In "Come Fly Away with Me," you'll be intoxicated by the allure of air travel during the jet age. Pan Am wasn't just transportation – flying with them was an event dripping with glamour and possibility. The novel transports us to an era when Pan Am stewardesses embodied both sophistication and liberation, their powder-blue uniforms and perfectly coiffed hair becoming symbols of mid-century modern elegance.

Through the intertwining stories of Beverly and Judy, we witness how Pan Am's strict requirements for its stewardesses – young, single, beautiful, educated – created an elite corps of women who became the face of luxury air travel. The airline's exacting standards, while problematic by today's measures, contributed to an aura of exclusivity that made flying Pan Am feel like joining an exclusive club at 35,000 feet.

The novel weaves together the personal liberation these women sought with the broader cultural context of the 1960s. Pan Am stewardesses were among the most traveled women in the world at a time when most women rarely left their hometowns. They served cocktails in the clouds, spoke multiple languages, and navigated international customs - with ease and grace. Their sophisticated image was carefully cultivated – from their white gloves to their ability to serve a perfect omelet – the detail revealed in this book shows the high standards set by jet-age glamour.

What makes this book particularly compelling is its exploration of the paradox these women lived: they were simultaneously symbols of female empowerment and objects of male fantasy. The author doesn't shy away from showing how Pan Am's stewardesses used this duality to their advantage, leveraging their positions to gain independence, travel the world, and escape societal constraints, all while working within a system commodifying their appearance and youth.

The epistolary elements scattered throughout the narrative add mystery and depth, culminating in a revelation that grounds these glamorous heights in stark emotional reality. This literary device effectively demonstrates how beneath the perfectly maintained exterior of Pan Am's golden age lay complex personal stories of ambition, escape, and reinvention.

For anyone fascinated by the romance of air travel's golden age, this novel is a first-class ticket to an era when flying was sexy, sophisticated, and full of promise (there isn't a screaming TSA agent, X-ray machine, cramped coach seat in sight). It reminds us of a time when Pan Am's stewardesses were more than service providers – they were ambassadors of the jet age, representing American glamour and sophistication across the globe. Through its compelling narrative and rich historical detail (seriously, this is a well researched novel), "Come Fly Away with Me" celebrates the allure of that era and the remarkable women who helped define it.

SPECTACULAR!!

I read this spectacular book in less than 24 hours! You should add it to the top of your TBR List immediately! It is a fabulous story of PanAm stewardesses in the 60’s. DiMaio tells a beautiful, heartfelt tale of two women from very different worlds who meet when they first interview to be accepted into Stewardess training. Each is running from something, and they form a friendship for ages. These two make a pact to visit all the places in Frank Sinatra’s song, “Come Fly With Me,” and immediately start developing a plan. As their careers take off, so do their personal lives, and they find the happiness they never dreamed possible.

While reading this book, DiMaio’s writing impressed me. She made me think of the blessings of friendships I have and how much I cherish those relationships. I also thought of the loss of one of my dearest friends and the void I feel in my life without her. Her friendship will forever influence my life (and the lives of the thousands of others she influenced). Come Fly With Me is not to be missed!

Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley gave me a complimentary copy of this book. However, my opinions are entirely my own and uninfluenced.

Come Fly with Me was amazing! I fell in love with both of the female lead characters and was swept away to the 1960's Pan Am era! This story was hard to put down and gave me all the feels while reading. I cannot recommend this romantic, nostalgic, historical fiction enough to any reader! Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC opportunity.

Camille Di Maio at her best! It's 1962 and Judy Goodman and Beverly Caldwell long to spread their wings. Hailing from two different worlds, the women enlist in the Pan Am stewardess program, escaping the confines of their past. Up in the sky, the women become fast friends, sharing heartache and secrets, challenges and love.

Di Maio tells a well-crafted and expertly researched story of courage and enduring friendship. She weaves the POVs and jumps from past to present effortlessly while capturing the golden era of Pan Am. I've never read a Di Maio novel without shedding some tears knowing I've just taken a beautiful journey with characters I won't soon forget.

Make sure to read the Authors Note!

