DNF. I hated the heroine of this book from page 1, and when she got dressed up in a Chicago hotel room (to the nines) with the idea that "This is for me, because I'm more than a pretty face" I quit. Come on. Seriously. Dumbest sentiment ever.

(Also, the friction between the two main characters was stupid from the beginning; she was a bitch and he was a total ass and what the hell do I want to read about that for?)

I loved this book so much. It was the right combo of sweet, funny and sexy all in one book. It was perfect and exactly what I hoped for. I don't read a lot of romance books, at least, not anymore but this book made me want to read more of the genre.

In Fight or Flight, we get to read an enemy-to-lovers story and I freaking adored it. I loved the banter they had going on and their chemistry. I was afraid I wouldn't like the characters at first, but I was wrong. I loved both of them even though I really wanted to smack "the Bastard Scot" to get him to admit he was in love with her.

This book was compelling and I couldn't stop reading until I finished it! It was that good and entertaining. If you think this might be something that you'd like, you should check it out. Read the first chapters and see for yourself :).

<i>(Thank you for letting me read and review this book via Netgalley)</i>

Okay so we are diving right into this review because I have a lot to process and break down. Fight or Flight started off as a book that I didn’t expect too much from. I went it basically hoping I wouldn’t hate it and unfortunately, things didn’t turn out the way I had hoped. Let me back up here for a sec tho, for the first couple chapters I was NOT a fan but the book started growing on me a lot but then a THING happened and I ended up extremely disappointed and sad. I mean, the book wasn’t perfect aside from the thing but I was still enjoying it so it sucks. While keeping that in mind, I am breaking down this review into the good and the bad.

The Good

–Ava’s relationships with the people around her. This is, hands down, the best thing about this book. Young has put in a lot of effort to develop these relationships and make them feel real. In particular, I loved Ava’s relationship with Harper. I love that their friendship feels so genuine and that Harper is such a prominent part of the book. I love that we get to see Ava pause and check in on her friend, text her friend gushing and that Harper doesn’t exist only as a plot device. Ava also has really good relationships with her boss and clients! Anyway, it was just so refreshing to see a character, with the kind of sob story Ava has, have an actually good supportive circle.

–The chemistry. Young knows how to write chemistry. There are practically sparks flying off of the pages of this book. Even when I wasn’t a fan of the characters, I was most definitely a fan of their chemistry.

The Bad

If you are the kind of person who has extremely strong feelings about spoilers, I suggest you stop reading RIGHT NOW. I’d use spoiler quotes in any other instance but I feel like these issues are too important to do so. I will try to be as vague as possible though.

ANYWAY. SO.

THE BIG THING THAT PISSED ME OFF.

The love interest has a sob story and it involves a bitchy lady (it always does, doesn’t it?) and you know the biggest reason she is a bitch according to this love interest? It’s because she chose to have an abortion. I am not even kidding. The thing that has broken this person’s ability to love a person is that his ex had an abortion, for a child she didn’t want and didn’t feel ready for, without consulting him. I should make it clear that I think it is valid for him to be sad but that doesn’t mean his ex is a selfish bitch. She wasn’t ready and that is that. A child is a lot of responsibility and she knew it and also knew she couldn’t handle it so END OF STORY. Honestly, just, the entire situation is framed in such a gross manner that I couldn’t stop seeing red for the last 25% of the book.

So. I was mad when I finished the book. Obviously. This crucial moment ruined the book for me. The big twist. YAY. But as I calmed down, I reflected more on the book and realized that it also constantly used violence (or the threat of) as a major plot device. Starting with Ava’s backstory, to how she and her love interest (I don’t want to name him because he is a disgusting person) meet, to the final scene that brings them together.

You know what’s the most ironic part about all this? Fight or Flight tries SO hard to be ‘feminist.’ Ava is constantly calling men out on their bullshit, she likes to dress up for herself (which was fun to read about!), she pays attention to her female friends and such. IDK. Like. What the fuck happened. I don’t know.

