Title: LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT
Author: Jo Watson
ISBN: 9781035400539
Publisher: Headline Eternal
Pages: 368
Source: Private Copy
Things Pippa her job, airplanes, synonyms and tropical fish.
Things Pippa does not enjoy: repeating patterns, tight clothes, people asking why she’s single and school reunions.
After four months of only speaking over intercom, when air-traffic controller Pippa Edwards finally meets pilot Andrew Boyce-Jones face-to-face, they discover they’ve got much more in common than simply working at the same airport. In fact . . . they both need a date. Tired of every relationship ending before it’s even begun, Pippa wants to evade the inevitable questions at her dreaded ten-year school reunion in Cape Town. And Andrew needs to get his well-meaning family off his back about settling down. The solution seems simple. A pact – a fake dating pact – for as long as it’s mutually beneficial. It’s perfect.
Or at least it would be if their very real attraction wasn’t about to make Pippa question everything she thought she wanted. . .
Official Summary
12 March 2025
Regular blog visitors will know that this title is very far out of my comfort zone. I tend to stay far away from books in the romance genre. However, there was a lot of social media activity around this book launch last year and I have been pretty eager to get my hands on a copy. The book launch took place on February 9, 2024, on a LIFT flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The launch was a surprise for passengers, who were the first to read the book. I loved the originality of this launch and while it took me a year to get to it, I loved reading this one.
If you love fake dating tropes, witty banter, and an opposites-attract romance, Love at First Flight by Jo Watson is the perfect feel-good read. Packed with humour, heart, and an undeniable spark between the leads, this book delivers a fun and swoon-worthy romance that kept me smiling throughout.
Pippa Edwards is a refreshingly quirky heroine—intelligent, socially awkward, and full of endearing idiosyncrasies. Her love for synonyms and airplanes makes her stand out from the typical rom-com protagonist, and I found myself rooting for her from the very first page. Andrew Boyce-Jones, the charming and easygoing pilot, is the perfect counterpart to Pippa’s structured, no-nonsense personality. Their chemistry is instant, and their banter is effortlessly fun, making their fake dating scheme all the more entertaining.
The setup is classic but well-executed: both Pippa and Andrew need a plus-one for different reasons, so they strike a mutually beneficial arrangement. Of course, real feelings begin to complicate things, leading to some deliciously tense moments and swoon-worthy realizations. What I particularly enjoyed was how Watson takes the time to develop their relationship beyond just physical attraction—their connection feels genuine, and their emotional growth is just as satisfying as their romance.
The setting, including the aviation backdrop and the school reunion in Cape Town, adds a unique touch, giving the book a fresh and lively atmosphere. Watson’s writing is lighthearted and engaging, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and some deeper, more heartfelt ones sprinkled in.
If I had one small critique, it would be that the story follows a somewhat predictable trajectory, but honestly, that’s part of its charm. Sometimes, you just want a book that delivers on its romantic promise, and Love at First Flight does exactly that. It’s an entertaining, feel-good read that fans of romantic comedies will absolutely adore.
Also by Jo Watson
WHAT HAPPENS ON VACATION
Journalist Margaret loves her job, writing important stories about the impact of government decisions on day-to-day lives for a respected newspaper in Johannesburg. There’s only one her co-worker, Jagger Villain. Is that even his real name? she often wonders. Jagger spends his days writing fluff pieces on everything from the worst-rated barber in Johannesburg to speed dating to male sex toys. To make matters worse, they share a cubicle and a desk, and every day he finds new ways to drive her to distraction. She needs a vacation!
Thankfully the upcoming company quiz night has the perfect first a deluxe trip to a resort in Zanzibar. It will be the perfect escape for Margaret and her mother after a difficult year dealing with the death of her father and divorce. Margaret’s never met a quiz night she can’t win, but then she’s never competed against Jagger. That’s when the unthinkable happens. They tie. They both win. They both get to go to Zanzibar.
It’s bad enough that Margaret has to be on the same island as Jagger, but at least she has her widowed mother with her to help her avoid her co-worker and whoever he brings. However, Jagger’s plus one isn’t what she expected. It’s not some girl of the moment, it’s his father, which shakes up her opinion of him . . . at least a bit. And that’s when the entire situation goes from farce to horror their parents fall in love and decide to get married.
Suddenly Margaret and Jagger go from co-workers who dislike each other (but also ‘accidentally’ had sex one night,) to step siblings who dislike each other (but also ‘accidentally’ had sex one night!). But maybe they don’t dislike each other as much as they initially thought they did?
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Jo Watson is the award-winning author of over ten books. She writes contemporary romances for both adults and teens, including The Destination Love series and her YA debut Big Boned, a Publisher’s Marketplace Buzz Book.
A graduate of the arts and media school AFDA, Jo earned an honors degree in Live Performance and worked as a script writer, director, producer and copywriter before deciding to publish her stories on Wattpad, which catapulted her now full-time career as an author.
To date, her stories have accumulated more than 60 million reads on the platform with over 119, 000 followers. She has become an international bestselling sensation, having sold over six hundred thousand books in the UK alone. Her book Love To Hate You became an overnight bestseller reaching #9 on the Amazon UK charts. Her stories have been translated into seven different languages. She lives in South Africa with her husband and son.
This is not what regular visitor’s may expect from my reviews, but I had a lot of fun reading this book. It was full of laugh out loud moments and Pippa stole my heart – she is a character that has stayed with me long after reading the final page. I cannot recommend this one highly enough. If you enjoyed this book, I would love to hear from you, please leave a comment below. Until next time…. Happy Reading!
