A series of chance encounters leads to a sizzling new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series. The universe is conspiring against Ava Breevort. As if flying back to Phoenix to bury a childhood friend wasn’t hell enough, a cloud of volcanic ash traveling from overseas delayed her flight back home to Boston. Her last ditch attempt to salvage the trip was … last ditch attempt to salvage the trip was thwarted by an arrogant Scotsman, Caleb Scott, who steals a first class seat out from under her. Then over the course of their journey home, their antagonism somehow lands them in bed for the steamiest layover Ava’s ever had. And that’s all it was–until Caleb shows up on her doorstep.
When pure chance pulls Ava back into Caleb’s orbit, he proposes they enjoy their physical connection while he’s stranded in Boston. Ava agrees, knowing her heart’s in no danger since a) she barely likes Caleb and b) his existence in her life is temporary. Not long thereafter Ava realizes she’s made a terrible error because as it turns out Caleb Scott isn’t quite so unlikeable after all. When his stay in Boston becomes permanent, Ava must decide whether to fight her feelings for him or give into them. But even if she does decide to risk her heart on Caleb, there is no guarantee her stubborn Scot will want to risk his heart on her….
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I was expecting rom-com from the cover and title so it took me a moment to get past the fact that, despite the feisty and perhaps contrived cute meet start, this was an earnest and angsty romantic women’s fiction story about two wounded characters who each had a lot of growing up and healing to do before they could achieve their happily every after. I think it was well written and in the end enjoyed it quite a lot.
Bloody hell! This book made me feel things I didn’t think I was able to. Fight or Flight by Samantha Young is sweet, charming, extremely sexy and exactly what I needed from my Atlanta Girly Book Club!
When Ava Breevort meets Caleb Scott at an airport there’s no love lost between the two. Shockingly, cough, not, the two end up on the same fight sitting right next to each other. Caleb is blunt and grouchy and Ava has never met someone who is able to get under her skin like him. Although he’s a bit of a prick, he’s gorgeous, and let’s not forget he’s Scottish! With all the hostility between then, yet chemistry too, one can only imagine what happens when the two land and have a layover together.
Although the two think they’ll never see each other again, fate yet again, brings the grumpy sexy Scotsman back into Ava’s life. The two obviously can’t seem to get along, they also can’t stay away from each other. There’s a fine line between love and hate.
This author, Samantha Young, certainly has a way with her words. And let’s just say it is not with the dialogue, wink wink, it’s the sex scenes. I was sucked into this book from the first chapter. Her writing is captivating and engaging throughout the entire book.
The cliché of the enemies to friends was predictable, but the witty dialogues and the awesome banter made this so enjoyable. The growth of their relationship was so amazing. The two have their own sad and heartbreaking pasts that make their falling for each other stronger. I’ve never and will never believe in finding “that one person” but this story made me think these two were meant for each other — fate I guess!
Fight or Flight by Samantha Young was extremely addicting and fun, but also emotional and sexy. Overall, this was a fantastic read. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves contemporary romance novels. I’m so grateful the Girly Book Club finally decided to change this month’s genre to romance. My cold dark heart needed to start beating again! I won’t even mention the other parts that also felt alive by this book! Just believe me, you want to read this book!
Read my full review here: https://bit.ly/2ULFetq
Fun book. I enjoyed it. She is one of my favorite authors.
From the moment I started reading ‘Fight and Flight’ I was hooked. I never have a lot problems with ‘seeing’ the book in my mind while reading, but with this one it was like I was watching a movie from the very start. I just was hooked to these pages and didn’t want to stop reading. (Baby girls nap time definitely came in handy!) Not only was this book romantic, sexy and filled with great characters I also found myself smiling a lot. There was definitely humor but also some heartbreak. Yep, this book was an emotional rollercoaster!
The two main characters Ava and Caleb were really fun to get to know. They both have had their share of grieve over the years and they both have lost faith in love. And I just loved the way these characters where with each other. Especially in the beginning they didn’t like each other at all and they both make assumptions based on each other’s looks. Assumptions you can imagine having yourself too. The chemistry between Ava and Caleb just flew from the pages and I just couldn’t get enough of them. This book definitely gave me all the feels and not only because of the romance, but because this book just had it all.
