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 absolutely loved this enemies to lovers story. When Ave and Caleb meet at the airport it’s this instant hate between them with snarky comments and rude behavior. Yet the chemistry is so off the charts, they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. From page one i was hooked. this book has all the feels. it’s a definite five star must read.
Fight or Flight by Samantha Young was completely unputdownable, but I still have very mixed feelings about it. I feel like she started writing a light enemies-to-lovers romcom, had the cover designed, but then maybe it took on a life of its own, because the cover, as cute as it is, does not reflect the angsty, emotional story inside at all.
The beginning feels like a romcom when the hero and heroine meet at the airport and instantly hate each other. Then they find themselves seated next to each other on a flight, and Caleb, the asshole, becomes even more of an asshole. Since I usually love alpha-holes, and this one was tattooed businessman with a Scottish accent, I was waiting to hear his story or POV to find out why he was SUCH A DICK.
“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.”
But this story was a single POV, Ava’s. I’m kind of mixed on that. I think it made it way harder for Caleb to redeem himself in my eyes without his side of the story, yet we were really feeling all the doubt and insecurities Ava felt since she didn’t know his side either.
“You’re going to be as good at this as you look, aren’t you?”
His answer was a devastatingly arrogant grin as he pulled me none too gently into the elevator and pushed me up against the wall as the doors closed. He pressed his long, hard body against mine. “Never fear, babe. I’m about tae ruin you.”
Despite these two hating each other, on an unexpected layover, they gave in to the sizzling attraction of their hate-lust, and it was HOT. I love hate sex!
“You’re not my type. Your hair, your makeup, your clothes, your attitude. You’re too beautiful and you know it. And yet I’m desperate to have you again.”
The lack of manners and the things Caleb said made it really tough to warm up to him, but you can guess he is protecting himself.
“Seriously. Some omnipresent being is playing with us. No two people can keep bumping into each other like this without the help of some twisted fate.”
When Caleb’s visit to Boston gets extended, and they can’t seem to avoid each other, they decide to keep up the sex-only relationship, as long as they don’t get feelings involved, and he continues to push her away with cruel remarks. Ava’s past is painful, and Caleb’s remarks tend to rub salt in her wounds, YET SHE KEEPS GOING BACK FOR MORE. She hates him, but he’s SO HOT, and the sex is SO GOOD. At first, it was fun. Nothing wrong with a little hate sex, right? But then it just became UNHEALTHY, and even though I was still completely sucked into the storyline, I started to get angry with it.
“It’s sex with a guy who somehow manages to make me feel this small”— I gestured with my forefinger and thumb—“every time he opens his mouth.”
I loved Ava’s friend Harper so much! Harper was going through her own hell, but she knew her friend deserved more.
“A man who knows what you’ve been through, who knows what saying that to you would do to you, doesn’t deserve you.”
By almost the end, I decided that this couple is better off apart, because Caleb really couldn’t redeem himself in my eyes.
“Even if he does care about me, I couldn’t be with someone who would choose to inflict that kind of pain on me just to protect himself.”
So although I couldn’t put the book down, I got really frustrated and stopped rooting for the couple. I wish I was able to see more of them together and happy to feel better about them together, but there just wasn’t much of that. It was angst till the very end, though I still enjoyed reading every drop of the journey.
Likes:
•I love banter!
•His Scottish “accent”.
•A tattooed executive with an accent? Yes please.
•I laughed and cried.
•I couldn’t put it down.
•This was a much deeper and more intense story than expected.
•The friendship between Harper and Ava.
•Ava’s character growth.
•I loved Harper and Caleb’s brother, I hope to get their stories soon.
Dislikes:
•The cover is adorable but does not match the story inside AT ALL.
•Not enough in-love and couple together time, I really wished for more of an epilogue.
•There was a point where I didn’t think they would get their HEA and I was actually glad about it, the couple could be toxic together.
•Ava never even let the thought run through her mind that he was treating her so badly because he was fighting his feelings, which was clear to the reader, even without his POV.
•She forgave WAY too easily.
Mixed feelings:
•Not having Caleb’s POV really made the reader feel the angst and not-knowing that Ava felt, but it also made it much harder to redeem Caleb in my eyes.
