I really enjoyed the writing style by Elle Kennedy! I had never read a book before by Kennedy and I was pleasantly surprised. This was a very sweet summer fling romance that was easy to follow and a quick read compared to other heavier books.

**Check trigger warnings before!**

That characters felt a little immature and mature at the same time. I also felt that the characters were a little underdeveloped. Overall, I would definitely check out other books by Kennedy in the future. I would really like to see a change in genre.

The Summer Girl, written by Elle Kennedy and narrated by Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton, is such a fun summer read!

Cassie Soul returns to Avalon Bay in search of a summer fling where she meets local hottie, Tate Bartlett. Their steamy relationship evolves over the summer the same time family secrets are finally revealed.

This book was written in dual POV - Cassie, voiced by Caitlin , and Tate, voiced by Teddy. I love audiobooks that are narrated by two different people, I think each character having their own voice creates a better listening experience and also helps the listener become more emotionally involved in the story. I thought both of these narrators brought this book to life and helped me visualize the character's behavior. I really felt Cassie's emotions when Caitlin narrated her scene with Nia towards the end of the book. I think this narration made me more invested into the story and helped me relate to the character.

I thought this book was read at a great pace and was not too slow or too "dramatic". I loved that this audiobook felt natural and flowed at a pace where I could easily picture the characters' dialogue and actions.

I loved the setting of Avalon Bay and how the reader learns how everyone in this small town is connected. I love reading interconnected series and being able to see what couples are like from another perspective. I also loved to see Cassie being accepted into this friend group and feeling more comfortable in Avalon Bay after not loving there full time for many years.

This is a spicy read however it was not all about the sex. I think there was a great balance between Cassie and Tate's spicier scenes and their more genuine conversations that made their relationship not seem so rushed or fake. I think they had great chemistry from the start and the romance did not seem forced. I loved how they were each others' support for their relationship with their parents. I thought Victoria Tanner's character was so well written and added so much dimension to this story. The twist at the end of this book was great! There were many hints to this but the specifics of it were unexpected.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the opportunity to listen to this book!

I absolutely loved this book! It was super easy to follow, quick read and just enough spice! I will recommend this to others. Also glad it was a stand alone as I didn’t read the first two books!

Twenty-year-old Cassie Soul hasn't spent an entire summer in Avalon Bay since her parents divorced and she moved to Boston with her mother years ago. When her grandmother decides to sell the hotel that has been in their family for 50 years, Cassie returns to the beach town to spend time with family and friends, celebrate her 21st birthday, and maybe even find a summer fling. Cassie finds the perfect candidate in Tate Bartlett, the fun-loving golden boy of Avalon Bay. No stranger to flings, Tate reluctantly puts Cassie in the friend-zone not wanting to break her heart. He soon realizes he made a huge mistake when his attraction to Cassie becomes impossible to ignore. As Cassie and Tate go from friends to lovers, their relationship is tested when dark secrets come to light.

This was my first Elle Kennedy book, and I didn't realize it is the third installment of the Avalon Bay series. It works as a standalone, though, and I don't think you need to read the first two books to understand the plot. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. Told from the points of view of Cassie and Tate, this book had a fun storyline and setting. This was a very spicy book, and Cassie and Tate had strong chemistry. I really liked Cassie, who was extremely relatable. While this was a light summer romance, it also dealt with more serious topics of body image, insecurities, and family drama, and I felt connected to Cassie as she navigated these issues. I was not a fan of Tate, described as the "lovable player," which is a total oxymoron. It was nice to get his perspective on things, but his descriptions of Cassie were often crude.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton. They really made the characters come to life and made it fun to listen. The male narrator didn't really "match" Tate for me personally. He was described as having a slight southern accent, but the narrator sounded much more northern.

Overall, an entertaining beach read that I think most readers will enjoy. Read this book if you like:
-Friends to lovers
-Summer flings
-Beach town romances
-Dual POVs

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️The best book so far in the Avalon Bay series and can 100% be read as a standalone (as I forgot about most of the characters in the previous two books).

