This looked like it would be a lot of fun and it delivered. Flight attendant Ava Greene is ready to hang up her on the road job for a man. This last trip, with a layover in Belize, seems like a fitting end. Enter former pilot, now flight attendant Jack Stone, and the banter begins. The descriptions of the plane's workings were well done, from no one watching the safety spiel to the race Ava has against Jack (unbeknownst to him) to finish her section's beverage run first. The layover in Belize is beautiful, and extended by mechanical issues. Jack and Ava strike up an uneasy friendship, hoping to play matchmaker to fellow flight attendant Gen and pilot Paul. Their chemistry is great. There are laugh out loud moments along with beautiful descriptions of the bioluminescence they get to encounter out in the ocean.

Ava and Jack, both flight attendants, find themselves on an unexpected lengthy layover in Belize, on what is supposed to be Ava's last trip as a flight attendant. They have preconceived notions of each other that get exposed and tested. Fellow co-workers, Gen and Paul, along with a grumpy pilot, complete the crew on this extra-day layover in Belize. This is an insiders look at flight attendant life, which for a frequent traveler, was very enjoyable.

The Layover by Lacie Waldon caught me by surprise, and I ended up loving this book. Having several friends who have been flight attendants and a fiancé also in aviation, I loved the inside look at life in the air as a flight attendant. I found the details to be interesting, well-written, and engaging to me as a reader.

I also enjoyed the development of the relationship with Ava and Jack. I am such a sucker for an enemies to lovers story and a hero that isn't as gruff as he seems. While not apparent from the description, I didn't mind the element of Ava being engaged at the beginning of the book. I felt the pace of their relationship was appropriate with the fact she was in a relationship. And the second half of this book really shines, as we get a better look at who Jack really is. His interest in Ava was so sweet! I know some readers won't enjoy this element of the book, but it did work for me.

Overall this was a fun read, very little romance, but lot of yearning and personal growth. Definitely worth the read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I will round up to 3.5 as I enjoyed the second half of the story but the first half was extremely slow. I will say my view changed of Ava throughout the story. I did not like her in the first half but I did enjoy Jack's character from the very beginning. It was extremely clear that Ava was not meant to be with Alexander and that the only reason why she felt she did was to feel secure/safe in life. I love that by the end of the story she realized she is in fact a wanderer at heart. And I think the story made me realize that I'm also a wanderer. As much as I am a planner when it comes to vacation once we get to our location I just like to wander around and see what magical spots we come upon. Tours are fun but the real joy in life is going on an adventure and not knowing what you will find. I also have a new found respect for flight attendants. If nothing else, this story has me dying to travel again! I can't wait to see where our next travel adventure takes us.

Ava is about to board her last trip of a decade long flight attendant career. Although traveling the world has been an exciting dream job, Ava has long craved some kind of stability in her life and Alexander is offering it on a silver platter. Ava’s handsome uptight lawyer fiancé wants to give her his world, albeit on his terms, she must stop flying. A gorgeous condo, brand new car and fancy dinner with his parents has become all Ava can see on her life’s horizon. The crew on this last overnight trip to Belize include the quirky sexpot Gen and unimaginably handsome Jack. An unexpected layover lengthens their overnight in this tropical paradise. Starting off as obnoxious banter Ava and Jack cannot deny the instant chemistry that draws them together. As conversations with Alexander leave their relationship dangling through the weekend, Jack’s innocent touch sends her heart spinning out of control. Ava must decide if the safe choice is always the right choice. Romance and humor on these sandy beaches will have you laughing out loud while reaching for that frosty Pina Colada you’ve ben craving.

This book was a breath of fresh air! I am a sucker for the enemies to lovers trope and this story didn't disappoint.
Ava and Jack are forced to work together on a flight to Belize. Both trade insults and compete against each other whenever there is an opportunity. As the story progresses and they are forced together they begin to see each other less as adversaries and more as two people that share the same interests and passions.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Ava and Jack in this debut romance written by Lacie Walden. Her experience as a flight attendant really adds to the story. There are little details added about the job that I never even had thought about before. This story has the perfect amount of humor, sexual tension and was a joy to read. A perfect beach read!! I am looking forward to more books by this author!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheLayover

Unfortunately, this one really wasn't for me. I do think this is a me issue and not a book issue though. Romance is a genre outside of my comfort zone and I am still figuring out my taste. I found our main character, Ava to be really annoying and immature for someone in their late 20s. She was so judgemental and jumps to conclusions about anything and everything. She read much more like someone in their late teens or early 20s. She didn't develop as a character either so it just made it hard to get through. It took me a long time to read this book l, around a month when I should have been able to complete it in a few days. It just wasn't the light summer read I was hoping for.