The Down & Dirty:
I am so torn on Fight of Flight! I could not put it down and pretty much blew off everything and read it in one sitting. But because of the cover, I was expecting fun and light. While the story started out with fun banter, it quickly evolved to angsty and more dramatic. Samantha Young is great at angst and she proved it here. I loved Ava, the heroine. Caleb was a super hot Scot, but his hotness never made up for his assholishness. I thought some of the things he said were just too hurtful to forgive so easily if at all, and I think that this would be a super unhealthy relationship. Maybe if there was more time that the couple was together (like a longer epilogue) I would feel better about them, but it wrapped up quickly without enough couple time for me. There were parts of Fight or Flight that I loved. The first half was 5 stars for me, but the push and pull and Caleb’s cruel comments just went on too long for me, pulling my rating down to a 4 overall because it still kept me sucked in. I loved the side characters and hope we get more from them!
Rating: 4 Stars, 4 Heat
I’m kind of torn when it comes to my thoughts about this book. I really, really enjoyed reading it as a whole but when I stop to think about the story there are a few things that keep it from being a five star read for me.
I really, really didn’t like Caleb for the first few chapters. He was a jerk. I actually worried that I wouldn’t be able to get past my initial impression of him. Thankfully, I did. However, I still don’t like the way he treated strangers and service workers and when I think about it, he never really redeemed himself over it. We just didn’t see him in those situations as frequently so it was easier to forget that part of his personality. After we get to know more about him and what he’s been through, some of his standoffishness made more sense and watching the way he seemed to soften up around Ava did help to see how they were perfect for each other but I still had reservations about him.
I liked Ava and her strength of conviction. After everything she’d been put through with her family and “friends” it would have been easy for her to become bitter and jaded. Which she was, to a point, when it came to trusting in love and relationships. However, I found myself really impressed with her ways of thinking. I love how carefully thought out her opinions were and how calmly and rationally she explained them to people. When she explained why Caleb should be nicer to people, when she showed up for her best friend Harper and explained why she needed to forgive herself…they were all very mature and thoughtful conversations that I wish I read more in often in books. I adore how she stood up for herself with honesty and strength. She never pretended to be anyone other than who she was. .
Like I said, I’m torn about my feelings because I didn’t love the Hero the way that I normally do but I did like Caleb and Ava together so that was a definite plus. The writing was fantastic and I even found myself tearing up at a certain point in the story. Stirring up my emotions is an important part of reading for me so that was also a plus. Without going back and analyzing every aspect of the story, it did leave me with a warm feeling and an absolute want to read more about the secondary characters in it. So while I can’t say that I LOVED it, I definitely recommend that others read it.
Ava is a successful young woman who is devastated after a forced visit to her hometown where she not only had to deal with people who did not like her but also with her family who never cared much. In a series of unusual and unlucky situations, she ends up stuck on her way back to Boston with the rude Scottish Caleb.
Caleb is not very keen to make Ava’s life easier and does everything in his power to ignore and torment her, but this implication turns into an explosive attraction and they can not stay away from each other.
What they both did not realize is that this casual approach would make them open their hearts to each other and tinker with the barriers they both placed around their hearts to new relationships.
Narrated in the first person by Ava, I accompanied their journey towards fight or flight and I fell madly in love with the heroine. She was a strong, determined, gentle, passionate person and above all she knew how to fight and how to give up at the right moments.
On the other side, Caleb only conquered me at the end of the book, I spent much of the reading angry with him because in addition to being rude he was somewhat prejudiced but thanks God he redeemed after what he did.
This book made me laugh so hard these guys just had so many one liners and come backs for each other. The great repour just flowed from the pages and it will keep you reading until you have to call in sick because it’s 4 am and you have to be to work by 5
This Book will rip your heart and make you love it one of the Best Books I’ve read this Year
Ava and Caleb get off on the wrong foot from the start, but there’s a spark of something there that they both can feel and when a “no-strings-attached” situation presents itself, they decide they can use their friction in a more enjoyable way. That’s not to say they just start getting along — oh no, there’s more verbal warfare as their situation gradually changes to something else.
I loved that this was told entirely in Ava’s POV, It made for a more personal experience to only see her side of things. I don’t think it’s easy to portray that gradual falling in love story, since it can be subtle things that make a difference but the author does a really nice job of allowing the reader to see Caleb’s emotional state without actually having his POV and that’s some good writing. And Caleb is just swoony in that alphahole sort of way.
