ARC Review Book Review by A Book Wanderer

ARC Book Review | Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy

Title: Bad Girl Reputation (Avalon Bay, #2)
Author: Elle Kennedy
Genre: Romance, New Adult
Published On: October 4, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Source: digital
Pages: 320

Synopsis:

When former bad girl Genevieve West returns home for her mother’s funeral, she’s prepared to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend, Evan Hartley. Their history is rife with turbulence. And passion. A heck of a lot of passion… which she’s trying desperately to forget. 

But it’s impossible not to run into Evan in the small coastal town where they once ran wild. And the moment she sees her gorgeous ex again, it’s clear to Gen that Evan is still as unruly, sexy, and irresistible as ever. This time around, however, she’s resolved to walk a new path. No more partying. No more foolish mistakes. Her plan is to temporarily remain in town to help her father run his business, but the second he finds somebody else, she’s out of there.

Evan has other ideas. He knows they can be good together, but he just has to convince Genevieve of that, even if it means turning over a new leaf himself. But can a bad reputation ever truly be shed? Do second chances really work? Genevieve and Evan are about to find out.

Bestselling author Elle Kennedy returns to Avalon Bay in this sexy second chance story about two exes who can’t stay away from each other, Bad Girl Reputation.

My thoughts

(Spoiler free)

Bad Girl Reputation is the second installment in the Avalon Bay series by Elle Kennedy, and I loved being back in the small beach town setting. Each book can be read as a standalone, however, I recommend starting with Good Girl Complex which sets up the town and the two twin brothers who are the love interests in each book—and you shouldn’t miss a moment!

In Bad Girl Reputation we get Evan and Genevieve’s story, which is heavily hinted at in the previous book. These two have been friends since childhood and dated on and off since high school, so it’s a second chance romance told with a dual point of view. I picked it up while on vacation in Moab, just intending to read a few chapters, and ended up finishing it in one day! I so enjoyed picking up a book where I already knew the characters, the setting, and could quickly dive right in. It made me want to read more subsequent books in all the series I’ve started but never finished.

While Evan and Gen don’t quite have as much angst as Cooper and Mac in the first book, It’s nice to read about a couple with so much history. It makes the story easy to enjoy, knowing our characters have been close in the past and just need to find their way back together. The author did a good job of building that history and making me believe in their connection.

And we still get plenty of time with Cooper and Mac and their friends, which is fun, as well.

Evan is a straightforward character who knows what he wants, knows he’s not perfect, and it’s a nice change of pace to have a male lead with less internal complications.

Gen and Evan were both hell-raisers in their past, often involved in wild adventures together. Gen is concerned they can’t have a future that involves anything remotely “normal”. Now that she’s back in town, she’s determined to stay sober, and she’s afraid that means no Evan. The reader (and Evan) learn what drove Gen from town, and I couldn’t help but cheer Evan on as he decides to make some changes in his own life, proving to Gen his heart is hers—and that she can take him seriously.

“My head’s been on backwards since I came back to town. I’m my favorite self when I’m with him—and also my worst. Everything at both extremes wrapped up in this volatile cocktail we become.”

Elle Kennedy, Bad Girl Reputation

I so enjoyed this revisit to Avalon Bay, and I’m excited to return in the next book set for next summer, The Summer Girl. While we’re out of brothers, there are plenty of friends who have their own stories to tell, as well.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.

(All quotes are taken from the advance copy and are subject to change in final print.)

My Rating: 4.25 stars

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Indiebound | Amazon

(Levels inspired by The Well-Read Librarian from Sourcebooks)

About the Author

Elle Kennedy
Elle Kennedy

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

ellekennedy.com

A Song For A Book

Just like I did for Good Girl Complex, I created an inspired playlist on Spotify to accompany Bad Girl Reputation. I’ve included it below, and I’ll be highlighting “I Don’t Want To Be Okay Without You” by Charlie Berg, which I think perfectly captures Evan’s point of view.

I’m saying things I don’t believe
And your love casts its shadow on the things I do
And I can hear so clearly all the words I wish I said
You’re stuck in my head

But I only think of you
Will we be together soon?
I’m thrown to the wayside
You’re planted in my mind

But I don’t wanna be okay without you..

Will you be adding Bad Girl Reputation to your tbr? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Wandering!

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