Annie McQuaid is definitely a romance author to watch. She weaves second chances, forced proximity, and a hint of enemies-to-lovers into a gripping survival adventure, following childhood sweethearts Piper and Wyatt as they navigate an unfinished love story.

This book is centered around Piper who has a boyfriend. However, the relationship is lacking in the intimacy department or at least it’s not what she had with her ex, Wyatt. But, she claims to be over him. I mean he did break her heart. And then she runs in to him at the airport on her way to her friends wedding where her flight gets cancelled. Oh boy can things get any worse? The.n Wyatt offers her a ride on his plane since he’s headed to the same wedding. Talk about awkward but she accepts so she can get to the wedding on time. Then if things don’t get more awkward………the plane crashes and leaves them stranded on a deserted island. Now she is stuck with the person she never hoped to see again. Will this cause them to get a second chance at love? Will they be rescues? I did like this heartwarming romance. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review.

Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid – A Second-Chance Romance That Soars

If you love forced proximity, second chances, and the kind of chemistry that practically crackles off the page, Crash Landing is the book for you. Annie McQuaid delivers a debut that’s equal parts heart-pounding adventure and swoon-worthy romance, and I devoured every single page.

Piper Adams is just trying to make it to her best friend’s wedding when fate (and a canceled flight) throws her right back into the orbit of her ex, Wyatt. Their history is messy, unresolved, and—if Piper has anything to say about it—best left in the past. But when she agrees to hitch a ride on Wyatt’s private plane, a storm changes everything. Now, they’re stranded on a deserted island, and there’s nowhere to hide from the feelings neither of them is ready to face.

What I loved most about this book was how McQuaid masterfully weaves together past and present, showing us Piper and Wyatt’s teenage love story while unraveling the heartbreak that tore them apart. The dual timeline works beautifully, making their emotional journey feel all the more real. And the tension? Perfect. There’s nothing quite like a survival situation to bring out raw truths, and these two feel every moment of it—frustration, longing, and that undeniable pull toward each other.

Wyatt is the kind of hero who sneaks up on you. Stoic, and capable, but carrying regrets that make him all the more compelling. Piper is relatable, independent, and torn between protecting her heart and surrendering to the what-ifs. Their banter, their history, their everything—it just works.

The setting plays a huge role in the story. The island is both a challenge and a metaphor, forcing Piper and Wyatt to strip away pretense and truly see each other. And yes, there are plenty of adventure and survival stakes, but it’s the emotional stakes that hit the hardest.

If I had one tiny critique, I wanted more. More time on the island, more deep-dive conversations, more of that slow-burn build-up before everything explodes. But honestly? That’s just a sign of a great book—it leaves you wanting more, not because it’s lacking, but because you’re so invested.

For a debut, Crash Landing is nothing short of impressive. Annie McQuaid is officially on my radar, and I’ll be first in line for whatever she writes next. If you love survival romance, high stakes, and second-chance love stories with all the feels, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Getting stranded on a deserted island with an ex is not exactly ideal, but it makes for a great story!

Piper Adams has spent years telling herself she is over Wyatt. A canceled flight and an unexpected plane ride with him prove otherwise. When they crash in the Caribbean, survival takes priority, but being stuck together forces them to face their past and the feelings Piper thought she left behind.

I always appreciate when characters talk through their history instead of letting misunderstandings drag on!!

This was a fun and fast paced second chance romance with just the right mix of survival adventure.

The blend of present day and the flashbacks kept things so much fun.

Forced proximity is always my favorite!

If you enjoy second-chance romances with adventure, humor, and a hero who knows how to survive in the wild, this is a great pick.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the gifted copy!

I went into Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid really excited. The premise was fresh and fun—two exes stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash? Sign me up! The cover is gorgeous, and I was totally sold on the survival/second chance/forced proximity vibes. I was hoping for a swoony, emotional, adventure-packed romance with deeper character growth. Unfortunately, while it delivered on the concept, it just didn’t live up to its potential.

The story follows Piper and Wyatt, former high school sweethearts who haven’t seen each other since their painful breakup years ago. Piper has played it safe ever since, building a life with as little risk as possible. Wyatt is still the adventurous, free-spirited guy she remembers—only older, hotter, and possibly wiser. When they’re stranded together on a deserted island on their way to a mutual friend’s wedding, they’re forced to confront their past and figure out if there’s still something between them.

