4.5⭐ rounded up

Meet two young women choosing to slip the bonds of their respective lives for very personal reasons by applying to be stewardesses for Pan Am in the early 1960s. The lure of travel and adventure captured their hearts. Di Maio does an exceptional job of not only nailing the time period, but how different the mores and choices were. Both Beverly and Judy find themselves and their lives changed through the experience and their friendship as the bedrock of the change. Wonderful characters and descriptions of lovely places.

This was an unexpected delight. I've not read anything about being a stewardess before and this was so good and so well researched. You could tell that a lot of love went into writing this novel. It was a book that will stay with me a good while.

Two women who could not be more different. Both wanting to escape their lives. Their pasts. One from an abusive tyrant of a husband. The other from her overbearing father.

Judy was married to man who loved to put his hands on her. He didn't want her to have any friends or family. Not even children. As that would take away from him. Her life was to revolve completely around him and what he wanted out of the marriage. She had to give up all of her hopes and dreams. He was a smooth talker when wooing her. He captured her heart completely and then changed after they married...

Beverly came from wealth. She never lacked for anything. Other than the love she craved from her parents. It was like she was an accessory for them rather than their child. At times her mother could be warm but for the most part she just seemed to ignore her daughter. Her father had her life all planned out. Get married to a rich man and let them combine power. Beverly had other ideas.

Both young women wanted to become Pan Am Stewardesses. Each for very different reasons. They become the very best of friends in their journey. Claiming to be sisters even though they were not related. They were both only children. Both wanted to find a better kind of life. One with happiness and real love.

This book gave me so many good feels. A little bit of tears too. Ok a lot of tears at one point. Deep love that would last a lifetime. I laughed and cried. I felt such hope for these two young women. They were the perfect match. They rooted each other on no matter what lay ahead. They complimented each other. They both found love and happiness. Then tragedy hit. One was lost...

This story is told from each ladies point of view. You get to know them well. This book was so good. So emotional in every way. I learned a lot about being a Stewardess for Pan America in the sixties. The author did a great job of researching and letting you know in her Author's Notes at the end. Don't miss that part.

Thank you #NetGalley, #LakeUnion, for this ARC.

Travel back in time to the 1960’s in this well researched novel! Two women from very different backgrounds embark on careers at Pan Am, and become fast friends during their training. One is leaving an abusive relationship, the other does not want to end up living the life path that her family has chosen for her.
The author does a great job developing the characters, their friendship, and also the flight and work experience during this period of time.
I was so excited to read another book from this author! Pre Order!

Absolutely LOVED this book and the author's writing style! She made me feel like I was right there with the stewardesses.
The author did a great job in researching the roles and lifestyles of a Pan Am steward and portrayed it perfectly. Also all of the places they traveled to and experienced was amazing.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a little truth sprinkled throughout then I definitely recommend Come Fly with Me and look forward to reading more books from the is author!

I have been a fan of Camille Di Maio's work for some time so I was excited to receive an ARC of Come Fly with Me from Netgalley and the publisher.

This is a story of friendship more than anything. The book has two timelines: present day and 1962. The story starts out with us not knowing who is speaking but the woman is reminiscing about the past and their friendship. The is foreshadowing that one of them is no longer living and that is is profound grief with that loss.

1962 in Miami is where Judy and Beverly formed an unbreakable friendship. Both flight attendants with Pan Am airlines, the two went through training together and then their post assignment. There is aspects of love but I feel like friendship is the overarching theme of this book.

I found the details that Di Maio put in the book about the Pan Am and the culture of airlines in the 1960s to be fascinating. I think we take for granted that the way things are today are how they have always been.

Possible trigger warnings: Domestic violence and sudden death

Side Note: If you ever fly in to NYC and have a chance to visit the TWA Hotel, I highly suggest it. My mom and I stayed there when our connection from London to Indianapolis was cancelled. Scrambling, we ended up there. Yes, it is a different airline but very similar in the timeline. On their mezzanine, they have a display of past uniforms for stewardesses

London, Paris, Rome, Athens! Oh, the possibilities! ✈️ I just loved this Historical Fiction story about two Pan American Airways stewardesses in 1962.

"Brains and beauty. That's what a Pan American Stewardess is, in that order."

