DNF @32%

These characters have no depth. They also flew for like 20 minutes and crashed so… why is it taking days on days for them to be rescued? I didn’t buy why they broke up in the first place & I was bored being in the fmc’s head. She was so bland & I couldn’t empathize with her privileged problems.

I appreciated Piper and Wyatt’s story, which moves between their past and present to highlight their development. The portrayal of Piper’s dominant mother, the elements of survival, and their shared journey are depicted with raw authenticity. I found myself hoping they would set aside their pride and communicate openly. Would I recommend this love story? Definitely! It's a sincere, second-chance romance centered on survival, making it essential reading.

Nonetheless, while the pacing kept me engaged, the book felt somewhat cheesy. I couldn’t connect with the characters, and their chemistry seemed lackluster—particularly since I usually enjoy the tension present in second-chance romances. The development of their relationship and characters seemed a bit superficial, and I really hate miscommunication in stories. However, the author skillfully blends the flashback scenes with the current survival narrative on the island.

Thank you to Avon Books for the eARC.

Did Not Finish.

Your best friend and relative are in a plane crash two days before your wedding...and you still get married? That defies belief and I just can't.

Annie McQuaid has crafted a swoony, heartwarming romance that’s the best kind of friends-to-lovers turned enemies-to-lovers. I loved every moment of Piper and Wyatt's journey, from their childhood connection to the fiery tension as adults. The book kept me hooked with its (sort of) dueling timelines, revealing their past and present in such a way that made their reunion even more emotional and satisfying.

Piper, a med student in a stagnant relationship, is thrown for a loop when Wyatt—her ex, who vanished from her life years ago—appears at the airport. A canceled flight leads to a small plane ride that crashes them on a deserted island, forcing them to confront their unresolved issues while learning to survive together. As they navigate their growing feelings amidst the struggle, I found myself rooting for them the entire time.

McQuaid perfectly blends second-chance romance with survival adventure, creating a story that’s both swoon-worthy and thrilling. The way Piper and Wyatt’s relationship evolves kept me invested until the very end. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves emotional, action-packed romance with a twist!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing the ARC with me!

Piper is on her way to her best friend's destination wedding in the Bahamas when her flight gets canceled. As luck (maybe good and bad) would have it, she bumps into her ex (and the man who broke her heart), Wyatt, who offers her a ride in a borrowed private plane. But when the plane crashes on a small deserted island, the two have a chance to rediscover who they are and what their love could be.

This was a super easy, fast read. McQuaid's writing style flowed easily and kept me coming back for more. The story jumps between the present and the past, when Piper and Wyatt were in high school, and I loved getting to understand their past relationship as they started to reengage with each other and develop a new relationship.

My biggest issue with this one was there were some aspects that didn't seem very believable or well thought out - how the plane crash actually happened, the conversations with the coast guard over the radio, Piper being halfway through med school but barely being able to stand the sight of blood. I also wished the chemistry between the MCs had been a bit stronger. One of the things I love about second chance romances is the lingering, unresolved feelings for each other, and while Piper and Wyatt were obviously attracted to each other, the feelings felt very surface level.

Despite this, I did find myself rooting for their happily ever after (and rescue)! If you're looking for a fun, quick romance read, add this one to your list.

Read if you like:
Contemporary romance
Second chance
Forced proximity
Veteran MMC

This was such a different and entertaining debut novel! I honestly enjoyed it very much.

This romance is a second chance, stuck an island and forced proximity kind of vibes! It was interesting to have it include a plane crash. Not going to lie, it gave me a bit of anxiety. 🤣

While miscommunication tropes are not my thing, I’m happy it was acknowledged that that’s the reason they didn’t speak for so long. Piper and Wyatt have been friends for so long until they tipped into a relationship but it made me so sad they missed out on so many years together.

I kind of like the going back and forth of timelines but at times, it really distracted the fluidity of the story.

I did really enjoy their time on the island and the shenanigans that occurred. Some favorite moments overall of the novel: ditching school for a taping, their celebratory dinner, the banter when Piper still hadn’t forgiven Wyatt, Piper standing up to her mom and finally doing things for herself.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

I feel like I couldn't connect with the main character - lots of references to high end fashion and her personality wasn't relatable.

I thought this book was an entertaining read. I'm a sucker for second chance romances and this one had me hooked right away. I mean, two exes forced to come to terms with their past when a plane crash leaves them stranded on a deserted island...What could possibly go wrong?

