Ava is a fight attendant that loves to travel. She takes one last job with a layover in Belize before quitting her job & settling down with her new fiancée. She plans to enjoy every last second of it, until she discovers that a gorgeous man she’s held a grudge against for years is on her flight.

This story gave me butterflies. We all NEED a Jack Stone. I wish I was a flight attendant, & I want to travel to Belize ASAP! The banter between Ava and Jack was so so cute. Ava ends up remembering what she truly loves, traveling and flying.

Final thoughts: I couldn’t put this book down, and I finished it in one sitting! Her writing style reminds me of my fave duo Christina Lauren. The perfect summer rom-com escape that’s everything you didn’t know you needed.

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

Hello bookworms, this is your captain speaking.⠀⠀
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Welcome onboard The Layover with service from enemies to lovers. We ask that all fans of workplace and holiday romances please fasten your seatbelts and secure your emotional baggage underneath your seat or in the overhead compartment. Should this book present any experience of giddiness, wanderlust, or butterflies we ask that you remain calm and pray that these two dummies figure it out ASAP. On behalf of the crew may I direct your attention to a brief synopsis and some thoughts on this book below. Until then, sit back, relax and enjoy this review.⠀⠀
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If you didn't guess already, The Layover follows a flight attendant, Ava, on her last flight before she gets married. It is on this last, bittersweet flight that Ava must face her adversary, fellow flight attendant (and very much not her fiancé ) Jack Stone, a man she despises for the many things he represents in her life. This fire that Jack brings out in her leads Ava to consider her choices and ask if a life on the ground she really wants?⠀⠀
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The first half of this book took a while to get into. There was a lot of backstory and characterization that needed to be established, while also setting up the rest of the plot. It was hard to be inside Ava's head as she so often turned a critical eye on everyone around her while also swinging between two extremes: victimhood and self-appointed bully. ⠀⠀
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Now the emotional cheating stuff. I wanted to dislike Jack. I wanted to hate Jack and Ava as romantic interests. I was thrown by how quickly Ava jumped from happily engaged to falling for her coworker, and yet it was hard not to root for Jack and Ava. Once we get to the second half - the layover - I was completely and utterly spellbound. There were plenty of moments that made me swoon. One thing that really stood out to me was the slow-building of intimacy and trust between the two that made their physical connection sizzle. ⠀⠀
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Worth picking up. ⠀⠀

3.5/5

This was pretty cute and had a fun tropical setting for a large portion of it. Lots of inside knowledge into the flight/travel industry and the romance aspect was almost perfect except for the fact that Ava was engaged to someone else at the start wasn’t something I loved. I would still read more from this author.

The perfect vacation read with its Belize setting, touristy scenarios, and an enemies to lovers relationship that could set the world on fire! A feisty and addictive read! I flew through this one and it reminded me of “The Hating Game,” but with flight attendants.

Ava is on one last adventure before she retires her wings and marries her steadfast lawyer boyfriend. Little does she know that her last trip will not only help her discover herself, but help her find someone who loves her, flaws and all.

From the get go I was completely invested. There are a lot of deep seated judgments going on in this book, but it made for great banter and the best set up for a hate to love relationship. Even though I found Ava to be judgmental and harsh sometimes, there is tremendous character growth in the end. This is the perfect summer/vacation read with exotic locations and sizzling chemistry. A sharp-tongued and witty novel with lots of adventures! Loved it

I absolutely loved this sweet enemies to lovers rom com! Ava Greene begins her last trip as a flight attendant thinking she’s about to leave it all behind to start a perfect life of routine and stability when fellow flight attendant Jack Stone interrupts everything. As Ava begins to realize she doesn’t have to give up parts of herself to have a happy stable life with a loving partner, she also realizes there’s more to Jack than she ever saw before. Set mostly in the air or in Belize with a delightfully quirky flight crew, this was such a cute and fast read! Highly recommend for your pool or beachside reading this summer! Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the digital ARC!

While it took me a minute to get into this, I began to really enjoy it at the point when Ava started realizing something about her last trip. This had a lot of funny parts to it. I loved the banter between Ava and Jack, even if at times I was a little upset with Ava for how mean she was being to him. But, it made sense when we get the full story for why she feels that way. And then there was the fact that Ava didn’t necessarily treat the people she worked with as friends, didn’t let herself get too close to them, yet the friends she did have, didn’t understand how a flight attendant’s life was going to be a little bit of here and there. So in a way, her friends weren’t that great that she had. It also made sense with how Ava had grown up that she would think she wanted a stable life. However I enjoyed the discovery Ava made of all the things that she really did enjoy about her life and job, and as she realized those things, it made me grow to like her even more.