Judy had to find a way out. The emotional and physical abuse in her small town horrible marriage has pushed her over the edge. In 1962 it was nearly impossible for a woman to do anything on her own. Where would she go and how would she survive? With the help of her neighbor/friend she devises a plan. Judy applies to become a Pan American stewardess. She fits the very specific requirements, secretly sends in the application and waits. Beverly has everything a girl could ever dream of. She lives in her magnificent family home in NYC, attends teas and balls wearing only the finest ensembles and has a very fitting suitor waiting to pop the question. Although Judy and Beverly have very different reasons for desperately wanting this opportunity with Pan Am, their bags are packed and they are ready to go on this once in a lifetime journey. As only 1 in 50 applicants have a chance to wear the lipstick and tailored uniform, they do everything they can to pass the many tests given. Focusing on their hearts desire for the first time in their lives encourages the drive they need to be selected. An unlikely friendship blossoms as the two very different women travel the world and find their wings to fly. Romance, intrigue, and suspense, this novel is your ticket to a fascinating bygone era.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

In 1962, the Jet Set era, only Fashion Models and Movie Stars garnered more notoriety than a Pan Am stewardess.

Only 1 in 50 applicants would be offered the opportunity to attend training, and 30% of those young women would not last until graduation.

Those chosen could not wear contact lenses or glasses, and must be willing to cut their hair to the approved hairstyle and wear Revlon Persian Melon lipstick and a light coating of blue eyeshadow to match the coveted signature royal blue uniform with the pill box hats. Weight checks would also be conducted throughout training and the 6 month probationary period.

Since you couldn’t be married, over be over age of 35, (until that changed in the early 1970’s) the average career span was 18 months-but it was a glamorous lifestyle that many envied but few could obtain.

“Come Fly With Me” is a story named after the Frank Sinatra classic, based on the history of this ICONIC airline, which follows the story of TWO hopeful young women as they navigate the rigorous training and first year of flying-but it is also about their ENDURING friendship.

Judy Goodman was running away from an abusive marriage in a small town, so she will have to lie about being “SINGLE” when she applies for the position.

Beverly Caldwell grew up in New York society and was expected to marry a suitor from another respectable family rather than pursue a future of her own making.

The story unfolds from their alternating POV’s in the PAST, and from an unnamed narrator in the PRESENT from Mo’orea, French Polynesia.

As a career flight attendant myself, this story brought back fond memories, and some “not so fond” such as my days in training. (The author only touched on the emergency drills a flight attendant is trained on!) When I was hired in the 80’s, by another major airline, we still had to weigh in, and be willing to cut our hair and don the preferred RED lipstick 💄 of the times. And, heels 👠 are still required to this day.

Although it might help if you are interested in this career or in the airline industry, or if you enjoyed the nostalgia of the 2011 ABC TV show, Pan Am-EVERY reader will be able to relate to Judy and Beverly’s LOYAL and unwavering friendship.

The ending brought tears to my eyes!
Days later-I am still thinking about it!

DO READ the Author’s note in its entirety when you finish! Heartbreaking 💔

This title will be available on February 18, 2025.

Thank You to Lake Union Publishing for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

A book set in the 1960s about two newly-minted PanAm stewardesses who need a change in their lives.

One was Judy Goodman, a nice little wife from Pennsylvania with a not-so-nice husband. The other was Beverly Caldwell, a daughter of a wealthy Wall Street workaholic father and an emotionally detached mother. They both run to PanAm and it indeed changes their lives.

The info about PanAm was so fascinating, and it really was what drew me to the book. I loved imaging the ladies in their blue dresses and heels, and I loved reading about the many places they visited, especially the Asian route! Mr. Chan was probably one of my favorite characters.

I loved how this book really encapsulated how steadfast the stewardesses were. To themselves, to the people they loved, and to the airline they represented. Judy and Beverly thought of each other like sisters and it made it very heartwarming to read about their friendship.

(Light spoilers ahead)

Speaking of friendships: I loved how they were represented in this book. At every turn, the women had someone cheering them on. Early in the book, Judy had Ronelle and I loved that for her. Someone who helped her leave a life threatening situation. Later on, when Beverly met the two girls in Oahu, they immediately welcomed her in with no judgment. Even their relationships with Joe and Mark were so lovely and heartwarming.

