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Avalon Bay #1
Uma Boa Rapariga
Depois do sucesso da série Off-Campus, Elle Kennedy regressa com um empolgante romance de verão.
Mackenzie Cabot é a típica boa rapariga que faz tudo para agradar a toda a gente. Mas ela não é uma jovem comum. Não sonha com festas e rapazes, mas sim em ver singrar o negócio que iniciou na Internet, só que para isso terá de fazer a vontade aos pais e mudar-se para a pequena cidade de Avalon Bay, para terminar o curso na Universidade Garnet.
Com os planos para a sua vida futura já delineados, nada faria prever que o seu mundo pudesse vir a ser abalado. Mas tudo muda quando conhece Cooper, um rapaz da terra que irá pôr à prova a capacidade de refrear o seu caráter mais impulsivo.
Só que também Cooper é apanhado de surpresa pela personalidade de Mac, que em nada se assemelha à dos estudantes universitários ricos e pretensiosos que todos os anos está habituado a ver, e os dois tornam-se bons amigos.
O grande problema é que Mac não faz ideia do que levou Cooper a aproximar-se dela…
Mackenzie Cabot é a típica boa rapariga que faz tudo para agradar a toda a gente. Mas ela não é uma jovem comum. Não sonha com festas e rapazes, mas sim em ver singrar o negócio que iniciou na Internet, só que para isso terá de fazer a vontade aos pais e mudar-se para a pequena cidade de Avalon Bay, para terminar o curso na Universidade Garnet.
Com os planos para a sua vida futura já delineados, nada faria prever que o seu mundo pudesse vir a ser abalado. Mas tudo muda quando conhece Cooper, um rapaz da terra que irá pôr à prova a capacidade de refrear o seu caráter mais impulsivo.
Só que também Cooper é apanhado de surpresa pela personalidade de Mac, que em nada se assemelha à dos estudantes universitários ricos e pretensiosos que todos os anos está habituado a ver, e os dois tornam-se bons amigos.
O grande problema é que Mac não faz ideia do que levou Cooper a aproximar-se dela…
399 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2022
5406 people are currently reading
174463 people want to read
About the author
Elle Kennedy
176 books90.5k followersA 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!
Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 14,779 reviews
March 14, 2022
1 star
Fair warning, this review will be full of spoilers so if you plan on reading this, I would tread carefully. But, you should also read this so you don't waste your time with this monstrosity 🥰 This will also be one of my messiest review yet
The one lesson I learned from this was to actually listen to other people when they tell you to avoid a book
This book is absolutely disgusting. I’ve spent the last 2 days I read this book trying to figure what the Cooper’s (H) personality is besides being absolute piece of shit. Mac (h) begins emotionally cheating on her boyfriend, Preston, of 4 years after meeting the hero ONCE and begins physically cheating on him 1/3 of the way through the book.
Preston is not a good guy, at all, but to the heroine, he’s a good guy that she doesn’t feel chemistry with. Does he cheat on her and treat people like shit because others aren’t rich like him? Absolutely, but does that make it okay for her to cheat on him??? No.
It’s not even just this…she has the audacity to talk about his cheating in a negative way. Baby girl you cheated on him too💀
Cooper was fired from his job because of her boyfriend so to get back at him, Cooper’s friends and him make a bet. He’ll get the heroine to fall for him, break up with her boyfriend and rub it in her bf’s face😒 wtf is this? Wattpad?
The justification they have for manipulating and being cruel to the heroine is she’s just a “clone”😒 It’s the hypocrisy that these people show that is laughable. They act like they’re dirt poor and because of that they’re allowed to treat people like shit. How about everyone just shows each other some fucking respect.
I get wanting to bully your bully, I support that. But, for them to put an innocent person in the middle of this revenge plot...that's so childish
Cooper tells Mac that her boyfriend has been cheating on her the whole 2 years that he was away for college. So she slaps him….huh??!! What gives you the right to slap someone that is telling YOUR BOYFRIEND IS CHEATING ON YOU 5 seconds after making out with Cooper???
Well Cooper and Mac don’t talk to each other for a while after that. When Mac goes to dinner with her boyfriend and her parents, she gets pissed by the way they treat her like dirt. Because of that, she FINALLY questions her bf about his possible infidelity, which he admits.
Here’s where I can’t take this anymore. After breaking up with her boyfriend OF 4 YEARS, she goes to Cooper’s house and they have sex for the first time. How this girl realized that she never loved her boyfriend and is already fucking her side piece who she BARELY knows, all in ONE HOUR, I will never know. Not only this...but the sex scene is 🤣
Cooper eventually starts having doubts about the bet, which is supposed to make it “okay” since he feels bad. I'm sure you’re expecting him to just come clean to Mac about it…NOPE. He allows his friends and brother to degrade a girl he likes by calling her a clone and laugh behind her back. He then LIES about the bet to her face multiple times and even gets his friends to back up his story.
Despite her cheating, Mac is probably the best character in the book. Cooper is probably the worst because he THINKS he's better than everyone else. Mac got a call from two of Cooper’s friends after a hole tore through their roof during a hurricane. Mac drives out, climbs on the roof and is able to repair the hole temparily. When Cooper finds out that she did that she literally starts condescending her like she’s a child which was giving me 🚩🚩
Mac forgets that she has no clothes on besides her bra and underwear so when she stands up to defend herself…
Am I the only one cringing? Then Cooper takes her home and fucks her because Mac likes to allow herself to be treated like a doormat. Maybe I'm just being picky at this point, but yanno what...sometimes it's necessary
Cooper also makes Mac feel like shit because she’s wealthy. When his mom steals all his life savings from him, Mac offers to replace it because well, she has the money. I understand some people don’t like to feel like charity cases…but Cooper just goes off on her.
He then proceeds to degrade her by calling her a 'clone'…SHE’S LITERALLY YOUR GIRLFRIEND WTF. Her intentions are pure. In no way was she trying to degrade him or show off by offering to give him money.
Mac eventually finds out about the bet at 91% and they make up at the end of the book. This book just felt like After by Anna Todd. The bet trope has been done…we’re all over it. It wasn’t even a good trope to begin with so can we please never use it again.
Fair warning, this review will be full of spoilers so if you plan on reading this, I would tread carefully. But, you should also read this so you don't waste your time with this monstrosity 🥰 This will also be one of my messiest review yet
The one lesson I learned from this was to actually listen to other people when they tell you to avoid a book
This book is absolutely disgusting. I’ve spent the last 2 days I read this book trying to figure what the Cooper’s (H) personality is besides being absolute piece of shit. Mac (h) begins emotionally cheating on her boyfriend, Preston, of 4 years after meeting the hero ONCE and begins physically cheating on him 1/3 of the way through the book.
Preston is not a good guy, at all, but to the heroine, he’s a good guy that she doesn’t feel chemistry with. Does he cheat on her and treat people like shit because others aren’t rich like him? Absolutely, but does that make it okay for her to cheat on him??? No.
It’s not even just this…she has the audacity to talk about his cheating in a negative way. Baby girl you cheated on him too💀
Cooper was fired from his job because of her boyfriend so to get back at him, Cooper’s friends and him make a bet. He’ll get the heroine to fall for him, break up with her boyfriend and rub it in her bf’s face😒 wtf is this? Wattpad?
The justification they have for manipulating and being cruel to the heroine is she’s just a “clone”😒 It’s the hypocrisy that these people show that is laughable. They act like they’re dirt poor and because of that they’re allowed to treat people like shit. How about everyone just shows each other some fucking respect.
“She’s a person, you know.”
“No, she’s a clone.”
I get wanting to bully your bully, I support that. But, for them to put an innocent person in the middle of this revenge plot...that's so childish
Cooper tells Mac that her boyfriend has been cheating on her the whole 2 years that he was away for college. So she slaps him….huh??!! What gives you the right to slap someone that is telling YOUR BOYFRIEND IS CHEATING ON YOU 5 seconds after making out with Cooper???
Well Cooper and Mac don’t talk to each other for a while after that. When Mac goes to dinner with her boyfriend and her parents, she gets pissed by the way they treat her like dirt. Because of that, she FINALLY questions her bf about his possible infidelity, which he admits.
Here’s where I can’t take this anymore. After breaking up with her boyfriend OF 4 YEARS, she goes to Cooper’s house and they have sex for the first time. How this girl realized that she never loved her boyfriend and is already fucking her side piece who she BARELY knows, all in ONE HOUR, I will never know. Not only this...but the sex scene is 🤣
“You gonna come again?” he whispers in my ear.
“Maybe.”
“Try.”
Cooper eventually starts having doubts about the bet, which is supposed to make it “okay” since he feels bad. I'm sure you’re expecting him to just come clean to Mac about it…NOPE. He allows his friends and brother to degrade a girl he likes by calling her a clone and laugh behind her back. He then LIES about the bet to her face multiple times and even gets his friends to back up his story.
“Out with it,” she orders.
“With what?”