Her fiance was a bit of a jerk, I kind of felt that way from one of her first conversations with her. Not only did he not understand her life, he really didn’t get her. As Ava reminisced about all the different trips and things that he would let go by without getting to enjoy, I realized he wasn’t really someone that cared about anything that wasn’t done the way he wanted.

By the end I was laughing a lot, and really emotionally invested in Ava’s story. It wasn’t just her and Jack though, that made the story. All the supporting characters were great as well. And that last bit with the stuffy Captain? That bit was hilarious, and I kind of wonder if he had some link to that radio show host. Gen was so funny, I can’t imagine how much fun having a flight attendant joke like that would be even as a passenger. And then there was Jack’s dad, and also the couple that Ava and Jack went on the boat to see the bioluminescence with. I ended up adoring this book so much.

This was a really cute read! One where you are rooting for the couple right away. It was honestly an easy summer read that would be great if you are in a reading slump. The details that were put into the characters and the reading experience were wonderful. I would definitely recommend it! :)

Rating: ★ ★ ★ .8

Ava Greene was on her last trip before she bade her job of being a flight attendant goodbye to settle down on a stable lifestyle with her fiancée, Alexander. With that information slowly sinking in, she began having mixed emotions about her final adventure after being an attendant for 10 years. To top that up, she discovered that Jack Stone, the person she held a grudge against for years, is on the flight’s crew as well. With that, she waseager to get this trip over with all the while savor her last days of her job. The synopsis hints to us a fun and enjoyable romcom enemies-to-lovers banter; what it omits is the fact that Ava was an engaged woman. If Ava were otherwise single, the story would have been better.
This was a quick and light book to read. Although that may be the case, I dislike the fact that Ava was very fickle about her thoughts towards Alexander and Jack. Her emotional transition in the story felt too quick. One moment she was engaged and in love, then the next thing we knew, the wedding was called off and she ranted about how she was not truly in love with him and how her relationship with Alexander felt like she was forced to be somebody she’s not.
For the part on Ava and Jack, I like their chemistry and the way they seem to fit together perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle. I love their slow burn romance and petty banters. The way Jack made their relationship start from the bottom of getting to know each other before jumping onto the next level made me feel a strong sense of affection for him.
Overall, this was a good book. Despite Ava’s shortcomings, I’m glad that she was able to move past it and grow from her mistakes. My favorite part of the book is when Jack and Ava were in bed trying to get to know each other and clear the air. The ending and epilogue were satisfactory. I like how they did not rush their growing relationship to the point of marriage considering what had happened to each of them.

On some level, The Layover by Lacie Waldon is a rom-com where two protagonists meet on a plane and discover that they have much in common with each other than they had previously thought. Spending time together with periods of intense self-revelatory explorations convinces them that they’re compatible on multiple levels. However, such a breezy précis does this introspective book a disservice. Waldon has done deep psychological work in this story.

The Layover is a wonderful meditation on the conscious and subconscious mind, traumas of childhood, and the separation of the adult from the child. And Waldon does it all with the light hand of a rom-com.

Full Review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-the-layover-by-lacie-waldon/

Ultimately, I really enjoyed this book, but I spent so much of it so stressed there would be cheating (spoiler alert: there isn't), that it made it hard to enjoy the first half. Our MC, flight attendant Ava, begins the book engaged and about to take her last flight before settling down into married life. But of course her last flight is also with her dirtbag coworker Jake, who we learn she hates from a past encounter. Of course, their layover in Belize creates numerous interesting developments.

I really enjoyed the character of Ava. She had a strong backstory, with hippie parents who travelled constantly as she was growing up, triggering her belief she needs to put her two feet firmly on the ground. I think this book would have been more interesting in dual-perspective, but I understand the need for the element of surprise. I also loved the descriptions of Belize and all the wonderful side characters!

As for areas for improvement: It started extremely slow. The first third of the book was incredibly boring and included a lot of unnecessary detail. But once it picked up, boy did it pick up! I just wish the pacing would have been better. And, as I mentioned above, the premise just sounds like a set-up for a love triangle/cheating which is definitely not my jam. As a SPOILER, there is no cheating, not even emotional--the ending of Ava's engagement has nothing to do with Jake, and Ava still hates Jake when her engagement is ended. I don't think this is a big spoiler, since from the blurb, this is obviously a story about Jake and Ava, but sorry if that ruined it for anyone! Hopefully this helps more than it hurts. I wish the engagement had ended earlier in the book or not been a thing at all, tbh.

