This was my first Elle Kennedy book. I wanted to try her out as she's a Canadian author and I've heard a lot about her sports romances (which I'm not super interested in).

This was a second-chance romance story, one of my favourite tropes, but overall it was pretty average. It's the second in a series ("Good Girl Complex," which I haven't read, is the first), so some of the previous characters make appearances. The MCs, Gen and Evan, are both flawed individuals, which makes sense for the plotline, but I felt that Kennedy could have done more to make them feel really fleshed out to the reader.

Despite this, I will say that there were some good steamy scenes.

Thanks to St Martin's Press for sending me an e-arc of this book on NetGalley!

This second-chance romance follows Evan (the twin brother of the MMC in the first) and Genevieve (former “bad girl” that’s back in town). I thought this had great character development and vulnerable moments that focused on self-awareness, loss, and being open to love. Great spice, the pining was well-written, and I appreciated there was an epilogue. The ending didn’t feel abrupt like in the first book. Ultimately, this was a cute read and I enjoyed 

After the death of her mother, Genevieve West returns to her hometown and agrees to temporarily stay to help out her dad. She now has to face her ex-boyfriend Evan who she ghost a year ago when she suddenly left town needed to escape from her lifestyle of partying, excessive drinking and their tumultuous on again off again relationship. Although her feelings for him are still there, she’s worried getting it involved with him again will mean the return of her bad habits she worked so hard to break.

Genevieve and Evan have good chemistry, and a rich history. The first introduction to them as a couple gives you a great idea how their relationship dynamic and has you rooting for them right away. I also found outside of them as a couple, there’s lots of details about their town and the other people who live there that really round out the world.

I only have a few minor complaints. At times I did find it to be really slow paced, which for the type of book it is didn’t really work in its favour in my opinion. Secondly, a big aspect of the story is Genevieve maintaining her sobriety. Near the end of the book Evan makes a comment about how it’s okay to let loose sometimes and she just has to learn moderation. This isn’t something that’s ever brought up or really addressed again and I just felt like it wasn’t necessary. 

Overall though I think it was a really fun and cute second chance romance. Definitely would make for a great summer / beach read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review! 

 

I may not have been the hugest fan of the Avalon Bay series opener Good Girl Complex, but I dove into its sequel with an open mind, considering how much I've enjoyed Elle Kennedy's Off-Campus series and its Briar U spinoff series. As it turns out, I had a pretty fun time with Bad Girl Reputation, what with Gen and Evan's fiery push-and-pull chemistry, the tight-knit and heartfelt nature of the coastal community they live in, and the themes of self-improvement and forgiving others for their mistakes. 

 

Gen was an intriguing character from the start. While we'd never met her in Good Girl Complex, her partier ways and her turbulent relationship with Evan had been brought up multiple times—and never in a positive light. I was able to see the reason for that myself in the first quarter of this second chance romance, which shows the two of them dragging each other back down into a toxic whirlpool, even as Gen is attempting to stay on the wagon. Evan has his own baggage to handle, having to cut down on his penchant for drinking and brawling. 

 

Then there's the boatload of jealousy that they purposely stir up in each other, which, admittedly, was a big turnoff for me as a reader. I know this is supposed to be part of the messy side of their dynamic and they have to conquer it, but it irked the hell out of me nonetheless. In addition, there's a beat in the beginning that makes Evan feel a bit like a Nice Guy who believes Gen owes him sex and a relationship like she's a vending machine who needs to pop out her merchandise after he's dropped in the coins. It goes by quickly and I'm able to root for them to work out later on, but it's still present. 

 

As the book develops, Gen and Evan prove how truly capable they are of shedding their destructive tendencies and maturing into better people while managing to preserve the mischief and passion in their cores. The evolution they make happens for each of them individually as well as for their relationship, helping them step away from the toxic co-dependency on which they’ve hinged in the past. The banter they toss back and forth is entertaining to consume, too. 

 

As heavy as this book might sound, though, I don't think it actually spends that much time unpacking all the hardships of alcoholism and drug abuse in spite of how much Gen and Evan struggle with them. It tackles those issues from a fairly glossy perspective, which has garnered some criticism from readers. As much as I would have been into a darker version of what Gen and Evan had to do to best their addictions, I'm also satisfied with this rose-colored depiction. I've read enough contemporary romances that get surprisingly intense despite their fluffy-looking covers that I'll just want trigger warnings handled with a lighter tone sometimes. 

 

Getting to know the Avalon Bay gang was a fun element of Good Girl Complex, so I’m glad its follow-up introduces us to even more of the town and makes it feel that much more alive. Riley, a teenage boy whom Evan befriends through a Big Brother program, is a particularly charming newcomer. The villain that comes in the form of creepy cop Rusty Randall can be a bit too mustache-twirly for my taste, but he’s a serviceable obstacle for Evan and Gen to overcome. 

 

What I really appreciate is the arc that’s explored for Shelley, the outrageously irresponsible mother of Evan and his twin brother Cooper (the latter was one of the MCs in Good Girl Complex). After having abandoned them, she now has the habit of returning to town every once in a while, pretending like she'll stick around and rebuild a healthy relationship with them, appealing to them for money, and then skedaddling out of Avalon Bay with said money. Cooper is the one who's hardened himself and doesn't expect his mom to change for the better, while Evan has always been lenient with their mom and holding out hope for her. But after how deeply she screwed them over during her last visit (which you can consume for yourself in Good Girl Complex), even Evan intends to not let Shelley off the hook this time. However, she goes on her own journey while her son and Gen take up the main plot, and it becomes quite heartening as it interweaves with the book's thematic core of mustering up the courage to work on your own character and creating enough space in your heart to be compassionate towards those who are undergoing such a process. 

 

If you're willing to accept the time that the green-eyed monster spends roaring out of Gen and Evan and the somewhat sugarcoated approach to their vices, then I think Bad Girl Reputation will have plenty of merits for you to enjoy. Make sure you mark its release date (October 3rd, 2022) on your calendar!

This book was the perfect second chance childhood love romance read for the summer. The characters were lovable but had an edge of realness to them. The interpersonal relationships within this book were realistic and clear. Although there was a lot of characters it was easy to remember who was who due to how each character was truly their own person. I really got to know each and everyone of them to some extent. The flaws within the characters just made them even more relatable. I never felt the negative biases against peoples life choices that make me feel judged that sometimes be a theme within romance books about turning your life around.

 It was hard for me to put the book down at points. And I can't wait to read more about Avalon Bay, the characters, and their love stories. This book was a HEA.