Even as I stonewall her, I wonder if this is the moment I should come clean. Admit I had less than honorable intentions at first, but that things changed after we met.
She’d understand. Maybe even get a kick out of it. We’d have a good laugh and it’d become a funny story we tell at parties.
Despite her cheating, Mac is probably the best character in the book. Cooper is probably the worst because he THINKS he's better than everyone else. Mac got a call from two of Cooper’s friends after a hole tore through their roof during a hurricane. Mac drives out, climbs on the roof and is able to repair the hole temparily. When Cooper finds out that she did that she literally starts condescending her like she’s a child which was giving me 🚩🚩
“Hey, it’s fine. I’m fine. They needed help so I offered to come over. It was my decision.”
“I don’t give a shit whose dumbass idea it was. You shoulda known better,” he tells me with a condescending tone, not unlike the one I heard from Preston when I showed him the hotel.
Mac forgets that she has no clothes on besides her bra and underwear so when she stands up to defend herself…
“Oh my God, I did not almost get struck by lightning. You’re being ridiculous right now.” Indignant, I plant my hands on my hips, forgetting about the blanket wrapped around me.
It falls to the wet carpet, leaving me in nothing but a black sports bra and neon-pink bikini panties.
Am I the only one cringing? Then Cooper takes her home and fucks her because Mac likes to allow herself to be treated like a doormat. Maybe I'm just being picky at this point, but yanno what...sometimes it's necessary
Cooper also makes Mac feel like shit because she’s wealthy. When his mom steals all his life savings from him, Mac offers to replace it because well, she has the money. I understand some people don’t like to feel like charity cases…but Cooper just goes off on her.
“How many different ways do I have to say it?” he shouts at me. “I don’t want your goddamn money. Do you even grasp how infantilizing it is to have your girlfriend constantly following you around with her purse open?”
He then proceeds to degrade her by calling her a 'clone'…SHE’S LITERALLY YOUR GIRLFRIEND WTF. Her intentions are pure. In no way was she trying to degrade him or show off by offering to give him money.
Mac eventually finds out about the bet at 91% and they make up at the end of the book. This book just felt like After by Anna Todd. The bet trope has been done…we’re all over it. It wasn’t even a good trope to begin with so can we please never use it again.
December 20, 2021
it took me 3 weeks to get through this book. THREE FUCKING WEEKS, let that sink in. have y’all read ‘After’ by Anna Todd? did you love it and just want more? well look no further! good girl complex is.. the exact.. same.. thing. a literal replica of that storyline. I’m not gonna lie, I got to 60% of this book and then I skimmed the rest of it. it was so predictable, not for one second did I wonder where the story was gonna go. I didn’t connect or like any of the characters. Cooper was okay, but Mackenzie.. sos. the glorification of cheating trope is not my favorite, and this book had a lot of that. anyway, I really tried to love this, but I wanted more than just good girl meets bad boy, she’s rich & he isn’t, opposites attract, blah blah blah. the ending felt a bit rushed & there was no epilogue, overall I was very disappointed :/
March 19, 2022
this was bad. outer banks with none of the charm. i hate when a romantic relationship is built on a lie and i especially hate when said romantic relationship is chemistry-less.
March 19, 2022
the low average rating initially had me worried, but i actually really liked this!
i did take a look at some of the 1 star reviews and i can see where those readers are coming from. is this super similar to ‘after?’ yes. i immediately saw the similarities, as well. but is this better-written than ‘after?’ yes, it is. are the characters much more enjoyable to read about than those in ‘after?’ also yes. did i think ‘after’ was more toxic and problematic? yes. which is probably why i enjoyed this so much - its everything the plot of ‘after’ wasnt.
so all in all, this was a win for me. i thought it was cute, fun, and a quick read. i understand it wont be for some readers, but if the synopsis sounds interesting to you, then i would recommending picking this up!
↠ 4 stars
i did take a look at some of the 1 star reviews and i can see where those readers are coming from. is this super similar to ‘after?’ yes. i immediately saw the similarities, as well. but is this better-written than ‘after?’ yes, it is. are the characters much more enjoyable to read about than those in ‘after?’ also yes. did i think ‘after’ was more toxic and problematic? yes. which is probably why i enjoyed this so much - its everything the plot of ‘after’ wasnt.
so all in all, this was a win for me. i thought it was cute, fun, and a quick read. i understand it wont be for some readers, but if the synopsis sounds interesting to you, then i would recommending picking this up!
↠ 4 stars
February 8, 2022
I have seen better writing scribbled on the walls of public toilets.
May 26, 2022
Whoop whoop! Happy book birthday to this lovely YA romance from Elle Kennedy!
Sweet, wealthy, decent girl meets with tattooed, troubled, fiery bad boy formula has a special place in my heart!
At this book: sassy, smart, sexy banters and super hot chemistry between the characters hook you up, providing you entertaining, steamy, feel-good romance vibes.
A little Gilmore Girls meet Outerbanks and After series vibes make you enjoy this lovely plot!
Here’s the love triangle members:
Mackenzie ( Mack) : sweet, obedient, easy going, lovely heroine who has fiery and stubborn side she shares with Cooper
Cooper: hot tempered, smart, charismatic, flirty bad boy who likes to push buttons of Mack to extract her hidden emotions
Preston: trust fund boy, typical cheat, obnoxious douchebag!
There are multiple story lines move a little slowly and entire book was a little bit long but characters’ chemistry, their self growth and second chances storylines are still interesting enough to keep your attention intact!
Mack: a sweet girl of her family, always a pleaser whose future are already mapped out: graduating from her preppy school, joining to sorority, marrying with her rich and gorgeous ( that’s what she thinks) boyfriend Preston!
But Mac is smart enough to succeed better things in her life. She already earned half million by her online business ( see, she’s baby Kylie Jenner with so much potential) but now she starts her life in college and this new experience brings out so complex feelings and new perspectives.
That smoking hot bad boy Cooper make her question her own life, ideals, realities and challenges her to take risks to pursue her dreams.
When Mac dumps the pretentious ass of her boyfriend, she starts to date with Cooper but when she finds out the secrets he’s hiding from her and main reason behind their relationship, she has to gather the pieces of broken heart and shape her life and rethink her decisions from the beginning.
It was sassy, enjoyable, easy to read romance! One of the highly recommendable reads of next year! If you’re fan of the author and enjoy her previous Off- Campus series as much as I did, this book is great fit for you!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Sweet, wealthy, decent girl meets with tattooed, troubled, fiery bad boy formula has a special place in my heart!
At this book: sassy, smart, sexy banters and super hot chemistry between the characters hook you up, providing you entertaining, steamy, feel-good romance vibes.
A little Gilmore Girls meet Outerbanks and After series vibes make you enjoy this lovely plot!
Here’s the love triangle members:
Mackenzie ( Mack) : sweet, obedient, easy going, lovely heroine who has fiery and stubborn side she shares with Cooper
Cooper: hot tempered, smart, charismatic, flirty bad boy who likes to push buttons of Mack to extract her hidden emotions
Preston: trust fund boy, typical cheat, obnoxious douchebag!
There are multiple story lines move a little slowly and entire book was a little bit long but characters’ chemistry, their self growth and second chances storylines are still interesting enough to keep your attention intact!
Mack: a sweet girl of her family, always a pleaser whose future are already mapped out: graduating from her preppy school, joining to sorority, marrying with her rich and gorgeous ( that’s what she thinks) boyfriend Preston!
But Mac is smart enough to succeed better things in her life. She already earned half million by her online business ( see, she’s baby Kylie Jenner with so much potential) but now she starts her life in college and this new experience brings out so complex feelings and new perspectives.
That smoking hot bad boy Cooper make her question her own life, ideals, realities and challenges her to take risks to pursue her dreams.
When Mac dumps the pretentious ass of her boyfriend, she starts to date with Cooper but when she finds out the secrets he’s hiding from her and main reason behind their relationship, she has to gather the pieces of broken heart and shape her life and rethink her decisions from the beginning.
It was sassy, enjoyable, easy to read romance! One of the highly recommendable reads of next year! If you’re fan of the author and enjoy her previous Off- Campus series as much as I did, this book is great fit for you!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
July 9, 2022
My new favorite quote thanks to Elle Kennedy: “Fuck love. Build the empire.”
December 17, 2021
Two individuals from the opposite side of the tracks that meet under circumstances that lead them to be together in a rough and sensual way...
Another Elle Kennedy masterpiece. A piece of work that I have been waiting for, I have been craving for this kind of Elle's writing. I was starting to go downhill with her previous spin off books, and this book made me turn around and fall in love with her male characters once again. And falling for Cooper has made me a tiny bit obsessive with his personality and vibes, though his initial intensions made him a jerk, it's the slow realization that Mac is not like the other rich assholes, is what makes Cooper a man for loving her the way she is and defending her from his once awful friends.