Thanks to Putnam for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars - 8/10

This was such fun to read! Ava's personality and love of flying and wanderlust really came off the page and made me want to hop on a plane and go somewhere. This was really readable and enjoyable, with lots of great descriptions of places and food and travel. The author's own experiences as a flight attendant allow for a sense of authenticity. There's also a sweet romance or two and lots of humor on the page. Perfect for summer reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam, and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Three solid stars. This was a fun, fluffy book. The behind-the-curtains look at being a flight attendant was fascinating (I don't know that I'll ever fly again without being super aware of being judged by the staff) and the wanderlust the female MC experiences was totally relatable to a reader who has been grounded by global pandemic for over a year. Belize sounded like an absolute dream.
And Jack Stone, former pilot and overall hot nice guy, sounded pretty dreamy too.

On the other hand, Ava (Aviana) came across for at least half the book as a very judgmental, off-putting jerk. I sympathized with her to a point but frankly I found her so irritating that my joy in the fun-loving Ava who emerged halfway through the book was pretty thoroughly stifled.

The book was still enjoyable overall and YMMV on Ava as a character but for me, Jack and Belize (yes, the country) were the stars of this book.

My Review:⭐️⭐⭐⭐/ 5 stars

Another cover that is so captivating and eye catching - I couldn’t wait to dive in. This is a contemporary romance about flight attendant Ava Greene who is getting ready to hang her hat on this job after 10 years. She is recently engaged to Alexander who will help her feel a bit more rooted and stable, but she somehow does not feel truly herself with him and his expectations. On her last flight, with a 24 hour layover in Belize, she is paired with former pilot, Jack, a handsome flight attendant, well known to be a flirt and heartbreaker. She also holds a grudge from an experience they shared in the past. As their layover is extended due to engine troubles, Ava is forced to deal with her true feelings/grudge against Jack and what she really wants in her life.

Overall, a very cute summer enemy to lovers trope - but I do wish the love scenes were a bit steamier, but understandable since she was just recently engaged. That was probably the only part that I felt was lacking.

Thank you to Putnam books and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! US Pub date - June 15, 2021

This book was such a fun summer read. This book follows Ava who is on her last trip working as a flight attendant before she stops working in favor of a more stable life with her fiancé. This is a dream flight assignment since they have a layover in Belize and will get to relax and see the beautiful beaches. But, she is working with Jack Stone who has a reputation for being a bad boy and sleeping with a lot of other flight attendants and Ava wants nothing to do with him. She is also working with Gen who is wild and crazy and very different from Ava.

This was just a really fun book. I loved all the different characters and everything we got to learn about them. I loved the banter between Ava and Jack. I loved all the details about being a flight attendant. This author is a flight attendant so I trust that the details are accurate and it was actually so cool to learn little details from this book that people just would never know about working as a flight attendant.

One thing I have seen people say after reading this book is that they did to like how Ava was engaged and then started talking to someone else so quickly, but I think it was very clear from the beginning that Alexander was not the one for her so it really did not bother me at all.

I just really liked this book and flew through it and I would highly recommend it for a good summer read.

This is the perfect summer beach read! Ava Greene is a flight attendant on her last flight before she hands up her wings. On her final flight she finds former pilot turned flight attendant Jack Stone is in her flight. Soon they find themselves stuck in Belize when the plane has mechanical problems. Pretty soon this unplanned layover turns her life upside down.
This was such a fun read. I loved seeing Ava start to embrace who she really was and leave behind the person she was pretending to be. I also loved all the beach scenes it made me feel like I was on vacation with them. Thank you so much to @netgalley and @putnambooks for a copy to read and review. This book comes out Friday!!

Special thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

What a fun and charming book! I really enjoyed this as the perfect summer weekend read. The plot was fun with a good side of seriousness and the characters were great to travel with.

Jack and Ava as the hero and heroine were a great couple and I loved the slow burn of Ava and Jack reaching a detente, then becoming more than just co-workers. It felt like some of that sped up towards the end, but the ending still felt realistic, like the right HEA for these two free birds. While I felt like Ava's work decisions felt rushed at the end, her process with Jack felt real, especially the discovery of how one-sided her feelings for JAck were. And the co-workers were a lot of fun too. The perfect amount of help for moving the plot along.

