Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Bad Girl Reputation

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Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy

17 reviews

katrinaward's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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let_therebebooks's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“We’ve all got a post. Things we’d rather people not judge us for. How can anyone grow if we only let them be who they were yesterday?”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review an early copy of Elle Kennedy’s newest book, ‘Bad Girl Reputation.’

This one was just okay. I didn’t hate it, and I definitely didn’t love it. I prefer the first book, ‘Good Girl Complex’ to this one for several reasons.

Was the story good? Yes. Was it problematic? Also yes.

Let me just get to it: Genevieve (Gen) and Evan have a very toxic relationship. It’s so toxic, that the charm of the ‘second chance romance’ is lost. While there was definitely chemistry between them, the way they were towards one another, and the ups and downs, were too much and very unhealthy. Not saying every relationship is perfect but, this one didn’t give me great vibes.

There was a lot of growth with both the main characters, almost making this book a 4-star read for me, however, the story was way too repetitive. I lost count of how many times Evan mentions that they are drawn to one another and Gen mentions how they were bad together and did stupid, reckless, stuff. We get the point already! But the blow pop story, super cute! And female empowerment at the end, when something happens.

“The best gift we give ourselves is respecting our needs first.”

It was interesting reading Evan’s POV because in the first book, where we follow his twin brother Cooper’s POV, Evan seems pretty sleezy. But when you read his POV in this one, he actually is a pretty decent guy who just has a lot of emotional baggage he needs to go to therapy to, to work through.

And my god. The steam in this one was HOT. The first book was tame on the steam, but this one multiplied it by 7. I know Kennedy is known for her steamy scenes (hello Off-Campus series), but damn. I mean the book starts off with some serious steam and it just continues to the point where it (almost) feels like a filler for space.

I would absolutely love to see more stories in this series following characters like Craig and Alana. Knowing Kennedy, I imagine we will see an announcement soon of their being more installments (hopefully).

“I’m my favorite self when I’m with him - and also my worst.”

T/W: verbal and emotional abuse, mention of sexual assault, parental death, grief, addiction

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lucindanorine's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Overall I thought this was a really cute book. The audiobook narrators did a fantastic job! High school "sweethearts" that have to over come their own faults to make life work! I wish it had been more diverse, but it was definitely cute!

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thatswhatmegread's review against another edition

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4.0

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

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arthur_ant18's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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!

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kristinecircenis's review against another edition

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emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the advanced reader’s copy.

Returning to Avalon Bay was like being reunited with old friends. I love a second chance romance story and Gen and Evan’s story checked all my boxes. I also loved seeing a sober main character. If anyone could attack demon’s head on, it’s Gen. I hope we see more of Gen and Mac in the future!

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anovelglimpse's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Bad Girl Reputation stood out to me in a number of ways. Elle Kennedy's writing consistently makes me happy. She's great at pulling me into a story, making me fall in love with the characters, and making me laugh. All those things happened with this book. I don't remember there being a ton of second chance new adult romances because the characters are still pretty young, but this one worked beautifully with childhood sweethearts.

Evan and Gen were interesting characters. They were wild child best friends turned on and off again girlfriend/boyfriend. Their relationship wasn't built on healthy things when Gen ended it and left town. I was mad at her for doing that at first because of Evan's hurt and confusion about it. As I got to know her and understand her reasoning, I realized what a smart cookie Gen actually was.

While Gen was a work in progress, Evan was a mess. He wanted nothing more than to get Gen back. I was unsure of his actions at first, but the harder he tried, the more I felt them ring true. His navigation of becoming a better person had some pretty hilarious moments, too.

Another thing that was great about this book was getting to see the twins' relationship through Evan's eyes. I enjoyed seeing Evan through Cooper's eyes in that first book, but I loved seeing Cooper through Evan's even more in this one. It was especially interesting when it came to Gen and their mother.

One of the things that makes Kennedy's series shine is her ability to make me fall in love with not just the main characters but an entire group of people. I loved getting to know Cooper's friends in the first book, so it was fun to get to know them a little better in Evan's book. I'm very interested in getting to know Wyatt, Alana, Tate, and Lauren better. There was a lot going on there behind the scenes. I also loved the new addition of Riley. The relationship between Riley and Evan was so cute and special.

The one thing that bugged me a little was Harrison. I couldn't believe he was still around after a certain scene. I thought there would have been a bigger reaction to his unwillingness to step up. He was actually an annoyance throughout the whole book, but I am not actually complaining about that. I liked what he did for Evan and Gen's story.

So, yeah. I'm happy to report that Bad Girl Reputation was the romance I was hoping it would be for Evan and Gen. I had a great time reading it and getting to know both characters. Their romance was wildly sweet. I'm hoping we will get more books in this series.

You can find this review and others like it at A Novel Glimpse .

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