On paper, it sounds like the perfect second chance romance. In reality, the emotional depth just wasn’t there for me. Piper and Wyatt’s issues felt more like leftover high school drama than the kind of complicated, nuanced baggage you expect from adults. I wanted to see more growth from both of them—more meaningful conversations, more vulnerability—but everything stayed very surface-level. It made it hard to really invest in their relationship or root for them as a couple.

The pacing also dragged in places. Despite the life-or-death circumstances, there wasn’t much urgency or tension. It was less “OMG will they survive?!” and more “Okay… now they’re building another shelter.” The survival aspects were lightly touched on, but never felt high-stakes. I think I wanted either more adventure or more emotional payoff, and I didn’t really get enough of either.

Piper, as a heroine, was also tough for me to connect with. Her decision to completely switch careers at the end felt abrupt and underdeveloped—like it was supposed to show personal growth, but instead came off as a quick fix that wasn’t fully earned. Wyatt was likable enough, but I needed more from him emotionally, too.

That said, there were bright spots. McQuaid’s writing is easy to read, and there were a few heartfelt moments that gave me glimpses of what the story could have been with a bit more depth and development. If you’re looking for a light, easy second chance romance with a tropical survival twist, this might be the read for you. But if you’re hoping for something that packs an emotional punch, you may end up feeling like I did—wanting more.

An engaging second-chance romance. Always happy when characters talk about the past issues and clear the air rather than continuing to drag things out for way too long. Some good friends and a few parental issues add interest to the tale. The crash landing is aways a fun fantasy. Well, maybe not so much the crash part, but the uninhabited island part is. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

A second chance romance book mixed with a plane crash on a remote island that gave vibes like the "Lost" television show.

I really enjoyed the past-present story lines of this novel as I felt it built the character development for both characters. The chapters are all clearly labeled with past/present which I appreciate when an author/publisher take the time to do that 🥳

I found Piper and Wyatt to be characters I really liked and cheered for as they felt well developed and relatable. Their chemistry was evident from the first meeting but it was not the focus of their reconnection, which I appreciated. The conversations were honest and their banter felt realistic for two people with history.

Thank you Avon for the ARC


Trigger warnings: addiction, death of parent, PTSD (military related) and a plane crash

There's just too much I have to suspend disbelief for in this story and I'm not enjoying the characters so I had to put this one down. Others may find the plane crash and the second-chance aspects of the story to be compelling. There wasn't enough depth to the characters for me personally but it seems like others loved if so if those tropes sound good to you it could be worth a shot.

I feel that the author has a lot of potential with the way this book was written but this one wasn’t a 4 star read for me because there wasn’t much depth in the character growth. As a second chance romance where they are now stranded after plan crash I thought there would be lots of talks and discussion. Only thing that helped was dual timeline but I just couldn’t connect to the characters and stay hooked to the story.

I would though love to read this book again some other time with fresh perspective because I see the potential.

This rom-com was a quick easy second chance read. I love second chance and I absoutely loved Wyatt! I did have trouble connecting deeply to the characters but I think that's okay because it isn't meant to be a deep emotional read. I had a blast reading it and I even cried when they eventually got off the island. I think near the end when the reader is waiting to see if it's going to work out or not is when I finally felt fully invested. Overall, it's a great debut that I would recommend to anyone!

This has been one of my most highly anticipated reads of 2025 as I have been following Annie's publishing journey since a few years ago! This book was the swooniest escape and the most delightful adventure. Ever thought it might be hot to be stranded on a desert island with your ex? Spoiler alert: This book will confirm your suspicions! But it may not be the best idea to try this out unless you're an expert survivalist, or you have Wyatt's number.

Oh my god I can not begin to explain how much I love this book, it is every trope I love, forced proximity , second chance romance, enemies to lovers. This book basically had me salvating.

I adored the characters and the depth to them, they where well written and easy to connect to which honestly I am super happy to see, this book was impossible for me to put down.

The only thing I sort of didn’t like was the back and forth between the present and the past, I understand why it was necessary for the character building it’s just not a style I am a fan of.

All and all I adored this book and highly recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for the arc

i requested this bc second chance/ childhood friends to lovers are some favorite tropes of mine and i was rly intrigued by the forced proximity element of this one (stuck on an island together hello)

things started off strong but after a while i rly had to rely on some suspension of disbelief probably more than i expected. this is a short book (304 pages) so a lot of details are skimmed over where i would have preferred more description. for having survived a plane crash together, these characters were very...calm lol

but it's still a quick & easy read if you're looking for something lighthearted & more wholesome!
if you like love & other words by christina lauren or every summer after by carley fortune you might like this!

