Six minutes after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. During the evacuation, an engine explodes and the plane is flooded. Those still alive are forced to close the doors—but it’s too late. The plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside. More than two hundred feet below the surface, engineer Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon are two of the twelve passengers fighting for their lives, and desperately hoping they will get rescued before they run out of oxygen. Their best chance at survival is an elite rescue team on the surface led by professional diver Chris Kent—Shannon’s mother and Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife—who must work together with Will to find a way to save their daughter and rescue the passengers from the sealed airplane, which is now teetering on the edge of an undersea cliff.

This book was a roller coaster of emotions. I spent most of the time on the edge of my seat, reading as hard as I could, not willing to put the book down. But there were also moments where I cried, when certain passengers died, when they read out loud the messages in the bottles that they wrote in the event that they didn't make it, Then there were moments that made me smile, like the times when families reunited with loved ones. This is the perfect book for anyone who loves a book that gives them a good adrenaline rush or loves a high stakes thriller. I highly recommend this book!

Wow! “Drowning” is a heart-pounding thriller of the best kind. Your emotions will rise and fall much like the plane, which soared into the sky and then plummeted into the ocean. This story of survival will keep you reading—you will not want to put the book down until you are done—and you will experience nervous tension as well as laughter and tears. T.J. Newman’s career as a flight attendant prepared her well for writing this book; every detail of the plane and crew, and everything related to air travel rang through as credible and probable. This gives the reader the sense that you are there. I loved the ups and downs of this story; bad things happened but also good things. I can’t say that I’m really excited to hop on a plane for travel this summer after reading this book, but it was amazing. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I feel like the synopsis really does not do justice to what happens in the book. Seriously. I was not expecting this terrifying tale, I was stressed out by the entire story.

It is fiction but reads as plausible. If I had to name a similar author, I would say kind of like Dan Brown.

Curious if airport bookstores have TJ Newman's books for sale? These are not books you want to be reading on a plane!

If you need a book to keep you turning the pages, this is it! Your heart will race. You will laugh. You will cry. You will be on the edge of your seat speed reading to see how it all ends. Drowning is thrilling, but also has a lot of heart, too.

The imagery is insane - you can picture exactly what is happening. It’s no surprise that there is a fight for who is going to get this on the big screen.

Absolutely loved it.

I absolutely loved reading T.J. Newman’s debut novel, Falling, so I was very excited to be gifted an early copy of Drowning. It lived up to my high expectations and I’m already excited about what she’ll write next!

Drowning is a suspenseful thriller about a commercial plane that crashes into the ocean. The crew and passengers who survive the impact have to decide if they’ll leave the plane and enter water that is on fire due to a gas leak and engine explosion, or if they’ll close the doors, sink to the bottom and wait to be rescued.

The story switches perspectives quickly and often so readers get the story from those in the plane and those who are on land trying to come up with a rescue plan. It’s intense and will definitely have your heart racing!

If you haven’t read a book by Newman yet, add Falling and Drowning to your list!

If you’re looking for an intense thriller that makes your heart pound the entire way through the book, look no further! The breathtaking action starts immediately on the first page and doesn’t stop.

Author TJ Newman is back with her second airplane adventure, Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421, but this time in the water. Flight 1421 has to ditch several minutes after takeoff trapping passengers almost 200 feet underwater. It’s most definitely an underwater Apollo 13 with everyone coming together to try to rescue those trapped.

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I was rooting for so many great characters, and yes, I had tears running down my cheeks once or twice. I was completely enthralled in this story and couldn’t read it fast enough.

The author is local to me so there’s an event on release day at my local bookshop and I’ll be there to hear her talk about this brilliant book.

I can’t wait to see what she does next!

*Thank you so much to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for the advance eGalley!*

Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this intense, fast paced novel. You are in suspense almost the whole time wondering what is going to happen to the survivors of this plane crash. It’s unputdownable, so make sure you have some time to actually finish it when you pick it up.

A masterpiece. That's the one and only word I have to describe what I just read. Five stars aren't sufficient enough for the book experience I just had. Because that's what this is...an experience.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC that is now one of my favorites of all time.

Holy $#!+!!!!!!!!!

Ok, wow wow wow wow. This book was easily the best book I’ve read this year. Hands down. It gives you every emotion to ever exist - from fear, anxiety, loss, happiness, love and so much more. I thought no way will this book keep me entertained the whole book (the crash happens like 20 pages in), but oh wow it did. This is a roller coaster of a book and it’s so worth the read.

