such a cute second-chance close proximity romance with an interesting twist of getting stranded on a deserted island. i loved that it intertwined the past and the present throughout the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review ♡

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this debut novel!

I love having the opportunity to read authors' debuts - and this one was such a delight to read! Second chance romance + a plane crash on a random island done in the most adorable fashion. People who consider themselves people pleasers will find themselves in Piper, and those who focus on putting everyone before themselves will see themselves in Wyatt. This book was CUTE AS HECK, and I look forward to more fluffy romances from this author.

I loved this one. This was a good one. Totally recommend starts out with our girl. Paper needing to go to her best friend's wedding in the Caribbean somewhere, only to find out that her flight is canceled and there's no way to get there. Then, cue, the ex love of her life showing up at the airport and having access to a private plane that he happens to know how to fly, since he had been in the military against her better judgment, she decides to hitch a ride. But lo and behold that storm that caused their cancelation causes their plane to go down on a deserted desert island will they survive? Will they find each other again? Will they kill each other?
Will they end up in love? Will they be found? Will they survive? It's a really good story, definitely recommend

I read this book from start to finish this afternoon-into-evening and it flew by for me. The 2025 romance debut class is top notch from what I’ve had the opportunity to read so far, and Annie McQuaid’s debut is another great addition to the club.

I’ve been wanting to read this one for quite some time since my NetGalley request was approved but had to wait until I didn’t have a flight on the immediate horizon because that’s my brain for you, but no worries now. This was a harrowing experience for Piper and Wyatt, and I didn’t envy them a bit.

This premise was truly the epitome of forced proximity as Piper and Wyatt are literally stranded on a deserted island with no one but each other for company. Add in a longtime grudge over teen heartbreak with the opportunity for a second chance and the stakes couldn’t get much higher.

I enjoyed following the pair as they learned to navigate and forage the island to survive while also trying to navigate their past. Their time on the island gave them a chance to air out their grievances, gave Piper particularly a chance to examine what she wanted from her life, and gave both of them an opportunity to be reminded of the bond they shared.

Naturally, Piper and Wyatt face an abundance of obstacles, both self-inflicted and external factors that challenged them in both the past and present. It often felt like they were stuck in a spin cycle circling the same issue, but when they finally found a way out, the end result was satisfying and hard won.

I really enjoyed this read and look forward to more from Annie McQuaid in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A perfect blend of gripping adventure, laugh-out-loud banter, and swoon-worthy romance, CRASH LANDING captures the magic of second chances in the most unexpected places.

This is a second chances, friends-to-lovers, dual-timeline, forced-proximity love story.

Piper and Wyatt fell deeply in teen love after years of friendship, only to be torn apart by self depreciation and teen angst. Years later they crash on an island together where they're forced to work it out and get over themselves.

I really enjoyed the time on the island, the crash was scary and the struggle was real. I have mixed feelings in the dual timeline, because it did build suspense, but maybe dragged on too long. Their reason for breaking up was a tale as old as time and could have been fresher, but I like them and hope they are happy. Also, the timing seemed a little off, would you only be in your second year of medical school after eight years?

All nit-picking aside, I liked the book and felt good reading it. I would recommend for a casual read, just maybe not on a flight...

Mild, vague, open-door spice.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and Annie McQuaid for this eARC.

I am a sucker for this trope and you don't see it too often actually in romance books. I like when two characters come together in a situation such as this. It brings something extra to a romance developing and more to the story. I really enjoyed this stoyline and the book. I could have used a little more depth and to the characters in the length but it was a really enjoyable read and I'm a sucker for extra depth so I think rom com and romance reader will be happy with it. Definitely recommend

It's a no from me. The premise had potential and seemed interesting, and the book cover is pretty, but that's about it. I was not a fan of the Now / Then timeline jumps. I also didn't care for the high school love story. And the reveal to why he left her was so cliche and underwhelming. It wasn't my cup of tea, but it could be someone else's.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC.

#NetGalley #CrashLanding

CRASH LANDING is a sweet and funny second chance romance by debut author Annie McQuaid. I had a really hard time connecting with Piper and Wyatt, however, and the pacing of the story (plus the reveal of why they broke up in high school) took away some of my enjoyment. Although I will say that I felt like the book got a lot better toward the end and McQuaid has a lot of potential and I can't wait to see what she does next.

This was such an easy read and I really needed that!

The best part about this book is that it realistically reads like what would happen if one were to crash on an island. I don't think there's anything I would've necessarily done differently. What really made this book for me was Wyatt's character. I loved everything about him and thought he deserved better than Piper's character - but as long as he was happy, then that's all that matters, I guess? lol

- Tall girl romance
- Mature age romance (later 20s)

I'd like to say that I removed a star because the 'poor little rich girl' vibe I got from Piper's character bugged me in the beginning and gave me zero sympathy for her as a whole. I literally cannot handle people who never break free from parental control and take zero accountability for their choices. Even so - I think this was a really good read because of Wyatt's character!

**More sweet than smut. There are definitely moments of heat, but these didn't feel smutty. It felt like two people reconnecting after figuring out life a little bit.