DNF at 30%. I liked the premise of this book - was excited to read a romance about flight attendants and learn more about their lives and routines.

Unfortunately I really don’t like Ava and find the initial premise so hard to swallow. I tried to look past it to enjoy the romance - but it’s not working so I decided to call it. The rest will be spoilery so please stop reading now if you don’t want to know.

The book starts with Ava waking early to leave for a 3 day work trip. We learn that she just got engaged that weekend to her boyfriend Alexander who she lives with and that this will be her last work trip. She’s quitting now that she’s getting married. Okaaay - seems pretty quick but all right. She says she really wants to stop because her goal in life has always been to be stable and steady because her parents were always traveling. What??? Maybe take ANY other job other than flight attendant and she could have done less travel for the last 9 years.

So - let’s look more at her relationship with Alexander. At every single mention I find it hard to understand why they are together. It’s clear they value different things - but I can’t even fault him because Ava doesn’t communicate it to him. She told him right away that she wanted to stop working. And it seems like each time he gives her extravagant gifts she doesn’t want she just accepts and moves on. Ava has lost her friends by being unreliable and missing her plans with them for work all the time.

So then we have Jack. Jack is also a flight attendant and it turns out he’s on this same 3 day trip. Right from the start we know Ava doesn’t like him but I don’t know why. A reference to a conversation 2 years ago. Okaaay - it would take a LOT for one conversation 2 years ago to justify everything she does now. Every interaction they are having shows Jack to be a fun and thoughtful coworker - and Ava responding by repeatedly throwing actual mean barbs at him. Jack - you deserve to be with someone who treats people better!! Be friendly, get through the 3 day trip and then never see Ava again.

Ava - break up with Alexander. Get a good therapist. Buy yourself a copy of What Color Is Your Parachute and consider a career change. Talk to your therapist about your relationship with your parents and your goals and your career choice and Alexander.

Lots of friends have loved this one but it isn’t the right match for me. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

Who wants a breezy romance that is dripping in hot tropical landscape and super funny moments? Lacie Waldon’s debut novel The Layover is the book for you!
Lacie writes a super witty rom-com with a bunch of fun twists and surprises. I adored the characters and ohhhh my the banter! Banter mixed with enemies to lovers then add amazing flight attendants amazing mixture made for The Layover!
I look forward to reading more from Lacie!

This was a cute first novel. It was a little heavy on the flight attendant back story but since it was a first novel and folks always say "Write what you know" it makes sense. I didn't love the almost cheating backstory- it was hard for me to get engaged in a love story knowing that the female lead was engaged to someone else even though it was clear from the beginning she was with the wrong person. Well written though and I will look for more from this author in the future because I think she has potential.

Ava Greene está pronta para mudar de vida e se entregar ao homem que ela julga ser perfeito. Prestes a embarcar em sua última viagem, Ava encontrar com seu pior pesadelo, Jack Stone, um ex-piloto que ajudou a arruinar sua vida. Ou assim ela acredita.

Ava vem de uma família pouco convencional e passou anos na estrada. Sem amigos e uma moradia fixa, ela vê em Alexander uma chance de finalmente conseguir viver normalmente. Mas durante sua última viagem como comissária de bordo, e presos em um hotel em Belize, Ava vê sua vida perfeita desmoronar.

The Layover é um livro de romance porém não vemos quase nada disso. A história demora um pouco para andar, e quando chegamos na parte que realmente importa, o livro acaba. Sinto que os personagens secundários poderiam ter um pouco mais de destaque na história, principalmente Gen. Outra coisa que me incomodou bastante, e provavelmente vai incomodar outras pessoas, foi Alexander e a forma que ele travava Ava. Se eu pudesse mudaria algumas coisas na história, mas esse é um livro divertido e leve, que valeu que pena ler.

This is my first Lacie Waldon book, but it won't be my last. I love forced proximity and this one was so well done. The chemistry between the characters was authentic and sizzling. I can't wait for more from this author.

I’ll start off by saying that Romance is not my usual genre, but when I saw the eye-catching cover of The Layover, I knew it was the summer Romance read for me!

I loved meeting Ava Greene and learning about the life of a flight attendant. We are with Ava on her last flight before settling down and marrying her fiancé Alexander, living the stable life she has always wanted, leaving her wings behind.

Enter....Jack Stone, the cocky, flirtatious former pilot turned flight attendant and Ava’s nemesis who just happens to be sharing her last flight. Ava was looking forward to enjoying her last flight, but now she has to deal with Jack.....and to make things worse, their one-night layover in Belize turns into a weekend due to the plane’s mechanical issues.