I absolutely loved the characters of this book. And you find yourself rooting for them throughout the whole book. My ONLY (and very minor) complaint is that there was one random “3 hours earlier” chapter that definitely could have been a flashback like some of the other memories. But since this was an ARC who knows it might not even be in the final version! It didn’t take away from me locinggggg this book. Will be recommending this to everyone.

PS. You don’t need to read Falling before you pick this one up!

I loved my time with the author's debut last year, and I've been looking forward to read Drowning ever since I first heard about it. I tend to like my thrillers on the fast, intense and action-packed side... And this is exactly what this newest story seemed to be offering. Now that I have had the chance to read Drowning, I can say that this story offers everything that it promises in the blurb and more. It's a high-stakes, lightning fast and simply exhilarating ride, and the tension never falters. Exactly my kind of story!

This is one of those books where it's best to just sit back and enjoy the ride...Well, mostly sitting on the edge of your seat while biting your nails, but you know what I mean. If you start thinking about just how credible the situation actually is, and how farfetched some of the twists might be, you are reading Drowning wrong. But if you are able to suspend your belief and just go with the flow, you are in for one heck of a rollercoaster ride. Trust me, it is extremely hard to stop reading once you start, and I literally stayed up until the early hours to find out how everything would end. Unputdownable indeed!

Drowning is a story that starts intense and never slows down afterwards. I mean, what would you expect from a story that involves a plane crash and people trapped inside that same plane close to 200 feet under water and with only a limited air supply?! This book isn't just about the plane crash and the fight to save the survivors in time though; to give the story more dept and make it about more than just the action and rescue, there is also focus on Will Kent and his family. After a past tragedy, Will and his wife Chris have grown apart, but this new situation changes everything. It was interesting to learn more about them and see how they react to extreme pressure.

The story uses a multiple POV structure, which is very helpful because we get to see what happens both underwater inside the crashed plane and above with the rescue plans. The situation is accute, which means the tension is sky high and the stakes are even higher. Chris makes for such a great character, fighting for her daughter like a mama bear and standing by the plan she knows will save her. I really enjoyed this back and forward between Chris and Will, and I liked how it gave the plot more dept. The rest of the characters were less developed, but this is what you expect from a story that focuses mostly on the plot and action. There was enough to get a proper idea of what they are like though, and while some of them were quite cliche, as a whole they made for an interesting bunch being thrown together in an impossible situation.

Drowning is a story that won't let you have a breather until you reach that final page, heart racing and nails bitten to the quick. You will find yourself fully invested in the rescue mission, and it turns out to be a true rollercoaster ride. I can see Drowning making for an excellent Hollywood action movie! It sure has all the elements of turning it into a potential success. If you also like your thrillers on the fast and exhilarating side and don't mind suspending your belief, Drowning is a must-read.

This was just not what I was expecting. I didn’t think it was much of a thriller. I felt like I was reading something like The Poseidon Adventure, which I did enjoy. I felt there were too many characters, and I never really developed a connection with any of them. I wanted to love this, but didn’t.

Fellow readers, buckle up and hang on for an intense, thrilling adventure! Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Hawaii with 99 people on board. Tragically not all survive the impact, some are able to exit the plane when it lands and some continue to remain in the aircraft.

Will Kent, an engineer, traveling with his daughter, Shannon, are two of the twelve remaining inside. He convinces everyone left to stay inside thinking this will be safer, until it isn't. Coincidentally, Will's ex- wife, Chris, is a scuba diver and part of the rescue team. They need to get to the plane before it falls down the cliff that it is sitting on.

The story unfolds from different points of view which add to the plot. We learn about Will and Chris and what happened to their marriage.

This is such an exciting read. T.J. Newman knows how to write a thriller! She pulls us in by increasing the suspense and tension. Her characters are well developed. I cannot recommend this book enough. I will suggest that you make no plans when you start it because you will not be able to put it down. I can't wait for her next thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press. The review is my own.

Set aside a day to read this book because once you start, you will not want to stop. The Drowning begins in the middle of an airplane crash, and the story takes place over the next several hours of the rescue mission. We alternate perspectives between those in need of rescue and their rescuers, getting to know the people in each group along the way.

The magic of this book is that it’s equal parts thrilling, suspenseful, emotional, and heartwarming, and it does all of those things very, very well. I cannot imagine a better summer reading experience, except that you might be very upset with anyone at the beach who dares interrupt this engrossing story.