Overall, I thought Crash Landing had a lot of great potential. The story was entertaining and kept you wanting to know more. The characters were likeable, yet frustrating at the same time. Piper and Wyatt had great chemistry and I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve through past and present tense.

However, I did have some issues with our main characters. While I was able to relate to Piper at times, I felt like she was written more on a YA level versus an Adult level. There were moments where I really struggled believing that she was an adult in her mid to late 20s. She felt immature and I was frustrated with the way she let her family treat her. I mean, hello! She is an adult, not a child. While Wyatt was great, I wish his character was a little tougher. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED how sorry he was for messing things up with Piper in the past, but I would have really liked to see more of a fight to get back together vs an apology/foregone conclusion.

In the end, I must acknowledge that this book is a debut novel, and with that being said, I feel like this will be a hit-or-miss read. Crash Landing had lots of pros and good potential, but the cons were definitely hard to overlook. I do wish there was more character development and fight due to them being stuck on a deserted island together.

Despite my issues with Crash Landing, I'm really glad to have checked it out. I think Annie McQuaid has a lot of potential as a writer and I would definitely be willing to read more from her in the future.

This book was such an adventure!! You know I will love a book set on a tropical island. I was instantly hooked from the moment Piper and Wyatt reconnected in the airport I felt the connection between the two of them. The banter was perfection. I really loved the flashbacks to the days of high school childhood friends to lovers era. The forced proximity of them both stranded on an island trying to survive brought up tension and eventually the pining and mutual feelings between one another. This was just a fun swoon worthy, banter filled, action packed adventure of a rom-com- perfect summer beach read.

This one was good, but not great like I hoped.

📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid

📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Standalone

📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book ARC courtesy of Netgalley.

📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Contemporary romance

📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Survival, second chance, enemies-to-lovers.

📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Piper and Wyatt's plane crashes in route to their best friend's wedding, leaving them stranded on an island to work out issues from their past.

🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: I might have pumped this one up in my head a little bit. The cover was gorgeous. I loved the concept. I haven't read a lot of plane crash/wilderness survival books so I thought this would be a bit different.

It gave me exactly what it said it would, though, and nothing more. The depth of the pair's issues were high-school level, and it didn't feel like enough. I didn't love the FMC, especially her choice to switch professions at the end of the book. It just felt like it all wasn't developed enough - the characters, the story, etc. There were some bright spots, and emotions that showed through, for sure, it just wasn't something that moved me.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 2/5 🌶🌶

𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.

Cute! I wish it would've focused more on the "now" timeline instead of bouncing to the past so often, but overall I enjoyed it!!

Interesting book for sure. Some grammers issues but they can be look over if you don't nitpick them. Characters are likable and the concept of the book is interesting too.

Thanks Netgalley & author/publisher for the ARC!

This was a cute, fast-paced contemporary romance with elements of second-chance romance, enemies-to-lovers, and forced proximity.

After a disastrous high school break up, Piper and Wyatt find themselves in the most unlikely of situations…stranded on a deserted island. They have to learn to re-trust each other while keeping one another alive and rehashing old (but not forgotten) pain. This book takes place in the present and incorporates flashbacks as we learn how their relationship grew and developed until ultimately imploding.

I could have used a bit more character development and the flashbacks, at times, felt a bit disjointed, but the premise of this book is top notch. If you are looking for an easy, quick read, definitely check this out.

Thank you to Net Galley, Avon, and Harper Publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a sweet second chance romance. Wyatt and Piper were childhood best friends in love with each other, but Wyatt broke things off and they haven’t spoken in 8 years. They are flying to their friend’s wedding together, but the plane crashes and they are forced to actually talk to each other about the past. There is a dual timeline between the present and their high school romance. It was very sweet and wholesome which made it feel very YA. Not much spice at all if you love romance without that. It started off really strong, but I felt like they didn’t really have that yearning and tension you want in a second chance romance. The high school story was so cliche that I wish there had been less of that. It’s a really sweet story for a quick, light read! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Romance

This is a fun contemporary romance that follows Piper. Fate will reunite Piper with her ex-boyfriend, Wyatt, in the most absurd way. Just when she thought that she had gotten over the man, their best friend's destination wedding was what made the two exes meet again and rekindle.

When the flight gets cancelled, Piper doesn’t find any other way to attend her best friend’s wedding but to accept Wyatt’s offer to fly there in a small plane. Of course, as the title and cover both reveal, there is a crash, and we get to know the characters’ past and present through an alternating narration style.

