Today for Fiction Friday I’m sharing my book recommendation for Claire Holloway Is Winging It, Angela Ruth Strong’s delightful romcom that’s releasing on March 17, 2026.
Here’s the book description:
After Claire Holloway’s dream of becoming a ballerina plummets, she’s left with her boyfriend as her only support. . . until she decides to become a flight attendant for the free travel. Based out of state, she moves into a crash pad with a gaggle of other flight attendants, and her fear of losing Wyatt seems to become a reality.
First Officer Nathan Stuart — a bit cynical since he and his fiance broke up — meets a somewhat frazzled Claire on her very first day in the Seattle airport. When they end up on the same crew, he takes her under his wing, and they quickly bond.
When Claire’s once-supportive boyfriend’s attitude sours into resentment, she’s left wondering whether her newfound joy is the right way to go. Pulled between two men and her new career, Claire must learn to listen for God’s direction the same way her flight crew follows air traffic control.
In this hilarious rom-com, readers will lift off into the turbulent skies of romantic adventures as Claire navigates God’s plan for her life.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading Claire Holloway Is Winging It, the first book in Angela Ruth Strong’s High-Flying Romance series set in Seattle. Claire is embarking on a new career as a flight attendant. She relocates to Seattle after her professional ballerina career dreams are shattered. Nathan is a First Officer pilot who is recovering from a difficult breakup with his former fiancée from his Washington home town.
Claire and Nathan’s meet cute at the airport is hilarious and ridiculous. Despite their initial attraction, they quickly friend zone each other for different reasons. Claire has a boyfriend in San Francisco and she wants a work transfer back home. Nathan develops an adorable case of unrequited love as he falls for Claire, knowing they can’t have a future together.
Their friends-to-more romance is fun and sweet as they work together on domestic flights. They travel to iconic destinations and spend time together with work friends. I loved how the side characters played important roles in the story.
The love triangle dynamics challenge Claire to deal with her emotional baggage and make a few important decisions. Nathan has his own emotional baggage to unpack during the story. I loved how the characters have deep faith conversations that address trust and forgiveness themes.
I recommend Claire Holloway Is Winging It to contemporary romance readers who like cute friends-to-more and second chances romcoms with forced proximity, unrequited love, a love triangle with a twist, and strong faith elements in the story.
Many thanks to Kregel for the advanced reader copy.