Being an avid voyager who has found herself grounded due to the pandemic I thoroughly enjoyed hopping back into the travel world through the eyes of Saskia Swann, a private jet’s cabin crew member. Ironic really because I'm definitely a white knuckle flyer and the thought of choosing to do so for a living FASCINATES me!

Above and Beyond was a quick, easy read; Full to the brim with scandal and entertainment, I found myself binge reading until I'd finished! That being said, there are most definitely poignant moments in the book. The lifestyle which screamed luxury, money and perfection certainly came with some harrowing consequences. Saskia is a highly likeable protagonist and I feel like we watched her mature and become more aware of who she was, her values and what she deserved as the book progressed.

I enjoyed the epilogue of this book. In a world where society is all too keen to put an age on our achievements, it's great to hear of somebody living the life they're happy with, not the one other people think they should be living!

A welcomed break to my usual crime thriller selection, highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lume Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review 📖

I've always enjoyed nonfiction books written by people talking about their jobs. (I've read a few books by people who work in restaurant kitchens, in retail, etc). I believe this is the 4th one I've read about flight attendants, and "Above and Beyond: Secrets of a Private Flight Attendant" is definitely my favorite of them.

Saskia Swann dishes the details of what it's like to work as a flight attendant on private jets for millionaires and billionaires. She got her start working in commercial airlines, but the real money is in working on the private planes and she's trying to work herself out of debt. Most of the book is about her experience working for an ultra rich tycoon from the Middle East. The jet owner is a married man, but she soon comes to learn he has a mistress whom his wife does not know about, and the flight crew on his plane is expected to keep it secret. They signed confidentiality agreements, and one of her coworkers is even fired when she accidentally lets the name of the mistress slip in front of the wife (though the wife was none the wiser).

Unfortunately, for the ultra rich men used to getting anything they want because they have the money to buy it, that sometimes means they expect the flight crew to do sexual favors for them. Saskia is shocked to learn this and even more shocked when she goes along with it. She's spilling ALL the dirt - even what makes herself look bad.

It's a raw, honest portrait of what the industry is really like. It's disheartening to learn of the sexual abuse and misogyny that occurs, but I suppose a book about the polite jet owners who aren't throwing crazy parties or expecting ridiculously over-the-top meals and making other demands wouldn't be interesting.

All in all, it's an entertaining and eye-opening book. I recommend it for anyone with even a slight interest in learning about what really goes on in the world of private flight attendants.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. I literally couldn’t put this book down and finished in one reading. Ever wanted to know the true life of a private flight attendant? It will definitely surprise you. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this - it's fast paced, interesting and a lot less trashy than I was expecting. Really well written and I loved seeing the other side of flying (even if I'll never be on the "right" side of a private jet we all can dream!).

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review</i>

My thanks to Saskia Swann and #netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It is easy to fly through this book (pun intended). There is an easy flow to Saskia's writing, and I imagine her wit is ever present in real life as well. I just felt a little deflated by the end. Like having watched an episode of 'Bold & the Beautiful' to combat the afternoon lull.

I read a comment that if you like Reality Television, then you'd like this book - which feels spot on. There was certainly a level of interest to hear about the flying Saskia has done, but her story doesn't inspire a depth of truly understanding the consequences of hard choices. For a younger person to read this, it feels a little too romanticised, which is scary given the nature of expectations faced by women in similar roles.

If you love reality television, you will love Above and Beyond. This is a nonfiction book but reads like a fictional story. Above and Beyond was just the break from fantasy novels I was looking for. It was fun. It was fast-paced. It surprised me. It is a story of how women bond. It is a story of the lengths we will go to to remove ourselves from bad situations. It is a story of choosing your own path regardless of what society tells us the norms are. I loved it. I will absolutely be recommending it.