(Heavy spoilers ahead)

The reveal that it was Judy in present day Mo'orea, and that Beverly died young was gutting. The last POV of Beverly had me sobbing. It was incredible.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Although I have slightly rounded up the score, the book's beginning and end really solidified my impressions of this book.

Di Maio's book only features a small range of characters, making it a somewhat intimate story. We have two narrators, Beverly and Judy, and one of the women at a later age (no spoiler, it's the first chapter). Years ago, I read a book about the life of a Pan Am steward that exemplified the excitement of going into the air post-war for a gold dust job. You had to be intelligent, skinny, pretty, etc.

Okay, so let's refer to this book. We have Judy, leaving behind an abusive marriage and Beverly, a 'poor little rich girl' ready to strikeout. They join a cohort and become BFFs as they traverse the world together. I wondered what type of book this would have been, but it amounts to historical fiction and is somewhat of a thriller.

I almost read this on holiday but ran out of time. This is the ideal book for a post-holiday read. I enjoyed some of the descriptions of these tropical places. I was also intrigued by the fact that where Caesar was assassinated is now a restaurant.

Its audience is women who like romance, hence why it almost went into 3-star territory, but all of the details about flying, life in '62, and the sense of friendship sing through the novel. I'd read another of her books.

Judy Goodman and Beverly Caldwell have different reasons for putting continents and oceans between themselves and their disparate pasts, but they have the same desire—to earn a coveted position on an elite team of stewardesses for Pan American Airlines. For Judy, running away from an oppressive marriage in small-town Pennsylvania is a risk she must take. And for Beverly, leaving behind the gilded cage of New York society will allow her to pursue a future of her own making.

Embracing the culture, etiquette, and strict rules of a thrilling and unpredictable new world above the clouds, Judy and Beverly are bound for faraway destinations and opportunities that other women dare only to dream about. But as they build a deep friendship, encounter love and danger, and discover what’s truly important, Judy and Beverly must also confront the secrets that could change their lives all over again—and forever.

Loved it. Will recommend to others

Pack your bags for this Pan Am flight back to the early 1960’s where you will have a five star experience from start to finish. What a fabulous story and trip down memory lane!

Judy Goodman and Beverly Caldwell are both young women who are trying to escape their current family situations by joining the glamorous ranks of being a Pan Am stewardess. It’s 1962 when career choices for women outside the home were limited to becoming nurses, teachers or secretaries. With the advent of The Golden Age of Air Travel, the life of a stewardess offered travel to exotic locales, an opportunity to meet eligible men and a chance to join a sisterhood of like minded women. As our two protagonists form a deep friendship, their secrets, fears, hopes and dreams for the future are revealed as they navigate the skies, travel the world and face their personal demons that set them in motion.

As a teen in the 60’s who lived six miles from Idlewild Airport (now known as JFK), the airport was our playground as we ran through the tunnels in the Pan Am and TWA terminals and laid on the ground watching planes fly overhead. With vivid images of the beautiful stewardesses, I can remember as we talked about all the faraway places these women traveled to and that we hoped to visit someday. Written with impeccable research about this time in aviation, Ms. Di Maio takes the reader on a glorious trip through the friendship and lives of these women. Be sure to read the Author Notes AFTER you’ve read the story.

Thank you, thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Camille Di Maio for providing this grateful reader with a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed reading about pan am airline. I was totally invested in the two main characters Judy and Beverly and I thought their story flowed really well and kept me interested till the end. Highly recommend if your into historical fiction. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

We meet Beverly and Judy.

Both women are running from something - Judy, an abusive husband - Beverly, a life of luxury that she was tired of and wanted to make it on her own.

Both women meet at Pan Am's exclusive school for airline attendants.

What a rough ride back in the 1960's with all the rules and restrictions put on flight attendants.

Ms. Di Maio did marvelous research about Pan Am - a very classy, glamorous place to work with high standards, and she gives us two characters you will be cheering on to make it to their goals as well as sharing what the life of flight attendants is like both at work and in their personal lives.

