The Layover
By: Lacie Waldon
Expected Publication: June 15th 2021 by Putnam
320 pages
Genre: Adult, Contemporary
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)
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Goodreads description--An unexpected tropical layover with her nemesis turns a flight attendant's life upside down in this witty, breezy debut romantic comedy about life--and love--30,000 feet above the ground.
After ten years as a flight attendant, Ava Greene is poised to hang up her wings and finally put down roots. She's got one trip left before she bids her old life farewell, and she plans to enjoy every second of it. But then she discovers that former pilot Jack Stone--the absurdly gorgeous, ridiculously cocky man she's held a secret grudge against for years--is on her flight. And he has the nerve to flirt with her, as if he doesn't remember the role he played in the most humiliating night of her life. Good thing she never has to see him again after they land....
But when their plane encounters mechanical problems, what should have been a quick stop at the Belize airport suddenly becomes a weekend layover. Getting stuck on a three-hour flight with her nemesis was bad enough. Being stranded with him at a luxury resort in paradise? Even with the sultry breeze and white sand to distract her, it will take all the rum punch in the country to drown out his larger-than-life presence.
Yet the more time Ava spends with him under the hot Caribbean sun, the more she begins to second-guess everything she thought she knew about him...and everything she thought she wanted from her life. And all too soon, she might have to choose between keeping her feet on the ground and her head in the clouds....
The Layover was the first book I finished after coming home from the hospital after giving birth to my 3rd child. I always expect having a newborn to interfere with reading time, but with this 3rd baby, I had zero time in the first couple of weeks. So when the opportunity to read a smidgen arose, I knew I would need to read something that would hook me and that I could read quickly. The Layover fit those requirements perfectly.
I have to say that I was worried The Layover would hit on one of my deal-breaker topics (highlight to see potential spoiler: cheating), but Lacie Waldon handled this subject in a way that didn't bother me at all. If anything, I ended up liking the approach she took.
Ava thinks she knows exactly what kind of man Jack is. She had an interaction with him years ago when she was dating a coworker, and she's pegged him ever since. The only problem is that Ava doesn't have even a smidgen of the information about that encounter or about Jack. Jack can't figure Ava out. She's nice to everyone but him. But seeing how she is with others intrigues him.
I appreciated the transition for Ava to see how what she thought she wanted isn't actually what she wanted. Learning about herself and finding a way to balance security and adventure was one of the best parts of The Layover.
Of course, The Layover covers a very short period. Some readers will take issue with this, I believe, but I usually don't mind books that do this. I will say that I found pieces of Ava's personality confusing. She knew exactly how many minutes she has in a morning routine and has things about her routine that seem quite meticulous, yet she also seemed to loathe the same trait in Alexander. I just found her attention to detail conflicting with her frustration with Alexander doing the same thing.
Unfortunately, I allowed too much time between finishing this book and writing this review to feel great about my review. But I know that I enjoyed this story, and it was the first thing that caught my interest after giving birth to baby #3. I read it quickly, and I feel like The Layover will appeal to readers who want light, fun, quick reads. The Layover gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Layover? What did you think? Let me know!
