I love a book with good banter between the lead characters and this book had it. I am a huge fan of Samantha Young and she continues to amaze me with her ability to write these stories that seem like they are going to be a light fun read, but really have depth and heart. This book is no exception. I loved Caleb and Ava and the secondary characters were so amazing! Great story and great characters, loved it!

The blurb for Fight or Flight had me instantly enraptured. I love a good enemies to lovers romance, and I honestly couldn't wait to read this book by Samantha Young. This is my first read by her, and while I really enjoyed her writing style, this book was just okay for me. So i will proceed to tell you why I did like this book, and why I didn't , without giving spoilers away.

In my opinion Fight or Flight was well paced. It flowed well. I also really liked the heroine, Ava. She was an amazing friend, and also really responsible when it came to basically everything in her life. She bossed up to her mistakes and learned from them. She is the 30 year old woman who dresses like a super model and walks with her head held high, but loves food just like the average girl.


The things I didn't care for, was first and foremost, the hero Caleb Scott. He was an absolute nightmare in my opinion. He was rude and condescending, with no regard to anyone else's feelings. I literally felt like he was just a big bully that never redeemed himself. I also felt like there was a lot of information missing about Caleb when it came to family and friends and even his past relationships. Not only that, I legitimately just got bored with this story. To me it felt like the scenario remained the same, that they both the hero and heroine said the same thing over and over maybe just worded differently.

Overall, I really wish I could give this book more stars but I just can't. This book will not deter me from trying something else from this author. I am sure more people will like it more than me, so for that I would give it a try.

This is an "enemies to lovers" trope romance novel. It is a compulsive read and I didn't want to put it down. Ava and Harper's relationship was great. I was a little let down by the abortion sub-plot though. I wish that the characters would have discussed it a bit more and maybe not vilify the woman for getting an abortion in general. There was plenty not to like about the Carissa character, and I saw her getting an abortion was a result of her character flaws, and those were the bigger problems. We got so much information about Ava's background and how she was betrayed, I just wish we go that much depth from Caleb's story. Also, the ending felt a little rushed. I wished Ava made Caleb work a bit harder to get her back.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Fight or Flight, and I'll watch for more books from Samantha Young in the future.

There is just so much to love about Samantha Young’s latest contemporary romance, Fight or Flight! It has that classic Sam Young feel… you know… that one where you are taken back to a HOT SCOT with a dirty mouth and a sexy AF look! Yeah, that one. And while this book has nothing to do with my beloved On Dublin Street, nor does the plot resemble anything like it, it still gave me that sense of home. I absolutely adored these characters and just could not read fast enough once it really got going. No one writes contemporary romance quite like Ms. Young and simply said… Fight or Flight does not disappoint.

“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.”

This novel is witty, sexy, angsty, and a whole lot of HOT! Ava and Caleb’s story is unique, they are two very flawed characters with extreme trust issues, however, their insane chemistry, charming banter, and off the charts sexy times… make it impossible not to but fall in love. Both characters are well developed, and while it did take me a bit to warm up to Caleb, once I did, he absolutely had me swooning. Never have I wanted to be in a man’s head, more than here. The primary characters are fantastic, the secondary characters, especially Ava’s BFF Harper are too, and by the end of the story I was left satisfied, yet with a gaping hole in my heart because I truly hope that we’ll see more. Harper’s story has to be told… finger crossed! Bottom line… READ this BOOK!

The main character, Ava and the male love interest meet at the airport trying to get to a first class seat. They argue over it but the flight ends up getting cancelled. The next flight they take, they are seated together and that is when their relationship begins. As their "Friends With Benefits" relationship escalates, they begin to have real feelings for each other and things take an unexpected turn.

I thought this was such a fun book! I couldn't put it down and I think it may have cured my reading slump! It wasn't the sort of book I was used to reading, it's actually one of the first books I have read in this genre. I loved reading about the jobs, somethings, however were better left out of the book. But overall I thought it was a solid book.

I did not like a few of the tropes hidden in this book. There was one with the male character having a bad past so he has to end up acting rude and all to other people. He ends up taking everything out on other people. I didn't like how demanding he was either, he felt very protective yet he wasn't and became an annoying character.

However, I thought this book was just super fun and didn't require much thinking, which I really enjoyed. Thank you for giving me a copy to read and review!

This was a fun, sexy read about two people who meet in an airport, hate each other — and then fall into bed and have to deal with unintended consequences. I enjoyed it, although there is a lot of toxic masculinity going on and the hero is pretty Neanderthal-ish at times, which took me out of the story. The over-the-top writing of the hero's Scottish accent also struck me as unnecessary (and inconsistent). But the chemistry between the two was palpable and the supporting characters were well drawn. The relationship between Ava and her best friend Harper was great, and I really enjoyed how they supported each other.

I have been a huge fan of Samantha Young for years. Her books are always well-written with a great story and characters, and "Fight or Flight" is no different. I loved Ava and Caleb! Their story was both fun and heartwarming. We were introduced to a lot of new faces in the book and I really hope we hear more from them! I definitely recommend this book to lovers of contemporary romance!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free ebook via NetGalley! FIGHT OR FLIGHT by Samantha Young was such a delight to read! This enemies-to-lovers story (aka my favorite romance trope) is fun and sexy while still being thoughtful. I read it during midterms week, and it was the perfect escape. I also really appreciated how the romance wasn’t the absolute center of the female protagonist’s life — she has a successful career and meaningful friendships, which all play an equally important role. And for any Outlander fans out there—her romantic interest is Scottish...need I say more? Definitely check this one out, it’s a gem.

Fight or Flight is one of the rare books that made me laugh within the first few chapters. I adore hate to love stories so I was cheering for Ava and Caleb from page one.

I loved how both the characters really developed over the course of the book. They both had backstories that were understandable and you could see how their past had shaped who they are in the present. I’d love for a companion novel focused on Harper as well!

Wow! I'm such an emotional mess right now. My bestie could not have said it better, "Who knew this cute cover held so much angst underneath it 😭😭". I've read enemies-to-lovers romances before, but this one was on a whole other ballpark. The hero was a bastard Scot. You either loved or hated him, but the beauty of him was the mystery that lurked within. It didn't even matter that he didn't get a POV because Samantha Young gave enough away about him that made you ultimately crave him in a sense.

From the moment these two cross paths that one fated day at an airport and then being stuck on the same flight to Boston, it's just pure hatred of the other and as the story progresses the chemistry and attraction is off the charts! The rules were clear... Things were to be kept casual. Soon a friendship blossoms and then of course, the heart is a treacherous thing. Feelings begin to grow and you can imagine how that goes.

Oh, Samantha Young! Why it has taken me this long to read this woman's words is beyond me. I just know it won't be my last. She gave us two very different characters with flaws and hurtful pasts. I could see why many didn't like Caleb, but I loved the big brute! He is the very embodiment of mixed emotions. He wasn't hurtful to be cruel, he did it because it was a defense mechanism to protect his own heart. Thank God he saw the error of his ways. Ava should have made him grovel a little more, but can you blame the girl 😝

Sexy, fun, and wonderful! This book was fantastic!! I seriously couldn't get enough. Bonus was the beautiful friendship between Ava and Harper 💜.

I'm crossing my fingers for a book for Harper and Jamie!

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!

I am so on the fence with this one. I loved it, yet it also annoyed the ever living fuck out of me. And the 3 star rating I'm left to give is killing me since I was highly anticipating this one. I expected so much more than what I got.

Let me start with Caleb, he's one of those men you are either going to hate or love. Not sure there is much of an in between with him. He was a Grade A douchecanoe. He had a few redeeming qualities. He was hot. He was Scottish. He had a magic dick. He was hot. He had an amazing accent-which was Scottish. He again had a huge, magic dick. He was hot. Do you see a pattern? Everything about his demeanor and wrong doings was easily forgiven due to this.

Now here's the kicker. As much as he annoyed me I kept flipping those pages. Looking for some form of redemption. And he did find a smidgen of it. But not enough for a full blown oh my gosh, I need me one of those! Nope, Caleb can keep his hot Scottish ass right where he is. All the girls can have at him. This is one magic dick that isn't making my list of book boy friends.

Such a shame, too!

I adored the hell out of Ava, even when she would let the magic hypnotize her. She was sassy and kick ass, until those moments she wasn't. I wouldn't say she let everyone walk all over her, per se. But she did back down to Caleb quite a bit after they started their "friends" with benefits. I missed that first girl I met at the beginning. The one who gave as good as she got. I wished for her to come back a couple of times.

Her best parts were with Harper. And a few here and there with the Bastard Scott. But with Harper she was everything right. The best kind of friend a girl could ask for. I lived what the two of them represented. #girlfriendgoals.

I am absolutely looking forward to Harper and Jamie's story! Well at least I hope they both get one, preferably together!

2.5 stars for Ava and Harper's friendship!

I finished this book a while ago but I had sat on my rating and review for days because I am honestly conflicted. On the one hand, Fight or Flight was compulsively readable. It was well paced and well plotted with great dialogue, and the chemistry between Caleb and Ava was undeniable.

That said, I thoroughly disliked the hero, Caleb Scott. I don't care if he's the hottest thing in the universe but his motivations did not wash. It was a measly excuse for his behavior, and considering he did not grovel did not endear him to me at all.

Listen, I'm all for an asshole hero. But Caleb wasn't just an asshole. He was cruel and mean most of the time. And the reason for his behavior was utterly ridiculous. I can get behind an asshole hero if I can understand his motivation. To be fair, we were given the reason for his actions. My problem is that I wasn't on board with it. I found his motivation shallow and a cliche. Like yeah, your ex-fiancee lied to you but is that a good enough reason to treat the heroine horribly?

I didn't think so. It's a motivation that's been done to death. And when you consider his age and the fact that Ava has nothing to do with his ex, his reasons doesn't hold up even more. I probably would've been more forgiving if Caleb had done emotional labor throughout his relationship with Ava. But he didn't, despite being the one in control. What I mean is, he was the one who always sets the parameters. He decided to be friends with Ava but only on his terms. The moment she pushes for emotional connection he runs the opposite way. It was exhausting. And the way he doles out his attention and his affection made me uncomfortable because it raises so many red flags for abusive behavior. I know, I know. This is fiction but that doesn't mean I have to accept it or be comfortable with it.

(view spoiler)

Like I said, I just found his behavior irrational and unfair to Ava. She has nothing to do with what your ex did. There's no reason to punish her because she made you feel things. And no one even called him out for his irrational behavior. Everyone including heroine kinda accepted it and excused him for it. Yeah, yeah. He was hurt and all but how is that the heroine's fault again? And the whole, "I'll be mean to you so you won't fall in love with me" made me roll my eyes so hard. It's so cliche and only works if your character is like 12 years old or something.

So yeah, ruined it for me. The best bit of this book is Ava's friendship with Harper. These two girls are the best. I enjoyed their interactions more than I did Caleb's. Samantha Young has consistently written complex female characters and friendships, which I loved. And despite her unfortunate attraction to Caleb, I actually liked Ava a lot. She remained resilient despite being abominably by the two men she'd chosen to give her heart to. She deserved better than Caleb.

But that's just me. I'm getting old and cranky and annoyed at man babies who can't get shit together until the last minute and doesn't even grovel. Ava was too good and deserve better is a hill now and I still sit on this hill with other readers who thinks the same. Lol.

I've done a fair bit of traveling this year some of it even in business class but alas no handsome, or cranky men anywhere in the vicinity fighting me for my seat. I would certainly trade seats with Ava if I had the chance though her tales of fight and flights definitely make an interesting read.
Caleb is traveling to Boston on business while Ava is returning home to Boston after an emotionally challenged trip. When a series of events cause them to compete for a first class upgrade and then an unforgettable night between the sheets on a forced layover. While Caleb makes all her lady parts tingle, Ava is glad to be back to normal after arriving home.
Of course the story's just beginning so circumstances bring the two together again and they settle into a friends with benefits relationship. Between brilliantly executed secondary characters and these two very adversarial delightful primary characters the story unfolds with an emotional intensity that is so characteristic of Ms. Young's writing style.
Ms. Young is an author that I pick up without bothering to read anything about the story as is the case with this one. When I originally saw the title I thought it had something to do with boxing, wrestling type of fighting not the fun, flirty, two opposite types of fighting.

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.

He’s such a caveman but you’re going to love him. Caleb Scott brings all kinds of butthole to this story but my goodness he’ll steam you right out of your knickers. His accent alone will give you happy thoughts and yummy squirms.

The whole story is swoony, exciting, hot and a total reading experience you can’t help but devour and live in for the duration. Standing on the edge of something spectacular and dealing with old insecurities these two characters learn how to move past the shallow, hurtful people of yesterday and build something that could be wonderful. There are a lot of speed bumps along the way but it’s a wonderful journey of emotional words and we get to watch them it thier rear view mirror.

This will make you want to go out and find your own tatted, hot b*st*rd Scott who will rumble in your ears with his glorious accent and tantalize your fingers with his ripped body.

Ugh! I liked this book BUT! It's only one pov !! Ugh I hate that! If you don't mind single pov then this books for you! It was a great story but I was dying to know his pov! This is Ava and Caleb story, ava is on her way home from her childhood best friend funeral and Caleb is in town for his big companies meeting of the minds they both get stuck at the airport due to volcanic ash cloud! Caleb is a Scottish hottie!! I loved his accent!! To bad we don't know what he's thinking lol he's kind of a big jerk but his accent makes up for that! Lol it really was a cute story and if we had his pov it would have been a five star book! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

I didn't want this book to end! Between the flawed, yet fun characters to the sizzling romance, this book had it all! While most romances attempt (but don't succeed) to build friendships that are realistic and deep, somehow Samantha Young did it and it just added more to love in this book. This is my first Samantha Young novel and I am so happy I picked this up; I can't wait to hand sell it to all my fellow romance reader patrons and check out more of her books!

Fight or Flight by Samantha Young
Standalone Contemporary Romance
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

This book is the exact type of story that made me fall in love with Samantha Young's writing when I first read her On Dublin Street series. Caleb Scott really made me want to punch him from the very first time we met him. But I could see the sexual tension jumping off the pages as I read, and with their first connection on their layover, all I could do was wish I could be lucky enough to have a hot Scot for just one night myself! (Sam Heughan, anyone?) Ava had really been given a raw deal with her ex, and the more details we got about that whole situation, the more I respected the fact that she was able to take herself out of that situation and not look back on her ex with longing.

Of course I assumed, as one would, that Caleb's aversion to commitment and more, probably had to do just with him being a man. I should have known better, should have known that Young would have the perfect back story for Caleb. And of course once we heard that back story, it was no surprise the direction that Caleb took their nonrelationship-relationship in. I cried at that part. The same kind of tears I've been brought to with other books by this author. Again, even with that part, I had the thought in my mind of how I just wish I could come back in another life as a character in one of her books. The men may be only after sex, at least they say they are, but they are honest about it up front. Besides that though, they are caring, and gentleman, and stick up for their woman no matter what.

Also similar to other books by this author, there were some great side characters. I don't think this will be a series, but I would love to read about Ava's best friend Harper, or Caleb's brother Jamie. Whether it is the two of them getting together, or finding love with someone we don't know yet, I'd be happy to read more with them.

One more thing, don't you justadore that cover?! And that title! This book is perfection all around!