Lacie Waldon

"An unexpected tropical layover with her nemesis turns a flight attendant's life upside down in this ... debut romantic comedy about life--and love--30,000 feet above the ground"--

The Layover

lexie

this book has a lot to talk about the lack of monitoring of parents, an asshole fiancé who just want a mother in his house and the fact that ava greene is a people pleaser. This book was okay. i thought it should have been more bickering and fight.

Ireland Compton

It started off slow but left me crying at the end! I do think the fact that they went from not knowing each other at all to jumping into a relationship within a few days threw me of, but it was charming in a sense and speaks to the intensity of their feelings towards each other once the walls came down. Overall happy with the outcome and it was a fun and quick read.

Kenzi Linton

2.5/5 

I absolutely LOVED Lacie Waldon’s other book, From the Jump, so I was really excited for this one. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed in it. The main character (Ava) was okay, but she did some things that just made me upset as the story continued and it was hard to root for her during times. Granted, her fiancé also sucked and she was right in the case to break up with him. I hated the way she treated Jack in parts of the story and I definitely thought he deserved better. Frankly, I think I just expected a bit more. It wasn’t a book that I necessarily connected with and I don’t think it was anything memorable.

Julia McKenzie

Not a must read but still good enough if you’re looking for something to fill your time and an easy read.

The romance doesn’t quite make sense as she’s engaged and all of a sudden once on her own she reveals all these negative opinions and changes her mind. All while magically on a job and falls for someone new…the concepts in this book are a bit far reaching.

julie reads

Ava Greene is about to get married to the man of her dreams.  The only problem is that he doesn't want her to continue her job as a flight attendant.  Ava has a love/hate relationship with travel since most of her childhood was spent with parents who were constantly taking her out of school on another adventure, leaving her without friends and the lack of an anchor in her life.  When it turns out that she will be working with her nemesis, Jack Stone on her final flight, she wonders what else in her life can go wrong.  She isn't all that surprised when their plane has mechanical trouble and gets stuck in an extended layover.  What she finds is that Jack isn't what she thought he was and they might have more in common than she ever would have imagined.

The Layover is a cute rom-com with a strong message about figuring out what you want in life and going after it.  The characters aren't all that well developed and Ava makes lots of choices that frame her as a bit unlikable, but there are several delightful scenes filled with quirky characters, adding layers that give the story more depth.  Overall, The Layover is a light, entertaining story that reads like women's fiction with some romantic elements.

Lynn Braden

Ava Greene is about to get married to the man of her dreams.  The only problem is that he doesn't want her to continue her job as a flight attendant.  Ava has a love/hate relationship with travel since most of her childhood was spent with parents who were constantly taking her out of school on another adventure, leaving her without friends and the lack of an anchor in her life.  When it turns out that she will be working with her nemesis, Jack Stone on her final flight, she wonders what else in her life can go wrong.  She isn't all that surprised when their plane has mechanical trouble and gets stuck in an extended layover.  What she finds is that Jack isn't what she thought he was and they might have more in common than she ever would have imagined.

The Layover is a cute rom-com with a strong message about figuring out what you want in life and going after it.  The characters aren't all that well developed and Ava makes lots of choices that frame her as a bit unlikable, but there are several delightful scenes filled with quirky characters, adding layers that give the story more depth.  Overall, The Layover is a light, entertaining story that reads like women's fiction with some romantic elements.

Shareca

The Layover by Lacie Waldon is so cute! It is such a fun read with great characters -- I liked reading this one as an escape to a beautiful place in this pandemic state. I like the kind of enemies to lovers trope; I think it is adorable!

Sara Hamm

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.

Sheena

Ava, after ten years of being a flight attendant is ready to leave her much loved position to put down roots with her fiancé, Alexander (where was that in the synopsis?). She's got one trip left before she bids her old life farewell but then she discovers that former pilot Jack Stone—a man she's held a secret grudge against for years is on her flight. Just when she thinks she never has to see him again after they land, 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.
 
After reading a synopsis like that, I was more than ready for an enemies turn lovers romance filled with a brooding heroine (for once), funny banters, steamy moments and more, but once again I am met with another upsetting read.
 
