Come Fly With Me tells the story of two PanAmerican stewardess, the training, the strict rules and regulations of the day. It also tells the story of the love and excitement of travel.

It was my first book by Camille Di Maio and I really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

Thank you to Netgalley for this e- copy of Come Fly with Me by Camille DiMaio in exchange for a honest review . This is a wonderfully engaging historical fiction piece set in 1962 and revolves around the lives of 2 Pan Am stewardesses- Judy Goodman and Beverly Caldwell . Judy is a married battered wife who applies to be a stewardess even though married women are not accepted . To be successful she has to find a way to avoid her husband and his stalking while navigating a new romance . Beverly Caldwell is a beautiful , rich girl looking to escape her stuffy life in hopes of finding a career that is the opposite of her mother’s life . There is lots of drama, tragedy and love in this beautifully written love story about second chances . Highly recommend .

Come Fly With Me is the story of two Pan Am stewardesses, through application, training and flight. Judy, desperate for the job, and Beverly, who wants to change her life - both women need the opportunity the job will give them. This is a story of friendship, love and relationships, interspersed with true events.

The book was well researched and very descriptive, I felt like I was travelling with the characters. Easy to read, with great characterisation, and ending that made me cry. A truly lovely book.

I very much enjoyed this book. I thought that it was entertaining and intriguing. I liked the split perspective and reading about the women in this time period. I also enjoyed all of the female relationships and how supportive all of the women were of each other. I couldn’t put it down!

“People present a façade to conceal the wounds they are yet ready to share”

Oh, to be the elite of the elite in 1962, the most prestigious position for a woman on the cusp of independence was a Pan Am Stewardesses .
Beverly and Judy are from two different worlds both need this position, without it, their dreams, and hopes, for any kind of life will not happen.
Two women who would not have found each other, if not for Pan Am, and who certainly needed each other.

There is so much nostalgia in this book for me, and it takes me back to a different time, the time that Included TV shows, up-and-coming movie stars and singers

The author did an amazing job with her research, characters, storyline, friendship, just like she always does in each and every one of her books!

This is not just a book. This was truly a journey.

As a hobby pilot's wife, I knew I had to read this one! Loved getting a glimpse into air travel of old. The standards for a stewardess as spoken about in this book can be viewed in the lens of today's time as misogynistic and archaic; however, I appreciate the authenticity and glamourous lifestyle depiction.

Starting the story with the flash forward and then interspersing throughout felt jarring. The story would have had even more of an emotional impact if we would not have been anticipating disaster (and I cried my eyes out even though I knew!). Both love stories were beautiful; the friendships even more so.

I am grateful to have received this as an ARC.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was something a little different for me but nevertheless it was great to be taken back to a time when air travel was out of the reach of the vast majority of people and becoming an air stewardess and travelling the world the dream of many a little girl.........myself included. The author vividly brought to life the indignities of the 'weigh in' prior to flights and the tight controls over how the women were supposed to look and behave. To the extent that it could cost them their job if they deviated. She also very successfully depicts the strong support and friendships that develop between these women, living nomad lives despite their initial difference in background. A wonderful well researched book that anyone should find interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Author: Camille Di Maio
Started: January 4, 2025
Finished: January 6, 2025
Publication Date: February 18, 2025
Format: Digital
Genre: Historical Fiction

Judy Goodman and Beverly Caldwell both apply to become Pan Am stewardesses for different reasons with the same theme - escape. As the women go through training and their careers together, they experience all life has to offer.

This period is not one I've read a lot about, but I enjoyed it. Being a Pan Am stewardess was a dream for many young women, and going through the process with Judy and Beverly was exciting. These two women could not have been more different, but they managed to bring out the best in each other. This will be a book I buy for my shelves when it is released.

Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Come Fly With Me is an endearing story about female friendship and travel. Two women, Judy and Beverly, come from very different backgrounds and both apply to be Pan Am flight attendants to escape their lives.

I love any books set in the 60s and about travel so this was perfect for me. I really enjoyed the alternating perspectives and flash forwards and the look behind the curtain about stewardess training and how everything works. I even had a travel dream while reading the book. Definitely recommend it and want to re-watch Catch Me If You Can after reading.

