Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for providing me with an eARC of this book!

This was... not my favorite read. I was looking forward to reading a romance after a very heavy month of fantasy books. But I actually found this book quite difficult to motivate myself to get through.

Girl Abroad is about an American, Abbey, moving to London for a year for her studies. That should be right up my alley as I myself am an American named Abby who moved to London, first for my studies and now permanently. I was predisposed to like this book. And yet, it fell quite flat.

The two main plots of the story revolve around Abbey being caught in a love triangle, and Abbey working to solve a historical mystery. Will Abbey end up with Nate or Jack? Will Abbey solve the mystery? Unfortunately, I did not really care.

I could not tell you what Abbey's personality was other than likes libraries/history, is trying to step out from under the shadow of her famous father whilst simultaneously referencing him all the time, and is in a love triangle. I did not really buy that this character would end up in this situation. Jamie, one of her housemates, at one point tells her "You're a cool bird... Thought you were sort of meek when you first showed up... But you're good fun. You've got banter." I felt like this came out of nowhere as she had not done much of anything up to this point to demonstrate any level of personality, let alone having banter. I feel like the following quote sums her up and also illustrates my frustration:

"Everything about me feels average. Average weight, height, boob size, face. My best feature is probably my hair - it's long and thick, a dark shade of red that Eliza always says reminds her of autumn at night. I guess I don't mind my lips either. They're naturally red and fuller than most.

But I'm not a supermodel. I shouldn't have lords trying to kiss me. I shouldn't have [name] constantly aching for me. Hot [name] kissing me left and right."

Another issue I had was the use of language throughout the book. Honestly, it feels like proper research was not done about English terminology. Students at an English university are referred to as being in their 'senior year', when that is not a term they would use (it would be third/fourth year/final year). Abbey has a 'spring break' when this is typically referred to as 'Easter holidays'. Also at one point a character says they want to "smash [Abbey's] back out" and she somehow has no idea what that means even though "smashing" is very much part of American slang. And the New Zealand All Blacks are at one point referred to as the 'All Backs' which was either a spelling error or just poor attention to detail. All of the little things like that would take me out of the story and really bother me.

It was not just Abbey that did not feel fleshed out though. The other characters did not seem to have much depth beyond the specific traits they were given. Jack is shirtless and Australian. Jamie is a playboy and rich. Nate is broody and a musician. And Lee is... gay. That was his only personality trait. He honestly felt like a stereotype of a gay best friend character from the early 2000s. He goes through multiple men, loves fashion and makeovers, and is always there when Abbey needs him. Lee very much did not hit the mark for me.

Because none of the characters, including the two love interests and the MC, felt like real people, I did not care about the love triangle. I did not really see much of a difference in the two men other than their aesthetics, and certainly did not see what they saw in Abbey.

Finally, the other plot about the historical mystery also did not really interest me. Abbey is constantly making leaps of logic and somehow is always right. She spends loads of time in the library so I guess that means we should trust her gut? The most enjoyable moment of the book was the resolution to this plot though. I was genuinely a bit surprised and enjoyed the revelation. But the rest of it was pretty boring.

I wanted to enjoy this book. I was excited to read it. And I am sad that I did not like it. But there were just too many things that distracted, bothered, or failed to interest me.

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

Elle Kennedy can do no wrong in my eyes. I've been so looking forward to GIRL ABROAD, and I am so happy to say that it met every single one of my expectations, and then some. At this stage, I think I'd happily read a grocery list if Elle Kennedy had written it.
I'm not going to bore you with details, because you can read the blurb for that (and I don't want to spoil anything). Just jump into it and enjoy it - wonderful characters and even more wonderful world-building, with plenty of drama, angst, and a bit of added humour. Read Abbey's story, you won't regret it.

If there's an author who can pull me out of a month-long reading slump - that's Elle Kennedy.
I'm usually not a fan of love triangles - I find them boring and way too messy, when not done correctly. Are we surprised that this is not the case?
Abbey was lovely to read, and the mystery spin to this book brought together everything. Jack and Nate were great, although Abbey wasn't sure who to pick until the end - I knew.
I had a favourite (obviously) but that didn't make me hate the other pairing (like I usually do if there's a triangle).
Overall, it is a fun, great book from the amazing Elle.

There is a lot going on in this story: we have the daughter of a rock star, doing a year abroad at a London university, a hunt for a historical mystery and 2 to 3 love interests. And none of it really felt that elaborate. I think there is enough material here for at least two different stories. It felt a bit mushed together and not carried all the way to the end. Character building in the beginning is so poorly done. For a long time all you know about one of the love interests is, that he is a "hot Aussie without a shirt" (and the description of the other one is equally superficial). There is something so stereotypical about the people and relationships in this book, barely scratching at the surface of real human interactions.

The only thing that kept me going for a long time was the hunt for the mysterious girl in the old picture that the main character starts. I really enjoyed this part.

My kind of sweet romance and the whole will she or won't she element made it tense. I liked the fact she was a verified nerd, geeking out about history and going to such lengths to complete a history project.

What with this, her famous father and the 2 (almost 3) men on the go, there was a lot going on to keep up to date with but no complaints.

5🌟 just because I like this style of book and appreciate how it was written, and how I was rooting for certain characters.

I really enjoyed this, it’s not as spicy as some of Elle’s other books so if you’re looking for a super spicy read this may not be the one for you. I however did enjoy the story of Abbey Bly coming to the uk to go to college for a year away from her overprotective dad rockstar Gunner Bly. She thinks she’s moving in to a house share with 3 other girls but they turn out to be very much male! I loved the aspect of trying to solve the mystery of the woman in the painting along with Abbey whilst she also tries to navigate a love triangle until she realises she can only be with one. if you love elle kennedy you're going to love this!

I love this book, Abby is always in the shadows of her rock star dad but finds an opportunity to start a fresh in London. We see her grow through the pages, she makes mistakes learns from them and she falls in love. I loved the mystery of a family painting. This book needs to be on your summer to read list. Thank you Netgalley for letting me get a sneak peek of this book

"Girls just want to have fun after all."


Tropes involved;
- Love Triangles
- Forced Proximity
- Found Families

A good romance story whose focus isn't solely on the chemistry and the love between characters, making sure to highlight the drives and the passions of the main character before other moments.

There's still lots of romance and tension-building scenes between our main girl and those around her, and whilst I like the overview of the characters and how they all interacted together I needed more. I felt that as I got nearer to the end, that's where I finally started to get glimpses into the characters and personally, I could have done with more character building and development throughout the entire story. I felt that the majority of the character insight and pacing of the characters was seen further to the end of the book. Also, wasn't the biggest fan of one aspect of the love triangle relationships but that's completely up to the preference of the reader!

The pacing was good, I found it very easy to sit down, enjoy the story and read it over the span of 2 days. I liked the spin of following the main character's journey on her project and the historical mystery aspect. Whilst I liked the addition, and it taking more of the story plot points, I felt that because of the rush to refocus and push the romantic chemistry at the end it was wrapped up too quickly.

Overall, a fun romance just wish there was more character development and insight.


Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this eARC, I am voluntarily leaving a review.

An American girl walks into a house in Notting Hill to a scorchingly hot Aussie, a charming Englishman and a flamboyant fashionista in silk…. The only problem…they’re not the girls she told her overprotective and anxious retired-rockstar father they’d be.

The one house rule…”no fraternising”.

What could go wrong?

I went in apprehensive due to the love triangle mention, but boy was I hooked. A story of self discovery and finding family in the oddest of circumstances. Throw in a hunt to discover the mystery behind a painting, the tale of many Georges, and an angry cat named Hugh, and this was fabulous!

I was so glad there was a clear choice made, and a resolution to the story without leaving us hanging, romance-wise, but no spoilers here. There were a couple of Americanisms that felt a bit out of place in a London setting, but this in no way detracted from the overall greatness of the book.

