Piper never anticipated seeing the former love of her life, Wyatt, after he broke her heart at the end of their Senior year, immediately before he left for basic training. She especially did not expect to see him again while stranded at the airport, unable to find a flight that will allow her to get to her best friend's destination wedding on time. That's when Piper is forced to make a choice she could only make in order to fulfill her maid of honor duties: board a borrowed plane flown by Wyatt himself so that she can make it on time to be by her best friend's side on the most important day of her life. Piper figures that she can avoid Wyatt as a passenger while he flies the plane from the cockpit - what she doesn't anticipate, however, is the plane crash-landing onto an unknown island in the middle of nowhere, stranding Piper and Wyatt together with quickly depleting resources and an onslaught of unresolved issues.

"Crash Landing" is a second-chance romance that features flash-back chapters that allow you a glimpse at Piper and Wyatt as teenagers and their original friends-to-lovers romance, which initially ends in heartbreak. I really enjoyed the way the book transitioned between "then" and "now" and felt that this provided a lot of insight into both Piper and Wyatt's personalities and character development. Even though this is a standalone novel, there is a ton of character development demonstrated between both Piper and Wyatt, and they are both very well thought-out and complex characters.

Initially, I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did! I didn't know how much I was going to enjoy the plane crash/island survival concept, especially in a romance novel - but, Annie McQuaid made it work! It may sound "cheesy" or atypical for a romance, but I would highly recommend picking this book up and giving it a try. I finished the book in just around 24 hours and had trouble putting it down!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Annie McQuaid for providing a digital arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! "Crash Landing" is available for purchase beginning April 1, 2025!

oh my gosh i loved this one! It is hard for me to believe that this was a debut romance. Annie's writing was stellar and the premise of the book drew me in from the beginning. This did the forced proximity trope so well (considering they are on a remote island). I also loved that we got to flip back between present day and the past. I will absolutely be adding Annie McQuaid to my list of autobuy authors.

THEIR LOVE STORY HAD ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN IN THE STARS!!!!!!!! Crash Landing written by Annie McQuaid is UTTER PERFECTION for a DEBUT NOVEL!!!!!!! I can't even imagine what it's like to survive a plane crash, let alone be stranded on an island with an ex-boyfriend, but Annie McQuaid made it so real, it's not always going to be rainbows and sparkles, there's absolutely going to be complications. Crash Landing was so real, relatable, heart breaking, beautiful, pure, raw, and absolute perfection. I didn't expect this book to be five stars for me, but I loved every single minute of this gut wrenching story. I was giggling and kicking my feet in the air and then I had tears streaming down my face all on the same page. When I first saw that gorgeous cover, I knew I had to get my hands on this book immediately, then I saw it was about second chances, being stranded on an island with an ex, being vulnerable, and rekindling a broken heart. I had so many different emotions running through my head while reading this book, but by the end, my cheeks hurt so much from smiling nonstop while my heart was in the bottom of my chest. I can't recommend this beautiful yet heart breaking book, so please do y'all selves a favor and mark your calendars for April 1st, 2025, so you don't miss out on this phenomenal debut novel. Life isn't always going to be rainbows, sparkles, and roses, it's about hitting rock bottom, standing on your own two feet, and being the best version of yourself. Crash Landing taught me so many important life lessons, but most importantly, vulnerability is okay.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND AVON AND HARPER VOYAGER FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!

"Follow your heart. That's all that matters".

"How did you properly thank someone for saving your life, especially when that someone was the guy who had also broken your heart?"

"Life is short, and you only get one, so you might as well live it on your terms".

"I never denied being obsessed with you".

"A fresh start sounds perfect".