Come Fly with Me swept me right into the jet-set era of the 1960s. Camille Di Maio beautifully captures the excitement and glamour of Pan Am stewardesses, while weaving a heartfelt story of friendship, love, and reinvention.

Judy and Beverly’s journeys are so different, yet their shared ambition and bond really shine. Judy’s escape from her small-town life and Beverly’s break from New York’s high society both felt authentic and deeply relatable. The vivid descriptions of their travels and the era’s cultural nuances added an extra layer of charm.

This is more than a nostalgic escape; it’s a story of resilience, adventure, and finding oneself in a world full of possibilities. If you love historical fiction with strong female characters, this one is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this delightful book!

Come Fly with Me will have you humming along with Frank Sinatra crooning that very song as you get lost in the world for Judy and Beverly.

Both ladies have made a life choice to become a Pan Am stewardess an elite position and limited to only a few applicants.

This is their story and the story of the history of the first well known stewardesses .

Judy is hiding a big secret and Beverly has given up her life style to follow their dreams.

You will cheer for both girls, laugh with girls, admire their strength and their friendship.

You will also need a kleenex .

Camille Di Marlo has done a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life and the book is well researched.

Highly recommend you spend an afternoon with your copy of Come Fly with Me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the privilege of reading and reviewing this captivating read Come Fly with Me.

This amazing book takes the reader back in time to the early 1960’s in American History. The story is about the friendship between two stewardess’ (not flight attendants) Judy and Beverly, and their different reasons for seeking employment on the prestigious Pan American Airlines.

In Come Fly With Me, author Camille Di Maio, fills the pages with dreamy descriptions of exotic destinations experienced by Judy and Beverly. They both make a list of the cities that Pan American flies that they are determined to see. Sounds like a beautiful adventure!

With all adventures and dreams in life, it is usually preceded a need. The need to be free and independent from oppressive circumstances. Di Maio develops both Judy’s and Beverly’s reasons for wanting freedom.

As employees Pan American Airlines Judy and Beverly are considered ambassadors or representatives of America. I enjoyed the patriotism and the pursuit of excellence, and being part of a team, even a family displayed by the duo and the company.

But it was not all roses, stewardesses (their preferred titles) had to buy their own uniforms, have actual weigh ins and remain single. Training was grueling and excellence demanded. Most applicants did not pass the training. A fact that I was not aware of.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will love this book. Di Maio relates actual historical events with all the exotic locations, Beverly is especially interested current events. I applaud her ability to make me feel like I was in the 1960’s.

If you are expecting some kind of female empowerment because these women are among the first to be given the opportunity to be financially independent from a man, you might be disappointed. It just seemed like they were acting their age and looking for love. Personally, I find this refreshing, but others might not like it.

Will I read a book by Camille DiMaio again? Yes, I fully appreciated and enjoyed her ability to transport me to a time before I was born. I plan to read all the books. Stay tuned for more reviews by this author in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are own.

Set during the glamorous Golden Age of flying, when Pan Am was the gold standard of air travel, Camille Di Maio’s Come Fly With Me explores the friendship of two women from vastly different backgrounds. Both seize the chance to start anew, embracing lives filled with adventure and the opportunity to travel the world.

Di Maio captures the era's charm and quirks, revealing fascinating (and sometimes shocking) details about the time. Can you believe stewardesses were required to weigh in every month? Imagine a company enforcing that today!

Yet no matter how far or fast you travel, escaping your past is never easy—a truth Judy and Beverly come to grapple with. This well-researched novel is a nostalgic, thought-provoking journey that will resonate with many readers.

4.5 stars
Historical fiction set during the jet age? SIGN ME UP! I loved this book and simply could not put it down. A great story of the glamour of the beginnings of air travel and I did learn a lot of things about Pan Am that I did not know before. The power of the friendship between Beverly and Judy was the most compelling part of the novel and something that is still with me days after finishing the book.
I will definitely be recommending this to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

Thank you to @netgalley and @LakeUnionPub for this ARC.
1962 - Both Judy and Beverly need a new start in life for completely different reasons. They each sign up to be come stewardesses for Pan Am. With only 1 in 90 making the cut, they had to pass several tests and physical requirements. If they survive, they will be able to see the world! This is such a sweet story and absolutely loved it. The requirements of a stewardess in 1962 were unreal with not only being single but they had weigh-ins before each flight. Pan Am only flying international flights, they served 7 course meals from their small galley. With my love of travel, this book was even better!