Ava is forced to spend time with Jack during the extended layover and she is finding out that Jack might not be the guy she thought he was. They have a playful chemistry between them and it has Ava thinking that maybe the steady lifestyle she thought she wanted isn’t for her and that maybe a life in the skies is exactly where she should be after all.

Waldon did a great job with character development throughout the book and I enjoyed some of the secondary characters such as Gen, another flight attendant and Pilot Paul. They both added to the comedy that was Ava’s story!

This is a great enemies to lovers story that had me finishing the book in one day. I would highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys reading Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books. It has an awesome summery vibe and perfect beach read that lets you escape to Belize with Ava and friends. This is Lacie Waldon’s debut novel and I am already looking forward to her next book!! Waldon’s book has made me a big fan of Rom-Coms! Thank you Lacie for expanding my reading genre!!

Here’s the deal: Pack a beach bag, put this book in it, and hop on a plane to Belize ASAP.

This slow burn romance brought out my sense of adventure! It made me want to travel and try new things. It made me want to have an unexpected layover! It’s no secret that enemies to lovers is my FAVE - so this book was right up my alley! Imagine The Hating Game at 30,000 feet… I adored Jack from the start and I loved Ava’s growth through the story - she was definitely on a journey of self discovery here. The side characters, Gen and Pilot Paul, were great and could have probably had a book of their own! There was some super interesting behind the scenes flight attendant tidbits, which I loved. I wished for a tad more steam, but the chemistry was so electric it wasn’t necessary!

Thank you for the free book. This is the perfect beach read for 2021. It’s short, flirty and has a great beach vacation setting. I was hooked from the beginning and enjoyed the small details about working for an airline that the author included from her experience. Each character; from the main characters to the co-workers, fiance and quirky nomadic couple, made the book even better. It was funny, sweet and an all around great rom-com!

😍loved \\💗low steam
🤟banter, tropical, fiesty
📚The Unhoneymooners
🎶On the Wings of Love by Jeffrey Osborne
📺Temptation Island

I liked this fun romance, it was a quick and entertaining read. It has a well-done “friends to lovers” plot, set against a tropical background. This is a great beach read, open it up and prepare to travel!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love romance books, and this was a perfect book to read. I really enjoyed this book and the characters. I do think there wasn't enough time between Ave deciding to leave her fiance and deciding she wanted to be with Jack. I don't like emotional cheating, and I do feel like she did that here. I also feel like her fiance was treated like a "bad guy" when he really didn't do anything wrong, he just held Ava back.

This is an adorable romantic comedy with central themes of enemies to lovers and forced proximity.. It takes place mostly on an airplane, as the two main characters are flight attendants, and on a layover in Belize, giving it the perfect feel for a summer beach read. The romance is slow burn and angsty. The story is quick and well-written, causing me to feel invested in the story line and the characters very fast. Great novel!

Lacie’s Waldron THE LAYOVER was a sweet, romantic read that I enjoyed. Ava and Jack make an interesting twosome who I was rooting for the entire time. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Ava wants to settle down and the only way to do that is to quit her job as a flight attendant. She promises herself one last trip but nothing is ever as easy as one last thing. She is stuck on the flight with Jack, the jerk of a pilot she hates. To make matters worst, the flight has to land due to an emergency and the two are stuck at a resort together over the weekend.

I really do love me an enemies to lovers trope. I find myself searching for them a lot now a days. So my excitement was in ten folds when I realized that this story was going to deliver just that. While it has the hate part down, it just resonated a little mean-spirited in my opinion. The two often times get real nasty with one another. The main character especially since she is so judgement but she is not exactly a saint. I’ll get to her in a minute.

While the enemies to lovers theme wasn’t quite executed properly, I didn’t take issue with it as much as I did the fact that the heroine is involved in another relationship. I normally don’t like when authors do this in my romance. I like a clean meet up and brewing romance. I can tolerate it in some circumstances but the author just tells us that Ava no longer loves her man and that is that. How can I buy that she fell out of love?

The entire time she is in dislike of Jack, Ava is criticizing his man whore ways as if she is not involved in a relationship. I do understand because her fiancé ends up being a real douche but she is quite harsh in her judgement of the hero and her got a little situation going on.

I loved the author’s writing style and delivery of quick banter. I loved how the secondary characters all tried to help push Jack and Ava together. Despite not loving this book, I would love to try this author out again.

Overall, this is a quiet read with some funny moments to read on a rainy day.

~ Samantha