4 stars for Annie McQuaid's debut romance, Crash Landing! This was such a cute read and is perfect for spring & summer. The author's writing is very descriptive so it is easy to see yourself lost on the island with Piper and Wyatt. This book has lots of tropes that work well together: survival, second chance, forced proximity are three that immediately come to mind.

I do wish we had gotten a little bit more of Piper and Wyatt's relationship after the miscommunication was resolved and they committed to one another. Maybe this just leaves the door open for Book 2, though?

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced copy. Crash Landing hits shelves on April 1, 2025.

The back matter describing this book is maybe the most interesting part of the book. For a book where the 2 MCs end up in a plane crash and are then stranded on a deserted island, this book ended up being a bit of a snooze. It was a second chance romance + forced proximity and had dual timelines and honestly, the dual timeline really throws off the pacing of the book and I did not care about these characters in their high school iteration or their present day iteration. They read so young to me, even in current day and particularly Piper, who seemed unable to really go after what she wanted and then essentially forgives Wyatt 5 minutes after seeing him again after he ghosted her for an entire decade. The pace at which these two made up made zero sense, the reasoning behind why Wyatt did what he did was really annoying and cliched and given his propensity for shutting Piper out of his life at the drop of a hat, I didn’t really buy their HEA. Also Piper is a second year med student and gets squeamish at the sight of blood. Clearly she’s not happy with her life choices and only doing it to please her overbearing parents but honestly, she hates the sight of blood. And is a med student. And towards the end, she suddenly has an epiphany about her true calling in life and it’s so random and sudden. In short, this book was in parts boring and cliched and I just didn’t love either MC or feel all that invested in the outcome of their romance.

Content note: plane crash, injuries related to plane crash, hospitalization, alcoholic mom, dead parents

This high-stakes second-chance romance was exhilarating and hard to put down! When two exes end up in a plane crash, landing them on a remote island, years of tension and miscommunications come to a head in this swoony story of love and survival.

Piper is heading to her childhood best friend's wedding when her flight is cancelled. The only way to get there? To hitch a ride in a small two-passenger plane with her ex, Wyatt. Wyatt has become a pilot and served time in the military when he gets the invite to the wedding and sees this as the perfect opportunity to clear things up with Piper and maybe get a second chance. The problem: he truly shattered her heart years ago, and she wants nothing to do with him. Thank goodness he is her only flight out to the wedding...that is, until a freak accident occurs resulting in their crash landing on a remote island in the Caribbean.

Part survival story, part flashbacks, Crash Landing is an excellent second-chance romance trope that uses forced proximity and high-stakes survival to push our characters to truly open up and be vulnerable, letting their hearts take the lead for once.

Get ready for the most heartwarming, romantic book of 2025. The writing is gorgeous. The setting is beautiful (despite the plane crash, I promise). You have to read this book.

The two MCs took such deep, tender care for each other in the present and the past. The present adds an extra layer of swoon with the way they physically care for each other on the island. It’s a pretty dire situation, but the author brought such levity and toe-curling excitement to every scene. And did I mention it keeps you turning pages the whole way? I stayed up entirely too late reading the last third of the book.

Also, can I tell you how much I appreciate a novel that has attention to the practical details? Piper kept her toothbrush in the crash. Such a small thing with such big consequences for the important scenes :)

The book had a great pace that kept me interested. However, I felt that the overall book was super cheesy and not enjoyable for that. I also felt like it was very superficial and boring. I am sure that others will enjoy this but I just thought that there wasn’t enough character to the book.

This is a second chance romance.

Piper and Wyatt were each other's first loves, so they thought... flash forward after years of not seeing each other, plane crash, and becoming stranded on an island helps them to realize they are soul mates.

I really enjoyed this book and Piper and Wyatts story. Miscommunication is not my favorite, but was handled in a way that helped me to connect and feel with the characters.

Crash Landing takes estranged exes Piper and Wyatt, both en route to their friend’s wedding and puts them on a literal crash course towards each other. Surviving their plane crash was the easy part. Surviving being stranded on a deserted island together? That’s a bit more complicated. Lucky for us, forced proximity x second chance romance is a delicious combo.