I am looking forward to see what else Elle has up her sleeves in this hopefully to be series. I need Evan's book, and pretty much everyone including Katie and Bonnie. I just know that she is going to write their story, and if she doesn't then oh well... But I am hoping that she does because it's a series to read for sure. With that being said, I am glad she strived with this romance because she did not disappoint in the least. And her OG readers will sure love this story as well and bring back the best kind of OFF CAMPUS vibes without the sports trope part of it.
ARC kindly provided by SMP in exchange for an honest review...
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Another Elle Kennedy masterpiece. A piece of work that I have been waiting for, I have been craving for this kind of Elle's writing. I was starting to go downhill with her previous spin off books, and this book made me turn around and fall in love with her male characters once again. And falling for Cooper has made me a tiny bit obsessive with his personality and vibes, though his initial intensions made him a jerk, it's the slow realization that Mac is not like the other rich assholes, is what makes Cooper a man for loving her the way she is and defending her from his once awful friends.
I am looking forward to see what else Elle has up her sleeves in this hopefully to be series. I need Evan's book, and pretty much everyone including Katie and Bonnie. I just know that she is going to write their story, and if she doesn't then oh well... But I am hoping that she does because it's a series to read for sure. With that being said, I am glad she strived with this romance because she did not disappoint in the least. And her OG readers will sure love this story as well and bring back the best kind of OFF CAMPUS vibes without the sports trope part of it.
ARC kindly provided by SMP in exchange for an honest review...
Follow Me On:
Instagram ♕ Twitter
November 7, 2022
My toxic trait is knowing what to expect from a book, still reading it anyway, and then writing a review about the things I didn't like about the book which I expected.
This was actually an okay read! Unfortunately, there was nothing that would make me claim that this book stands out from other books. I really liked Mackenzie though. She is a genuinely good person and such a boss! I enjoyed reading about how smart she was in securing financial independence for herself early on. There were struggles she had earlier in the book but we see some growth by the end. Yes, I enjoyed reading more about her than the romance in this book. In fact, I didn't really find any other character half as interesting.
This was actually an okay read! Unfortunately, there was nothing that would make me claim that this book stands out from other books. I really liked Mackenzie though. She is a genuinely good person and such a boss! I enjoyed reading about how smart she was in securing financial independence for herself early on. There were struggles she had earlier in the book but we see some growth by the end. Yes, I enjoyed reading more about her than the romance in this book. In fact, I didn't really find any other character half as interesting.
February 6, 2022
… Okay. Wow.
Let me preface this by saying Elle Kennedy’s written some amazing books. The Deal was obviously perfection, not to mention my personal favorite, The Chase (Summer and Fitz, ugh, the best).
I really, really thought I would love this one, but, unfortunately, very little worked for me in this story.
The plot seemed to be inspired by After, meaning the hero, Cooper, a local to the small beach town of Avalon Bay, is dared by his friends to hook up with Mackenzie – the wealthy girlfriend of an even wealthier jackass named Preston who got Cooper fired – and basically rub it in Preston’s face (which, ew?).
Eventually, Cooper falls in love with Mackenzie and just makes the decision not to tell her about the dare… ever. He tells all his friends the deal is off and never to tell her the truth about why he approached her in the first place. It was really infuriating, to say the least. Obviously, she should have all the information before making the decision to be with him, but treating Mackenzie like a child seemed to be the consensus between everyone in this book.
I felt like Mackenzie herself acted very randomly throughout the story. She was a self-made millionaire at 20 (!) after creating a Reddit-like platform in high school where people posted funny stories about their partners. This was such a weird choice to me, considering a big part of the plot was her falling in love with an Avalon Bay hotel devastated by a hurricane and deciding renovate it. Why not make her online business something related to interior design or architecture or something? One thing had nothing to do with the other!
The last thing I’ll say is that about 99% of the characters in this book read like caricatures, with overblown and unrealistic personalities. Cooper and Mackenzie’s parents were comically indifferent and/or selfish. Cooper himself had a giant chip on his shoulder about rich people in general, who apparently had all treated him and his family like shit over the years? I feel like this could have been written with a lot more nuance to make them all sound like real people.
The thing is, the writing here didn’t work for me, neither did the characters or the plot. This is such a bummer review to write, because I really thought I would love this! 💔
Let me preface this by saying Elle Kennedy’s written some amazing books. The Deal was obviously perfection, not to mention my personal favorite, The Chase (Summer and Fitz, ugh, the best).
I really, really thought I would love this one, but, unfortunately, very little worked for me in this story.
The plot seemed to be inspired by After, meaning the hero, Cooper, a local to the small beach town of Avalon Bay, is dared by his friends to hook up with Mackenzie – the wealthy girlfriend of an even wealthier jackass named Preston who got Cooper fired – and basically rub it in Preston’s face (which, ew?).
Eventually, Cooper falls in love with Mackenzie and just makes the decision not to tell her about the dare… ever. He tells all his friends the deal is off and never to tell her the truth about why he approached her in the first place. It was really infuriating, to say the least. Obviously, she should have all the information before making the decision to be with him, but treating Mackenzie like a child seemed to be the consensus between everyone in this book.
I felt like Mackenzie herself acted very randomly throughout the story. She was a self-made millionaire at 20 (!) after creating a Reddit-like platform in high school where people posted funny stories about their partners. This was such a weird choice to me, considering a big part of the plot was her falling in love with an Avalon Bay hotel devastated by a hurricane and deciding renovate it. Why not make her online business something related to interior design or architecture or something? One thing had nothing to do with the other!
The last thing I’ll say is that about 99% of the characters in this book read like caricatures, with overblown and unrealistic personalities. Cooper and Mackenzie’s parents were comically indifferent and/or selfish. Cooper himself had a giant chip on his shoulder about rich people in general, who apparently had all treated him and his family like shit over the years? I feel like this could have been written with a lot more nuance to make them all sound like real people.
The thing is, the writing here didn’t work for me, neither did the characters or the plot. This is such a bummer review to write, because I really thought I would love this! 💔
June 26, 2022
OKAY HEAR ME OUT!
was this book good? no, was it well written? absolutely not. but it was fun for the gurls and it reminds me of my wattpad days when my favorite trope was “bets” what can i say? i love liars! and this gave! this book reminds me of nathan and haley whomst i love so IDC ITS GOOD.
like i said this was so fun. it’s been a while since i’ve read a bad boy story and i’m absolutely obsessed with the hartley twins just like everyone else. this really reminded me of the fun that outerbanks had. honestly it reminds me of my favorite tropes that i loved growing up. rich girl x poor boy, bad boy trope, a bit of found family. the banter? man this couple had me laughing this whole book.
the chemistry? perfect.
elle kennedy you slick bitch, got me actually caring about this white ass couple. PERFECT summer read… for me at least.
was this book good? no, was it well written? absolutely not. but it was fun for the gurls and it reminds me of my wattpad days when my favorite trope was “bets” what can i say? i love liars! and this gave! this book reminds me of nathan and haley whomst i love so IDC ITS GOOD.
like i said this was so fun. it’s been a while since i’ve read a bad boy story and i’m absolutely obsessed with the hartley twins just like everyone else. this really reminded me of the fun that outerbanks had. honestly it reminds me of my favorite tropes that i loved growing up. rich girl x poor boy, bad boy trope, a bit of found family. the banter? man this couple had me laughing this whole book.
the chemistry? perfect.
elle kennedy you slick bitch, got me actually caring about this white ass couple. PERFECT summer read… for me at least.
dnf
April 19, 2022 DNF @7%
i don't even have will power to just skim this book and then give a hate review. its just bad. boohoo you're poor boohoo ok? i've read enough reviews to know how this ends and its not good.
i don't even have will power to just skim this book and then give a hate review. its just bad. boohoo you're poor boohoo ok? i've read enough reviews to know how this ends and its not good.