Overall, I loved that the plot involved people flying and that we actually saw them working and dealing with their schedules, instead of just saying what their job was and never engaging with it. The banter during the flights was fun! The actual layover in Belize was set up well with the rest of the book and didn't feel like a plot device.

I would absolutely recommend this book as a beach or vacation read, it was the perfect kind of fun for when you want to relax and dive in to a good book.

The Layover is such a cute story! The sass was on point and Jack and Ava will have you rooting for them immediately. Ava’s growth throughout this book was awesome to watch. She was able to grow and learn the difference between what she thought she wanted and what she actually wanted for her life. The sass between Jack and Ava was so much fun and I loved their interactions from page 1. The supporting characters in Gen and Pilot Paul were so much fun too and I really enjoyed getting to see their story happen as well! My only complaint is that I wish the book were longer! I would’ve loved to see Jack and Ava interact more as a day to day couple because unfortunately not every day can have a 24 hour Belize layover. For me this book was personal because I am also a flight attendant and I can honestly say I have never seen my career so accurately portrayed. Laci does a great job of slipping in the good with the bad and how much a job that can be so difficult also worms it’s way into your heart. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

This is my favorite trope -enemies to lovers!
This did feel kind of the hating games meets flight travel only because one side of the two coworkers didn't know why they were enemies but also was amused by it. 
I always have been fascinated by air travel and flight attendants as a profession. I thought about it for awhile even getting half way thru my pilots license before I changed course.

This is a definite close proximity and you wouldn't necessarily get to work with the same group of people every trip.

This trip is Ava's last trip as a flight attendant as her boyfriend now fiance does not want her to have this type of job and she also said she was ready to settle down. (Parental issues about being a little flighty and never staying in one place). Though she starts to rethink this decision and tells him and that does not go well.

Jack her coworker and Ava do not get along due to some issues that happened in the past. 

I loved their banter. The exotic local of Belize was also pretty nice! There is attraction between them but since she's sworn to hate him mentally she thinks he sleeps with all his coworkers. 

I really enjoyed this cute romance. Though Ava moved on from her breakup pretty fast. She did think those thoughts. I loved Jack he was a great character, my type of guy lol. 

Definitely a great summer read!  I loved all the fun beachy, water activities they did! 

Thank you Putnam books and Net galley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Participated in the @lovearctually buddy read. Excited for the author chat on Monday!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

After getting engaged, Ava is making her last trip as a flight attendant, at her fiance’s request. But when the plane breaks, her layover turns into a weekend in Belize. Suddenly she finds her colleague Jack (who she can’t stand) flirting with her and she’s finding she actually enjoys him. Plus she realizes she might not be ready to give up her career after all. This weekend layover is leaving her with so many questions and potentially life-changing decisions.

Growing up I thought being a flight attendant sounded like such a fun job, and this book supported all of those fantasies. Plus this book has everything you could want in a summer read: great chemistry, self-discovery, funny moments. This was a great enemies to lovers rom com that made me want to take a vacation.

Thank you to Putnam and

This was one of my most anticipated summer reads. Not only is it about a flight attendant (which is also my career), but it was written by a flight attendant, so I knew it would be spot on. I’m always nitpicking books that get things wrong about commercial aviation, and Lacie managed to describe our job and situations we encounter accurately, while also making sure it wasn’t too “lingo-y” for a reader without industry knowledge. I truly don’t think I’ve ever highlighted so many passages in a book before, just because they were so relatable for me.

While I’m not a huge reader of romance, this book had everything I love about the genre: forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, and just enough of the steamy stuff without being over the top. The prose is thoughtful yet breezy, and it’s so easy to fly through the chapters, no pun intended. If I didn’t know this was a debut, I never would have guessed it, because the writing is just so polished and effortless. Ava and Jack are such a fun pair, with banter that had me laughing out loud, especially when it came to their interactions on the plane. I mean, an unspoken race over who can serve drinks faster? Brilliant! The romance itself is a slow burn, but the payoff is more than worth it, and the ending was pure magic!

Fans of Christina Lauren will be right at home with this smart and sexy novel. My only regret is not reading this while laying on a tropical layover with a cocktail in my hand. Guess I’ll have to read it again, so I can really get it right next time!

Huge thank you to Putnam Books, NetGalley, and Lacie Waldon for the advanced copy to review. The Layover will be released on June 15, 2021.