If you like a good enemies to lovers story, you will probably like this one, especially if you are looking for a slow build up to the emotional part of the relationship.
An ARC was provided for review.
Ava and Caleb are taking off with hearts as they cruise the skies of lust and love. She should be annoyed right… firstly, no one likes going to funerals but then to be delayed and stranded would be enough. But low and behold along comes a pushy sexy Scotsman that sneaks her first class seat right from under her. Now being stranded and stuck with his cocky arrogant sexiness is starting to make her squirm worse than any turbulence. They were just supposed to be a travel hookup, a blip on the radar, but when Caleb comes to Boston to stay can can they make magic outside the terminal.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book
This story was INCREDIBLE!!! It brought back all of the ”feels” I got when I first read ”On Dublin Street”! I have fallen in love with Samantha Young all over again! Caleb and Ava are destined to become Samantha’s next power couple! I predict that readers are going to fall head over heels in love with them and their story! Once you pick this book up, I promise you, it will be quite impossible to put down! The angst is gut-wrenching and torturous. I literally was hyperventilating last night from anxiety. There were even a few moments that I screamed my lungs out from my exasperation with Caleb, but there’s no denying he is one FABULOUS and SWOON WORTHY Hero!! Get ready ladies, Caleb Scott will ruin you!!!
FIGHT OR FLIGHT is ”Enemies-to Lovers” at its best. If you want to see how it’s done properly, you need to read this book!! Caleb and Ava are characters who will steal a permanent piece of your hearts. Their chemistry is overpowering and their banter is so entertaining. I will admit that the angst in this book is so intense that it’s at times, painful but it hurt oh so good!
I know that a book is truly special when I fall hard for the Heroine and I truly loved Ava Breevort! I hoped that she would get the happily ever after that only a princess in a fairy tale can achieve because that’s how special this character was to me. I wouldn’t mind it if Ms. Young wrote a couple more books for this charismatic couple!! I seriously am not kidding when I say this book is on par with ”On Dublin Street”!! Ladies, you need to bump this up on your TBRs!!!
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 5+++++++
Plot: 5+++++++
Angst: 5++++++
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5+++++++
What happens when you encounter a stranger who is rude and doesn’t seem to have any manners in an airport when you are both stuck there due to flight cancellations. You end up continuing to run into each other until you end up getting to know each other, not sure if you really like him but then end up having a one night stand! This is what happens to Ava Breevort and Caleb Scott. Oh, by the way, Caleb is Scottish and has the swoony accent.
When they both land in Boston, Ava and Caleb went their separate ways but somehow fate brought them back together. They decide to have a casual relationship since Caleb is only in town on business for a couple of weeks but things never work out as you have plan. The two of them get to know each other better and find out about some of each other’s past. But both of them are scare of relationships and commitment and seem to agree that they don’t want these things.
When Caleb is promoted and moves from Scotland to Boston, he and Ava spend quite a lot of time together and what they really have is a relationship! When they realize what has happened, they are not sure what to do. They each must deal with their tragic past and hopefully get through it and build on their own relationship!
Great story with humor, sarcasm, painful pasts and a sexy Scot!
Ava and Caleb meet by chance and immediately do not like each other. Caleb is an asshole, and at first, not a likable one. Ava is sweet but strong. The universe keeps throwing them together, and despite their disdain for each other, they have great chemistry. They have both been hurt in the past which causes them to keep walls up. I loved seeing their relationship evolve. Although the ending felt a bit rushed, this was a very satisfying read.
I adore Samantha Young’s storytelling and the way she creates such dynamic heroes and heroines, and I also love a good enemies-to-lovers’ storyline. So, with the release of Fight or Flight, I was able to get my Samantha Young fix as well as experience a passionate, emotional, and witty story that pits an intelligent and driven American against an arrogant Scotsman and all the ways that fate intervenes to keep these two in one another’s crosshairs despite their antagonistic encounters.
Ava Breevort is an intriguing heroine – one whose past dictates her present more than she would like; in fact, the reason she crosses paths with Caleb is because she was at a funeral for a childhood friend and had a series of misfortunes on her way back to Boston. I think a lot of readers will relate to Ava and the way she deals with the lack of love she’s had in her life from the people who were supposed to love her most, and we will also cheer her on as she works to find her voice in all situations and give as good as she gets, not just from her ex, but from her cranky and downright mean, at times, sex buddy. Ava definitely seems to come into her own as the story progresses and even though there were times that I felt she gave into Caleb too easily, especially when he didn’t seem to deserve it, there’s a reason she feels so strongly connected to him…now, she just needs to figure out if she continues to fight her feelings for him or let them take flight, risking her heart
and perhaps her sanity for a shot of something real with this moody Scot who has past issues of his own to sort through and confront.