January 2, 2022
2.5 stars
(warning, long review)
I wanted to love this, but the synopsis didn't really explain the main premise of this book, which unfortunately, consisted entirely of tropes and story lines that I hate, so I went into this book with high hopes, only to be sorely disappointed. Additionally, I think I've just outgrown Elle Kennedy's writing style. Although I loved her Off Campus series, nothing since then (The Briar U spin off series included) has really impressed me. Although I was initially a little worried going into Good Girl Complex that I wouldn't like it, as I'm not a huge fan of of the "good girl trope" or "poor boy rich girls" romances, I had high hopes Elle Kennedy would put a new twist on these tropes. Much to my dismay, she somehow did the opposite. This book felt like a semi-problematic storyline from an early 2000's book/movie, not like something new from 2021. To further explain my thoughts, I'm going to give a little plot synopsis. SPOILERS AHEAD (all of this happens in the first 30 or so pages of the book, and it's literally the set up of the plot, but since it's not in the synopsis I'm putting a spoiling warning). Essentially the way this romance starts, is that Cooper, the love interest, meets Mackenzie's awful boyfriend cheating on her in a bar. The bf gets Cooper fired, so as revenge, Cooper uses Mackenzie as payback. Him and his entire group of friends make a bet to have Cooper sleep with Mackenzie and make her fall in love with him, wait for her to dump her boyfriend, and then publicly dump her. Personally, I hate the "bet" trope. I don't think it's a good set up for a romance when one character is literally using the other, but even on an objective level, this specific bet is really messed up. The way that Cooper and his friends address the bet, they act as if Mac is nothing but a body belonging to her boyfriend, and that by using and discarding her, it gets back at him and rich people as a whole. I understand that the bet is not supposed to be forgivable. It's the source of the conflict, but still, the way Cooper (at the start of the book) and his friends treat Mac is so vindictive and cruel, I didn't want to see Mac learn to love them, cause I felt like she deserved better. So much of this book was just sexism and unwarranted cruelty under the guise of "class commentary" and "justified revenge". I'm not even trying to defend the ultra rich, I'm just asking for characters to treat each other with basic respect. Mac was never mean to any of Cooper's friends, and I get that a lot of rich people like her had been, but still, she shouldn't have had to win them over and had a tragic home life backstory for them to treat her like a person. That should have been the default. It doesn't help that even aside from it's set up, I never fell in love with the romance in this book, or these characters. I have found that with other Elle Kennedy books, yes the characters and romance were strong, but a highlight of her writing was the way she naturally blended in so many well loved tropes (ie. fake dating and the one bed trope in The Deal). Unfortunately, in this book, it's just a combination of divisive and outdated tropes (using the girl for a bet, innocent rich girl x poor bad boy, "not like other girls" protagonist, cheating that's justified cause it's "with the right person", vindictive one dimensional "ex-girlfriend of the love interest" characters, etc). My final complaint is just that this book wrapped up really quickly. The resolution felt a bit rushed and there wasn't an epilogue. Overall, I really didn't enjoy this, and honestly, was pretty disappointed with it. There are definitely readers who will enjoy this, but I don't know if those readers are the ones this book is being marketed to. Although this is in no way a dark romance, I think some dark romance reader's may enjoy this, as the whole "bad boy who initially uses a girl but falls for her" trope and some of Copper's actions are more common in that genre, but this was definitely not for me. I think the main reason why that is because this book is very unlike any of the other's I've read from this author. Normally, Elle Kennedy's love interests are "ideal book boyfriends" who have a loveable group of friends, and are pining after their girl, so this was just really, unexpected. To wrap this review up, I don't want to put people off of reading this book, I just feel like the synopsis should have mentioned the bet, as there is definitely an audience for this book, I just don't necessarily think it's the audience that this book was primarily advertised to (fans of the Off Campus/Briar U series who are expecting something similar).
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
(warning, long review)
I wanted to love this, but the synopsis didn't really explain the main premise of this book, which unfortunately, consisted entirely of tropes and story lines that I hate, so I went into this book with high hopes, only to be sorely disappointed. Additionally, I think I've just outgrown Elle Kennedy's writing style. Although I loved her Off Campus series, nothing since then (The Briar U spin off series included) has really impressed me. Although I was initially a little worried going into Good Girl Complex that I wouldn't like it, as I'm not a huge fan of of the "good girl trope" or "poor boy rich girls" romances, I had high hopes Elle Kennedy would put a new twist on these tropes. Much to my dismay, she somehow did the opposite. This book felt like a semi-problematic storyline from an early 2000's book/movie, not like something new from 2021. To further explain my thoughts, I'm going to give a little plot synopsis. SPOILERS AHEAD (all of this happens in the first 30 or so pages of the book, and it's literally the set up of the plot, but since it's not in the synopsis I'm putting a spoiling warning). Essentially the way this romance starts, is that Cooper, the love interest, meets Mackenzie's awful boyfriend cheating on her in a bar. The bf gets Cooper fired, so as revenge, Cooper uses Mackenzie as payback. Him and his entire group of friends make a bet to have Cooper sleep with Mackenzie and make her fall in love with him, wait for her to dump her boyfriend, and then publicly dump her. Personally, I hate the "bet" trope. I don't think it's a good set up for a romance when one character is literally using the other, but even on an objective level, this specific bet is really messed up. The way that Cooper and his friends address the bet, they act as if Mac is nothing but a body belonging to her boyfriend, and that by using and discarding her, it gets back at him and rich people as a whole. I understand that the bet is not supposed to be forgivable. It's the source of the conflict, but still, the way Cooper (at the start of the book) and his friends treat Mac is so vindictive and cruel, I didn't want to see Mac learn to love them, cause I felt like she deserved better. So much of this book was just sexism and unwarranted cruelty under the guise of "class commentary" and "justified revenge". I'm not even trying to defend the ultra rich, I'm just asking for characters to treat each other with basic respect. Mac was never mean to any of Cooper's friends, and I get that a lot of rich people like her had been, but still, she shouldn't have had to win them over and had a tragic home life backstory for them to treat her like a person. That should have been the default. It doesn't help that even aside from it's set up, I never fell in love with the romance in this book, or these characters. I have found that with other Elle Kennedy books, yes the characters and romance were strong, but a highlight of her writing was the way she naturally blended in so many well loved tropes (ie. fake dating and the one bed trope in The Deal). Unfortunately, in this book, it's just a combination of divisive and outdated tropes (using the girl for a bet, innocent rich girl x poor bad boy, "not like other girls" protagonist, cheating that's justified cause it's "with the right person", vindictive one dimensional "ex-girlfriend of the love interest" characters, etc). My final complaint is just that this book wrapped up really quickly. The resolution felt a bit rushed and there wasn't an epilogue. Overall, I really didn't enjoy this, and honestly, was pretty disappointed with it. There are definitely readers who will enjoy this, but I don't know if those readers are the ones this book is being marketed to. Although this is in no way a dark romance, I think some dark romance reader's may enjoy this, as the whole "bad boy who initially uses a girl but falls for her" trope and some of Copper's actions are more common in that genre, but this was definitely not for me. I think the main reason why that is because this book is very unlike any of the other's I've read from this author. Normally, Elle Kennedy's love interests are "ideal book boyfriends" who have a loveable group of friends, and are pining after their girl, so this was just really, unexpected. To wrap this review up, I don't want to put people off of reading this book, I just feel like the synopsis should have mentioned the bet, as there is definitely an audience for this book, I just don't necessarily think it's the audience that this book was primarily advertised to (fans of the Off Campus/Briar U series who are expecting something similar).
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2022
3.25 stars
Good Girl Complex is a new adult/opposites attract romance by Elle Kennedy and I was so ready for it. I am such a fan of Elle Kennedy’s. In fact, I think her ‘Off-Campus’ series is my all time favorite sports series. When I saw the blurb and cover, I couldn’t wait. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.
Cooper is a ‘townie’ and Mackenzie is a rich student at the local college. The townies and the ‘clones’ don’t mix, but Cooper has a reason for wanting to get Mackenzie to be friends with him. The friendship eventually turns into so much more. But there are tons of obstacles between them, and her money is just a small part of it.
I think my biggest problem with this book is that I found most of the characters unlikable. They had moments that I liked them, but more often than not, not only the main characters but also the secondary characters weren’t great. It’s hard when you don’t love/connect with the characters to love the story. Cooper’s twin brother Evan might have been my favorite. He really grew on me as the story progressed.
Elle Kennedy’s writing is always fantastic and I enjoyed parts of this story, but overall it was just okay for me.
Good Girl Complex is a new adult/opposites attract romance by Elle Kennedy and I was so ready for it. I am such a fan of Elle Kennedy’s. In fact, I think her ‘Off-Campus’ series is my all time favorite sports series. When I saw the blurb and cover, I couldn’t wait. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.
Cooper is a ‘townie’ and Mackenzie is a rich student at the local college. The townies and the ‘clones’ don’t mix, but Cooper has a reason for wanting to get Mackenzie to be friends with him. The friendship eventually turns into so much more. But there are tons of obstacles between them, and her money is just a small part of it.
I think my biggest problem with this book is that I found most of the characters unlikable. They had moments that I liked them, but more often than not, not only the main characters but also the secondary characters weren’t great. It’s hard when you don’t love/connect with the characters to love the story. Cooper’s twin brother Evan might have been my favorite. He really grew on me as the story progressed.
Elle Kennedy’s writing is always fantastic and I enjoyed parts of this story, but overall it was just okay for me.
February 8, 2022
MY REVIEW AND OTHERS: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
When an altercation stirs up at 'Joe's Beachfront Bar' where Cooper is currently working at bartending and he takes on a 'clone' that's throwing unwanted advances at his close friend whose also bartending that night, Cooper takes it a wee bit too far and is dismissed on the spot.
After doing a wee bit of digging his close group of friends concoct a plan to take the guy down a peg or two by stealing his girlfriend out from under him.
'I'm angry and bitter and itching for blood. Besides, I'd be doing this chick a favour rescuing her from Kincaid.'
Enter twenty year old self made millionaire Mackenzie, she's been dating her boyfriend Preston Kincaid for four years, even though they ran in the same circle since they were kids.
Lately Mackenzie has felt stifled, from her controlling parents to her predictable boyfriend.