It's a new age for flying and Pan American Airways is recruiting women of all cultures. They are striving to be a new future that is promoting permanent peace in the world. The ladies wear their uniform with pride because only the, "best of the best" are chosen.

It's 1962 and Judy needs to flee from an abusive marriage. Beverly, is leaving behind a world of privilege and longs for something more. These two women will meet during training and will form a deep friendship.

The writing is wonderful and the research is fascinating and top-notch. The book immerses you very quickly into the early 1960's. The fashions, foods, and music (yes Frank Sinatra's, "Come fly with me" has a special place in the story 🎵too!) Plus just loved hearing about the "exotic" locales.

I started this one on an airplane while I was travelling for the weekend. It was so cool as the flight attendants on the small carrier I was on have very similar uniforms to the ones depicted in the story..right down to the pill box hats! I think that only added to my enjoyment! This one is already going down as a favourite for 2025. If you enjoy a different kind of historical fiction story I urge you to pick this one up! The ending had me in tears! 😢

Publishes February 18, 2025

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing (who never seems to disappoint) in granting me access to this Advance Reader's Copy.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I found "Come Fly With Me" by Camille Di Maio to be an addictive, interesting & well written story that pulled me in right away & didn't let me go until its final outcome.
I enjoyed the author's writing style, how she told the story by connecting her 2 main characters through alternating chapters.
I would definitely read another book by this author.

This book was so well-written and I really enjoyed it. Following the life of two newly hired PanAm stewardesses, this book beautifully explains explores friendship, love, loss, and trauma. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book!

The 1960s brought us the golden age of flying in which Pan Am and TWA were front and center of that dream of jetting off to dreamed-of destinations – both those who delivered top-notch service and their pampered passengers. Judy and Beverly wanted to live that dream, each winning coveted spots as stewardesses for Pan Am. Judy escapes an abusive marriage to live her travel dreams, and Beverly wants much more than her limited life as a New York socialite.

With the goal of being shaped into uniform paragons of beauty and poise, the women begin their glamorous careers in a training camp in Florida. The requirements to adhere to strict rules regarding makeup, hair, dress, and comportment are all designed to lure passengers. The women are also expected to speak at least two languages and have a college degree. Training includes world geography, rigorous safety training, and much more.

The book’s details of the job’s requirements and training is fascinating, but unfortunately is all too brief, and the variety of passengers crossing the paths of the women in their travels is lacking in the novel. Instead, the novel becomes centered more on romance. Judy falls instantly in love with one of her instructors, and Beverly falls for a passenger she meets on one of her first flights. The novel switches between Judy’s and Beverly’s points of view and leaves the reader inside their heads with far too much trivial and trite inner dialogue. This book is for the romance reader, but readers who want a well-rounded picture of the airline industry in this time era would be better served reading one of the many memoirs written by stewardesses, such as Come Fly the World by Julia Cooke.

Historical Novels Review, February 2025

Come Fly With Me is a charming, light-hearted romance with just the right amount of adventure. Di Maio’s writing and the setting make it an easy and enjoyable escape.

This was a highly pleasurable read, quite joyful but with sadness at the end. Two young women want to escape their current lifestyle, one in an abusive marriage the other from a rich controlled background, so they apply for a post as air stewardess for Pan Am. Set in the early sixties, the book takes you back to when plane flight was luxurious and exciting. The two women fit 8n with pan ams strict code of conduct and thoroughly enjoy exploring the world, finding companionship with each other and their colleagues. Both of them also find love. This is an engaging book, based on personal testimony, stressing the 8mportance of friendship and family.

I really enjoyed this book! The early 60s PanAm Airlines vibes were really there and that is exactly what I wished for from this book. I liked both main characters and I thought they were a great lead through the story. I loved how different they and their backgrounds are, but how much they become friends and support each other. Judy is shy in the beginning and grows significantly during the book and becomes way more self confident. I loved that about her. Beverly starts off sounding like a rebellious teenager to some extent but matures in my view, which I appreciated. No spoiler, but toward the end I just find that the time lapses between the chapters were too long. Other readers might enjoy that though. I enjoyed the read and the journey with Judy and Beverly and all in all, if you love PanAm or flight in the 60s, this book is for you!

This was a quick and enjoyable read, but I just felt like something was missing. I loved the Jet Set vibes and the premise of the book, but the friendship between the two protagonists left me wanting more. I wish there was less focus on the romantic storylines and stronger emphasis on their friendship. But overall, I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend to anyone who is looking for an easy read and is a fan of this era.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this book and the chance to review.