Beverly and Judy have very different backgrounds that led them to apply for the position of flight attendant to Pan Am in the 1960’s. Despite their differences, they quickly formed a close friendship that was unbreakable. This was a sweet, but also tragic, story of these young ladies’ fight to make their way in the world. I loved their story, but did find the ending of the book rather abrupt.

The 1960s were the Golden Age of air travel and Pan Am was considered the elite of the airlines - where flyers were pampered, fed fantastic meals and treated like valued guests. Many young women applied for jobs as an airline stewardess for the chance to fly to exotic places and live an exciting life.

We meet two very different women when they are applying for jobs at Pan Am. Beverly comes from a rich family and is used to living the high life in upper society but she wants more out of life. When she applies for a job as a stewardess, her father cuts her off from the family. Judy lives in a small town in Pennsylvania and is trying to find a way to leave her abusive husband. With the help of a friend, she sneaks away in the night to apply for the job. Both women are accepted and become friends. Judy has to keep her marriage a secret because married women are not allowed to become Pan Am stewardess. Beverly keeps her rich family a secret at first because she wants to be judged for herself not for her back ground. The two women room together in training and make a list of places that they want to travel. When they are both assigned to be stationed in California, their friendship grows stronger. Despite their backgrounds being so different, the two women became good friends and encouraged each other when there were problems.

This is a story about female friendships and about women encouraging other women in good and bad times. It's also a look at the comforts of flying (and if you've flown in the last few years, you know how much that has changed). I really enjoyed reading about everything the women had to go through in training and was surprised at some of the rules that they had to follow once they became stewardesses - the perfect hairdo, the same color lipstick and being weighed every month to name a few of the rules.

Be sure to read the Author's notes at the end of the book. She describes the research she did to write the book including talking to women who worked as stewardesses back in the 60s. She also discussed the fact that one of the most difficult parts of the novel was based on a true event.

I really enjoyed this book. The author's writing was interesting and her two main characters were well written and reflected the time period that they lived in. I love reading books about the strength of women's friendships. Once you finish with this book, you'll have Frank Sinatra's song "Come Fly with Me' lingering in your mind.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for trusting me with Clme Fly With Me by Camille Di Maio. I loved this book! In my younger days, I dreamed of being a flight attendant and even interviewed with Eastern Airlines.

This book is the story of Beverly and Judy from very different backgrounds who form a friendship during training to be flight attendants for Pan Am in 1962. At that time Pan Am was THE airline and the training for flight attendants was very strict. what a difference to today.

It’s 1962, and the beginning of aviation travel. Pan American is the elite way to travel, and they’ve just begun hiring stewardesses (using that term as it applied then). Many women apply, but few are chosen or make it through training, as it’s rigorous and demanding. Judy Goodman is fleeing an abusive marriage, and she must keep that marriage a secret, as it’s a strict rule that Pan Am stewardesses must be single. Her father used to play his record Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra, and Judy would dream of all the places she wanted to go. Beverly Caldwell is from a wealthy family, but wants more than to be a trophy wife to a successful husband she doesn’t love.

When both women are chosen to be stewardesses, a deep friendship develops between them, and each provides support to the other through turbulent times. They travel to exotic locations, and Beverly helps Judy find her voice and self-worth. And there is romance for the two of them as well. But as much as they try to outrun their past, it eventually catches up to them in a climatic and heart-touching moment.

A peek behind the curtain of how the airline customer service industry started was fascinating, and I enjoyed getting to see these characters grow. My first plane ride was overseas on a Pan Am jet to London, so this was a bit sentimental to me too. I’ve not read anything by this author before, but will be looking for more to read by her. Highly recommend this book - pub date is 2/18/25. Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this book; all opinions are my own.

More like 3.5

I loved the heartwarming female friendship between Judy and Beverly. It’s a relationship you want to keep close and model your own after. Lighter writing that made everything digestible. I loved the twist at the end that you could see was coming but wasn’t sure how it played out exactly.