First things first, readers are completely left in the dark when we are introduced to Alexander, Ava's lawyer fiancé who remains in a relationship with her for the first… what? 60% of the book. Picking this ‘romantic comedy’ up, I had no idea that the heroine was already in an established relationship prior to meeting the hero and not only that, the only person that knows of her engagement is her mother. It was misleading and was emotional cheating at it’s finest when she remains engaged and well into her romantic development with the real love interest. So readers, beware. This is one of the many many drawbacks of this novel. 
 
In regards to the characters—Ava was a major hypocrite. I won’t indulge too much on it but those scenes where she showed face were very prominent and changed my view on the heroine. There wasn’t much to like about her and as the story progressed, my dislike for her only grew especially when she mistreated Jack. The hero was a little more bearable and more so present as comedic relief. Did I laugh? No, but he was the only character that didn’t annoy me. He was the complete opposite of Ava, so that was a major plus.
 
Plot/Storyline wise—it was an extremely uneventful read until the 70% mark and by then, I was no longer invested in this release. It was terribly boring, long, drawn out and the fact that Ava was already in a relationship while growing feelings for the former pilot left a bad taste in my mouth. Jack deserved so much better. I didn’t buy their relationship and in the long term, I know it would have never worked out. There wasn’t anything that stood out besides the behind the scenes of what flight attendants experience that interested me though some of the unprofessional behavior displayed multiple times by the characters didn't sit well with me. More so, this is no way shape or form a romantic comedy. There were 2-3 moments that were funny and everything else fell flat.
 
Would I recommend this? No. Would I read from this author again? Double no. Did I regret picking this up? Yes, one thousand times. Yes!

Kathleen Mullins

this was a great, light summer read. Not too deep but still interesting characters with good chemistry & a good romance.

Elena

3/5 stars

This was not the best book i have ever read nor do I think this will be the best book anyone has ever read. It was a fun entertaining beach read that I liked but I think that Ava was a little stubborn she bothered me that she could not just talk it out, with the people she is having problems with. I feel like they would understand and the problems would have been resolved quickly. In my opinion u think that Jack and Ava told each other everything about themselves a little to quickly and they should have told each other stuff little by little. I wished Ava could have seen that Aleksandr was not for her right away and not had to go on her last work trip to figure out how bad he is for her. But I still think that this book is worth reading during the summer.

Caitlin Snyder

(+) Cute story that made me want to travel.

(-) Beginning of the story went on a little long.

Sofie

Ava is getting married and working her last shift as a flight attendant. The catch - her nemesis, Jack, is on her trip, including their 24 hour layover in Belize. But a day in paradise reminds Ava just how much she loves her job. And her job isn't the only thing she's falling in love with.

This was SO CUTE. I want to crawl into this book and live in Belize. I want a Jack to banter and spar with. I was a Gen to keep things fun. 

Ava's character was great. For a fluffy romance, I really felt she went through a pretty significant character arc. While Jack and their entire relationship was predictable, that didn't make it any less fun! 

The writing style was excellent, too. Reminiscent of my other favourite romance authors, Sarah Hogle, Sally Thorne, and Emily Henry. 

If you've read any of my other romance reviews, you know your girl LOVES the tingles, and I definitely felt the butterflies reading this... BUT I am docking a star because I was hoping for at least one steamy scene. It was the perfect set up for it, too! 

So good. Worth the read!!

Esther

took me a while but it piked up a bit at the 50% mark.
She smells like marijuana and orange juice. I never would’ve guessed that would be the smell of salvation.

Linda Quintanilla

I was kind of surprised how much I love The Layover. It was such a refreshing romance read. I know some will be hesitant to read since there were a lot of mixed reviews but trust me, I totally fell in love with it. It's such a refreshing yet relatable romance read. We try to hide that the past does not define us but in some parts they do just like Ava in The Layover. Ava was a character that was surprisingly refreshing. She tried so hard to be a stable person because she had a tough childhood. Yet she is drawn in discovering new cities and new meaning. She may not notice at first but along the way she will. And she will discover that people are not who they are. Side note, I know people were mentionally that she was emotionally cheating but she was not. They broke it off (thanks goodness) before she started to get to know more of Jack.

Laura

Buzzfeed's writer picks must be getting worse because I was steered completely wrong. This book is nothing like the synopsis suggest. Although I do not feel this is a book about infidelity, the majority of the book is not about her relationship with Jack but rather about the relationship which she begins the book in. 

I would not have picked the book up if I knew what the story would be and if it had been honestly advertised. It is a shame, the author has some talent (hence why I gave it more than one star). I fell in love with Gen, there is beautiful writing in this book, and some good words of wisdom. It is a shame that the story she contrived was so terrible and her debut was wasted on this horrible book.