I am a big fan of Camille Di Maio's previous books as I just love her writing, and I was so excited to be given the chance to read and review her new novel, Come Fly With Me. This book centers around the friendship between two women, Beverly and Judy, who end up becoming stewardesses for Pan American Airways during the height of the Jet Age. Both of these women have their own unique stories to tell and both are running away from something at the time of them meeting each other and beginning to train as stewardesses. This book was simply delightful and I found myself returning to it again and again whenever I had the chance to see what was going to happen next. The author did an amazing job transporting the reader to tropical places like Hawaii and Mo'orea, an island in French Polynesia. There is a twist in the book that I did not expect at all and that left me feeling very surprised. I also loved the pacing of the novel and the supporting characters in the book. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for their next favorite historical fiction read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this story about two ladies from very different backgrounds becoming Pan Am Stewardesses in the 60’s and forging a deep friendship. I loved the peek into that high-flying role that was seen as so glamorous!

This was my first Camille DiMaio book and I loved it! Back in 1962, Pan Am stewardesses (yes, that's what they were called back then, not flight attendants) were considered to be the most elite of all the airlines. Many young women interviewed for their training program and very few were hired. Judy Goodman and Beverly Caldwell wouldn't seem to have much in common - Judy coming from working class Pennsylvania and Beverly from old money upper class Manhattan - but they become best friends. Judy is running away from a miserable marriage while Beverly is trying to escape from a destiny that doesn't feel right to her. They're both harboring deep secrets as they travel the globe to exciting locations and begin to remake their lives. Camille DiMaio's writing is excellent and her characters are beautifully developed. I look forward to reading more of her books. Thanks to #netgalley #lakeunionpublishing and #CamilleDiMaio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read multiple books by Camille DiMaio and one is better than the next. I read this whole book, believe it or not, on a plane! Fascinating story about what it was like to be a Pan Am stewardess at the time. Full of sisterhood, women supporting women and intriguing characters. Not until the final third of the book do you find out who is talking in the present day. Truly enjoyable!

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of Come Fly with Me by Camille Di Maio.

I was a bit hesitant in this one as my only experience with books by Camille Di Maio have been historical fiction. Which I guess technically this one was. However, it quickly hooked me in. Both Beverly and Judy were interesting characters and the bits from the future where you didn’t know which character it was made me want to keep reading to find out. I also found Judy’s story very interesting as she was from Red Lion, PA which is very close to where I live and I have family there as well. It was fun to hear the author reference things I’m familiar with. Overall, seeing the relationships develop in this story was well done on many levels. And the ending pulled at the heartstrings a bit. A good read!

Absolutely a perfect book! I loved this one as soon as I saw the cover. Then I started reading. I was dreaming about the book at bedtime so I got up and started reading again and didn't quit until I finished. Wow, how I loved this! Judy and Beverly are each trying to escape a life that they had been living. Those two lives couldn't have been more different, but as soon as they had their first conversation, they became friends. Pan Am had a reputation as cream of the crop when it came to their Flight Attendants. Judy and Beverly had to work hard to join the program and when they did they each felt like they achieved their dreams. The past doesn't always stay buried and each of them will experience elements from their past coming back to them. Judy a secret relationship and Beverly problems with her family.

There are two timelines here; one is a present day and the other is in the early 60s, when the girls were a Pan Am Stewardess (old fashioned term but that was the title then). I'm highly recommemding this one! It is my first 5 star read of 2025 and you will see it again on my Book of the Month list.

5.0 stars
HIGHLY recommend

As usual, Camille Di Maio writes another fantastic historical fiction novel. It is her best yet AND I know that I say this with every one of her books! This one is set in the early 1960's and is about the stewardesses (the period title) of Pan Am.

This novel includes interesting characters, settings, and storylines with beautiful writing. Her topic this time, The Golden Age of Travel sounds much more civilized and elegant than now. I love how the stewardesses were almost like rock stars!

What a roller coaster ride of a story that gives a satisfying conclusion, but is so thoughtfully done.

You did it again, Camille. You hit this one out of the park!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4561633110 - posted 1/23/2025
Books by Dorothea blog: https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/01/review-come-fly-with-me-earcebook.html- posted 1/23/2025