Review: Fight or Flight – Samantha Young

Rating 5 Stars

What’s the book about?
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…

My Review
Fight or Flight is one of my favourite contemporary romances and the book that began my love for Samantha Young. It’s a comfort read that I go back to time and time again as I love everything from the gorgeous cover and Scottish brogue to the steamy and hilarious banter in this enemies to lovers romantic comedy.

It begins with Ava and Caleb fighting over the last seat in first class on a delayed fight back home. Tired, stressed and reeling from other circumstances, they get into it over who deserves the seat more while simultaneously making snap judgments of each other – something that is revisited several times in the book. That was one of the things that really stuck out for me though; the message of ‘not judging a book by its cover’ and I loved that it was explored quite a bit in this story!

With Caleb merely visiting the city for work, he and Ava decide to turn their passionate emotions towards each other from hate into friends(ish)-with-benefits for the remainder of his time there. As we all know from the countless rom-com books and movies out there, this rarely ever stays at friends-with-benefits and other feelings begin to develop.

The feelings of love and wanting a relationship developed mostly on Ava’s part as Caleb is still too hurt over his past experiences with his previous girlfriend. His ex-partner is referred to several times throughout the book as Ava supposedly looks vaguely like her in that polished, well-to-do kinda way. Caleb uses these ‘similarities’ in their looks as a way to judge and presume Ava’s behaviour, and avoid opening up or getting closer to her.

Thankfully though, he gets a (figurative) boot in the backside realising that Ava and his previous partner are two completely different people and I loved watching him begin to grow as a person. Don’t worry though, Ava isn’t perfect either and has her own growing to do. She’s been hurt several time from her parents, to her friends and her own ex-partner so she’s definitely closed herself off somewhat to many people. She’s singularly focused on working and building her career so when we begin to see her let people in, it was such a joy to watch.

Overall, I loved everything about this story – flaws and all. The constant bickering and budding relationship was amazing, the reunion at the end with the appreciate nod to their hilarious first encounter was fantastic, and the side characters with their own lives adding extra depth to the story all made it work so well.

I highly recommend giving this one a go if you enjoy: