I have to say that this book has an interesting premise and I truly could not wait to find out what was going on! A chance encounter led to quite a ride in this one, including last minute flight changes, an unconventional escape, small town sleuthing, and a pricey stolen item. It was quite a premise and one that had a lot of interesting twists and turns!

Every week Josh takes the same flights for work. He arrives at the airport, and spends his week taking off, landing, checking into hotels, and returning to the airport. All of this is made more difficult by his anxiety over flying—only Xanax and an alcoholic beverage will reduce it enough for him to take the next flight.

But his routine changes one day when on a layover he encounters a mysterious and beautiful stranger. Morgan is initially rude to him, but then later they run into one another again and she apologizes. Josh and Morgan have an instant connection, and it reminds Josh of how truly lonely he is. He shares things about his life with Morgan he hasn’t shared with anyone else, and the two share a deep but brief kiss.

When Morgan slips away, telling Josh they will never see each other again, Josh is crushed. How can he let this person go who he finally feels a connection with? In a state of confusion and boldness, Josh determines that it won’t be the last time he sees Morgan. It isn’t too late, not while they are on this layover. Not while he can choose to go anywhere.

And then Josh learns that there is more to Morgan than he realized. A news report and some research informs him that Morgan is actually listed as a missing person. And her disappearance may be linked to another case, one that is being investigated by detective who is determined to put the puzzle together. In alternate story lines, we follow the mystery of Morgan and the link to another disappearance. What is the truth about Morgan?

I found the premise for this book really interesting, and I definitely wanted to know how it would all turn out. There were a few twists that really surprisedI found myself loving the chapters narrated by the detective. She was a great character and one who I wish had been a bit more prominent. She had that great balance of commitment to work, parenting her daughter, and an intelligence that made her great at her job.

Josh and Morgan, on the other hand, I had a really hard time connecting with. Normally I am ok with an unlikable character, but these two were unlikable in a way that wasn’t fun. Morgan was really frustrating because she wouldn’t answer questions directly. This was a necessary quality I think, because there were things that couldn’t be revealed until later for the sake of the plot. But I think I would have liked it more if she was just deceptive, maybe lying rather than being evasive.

Josh was a huge mess. I did root for him to figure everything out, but I also found him to be such a mess. Perhaps that was part of him being young and a lost soul, though! But the fact was, he did have great people in his life. I actually loved the scenes with his dad and with another character Renee. In fact, Renee has a scene that I’m still thinking about two weeks after reading this. I would love a follow up book about Renee, even though she is a minor character. That is how you write a likable character—I am team Renee!

But despite all of that, I really did want to know what happened. The book started off really strong, but got a bit slow and drawn out at around the halfway point. But stick with it because the last quarter of the book is great! I really liked the ending scene as well, and a few other things that happen. There was also a character in the mid point of the book who works at a hotel that I thought was fascinating.

I’ve read a few books by David Bell and he has such a unique writing style. This book was very different in terms of the plot from the others I’ve read (much more thriller-like than usual), but the feel to his writing and characters are so consistent. I have lots a friends who are big fans of his, and I don’t hesitate to recommend this to them at all. I think a lot of people will have fun with this book, and certainly find it to be an engaging read with a strong conclusion!

Thank you to Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Layover turned out to be an uneven read for me. I was caught by the premise initially. The hero, caught up in a career he has soured on, bored,and ready for a change, was fairly layered and interesting. When he decided to drop everything and chase the enigma that is the heroine, I was intrigued. The mystery unfolds slowly, and it took me awhile to unravel the threads and stay with the storyline. I think that was because the hero speaks in the first person and an additional character, a detective, narrates in the third person. That made the pacing seem uneven to me. 3.5
I was entertained overall, and would read more from David Bell.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

This book started off so well. In fact it was great until the two very last chapters. The story is about an encounter at an airport during a layover. The main character meets a woman who is obviously hiding from the police etc. After a kiss, he decides to follow her across the country. At the same time, in another location, a police officer is trying to locate a missing person. Reported missing by his brother. Obviously the two things are connected. However, the reader is given so many clues and snippets of information that you can't wait to see how it is all connected in the end. But the end is so very disappointing. Many of the events and objects (ring) are not explained. Characters just fade away. It is like the ending was rushed.

This book is terrific!! It felt original and fresh to have the setting be a layover as the reader can literally imagine each step the main character takes. Then connecting with someone who you later discover is missing keeps the pages turning so fast you will have finished be the time your own flight has landed. Thank you David Bell for this suspense of the summer!

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one, never having read any David Bell books but I ended up really liking it. I didn’t really like Joshua in the beginning. He seemed whiny and indecisive but he grew on me on as the book progressed. Bell did an excellent job of drawing me into the story and connecting me with the characters he created. I felt as though I know them in the end. There were a few parts of the book that dragged for me, and I ended up skimming those, but for the most part it was a great read.

Do you ever wonder if a chance meeting could change your life? Joshua was willing to change his boring, routine life for the one chance meeting. But who is she and where can he find her? He finds her and his life takes a drastic change in direction. Is she worth giving up everything?

This was a suspenseful book and a fun and fast read. The first half was really excellent but the book kind of lagged in the second half. This would be a terrific vacation book.

This first caught my attention when it was nominated on LibraryReads. I was also excited to learn it was compared to Tana French's Faithful Place, which is one of my favorites. Upon finishing it, I have to say that I'm very surprised by the accolades it has received thus far. I think my biggest complaint is with the characters. I'm still wondering if as a reader I was meant to like Joshua. He was so incredibly wimpy, whiny, and quite frankly, pathetic, that I find it hard to believe the author meant for the reader to root for him. Morgan herself was hardly any better. Far from an alluring femme fatale, her character was selfish and aloof. Her motivation for murder was not unique or believable. Furthermore, I did not feel a single ounce of chemistry between Joshua and Morgan; this also made it strange when Joshua kept following her. Their chemistry was so nonexistent that I couldn't figure out what he saw in her, and he just came across was a stalker when he couldn't let her go. Their interactions were so flat and boring that it was difficult to care for either of these characters. Kimberly was marginally better, but far from memorable. Sadly, I did not find this thrilling or fast-paced. I kept waiting for something to happen, something that would speed up the pace or keep my attention. I had to force myself to finish, but had I not been reviewing it, I would have put it down quite early on.

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a nice find. This was the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. The story was different from anything I've read recently and really captured my attention. It was so well written and the characters were fantastic.

The concept of Layover by David Bell had me intrigued from the get to, and honestly this is going to a very difficult book to review, because SO MUCH IS HAPPENING!

First of all, I need to start out by saying these characters in Layover are lunatics, outside of the detective tasked to solving the case everyone else seems to just be bat shit crazy, and after chatting briefly with the author over on Instagram, this was his intention. He freaking NAILED that.

I was talking to a friend while reading Layover and explaining to him all of the decisions that these people were making and my word, we couldn't decide who was crazier!! I felt latent awkwardness from these two! A man following a woman around that he met at the airport who was 'missing'.

He had some kind of white knight complex going on thinking he could save a woman, you know a woman who was ON THE RUN! And he didn't eve know exactly WHY She was on the run.

I loved the ride trying to figure out what happened, why and HOW! I had so many questions right up until the end of Layover. It's such a riveting tale and like nothing else I have ever read before!

Very mysterious, intriguing, and tense at times, Layover was a bit of a disappointment in the end.

Joshua travels for his job all the time. While waiting for a flight, he meets Morgan, a mysterious woman for whom he feels an immediate connection. This has never happened before. They have a drink, she kisses him, and states that she will never see him again. Well, we know that's not true...

Joshua knows Morgan is on a flight to Nashville, so he abruptly changes his plans and gets a seat on her flight. He has also seen stories about Morgan being a missing person. But when he confronts her, she acts as though she's never seen him, and he has to give up or be thrown off the plane. Confused, he decides to give up. But then, Morgan contacts him again.

So Joshua is dragged into the intrigue that is Morgan. She gives him part of her story but continues to abandon him, and he continues to try to find her and figure out how he can help her. It makes for a good story and pulls you in, wondering why Morgan is hiding and running.

A parallel story is our detective who is searching for a missing businessman. These stories eventually overlap, and things become even more confusing for Josh.

Layover kept my interest, but I didn't find it "unputdownable." It is well written and the characters are well developed. One of my favorite characters is Josh's dad (who he works for). I loved that he was understanding and supportive. There are some surprises in the end, but even with that, I just felt "meh." I'm not sure why Layover just fizzled out for me, but it did.

Recommendations? Like I said, I was entertained and the pace was pretty good. It was not a waste of time, and perhaps others will get a bigger impact from the ending. So yes--give Layover a go.

I loved the idea of this book -- a man meets a woman on a layover at an airport bar and ends up becoming entangled in a missing person/murder mystery. Unfortunately, I wasn't ultimately convinced by the characters or the crime in question, and that made me less engaged in the outcome.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

LAYOVER by David Bell was my first novel by him and I will read another one because he came so highly recommended. I like the style with which he tells a story. While the novel jumps back and forth between Joshua Fields and Detective Kimberly Givens, it never gets confusing and you find yourself wondering what really happened to Giles from early pages. However, there is one drawback to this novel. The male lead didn’t seem remotely believable to me. He is portrayed like a man who is finally old enough to realize he’s disenfranchised with this own life but still is remarkably naive in the decisions he makes with Morgan. Like ALL of the decisions he makes. I just couldn’t buy it. I think if he’s response to meeting Morgan in the bar had been more believable, the rest of the story would have been more engrossing. I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The premise of this one sounded great, I really wanted to like it and have it be a fast-paced thriller. But alas, I had trouble understanding the main character’s motivations right from the beginning. Joshua Fields is a young professional who follows the rules and gets the job done, but after 15 minutes with a girl in an airport bar he turns his entire life upside down? I just couldn’t buy that storyline, and that was really the impetus for everything that came later in the book. Thanks to the publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A man meets a woman in the airport and can’t stop thinking about her. He changes all of his plans on the spur of the moment, causing upheaval in his itinerary and his life, and pursues her until she stops long enough to answer his questions. Author David Bell keeps readers moving from one location to another in the mostly satisfying novel Layover.

Joshua Fields has his Xanax and the latest paperback novel in hand, which means he’s all ready for his flight. As a real estate developer, he spends several days every month traveling up and down the east coast to visit properties even though he hates to fly; hence, the Xanax. More than once, Joshua’s considered quitting his job, but his respect and love for the boss—his dad—makes him put off his resignation And, really, it’s not an awful job. He’s making money and is good at what he does.

On his latest layover in the Atlanta airport, Joshua runs into a mysterious woman. Their first encounter leaves him miffed; she’s short with him when all he does is say hello. Their second encounter leaves him mystified; after small talk in an airport bar, the girl kisses him with an intensity he can’t ignore. She tells him her name—Morgan Reynolds—but not much else and leaves.

As he walks to his gate for his flight to Tampa, Joshua tries to find out more about Morgan by going on social media and makes a startling discovery: Morgan is considered a missing person. He manages to track her down to her gate, buy a ticket to Nashville, and board the flight. He just has to know more about her and find out whether she needs help. He knows his dad will be mad him for blowing off the deal in Florida, but he’s played it safe all his life. It’s time, he thinks, to take a chance without knowing the outcome first.

In Laurel Falls, Tennessee, detective Kimberly Givens is working her latest case. A prominent resident has gone missing, and the job of finding him has fallen on her desk. Kimberly hopes wrapping up the case fast will put her in the limelight for a promotion. The promotion would mean better hours, a key to being a single mom to an active tween. She feels like she’s always apologizing to her daughter for missing time together. A somewhat regular schedule would go a long way toward fixing that.

The more she digs into the case, though, the more Kimberly realizes it’s connected to the case of missing person Morgan Reynolds, who, it seems, isn’t missing anymore. Kimberly receives information about a certain Joshua Fields and wonders whether he’s tied to the problem at hand: the prominent Laurel Falls resident was Morgan’s boss. Now that she knows Morgan’s alive, Kimberly fears the worst for the missing man. It seems the only way to find out what happened to him is to talk to both Joshua and Morgan. She’ll just have to find them first.

Author David Bell builds a realistic story to start. Early in the book Joshua doesn’t run away from the police when they pull him aside for questioning. He doesn’t try to perform any heroic antics. Instead, he reacts as most people would, a refreshing change from many novels where the protagonist makes decisions that would leave readers rolling their eyes.