Meeting Cooper he awakens something within her, and once Cooper gets to really know Mackenzie and realises she's nothing like his preconceived thoughts about her type but has no idea how he's going to stop this plan from going ahead.
This took me no time at all to read, small town rich college girl falls for the bad boy around the quant sea side town of Avalon Bay, as rule of thumb the 'Clones' and the 'Locals' do not mix generally.
I also loved how how there wasn’t one of them, but two of them, twins to be exact, (The Hartley Twins) so I kind of hope Evan gets his own story.
This was a cute when opposites attract, slow burn read which wrung all those Elle feels out of me which I haven’t felt for a while from this author. Not an overabundance of angst which is what this author usually gives us, but just enough to add some spice to it.
February 5, 2022
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☆ 3.45 stars ☆☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
“I don’t want a bright sunny future—if she’s not by my side to enjoy it.”
***There’s cheating in this book. Not in the main couple, the h makes out with the H while having a boyfriend***
ohhh okay, so I started this and wasn’t feeling it AT ALL. Idky, but the beginning felt too chaotic?? it was weird, but I kept going and started to get into it.
What I liked:
🤍the gangggg, at first I didn’t, but then they all became friends and I’m down for books for everyone. Hell yes. Evan and Daisy?!? bye i love them, best people in this world
🤍how the feeling and tone changed. We went from childish college games, to more real life stuff and it was the best change
🤍when Mac stepped up for herself, get it girl!!!
🤍i liked the romance🤭 the beginning… yeah no, but once they caught feelings?? i liked it, it felt real? like not everything is rainbows and butterflies, i liked that
What I didn’t like:
~ first THE ENDING???!? WHY?!? it was so abrupt😩😩😩😩😩😩
~ Mac hypocritical ass. She did grow and I liked her in the last bit, but how she was basically crucifying every “clone” in her head for cheating, just for her to do the same thing days later was… 🤡🤡🤡
~ I liked Coop, I found him charming, sue me. But he was pretty stupid at times lmao. The fact that he kept lying really bothered me :/ and how he kept bitching about Evan and Mac’s being friends?!? ITS WHAT YOU WANTED STUPID STOP COMPLAINING
~ everything felt unresolved?? Preston and Mac’s hotel… like? give me more?? Everything felt unfinished:(
overall, I had a good time, I enjoyed it. Yeah it wasn’t perfect, but meh, I’m not too mad about it. Can’t wait for Evan’s book!!!!! GIMME IT
【SONGS:】
무제(無題)(Untitled, 2014) — G-DRAGON
[2021]
a new NA college romance by EK?? good girl/rich bad boy trope??? i need it. i need it NOW 😩
“I don’t want a bright sunny future—if she’s not by my side to enjoy it.”
***There’s cheating in this book. Not in the main couple, the h makes out with the H while having a boyfriend***
ohhh okay, so I started this and wasn’t feeling it AT ALL. Idky, but the beginning felt too chaotic?? it was weird, but I kept going and started to get into it.
What I liked:
🤍the gangggg, at first I didn’t, but then they all became friends and I’m down for books for everyone. Hell yes. Evan and Daisy?!? bye i love them, best people in this world
🤍how the feeling and tone changed. We went from childish college games, to more real life stuff and it was the best change
🤍when Mac stepped up for herself, get it girl!!!
🤍i liked the romance🤭 the beginning… yeah no, but once they caught feelings?? i liked it, it felt real? like not everything is rainbows and butterflies, i liked that
What I didn’t like:
~ first THE ENDING???!? WHY?!? it was so abrupt😩😩😩😩😩😩
~ Mac hypocritical ass. She did grow and I liked her in the last bit, but how she was basically crucifying every “clone” in her head for cheating, just for her to do the same thing days later was… 🤡🤡🤡
~ I liked Coop, I found him charming, sue me. But he was pretty stupid at times lmao. The fact that he kept lying really bothered me :/ and how he kept bitching about Evan and Mac’s being friends?!? ITS WHAT YOU WANTED STUPID STOP COMPLAINING
~ everything felt unresolved?? Preston and Mac’s hotel… like? give me more?? Everything felt unfinished:(
overall, I had a good time, I enjoyed it. Yeah it wasn’t perfect, but meh, I’m not too mad about it. Can’t wait for Evan’s book!!!!! GIMME IT
【SONGS:】
무제(無題)(Untitled, 2014) — G-DRAGON
[2021]
a new NA college romance by EK?? good girl/rich bad boy trope??? i need it. i need it NOW 😩
February 1, 2022
This whole book felt like After fanfiction.
The storyline is basically poor tattooed bad boy (Cooper) is fired from his bartending job bc he got in a fight with some rich guy. so to take revenge on the rich guy his friends propose a bet that he should seduce his girlfriend a.k.a the h (Mackenzie) who is "the plain rich good girl" to make her fall in love with him and leave her asshole bf and then publicly dump her. And ofc he thinks that's a great idea. Let's toy with some girl's feelings, what can go wrong?🙄
tbh immediately i wasn't big fan of this storyline.
Didn't we leave this crap in 2010? Why is it still a thing in 2022?
I feel like Elle Kennedy peaked with the "off campus" series but since then all of her new books are not good.
Anyways this was a snoozefest. I debated dnf-ing at least 5 times but really wanted to see how it'd end so i skimmed the first half bc NOTHING HAPPENED.
They start as friends with the H obv trying to make the h fall in love with him while she is still in a relationship. So they hang out as friends, rescue a dog, text all the time, lust for each other and other boring stuff.
she's so unhappy with her life following her parents demands - finish college, marry the rich bf, have kids, be a housewife, you know all the normal rich ppl stuff🙄 her bf is a scumbag who cheats on her all the time but she has no idea. Honestly she was so clueless, how they were in a relationship for 4 years but she barely knew him was little unrealistic to me.
so instead spending time with her bf she starts developing relationship with the H while in a relationship with her bf. I'm making sense right?
Personally this is one of my pet peeves in romance books, dump your bf first bc i can't connect with their romance otherwise. he was always in the back of my mind popping out every time they had a cute moment.
and of course she kisses him, then feels guilty and tells her bf. ohh and they don't break up right away.🙄
they finally break up past the 50% mark and she immediately has sex with Coop and they get together. Then there was some family drama with coop's mother and finally she learns the truth in the last 5%. His former fuck buddy tells her the truth but coop is so mad and blamed her. No you jerk you're the one to blame, he didn't even tell the girl their fwb relationship is over after he took the bet😤.
I didn't have any sympathy for him, clueless asshole.
Then he barely groveled, she forgave him. the end.
The thing i like about her off campus series is actually the friendships between the guys and the girls but here i didn't like any of Cooper's friends. Coop's brother was disgusting manwhore pig and all of his friends were awful.
Overall there wasn't anything i liked about this book.
The storyline is basically poor tattooed bad boy (Cooper) is fired from his bartending job bc he got in a fight with some rich guy. so to take revenge on the rich guy his friends propose a bet that he should seduce his girlfriend a.k.a the h (Mackenzie) who is "the plain rich good girl" to make her fall in love with him and leave her asshole bf and then publicly dump her. And ofc he thinks that's a great idea. Let's toy with some girl's feelings, what can go wrong?🙄
"I’m not supposed to sleep with her unless she initiates, but if the chemistry sizzling between us is any indication, I suspect she won’t stop with a kiss. It’ll be a kiss that leads to the bed that leads to getting balls deep inside her. She’ll dump Kincaid faster than you can say game over. I win. Mission accomplished."
tbh immediately i wasn't big fan of this storyline.
Didn't we leave this crap in 2010? Why is it still a thing in 2022?
I feel like Elle Kennedy peaked with the "off campus" series but since then all of her new books are not good.
Anyways this was a snoozefest. I debated dnf-ing at least 5 times but really wanted to see how it'd end so i skimmed the first half bc NOTHING HAPPENED.
They start as friends with the H obv trying to make the h fall in love with him while she is still in a relationship. So they hang out as friends, rescue a dog, text all the time, lust for each other and other boring stuff.
she's so unhappy with her life following her parents demands - finish college, marry the rich bf, have kids, be a housewife, you know all the normal rich ppl stuff🙄 her bf is a scumbag who cheats on her all the time but she has no idea. Honestly she was so clueless, how they were in a relationship for 4 years but she barely knew him was little unrealistic to me.
so instead spending time with her bf she starts developing relationship with the H while in a relationship with her bf. I'm making sense right?
Personally this is one of my pet peeves in romance books, dump your bf first bc i can't connect with their romance otherwise. he was always in the back of my mind popping out every time they had a cute moment.
and of course she kisses him, then feels guilty and tells her bf. ohh and they don't break up right away.🙄
“I kissed someone. A guy.”
He waits, watching me, as if I might say more.
Is that all?” Preston prompts.
“No. I mean, yeah. We only kissed, if that’s what you mean.” I bite my lip. Hard. “But I cheated on you.”
Babe,” he says, squeezing my hand. He smiles, almost amused. “I’m not mad.”
