" resident class differences with Cassie and Tate connecting despite the differences in their upbringings. Cassie is a well-to-do college student visiting family for the summer while Tate is working non-stop as a sailing instructor and at his family's business. Cassie and Tate find themselves in the middle of family drama that Elle Kennedy did a very good job of resolving quickly (hate plots where the conflict seems to drag on forever!)

This book was a fun, steamy friends with benefits, summertime romance. Although the characters were college-aged, their personalities were mature and did not distract from their character development. The perfect light & fun beach read for the summer.

College student Cassie summers in Avalon Bay, spending time with her grandmother and hoping for a summer fling. She meets Tate, sailing instructor and good-time boy. He's strongly attracted to Cassie but senses her innocence. He friend-zones her at first, but can't resist their growing attraction. Then, family secrets arise that test their relationship.

Cassie is adorable, and Tate is swoony. Together, the chemistry between them is explosive. Cassie is dealing with a lot, given her often absent father and her narcissistic mother. Tate helps her learn to stand up for what she needs. I love how smart, fun, and emotional this book is. The narration is stellar.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Wow, what an emotional read! Fun, witty banter to tears streaming down my cheeks, this book has it all! I have read the book before this so was familiar with this writer's wonderful talent, but this book takes that talent to the next level! The characters that you are supposed to dislike, you will hate and the characters that you are supposed to like, you will love! I want to be careful to not give the plot away as it is too good to ruin with spoilers so let me just say that the characters are extremely well fleshed out to feel very real, the interwoven plot lines are so well crafted that you literally feel the same emotions, whether happy or sad, that the characters do and the dual narration of the book is absolutely the clincher as the narrators infuse the breath of life that only great narration can do! I'd categorize the book as a beach read, but oh so much more than that! I can't wait to dig into more of this author's work!

I've enjoyed all the Avalon Bay books and this one was no different. Cassie and Tate's story was both sweet and spicy. Cassie had always been the good girl - - the one that colored in the lines so to speak. But this summer, she wanted the full summer experience - - all the way down to having her own summer fling. And she set her sights on Tate because he seemed to be the perfect no strings attached local guy with a heart of gold and the body of a Greek god. But the best of plans don't always work out and her plans for Tate go awry.

The way this book was written, I felt like I was squeezing my own toes in sand and smelling the salt air. It was a wonderful tribute to summer and everything it meant to be young and in love.

AUDIOBOOK: The narration was fairly good for the most part. I will say that when it came time for the narrators to do the opposite sex voices, they weren't the best at that, but it still wasn't bad. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for both early copies of the ebook and audiobook. I voluntarily chose to review both of them and the opinions contained within are my own.

4.5 stars

I knew by the first chapter of this audiobook that I was going to enjoy the narration. Caitlin Elizabeth is a new to me narrator and she portrayed 20-year-old Cassie perfectly. Even her male voices were great. Teddy Hamilton is always good, but he could work on his female voices.

Cassie Soul is back in Avalon Bay for the summer to spend time with her grandmother and father. Her other goal for the summer is to find a summer fling. She finds the perfect guy on her first night in town--Tate Bartlett.

This is just the perfect summer read. Tate is adorable. He and Cassie have great chemistry and banter-especially when he is trying (at first) to help her find someone else to be her summer fling. That doesn't work for long as they discover that their attraction is too strong.

There is some family drama included as Cassie's mother is just a horrible person and mother.

This is my favorite of the Avalon Bay series and it's the spiciest. It is book three but can be read fine as a standalone.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St, Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ALC and ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh my gosh I LOVED this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Cassie comes to Avalon Bay for the summer, visiting her grandmother (and father and his family) who still live there. She’s looking for a fling before heading back to college in the Fall.
Her first night in town she meets the incredibly gorgeous, funny and sweet Tate, and thinks she’s found the perfect hookup guy.

They get along so well that they decide to just stay friends - or rather Tate puts Cassie in the friend zone, not wanting to risk breaking her heart. Their attraction to one another can’t be denied, and soon they can’t ignore it anymore.

Honestly both main characters were so easy to fall in love with, it was no surprise they did with each other! Cassie is this adorable rambler, and Tate is considered a f*ck boy who everyone still loves, since he treats them all with respect and honesty.

The tension in this book is yummy, and that window scene 🥵

I totally didn’t expect to be in tears with this one, but I was! There was also a twist I didn’t see coming, which I love.

I tandem read this book - ebook and audio - and Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton did a fantastic job on the audio!

This is the 3rd book in the Avalon Bay series, but can be read as a standalone. Good Girl Complex (the 1st book) does set up some things that happen in this one though.

What you’ll find in the Summer Girl:
⭐️ Friends to friends with benefits to more
⭐️ Cinnamon roll hero
⭐️ Neighbors
⭐️ Virgin FMC
⭐️ Lovable MCs
⭐️ Beachside town
⭐️ Dual POV/first person

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This was hands down my favorite of the Avalon Bay Series books. Elle Kennedy took me on a wold ride of summer love, family drama, and self exploration. Tate and Cassie's story was so much fun to read. I also loved how the past characters had their own plots in the story as well. The narrators were amazing also. I listened to all 3 books on audio and definitely recommend them!

Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Kennedy and Macmillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.