Newman has created a perfectly balanced book experience, and unless you have triggers around child loss, this should be on your shelf.

Drowning releases May 30, 2023. Thank you to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

I so enjoyed Newman's Falling a few years ago that I had to read this book. I was not disappointed. It's one of those books that is so intense you don't want to put it down.

I like the way the characters in the book interacted with each other. Imagine being in a live or die situation. How would one react? Probably the way some of the people acted in this book. I won't go into any detail because I hate spoiling books for others. Suffice it to say it's a wild, rollercoaster ride.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. This review provides honest feedback.

This book was so riveting and suspenseful, it completely absorbed me. I felt like I was there and was completely terrified as I turned each page. The author has such a knowledge of aviation, disaster, and the sea, it felt like the story was being told by a seasoned expert. The story was unrelenting in impactful events crashing together like brutal waves. Excellent book! Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, and the author, T. J. Newman, for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of "Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 (A Novel)." "Drowning" is the second novel I have had the privilege of reading by Ms. Newman. The plot ensues, with Flight 1421 departing from Hawaii and crashing into the Pacific Ocean six minutes after takeoff. Whew! While reading this novel, I held my breath several times while praying for the passengers trapped on the submerged jetliner and waiting impatiently for the elite team to develop and implement a workable rescue plan. The "Jaws" theme kept popping into my head. LOL!

Ms. Newman does a great job developing the characters and providing their backstories, connections, etc. This novel has non-stop action, multiple twists and turns, and cliffhanger chapters. Ms. Newman did a great job explaining the technical aspects of the deep-sea rescue, and the resolution was predictable in some instances but satisfying.

"Drowning" has a May 30, 2023, book release date, and I encourage you to rush to the bookstore and purchase this book.

Drowning by T.J. Newman is the definition of a page turning holiday read , perfect poolside or on the beach, though maybe not if you have a fear of flying. Readers of Newman's previous best seller Falling will know to expect plenty of drama and action and they will not be disappointed.
Six minutes after take off a commercial flight crashes into the pacific ocean off the coast of Hawaii. At first it seems like a disaster, but not yet a catastrophe as passengers make their way to the emergency exits and off the plane, but when one of the engines explodes ,the plane starts to flood and the only option is to close the doors trapping some passengers and crew inside as they sink to the bottom of the ocean. With time and air both running out, it is going to take a rescue of truly epic proportions to save those on board.
This is a thrilling set up for a book, with a built in ticking clock as we are constantly reminded of how many hours and minutes of air is left on board, and between this and the claustrophobic nature of a sealed metal tube, the tension remains high from beginning to end. Newman really leans into her history as a flight attendant to make the setting and characters more believable. Speaking of characters, no matter how dramatic a story set up is, the thing that really gets a reader invested is characters that they care about, and once again the author excels. Sure it might be implausible that the only woman who could possibly come up with a rescue solution would have a daughter and ex husband trapped on board, but this trio of characters are the emotional core of the book ( with an honorary mention to Ira and Ruth - you'll understand if you read) .
I wanted to devour this book in one sitting, and if life and work had not got in the way, I probably would have.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher , all opinions are my own.

I loved this book. It is a suspenseful fast paced read. The characters felt so real that I was truly rooting for them. It had me feeling so many emotions as I was reading. After reading this I am so glad we don't have any plans to travel by plane this summer!


Thank you Netgalley and Avid Reader Press for the e-arc.

It isn’t often that I hold my breath while reading a book. Ironically, I did that many, many times while reading this book. It seems like an outlandish premise. A plane crashes and a small group is trapped as it sinks to the ocean floor. There is a rescue mission that seems impossible, characters you can’t help but love, and tears as you sit on the edge of your seat. This is a “what would I do if it were me/“ kind of book. I read it in one sitting and am now looking into buying the last book by this author.

if I could give this book a million stars I would. I haven’t read a book that made me feel so anxious before. I have a strong resolve for all things, this hit somewhere different. 12 people are trapped in a plane near the bottom of the ocean 😳. This book, has a very Titanic impending doom feel to it. Once the decent happened, there was no turning back and by each page just when things seemed to slow down, something else would happen.

I went through every emotion reading this. I was mentally, emotionally and physically anxious. Needing to know what will happen next, this resulted in me finishing in less than 2 days. This novel was at the same time, incredibly heartbreaking. That ending did me dirty. I haven’t cried in a novel in a while, I had ugly mascara tears. I would recommend this novel 100 times over. This read will be staying with me for a while. INCREDIBLE