When Cassie Soul ends up in Avalon Bay for the summer to spend time with her family, she meets Tate Bartlett, a local who is known for being a bit of a player. It isn’t long before a friendship forms, and the attraction makes Cassie determined to have a summer fling without any strings attached. However, as the two spend more time together, they discover that their feelings are way stronger than they ever intended them to be.

While this book was lighthearted and full of humor, there was also a lot of emotional topics integrated throughout the story, which I think makes this unique for an Elle Kennedy read. One of the biggest, was a broken mother/daughter relationship that at times was difficult to read about. However, Cassie’s new support system along with her resilience and positivity, made it easy to cheer her on. I also loved how her two younger half sisters were integrated into the story and all the smiles they brought! With regards to the romance, Tate was a great hero, and I loved the chapters from his POV! The audiobook narration was excellent.

Read if you like:
-Friends to lovers
-Vacation flings
-College age
-Complex family relationships
-Small town beachside setting

Summer Girl is the third contemporary romance in the Avalon Bay series. Cassie Soul is visiting Avalon Bay over the summer to spend time with her grandmother. While she is in town, Cassie is hoping to spend time with her family and find some cute guy to have a summer fling with. Enter Tate Bartlett, a fun loving guy who also has a degree in flings. Will Tate give Cassie the fling she’s been hoping for or something more?

This is the second book I’ve read in this series and I surprisingly wasn’t a fan of the first book I read, but this one was completely different. I connected with these characters from the very beginning and I was so invested in what was going to happen between them. I loved this book and it was the perfect summer read! Cassie and Tate were perfect together and I loved their banter and friendship, as well as the romance. This book was more like what I expect when I pick up an Elle Kennedy book, I connected with the characters and couldn’t wait to see what played out for them. The family secrets and relationships in this book also added a lot to the story. I am team Cassie and Tate all the way! If you are looking for a fun summer read with strong vibes and just the right amount of steamy romance, give this a try!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC version of this book!

Avalon Bay Secrets by Elle Kennedy was my first Avalon Bay book; I enjoyed it so much I read am currently reading the other books in the series.

The story revolves around Cassie, a college student who returns to Avalon Bay after years of being away. Eager to reconnect with her family and experience the joy of summer once again, Cassie hopes to find a summer fling to make her time in Avalon Bay memorable. Enter Tate Bartlett, the town's beloved sailing instructor and carefree playboy. Their initial encounter sparks an instant connection, but Tate's fear of hurting Cassie pushes him to relegate her to the friend-zone.

As Cassie and Tate explore their friendship, their feelings for each other intensify, and they realize that there might be more than just a summer fling at stake.

Overall Avalon Bay Secrets is a great summer read that captures the perfect balance of romance, suspense, and personal growth.

4.5 stats

This latest instalment in the Avalon Bay series was fun, steamy, and truly the perfect summer read! It’s my favourite book in the series so far and I binged it within 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down.

Cassie, our FMC was such a sweetheart and so funny and relatable. Cassie is looking for a fun summer fling and propositions Tate, however he gently turns her down and suggests being friends. But as these two spend more and more time together, and their chemistry grows, they can’t deny how attracted they are to each other.

I was utterly caught off guard by the depth or the story and by a plot twist that I didn’t see coming at all. Author Elle Kennedy did such a great job of combining a fun and light summer romance with more serious topics, such as insecurities about self-worth and about one’s body image, familial expectations, and narcissism. This made the story and the characters feel so real. My heart was racing and I couldn’t help crying from the raw emotions portrayed.

I received the audiobook and really enjoyed the dual narration. My only critique is that while the female narrator gave the MMC a slight southern accent, the male narrator didn’t alter his voice and sounded more “northern” (despite Tate being described as having a slight Georgian accent).

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Elle Kennedy book. I listened to the audio. I liked both narrators, for the most part-although the male narrator’s imitation of female voices was a little grating.
They characters had good chemistry-but I didn’t enjoy the spicy scenes-it just seemed like a surface relationship and I didn’t really enjoy the way Tate constantly referred to Cassie’s body parts so crudely.
I really liked Cassie’s dealing with her family issues. As someone with a narcissistic mother, who had to be cut from my life, I could relate to her struggles.
There were funny scenes and overall I think this was an enjoyable read.