Another heartfelt storyline and wonderful characters that are signature Camille. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Really enjoyed this book. I LOVE to learn about the history of women's roles at companies or jobs or history. This was so interesting to read how different air travel is compared to now. Especially how the stewardesses prepared food, lol

The book flowed very well, and the characters' relationships were natural and I felt invested.

Really like this author's books and I was happy to read this newest one. Looking forward to the next!

This is a very good book. It is the first I have read from this author but I hope it will not be the last. In the 50’s, 60’s and even into the 70’s women didn’t have much of a choice career wise. Teachers, secretaries, nursing or being a stay at home mom were our main choices. I am envious of all of the opportunities open to women today. Airline stewardess were mostly women but the jobs were not plentiful and it was hard to meet the strict requirements. This book was about Pan Am stewardess- two of them in particular. The story was interesting and the characters relatable. I will be recommending this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

I enjoyed this look back at Pan Am Airlines. I liked both of the main characters and I was rooting for them. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction!

The author conducted extensive study by speaking with former stewardesses. The 1960s were regarded as the travel industry's golden age. Employee behavior and appearance were subject to stringent regulations. Some of it was new to me, and some I was familiar with. Although the author admits that she had to twist some facts to make the tale flow naturally, the industry details are largely genuine.Despite coming from such different backgrounds, the two main characters, Judy and Beverly, had a fantastic bond. Both of them learned from their decisions. The book took an unexpected turn toward the end. Even though it was alluded to throughout, it was unexpected. Once more, it was inspired by an actual event. A good story. Fantastic cover, really nostalgic!

I was intrigued to read this historical fiction as I didn’t know much about the Pan Am airlines. Pretty early on I almost put the book down but I am glad I finished it. It’s a bit about Pan Am and the times and also a bit about family dysfunction. The first half was barely a 3 star for me but the second half pulled me in.

Thank you to Allie for providing me an early release in exchange for a fair honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy for my honest review. * Book comes out February 2025!!*

This book follows two newly appointed Pan Am stewardesses running from their current lives toward their new adventures. One is running from the constraints of an abusing marriage, and the other is running from the gilded cage of New York society and the expectations that come with it. This book is filled with love, travel, beautiful friendship and deep family relationships. I just really really loved this book.

Also thank you to the author Camille Di Maio for completely transporting me to the 1960’s! The Golden Age of travel and the iconic time of the Pan American Airline!! The research put into this book, I mean wow. So many key events during this time are mentioned and woven into the story so perfectly. I’m now wondering if this is the first historical fiction novel I’ve read that wasn’t about WW2.

Come Fly With Me, a multilayered play on words on the Frank Sinatra classic, chronicles the life changing adventures of Beverly and Judy, two newly minted PanAm stewardesses in the days when flying first class was an event not soon forgotten. Both women have left devils behind them : Judy has fled from her abusive husband and Beverly has fled the constraints of the privileged life of Park Avenue.

The story proceeds somewhat predictably but not without intrigue and romance. This book is squarely in the category of chick-lit but for that genre, it’s quite good. I would like to read more by this author.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

“Come Fly With Me” is Camille Di Maio’s newest novel and focuses on the Golden Age of travel when airline passengers were not herded like cattle, squeezed into impossible to fit in seats.

Judy and Beverly have different reasons to become Pan Am stewardesses. In fact, they’re literally “flying away” from their troubles. Judy is fleeing a marriage while Beverly flees the expectations of being part of New York society. The two become friends as their new positions lead them on paths of self-discovery.

I recently read Ann’s Hood memoir (“Fly Good”) of being a flight attendant and this novel stays true to that history with the author’s extensive research of the aviation industry in the sixties. While the female characters, especially Judy and Beverly, were exceptionally well developed, the attention to male characters were more stereotypical. That would not be such a problem but part of the novel focuses on these “strong” women falling for these men.

Overall, this is a good read for someone who wants to glimpse a time in our history when flying itself was an enjoyable experience.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Net Galley for a chance to read and review this book.