**Thank you to Avon for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

This was a sweet book. Piper and Wyatt find themselves forced back together after a plans crash for a second chance at love. I thought the writing was done beautifully!

Crash Landing is a cute second-chance romance with a refreshing twist. The premise of two characters stranded on an island together adds an exciting layer to the story. While the miscommunication trope isn’t usually my favorite, it was an easy read and I enjoyed it!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

What a fun and sweet debut!

Piper and Wyatt (Wiper!) were very sweet. The survival aspects were tense but not (too) harrowing. The family dynamics in the flashbacks were interesting!

For circumstances that, on paper, are very high stakes - a small plane crash en route to bestie’s wedding, remote island survival, storms, infection possibilities to name a few - this read like a very low stakes, low drama romance.

This will work well for fans of Sarah Adams and Ali Hazelwood (spice level somewhere in between the two if that’s your thing!)

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the eARC!

this was SO GOOD OMG!! i love that the book started on action right away and while it never stopped, there was a clear differentiation between adult piper and wyatt and teenage them and i LOVED how much they grew and got to know each other in this new space. i like a little bit more steam but i loved the plot, the alternate timelines and Piper and Wyatt so much that I will let it pass!

I was so, so excited to get my hands on a NetGalley Advance Reader Copy of this book and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I went in with only a vague idea of what the book was about and it surprised me thoroughly—in the best way. You’ll laugh, cry, roll your eyes, have a brief bout of anxiety…this love story will have you feeling all the feels.

Piper (FMC) is on her way to the Bahamas for her best friend’s wedding. Except, her flight is canceled. And all flights that will get her to the Bahamas before the wedding book up before she can snag a new flight. So now she’s stuck on stand-by, trying to figure out a way to make it to the wedding of the most important person in the world to her. Enter Wyatt (MMC), the bride’s cousin, also stranded at the airport, and…Piper’s ex who broke her heart in high school. Piper swore she’d never forgive Wyatt but when he reveals he’s secured a private plane that he can fly down to the resort, Piper agrees to fly with him, taking what is likely her only chance to make it to the wedding on time.

But as they’re cruising at 30,000 feet, something goes incredibly wrong and the two find themselves stranded on an uninhabited island somewhere between the Florida coast and Turks and Caicos. Now Piper and Wyatt must put their differences aside and the past behind them as they work together to survive on the island until they’re rescued.

The two clash at first, but being stranded together reveals that a second chance might just be what they both need.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was such a delightful yet moving read. The serious nature of their circumstances gripped me, but the story was punctuated with so many moments that made me laugh and swoon. This was a masterful combination of the "forced proximity" and "second chance romance" tropes. I absolutely loved it, and have already begun to recommend it.

This was a great read about two childhood friends turned lovers turned strangers who were brought together again by incredible circumstances.

I truly enjoyed seeing how Pipers character changed throughout the book, going from always obeying her parents to finally obeying her heart! I love that she finally chose herself in the end and it was all she needed for happiness.

Wyatt as well had tremendous growth throughout and it was wonderful to see them both work together when stranded.

I felt the dual timelines were done so well, I enjoyed both of them and finding out how the past was affecting the future was so essential for the storytelling.

4.5 stars

Drama! Angst! Tension! Being stranded on an island!
If there’s one thing I love it’s a romcom where some one almost dies (it just adds some excitement, ya know?) and this book gave me that. 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.
This is one of those books where you definitely have to suspend your belief for the sake of the romance but it’s still a good time. For the most part, piper and Wyatt had almost too easy of a time surviving on the island. They were there for a week eating pretty much just papayas and entertaining themselves by ??? doing something? Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely some higher stakes situations but for the most part they were just chilling. This did give them the opportunity to have some conversations about their past and what went wrong. I thought they had really good chemistry and could definitely feel their connection.
The past chapters were cute but didn’t really do much for me. I liked that you got to see the beginning of their friendship/relationship but they didn’t add a whole lot of depth to the story (at least not for me)

All in all I had a good time reading this and would definitely recommend if you like second chance romance, forced proximity, or want a romcom with a life or death situation

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

Not sure how I got here, reading my third plane crash book in a row, but it's safe to say I may not be flying anytime soon. I love a book like this, where I know exactly where it's going (in terms of romance and who's going to end up together) but the journey to get there is surprising. I really loved Piper and Wyatt's characters, how their relationship developed through the story with the callbacks to their relationship in high school. "Crash Landing" definitely had some twists and turns and was a, I didn't use a bookmark because I read it so fast, read for me!

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

first and foremost i just wanna say thank you for allowing me to read this book in advance. it’s my first ARC and i’m so appreciative of it!!! what i did like about this book was the flashbacks, i think it did help to tie in a lot. i loved the friendship aspect of the book as well, because to me one of greatest things in my life are my friends. also the cover to this book is beautiful!!

what made it a bit difficult for me to connect with the book was that it felt a bit too unrealistic, and i did not feel the chemistry between the MC’s. it felt a bit rushed unfortunately for me. i wish we could’ve gotten to know the characters before jumping right into the crash. :( with that being said i think this book has a lot of potential and i think it will definitely find its crowd!

again thank you Avon or Harper Voyager for allowing me to be apart of this!