I’ve been an Elle Kennedy fan for a long time, but this book made me loudly gasp. Thank goodness no one was around! All I’ll say is WINDOW! Swooooon! The audio was chefs kiss but now I must get the hard copy too! I have to have it on my shelves!! Highly recommend anything Elle Kennedy! The spice was top notch and the tension was sooo good!

I think I’m done trying Elle Kennedy books. It might just be the Avalon Bay series, but I really don’t like that the MMCs are so generally icky and unkind to their love interests. It isn’t an enemies to lovers or rivals vibe, but genuinely unpleasant people, and that keeps me from investing in these stories.

I had so much fun reading this sweet, moving and steamy romance, it really is the perfect summer read! Cassie is visiting Avalon Bay for the summer and staying with her grandmother. She is looking for a summer fling, to get some experience before she goes back for her senior year of college. Tate is a local who hides behind his surfer/player reputation but is hardworking, smart, charming, and sensitive. They have a couple meet cutes that are awkward and sweet, and they soon become friends. Cassie wants him to be her summer fling, but he likes her too much, turning her down, but offering to be her wingman instead. They live next door to each other, and end up spending lots of time together, having fun and even flirting a bit. Their attraction grows, and they soon agree to a summer fling with no expectations. But the more time they spend together, the more they begin to wonder if they could be more. But when family starts to get in the way, are they strong enough to fight for something/someone they never saw coming, who now owns their heart?
I loved Tate, and Cassie together, they were sweet, awkward at times, and had fun together. I felt their fiery chemistry from their very first interaction. Cassie was a great character, she was strong, supportive, and fun. I loved Tate and thought he was charming, kind, and romantic. I also loved all their friends who added so much fun and humor to this story as well.
Caitlyn Elizabeth & Teddy Hamilton were brilliant as Cassie and Tate, delivering a performance that was completely addictive. Hamilton's expressive voice showed Tate's fun and charming side, as well as his vulnerabilities, making him even more swoony. Elizabeth shined portraying Cassie's strength, and determination, and also her growth from awkward to seductress. I really enjoyed both their abilities to bring these characters to life and make me love Cassie and Tate even more.
This romance melted my heart instantly with it's fabulous characters, heartfelt emotions and beautiful storyline. I was completely captivated and couldn't put it down!

The Summer Girl is the 3rd book in the Avalon Bay series. Cassie comes to the small town of Avalon Bay to spend the summer with her grandmother. She meets Tate at a party and soon learns that he is also her neighbor. They become quick friends and Cassie uses Tate as her wing man. Tate doesn't want to be just her wingman. Cassie and Tate go from neighbors to friends to lovers. This audio book was great to follow along with the two narrators. This is the first audio book I have listened too that had a male voice for the man in the book. Both narrators made the this a great and fun book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan audio, and Elle Kennedy for the copy of this audiobook for a review in exchange. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
#netgalley, #thesummergirl, #avalonbay, #ellekennedy, #macmillanaudio

Such a perf summer romance about a summer fling that turns into true love. 💛 There was some depth to this, though, too. Female main character’s mom is a narcissist and there is a cheating scandal with minor characters. I was so sucked into this!

As the titles says this is such a perfect summer romance and if you’ve read the first two books in the series you know that’s it’s a treat to be back in Avalon Bay. Cassie is looking for a summer fling and when she propositions Tate and he turns her down they decide they’re better off as friends. That actually surprised me in a good way as I thought it showed maturity and a good nature in Cassie especially as she’s so young, I just really liked her character so much, I found her to be endearing and just super likable. Tate was also a great hero, I thought his honesty was refreshing and he did make me swoon a little. You get dual narration and the audio performance from Caitlin Elizabeth and Teddy Hamilton was absolutely perfect. Definitely recommended as a great summer read, some spice, some emotion and great summery vibes.