Not only the two main characters where great, the other characters in the book were also very fun to read about and it makes me hope for new books about them. Ava’s best friend Harper definitely deserves her own book. And Caleb’s brother Jamie.. Well, let me tell you I have their story all figured out in my head!! LOL.
If you didn’t already love Samantha Young, ‘Fight and Flight’ will definitely make you love her. I’m already looking for my next Samantha Young read!
This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased, honest opinion.
This book just wasn’t for me. I didn’t care for the main guy Caleb whatsoever. I get he had his own baggage but still. He always threw such low blows! He wanted to cut you down and drive you away at whatever cost to protect himself. I felt it was his way or the highway. Caleb wanted a benefits only relationship without any sort of emotional attachment. Ava, the other main character, thought that was something she wanted as well. But, of course, feelings developed as the story continued. I honestly didn’t feel the chemistry between these two. I felt it was literally just a way to fix a sexual need for them and that’s it.
Another thing that bugged me was there was always some new drama or some jaw dropping event/back story around every corner. It began to feel like too much just for dramatic flare. One of the more major dramas was everyone blaming Ava for a certain situation. That felt off to me because I don’t think anyone would’ve truly blamed her for that scenario in real life.
I will say, the last third or so of the book was so much better than the rest. I loved the addition of Caleb’s brother Jamie. He really added a lot to the story and I truly hope he gets his own story.
Overall, I just didn’t love this book. I think my issue was mainly Caleb. I wasn’t attracted to him and didn’t care for his personality whatsoever. He made it really difficult for me to enjoy this. I think I’d like other books from this author if it featured a different couple.
I found this book to predictable and the pace slow
“The blurb for Fight or Flight had me instantly enraptured. I love a good enemies to lovers romance, and I honestly couldn’t wait to read this book by Samantha Young. This is my first read by her, and while I really enjoyed her writing style, this book was just okay for me. So i will proceed to tell you why I did like this book, and why I didn’t , without giving spoilers away.
In my opinion Fight or Flight was well paced. It flowed well. I also really liked the heroine, Ava. She was an amazing friend, and also really responsible when it came to basically everything in her life. She bossed up to her mistakes and learned from them. She is the 30 year old woman who dresses like a super model and walks with her head held high, but loves food just like the average girl.
The things I didn’t care for, was first and foremost, the hero Caleb Scott. He was an absolute nightmare in my opinion. He was rude and condescending, with no regard to anyone else’s feelings. I literally felt like he was just a big bully that never redeemed himself. I also felt like there was a lot of information missing about Caleb when it came to family and friends and even his past relationships. Not only that, I legitimately just got bored with this story. To me it felt like the scenario remained the same, that they both the hero and heroine said the same thing over and over maybe just worded differently.
Overall, I really wish I could give this book more stars but I just can’t. This book will not deter me from trying something else from this author. I am sure more people will like it more than me, so for that I would give it a try.”
*Reviewed for Reviews From the Heart
Fight or Flight ended up being less fluffy romance and more emotional than I anticipated, but I loved that about it. Don’t get me wrong, there are swoons and sexy times and a few laughs… but there are also some very real feels. Personally, I loved the combination.
Caleb wasn’t the easiest nut to crack. In fact, he was a jerk in the beginning. I wasn’t sure I would warm up to him. But oh, did I ever. There was so much more to him than met the eye. I absolutely adored Ava from the beginning. She was so very relatable. Their hate-to-love struck all the right chords with me. Their chemistry sizzled from the very start and their banter was A+. But it was really once things started getting deeper and more emotional, when truths from their pasts were revealed, that Fight or Flight became something special. Oh, the feels. (And yes, tears.)
I have high hopes we’ll see Caleb and Ava again in another book. I’d love to see more from this world and from the secondary characters. This book was satisfying, but as is often the case, I want more. Yes, I’m a greedy reader.
Favorite Quotes:
“I don’t know how I’m going to win. I just know I’m not going to lose.”
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Nothing else is worth looking at when you’re in the room.”
“We’re all afraid of something, sweetheart. It’s up to us whether we stay and fight that fear… or whether we run and hide from it. I’m glad you’re not going to hide anymore. You have to promise not to hide anymore.”
