3.5 ⭐️

It’s easy to follow the mass wave of “tropification” a lot of books published nowadays, but this played into second chance romance very tastefully! I’m not the biggest fan of dual timeline stories; mainly because sometimes it feels like going into the past is a detour when the story is starting to unfold. This book also does dual timelines well because they were evenly paced. When there was a tense moment in the present, the plot went back to a tense moment in the MMC’s childhood, romantic moment in the present, romantic moment in the past, so on and so forth. The biggest gripe I have is the connection between Wyatt and Piper. It seems like they have 3 conversations where they agree they want to give themselves another chance but then they’re not on the same and don’t trust each other. It didn’t make a lot of sense when they both made it clear they loved each other. Despite this, I found this enjoyable and would recommend!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

The Vibes:

—stranded on an island

—second chance (a la high school sweethearts)

—survival but make it lite

Heat Index: 5/10

The Basics:

On the way to a mutual friend's wedding, exes Wyatt and Piper end up on the same tiny plane (piloted by Wyatt) which unfortunately ends up crashing on a remote island. Forced to work together, the pair end up realizing that even off the island, they can only truly be vulnerable with each other.

The Review:

This is, to put it honestly, a nice romance. If you are down for a nice time, you will have a nice time. The writing is solid, you get a great beginning, there are parallel past and present storylines that spin nicely together. Nice.

I say all of this to be honest and say that I wanted more than nice. The angst and meat of the book is really more in the flashback storyline, taking place when Piper and Wyatt were first together as teenagers. The island stuff... well. You'd think there would be a bit more urgency, seeing as they're trapped on an island together. Following a plane crash.

Something happens fairly early into the island storyline that drains the tension from it. Which I found rather frustrating. And while Piper and Wyatt have their issues, they're both ultimately decent people (the "enemies to lovers" label I found rather misleading). So while I was hooked on the teenage drama, I was much less so with the island stuff. Which was not really what I expected, at all.

I also found Piper's conflict a bit baffling. She's halfway through med school, and sure, she doesn't really want to be a doctor, but she can't even really handle blood? How has this not become a major, noticeable issue?

Again, it's nice. If you want a relatively low-conflict romance with a high-conflict setup, this will probably work more for you than it did for me. But it didn't... not work? It was a breeze to get through. I just wanted more.

The Sex:

You do get a few sex scenes, but they're very light and not super explicit. I wanted more.

This is a pretty good debut that could have been great had the drama been punched up a good bit. But hey—not everyone loves drama the way I do.

Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars - this was a great debut! I liked Piper and Wyatt and the unusual setting was really fun (if a bit stressful)! There were times that I felt like the story needed more development and lacked depth at parts, but the fact that it left me wanting more rather than dismissing it is a testament to Annie McQuaid's charming writing. I would absolutely read another book by her!

Trigger Warnings: Military-related PTSD, Child Neglect, Substance Abuse

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Overall, this was a good book. The characters were likable and compelling, especially Piper. As an overachiever with high-expectation parents, I could relate to her struggles. The romance was cute and fun to read about. I liked the teenage plotline a lot more than the adult one. It felt like they had a lot more chemistry. The writing itself was extremely well done, especially for a debut novel! The switching back and forth between the past and present helped to provide context and set the stage for future plot points. While the pacing was slightly off in some places, it didn't take away from the overall story. I would recommend this book to those who want the familiarity of a Hallmark story that doesn't shy away from serious topics.

I love the premise of this book - after a cancelled flight, two exes are trying to take a private plane to a mutual friend's wedding when a storm interrupts them and crashes them onto a remote island. I always enjoy forced proximity and what better way to force proximity than to be stranded with only the other person to rely on for survival? Piper and Wyatt work through the issues of their past and face the challenges of a remote location while they wait to be rescued. By the time they make it off the island, they have absolutely made it back into each other's hearts, and I love that for them!!

Thank you to Annie McQuaid, Avon, and NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Okay so only a really great book can make me think wow I wish this happened to me. Beautiful plot and characters

Absolutely loved! I had a strong feeling I was going to like this though because they survive a plane crash! What?!? This book was filled with drama, angst, and a great second chance romance. I am astonished this is a debut, it was so good!

Piper and Wyatt were great characters. I really liked both of them. There's a lot of hurt between them that I believe gets resolved by the end. I liked that they actually talked about the past and their issues (plus we see flashbacks which I always find helpful in a second chance romance). Each character got an opportunity to work on their own journeys too. Piper and Wyatt are well developed characters. The romance is filled with angst but also hope. I swooned over these two!

I thought the author did a great job balancing the dual timelines. The writing flows nicely and made this a quick and unputdownable read!

If you love survival romances with tons of drama, angst and swoon worthy tension, give this book a try!

I absolutely loved this book !! 🥰 Annie McQuaid is definitely an author you should add to your TBR ! This book was everything I wanted and more , I really enjoyed the depth of the characters and just the overall setting and storyline was great ! This book was hard to put down , it really reels you in and wanting to know what will occur next !