I blink. “You’re not?”
“Of course not. So you had too much to drink and kissed a townie. Welcome to your freshman year of college. Guess you learned a lesson about handling your liquor.”
they finally break up past the 50% mark and she immediately has sex with Coop and they get together. Then there was some family drama with coop's mother and finally she learns the truth in the last 5%. His former fuck buddy tells her the truth but coop is so mad and blamed her. No you jerk you're the one to blame, he didn't even tell the girl their fwb relationship is over after he took the bet😤.
I didn't have any sympathy for him, clueless asshole.
"And that’s when I realize, as I feel the color drain from my face and guilt twist up my insides, that maybe I was the asshole."
Then he barely groveled, she forgave him. the end.
The thing i like about her off campus series is actually the friendships between the guys and the girls but here i didn't like any of Cooper's friends. Coop's brother was disgusting manwhore pig and all of his friends were awful.
Overall there wasn't anything i liked about this book.
March 15, 2025
This is a story about a townie boy, Cooper, and a rich girl, Mackenzie.
Cooper wanted to get revenge on Mac’s boyfriend because he did something to Cooper’s friend. Then Cooper was like, I’m Cooper, blah blah blah, and no one can mess with me and my fucked-up friends, blah blah blah. So, he and some of his fucked-up friends made a very fucked-up plan to make Mac fall in love with him. How original, right!? I know.
And also, this girl had the audacity to say that her boyfriend is an asshole because he cheated on her (to be fair, he was an asshole) when she was literally throwing herself at Cooper, even though she already had that arsehole boyfriend. They were all horrible in this book.
I think the author wanted to give us something similar to OBX (I even hate to write about one of my favourite shows here in this review) but with a toxic mix of Cooper and Mackenzie. She failed miserably.
This book reminded me of After, and no, I haven’t read that shit book, but I have seen the films. Cooper and Mac both reminded me of Hardin and Tessa, which made me hate this book even more.
My first Elle Kennedy book, and guess what? It was a horrible experience. I’ll try some of her other hyped books in the future, but that ain’t happening any time soon.
Cooper wanted to get revenge on Mac’s boyfriend because he did something to Cooper’s friend. Then Cooper was like, I’m Cooper, blah blah blah, and no one can mess with me and my fucked-up friends, blah blah blah. So, he and some of his fucked-up friends made a very fucked-up plan to make Mac fall in love with him. How original, right!? I know.
And also, this girl had the audacity to say that her boyfriend is an asshole because he cheated on her (to be fair, he was an asshole) when she was literally throwing herself at Cooper, even though she already had that arsehole boyfriend. They were all horrible in this book.
I think the author wanted to give us something similar to OBX (I even hate to write about one of my favourite shows here in this review) but with a toxic mix of Cooper and Mackenzie. She failed miserably.
This book reminded me of After, and no, I haven’t read that shit book, but I have seen the films. Cooper and Mac both reminded me of Hardin and Tessa, which made me hate this book even more.
My first Elle Kennedy book, and guess what? It was a horrible experience. I’ll try some of her other hyped books in the future, but that ain’t happening any time soon.
April 20, 2024
•| ⊱✿⊰ |• 3 Stars •| ⊱✿⊰ |•
Previsível, semelhante a outros livros que li anteriormente.
Dito isto, a avaliação não pode ser nada de extraordinária, visto que não surpreendeu, não acrescentou e não trouxe nada de novo.
É uma história gira, fofinha, mas…
════ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ════ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ════ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ════ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ════
Predictable, similar to other books I've read previously.
Having said that, the rating cannot be anything extraordinary, as it did not surprise, did not add or bring anything new.
It's a nice, cute story, but...
════ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ════ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ════ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ════ ⋆ ★ ⋆ ════
January 25, 2022
Boyfriend Fails!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Romance: 💙💚🖤💛❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌎
Character development: 🧐😕😍😗🤯
The heroine(s): Mackenzie Cabot (a.k.a Mac) - She is dating Preston, who is pretentious, pompous and a cheater to boot. Mac took a gap year to start her own business and she has made 7 figures, yet she promised her parents that if she could take a gap year, she would go to the college of their choice when it was over.
The Hero(s): Cooper Hartley (a.k.a. Coop) - a bartender and a local in the seaside town of Avalon Bay near the upper crust Garnet College. Coop has a plan for his life, so when he gets fired because a guy named Preston basically threatened his boss, he decides to get back at Preston.
The Story: Mackenzie is a good girl who basically does everything her parents say from dating the guy they like to going to college despite the fact that she is growing a successful internet business. So she is surprised to find that she is attracted to the first townie she meets when her and her roommate go out to a local bar.
The narration on this one was terrific. It was dual POV and dual narration done by Ava Erickson and Joe Arden. Jo has the perfect gravely voice for Cooper Hartley, same for Ava as Mac. She has a soft and young sounding voice that is great for audiobooks and matched Mac completely.
The story was fantastic as well. Elle Kennedy does new adult so well. I thought this would be the classic good girl and bad boy erotic romance and it was, but it was so much more. The bad boy wasn’t all that bad. Though he certainly could fight and has the terrific body and tattoos to go with the bad boy image. Mac was the good girl that just wants to be herself instead of the girl that always does what her loved ones tell her.
I loved the side stories about group of friends, the townies versus clones (which is what the townies call all the rich college kids because they are all clones of each other and their parents), and Mackenzie’s parents and boyfriend. I don’t want to give away any more than that, but I listened to the entire book in one sitting and it held my attention the entire time.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Romance: 💙💚🖤💛❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌎
Character development: 🧐😕😍😗🤯
The heroine(s): Mackenzie Cabot (a.k.a Mac) - She is dating Preston, who is pretentious, pompous and a cheater to boot. Mac took a gap year to start her own business and she has made 7 figures, yet she promised her parents that if she could take a gap year, she would go to the college of their choice when it was over.
The Hero(s): Cooper Hartley (a.k.a. Coop) - a bartender and a local in the seaside town of Avalon Bay near the upper crust Garnet College. Coop has a plan for his life, so when he gets fired because a guy named Preston basically threatened his boss, he decides to get back at Preston.
The Story: Mackenzie is a good girl who basically does everything her parents say from dating the guy they like to going to college despite the fact that she is growing a successful internet business. So she is surprised to find that she is attracted to the first townie she meets when her and her roommate go out to a local bar.
The narration on this one was terrific. It was dual POV and dual narration done by Ava Erickson and Joe Arden. Jo has the perfect gravely voice for Cooper Hartley, same for Ava as Mac. She has a soft and young sounding voice that is great for audiobooks and matched Mac completely.
The story was fantastic as well. Elle Kennedy does new adult so well. I thought this would be the classic good girl and bad boy erotic romance and it was, but it was so much more. The bad boy wasn’t all that bad. Though he certainly could fight and has the terrific body and tattoos to go with the bad boy image. Mac was the good girl that just wants to be herself instead of the girl that always does what her loved ones tell her.
I loved the side stories about group of friends, the townies versus clones (which is what the townies call all the rich college kids because they are all clones of each other and their parents), and Mackenzie’s parents and boyfriend. I don’t want to give away any more than that, but I listened to the entire book in one sitting and it held my attention the entire time.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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February 10, 2022
This wasn’t terrible, but I don’t think Elle Kennedy’s writing tone is really my vibe. I’m more into lighthearted rom-coms than Angsty Pining™ so this didn't really do anything for me if I'm being honest. If you like a more serious romance with high angst, you'd probably still enjoy this! But it was truly not my jam, so: meeeehhhhhh
February 21, 2022
DNF 65%
like those old wattpad stories but worse
like those old wattpad stories but worse
August 14, 2022
As much as I love Elle Kennedy, and I still read anything this woman writes, this one was just fine for me.
Cooper is a ‘tattooed bad boy’ who is plotting revenge against a ‘rich clone’ named Preston and wants to use Mac to do so.
Mac is Preston’s girlfriend and is pretty content with her life. Until she meets Cooper..
You see, Cooper is suppose to be a bad boy, but he’s actually a pretty sweet guy, who shows a lot of respect and support. He just made a stupid decision when he was angry but other than that, I’d choose him over Preston any day. ♡
Anyway this book feels very 00’s romcom.(thanks SK for pointing that out, has been in my head ever since) The plot has been done quite a few times and it’s very predictable.
Even though I enjoyed myself, I wouldn’t necessarily go for a reread.
I was really hoping for ‘the Deal’ cuteness (or maybe ’the Mistake’, because that ones even better imo), but that didn’t really happen for me.
Cooper is a ‘tattooed bad boy’ who is plotting revenge against a ‘rich clone’ named Preston and wants to use Mac to do so.
Mac is Preston’s girlfriend and is pretty content with her life. Until she meets Cooper..
You see, Cooper is suppose to be a bad boy, but he’s actually a pretty sweet guy, who shows a lot of respect and support. He just made a stupid decision when he was angry but other than that, I’d choose him over Preston any day. ♡
Anyway this book feels very 00’s romcom.(thanks SK for pointing that out, has been in my head ever since) The plot has been done quite a few times and it’s very predictable.
