Imagine being plucked from obscurity by Lila Wilde, a famous influencer and rock star royalty, to join her exclusive entourage on a private jet. Wilde, true to her larger-than-life persona, lives up to her namesake with an invitation to continue the party at her opulent mansion in Thailand. Over 30 people, caught up in the glamour and allure, eagerly join the spontaneous adventure.

But the dream quickly morphs into a nightmare when the private jet crashes in the heart of an unforgiving jungle. Stranded, disoriented, and with no way of knowing if rescue will ever come, the group faces the terrifying reality of survival. The black box is likely miles away, and so are their chances of salvation.

Sarah Goodwin’s The Private Jet is a masterclass in tension as she methodically ratchets up the fear. The jungle itself becomes an antagonist, with every conceivable terror—diseases, dehydration, dangerous wildlife, and even poachers—lurking in the shadows. With no one and nothing to trust, the survivors must navigate a perilous balance between cooperation and self-preservation, and the question remains: how many will make it out alive?

This thriller had me absolutely hooked from start to finish. Goodwin’s vivid descriptions and relentless pacing kept me on edge the entire way. My only critique? The most sinister character didn’t quite get the comeuppance they deserved. But that’s a minor qualm in an otherwise electrifying read.

If you’re ready for a pulse-pounding tale of survival, betrayal, and the primal instincts that emerge when the comforts of modern life vanish, this is the book for you!

Tense survival thriller, setting influencers against "normals" when a private jet crashes deep in the Thai jungle.

Daughter of a famous rock star, Lila thinks nothing of inviting a group of people she has barely met to a party to celebrate her engagement after her boyfriend proposed in the middle of a night club, or of using her father's private jet to take them.

It wasn't the dream proposal she had wished for, but it wouldn't do for her sponsors to see any bad publicity if she doesn't go along with vibe.

But unforseen circumstances leave the group of near strangers stranded and competing with each other for scarce resources and their survival.

The Private Jet is a suspense-filled, need-t0-survive thriller that takes place in the wilds of the Thai jungle. Lila Wilde and her boyfriend are vacationing in Thailand - the perfect place for her to highlight her meditation posts on social media and for him to secure some DJ-ing gigs. After he proposes to Lila during one of his sets, the night turns into a wild celebration. When Lila invites everyone at the club to join her on her private jet, she has no idea what the night has in store. After the plane crashes, the group finds themselves deep in the Thai jungle with very little to help them survive. The remaining passengers will not only need to survive the dangers of the jungle but also have to fight off each other.

The Private Jet is a well-written, suspenseful thriller that demonstrates just how far humanity can descend when faced with unexpected dangers and their survival is at stake. This is one of those books that you keep thinking about long after you finish reading. This book truly highlights the beauty and perils of the jungle. The jungle, and more generally nature, is its own character in The Private Jet. The way the author paints the scene and describes each obstacle leaves the reader feeling like they are actually one of the stranded passengers living a nightmare. I was completely engrossed in the story from page one. The Private Jet is an easy five stars! I will absolutely be reading more by Sarah Goodwin.

i loved this- it’s not something i shall read but i abjwolelrt loved the premise - think hunger games meets gossip girl rich people - i loved Lila’s character growth - she’s so strong!!!

Now that Lila's boyfriend just proposed, she feels like this is the best night of her life. She decides to keep the night going by bringing friends, strangers, influencers, celebrities on a private jet to her villa. It's just a short flight - over the jungle in Thailand.

When everything goes wrong people's true colors start to show. What a ride!

I enjoyed “The Private Jet” way more than I anticipated. What I thought was going to be a plane crash mystery, turned out to be a full season of “Survivor” with a dark twist. Incredibly thrilling and excitingly fast-paced.

The story starts when rich Lila Wilde and her boyfriend Bryce go on a holiday. On this holiday, during a wild party, Lila invites everyone to her private jet to continue the party. What no one expects to happen is for the plane to crash in the middle of the jungle.

The character building and development is incredible. Especially with Lila, whilst she discovers people’s true nature and herself having to do some gruesome things to survive. It was amazing to see how the team dynamic changes and what people are willing to do to survive. It reminded me of the Hunger Games a little bit. Everyone that survives a plane crash very soon shifts into a survival mode, and very soon they realise that the jungle is a dangerous place to be stuck in, but not the only enemy. Suddenly, it no longer matters who has the most wealth, but who is the strongest in the group.

I couldn’t help but wonder what I might do if I were in Lila’s situation. It’s quite scary to think it’s a possibility, especially in this day and age where we are used to the comfort of the modern world. After the first half of the book, I couldn’t put it down. It gripped me and kept pleasantly surprising me. The ending was satisfying, and I love the idea of the book asking the reader a question. This book would make a perfect choice for a book club, I am already anxious to speak to someone about it. The most satisfying part is that one character that receives their karma back. Chef’s kiss. Would I recommend it? Absolutely! It’s too good a thriller not to. Definitely worth your time.

A super-rich girl, Lila, whose dad's a famous music guy, gets engaged in Thailand. She's having a blast and doesn't want the fun to end. So, she's like, "Hey, anyone who wants to, hop on my jet! We're going to my secret island place."

Big mistake.

The plane goes down. Hard. Nobody knows where they are. The important bits of the plane, like the thing that records everything, are gone. They're lost in the middle of nowhere.

Now, it's a fight. They're battling the jungle, each other, and just trying to stay alive. It's a crazy mess. Who makes it? Nobody knows.

This author, Godwin, writes really wild stories. This one's no different. It's like you're right there with them, stuck in the jungle, hoping they make it out. It's a real trip.

