Good Girl Complex Book Review: A Romance by Elle Kennedy
Good Girl Complex Book Review
I’m back today to discuss another Elle Kennedy book with you! It’s no secret that she’s become one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. I just love her couples and the exciting shenanigans that her characters get into. In today’s Good Girl Complex book review I’m going to be discussing this fun college romance about opposites who definitely attract.
The first Elle Kennedy book I read took place in London, so I was excited to dive into this book that takes place at the beach. I loved the setting of the beachside town of Avalon Bay because it’s a beach town, but also a college town. You really get the best of both worlds!
I loved Mac right away because of how sweet and smart she is. And once local bad boy Cooper Hartley entered the scene? Well, I think he’s the bad boy book boyfriend that every woman is searching for TBH.
If you enjoyed today’s book discussion, you can find more romance recommendations here.
What is Good Girl Complex About?
She does everything right. So what could go wrong?
Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot is a people pleaser. Her demanding parents. Her prep school friends. 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. (from Amazon.com)
Who is author Elle Kennedy?
Elle Kennedy is a bestselling Canadian author known for her contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. She gained widespread popularity with The Off-Campus series and Briar U series, which focus on college romance with humor and depth. Kennedy’s work often features strong, independent characters, witty dialogue, and emotionally engaging plots. She’s also co-authored successful series like Him and Us with author Sarina Bowen, further establishing her in the romance genre.
Is Good Girl Complex Part of a Series?
Yes, Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy is the first book in the Avalon Bay series. This series takes place in the small beach town of Avalon Bay, which is also home to Garnet College. Here is a list of the books in order so far:
Do Opposites Really Attract?
After reading this book, I would definitely say so. The main characters are adorably feisty with each other.
We first meet Cooper while he is working at a bar. He’s a local of Avalon Bay. Although he works hard, a big part of his life is having fun with his friends and trying to avoid the clones (rich college students who don’t have a clue).
Meanwhile, Mackenzie is new to town. At her parents’ insistence she’s agreed to attend Garnet College to earn her bachelor’s degree after taking a gap year. But college is the last place she wants to be. She and Cooper meet by chance at the bar one night and she isn’t like the other rich girls around. For the first time, he might be willing to give someone like her a chance.
This Story had so many Unique Elements
I thought Mac’s backstory about how she became a self-made millionaire was so funny. I understand why people like Preston and her parents didnt’ take her seriously. People like that don’t really understand websites and online business. But I would have thought she’s have told them about how successful she was. Or like, how much money she had in her bank account. It seems like a weird thing to keep from people.
I also really like Cooper’s Friends and all of the background characters in this story. It warmed my heart how Mac bonded with Cooper’s brother. And don’t get me started on the scene where they saved a dog together. I think I mentioned that already, but it was so darn cute I have to mention it again.
Is Good Girl Complex a Spicy Book?
Yes, there are definitely some spicy scenes! The romance takes place between Mac (a good girl college student) and Cooper (A local bad boy with wilder impulses). It’s a bit of a slow burn romance because she’s dating someone else and he has his reasons for why things can’t go any further. So when they finally get together, the sparks fly.
Is There Cheating in Good Girl Complex?
Yes. Mackenzie is dating someone else when she shares her first kiss with Cooper. But she quickly admits what happened to her boyfriend and he agrees to move on from the situation. So there is cheating, Mac realizes that what she did was wrong and is honest with her boyfriend Preston about it. I think that’s important because everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone owns up to their mistakes.
Is Good Girl Complex Worth Reading?
Yes! I loved this book so much. There are so many funny scenes, like when Mac and Cooper rescued their dog. Or when Mac pretended to her friends that Cooper was his twin brother at the bar. The main couple was one that I rooted for the entire time, even when they weren’t together. The feel-good romance vibes were there from the very beginning and I knew they would end up together in the end.
My Final Thoughts
This is my second book that I’ve read by Elle Kennedy and I really enjoyed it. I don’t always love reading about rich kids, but Mac is so much more than her wealthy family. She’s smart and sweet and knows what she wants. I thought she was a great female main character through the entire story. Mac and Cooper’s relationship made me really happy.
Now that I’m in my thirties I’m not reading as much new adult fictions, or books about college kids. But I loved this story. It made me feel nostalgic. This story of the classic good girl going for the bad boy (who actually turns out to be a good guy!) is very satisfying. And I’m looking forward to reading even more of Elle Kennedy’s books to see if they live up to the first couple that I’ve read.
In Conclusion
I hope that you enjoyed today’s Good Girl Complex book review! I found this story to be so fun because of the setting and the side characters, but mostly because of Mac and Cooper. From the moment they first met in the bar, it felt like they were destined for more. And I’m so happy with how their story ended up.
I just checked Bad Girl Reputation out from Kindle Unlimited so make sure you stay tuned for that review next!
If You Enjoyed This Post:
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