FIGHT OR FLIGHT by Samantha Young-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: release Date October 9, 2018

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 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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REVIEW: FIGHT OR FLIGHT by Samantha Young is a contemporary adult, stand alone romance story line focusing on thirty-five year old CFO of Koto Technologies Scotsman Caleb Scott, and thirty –year old, interior designer Ava Breevort.

Told from first person point of view (Ava) including memories of the past, FIGHT OR FLIGHT follows the enemies to lovers relationship between thirty-five year old CFO of Koto Technologies Scotsman Caleb Scott, and thirty –year old, interior designer Ava Breevort. The death of a former friend, a series of mishaps, a volcanic eruption in Europe, and several flight delays eventually find Ava Breevort facing off against a belligerent and hostile Scotsman slash Viking, who pushes all of our heroine’s buttons. From one unexpected delay to another, and an overnight stay in Phoenix, Ava’s frustration mounts as Caleb Scott becomes the proverbial thorn in her side, and vice versa. Not that Caleb is thrilled that his business plans have been placed on hold but the continuous reappearance of the beautiful but presumably high-maintenance Ava Breevort begins to chafe at Caleb’s growing anger towards a woman he perceives as all kinds of wrong. A one-night stand, and another round of run-ins in Ava’s hometown of Boston, Massachusetts continues to pull at their mutual attraction but equally mutual hatred for one another. What ensues is the agreed upon friends with benefits arrangement between Ava and Caleb, and the potential fall-out as Ava ‘apparently’ pushes too hard forcing Caleb to hurt the woman with whom he is falling in love.

Caleb Scott is a sexy, brooding, and antagonistic male whose dislike of Ava is immediate and aggressive. Unable to let go of the past, Caleb is unbending in his friends with benefits-only arrangement, an arrangement that is about to destroy the heart of our story line heroine. Caleb’s initial assessment and treatment of Ava is embarrassing and exasperating, as our heroine questions if she has done something wrong, a question that has Ava giving as good as she gets. Ava Breevort knows love and loss, a loss that has affected Ava’s self-esteem, and scarred our heroine to the possibility of future love, another betrayal, and issues of trust. Falling for Caleb was never on the radar but having her heart ripped out meant Ava needed to reassess what she wanted in her life.

The relationship between Ava and Caleb is an enemies to lovers/friends with benefits arrangement that leads to something more. For weeks Ava and Caleb will be both friends and lovers but jealousy, heartbreak and memories from the past are but the tip of the ice-burg that is slowly collapsing their hard-fought friendship. Caleb wants to know everything about the woman he refuses to love but isn’t capable of talking about his own embittered past. The push and pull of jealousy is immature and sophomoric in the face of Caleb’s inability to feel something more. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Ava’s best friend, executive pastry chef Harper Smith whose own life experiences are painful and hard –there is a small plot development focusing on Harper, and the fall-out of her own relationship disaster; Ava’s bosses Stella and Patrice; and Caleb’s brother, artist Jamie Scott. I am hoping for a storyline focusing on both Harper and Jamie, but more importantly Harper and Jamie together.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT is a story of pain and heartbreak, and tainted perception. Caleb struggles in the face of former betrayal, and paints Ava with the same judgemental brush. The premise is inviting; the characters are dynamic, flawed and broken; the romance struggles in the face of preconceived notions, and demons from the past.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Samantha Young is the New York Times,  USA Today  and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows.  Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us was published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook & hardback June 2017. Play On is an adult contemporary romance and the first in a brand new series set in Scotland. Villain is a companion novella to the New York Times bestselling romance HERO.

Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for Hero. On Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.

Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.

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