It’s extremely difficult when the hero is an extremely flawed one, like Caleb seems to be, and what makes it even harder is when readers don’t get his perspective…aren’t allowed inside his head to understand what lead him to who he is today; I think that would have gone a long way in helping readers warm up to Caleb a bit more. What does become quite clear, though, the further into the story I read is that there’s more to the Caleb Scott Ava and readers first meet, and even though he left me feeling quite conflicted, not knowing if I wanted to kiss him or throttle him, the way Young reveals Caleb’s full personality helps us to understand the complexity of this rather difficult man. That being said, there will be readers who won’t be able to see passed some of Caleb Scott’s actions, especially those times when his flippant attitude and lack of filter cause more harm than good, which means that he will be a point of contention for some romance readers, causing them a disconnect that they might not be able to overcome.
It’s hard to say if Ava and Caleb’s connection is a healthy one; without a doubt, their physical chemistry is electric, but the deeper these two get with each other, when neither seemed to want anything more than a release and a bit of passion for as long as it lasts, the more improbable a long lasting connection is because unless their respective pasts are dealt with, there’s no way they’ll be able to fight for something they didn’t seem to want in the first place.
Fight or Flight is quite the angst riddled journey, and while I’m usually averse to such storylines, my love of Samantha Young’s storytelling definitely drew me to Ava and Caleb’s book, and while I felt emotionally overloaded for much of it, I also didn’t want it to end because that’s how much I adore being in the worlds that Young creates.
4.5 Poison Apples
Caleb Scott is a broody Scotsman, who is definitely easy on the eyes. But it is clear to see that there is something brewing below the surface. The more we get to see him, we see that he is not only the grumpy man that he likes to come across as. In fact I think he is fighting his feelings for the beautiful woman from a day of chance meetings. Someone has hurt this man and he is forming an arms length reach at all costs.
Ava has had her share of heartbreak and having to go to her hometown to say goodbye to her used to be best friend has been the icing on the cake. Here parents were less than supportive while she was there, her ex-boyfriend freaked out on her in front of everyone. She is so thankful to be headed back home to normalcy. She was not prepared or did she have the strength to deal with the Scottish man in her paths.
Can sex with no feelings actual work? When you don’t like the person, how is that possible? But when it is burning up the sheets hot, can you give it up and walk away? Is it possible to change your perception and find so much more than you bargained for?
The push and pull of these characters was like nothing that I have ever read before, but behind it all there seemed to be a hidden sincerity that kept me reading, hoping that maybe there would be some love to find it’s way to the surface. It is witty and original.
*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***
4.5 ‘Easier to love you’ Stars!
ARC kindly provided by the the publisher.
An absolute winner by Samantha Young! I was so excited when I discovered about this book because if you know this author, then you know about her Dublin Street series, which is full of love stories featuring Scot hunks (and the amazing women that change their lives forever). So when I read about Fight or Flight and I saw we were getting a new and exciting story with a grumpy and sexy Scotsman, I was all over it! Especially when I saw it was a hate to love story between two people who start knowing each other in a flight to Boston.
So, Fight or Flight is Samantha Young’s upcoming standalone release and it’s an enemies to lovers romance. Caleb Scott and Ava Breevort meet in an airport in an unfriendly encounter where both want to get a first class seat on their next flight. Well.. circumstances put them next to each other on said air travel. And it’s pretty obvious these two can’t stand each other. However, there is a lot of sexual tension between them too and they finally share an unforgettable one-night stand that later becomes a no-strings attached relationship. Do Ava and Caleb really hate each other? Will love get in the way? Will they forget their difficult pasts together? Read it and find out!
“You”—I gestured to him, saying the word slowly so his tiny brain could compute—“Stole. My. Seat.”
“You”—he pointed down at me—“Are. A. Nutjob.”