Loved every word. Wanted it to go on and was sorry to see it end.
I’ve got a confession to make. I almost didn’t read this book because I got swayed by a few negative reviews. I halfheartedly skimmed the start of the book expecting to dnf. Silly me. Before I knew it I was totally wrapped up in Caleb & Ava’s love story and had finished the book in one sitting! I loved this enchanting enemies to lovers book. Yes there is a lot more hate than love at first and Caleb is a growly, rude Scot, but that’s kinda what makes him endearing. They fight, they love, he says hurtful things he regrets, but don’t we all? I thought it was a great story full of sparks & sass and wonderful secondary characters (Harper & Jamie) who deserve books of their own. Lesson learned- don’t let other people’s opinions influence you. Everyone has their own likes, dislikes and triggers, but I would have been sorry if I had passed on this book because of what someone else thought.
Fight or Flight had great promise!!!
I loved the banter, and who doesn’t love big, blunt and grumpy Scots. That being said, if you love Samantha Young, you’ll love FOF. She has a way of putting her readers through the wringer, and I mean the emotional wringer. Ever since reading her On Dublin Street, I learned to handle her books with care.
Her writing is wonderful and Fight or Flight was a solid performance. It had an interesting plot and witty dialogues that produced the most awesome banter.
Unfortunately the characters were not as likable as expected. Ava was a little bit too snippish for my taste, and Caleb too cold for my liking. Now, they had undoubtedly sexual attraction going on between them, but Caleb’s thought process did rarely agree with me.
He was too set on his idea of ” it’s just sex, I’m not interested in more”. And the way he pulled back got old pretty quickly. He had to be handled with kid gloves, and that just didn’t sit right with me. I get it that sometimes people are to set in their own habits and think they know best. But having to listen to him say it again and again. And pull away from Ava again and again – made him immediately less likable. And it was such a shame, because his brogue and otherwise grouchy self was delectable.
I really loved the idea of the book. Just the execution could have been less dramatic and nerve-wracking and a bit more light hearted and fun. It’s sad because the banter could have been even more awesome if Fight or Flight would have been a little more fun.
My favorite quote of 2018 in romantic comedy: “I’d rather sew my eyes shut with cocktail sticks than sit next to an ill-educated dickhole who defies the rumor that Scottish people are the nicest people in the world.” I really enjoyed this one from Samantha Young. Great fun for a long holiday flight or drive!
My favorite book this year!!
It has been awhile since I’ve read a Samantha Young book. I’m reminded of how much I like her work! In this story the hero, Caleb, is an infuriating Scot who is always one step ahead (literally) of Ava, the heroine. They first meet in an airport when Caleb cuts in front of her in line and gets the last first class ticket. Their irritation gives way to an intense attraction when they find themselves sitting next to each other on a cross country flight and then are stranded at O’Hare. I thought the plot was well paced, well thought out, and well written.
I devoured this book in one sitting. Fight or Flight was so good and pulls you in from page one. Samantha Young has a way of writing a story and pulling you into the story. This has been added to my top reads of 2018.
Caleb and Ava meet at an airport and immediately loathe each other. They become quick enemies without even knowing each other. This book is packed with angst and heartbreaking moments. You will fall in love with these characters. If you are looking for a good enemies to lovers story this one is for you. I highly recommend this book.
“A miracle had happened. I found myself feeling something for a guy. Actually, maybe, wanting to try out something real with him. And he just happened to be the most brutally honest, commitment–phobic man I’d ever met.”
Fate keeps throwing Ava and the taciturn Scotsman Caleb together in this hilarious, sexy, surprisingly emotional enemies-to-lovers inspired read. I love the witty-banter, the heart-to-heart, the emotional connections and the ever evolving story in Fight or Flight.
Young has written some really great characters that I hope to read more of in the future. I’d love a book for Harper!
I really enjoyed Caleb and Ava’s story. She was so amusing and he loved pissing her off. This just missed 5 stars for me because I wanted to witness a bit more softening of Caleb. It did happen, we just didn’t really get to see the internal process. I also would have liked a bit more dialogue when he comes back to her. Yes what he did was romantic and lovely, but for the amount of pain that he caused, there should have been more conversation around the consequences of his choices.