"YOU ARE THE BEST GUY I KNOW, AND I AM SO LUCKY TO BE LOVED BY YOU"

Piper Adams is a second year medical student at Emory School of Medicine. Piper is such a relatable character, I related and resonated with her more than my review will prove. Piper is a perennial people pleaser, she lives her life out of fear of disappointing others instead of making herself happy. It's so hard to be happy when you are working tirelessly around the clock trying not to disappoint those around you. Piper hides her imperfections beneath expensive makeup, she absolutely hates being vulnerable, and she also survives off iced vanilla lattes. Piper is flying to the Bahama's because she's the maid of honor in her best friend Allie's wedding, Allie happens to be Wyatt's cousin. Wyatt Brooks is six foot three, with a dimpled smile, and soul drowning eyes. Wyatt is also attending Allie's wedding when their flight gets delayed. Wyatt spent five years in the Army, he was deployed overseas twice, and now he suffers from post traumatic stress disorder from his time in the military. Wyatt is the "Mr. Love 'Em and Leave 'Em" type of person. He has a bad habit of pushing away the people he loves most. Wyatt Brooks is a self loather, he's strong, exceptional, brave and kind. I absolutely love and adore Piper and Wyatt, they were the two most selfless loving characters I have ever met. As I was reading this book, it felt like Piper and I were experiencing life together. Piper and Wyatt will remain in my heart for a long time to come.

When Piper and Wyatt arrive at the airport, they learn that their flight has been delayed, so Wyatt offers to fly them to Allie's wedding. During their flight, something goes wrong with the small jet and it causes them to crash laving them stranded on the Caribbean Island. Piper and Wyatt are stranded together on this remote island for one whole week, with little to no food that they must scavenge for. During their time on the island, they share silly fun, uninhibited laughter, and an undercurrent of deep friendship. Both Wyatt and Piper suffered minor injuries, but they take care of each other, Wyatt bandaged Piper's wounds, built them a shelter and a fire out of whatever materials they could find. Wyatt and Piper made each other laugh enough to forget their life or death situation. Piper and Wyatt have a crazy emotional past, Wyatt broke Piper's heart eight years ago. Piper and Wyatt were just little kids when they formed a friendship over their love of books. Their past was more than a high school crush, they were best friends, soul mates, and one true loves. They had a five year friendship and one magical summer of falling in love when Wyatt decided to throw their love away like a piece of trash despite them being high school sweethearts. I love that Wyatt and Piper were able to communicate with each other about what went wrong all those years ago. Even those these two love birds broke my heart at times, they gave me the closure that I needed, but also what they needed to find their true selves again.

This book was not my cup of tea.
-the main character name drops labels/brands a lot. I didn’t get that- you can convey being bougie without that 🤷🏻‍♀️ it felt odd
-the military info. is not accurate AT ALL.
-the MC’s prior relationship was only a few weeks back when they were teens, so it’s hard for me to feel like they truly had a deep connection and this is a true second chance romance unless they maybe also had connected as young adults as well….
-it’s written in a tone that felt YA

I struggled off and on to push through this book. I loved the premise but so much kept taking me out. 2 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

this adventure romcom is super cute if you like friends to lovers, banter, and forced proximity. I loved the timeline work up and the two characters finding their way back to each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage Publishing for the arc of “Crash Landing”. This is a super cute book! Imagine getting in a plane crash and lost on an island with your high school sweetheart who broke your heart that you never stopped loving. There were parts of this book that were a little cringey for me and I personally really hate when a simple miscommunication ends up being THAT big of a deal in adult relationships so that’s why it only got 3 stars from me.

Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub Date: April 1, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review Annie McQuaid’s Crash Landing aka one of my favorite books from March!

Piper is excited for her best friend’s destination wedding, but her flight has been canceled. No worries, her ex-boyfriend (who happened to be on the same flight) is a pilot and has offered to fly them to the wedding. Unfortunately, there should be a lot of worries because out of nowhere there is a storm, the plane crashes, and now they’re stranded on an island.

The characters. The back story. The setting. It was all SO good! There might have even been a few tears shed. Second chance romances have my heart and this one is done so well.

Sometimes when there is a dual timeline I usually get interested in one timeline and not the other. That was not the case here. I loved watching Piper and Wyatt grow up and pine after each other. Then, fall in love only to have their hearts broken. The storyline was well balanced overall.

Honestly, no notes. I am fully obsessed with this book…I even sent Avon a DM to say so! I cannot wait to see what Annie comes up with next.

