Stepping into the world of modern romance literature, Elle Kennedy’s Good Girl Complex beckons readers with the promise of a classic new adult love story, featuring the age-old trope of a sheltered girl encountering a charming bad boy. Set against the backdrop of a vibrant college town, this novel invites us to explore the twists and turns of Mackenzie Cabot and Cooper Hartley’s tumultuous relationship. Let’s explore the highs and lows of Elle Kennedy’s 2022 release and find out if it’s a page-turner worth your time!
Good Girl Complex is the first novel in the Avalon Bay book series by Elle Kennedy. These adult romance books feature a consistent summer theme in a familiar setting. Whilst these books aren’t strictly connected, reading all will provide you the best reading experience!
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Good Girl Complex
Full of romance, hijinks, and longing, Good Girl Complex is Elle Kennedy at her very best.
She does everything right. So what could go wrong?
Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot is a people pleaser. Her demanding parents. Her prep school friends. And her long-time boyfriend. It’s exhausting, really, always following the rules. All she wants to do is focus on growing her internet business, but first she must get a college degree at her parents’ insistence. That means moving to the beachside town of Avalon Bay, a community made up of locals and the wealthy students of Garnet College.
Twenty-year-old Mac has had plenty of practice suppressing her wilder impulses, but when she meets local bad boy Cooper Hartley, that ability is suddenly tested. Cooper is rough around the edges. Raw. Candid. A threat to her ordered existence. Their friendship soon becomes the realest thing in her life.
Despite his disdain for the trust-fund kids he sees coming and going from his town, Cooper soon realizes Mac isn’t just another rich clone and falls for her. Hard. But as Mac finally starts feeling accepted by Cooper and his friends, the secret he’s been keeping from her threatens the only place she’s ever felt at home.
Our Review
Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy is a classic new adult romance novel that explores the familiar dynamic of a sheltered girl meeting a bad boy, set against the backdrop of a college town. While it features the signature elements of the new adult genre, such as emotional turmoil and sexual tension, it also brings a degree of originality to the table.
The story revolves around Mackenzie Cabot, a girl from a privileged background, who crosses paths with Cooper Hartley, a townie with a vendetta against her boyfriend. The plot follows the oft-used trope of a secret bet. However more fun is found in delving into the dynamics of the townie group and providing depth to the secondary characters.
Cooper, the male lead, is a well-drawn character with likable qualities, but Mackenzie could use more development to make her character’s contradictions more understandable. Her background and the success of her app, BoyfriendFails, are somewhat inconsistent and could benefit from better explanation.
Despite its reliance on certain tropes, Good Girl Complex manages to be a solid new adult book with an engaging storyline. The characters, even the secondary ones, add depth to the narrative. Moreover, the beach town setting is well-crafted, setting the scene for a modern romance filled with class differences and social divides. It’s got the same breezy vibes as Netflix’s Outer Banks! And probably has a little hint of Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty series too!
While the secret bet plotline might be predictable and a source of frustration for some readers, it nevertheless aligns with the conventions of the new adult romance genre. Elle Kennedy’s storytelling in Good Girl Complex strikes a balance between being easygoing and saucy. This helps making it an enjoyable read for those who appreciate contemporary romance with a modern twist. The novel succeeds in creating a summer vibe with elements of romance, class divisions, and social differences,. Perfect for fans of modern romance!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Good Girl Complex about?
Good Girl Complex is a contemporary cross-class romance which is set in a wonderfully summery College Town. However, not is all as it seems. The class divide proves difficult to overlook alongside a secret looming…
Is Good Girl Complex spicy?
There is plenty of tension which will surely have you on the edge of your seat!
Is Good Girl Complex a standalone?
Should I read Good Girl Complex before Bad Girl Reputation?
Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy is the second installment within the Avalon Bay series. Although you don’t need to read Good Girl Complex beforehand, as the series contains interconnected standalones, we encourage it to get a better sense of some of the minor characters and the community of Avalon Bay.
How Many Books are in the Good Girl Complex series?
This wonderful series of Avalon Bay includes heartwarming and complex novels:
- Good Girl Complex (2022)
- Bad Girl Reputation (2022)
- The Summer Girl (2023)
