“Bad Girl Reputation” by Elle Kennedy (“The Score”) is the sequel to “Good Girl Complex,” which came out earlier this year. This book follows the story of Evan and Genevieve, whose past is mentioned in the first book. 

Evan and Gen had been dating since they were in seventh grade, running wild all through their teenage years, and basically terrorizing the town. They always had an on and off relationship, but knew they were always meant to be together. That is, until Gen skips town without a word to Evan.

Now, a year later, Gen is back in Avalon Bay. Evan is ready to start right back up where they left off, but Gen is much different now. She is sober and working for her father’s business until he finds a replacement for her position.

Evan begins to change and grow up, determined to win Gen back. While he originally starts off his journey trying to change for her, he discovers things about himself and begins to change for himself.

Gen is on a similar journey, trying to change, but not seeing the results. Their story is one of growth, both among themselves and as a couple. By the end of the book, it seems like both of them are much different people and are happier for it.

This book is a second chance love story, so if that is not your favorite trope, this book is not for you. Gen and Evan spend a lot of time thinking about their past and talking about where they went wrong. 

Kennedy did a great job executing this novel. Both Evan and Gen start out the book in a way that makes the reader think they are too toxic for each other. Readers will start out thinking they need to just move on already. However, Kennedy has each character go through a tremendous amount of growth, which leads to them both ready for their relationship.

One thing Kennedy could have done better is having Gen and Evan stop questioning their relationship so much. As they start dating, the pages are filled with each character questioning if it was a smart idea for them to get back together. This makes the reader question their relationship as well and it makes it hard to root for them.

This book is perfect if you are looking for something that is not complex. If you want a book that is lighthearted and does not involve a lot of thinking, this would be perfect. While a lot happens with Gen and Evan, not much is going on in the big picture. Kennedy shows Gen getting a big promotion and Evan focusing more on things other than partying, but the focus is on fixing their relationship. 

“Bad Girl Reputation” takes place shortly after “Good Girl Complex” so characters, Mac and Cooper, are very present in this book. It gives fans of the first book a glimpse into their life after the ending of their book. 

There is a third book coming out on July 25 titled “The Summer Girl.” Kennedy has not released who it is about yet, but if the cover is any indication, it will likely be about Alana and the love triangle that is hinted at in “Bad Girl Reputation.” 

Image from Elle Kennedy via Instagram