Deeper into the novel, however, the story becomes far-fetched. It’s clear that Joshua is intrigued by Morgan because of her looks and his hormones. The more he finds out about her, the more he should want to stay away. Instead, he continues tracking her down and demanding answers. Even a blow to the head isn’t enough to deter his chivalry.

Kimberly Givens is the most realistic character, a pity because she’s not the main one. Bell chose to let Joshua tell his parts of the story in first person while Kimberly gets relegated to third person. Some readers might wish Kimberly were the lead instead; she’s a flawed heroine but relatable, one readers will thoroughly enjoy.

The book’s timeline gets clouded in all of Joshua’s back-and-forth with Morgan, and even though Morgan is the catalyst for Joshua’s impulsiveness she comes across as somewhat weak. Bell excels at keeping readers moving through the pages, but they may not feel satisfied with what they find by the end. I recommend readers Borrow Layover.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

A chance meeting at an airport. Joshua feels an instant connection to Morgan. She gives him a killer kiss good-bye, but he can’t just let her go. He chucks his plan to meet his father to close a business deal and follows Morgan. He knows she is on the run and hiding something huge but he just can’t leave her behind. Joshua is soon mentally trapped into Morgan’s web and he could end up making the ultimate sacrifice all the be with a girl he met on a LAYOVER.

David Bell is one of my favorite authors but this one didn’t blow me away as others have.

Joshua Fields appears to be a very intelligent young man who may need a vacation from work but he keeps making bad decisions. I understand being in a rut and wanting change but I had a hard time believing the lengths he went to for a woman he just met and knew for all of a few minutes. He is a good guy but his first move was almost stalkerish. After that, though I realized Morgan was a master manipulator who knew just how to pull Joshua’s strings as soon as he continued to follow wherever she led.

I realize the premise of this book from an encounter the author actually witnessed but I just couldn’t get on board with it all. Maybe if the woman was a someone from his past, that he hadn’t seen in years I would have found it believable because they would have had a smidgen of history to build on.

Putting their meeting aside the story itself was complicated as Morgan’s story was revealed piece by piece from several viewpoints. The key was learning the true story and for that to come out there were several twists. Readers are treated to some suspenseful moments as the chase of Morgan and now Joshua continues. The author’s writing style of short chapters with mini-cliffhangers and alternate points of view worked very well. Those little teasers had me doing the just one more chapter thing over and over again. For me, the ending was unexpected and made me glad I had kept reading.

Aside from wanting to jump into the book several times to try to stop Joshua making stupid choices, this was a largely entertaining read.

Of course, I am looking forward to David Bell’s next thriller.

In true David Bell fashion, Layover will definitely keep you on your toes! Joshua Fields spends a lot of time in airports an on flights, but he hates it. He works for his father, who he continues to try and please, but is doing so at the expense of his happiness and sanity. Joshua has an on-again, off-again girlfriend at home, but meets a mysterious, maybe famous?, beautiful woman in the airport who he feels very connected to -- physically and emotionally! After their brief airport moment, she says she'll never see him again. Fields doesn't like these odds, so he makes a big gesture and changes flights so he can get to know her more. But what happens on the plane? She pretends she doesn't know him and alludes to the flight crew that he's a crazy stalker. But their moments don't stop there and soon he finds himself wrapped up in something way larger than he ever could've imagined.

I so enjoyed this book...mostly. There were definitely some thrilling moments, those moments in a book when you absolutely can not put the book down and must continue to read. Unfortunately I thought those moments became fewer and farther between as he book went on.
I rounded my three and a half stars to four because there were so many of this “I gotta keep reading’ moments, and this book definitely has me interested in reading other stories from Mr. Bell.
While I probably wouldn’t do a reread of this book, I am very glad I read it.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another amazing book by David Bell. I started this book while on a trip through the airport...and I could not put it down. I thought some of the main characters actions were a bit unrealistic, but overall a quick and entertaining read. Thank you for the advanced copy!

Joshua Fields has a chance encounter with a mysterious woman during a layover and his world soon spirals out of control. I am a big David Bell fan and enjoyed this fast paced ride!