Don't waste your time reading this book.

The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game in this 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....

Alexandra A.

This book is so cute! The perfect summer vacation romance book!

Heather Harrington

*3.5

Ava Greene has spent the last ten years up in the clouds working as a flight attendant, but now she's ready to plant her feet on solid ground. She's hoping to make the most out of her last trip, but then she discovers the annoyingly charming Jack Stone is also working the flight. Ava has held a grudge against Jack for years ever since he had a hand in humiliating her, so she's not looking forward to sharing a plane with him, especially when he dares to flirt with her as if they've never met before. When their plane runs into mechanical issues, their quick stop in Belize turns into a weekend layover. Now, Ava is forced to spend time with Jack which should be her worst nightmare, yet the more they explore the resort together, the more Ava can't help but think she had Jack all wrong. Ava thought she wanted a stable life, but she's a born wanderer, and Jack might be the adventure she's been waiting for.

If you took The Hating Game and mixed it with The Unhoneymooners and slapped a PG-13 rating on it, you would get this book. I'll never get enough of the enemies-to-lovers trope, and this one was such a delight. Waldon's banter was top-notch and had me chuckling quite a few times. I loved how Ava was this little firecracker, and Jack wasn't afraid to give it right back to her. Their chemistry was sweet, and you couldn't help but root for them. There were times I was missing that fluttery excited feeling and wished it was a little bit steamier, but overall it was cute. There were also some frustrating parts, mostly with Ava since she was so judgmental towards Jack based on rumors she heard about his past relationship and seemed to want to stick to her views rather than hear him out, but they eventually come to an understanding. While this didn't blow me away as I had hoped, it was still enjoyable and would be the perfect summer read that'll make you feel like you're on a beach with a drink in hand, and I'm looking forward to what Waldon comes out with next.

Grace Christensen 

Whenever I get recommended a book by a friend it skews my rating. I honesty can't say whether or not I would have rated this one four stars had my best friend not loved it so much. Don't get me wrong, this book was great and I would have liked it either way, but knowing she enjoyed it made me like it even more. There were certain parts in this book where I just went "oh my gosh that is so her". It made it way more fun to share the story with her (if anyone wants to be friends and read books together, lemme know).

Here's what I did like:

I always like in my romance novels when there's some self-introspection and discovery that runs parallel to the main romance plot. Obviously, no one is perfectly ready for a relationship all the time and the best romances make both of the parties into better people. Or at least makes them more true to themselves. But sometimes authors go about this the wrong way and try to make the relationship the "cure" for the main characters issues. I liked how the author wrote this one in a way that showed Ava learning and growing before she was even interested in Jack. She didn't change because she was in love with this man, she changed on her own which made it possible for her to love him. 

I also enjoyed the relationship between Ava and Gen. I have an amazing group of friends and I hate it in romance novels when the main character doesn't have any friendships or relationships outside of her relationship with the love interest. Not only does it seem unrealistic to me (how can you live without at least one friend??), but it also makes me feel like the main character was only written in order to fall in love with some Hot Guy. This is their story, make them more than just half of a couple! Which is why Ava's relationship with Gen is so great to me. She starts out not having many friends or relationships outside her fiance. It makes even her feel like she's just his other half. But throughout the story, she realizes she can be more than that. She wants to be more than someone's partner. So she starts trying, and it makes her more herself. I love that.

Here's what I didn't like:

There isn't much about this book I disliked, and there wasn't anything I seriously hated (and I enjoy hating things). The only criticism I have is that I didn't really feel the chemistry between the two. There was enough chemistry that I genuinely believed they liked and were attracted to each other, it just wasn't as intense or obvious as other romance books I've read. But also, I don't think there needed to be more chemistry between the leads in order for the story to work. I have read many a book where I get to the end and just kinda go, "I read that whole book for that?" This wasn't that. I got to the end and while I would have liked more about them and their relationship, the story was still satisfying. The book wasn't just about them falling in love, it was also about Ava learning to accept herself. The story wasn't centered on the entirety of their relationship, it was all about Ava getting to the point where they could begin their relationship. I don't know how to explain it correctly, but it worked well.

Aurelia Clarabelle

I think this book is a perfect read for summer! This is lighthearted, emotional, and fast-paced. 

The Layover

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