If you enjoy reading about second-chance romances with forced proximity, this is definitely the book for you. Although I was initially more interested in the present and survival aspects of the story, the past narrative effectively provided background on the characters, their relationship, and what went wrong.

This is an excellent debut novel with heart and humor. The characters are lovable and grounded, and I feel many readers can relate to them, comparing their own experiences with those of the characters. I recommend this book to all those looking to read something exciting and fun.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. Crash Landing follows childhood friends Wyatt and Piper as they try to reach their friend’s wedding in the Bahamas. The relationship between them is strained and they have not spoken since high school. Their original flight was cancelled, which resulted in Wyatt offering Piper a spot on the plane he borrowed from a friend. Piper reluctantly agrees but unfortunately their flight does not go to planned. Wyatt and Piper end up stranded on an island. They must put their differences aside in order to survive. Annie McQuaid put together an entertaining second chance survival romance. I loved how the story switched between the past and present. This allowed us to see how their relationship developed and how they have evolved since high school. I liked the survival aspect to the story. I feel like it kept me entertained. The only complaint I have is the use of the miscommunication trope, but that is personal preference.

Such a good story! Enjoyed the feel good vibes, the characters and the way the story flowed. Worth the read and recommendation for sure!

Crash Landing was a quick and enjoyable read that kept me entertained from start to finish. As a romance reader at heart, I always look for stories that include my favorite tropes, and this one delivered beautifully. It had two of my absolute favorites—forced proximity and second-chance romance—which made the story even more engaging for me. The dynamic between the main characters was well-developed, and I found myself enjoying their interactions more and more as the story progressed. Their chemistry felt natural, and their journey was both heartfelt and charming.

While I wouldn’t say this book was life-changing, especially as someone who reads a lot of romance, it was still a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable read. It had all the elements of a feel-good romance—sweet moments, a touch of tension, and just the right amount of emotional depth. If you're looking for something fun, lighthearted, and filled with romance, this is definitely worth picking up.

✈️Action Rom-Com
🏝️Second Chance
✈️Forced proximity (stranded on an island)
🏝️Friends to lovers
✈️Dual timeline
🏝️3rd Person, Single POV

“Cozy Action Rom-Com” may sound like conflicting mismatch descriptors but that’s what this book was for me. I enjoyed the wholesome and innocent journey of friends to lovers Piper and Wyatt go through as teenagers. The friendship was so sweet and seeing it transform into something deeper made me think of the youthful daydream of finding your soulmate and had me feeling giddy. The present timeline of coming face to face with her ex, her biggest heartbreak at the hands of her “person”, layered on a plane crash and being stranded on a deserted island reliant on each other for survival was the action. I loved the different tones of the dual timelines with the cozy elements of the past vs the action and high stakes action of the present. As if I was watching a movie, the past felt like I was seeing it through a hazy glow whereas I could picture the island vividly.

I loved seeing Piper’s growth during
this drastic and perilous event. The circumstances forced her to evaluate her life and career choices and to seize the chance to live her life for herself on her terms regardless of what others wanted for her. Being stuck with Wyatt also forced an opportunity to clear the air without distractions and learn answers that had always plagued her. It gave them an opportunity for a level of honesty and forgiveness that might not have happened if they were not forced together.

Despite the book being from Piper’s POV, I enjoyed learning about Wyatt through her perspective and seeing little bread crumbs of his feelings for her. It was also comforting to see his growth over their separation in him opening up and being honest about his vulnerabilities, especially after seeing the differences in their upbrings. Learning, alongside Piper, new details from side characters both broke my heart and had cheering for him.

I was rooting for Piper and Wyatt from the beginning, both in the past and present, but as more of their history was revealed and seeing them together in the present made me want their HEA so bad, that I finished this book with a big cheesy smile. I was also waiting with bated breath for Piper to stand up for herself to her mom and she did it in a way that felt so in line with her character, I wanted to clap for her.

Perfect if you enjoy forced proximity and second chance romance. Piper and Wyatt are estranged exes/former best friends who become stranded on an island together after a plane crash on the way to their mutual friends wedding. I thought they had really good chemistry and could definitely feel their connection. Piper and Wyatt learn to survive by trusting one another and themselves, and bit by bit fall in love all over again. It's like Emily Henry meets The Notebook but with a happy ending. Make it your summer beach read for 2025!