As I started this book, I couldn't believe this was an actual biography! The memories and details were so vivid that I was able to read in 3 days. I really enjoyed hearing about the secret life of jet setters; the money, lies, secrets, and luxurious taste. Saskia gave a fantastic view of the other side, and it's not always perfect. I think her story can help other women in similar positions and empower them instead of feeling helpless when lavish gifts and stacks of money are waved in front of them. I highly recommend this book!

I loved this book! Couldn’t put it down! What an interesting insight into how the other half live and what really goes on behind the scenes with the staff of a private jet. While this book contains lots of scandal, it was so well written than it comes across as inspiring rather than trashy or gossipy. I would totally recommend this to everyone, especially those interested in an alternative lifestyle.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review

Above and Beyond' is the memoir of Saskia Swann, a flight attendant for the mega-rich.  With the highs (staying in the most luxurious hotels in the world) come the lows (her boss asking for more than she bargained for!) Saskia offers a behind-the-scenes look into life as cabin crew aboard a private jet.

I was sucked into this book by the cover and description. Anything involving the mega-rich  is like pure escapism for me, so as soon as I downloaded the eBook, I had to start reading!

Throughout a lot of the book, Saskia reminisces about her time working for Russian billionaire, Pavel... and her experience is almost exactly what I'd imagined. However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Saskia had such a great relationship with the other stewardesses... I thought for sure it would be like an episode of Gossip Girl.

I found Saskia relatable. I'm currently a similar age and I can totally sympathise with her constant concerns about money. That said, the book does a good job of reminding you that money doesn't necessarily bring you happiness... some the people Saskia worked for seemed incredibly lonely!

The book was well written, and I found it  hard to put down... I binged the lot over a weekend! Would recommend if you love a  scandalous look inside the lifestyles of the rich and the famous!

•A R C • B O O K • R E V I E W•
2021 Book #31 out of 80
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Thank you to @netgalley and @LumeBooks for this ARC Ebook of Above and Beyond: Secrets of a Private Flight Attendant
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ABOVE AND BEYOND: SECRETS OF A PRIVATE FLIGHT ATTENDANT by SASKIA SWANN and NICOLA STOW
Publication date June 3, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
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I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
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QUICK SYNOPSIS: In debt and struggling to get out of it, one meeting changes the life of Saskia Swann. As a flight attendant, Saskia learns the life of wealth, high-class, and secrecy of billionaires and princes. Little does she know that working in this lifestyle requires some of her own sacrifices.

BOOK COVER:
~ I absolutely LOVE the cover of this book!

STORYLINE & THOUGHTS:
~ A nice and easy read on a rainy day.
~ Reading the memoir of a flight attendant really catches my interest for some reason. I guess that was why I was really drawn into the book after reading its highlight.
~ The prologue quickly captured my attention and left me eager to read more about what Saskia would experience as a private jet flight attendant.

BOOK CONTENT WARNINGS:
Marital affairs and abortion.
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**This review is currently posted on Goodreads. Review for Amazon and Instagram (Bookstagram account.) will be posted in the future.

I flew through this memoir which tells the story of Saskia’s life as a private air hostess. An easy read which had me engrossed from start to finish. I’d highly recommend this to anyone wanting an honest & entertaining read.

Yeah, no. I did not enjoy this one at all. Ended up bailing before I hit twenty percent. It’s a bit like a movie trailer that gave away all the good bits.

Saskia Swann is a former private air hostess - serving those high rollers who fly in their own private jets.
Saskia's tales are hilarious but poignant and at times a little heartbreaking.
Her escapades do not name anyone rich or famous but it's her recount of the interactions with them that are so entertaining.

The book is well written and very enjoyable to read.

I love this memoir. I’ve always been fascinated by flight attendants especially on private planes. This is informative. funny and a great perspective. I highly enjoyed it.

Ok, I'm surprised at just how good this is. Snippets of air hostess tales told in fiction form but with a wicked sense of humour and strong and unique authorial voice.

I'm currently 80% through but couldn't delay in reviewing

Recommend!