Landing Love

by Leslie Vollard

A war widow with nothing left to lose. A reckless pilot who never planned to fall.

Ann Prince knows love and loss too intimately. Widowed by war and struggling to raise her infant alone, she refuses to let grief defeat her—but determination doesn’t fix a leaking roof or stretch an empty purse. When desperation drives her to seek help from the Pilots’ Benevolent Association, Ann never expects to meet the man who will challenge everything she believes about love.

Bill O’Donnell is all charm, swagger, and tall tales—at least on the surface. An airmail pilot who lives for speed and freedom, Bill hides a yearning for something lasting beneath his jokes and bravado. When he meets Ann, her quiet strength and fierce devotion awaken feelings he never intended to risk.

What begins with an offer to fix a roof becomes an unexpected courtship, built one shingle at a time. But when a devastating fire leaves Ann homeless, circumstance forces them into a marriage neither planned. As Bill’s past collides with Ann’s fragile healing—and a deadly flu threatens to steal everything—they must decide whether love is worth the risk. Because flying, like loving, means trusting the fall won’t destroy you.

Landing Love continues the Mile-High Madmen series with a tender, emotionally resonant historical romance set against the daring world of early aviation. Leslie Vollard weaves grief, resilience, and slow-building passion into a story where love is rebuilt from loss and courage is found not only in the sky, but in the heart.

Genres: Historical

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 19, 2026

About the author

Leslie Vollard writes award-winning historical romance spanning from the medieval period to the early 20th century. Romance reigns supreme in her steamy novels about how love conquers all. A 2023 Passionate Plume winner and 2025 Romance through the Ages finalist, she lives on Long Island with her delightfully nerdy husband and cat. She loves gardening, baking, and reading love poems in dead languages.

Reviews

[Perrin Larton]

When Ann Prince's pilot husband is killed in Europe during WWI, she is almost destitute. With a little over $100 dollars in the bank, a two-month old son, and a house on Long Island left to her by her mother that is desperate need of repairs, she doesn't know what to do. She hears about the Pilots Benevolent Society and is invited to their first fundraiser.

At the fund raiser she meets Bill O'Donnell, an Air Mail Pilot. He is smitten with Ann, but Ann isn't ready to move forward so soon after her husband's death. He talks her into a couple of dances, learns she need some repair work done on her inherited home and volunteers. He figures he might get somewhere by helping her get moved from Manhattan to her home he is refurbishing...which is near his parents and his work.

A sweet relationship develops and it seems everything is moving along slowly until another disaster befalls Ann. Will Bill be able to rescue her again and get his dream of a wife and child or will his luck run out?

Set during WWI, this book underscores why we have social services now. Women had no protection during this time and although Ann was a teacher, so many others had no education or work experience to fall back on. A good story that makes you think about how things were during The Great War.

This is book 2 in the Mile-High Madmen series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but book 1 gives a bit of background that you might enjoy. I've read both and felt book 2 was better after reading book 1.

[Mindy B (reader_of_the_lost_arcs)]

This is a very sweet story of a woman named Ann who has a baby and has recently lost her husband in the first world war. This series is about pilots in WW1, and her former husband was one of the pilots. She ends up meeting another pilot named Bill who is friends with the mmcs from the first book.

It's not very often that I've read a romance with the fmc already having a baby, and the challenges that go with that. A lot of this book is pretty heart wrenching because you don't know how she's going to make it with zero support at first. All the while breastfeeding, cloth diapers and no car seats. She also was attempting to fix repairs in her house all on her own!

Bill was a sweetheart who tried not to rush things because she'd been through so much at once.
The 1918 flu also was happening at this time as well. It was interesting for me to read about it, although not fun for the characters.
And more descriptions of flying in 1918, which seem very harrowing, if I don't say so myself! Haha

Thank you to Oliver Heber for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis]

We have a young widow with a son who never met his father. She is friendless and motherless surviving a series of losses!
Mrs Ann Prince hears about the Benevolent Fund for widows and it is her only hope for now trying to keep a roof over her and Junior’s head. Bill O’Donnell is a lot of talk so much so everyone thinks he’s a love them and leave them type! This is far from the truth. Bill actually wants a wife and family but with his friend Hank around! Bill thinks he’s too skinny and too handy at fixing things for anyone yo take him seriously.
But Bill is almost instantly smitten when he meets Ann. He charms her into a dance and quickly realizes she is so much more. Ann constantly brings up her deceased husband and constantly makes comparisons as well to Roger.
It is almost unhealthy. Can Bill really fall hook, line and sinker for a woman who constantly compares him to a ghost? What kind of future can they have? Bravo what a rollercoaster of emotions!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Paula]

Landing Love is the second book in The Mile-High Madmen Series by Leslie Vollard. This steamy series. Bill O’Donnell lives to fly, now an airmail pilot, he seems content on the outside but is looking for more in his life. Ann Prince knows loss, but she also is trying to make it on her own. Difficult to do with a husband who died in WWI, the Spanish flu making an appearance in the US and her precious little baby. Bill tries to help her out without pushing but in the end it is a a marriage of convenience happens.

While the days of early aviation are explored in this story, it is the characters who face authentic situations and struggles during this time that speak to my heart. Making a life that is not the one originally planned happens, then new dreams can become one of happiness and love. May we all have the courage to take the jump as Bill and Ann do.

[Jo]

I took a chance and went out on a limb with this book. It's not my normal genre but the cover caught my attention and am I delighted that I took the opportunity. A moving, captivating, emotion filled story set in the early 1900 after WW1. Life was difficult then and the great war brought changes to people who had to start living all over again in a different way. Well written and fully engaging. I'm determined to read the next book, it was that good.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sewanee Kracalik]

This is one fantastic series, especially if you're into old planes and mile high steamy romance. Although I was totally into the first book, this one was still everything I could ask for to keep me reading. Its tragedy, redemption, and seconc chances all rolled into one. I laughed, i cried, and i swooned all in a page. The characters will totally grab your heart. I cannot wait to read the next in this steamy series. I found it on Booksprout and I'm gladly volunteering this review.

[Michelle]

Ann and Bill

This is sad, and happy, tragic and triumphant all the wonderful and complex things that love truly is. A widowed mother and a man full of blarney two opposites who find a way to join their lives together and be loved. It was an emotional read but a truly lovely story!

[Lyn D Rose]

This second book in the Mile High Madmen series was an inspirational marriage of convenience American historical romance. Set in the world of early aviation with wonderful characters. Their love storybwas slow, building, and engaging. I recommend reading.