Love at First Flight — Jo Watson

Pippa, a neurodiverse air traffic controller with a looming school reunion, and Andrew, a pilot whose family wants him to settle down, make a pact that just might solve both their problems . . . 

Set in South Africa, this charming, fake-dating romance is perfect for fans of Helen Huang and Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Things Pippa enjoys: 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.

Air-traffic controller Pippa Edwards works at a large airport guiding planes through landing or takeoff. She's one of the best at her job, but when off the clock, Pippa struggles to manage interpersonal relationships and understand social cues.

After six months of only speaking over the intercom, when Pippa 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 . . . they both need a date.

Faced with her dreaded ten-year-reunion, Pippa wants to avoid the usual questions about why she doesn't have a boyfriend (or a relationship that lasts). 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 not for their very real attraction. Now Pippa's questioning everything she thought she wanted, and how she thought people saw her. She's wondering if there really is someone who can love her exactly as she is, and if she can let her guard down enough to let him in. 

Author Joe Watson blends humor, romance, complicated family dynamics, and deeply emotional moments to perfection in this personal tale of a woman who wants to set her own course through a society that doesn't always appreciate her uniqueness.