So. Anyway. This is less of a review and more of a ramble but I needed to do this SO for anyone who made it this far, thanks for reading. YOU ROCK. I owe you a cookie. If you have your eye on the book, I would definitely pass if any of the above mentioned makes you see red. If you’re still interested, just keep the issues in mind.

Caleb Scott is rude, arrogant, and drop dead gorgeous, so obviously Ava Breevort can’t resist him. When they meet on a flight, it’s both hate and attraction at first sight.

This book was not for me. I found it to be very cliche and I just could not come around to liking the main characters. Caleb is rude to pretty much everyone, which at first bothers Ava but then she gets over it because it’s “just the way he is.” I cannot stand when the female main character swoons over boorish behavior masquerading as masculinity and that’s exactly what happened here. I was hoping for a light, fun romance but instead got the obnoxious trope of the rich, handsome, accented alpha male.

*Netgalley provided this ARC in exchange for an honest teview* This was my first book by Samantha Young and I don’t think this book was for me. I normally like the enemies to lovers trope, but it was impossible for me to like the characters and get into the story. I especially had an issue with Caleb, his character was filled with toxic masculinity and I could not handle it. I really don’t understand how his behavior could come off as “charming”, to me he was just creepy and rude. The storyline felt very generic to me as well, but I do still plan to try some of Young’s other books.

Received and ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

It took a few chapters for me to really get into this book and decide to finish it. Honestly, if it hadn't been a ARC that I was supposed to review, I probably wouldn't have finished this book.

With that said, I'm glad that i did finish this book, because it turned out to be pretty good. Not awesome, but a nice way to pass the time on a weekend of forced rest.

The characters at times seemed one dimensional, kinda shallow. But, it's a typical boy meets girl, they hate each other, they drink, they bang, they think they'll never see each other again... oops! They do! The last half of the book is a pretty fun ride, it's the beginning that's slow.

I won't say anymore, then it would spoil it.

This book is terrible. There's a 0% chance of me recommending it to anyone at all. Honestly, the writing felt amateurish and boring to begin with (the author takes whole pages to describe people, rooms, or random backstory) but the biggest issue is that neither character is remotely likable. Add to that the fact that the "hero" is an awful person and it's not worth the time.

Oh geez. My emotions were all over the place. One moment I was laughing out loud, the next moment I was tearing up. The next I was wanting to throw my kindle or even swooning and smiling. I must have looked crazy reading this book (Don't ask my husband that question :) ). I loved this storyline and I loved these characters so much. I found myself so involved in this story, I could not put it down. I love Samantha's work and this is definitely one of my favorites so far of hers. I can't wait for more from her.

We love a good enemies-to-lovers romance and this is EXACTLY that. Fight or Flight is the perfect mix of banter, wit, and romance - without being overly cheesy.

Right from the beginning this book reels you in and has you laughing out loud, swooning, and you get the gist. What I really enjoyed about this book was that everything with the MC’s felt very natural. The progression of their relationship was right in tune with that of a great enemies to lovers romance. So if you’ve never read this trope, this is a GREAT place to start. The Hating Game also.

This is a solid book and I highly recommend. I also don’t mind that it was set in Boston and gave me all sorts of good mems ☺️

I’ve been a big fan of Samantha Young for many years. It’s great to see a new series from her. She has a rare talent of creating a story with sass and fun, but also dives into very serious subjects. Our heroine may have a more sordid past than many of us, but we can all understand how insecurities can hinder your life. Highly recommend.

It's really hard to write this review because I never thought I would feel this way about one of my favorite authors book. But I have to say it.

This was my least favorite book by Ms. Young. My least favorite of the year by far.

The main characters didn't gripe me or interest me. Caleb was a condescending...

I felt like Ava always ended up doing what he suggested rather than what she initially decided, i.e, go back to him, more sex, etc. I felt that she could have taken a firmer stance on how much Caleb sucked.

This one was a huge miss for me but I hope the next one is a hit.

Samantha Young delivers to you a Hot Romance Novel that makes you cry even as you're squeezing your thighs together.