In my opinion, the Dublin Street series by Samantha Young is one of the best in the romance community. The woman knows how to write one emotional and sexy love story with complex and lovable characters. And Fight or Flight is no exception. This book has a gripping and entertaining storyline, outstanding and deep main and secondary characters, a good dose of sexual tension, lots of sexy moments and emotions running high. I was hooked to the story from the very start to the very end: all because of Ava and Caleb’s chemistry and also because of the amazing secondary characters in the novel (especially Harper and Jamie).
Somehow, impossibly, I’d developed feelings for my Bastard Scot.
Feelings plus sex?
Bad idea.
Because let’s talk about these two. Ava Breevort and Caleb Scott have pasts that stop them from really committing to anything serious. Both affected on their last relationships, decide to embark on an only-sex and friendship agreement. Obviously that happens after they see they do not really hate each other that much! And said common ground works for a while. The chemistry between them is stormy and combustible and I mean.. who complains on having a hot Scot dirty talker? Not me! But, obviously, feelings do get in the mix and the story gets extremely emotional too. And it’s so heartbreaking but also an absolute delight to read. I am just so glad Ava and Caleb found each other because their love story is just fantastic!
“Only you,” he suddenly whispered. […] He rested his forehead against mine, holding me tight. “You have the power tae hurt me. Only you.”
Thefore, I am rating Fight or Fligth with 4.5 STARS because every aspect of the story was on point for me. Yes, I do have to say I wished the epilogue was a little more extensive but everything else was perfect for me. I was addicted to the story, how it developed, the main couple and their chemistry, the secondary characters and all those feelings as well. I loved it so much! The Bastard Scot and his wee yin *sigh* I am just so happy and I do hope Samantha writes Harper’s story too because I want it so badly (and I hope she falls for Caleb’s brother, Jamie lol). Highly recommend!
Fight or Flight by Samantha Young was a fun read about chance encounters between two people who do not like each other…at first. But when life keeps throwing them back into each other lives, what can you do? Ava Breevort is on her way back home to Boston when she meets the insufferable Caleb Scott. Though they do not like each other, they somehow unexpectedly end up in bed together.
Then they move on never expecting to see each other again. Or so they thought! But life definitely had other plans for these two. Though they appear to dislike each other with every encounter, their chemistry is undeniable. I was drawn in by their interactions and absolutely loved their banter. When this temporary situation turns into something more permanent, will they fight for what they can have or will they walk away from all they can be?
I truly enjoyed reading Fight or Flight by Samantha Young. I loved the back and forth between Ava and Caleb and their unquestionable connection. This enemies-to-lovers romance was funny and engaging and one I highly recommend.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
I love Samantha Young’s novels and Fight or Flight won’t be the exception to the rule. More and more Scottish character is present in the novels of Samantha and it charms me because you feel the origins of an author that I love .
Ava Breevort is a 30 years old young woman we will adore over the pages because she is a person of integrity who doesn’t pretend to care about friendship or “love”. Finally this word is no longer part of her vocabulary for a few years now because she no longer wants to put her trust into the hands of a person capable of breaking her heart into a thousand pieces. We discover her in an airport where the eruption of a volcano with the unpronounceable name forces her to remain stuck to the ground. For her job, she travels a lot and this delay could have been mocked quickly if a certain Scot had not worsened the situation. The verbal fights are going to be important very quickly and this Viking will not prevent her from saying what she deeply thought. We don’t know if this tension doesn’t hide anything else but fate will laugh at them by putting them on each other’s path. Ava’s weakness may be that she doesn’t know how to resist his icy blue eyes, his hot beard and the sex appeal hidden beneath this sturdy bear.
But Ava is a woman with a temper and she didn’t say her last word . She will gradually find a place in the daily life of our hero. What I liked about her is the fusional relationship she has with Harper, her best friend, who knows all of her secrets and who knows her past with Nick and Gemma. Like Ava, she is a passionate young woman who only lives for her job and doesn’t have time for love. This feeling may weaken you, but Ava still has control over every aspect of his life. The decision she will take will be well thought out and we just have to hope that she will stick to the rules because I have the impression that under her shell is hiding a young woman , once bruised and hurt that has never been appreciated. If her boss Stella or her friend Patrice know that she is a serious and professional young woman, we feel that they have an almost maternal role to play in the plot. But be careful not to play too much with the fire because Ava could end up getting burned.