This was my first Sarah Goodwin book and will not be my last. This story was tense, atmospheric and had me on the edge of my seat, needing to know what happened next to this group of people.

A lot of these characters are unlikeable but it just adds to the story, seeing the social divide still take place when survival is at its lowest. Goodwin did an amazing job at showing how people change, for better or for worse, when placed in these situations.

I'm definitely interested in picking up more books from Sarah Goodwin in the future!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A party in Thailand goes very, very wrong in this immersive survivalist adventure.

Lila, a young socialite, is at a party in Thailand to celebrate her DJ boyfriend getting a set in a club there. When the party ends, she decides she's not ready for it to be over, and impulsively invites everyone in earshot to take her private jet to continue partying in her father's mansion. It's the best night of her life. Until the plane goes down, killing most of the group, wounding others and leaving only a few survivors, deep in the jungles of Thailand.

I admit I won't know much about Thailand specifically, but I know enough about jungles to know that being lost in them is never good. Sarah does an excellent job at explaining the specific dangers through a couple of surviving Thai natives, discussing the illnesses, the creatures and the environmental dangers without making it come off as a lecture. Watching the characters, none of whom are equipped for survival, degrade over the days and weeks without rescue is very compelling.

Thanks to an occasional flash-forward to a post-rescue interview with Lila, we can figure out some of what's happening, but watching it happen is still fascinating. Decisions made by Lila and other characters were heartbreaking. I have no idea what I'd do in that situation!

This is a really compelling read for anyone who enjoys characters thrown far out of their comfort zones.


Book recommendation: The River by Peter Heller is another high-stakes survival tale that mixes adventure with introspection. Set in the wilds of Canada, it focuses on two friends lost in a dangerous and uncharted wilderness, where the elements and their own tensions start to take their toll.

Movie review; As a contrast to the searing jungle heat, Alive centres on a plane crash high in the frigid Andes. The difficult decisions and dangers faced by the survivors will strike a chord with this one.

Lila private jet is party central with music and champagne and the lure of an after-party in Thailand. Things quickly go wrong trust is lost and the party turns deadly. The higher you fly. The harder you fall.
Sarah Goodwin is one of my favourite authors and this story did not disappoint. Go in blind and enjoy the ride I had no idea what to expect and it was a thrilling and tense ride from start to finish. Highly recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books UK and Sarah Goodwin for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a page-turner survival thriller that lacks depth but keeps you reading. I would have preferred if it was more socialite than influencer. Thank you, NetGalley.

I loved this, I couldn't put it down and it wasn't what I was expecting.
It didn't take long to get through as I couldn't wait to see what happened next.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow! The Private Jet by Sarah Goodwin was so good! Incredibly suspenseful and utterly captivating, I felt like there was no shortage of drama in this book. I loved the glitz and glamour of Lila's socialite lifestyle combined with the stunning location of Thailand, combined with the propulsive twists throughout the story.

I read a book of Goodwin's a few years ago and I have been chasing the high of that read ever since. The last few have of hers have not been wins for me, but this one I would count as a win. Did I love it? No. BUT, did I hate it? Also no. Thus, a win. I thought that the concept for this book was really interesting, and the tone of this novel was pretty well-paced and suspenseful. I will say, though, that where this book did lose me was the setting and the characters. The characters were just so unlikeable, and I couldn't fathom caring about their well-being. I know that's sort of rude, but like if you're that unlikeable I just can't muster care. They also just didn't feel distinct enough--after a while all the characters just morphed into a large homounclus of suck. I think, too, that because I didn't care about any of the characters that made it hard to really get invested in the plot or care.
Tonally, this book was pretty well done--Goodwin manages to create suspense with her pacing. But the characters, plot, etc. just made it hard to get invested into the world and story Goodwin had created.

Whoa! This one had me on the edge of my seat - I read through it in just a day. I highly recommend going in as blind as possible - it was definitely not what I expected!

Lila Wilde, influencer and daughter of a millionaire rock star, is newly engaged on a trip to Thailand. She doesn’t want the party to stop, so she invites those willing from the club to join her and her fiancé on her private jet to the secluded home. What transpires is a plane crash, with no flight plan and crashing miles away from the tail and the black box, they survivors are unsure about their odds of being rescued. What follows is a wild story for survival against the environment, and others, and against all odds. Who will make it out alive to tell the story.

I really enjoy Godwin’s writing and stories. They are always something a little different and quite a ride and this is no different. Enjoyable, you feel stuck in the jungle with Lila and the others hoping for a way out.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

This was a perfect escape on a winter day. It tells the story of a socialite Lila who gets proposed to and decides to take the party to her villa. But mid-flight an episode of Lost occurs and they are left stranded. Intriguing ,page turning and definitely a great read.

This is one of those books that is difficult to review without giving anything away. I loved it and had a lot of fun reading it. This is the perfect beach/vacation read. Or if you are like me, and it is a dreary winter here in Texas, it is a great escape book! Unlikeable Lila and her equally shallow, unlikeable friends and a few unlikeable strangers take a ride on a private jet to fly to Thailand to party with her also unlikeable DJ boyfriend. Seeing a theme here? Bear with me, it works! Just pick this one up and settle in for a fun escape! Oh, and that beautiful cover!! I would also check out some of Sarah Goodwin's other books. She is one of my favorite authors for a quick, easy and suspenseful read!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Sarah Goodwin and Avon Books UK | Avon for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this! This is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish, the plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, making it impossible to predict what will happen next.
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
The setting is vividly described, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall reading experience.
Highly recommended!

Absolutely fantastic, I really enjoyed it. It was perfectly paced and kept me guessing all the way through. I couldn't put it down and read it in a couple of hours