Even though I enjoyed myself, I wouldn’t necessarily go for a reread.
I was really hoping for ‘the Deal’ cuteness (
September 10, 2021
4.5 stars!
I love it when a book delivers on the trope it hinted at and then some. That’s basically what Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy did!
This book was only my third contemporary this year that I finished! My first new adult romance in like forever and I’m so happy it met my expectations. In fact, this book gave me the same kind of feeling I had when I finished the Deal and you guys know how much I loved The Deal!
Anyway…first off, we get to meet an entirely new set of characters. From trust fund kids to townies, this set of characters are familiar for those who loves NA romance but what I liked about this set of characters is the way Elle gave them each a personality, established connections, set rivalries that I hope is going to pay off in the future. *hint hint we need more books please!
Second, Mac and Cooper. They are the stars. And like I mentioned before, Elle really took her time developing both characters, giving them personalities, hopes and dreams, and flaws, and character development. Which is often my frustration with a lot of NA romance. Yes, there’s heat but where’s the character development, huh?
Well, in this book, you get all of it. You get the heat, chemistry. character and relationship development. And considering the relationship between Coop and Mac didn’t exactly start out with the best intentions on Cooper’s part. The motivation behind how they met and why is huge part of the plot so I won’t spoil but trust me, it’s not pretty. It’s a hard trope to pull off but Elle Kennedy did it and she gave me the resolution I wanted with a few surprises along the way.
The only reason why it’s not a full 5 stars is that this book needed to have an epilogue!
I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil anything but add this to your TBR and read it as soon as it’s out.
____________
Oh wow!
This gave me the same feeling I had when I finished The Deal and you guys know how much I loved The Deal.
The tropes Elle employed were familiar but she made it fresh and she didn't neglect character growth for the two main characters which I loved.
This book won't be out until next year but trust me, make this a priority on your #tbr!
Full review to come...
The Netgalley gods finally approved my request and I AM NOW READING IT!
I love it when a book delivers on the trope it hinted at and then some. That’s basically what Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy did!
This book was only my third contemporary this year that I finished! My first new adult romance in like forever and I’m so happy it met my expectations. In fact, this book gave me the same kind of feeling I had when I finished the Deal and you guys know how much I loved The Deal!
Anyway…first off, we get to meet an entirely new set of characters. From trust fund kids to townies, this set of characters are familiar for those who loves NA romance but what I liked about this set of characters is the way Elle gave them each a personality, established connections, set rivalries that I hope is going to pay off in the future. *hint hint we need more books please!
Second, Mac and Cooper. They are the stars. And like I mentioned before, Elle really took her time developing both characters, giving them personalities, hopes and dreams, and flaws, and character development. Which is often my frustration with a lot of NA romance. Yes, there’s heat but where’s the character development, huh?
Well, in this book, you get all of it. You get the heat, chemistry. character and relationship development. And considering the relationship between Coop and Mac didn’t exactly start out with the best intentions on Cooper’s part. The motivation behind how they met and why is huge part of the plot so I won’t spoil but trust me, it’s not pretty. It’s a hard trope to pull off but Elle Kennedy did it and she gave me the resolution I wanted with a few surprises along the way.
The only reason why it’s not a full 5 stars is that this book needed to have an epilogue!
I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil anything but add this to your TBR and read it as soon as it’s out.
____________
Oh wow!
This gave me the same feeling I had when I finished The Deal and you guys know how much I loved The Deal.
The tropes Elle employed were familiar but she made it fresh and she didn't neglect character growth for the two main characters which I loved.
This book won't be out until next year but trust me, make this a priority on your #tbr!
Full review to come...
The Netgalley gods finally approved my request and I AM NOW READING IT!
February 1, 2022
MacKenzie and Cooper - a disaster waiting to happen? Or the pairing of two highly attractive opposites?
Cooper is a Townie in a small coastal North Carolina town. MacKenzie, daughter of a congressman, is "wifey" material - born and bred to be the "arm-candy" wife of an equally socially prominent scion of a filthy rich corporate big wig - also known as "the Clones."
Naturally the Townies resent the Clones and their pompous ways. West Side Story meets The Devil Wears Prada and then some!
One fateful night, Cooper gets on the wrong side of MacKenzie's "Clone" boyfriend, Preston. There is a bit of roughhousing and Cooper loses his job, all because Preston can't keep his hands off the hired help. Lines are drawn in the sand and the Townies vow revenge against "the Clones."
But what starts out as the perfect cat and mouse game of revenge turns into a complicated dance of red-hot attraction. Things get real, fast, and Cooper finds himself caught in his own trap.
Elle Kennedy knows how to stoke a sizzling fire so that when these two gorgeous specimens finally give in to their undeniably incendiary sexual chemistry, you can't help but groan with relief.
FINALLY!!!!!
Elle Kennedy surely knows how to spin a stormy, passion-laced tale! She manages to put a different spin on all the usual tropes so that you don't feel you are going down a too familiar road.
And that ending! Cooper laid it all out there - the candles, the passionate speech, the rocking chairs........
Big sigh.... way to go, Dude!
Cooper is a Townie in a small coastal North Carolina town. MacKenzie, daughter of a congressman, is "wifey" material - born and bred to be the "arm-candy" wife of an equally socially prominent scion of a filthy rich corporate big wig - also known as "the Clones."
Naturally the Townies resent the Clones and their pompous ways. West Side Story meets The Devil Wears Prada and then some!
One fateful night, Cooper gets on the wrong side of MacKenzie's "Clone" boyfriend, Preston. There is a bit of roughhousing and Cooper loses his job, all because Preston can't keep his hands off the hired help. Lines are drawn in the sand and the Townies vow revenge against "the Clones."
But what starts out as the perfect cat and mouse game of revenge turns into a complicated dance of red-hot attraction. Things get real, fast, and Cooper finds himself caught in his own trap.
Elle Kennedy knows how to stoke a sizzling fire so that when these two gorgeous specimens finally give in to their undeniably incendiary sexual chemistry, you can't help but groan with relief.
FINALLY!!!!!
Elle Kennedy surely knows how to spin a stormy, passion-laced tale! She manages to put a different spin on all the usual tropes so that you don't feel you are going down a too familiar road.
And that ending! Cooper laid it all out there - the candles, the passionate speech, the rocking chairs........
Big sigh.... way to go, Dude!
June 4, 2024
4⭐
Genre ~ New Adult Romance
Series ~ Avalon Bay, #1
Publication date ~ February 1, 2022
Page Count ~ 364
Audio length ~ 10 hours 20 minutes
Narratora ~ Ava Erickson & Joe Arden ~ a fine job
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ slow burn, good rich girl/bad poor boy, opposites attract, secrets, lies, revenge, cheating, minimal steamage
I was a huge fan of Elle’s Off Campus series, mostly for the hot college hockey players, so I decided to choose this one without even reading the blurb. I soon realized there is not a puck or a hockey rink in sight, but that’s okay because apparently I am just an Elle fan period!
Cooper is known as a “townie” in the beachside town of Avalon Bay. A tattooed bad boy who has to work for what he has. When he gets canned from his bartending gig due to punching rich douche, Preston, for groping his coworker and good friend, Stephanie, he’s out for revenge. Coop makes a bet to steal Preston’s girl ~ how do you think that will work out? Yup, exactly as you think it will.
Mackenzie begins her semester at Garnet College, where her long time boyfriend, Preston, is. Mackenzie and Preston come from a life of privilege and are expected to marry. She meets Cooper, they hang out a few times, even rescue a dog together, and now she’s questioning everything she thought she knew about the future she was supposed to have.
Even though the old revenge plot is predictable I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was nice that Mac was not the typical snobby rich girl, but was a down to earth character that made a name for herself by creating a popular app. I probably would’ve wanted to hang out with Cooper when I was in my 20’s for a fun time 😜. Steam is alright once we get to it.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio USA and Elle Kennedy for providing me with an advance audio-copy in exchange for my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ New Adult Romance
Series ~ Avalon Bay, #1
Publication date ~ February 1, 2022
Page Count ~ 364
Audio length ~ 10 hours 20 minutes
Narratora ~ Ava Erickson & Joe Arden ~ a fine job
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ slow burn, good rich girl/bad poor boy, opposites attract, secrets, lies, revenge, cheating, minimal steamage
I was a huge fan of Elle’s Off Campus series, mostly for the hot college hockey players, so I decided to choose this one without even reading the blurb. I soon realized there is not a puck or a hockey rink in sight, but that’s okay because apparently I am just an Elle fan period!
Cooper is known as a “townie” in the beachside town of Avalon Bay. A tattooed bad boy who has to work for what he has. When he gets canned from his bartending gig due to punching rich douche, Preston, for groping his coworker and good friend, Stephanie, he’s out for revenge. Coop makes a bet to steal Preston’s girl ~ how do you think that will work out? Yup, exactly as you think it will.