Ava and Caleb take an immediate, distinct dislike to each other, even as their pheromones demand that they rock the headboard. And when the two keep running into each other, it becomes clear that those pheromones must be appeased. Fortunately, Samantha Young lets that happen AND she lets you read about it, which is pretty fabulous. And exquisitely arousing.

Caleb and Ava may claim that they don't want a relationship and don't want to fall in love, but you know one of them will. And you know that the other will not respond well to that. Even so, Samantha Young writes such interesting characters that you keep reading, eagerly turning the pages to find out what will happen to these two. At one point, I had to read through a gush of tears. I love authors who make that happen.

When you find someone you want to love and who doesn't love you back, do you fight for that person? Or do you run away? And when you're with someone whose feelings change the deal between you, do you flee or do you stay and try to work it out? Samantha Young crafts this dilemma in a way that invests you fully in those questions.

I loved parts it (Ava and Caleb had seriously chemistry) but other parts of the book fell flat to me. The backstories for both Caleb and Ava seemed way too dark and unnecessary for the main plot of Ava and Caleb's relationship.

Like all other Samantha Young books, I pick one up and I can't put it down until I've read every last page. I absolutely adored this book. The characters were amazingly written. Both complex, wonderful and beautifully flawed. The storyline was so simple but extremely enjoyable and unique. Everyone needs to read this book!

3.5 stars

Cute. I liked it. I’m not over the top in love but I did enjoy it. I found myself skimming a bit, mostly the “then” parts, cuz I just didn’t care. But I definitely enjoyed the enemies to lovers feel.

I realize lots of people gave it 5, so it’s obviously just me. But that alright. Not everyone feels the same way about every book.

“Fight or Flight” contains the typical enemies turned lovers storyline most people have grown accustomed to, with some unexpected twists thrown in. The plot itself is predictable, but author Samantha Young does surprise the reader by not feeding into every known trope out there. Just when you think you have a plot point figured out, she throws a curveball and further draws one in.

A little more character development would have benefited the plot and characters more. Young tried to fit in too much at times with the varying themes, which led to her characters not blossoming to their full potential. I enjoyed them on a surface level, but wanted more out of them and their relationships to one another. Had Young scaled back a little the book would have thrived more.

However, while the fact she made one of her main characters Scottish was appreciated, her phoenetic spelling of words he used detracted from the dialogue rather than submerged the reader in the story. Her attempts would have worked better if random Scottish slang and language was peppered throughout rather than forcing it in his dialog nearly every time he spoke. It became very distracting and one never got used to it. The way she employed Scottish dialog with Jamie was the perfect balance and something Caleb’s character severly needed.

Even though the story is one I’ve read before, it still sucked me in and left me wanting more.

Caleb was such a total dick at the beginning and I seriously wanted to smack that guy at first! But there was a definite attraction from the start, in between the all loathing and murderous thoughts. Maybe these two would’ve parted ways just thinking “wow, that guy was a total ass” and “wow, that woman was a shallow, self-absorbed Barbie” but they were thrown together so much revealing the real person underneath all that bluster, changing their feelings of hate into desire. Thinking they’ll only have one night they give in to the pull between them only to find out later their paths are not yet separating.

Their encounter is out-of-this-world good, so when it’s apparent they’ll be around each other more, Caleb and Ava agree to “just sex”, which, of course, ends up leading more complex emotions. Caleb continues to pretend to not want anything more, but his actions say something else entirely, and Ava can’t deny the intensity of her growing feelings. Painful pasts make taking a chance difficult. Ava’s is revealed early on, and boy could I sympathize! What shitty friends! Caleb’s is revealed later on; partly because that’s how the story went, and partly because we don’t get his POV. I really would’ve liked his POV included.

Caleb’s Scottish accent is written in the story and I have to say it was distraction and a bit annoying. I did finally just skim over those bits, and after a while it became easy to ignore. Still, I highly recommend Fight or Flight! It was a lot of fun, clever banter back and forth with plenty of sniping at first, and the irresistible attraction a-brewing was delightfully delicious!