I recently listened to the audiobook for The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy, the third installment in the Avalon Bay series. Although I hadn't read the previous two books, I found that this story can easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone.

The protagonist, Cassandra Sole, returns to Avalon Bay, her former hometown, for the entire summer before her senior year of college. Having moved to Boston with her mother after a difficult divorce, Cassie is spending the summer with her maternal grandmother in a beautiful waterfront home. In Avalon Bay, she also reunites with her father, stepmother Nia, and her two half-sisters.

Excited to be back for the summer, Cassie decides to embark on a summer fling. The novel opens with her at a beachfront party, where she feels out of place among the unfamiliar faces. Seeking solace by the beach, she accidentally overhears a breakup between a girl and a guy named Tate Bartlett. Cassie is instantly drawn to Tate, considering him one of the most attractive guys she has ever encountered. It comes as no surprise when she discovers he is known in the bay for his casual relationships, despite also being a genuinely nice person.

As fate would have it, Cassie and Tate's paths keep crossing, with Tate even house-sitting the property next to her grandmother's. Their bedrooms face each other, creating opportunities for further interaction. As their friendship develops, their chemistry becomes undeniable. They share a passionate kiss at a party, prompting Cassie to ask Tate to be her summer fling. However, Tate turns her down not because he lacks interest, but because he recognizes that she isn't the type of girl who can handle a purely casual relationship. Instead, he becomes her confidant and ally. Through spending time together, a genuine bond forms between them. One night, after indulging in too much champagne, Tate discovers Cassie is a virgin and realizes he cannot take advantage of her.

Eventually, their mutual attraction overrides Tate’s rational thinking, and they embark on their summer fling. As the summer draws to a close, both Cassie and Tate dread its end but remain grateful for having met. Just as they start wondering what the future holds for them, Cassie's narcissistic mother delivers shocking news that shatters their lives. This revelation leads Cassie to confront her emotionally uninvolved father and triggers a panic attack, while with her distant stepmother.
As the story unfolds, readers will discover the additional challenges that await Cassie and Tate in The Summer Girl.

While this book initially appears to be a steamy romance between two young adults, it delves much deeper. It explores themes such as parental expectations, insecurities about self-worth, narcissism, family legacies, infidelity, and blended families. Though it may seem like a lot, these elements are masterfully woven together.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to The Summer Girl audiobook. My only minor critique is that Tate's accent sounded more northern than southern, but this did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third in a series based on a small tourist town. Elle Kennedy describes the conflict of locals and wealthy tourists as a side story in each of their novels. Cassie and Tate coming from different worlds slate around each other, finally agree for a just for now relationship, bit feeling and crazy family members get in the way. Elle Kennedy crafts a story that keeps you interested from the beginning to the end.

A perfectly adorable summer romance book. Great read to start the summer. The premise was cute and well executed, the characters were very likeable, and the setting was giving summer vibes. I totally thought I predicted the ending in the first few chapters and I was super wrong which was enjoyable.

The audiobook male narrator didn’t match Tate for me and everytime we switched to his POV I felt like it took me out of the story.

We return to Avalon Bay for
What I believe to be the spiciest installment yet & has the two leads with the most chemistry.

Cassie Soul has just returned for the last time after the family business that has tied her to the area is sold. She’s spending one more summer with her grandmother before her senior year of college.

Case meets Tate Bartlette at a party when she arrives after hearing him be dumped by his FWB, oh and he’s also her neighbor for the summer.

Things heat up between the two but then there are several self-made conflicts. I had to remind myself that I too was (at times) a bit illogical with romantic encounters in my early twenties. However, I think overall it works.

I found that the narrators did a good job and are appropriate for this sort of spicy romance story.

4 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest reviews.

This is an easy read that’s perfect to bring on a summer vacay. Beaches, romance, a fancy hotel — all the summer vibes! I also appreciated the mention of Gilmore Girls in one of the chapters (my favorite!) There were some cheesy/cringe-worthy moments, but overall, it was a good read!