Girl Abroad follows nineteen year old Abbey who is the daughter of a famous musician and tired of being in his shadow, she sets out to have her own adventures as an exchange student for the next year at a university in London. But she doesn't have the easiest start to her trip when she discovers she won't being living in with three other female roommates but rather three guys. During her time in London, Abbey is caught between a love triangle with two potential bachelors, one who happens to be rugby playing housemate and the other, a bass guitarist who just happens to have a girlfriend.

Despite this book having a love triangle, I really enjoyed this book, especially the plot that centred around the painting, all the mystery surrounding it and I loved how it paralleled Abbey's own life and struggles. I also loved the relationships in the book, especially with Lee, Cece, Jamie and other side characters. The found family dynamic is well written within in this book.

However I do feel like it read more of a Young Adult contemporary rather than a New Adult romance, if it wasn't for the spice then I would've easily mistaken it as Young Adult. While this isn't necessary a bad thing, we all know that Elle Kennedy can write New Adult quite well, just look at the Off Campus Series.

If you're a fan of any other Elle Kennedy's books or looking for a quick lighthearted romance then you'll definitely love this. I would highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is amazing. Very different to the other Elle Kennedy books. I enjoyed it. Love the twist at the end and feel like abbey chose the right person. Such a cute wholesome book. Highly recommended.

Another great romance read from Elle Kennedy.
Loved the writing style and the characters a lot! Elle Kennedy writes romance really well, including in this chaotic and entertaining book!

Abbey is the daughter of a former rockstar, and she has spent her entire life listening to the stories of his adventures, but not getting to live any of her own. Decided to change this, she moves to London for a year at uni.

She’s determined to find out who she is outside of her father’s aura. She wants to have her own stories to tell. And she gets lost into an investigative journey of an old painting of a strange woman.

I had only read Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus and Briar U series before, which I had quite enjoyed. This was a very different style and worked very well too.

I don’t enjoy the love triangle trope, so I didn’t like that aspect of the book much. Even if it was well incorporated into the story and helped it move forward in a couple of places, it still didn’t work for me.

But I really liked Abbey’s journey into the strange painting and an old British Lord’s family secrets. This gave a new dimension to the book beyond the romance element, and I got really involved into wanting to know who the girl was and what was her story as well as Abbey’s.

This is my second Elle Kennedy book! While there were aspects I enjoyed, there were also elements that left me feeling less connected to the story than I initially anticipated.

Firstly, the one-dimensional portrayal of certain side characters stood out to me. For example, I found Eliza and Abbey’s conversations very superficial and they did not pass the Bechdel test. Lee is the exception to this; his friendship with Abbey was everything!!

I also found it challenging to fully engage with the plot when one of the love interests had a girlfriend for the first half of the book. This element introduced a layer of discomfort for me as a reader. I usually enjoy love triangles, but this one was a little too messy for me.

On a positive note, the relationship between Abbey and Mr. Buxley resonated with me emotionally. Watching Abbey break down Mr. Buxley’s walls was absolutely hilarious! I also loved the banter and chemistry between Abbey and Jack and Nate. However, I felt the story missed the opportunity to delve deeper into their characters. The surface-level nature of their conversations left me craving a more profound understanding of their backgrounds. This is understandable though as there’s only so much you can fit into a story!

Moreover, the overall tone of the narrative struck me as somewhat juvenile. It felt like I was reading YA at times. The FMC, in particular, grated on my nerves sometimes. However, I was pleasantly surprised by her character development by the end of the book! Her journey to finding herself was truly heartwarming.

In addition to all the above, the Tulley family mystery-solving aspect is something I’ve never seen done before! I was sceptical at first but quickly became enthralled, wanting to know who Josephine picked. I love how it mirrored Abbey’s life.

Overall, while there are certain elements that didn’t mesh with me, it’s important to note that they’re a matter of personal preference.

This was a solid, lighthearted new adult romance. The writing was clear and easy to read. I feel like it had charm, especially when describing the London setting. The author did a good job with the colloquialisms and phrases and I was pretty immersed the whole way through!