This was a cute book that was a quick and light read. The characters were enjoyable and the plot was good as a whole. The cast of characters were good, from the friends to the parents, they all had their moments and were a good group to read about. I did enjoy the then and now aspect of the book, it kept a good pace and kept you invested which made it fun. It's not my most memorable read, but finishing it and enjoying it for the most part made for a good read. Would recommend to anyone looking for a light fun read.
I gave it a 3.5 stars and rounded down because it wasn't a favorite and not something I would buy.

Thanks to NetGalley & Edelweiss for the ARCs!

Piper and Wyatt were high school senior sweethearts and he crushed her. When heading to her best friends destination wedding (who is Wyatt’s cousin), there are flight cancellations. Wyatt, a seasoned pilot, is at the airport and heading to the Bahamas offering her a ride which ends in a crash on a remote island. The time on the island is spent reconnecting and unpacking what happened in the past.

Overall, a really cute book I enjoyed! I think some of the past chapters weren’t necessarily needed / added to the story for me. But, I think it’s a great debut book and loved the premise!

Cute and fast-paced!

For you if you enjoy: dual timelines, second chances romances, forced proximity, and angsty adults

Not for you if: you’re currently on a plane, you don’t like YA POV (dual timeline / it reads young), fixate on realistic environments, setting, etc.

Enjoy yourself, it’s all made up!

My first five-star read of 2025. I loved this second-chance romance between Piper and Wyatt, the good girl and the bad boy who were longtime friends before they became a couple. Piper never understood why Wyatt broke up with her and why he dropped her as a friend as well as their mutual friend group but she’s spent years moving on from him. All is great until she runs into him in the airport, on the way to her best friend’s wedding (who happens to be Wyatt’s cousin), both of them victims of a canceled flight. Wyatt is planning to use a small plane loaned to him by a friend and invites Piper along but Piper is loath to be in close proximity to him even for a couple of hours. Desperate, she agrees and they end up crash landing on a small Caribbean island. Forced to work together to survive while waiting to be rescued, Piper remembers why she loved Wyatt but also how much he hurt her. Away from all the pressures of their day-to-day lives though, she’s able to think about what she really wants, both potentially with Wyatt but also in her life, one she’s spent mostly doing what her parents want her to do.

I absolutely loved this — it was fun, it was sexy, it was romantic, definitely recommend!

I loved this book - what a great debut! Both our MCs felt real and fleshed out, and I really enjoyed the then and now storyline. This is a very unique premise for a romance story, and I will most definitely read more from this author!! If you are looking for a unique second chance romance, definitely pick this one up!!

Piper Adams, a rule-following med student, never imagined she'd be stranded on a deserted island with her ex, Wyatt, after a flight detour to a mutual friend’s wedding. Forced to survive together, old feelings resurface.

The chemistry between Piper and Wyatt is undeniable, and McQuaid does a great job capturing the intensity of their past love. While the island survival was a bit easy for them (mostly papayas and downtime), it gave them a chance to address their past and reconnect.

The flashbacks were cute but didn’t add much depth.

Overall, if you enjoy second chance romance, forced proximity, and a romcom with a life-or-death twist, this one’s for you!

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the initial plot which I feel like has not been done possibly at all and if so by few. Teh chemistry between Wyatt and Piper was palpable the entire time and I am so happy with how this book ended with such a warm hug. However, there were times I felt I was being pulled out of the story by disclosing more of their past, but nevertheless this was a great read, maybe not on a plane or a beach though! ;)

I ended up DNFing the book at 15%. I was loving the storyline of the book. However I am not the biggest fan of third person writing. I was struggling to stay entertained with the book because of the third person. However, it is still a book I would recommend to someone.

Loved it so much! I can't wait to buy my own copy of it next time I do a book haul on audible! The characters were very raw and I went through all the emotions!

Being stranded on an island with my ex is the last thing I would ever want! However, we began to love the leads and wished for them to get back together. Well written!

A second chance romance - LOST style? Two high school sweethearts become stranded on a tropical island after their plane crashes, just the two of them. This book has forced proximity in the most intense way!

Piper and Wyatt were together in high school and after he pushes her away and breaks her heart, they go years without speaking. Their mutual friends destination wedding brings them together, stranded in an airport, when he offers to fly them to the wedding on a private plane. They hit some unexpected bad weather and crash on a deserted tropical island. They have to work together to survive and are forced to stay close for comfort for a whole week.

This novel is single POV from Piper's side and has a dual timeline. The chapters go back in time to when they first fell in love, then jump to present day of them stranded on the island together.

There is a really nice balance of funny situations and serious moments to get you through the story. The two main characters have plenty of time to hook you and are developed thoroughly throughout the book.

A fun, light-hearted read!

A second chance romance with a side of adventure! Definitely look out for this debut!

I am instantly drawn to stories where characters are marooned on a deserted island and have to work together to survive and escape, so as soon as I saw this book, it instantly became one of my most anticipated releases for 2025.

As expected, I loved the segments following Piper and Wyatt while they were stranded on the deserted island and how they were able to survive. I liked seeing their ingenuity as they struggled with life on the island. I also enjoyed seeing the segments following their relationship in the past. They were so cute together as kids and I liked seeing their relationship develop.

My main complaint was that I would have liked more urgency in the aspects of their being stranded. But honestly, I enjoyed every second of this read and will definitely look out for this author’s next book!