We have no chapter written from Caleb Scott’s point of view, the 35-year-old Scottish man, and this obviously reinforces the aura of mystery surrounding this character. It is therefore impossible to enter his thoughts and know his feelings. He doesn’t show any emotion and knows perfectly how to keep people away. He is arrogant, considers that saying thank you and please is not fo him. This makes him be a rustic character that we had trouble appreciating at first. However, the line between hatred and desire is very thin and he may not be able to resist Ava’s charm. He has a lot of responsibility and is therefore accustomed to people answering to his demands. He has that dominating side that we like to find among some heroes as long as they are not offensive . He loves being poweful and so Caleb will be very difficult to define and as a reader, we will try to analyze each of his actions or words. He is a man of few words but when he opens his mouth, it is better to be friends with him than to be his enemy. He has no close friends and his family is too far away for us to deduce anything about him. Only Jamie , one of his brothers ; will make his appearance to spice up the plot. Will Ava solve the riddle Caleb is? Can she hope that he trusts her?
In short, I had a great time reading Samantha Young’supcoming novel that allows us to discover this Scottish lad , a man hard to decipher. Caleb and Ava will make us laugh thanks to their verbal foreplay but emotions will also be there. Fight or Flight is a delicious romantic comedy that must be devoured without any moderation
Samantha never ceases to amaze me with her great writing skills and characters that I absolutely adore. However, sometimes the characters can be a bit too overboard and that hurt the book a bit, for me at least.
Ava is a woman who has seems to have everything together and has the tongue that could give you 50 lashings if you step out of line. She has no problem speaking her mind and she does just that when she and Caleb (the bastard Scott) run into one another at the airport.
Caleb is a very abrasive man who also speaks what is on his mind. When he and Ava bump into one another at the airport, he immediately assumes she’s this women who dresses to impresses others. He’s an asshole and rude jerk but for whatever reason, has this insane attraction to her.
When Caleb ends up having to stay in Ava’s town for longer than anticipated, these two decided to make the best of it – regardless of their animosity towards on another, they are both deeply attracted to each other and need to get that out of their systems. However, Caleb never lets his walls down and continues to keep Ava at arm’s length. All the while, Ava seemed to lose some her confidence and be ok with his rudeness and accept that as ok. This is where I started to find some issues with this story.
Samantha Young is one hell of a story teller. I found myself getting caught up in this enemies to lovers story and loved almost every bit of it. Caleb and Ava argue and fight A LOT in this book. Caleb pushes her away too many times (and treats her like shit) for me to be ok with her ever accepting him into her life. At one point, the relationship/friendship almost felt toxic for Ava.
One thing that Samantha did well was feeling their raw emotions coming out, at least with Ava. Caleb was just a dick and personally, never won me over. But once again, I applaud an author for getting to me hate such strong emotions for a character. I don’t like how Caleb treated Ava, but she must have saw something that I did not in him as she continued to take him back.
Overall, I really wanted to love this story but I have so many conflicting emotions that I feel it’s best to just rate this one right down the middle. Many have loved this book and others have felt the same as me.
I highly encourage anyone to read it and decided on our own how this story and its characters makes you feel.
OK … I feel like I’m at war with myself because I absolutely wanted to love this book so much because I love the author soooo much, but it wasn’t quite there for me. I’m fairly new to Samantha Young’s books and I loved the two that I’ve read by her.
I truly love reading enemies to lovers romances, but the hate was more strong in the beginning than I expected it to be. And most of it was coming from the hero, Caleb. It’s to be expected with this trope that the hero is usually the a-hole, but his hate was nearly on a level of its’ own and that had me completely appalled by him. It’ll keep you wondering how the heck he’ll be able to redeem himself by the end, so that was a huge factor that made keep going as well because I wanted to know how Ava would completely capture his heart. There’s hope for everyone, even this major [ insert whatever word seems fitting ].
Once you get past their many unexpected encounters and their spitfire towards one another, we dig deeper into each of their stories. And they’re both extremely heartbreaking in different ways. Ava and Caleb are no strangers to heartbreak and that pulled at mine completely. With Ava being betrayed by the two people that she loved the most in her life and essentially building this huge barrier between everyone she has known in her life. And don’t even get me started on her parents who were never there for her.
I think this was one of my turning points for Caleb’s character was when we learn a bit more of his backstory, but it still wasn’t enough for me to forgive his rudeness. But you can definitely sense the bitterness that he has taken on from his past. Sadly, it was enough for him to treat every woman that looked like his past like trash.