Mackenzie begins her semester at Garnet College, where her long time boyfriend, Preston, is. Mackenzie and Preston come from a life of privilege and are expected to marry. She meets Cooper, they hang out a few times, even rescue a dog together, and now she’s questioning everything she thought she knew about the future she was supposed to have.
Even though the old revenge plot is predictable I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was nice that Mac was not the typical snobby rich girl, but was a down to earth character that made a name for herself by creating a popular app. I probably would’ve wanted to hang out with Cooper when I was in my 20’s for a fun time 😜. Steam is alright once we get to it.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio USA and Elle Kennedy for providing me with an advance audio-copy in exchange for my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
February 1, 2022
Happy Publishing day!!! This awesome book is now available!!
Such a cute, fun read! I was drawn to this book by the adorable cover. I loved the good girl meets bad boy storyline. It was interesting and kept you turning the pages! Mackenzie and Cooper brought the steam and amazing chemistry! It was an easy read and I finished it fast. Highly recommend this one.
Thank you Net Galley and St. Martins Press for an ARC in return for my honest review.
Such a cute, fun read! I was drawn to this book by the adorable cover. I loved the good girl meets bad boy storyline. It was interesting and kept you turning the pages! Mackenzie and Cooper brought the steam and amazing chemistry! It was an easy read and I finished it fast. Highly recommend this one.
Thank you Net Galley and St. Martins Press for an ARC in return for my honest review.
May 9, 2022
A shockingly bad book from the usually reliable Elle Kennedy.
I've read a ton of Elle Kennedy's new adult college books, so I thought I knew what to expect. Turns out, I didn't. Good Girl Complex didn't have a likable character to be found, a lack of chemistry between the two MCs (and morals...), and a plotline right out of a 80s/90s movie.
The male MC and his friends were judgey and horrible, and the female MC was just marginally better. Calling rich people "clones" and having the rich people all behave like 80s high school villains was eye-roll worthy. And a bet plot?? Come on, Elle Kennedy can do better.
I kept hoping that these characters would redeem themselves or that the book would become more entertaining, but nothing happened to improve my opinion of this story. It's worst offence was that it was boring, and that the characters just felt incredibly two-dimensional.
I was very disappointed by this story, and, frankly, I'm surprised Elle Kennedy even wrote it. I don't even know what else to say...
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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I've read a ton of Elle Kennedy's new adult college books, so I thought I knew what to expect. Turns out, I didn't. Good Girl Complex didn't have a likable character to be found, a lack of chemistry between the two MCs (and morals...), and a plotline right out of a 80s/90s movie.
The male MC and his friends were judgey and horrible, and the female MC was just marginally better. Calling rich people "clones" and having the rich people all behave like 80s high school villains was eye-roll worthy. And a bet plot?? Come on, Elle Kennedy can do better.
I kept hoping that these characters would redeem themselves or that the book would become more entertaining, but nothing happened to improve my opinion of this story. It's worst offence was that it was boring, and that the characters just felt incredibly two-dimensional.
I was very disappointed by this story, and, frankly, I'm surprised Elle Kennedy even wrote it. I don't even know what else to say...
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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December 21, 2021
5 STARS
Oh Elle Kennedy, how I've missed your writing. This book just hit all of the right spots for me, and I really do mean all of the right spots. I sincerely hope this is the start of an incredible new series because I'm seriously in love with the setting of Avalon Bay and all of the secondary characters introduced here. But I digress. Let's chat Good Girl Complex. Because, man I loved this book.
This is your opposites attract, rich girl meets boy from the wrong side of the tracks but with a twist. Cooper and his twin brothers are guys with a definite rep in their town. Oh and icing, they're twins. Yep. You read that right. TWINS. But I digress again. Coop is sick and tired of the rich trust fund kids that flood their college town with their entitlement and egos. So when particularly vapid one causes trouble at the bar Coop bartends end, and it results with the kid throwing his weight around and Coop getting fired, he's pissed. He's beyond pissed. So what's a guy to do to get revenge? Why target the douchebag's equally rich and gorgeous girlfriend, get her to fall for him, so he can dump her and get to rub it in the rich a-holes face of course. DUH. But you know what they say about the best laid plans...
Mac is the furthest thing from the stereotypical rich girl. She's only in college after a gap year to appease her parents who don't exactly support her entrepreneurial ways. It doesn't matter that Mac is the mastermind behind a website that made her a millionaire. All her parents want is for her to marry the right man like her equally rich boyfriend, and be the good little wife. Ah stereotypes.
Coop and Mac meet and become fast friends. Mac is yearning for something more, and her life is slowly suffocating her. Coop allows her the freedom she's been unknowingly yearning for. And the chemistry between them? DELICIOUS.
This is very much a slow burn, and as we slowly get to know each layer of these characters, we see the connection between them grow into something neither of them expected. Mac as she slowly acknowledges her attraction to Coop and grows into her own beyond the chains of her responsibilities. Coop as he realizes that what started as a bet is so much more. And this girl? Devoured every page of it.
This is the New Adult gold in a way that only Elle Kennedy can write. It was opposites attract deliciousness that I devoured from cover to cover and left desperate for more. And while I would have loved an epilogue, I simply adored this book and these characters. There's so many secondary characters that I'm hoping get their own books in this town, including Coop's twin. If you're looking for an incredibly written New Adult romance, you seriously cannot miss this one.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
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I was half asleep until I met him.
Oh Elle Kennedy, how I've missed your writing. This book just hit all of the right spots for me, and I really do mean all of the right spots. I sincerely hope this is the start of an incredible new series because I'm seriously in love with the setting of Avalon Bay and all of the secondary characters introduced here. But I digress. Let's chat Good Girl Complex. Because, man I loved this book.
This is your opposites attract, rich girl meets boy from the wrong side of the tracks but with a twist. Cooper and his twin brothers are guys with a definite rep in their town. Oh and icing, they're twins. Yep. You read that right. TWINS. But I digress again. Coop is sick and tired of the rich trust fund kids that flood their college town with their entitlement and egos. So when particularly vapid one causes trouble at the bar Coop bartends end, and it results with the kid throwing his weight around and Coop getting fired, he's pissed. He's beyond pissed. So what's a guy to do to get revenge? Why target the douchebag's equally rich and gorgeous girlfriend, get her to fall for him, so he can dump her and get to rub it in the rich a-holes face of course. DUH. But you know what they say about the best laid plans...
Mac is the furthest thing from the stereotypical rich girl. She's only in college after a gap year to appease her parents who don't exactly support her entrepreneurial ways. It doesn't matter that Mac is the mastermind behind a website that made her a millionaire. All her parents want is for her to marry the right man like her equally rich boyfriend, and be the good little wife. Ah stereotypes.
Coop and Mac meet and become fast friends. Mac is yearning for something more, and her life is slowly suffocating her. Coop allows her the freedom she's been unknowingly yearning for. And the chemistry between them? DELICIOUS.
This is very much a slow burn, and as we slowly get to know each layer of these characters, we see the connection between them grow into something neither of them expected. Mac as she slowly acknowledges her attraction to Coop and grows into her own beyond the chains of her responsibilities. Coop as he realizes that what started as a bet is so much more. And this girl? Devoured every page of it.
This is the New Adult gold in a way that only Elle Kennedy can write. It was opposites attract deliciousness that I devoured from cover to cover and left desperate for more. And while I would have loved an epilogue, I simply adored this book and these characters. There's so many secondary characters that I'm hoping get their own books in this town, including Coop's twin. If you're looking for an incredibly written New Adult romance, you seriously cannot miss this one.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
January 31, 2022
Rich girl, Mackenzie "Mac" Cabot meets the super sexy, handsome bad boy townie, Cooper Hartley. She feels the pull and attraction. But (there is always a but), she has been dating Preston for quite some time. It is expected. She and Preston are from the same circles. Their parents approve - they are the perfect match on paper but....
Mac wants more out of life. She has created her own business and is ready to put her people pleasing days behind her. She has always done what is expected of her. But meeting Cooper has lit a fire inside of her.
This was a fun audio book. I enjoy both narrators. Hearing the distinct voices really worked for me. I enjoyed all the characters, except for one - guess which one that was! Mack and Cooper have chemistry and I enjoyed how his brother came around and stopped seeing her as a rich clone but as a person.
My one complaint is that this felt a little long at times, but overall, I enjoyed this book and kept finding ways to listen throughout the day! This was fun, steamy and worth the listen.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Mac wants more out of life. She has created her own business and is ready to put her people pleasing days behind her. She has always done what is expected of her. But meeting Cooper has lit a fire inside of her.
This was a fun audio book. I enjoy both narrators. Hearing the distinct voices really worked for me. I enjoyed all the characters, except for one - guess which one that was! Mack and Cooper have chemistry and I enjoyed how his brother came around and stopped seeing her as a rich clone but as a person.
My one complaint is that this felt a little long at times, but overall, I enjoyed this book and kept finding ways to listen throughout the day! This was fun, steamy and worth the listen.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
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