Ava Greene is a flight attendant who is turning in her wings now that she is engaged and going to start the stable life she’s always dreamed of. She is excited that her last flight has a 24-hour layover in Belize. That is, until she finds out that Jack Stone is also working this flight. Jack is handsome and flirtatious, but Ava doesn’t like him. They met years ago, but it seems Jack has forgotten that night and how humiliating it was for her.

The Layover is a romantic comedy that takes us all over the United States and eventually to Belize where the story really gets hot! There is definitely something between Ava and Jack from their first interaction, but besides the fact that Ava does not like him, she’s also keeping a secret from him and everyone else on their crew. As the chemistry between them heats up, we can see that Ava is going through some inner turmoil, wondering if the steady life she hoped for or if a life in the skies is what’s best for her.

This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers story, but at about the 50% mark, the story definitely picks up. I flew through the second half of the book. I really liked Jack as a character. Although Ava describes him as a bad-boy, player throughout the book, there is a lot more depth to his character. The scenes where he was being flirtatious and playful were great, and I enjoyed learning about his past. My problem is that I didn’t really like Ava. She is so rude to Jack based on something that happened years ago and rumors she has heard about him. Jack may tease her at times, but he is never as mean to her as she is towards him.

Gen, another flight attendant, is a secondary character that I loved. She brings some comedic relief to the story, and I really looked forward to the parts of the book with her in them. I’d be willing to read a spin-off of Gen’s story!

The Layover is Lacie Waldon’s debut novel, but I definitely look forward to reading more by her.

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.