There has been some great representations of neurodivergent main characters in fiction recently (Chloe Liese's novels are a great example), but I really loved that Love at First Flight was written in the POV of a character who isn't really comfortable sharing how she experiences the world - instead, she lets us experience it. I can be skeptical of the first person POV in romance fiction, but I think this book does a good job of helping us see the world as Pippa sees it (even when we can pick up some of the clues of Andrew's feelings that Pippa might have missed.)

I was a little skeptical that this book was about two white romantic leads in South Africa, but I really appreciated that the book made an effort to present a broader view of a modern South African, with several nods to native traditions and a cast of characters with various backgrounds. I do love an international romance, although I wish I had gotten to see more in the book that is really routed in its settings of Cape Town and Johannesburg.

There are often complaints about the lack of cool jobs for women in romance novels - if your someone who wants to see a cool job like an air traffic controller, this one is for you!

I struggled to get into this book - DNF for now. I really like the premise and the characters and the fake dating trope - but just couldn't get it to hold my attention yet. Hopeful I will try again soon.

Just a fun romance with a fake dating trope and a fun meet cute. I loved the main characters energies and they just belonged together from the start. It was just an enjoyable quick read that I will definitely read again.

ATC worker Pippa is brilliant at her job.. But her life outside of work... Big thumbs down. She's only ever spoken to Pilot Andrew via an intercom for 6 months... They both have one thing in common... They need a date and no one to take... What could go wrong with fake dating? Maybe its catching feelings you are not ready to face...

There is something really charming about a book that successfully blends humor romance and emotional depth. I love books that have quirky and unique characters and Pippa is one of those characters that you feel within the depths of your very soul.

I love the writing style! It was really quite amazing and I was sucked right into the story.

I am not a massive fan of fake dating as a trope but it worked so well here and I was rooting for them all the way throug.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Wattpad and Netgalley for this advance copy!

Love at First Flight is a fun romance between an air traffic controller and a pilot and I really enjoyed it. Set in South Africa, I loved Pippa and Andrew's "meet cute" and how they grow together. Pippa is autistic and does a great job of just being her self and naming what she does and does not understand and I loved how Andrew rolled with it and didn't see this as a flaw, but part of what made Pippa so wonderful and special. Fake dating is not always my favorite trope but it works well in this case as Pippa and Andrew both don't have time for partners with their jobs and they don't try to change that about each other.

A cute fun romance, definitely worth a read!

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

This rom-com by jo watson is such a fun read and I'm so glad I got the chance to enjoy it over spring break last week!
Pippa is an Air Traffic Controller who loves pokemon, has all the cool facts about the most random subjects oh and happens to be on the autism spectrum. When she finally comes face-to-face with Andrew (AKA Flightbird Six Zero Zero) a stunning pilot she's helped land planes a million times over, she can't believe how attractive he is. They bond over a coffee and a shared problem: they are attractive but single people in their late 20s/early 30s and their families and friends refuse to let them off the hook for why they aren't dating, married and/or having multiple children yet (I feel them on that last one...). They come up with an agreement where they will be each other's dates to important functions over the next several weeks and months. It turns out to be a great arrangement, as fake dating often seems to be... until it doesn't feel so fake anymore. For someone who struggles with the abstract and thinks in black and white, Pippa struggles with the more complicated this fake dating situation gets.
It is an adorable story with the quirkiest of characters (especially Pippa!) and a love story you wont want to miss. Andrew is swoon-worthy from the second readers meet him, and he is sooooo great with Pippa. I love the ASD representation and had fun learning a bit more about the setting in South Africa. Definitely wont be my last Jo Watson book, that's for sure! And of course I highly recommend it. Thanks so much to Netgalley and wattpadbooks for giving me the chance to read and review this awesome book! It is out now, so grab your copy today!

I really love the characters and plot line, I just had no desire to pick it up. I tried to get into it for over a month and it’s just not happening. I’m a big mood reader and I just think I need to pick this one up again when the motivation strikes. I would recommend this book, it has wonderful neurodivergent representation from the FMC and how she sees and experiences the world from her POV. I’m optimistic that I will return and when I do I will update my rating!

As a flight attendant, I usually approach aviation-themed books with slight apprehension, but I found myself really looking forward to picking this one up again anytime I had to put it down (can I skip adulting for books?). The plot felt unique as it surrounded Pippa, an air traffic controller, and Andrew, an airline pilot. I loved the adorable meet-cute, the fake-dating situation, and the neurodivergent rep that Pippa’s character brought. It’s a light and fun read, with some great supporting cast and two MCs that were so different yet perfect for each other!

Love at First Flight is the follow-up novel to Jo Watson’s popular What Happens on Vacation. It’s a fake-dating romantic comedy set in South Africa. and features a neurodiverse heroine. This story is told from the heroine’s POV and includes a lot of dialogue and text messages.

Pippa Edwards is an air traffic controller at the Johannesburg airport, guiding planes through landing and takeoff. She excels at her job but struggles with interpersonal relationships and understanding social cues. She knows that she’s on the autism spectrum and feels lucky to have supportive parents. She has a friend, Jennifer, from high school who encourages her to attend their ten-year reunion. Pippa has no interest in attending because high school was torture for her.

Pippa’s favorite pilot over the radio is Flightbird, who’s really Andrew Boyce-Jones. He ended a relationship with a long-term girlfriend, and his family is pestering him to settle down. When Pippa and Andrew recognize each other’s voices while at their favorite airport coffee shop, they strike up a conversation. Andrew is thrilled to finally meet Central Tower in person, and he’s not put off by her frankness and lack of verbal filter. They decide to fake-date so Pippa won’t have to explain to her classmates why she’s single, and Andrew can get his well-meaning family off his back.

While Pippa is attracted to Andrew, she sets a “no touching” rule and boundaries for their fake relationship. Andrew goes along with it, but he falls for Pippa. Meanwhile Pippa questions her perception of herself and her place in the world. She begins to wonder if someone can love her for who she is, and if she can let trust in their love.

Love at First Flight is one of the best romances that I have ever read which featured a neurodiverse character. Since the story is told from Pippa’s POV, the reader gets to know her pretty quickly. Her observations are hilarious and her social awkwardness is endearing. Pippa explains why she is successful as an Air Traffic Controller, and the reader understands why her family wants her to find happiness in all aspects of her life. Andrew is the perfect romantic hero, and I just loved him. While this story takes place in South Africa, American readers can easily understand it. I highly recommend Love at First Flight for romance lovers and especially for readers who are interested in a POV from a neurodiverse character.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"Love at First Flight" was a cute romcom read. It's an interesting premise, the characters are fun and the overall storyline is great.

Thank you to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for giving me this arc!

This was a feel-good romcom with friends to lovers, fake dating, and some of the most awkward situations ever! The characters were so relatable and lovable. Having the pov of Pippa really helped open my eyes to ASD, I loved learning more about it.

Air traffic controller Pippa Edwards loves her job, airplanes, and tropical fish but not school reunions, tight clothes, or nosy questions about her love life. After months of chatting over the intercom, she finally meets pilot Andrew Boyce-Jones in person and they realize they have more in common than just the airport. They both need a date. With her ten-year reunion looming and his family pressuring him to settle down, they strike a deal to fake date for convenience. But as their undeniable chemistry grows, Pippa starts to wonder if her carefully planned life is about to take an unexpected turn.

I always appreciate diverse characters, and Pippa’s ASD diagnosis was such a refreshing aspect of this story. I loved how she says exactly what’s on her mind, is honest when she doesn’t understand something, and is completely baffled by what society deems inappropriate to discuss in public (like mermaid sex).

Andrew is an absolute gem of a character. With his background growing up in a fostering household, he has a deep well of patience and kindness, and he never gets flustered by Pippa’s quirks. Their dynamic is wonderful not just because of their chemistry, but because they both have ambitious career goals and refuse to compromise on their dreams. Instead of creating tension or pushing them apart, their ambition strengthens their relationship in a way that felt unique and refreshing.

There’s some great tension and steamy moments throughout, though I wouldn’t have minded a little more spice. Overall, this was such an enjoyable read!

I'm giving this book 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5 for this review).

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for this ebook!

I really wanted to love, Love at First Sight because of the unique premise and autism character representation, but I had difficulty ever really getting into the story. This could be for a variety of reasons including my own mood, reading-burnout and sadly the line spacing as I received an arc to review.

Pippa was an interesting and joyful character and I loved the chaos, bluntness and humour her character provided. I love autism representation as I have wondered myself sometimes if I’m on the spectrum. Her character was done very well as the author herself is autistic. Andrew was a total cinnamon roll and I loved their relationship.

The book has some of my fav tropes (fake dating, forced proximity, one bed), but despite everything lining up for it to be my perfect romance, for me unfortunately it fell a little flat. Still overall 3 stars.

I love the characters. I love that the MFC is neurodivergent. I love how patient the MMC is with her. I did not love the length. I felt this book was a little too long, but the main characters made up for it.

I couldn't have imagined a better fake dating matchup than a pilot and an air traffic controller. Pippa, an air traffic controller, is on the spectrum and has a hard time with relationships has a unique connection to a charming pilot through the radio. Andrew saves the day when he agrees to be her fake date to her school reunion. What starts out as a sure way to keep everyone out of Pippa's love life turns out to be her true happily ever after. Pippa was relatable and Andrew was just a gem whose admiration for Pippa came off the page. This was light hearted romcom and an easy read for the Spring. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram post will be live 24mAr25

Pippa is startled when her phone starts pinging non-stop. A quick glance lets her know that it's a group of girls from her high school excited about their upcoming 10 year high school reunion. Pippa is not impressed.

Though she spends her days as an air traffic controller - an impressive career if ever there was one - Pippa knows attending will be difficult for her. That's because in high school, Pippa never fit in.

But a chance meeting in an airport coffee shop with a pilot she's harbored a crush on, though never met, gives Pippa an idea.

Both PIppa and pilot Andrew are annoyed by well meaning family and friends wondering why they aren't attached and expecting. They want space to pursue career goals. So in the first conversation they've ever had, including discussions of menstruation, sperm count, and masturbation, Pippa proposes they fake date. He can accompany her to the reunion and she can accompany him to his mother's birthday party. Win-win, right?

Except they realize quickly there is a pesky mutual attraction which will definitely get in the way.

This is a heart felt romance with an author's note at the beginning that only makes this story more tender. I loved the neurodivergent representation and I think the author did a great job here blending her personal experience with the plot of a romcom. I also have never read a book with a a pilot and ATC, which was a fun new experience.

I loved this meet-cute! The characters were relatable and I was rooting for their relationship from the beginning.

Thank you, @jowatsonwrites, @wbywattpadbooks, and @netgalley for my free book.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Love at First Flight by Jo Watson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 432 / Genre: Romcom
Release Date: March 18, 2025
🥳Happy Pub Week!🎉

Used to being teased and side-eyed over her awkwardness and on-the-spectrum ways, Pippa stays in her safe bubble of work as an air traffic controller and very small group of friends. But that all changes when she meets her favorite pilot in person for the first time after speaking over the air for the last six months. They both lament about the pressures they face from friends and family over being single when they prefer to focus on their careers. They make a pact to fake date their way through a few upcoming social events to avoid the typical unpleasantness they usually have to face. Getting out of her bubble exposes Pippa to new experiences and interactions, which gets her thinking about what more she wants out of her life.

I loved this fake-dating romcom! It was funny, touching, romantic, thrilling—synonyms have a big role in this book. My favorite romcom of the year so far.

Unfortunately I DNFed this book. While I liked the FMC, and love that her special interests are aviation and marine biology, the writing of this book was really hard to get through. I found myself constantly asking "Is this how the author writes, or is this an attempt to emulate the thoughts of someone with autism?" If I have to question it, then I don't think it's effective.