One of my favorite parts of the book was Ava and Harper’s friendship! It’s definitely something everyone should have in their life, a solid support that will always be on your side. And they would also be your voice of reason. I know I’m not alone on this, but I want Harper to have her own book. I loved her character a lot!
I have no idea how Ava was able to deal with Caleb antics and how she was a bit quick to forgive him, when he essentially hurt her in such a way that seems nearly impossible to forgive.
Despite certain things that I didn’t like here and there, Samantha has a way with her words that keep you absolutely addicted to everything on the page. I still finished this in one sitting and found myself completely enamored the whole time. I just couldn’t find any redeeming qualities in Caleb.
This may not have been my favorite of Samantha’s, but you may love it, so I’d still give this a try!
Major thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced reader’s copy!
Want a fun read? Fight or flight delivers! Fans of witty banter will delight with Ava and Caleb’s reparte! Love the sexy times? Young delivers! Like your books to have just a touch of heartbreak? Yep, Fight or Flight’s got that too! Ava and Caleb’s back stories will moisten your eyes (even if you are a heartless bastard!) and will really help the reader connect with them. This book kind of ticks all the romance readers ‘most wanted’ boxes and it does so beautifully!
Ahhhh!!! I loved it. I loved it. I loved it. This book was so incredibly good. So unexpected, a total gem of a read. This story is everything that you could want, need and ache for in an enemies to lovers romance.
When I first picked up this book, I just knew this was going to be a good read. I am sucker for the rude, frustratingly blunt hero and Caleb does not disappoint. Add in his sexy good looks and accent and he is trouble with a capital T! And Ava…she’s got some baggage, but she’s worked hard to get where she is and she dishes it out and can certainly take it. So, when these two strangers who can’t stand each other are stuck on a plane together, the banter between them is just off the charts. The tension is so intense, so strong. You can feel it just oozing off the pages. You just know if these two got together that they would just be explosive. So from forced interactions and chance meetings, fate sure seems to be telling these two something. And while Caleb and Ava can’t stand one another, that doesn’t mean that they can’t have sex right?! We all know this isn’t going to end well. Soon enough, lines will be blurred and feelings will come into play. But, that doesn’t stop me from hanging on to each word, living each moment and anticipating just how Caleb and Ava’s story will play out….What I can tell you is to just sit back, relax and enjoy this crazy ride…..
Fight or Flight is brilliantly written and is a story that is just going to knock you off of your feet. It grabs you from the very first page and keeps you wanting more. From broken and frustrating characters to steamy hot sex and incredible angst, this book has it all. I loved the enemies to lovers story-line. I won’t lie to you, Caleb is one of the most frustrating characters I have ever read. He was such a jerk and there was many times that I just wanted to grab him and shake him. But, there is so much more to him than meets the eye. If you’re lucky enough to be around when his guard is down, he’s actually a really nice guy. He’s sweet and caring. He’s protective and jealous. He can be a total alpha male. He’s been hurt before and has his heart firmly locked up. And Ava….Her life has been anything but easy. The only people she calls family is her uncle and her BFF. She’s smart, beautiful and talented. She’s the kind of woman you’d be lucky to have in your corner. All the more reason that I found myself rooting for these two. They were perfect for one another whether they wanted to admit it or not.
Fight or Flight is so much more than a enemies to lovers romance. It is a story filled with heart, and frustration. A story of letting go of the past and fighting for the future. It’s a story of finding love when you’re not even looking for it. It’s a story of friendship and second chances. It’s a story that is at times heavy and filled with so much emotion. The angst so intense it feels as if it is your own. In fact, there was a moment, somewhere around the 85% mark, where my heart was just broken. Ava’s hurt and pain felt as if it was my own. I didn’t know how she could come back from it or how Caleb was going to redeem himself. But, it’s moments like that, that I just ache for, that I just can’t get enough of, that will have me glued to the pages right until the very end.
There is so much to love about Fight or Flight, I could seriously spend all day just gushing about it. I loved every moment of this story from beginning to end. There were so many wonderful characters that I grew to love, two in particular that I’m hoping we will see again. This story was truly special and just a total treat. My emotions are still a total mess and I couldn’t be more happier about it. Fight or Flight is my new favorite by this author and I couldn’t be more excited to see what lies ahead for us next.