Annie McQuaid is the author of Crash Landing, a heartwarming and humorous debut romance about two exes forced to reunite after a plane crash leaves them stranded on a deserted island. The story follows Piper Adams, who, after a painful breakup with Wyatt, has built a safe and predictable life. But when they’re thrown together in a life-or-death situation, old emotions resurface, leading to a second chance at love. In this interview, Annie discusses the inspiration behind the book, her writing process, and what she hopes readers will take away from Piper and Wyatt’s journey.
What inspired you to write Crash Landing? Was there a particular event or idea that sparked the concept of two exes being stranded on a deserted island?
A few different things inspired the premise of Crash Landing. First, some of my favorite books growing up were survival stories like Hatchett, Julie of the Wolves, and Island of the Blue Dolphins. I also gravitate toward movies that deal with similar situations like Blue Lagoon and Castaway. I think I’ve always had in the back of my mind that it would be fun to write something like that one day.
Another key influence was reading One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid. One of the characters, who’s presumed dead but is actually stranded on an island for over a year, really stuck with me. It made me wonder, “What if both of the main characters had been stuck there together?” That concept, combined with my love for survival stories, helped shape the first draft of Crash Landing, which started out more as a gritty survival tale than a romance. But after many rewrites and diving into a lot of romance novels, it evolved into a lighter, rom-com, with the survival element still as the backdrop.
The romance in Crash Landing seems to be a second chance at love. What do you think makes second-chance romances so compelling for readers?
Second-chance romances are my favorite trope to read and have a special kind of magic because there’s this built-in sense of nostalgia, mixed with the hope that people can change and grow over time. For Piper and Wyatt, the island forces them to reckon with their past while also allowing them the opportunity to reinvent their relationship. I think readers are drawn to the idea that love isn’t always perfect — it’s about timing, growth, and sometimes putting faith in a second chance to make it work.
Piper and Wyatt are both very different characters with distinct personalities. How did you approach developing their dynamic and making their relationship feel authentic?
While Piper and Wyatt seem very different on paper with drastically different upbringings, they actually have a lot of core values and interests in common. I think in life we are attracted to people who bring out different sides of us or can teach us new things or a new way of seeing the world, and that is what Piper and Wyatt are to each other. While developing their dynamic, I focused more on the things that brought them together than the differences that could potentially drive them apart.
Piper’s struggle to let go of her “perfectly safe” life is a key part of her character arc. How do you think this internal conflict reflects broader themes of vulnerability and personal growth?
Piper’s internal conflict is all about stepping outside of her comfort zone. She’s spent so much time curating a life that feels safe and predictable, but when faced with the impossible situation of being stranded on the island with Wyatt she has no choice but to adapt. Her near-death experience acts as a wake-up call and snaps her out of that “safe” life, giving her room to re-evaluate what she really wants. To choose to let go of something you know and take on the unknown is inherently vulnerable, but that’s exactly what Piper does.
There’s a lot of humor in the book, especially given the tense situation the characters find themselves in. What role do you think humor plays in stories of survival or overcoming adversity?
I believe laughter, even in tough situations, is a part of the human experience — it helps to break the tension and remind the characters (and readers) that even when things are grim, there’s room for joy. I intentionally wove humor into the dialogue and interactions between Piper and Wyatt to help keep the story lighthearted, even when they’re up against life-threatening circumstances. Ultimately, humor (and finding strength in their love) is what gives the characters the emotional resilience to get through the challenges they face.
Wyatt is described as a man who’s grown from the boy Piper once knew. What kind of character transformation did you want Wyatt to undergo, and how does it shape their interactions on the island?
When we first meet Wyatt he is a bit of a loner and just trying to survive high school. He doesn’t believe he is “good enough” for Piper and doesn’t have a lot of direction in his life. When we meet him eight years later on the island, he has a successful business, is in therapy, and seems to be happy and healthy. I wanted to show the juxtaposition of Piper and Wyatt in high school and on the island. In high school, it seems like Piper has it all together and is set on a great path in life while Wyatt is struggling, but the tables turn when we meet them eight years later Piper is miserable with her life choices and Wyatt is thriving. I wanted to turn the tables on their dynamic and have Wyatt be in a position to give Piper advice.
In Crash Landing, Piper and Wyatt are forced to survive together in a very challenging environment. How did you approach the survival aspects of the story, and were there any research elements that helped shape those parts of the book?
The honest answer here is that as someone who lives with anxiety, I often think about how I would handle survival situations! I’m always reading stories of people using their ingenuity and wits to survive incredible situations. For Crash Landing, I was particularly inspired by the story of Juliane Koepcke, known as The Girl Who Fell from the Sky, who survived a plane crash and 11 days in the Amazon rainforest. I did some further research into specific stories of surviving in a desert or tropical setting, but I also took a lot of liberties with the plot and my character’s ability to survive since it is a rom-com!
There’s a real mix of tension and chemistry between Piper and Wyatt. How do you keep that balance between the awkwardness of their past relationship and the growing attraction in the present?
Keeping the balance between tension and chemistry was actually one of the hardest parts of writing Crash Landing. In earlier drafts, I had a lot more tension between Piper and Wyatt and feelings of betrayal and hurt overshadowed the attraction and chemistry. But as I continued to refine the story, it became clear that these are two people who loved each other deeply in the past and still care about one another in the present. The more time they spend together on the island the more the chemistry comes to the forefront and the tension fades into the background. There is a certain level of vulnerability that comes with trusting someone with your life, and that naturally leads to a growing attraction.
The Caribbean setting sounds absolutely beautiful and vivid. How important was the location to the story, and what role does the island play in the characters’ emotional journeys?
I wanted the island to feel like another character in the story, one that challenges them, but also offers a beautiful background for healing and renewal as they learn to adapt and grow. The island also represents emotional isolation, much like the walls Piper has built around herself, and is forced to drop and let Wyatt back into her life in order to survive.
If you could describe Crash Landing in three words, what would they be?
Heartfelt, adventurous, fun
OR: Exes stranded together
What was the most challenging scene to write in Crash Landing? Was there a particular moment that made you think, “This is where the story really comes together”?
One of the more challenging scenes to right was toward the end when Piper stands up to her mom and asserts herself. A part of me wanted this to be a feel-good moment where the mother realizes her mistakes and gets on the same page as Piper, but ultimately her mother is not the one who has gone through a life-changing journey. Even though her mother is still the same person with the same beliefs, Piper is confident enough in herself to not be swayed by them. She can control how she reacts and how she lives her life and I wanted to give that moment to Piper where she is in a tough situation but chooses herself for the first time.
Finally, what do you hope readers feel or experience after they finish Crash Landing?
After finishing Crash Landing I hope readers feel like they’ve been able to take a mini vacation from their lives! I also hope they feel inspired by Piper and Wyatt’s journey — not just their romantic journey, but their individual paths to growth, and maybe even feel motivated to take a leap toward something they’ve been wanting to do but have put it off for whatever reason. Ultimately, I want readers to walk away with a sense of joy and a little bit of wanderlust.
Do you have any plans for future projects that continue in the same vein?
My next book is not quite as high stakes as surviving a plane crash, but there will be elements of adventure and action woven throughout the romance. There’s something so compelling about taking characters out of their comfort zones and seeing how they evolve so I’ll continue in that vein.