FIGHT OR FLIGHT by Samantha Young | Book Review

Review copy provided by the publisher

FIGHT OR FLIGHT is a first class, enemies-to-lovers story with deliciously bickery banter. 

The innocent looking cover, two people seen through airplane windows, fooled me into thinking FIGHT OR FLIGHT by Samantha Young was going to be a light enemies-to-lovers romance. I did not expect things to burn as hot as they did between Ava and Caleb.

Tensions run high in airports, and their initial meeting is anything but cute. Caleb, a hot Scot, defines alpha-hole. For her part, Ava seems used to getting what she wants because she’s attractive and well put together. (You’ll find out of the why of it all later). They’re then stuck on a cross-country flight together.

Thrown together by circumstance once they’re back on the ground, we figure out both Ava and Caleb are more complex than first impressions would have you believe.

Although Ava is meant to be American and Caleb is a Scot, there are some British-isms and turns of phrase that don’t quite ring American. I noticed them, but didn’t really mind at all. In fact, it helped Fight or Flight hit that sweet spot between sexy, contemporary romance and quirky women’s fic set in the UK a la Sophie Kinsella.

Abrasive as Caleb is initially, Young softens his edges with lines like these:

“He suddenly gripped my chin gently and brought my lips to his, where he brushed the sweetest kiss across them. He pulled back but didn’t release me, and he said softly, “I know you’re sad, Ava, about your friend. It’s not up tae me tae take that away, tae make you happy. But I can distract you, babe. I can give you somewhere to disappear.”  (Ed. Swoon).

Later, when they meet at a mutual friend’s social club, Ava has just arrived and this happens:

“Caleb continued to study me, his eyes taking in every detail of my face until I shifted uncomfortably. ‘Why are you staring at me like that?’

Lifting his head away from his hand, he shrugged. “Nothing else is worth looking at when you’re in the room.” 

With Caleb, I don’t know how Young does it, but the line doesn’t sound cheesy. It’s just a totally swoonworthy statement of fact. (Ed. Swoon #2)

I ripped through most of the book in a single night. The sexy, fun part of the relationship was STEAMY (fans self) and thoroughly entertaining. Ava’s backstory and baggage is well-developed, Caleb’s a little less so.  My biggest issue is the conflict comes pretty late in the book, too late for me, really. The whiplash from moving so fast from conflict to HEA made the ending a little less believable.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT is an enjoyable read for a long flight. It was my first Samantha Young, but won’t be my last.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT takes off on October 9.  Get it at the Ripped Bodice| Amazon | iBooks (The pre-order price is $5.99 on Kindle for the eBook!)

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FIGHT OR FLIGHT by Samantha Young | Book Review

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Review of Samantha Young's new romance novel, FIGHT OR FLIGHT.

Michelle Jenkins

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DailyWaffle

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