This was a decent second chance/ survivor-esque romance. I did think the plot added a very unique spin on a basic second chance romance by literally leaving the characters stranded on an island after a plane crash, and the romance was okay. My only drawbacks were the pacing and the miscommunication. The pacing of the story felt a bit off throughout and I thought it could’ve been a little more fluid. The miscommunication, while I understand is sometimes needed plot wise, is one that I personally loathe. I get a bit of miscommunication at the beginning and it looks like the characters are going to squash it, but then more miscommunication continues to pop up in the middle and even towards the end. I just wanted to put them in a room together and force them to honestly open up and communicate to move past it.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 2/5 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Crash Landing is a wonderfully written second chance, forced proximity romance read with a significant survival adventure that brings together two high school sweethearts who separated many years ago.

Med student Piper Adams, the FMC, feels stuck in life. She’s pursuing a career she doesn’t like and is in a loveless relationship. Amidst all that, she is still thinking about Wyatt—the boy who broke her heart back in high school. Now, Piper is focused on heading to the Bahamas for her best friend, Allie’s, wedding. Unexpectedly, all flights are canceled and Allie’s cousin, Wyatt, the one who broke her heart many years ago, is also at the airport. Wyatt tells her that he’ll fly her to the wedding in a small plane. Piper reluctantly agrees to go with Wyatt because she really wants to be at her best friend’s wedding.

Unfortunately, an unexpected storm causes their plane to crash on a remote island. Piper quickly discovers that in order to survive, she must learn to work with the man she’s spent years loathing. The more time that Piper and Wyatt spend together on the island though, the more they both realize that the chemistry between them is undeniable. Also, lots of buried feelings begin to resurface as they make sense of who they were and who they want to be.

Crash Landing has two timelines, the past and the present. The author excellently navigated that and the story has great pacing. Piper and Wyatt have such a sweet and heartwarming relationship. Every single moment between them, both in the past and in the present, was full of emotion and so special. All of the angst, heartbreak, and struggles were navigated very well throughout. Their romance, along with the happy ending, was so great!

Overall, Crash Landing is an amazing debut novel! A novel full of heart, humor, romance, and emotional depth.

I love the premise of the exes in a plane crash, (survival romances are a fav niche topic of mine), but it was definitely very low stakes. you never felt worried or anxious on if they would ever be rescued, which to some degree, it is a romance book so you assume happily ever after, but i like to be on the edge a little bit more than this was giving.

i was also speeding through the ending because i really wasn't super invested in these characters enough to see their story have a happy ending. i thought wyatt was shit at making up excuses and piper should have stood up to her mom more than she did. girlypop is in her late 20s at least and still listening to mommy esp when it comes to relationships?? idk that was crazy to me. overall, i did like the plane crash plot line and the dual timeline between current and when their relationship first started (the initial breakup was stupid too but at least they had the excuse of being teenagers), but the relationship itself was a bit lackluster.

Picture the TV show Lost and the plot of a classic rom com - that was this book. Piper and Wyatt get stranded on an island on their way to a friend's wedding and have to stick together to survive in hopes of being rescued. I loved the dual timeline and thought it was easy to follow between present day and their young love. Seeing them rediscover who they are as adults and realizing their feelings for one another was not something that time erased. There are laugh out loud moments and swoon worthy moments. While a bit cheesy, I enjoyed the premise of this book and the circumstances the couple finds themselves in is unique. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.

instagram post will be live 28Mar25.

3.5🌟 I had a good time reading this. What a great debut novel!

It is a little difficult to review without spoiling, so I will just say that Crash Landing is like a Mashup of the movies Sweet Home Alabama and Six Days, Seven Nights.

It does switch back and forth between past and present. I feel that it was necessary to the plot and added to the emotional impact.

I can't wait to read more future works by Annie McQuaid!

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions in this honest review are my own.

“Crash Landing” is a debut novel featuring a second-chance romance between two high school sweethearts-now-enemies.

After an unfortunate turn of events, Piper and Wyatt end up piloting their own plane to the Bahamas for their friend’s wedding, only to crash land on an uninhabited island in the Caribbean. While they wait for rescue, they are forced to confront their past, and their lingering feelings towards one another, all while trying to use their wits to survive.

This was a fun and fast-packed rom-com that had this great adventure feel to it. I liked that the characters were forced to grow emotionally, but there was a heavy miscommunication and some of their growth, both within and with others, seemed very surface level to or resolved very easily.

This book alternated between the present day survival scenes and flashback of Piper and Wyatt and their evolution as a couple from friends to more, and the back-and-forth was very well done. Both timelines were interesting and easy to follow.

I can’t wait to see more from Annie McQuaid!

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

3 Stars. This book was not meant for me.

The book felt very juvenile. In the beginning I thought that they'd been together as adults and had lived and experienced life together. But it turns out they were best friends but only dated for a short summer? I just didn't get the emotional depth. I wish we hadn't found out about Wyatt until they'd met again at the airport. Would have made it more believable for me. Adding to the juvenile feel were all the flashbacks to *only* their teenage years. I don't mind flashbacks, it's how we get a good second chance romance, but they were basically kids.

Secondly, absolutely nothing was realistic about Wyatt's military experience. Except for basic training at Fort Benning. As a former army employee at a basic training unit and being a military spouse to a combat veteran, it was not real. Enlisted Soldiers don't fly planes. Basic training is basic training, not survivalist school. You know what's also in basic training? Radio communications. The whole plot line of his military experience pulled me out of the book entirely.

The book was written well, just not a believable plot line.

I was really excited about this debut novel. The cover drew me to request it and I was so hopeful...but it just didn't work for me. I don't mind reading a premise that is somewhat unbelievable, but this went too far.

I think the author did a good job of helping the reader relate to what it would be like to be stranded on a remote island with limited supplies and limited survival skills. The pacing was quick, which was a positive, too.

The writing lacked any sort of punch and relied mostly on tell instead of show. It felt stiff and without finesse. The use of similies was wildly overdone and drew me out of the narrative. Two people stranded on an island is quite an opportunity for imagery and lush descriptions of their surroundings but this was sorely lacking. Unfortunately the dialog between the characters also lacked any spark and I had trouble believing in their connection. I didn't fall in love with them or care if they got together. Another thing that I found lacking was any sort of foundation from their prior relationship. I so wanted to be invested in one or both of them, or in their relationship, but I wasn't. It was a second chance romance in which I wasn't actually rooting for them.

I think if it had been written in first person, I might have connected more with the characters. I was left wondering what Wyatt was feeling and thinking.

This will work for some readers, I am sure; it just wasn't for me. I would give the author another shot.

First off, I read the majority of this book on an international flight, which...I do not recommend. HA.

I was really excited to read this debut from Annie McQuaid, and while I thought it was OKAY, I sadly didn't love it. The two big issues I had with this book were the tell-not-show writing, and the lack of relationship building in the parallel timing.

The writing felt really rote, like it was just telling us, not showing us through well-formed imagery and believable dialogue. It was dry and not very engaging. I want to feel more immersed in the story, but the stiff writing pulled me out often.

It was also hard for me to invest in the relationship between Piper and Wyatt because there wasn't enough foundation building in their connection in the chapters from their past. I didn't feel like I knew the characters alone or together, so they needed more development both as characters and as a couple. I wasn't DYING for them to finally get back together. It felt like a watered-down second chance romance between flat characters. Which was a big bummer.

And I mean, this book was incredibly unbelievable, and I had to suspend my belief for the majority of it. But, lots of books are like that, and it's not a huge deterrent in most cases. But this unfortunately wasn't a favorite for me. But I really love Annie and I will try out what she puts out next!

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. CRASHING LANDING is out April 1, 2025.

"If it takes a plane crash to see you, I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

This was such a cute, atmospheric romance! I loved the premise of this book, and I think McQuaid really nailed the aspect of being stranded on an island, using your limited survival skills and making the best out of a terrifying situation. She managed to make Piper and Wayatt's predicament both terrifying and romantic at points, with the island turning into a little romantic getaway, while also being a place of complete isolation with limited resources for survival.

I didn't feel the chemistry between the two as much as I'd hoped, even despite the flashbacks. I think their relationship was sweet, but I didn't feel that tug of connection. The pacing was quick, which was great,and I was invested in the story the whole time. I will say, there is an overuse of similes that I agitated me at times, because they felt very... forced? For example, "When his grey eyes locked onto hers, they were as frigid and empty as a parking lot on Christmas day"; or " ...one magical summer of falling in love blew away like a wisp of smoke in a hurricane" (???); and "The words dove off her tongue like Olympians into water, performing a routine they'd perfect endlessly". I found these comparisons quite forced and a little odd, so much so that it was distracting at times. But that could be the English teacher in me!

