First published 1997
Amelia Earhart's final flight ends in disaster when she and her navigator Noonan crash on a deserted island. Stranded together, the famous aviator and her alcoholic companion face the harsh realities of survival. Tensions flare between them as they struggle against the elements and their own demons. Through memories of her troubled childhood and strained marriage, Amelia reflects on the forces that drove her to seek freedom in the skies. As days turn to weeks, the initial hostility between Amelia and Noonan transforms into something deeper. Both pushed to the edge of sanity by isolation and desperation, they discover an unexpected connection. Their relationship evolves from conflict to intimacy as they confront their mortality together. When they finally repair their aircraft enough to attempt another takeoff, they face an impossible choice. With fuel running dangerously low, they must decide whether to risk everything for the chance of rescue or remain safely stranded in their newfound love.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, biographical-fiction, aviation
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Island
Period: 20th-Century
Paperback · Vintage Books
Content warnings: alcohol-abuse, depression, mental-illness