One of the best romance novels of 2018. I couldn’t put it down. If you like a strong, relatable heroine and a broody, sexy alpha jerk this one’s for you.
The blurb for Fight or Flight had me instantly enraptured. I love a good enemies to lovers romance, and I honestly couldn’t wait to read this book by Samantha Young. This is my first read by her, and while I really enjoyed her writing style, this book was just okay for me. So i will proceed to tell you why I did like this book, and why I didn’t , without giving spoilers away.
In my opinion Fight or Flight was well paced. It flowed well. I also really liked the heroine, Ava. She was an amazing friend, and also really responsible when it came to basically everything in her life. She bossed up to her mistakes and learned from them. She is the 30 year old woman who dresses like a super model and walks with her head held high, but loves food just like the average girl.
The things I didn’t care for, was first and foremost, the hero Caleb Scott. He was an absolute nightmare in my opinion. He was rude and condescending, with no regard to anyone else’s feelings. I literally felt like he was just a big bully that never redeemed himself. I also felt like there was a lot of information missing about Caleb when it came to family and friends and even his past relationships. Not only that, I legitimately just got bored with this story. To me it felt like the scenario remained the same, that they both the hero and heroine said the same thing over and over maybe just worded differently.
Overall, I really wish I could give this book more stars but I just can’t. This book will not deter me from trying something else from this author. I am sure more people will like it more than me, so for that I would give it a try.
Originally posted on Undeniably Book Nerdy
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
To be honest, despite the hype, I had low expectations going into Fight or Flight because I finally got around to reading Samantha Young’s book On Dublin Street (a book I was super hyped for) a week ago and it was just middle-of-the-road okay. Well…
Believe the hype because Fight or Flight was AMAZING!!!!
Fight or Flight is one of those rare books where as soon as I start reading it I knew I was going to love it. So, I just got comfortable and let it take me away to swoon land. *happy sigh*
The story opens with our heroine Ava Breevort desperately trying to get out of Phoenix, preferably flying in first-class, when she was bumped aside by our hero Caleb Scott at the gate desk. Thus begins our heroine and hero’s antagonistic interchange (turned steamy one-night stand) as they both slowly make their way to Boston thanks to a volcanic eruption causing prolonged layovers and delayed flights.
When we first meet Ava, she seemed like a high-maintenance airhead, complaining about not wanting to sit next to someone with smelly feet in coach (as someone who always flies in coach I had to at that) and desperately wanting an upgrade to first class. But, the more time we spend time with her, we learn that there’s more to Ava than meets the eye. She had rich parents, but they were negligent, and she had to take care of herself and make her own way at a very young age. Though she’s built a life in Boston, going back home to Phoenix brought to the surface again the huge betrayal of the two people she had trusted most growing up. I wanted to throat-punch her parents, cut-off Nick’s balls, and slap all those awful people who put all the blame on her in the Ava/Nick/Gem scenario. Like, what?
Then, we have the Bastard Scot aka Caleb Scott. Caleb is this super tall Scottish, Viking-esque dude with glacial blue eyes, who dresses like a biker with his sleeve of tattoos, big muscles, and sexy, unshaven look and speaks with an accent a la Jamie Fraser. Swoon, amirite?? YES! But, like Ava, I was also like, what the hell is up with guy? He was rude, condescending, refuses to say thank you and please… Like Ava, you can’t help but by intrigued by this guy despite his temperament. I was dying to know his story, of what made his the way he was, because we’d get tiny flashes that hinted that his bark may be stronger than his bite.
The author did an amazing job with Fight or Flight–perfect mix of humor and heartbreak, swoons and steam. The writing was excellently done, capturing Ava’s voice and painting Caleb’s sexily grumpy well, and I especially enjoyed the clever banter between Ava and Caleb. The entire story was told in Ava’s POV and, if I was one teeny tiny quibble it would be that I wish we had chapters in Caleb’s POV also. I would’ve liked to see things through his eyes or read his reactions in certain scenes.
Overall, I absolutely LOVED Fight or Flight! Here’s hoping certain characters will get their own book and we’ll see Ava and Caleb again in future books–I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to them once I got to the last page. High recommended for fans of romance, rom-coms, and hate-to-love tropes.