Overall, a very sweet and exciting read, and I'll definitely be checking out more from McQuaid!

Endless thank you to Atria Books and HarperCollins for the advanced e copy!

This book was everything I expected it to be and that is a very good thing. I had high hopes but it’s safe to say that it superseded those expectations immensely. The characters in this story were well written and had lots of personality to them but the best part was it mainly focused on the two main characters and their connection instead of adding lots of support characters. When our main character Piper gets invited to her friend’s destination wedding she is so excited, however a plain crash unexpected leaves her stranded on an island with none other than her high school sweetheart Wyatt, who also happens to be the man who broke her heart. The two must set aside their differences and make amends if they have any chance of getting off the island alive. However, with just the two of them getting to know each other again the sparks start to fly but is it really what’s for the best? This was a simple read, yet it was very well written. The characters were very easy to relate to and the connection between the two was undeniable even from the beginning. I loved reading about Piper and Wyatt’s relationship and seeing how it blossomed in high school. It also let the reader get how much passion and tension there was, so it was easy to understand the confusing feelings as they are stuck with each other on the island. This was a nice easy read but one that will definitely leave an impression. I’ve always loved a book where the main characters get stranded but add that to the tension between our characters and the banters that they have, and this was a book that I couldn’t put down. The dual timelines really made this whole book for me, and while I normally don’t like them, they were written seamlessly and there were no interruptions to the flow of the story. It was the perfect complement to this novel, and I can’t imagine it being written any other way. I loved the backstory and seeing how everything came to be. I couldn’t get enough of the characters, and I can’t wait for everyone else to get the chance to read this book and love it as much as I did. This is a book that will have you for going all other priorities in your life as it will be impossible to put down once you start. I can’t wait to read more by this author and considering this was her very first book I know that everything she writes will be gold. Great job.

“I’m so damn grateful we made it off that island but it will all be for nothing if I don’t ask you for a second chance. For real this time.”

This was such a cute, fun, heartwarming read. I see second chance romance, I will read the second chance romance. I adored Wyatt and Piper’s story,now and then. The dual timeline kept me invested in the story from their friendship to relationship and to what would be their breakup for a long time.

I struggled with the third person POV in this book and how it primarily focused on Piper. I would have loved more scenes looking at Wyatt’s POV if the book was first person with dual POV. However this is a preference I have with most romance books and did not anticipate this format in the book.

The setting on the island was a lot more intense than I anticipated and stakes felt pretty high. I felt the first half of their time stranded was not when I connected with the characters most but towards the second half where emotions ran high and sexual tension built.

I would have loved more development into their lives not together, especially Wyatt’s past that we got emotional snippets. Learning about their complicated journeys as adults was great and I would have loved more of that to build upon their relationship.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would not pass up another book by this author!

Tropes:
- second chance romance
- third person POV
- dual timeline
- reference of military deployment and PTSD
- “It’s always been you”
- close friendships
- complicated parent relationships
- deserted island/ tropical vibes

Thank you to NetGally, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Annie McQuaid for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it

What a cute second-chance romance. I loved the then/now chapters as it gave us background into their friendship and their relationship as it developed to be able to fully appreciate why it hurt Piper so much. At first I was like, "it was your first love and a long time ago. Yes, it sucks, but jeeze get over it already." But then after seeing some more of the then chapters, I realized that Wyatt really was an idiot for hurting her like that haha

However, there's a lot more to the story that slowly starts to unfold and my heart just kinda hurt for Wyatt. He may be an idiot, but there was a reason behind it and not only did it hurt him more, but he's been punishing himself ever since.

Piper's mom is THE WORST. She gives her mom so much grace and I'm not sure I could do it. So, Piper is very much a better person than I am. I'm glad she finally stood up for herself and went after what she wanted to be happy instead of chasing everyone else's dreams and making them happy.

The crash landing on a deserted island with your first love/high school ex part of the story was actually a lot of fun. It forced them to be vulnerable with each other and work things out because they had to trust and rely on each other.

I believe this is a debut novel and if it truly is, I can't wait to see what Annie comes up with in the future as this was a lot of fun to read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Annie McQuaid for the ARC.