Girl abroad

4⭐️

I quite enjoyed this book. It's somewhat of a chaotic mess, but in a way that is entertaining, and it made me laugh.

I really liked the dynamic they had in the house between the four of them, the personalities mesh well together. The mystery of the painting was surprisingly well done. I was very invested in the journey to the outcome.

But probably the best part of the book was her relationship with her dad and her realising what she wants in life when she's not in his shadow. But also him learning that he has to loosen the reins a bit. Oh, and Mr Baxley, I love him so much.

The love triangle was definitely at the forefront of the story, and I knew from the start which side of it I was on. I did think it was a little bit off putting, though, to have her so casually be into someone else's boyfriend. The 3rd act conflict on one side of the triangle was unnecessary and is the reason I've not given this 5 stars. I would have taken that out personally as it was only there to drag the triangle out longer.

I thought the love triangle was going to be over when she sent the text. Like a knee-jerk reaction to seek out the one she actually liked. I would have liked that. The situation with the Lord was handled well, and I was impressed with Sophie afterwards

All in all, I liked it. I can see myself reading it again, but it wasn't perfect. Excellent if you need a pick me up.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, elle kennedy, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

i enjoyed this so much! it was a really fun story with great characters! i went into this blind and my expectations were definitely met! the story was so interesting and got me really invested in the tulleys, and the love triangle had me hooked. at the start i found it a little slow, but this most definitely picked up and the story developed really well. this was my first elle kennedy book after having so many on my tbr, so i cant wait to get into more!

Thank you NetGalley, Piatkus, and Elle Kennedy for the opportunity to read the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

General information:
- Contemporary new adult romance
- 1st person, single POV, single timeline
- Standalone

Topes and hooks:
- Love triangle
- Found family
- Historical mystery
- London

Generally speaking, I enjoyed this book, and here are some of my thoughts:
- As an exchange student (in the past) I found it really easy to relate to Abbey's story and her self-search journey. The overprotective dad was also a highlight of the story and a very relatable situation. So yeah, I loved Abbey and her father.
- I was very invested in investigating the mystery women's story and romance. This aspect of the story made it more dimensional.
- The romance itself was good, but I felt that it was mostly based on a physical attraction. It's a love triangle and as far as love triangles go this one was very well executed. Both love interests were very different and equally explored and the final choice made by Abbey made actual sense. One of our heroes did have a girlfriend in the beginning, which wasn't my favorite thing, to be honest.
- I also love the found family respect in the story. Abbey ends up rooming with three guys and while one of them becomes a possible love interest, the other two become Abbey's friends and found family. Also special mention to the librarian who was helping Abbey with her research and mystery-solving.
- It was fun and easy to read and understand. I did enjoy the humor in the book.
- It was pretty different from other Elle Kenendy's books.

Abbey has grown up in the shadow of her famous rockstar father and is desperate for some stories of her own so she applies for a year abroad in London.

Abbey is investigating a tarnished aristocratic British family for her history project. Whilst trying to solve a historic love triangle Abbey finds herself in her own love triangle.This trope is usually such a big ick for me but I actually didn’t mind until around 70% when her inability to chose then grated on me.

I thoroughly enjoyed the historic cosy mystery and felt this really boosted the book. This was my first book by Elle Kennedy and I’m definitely going to check out some of her other books!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was immediately intrigued by this book, not only because of the blurb, but because it was different to Elle Kennedy’s usual work which I have loved. It did not disappoint! I really loved how the romance was not the central plot of the book, and how there was this ongoing mystery/research project that Abbey is working on. New Girl is one of my favourite tv shows and I immediately was seeing the similarities which I loved! I usually don’t enjoy love triangles however I really enjoyed this one, it was done really well! I also liked seeing Abbey’s journey of self discovery as she finally gets to be independent and out of her dad’s protection. My only criticism is that there were a lot of American words used by the non American characters such as fall, college, etc, however the Australian character uses Australian slang; it didn’t really make sense. Other than that I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it! It was an easy but engaging read. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc!