Fly Away with Me

Canadian author Fox (the Caribou Crossing series) launches a contemporary series with this thoughtful and sometimes ponderous novel set on picturesque Destiny Island, B.C. The overly earnest heroine, lawyer Eden Blaine, takes leave from her busy job in Ottawa to look for her long-lost aunt, who left home at 17 and headed for a commune on the isolated island. Aaron Gabriel, the handsome pilot of Blue Moon Air, likes his relationships as brief as his tourism flights. Eden recently broke up with her shallow boyfriend (who was dismissive about her mother’s cancer diagnosis) and is ready for a distraction; she and Aaron are very different, and she talks about herself so much that he clams up about his personal concerns, but they turn out to be compatible in and out of bed. After Eden returns home, Aaron locates her aunt and realizes he misses Eden more than he expected. The last third of the book deals with Eden and Aaron’s mutual realization that they want more than a fling, and their deep discussions of how and where they can plan a future together. Fox’s inclusion of serious issues such as cancer, cults, and abusive relationships is well-intentioned but heavyhanded and doesn’t always mesh with the escapist elements of the story, but readers will relate to the difficulties of the long-distance relationship and Eden’s family troubles. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Aug.)