A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me at Samantha Young and Scottish Hero.

Ava just wants to get home, then she's rudely interrupted by an angry Scot.

"Can we just ignore this tiny, angry person and upgrade me now?"

At first Ava and Caleb are annoyed at each other, then they start to realize that they could both benefit from each other.

"Oh, I don't do relationships," I assured him honestly, staring at his beautiful mouth. "They just rip you open and eat your carcass and then leave it there for some other animal to finish you off. If you're smart , you heal and you get your ass up out of those woods and make sure no animal gets the chance to rip you back open. But I'm amenable to having wild animal sex with you."

I absolutely loved the chemistry between Ava and Caleb. I also loved their journey of finding their hearts.

"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."

Samantha Young can write heartbreak so well that you felt Ava's pain and anguish. My heart was wrenched at times with Ava.

"Can you hate him for not loving me enough? Because I can't Harper. I can't hate him. You need to do it for me so I don't look back on my life and regret him. Because if my best friend hates him, then he isn't worth my regret."

This book was well written. It captured me whole from the first page till the last page. I couldn't put it down.

I hope this book turns into a series and we get more from Jamie and Harper, since they were both such great characters and their back stories have me so intrigued. I need more.


4 Stars!!

This is not Ava's day as the forces that be are playing a cruel, twisted sick joke on her by insisting on throwing her in with the one person who's currently the bane of her existence? Worse is that they're in an enclosed space with no escape. Short of opening the airlocks, Ava has no choice but to deal with the annoying Scot on her flight who does nothing but push her buttons and treat her rudely. Caleb's impertinence and lack of manners may make her boil but his looks have the opposite effect on her. Ladies, why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we allow the hot, rude guy to still make us lose our reasoning?

Anyway, they hook up for just the one time and then hook up again and so on. It's an arrangement that suits their needs, and hey they're grown ups so why not? But of course feelings tend to complicate things and then there's always one person wanting more and soon they're afraid to address those growing feelings and allow things to get more complicated.

I had mixed feelings about Caleb. That sexy, arrogant thing didn't do it's magic for me for some reason. Ava, however, was far more interesting with a backstory that shows she's been through some deeply troubling stuff and is only now just getting back on her feet. The most compelling aspect of Fight or Flight are the moments of female empowerment and the fierce loyalty between Ava and her best friend, Harper. Their history is touching and they go through a scary moment together which tests their friendship. I'm so glad that their friendship is as heavily featured as the romance, and to be honest I was more emotionally invested in that.

Samantha Young has written some of my favourite books and Fight or Flight has me split. It's been a while since I've been conflicted by a HEA. I'm all about Ava and Harper's steadfast friendship which is on the plus side. I love that their female camaraderie was shown in such a positive light because it's so important for us to see women lift each other up. For me it came down to Caleb, and Ava's choice to be with him. He did show glimpses of compassion and caring which made him redeemable at some point but when push came to shove, he used Ava's past to hurt her and I was livid because of it. I guess you could say I took it personally because it shook me hard how he treated her. Considering how much she was devastated by her past and how long it took her to overcome it, I'm not sure it's something that I myself would've been able to forgive as easily. Obviously, it's a matter of personal opinion so while the ending didn't resonate with me, I'm sure there are readers who loved it.

~ Bel

I really wanted to like this book, but there were a few things that just made it impossible. First, the relationship is just incredibly toxic. The way he talks to her is quite horrifying and really can't be justified by anything that happened to him in his "troubled past." His past, the whole reason he can't trust women, was really poorly handled. Also! There is a TRULY heinous moment where they start having sex, Ava realizes he's not using a condom, tells him to stop and put one on, he pouts and KEEPS GOING for a couple seconds, she insists again, and only then does he stop. Not a great model of consent! Good god. There's also a moment that I think is meant to humanize him where she starts crying during sex because she feels like he's treating her like an object. He stops, which is, of course, good, but like....that's the bare minimum! You made her felt like that in the first place! All in all, a very frustrating book. Though I did like the female characters! This book could have been great.