I really enjoyed the newest from Camille Di Maio. Come Fly With Me follows Judy and Beverly as they try to become Pan Am stewardess'. With each trying to get away from something at home, there's plenty of getting to know these great characters, as well as seeing some wonderful destinations. This just had me from page 1 and is a great addition to any historical fiction readers TBR. A huge thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced e-copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I am not sure why but this book did not work for me. However, as I always say when I don't like a book, just because I did not like the book, it doesn't mean that someone else won't like it. It also doesn't necessarily mean that I may not like another book by the same author. Or even that I may not like the book if I try it again in the future...

What a wonderful historical fiction novel that I completely fell in love with! I am surprised I had never heard of this author but will definitely keep track of her and her books! This book was so easy to read and the friendship between Judy and Beverly was so heartfelt! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

What an affirming story of female friendship. Judy and Beverly are so sweet together and the backdrop of Pan Am was fascinating. A great read!

I shared a reveal of this gorgeous cover months ago and have been counting the days until I can post about what’s inside ever since. The story, told in dual POV, features a love story (or two), dreams, dedication, and friendship. The dream was to be chosen as a Pan Am Stewardess. The stress continued after acceptance and throughout the rigorous training program. The plot is fantastic and was presented in a way that made me sit straighter and hold my head higher as I read. The class of this group of women and their opposing personalities made it a joy to read. Then, a little bomb was dropped, and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this book to anyone ready for a wide range of emotions while learning about a sophisticated time in history.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Come Fly With Me" and all opinions expressed are my own. One of my go to authors. This was a beautiful story that I enjoyed reading.

I really thought I would love this book, but I just couldn’t get into it. I’m not overly sure why - perhaps the storyline just wasn’t what I expected from the blurb, but I ended up not finishing it. I’ll give it another go in the future, but for now this just isn’t the book for me.

I adored this book and the way the author draws out such beautiful heartfelt emotion. I loved the friendships Judy has with Ronelle and Beverly and the way the women stick together and take care of each other in a time when men still dominate in the workforce and some dominate at home. Learning so much about Pan Am and what it took to be a stewardess was fascinating and I enjoyed reading about the places they visited. The setting in PA is very close to where I live and it's always interesting to read books set in places close to home. My city is even mentioned as a train stop. I always devour the author's notes and Camille's had me shedding a few more tears as my dad and I always enjoyed watching the planes together too.

Absolutely a beautiful story. One that is full of adventure and some really hard domestic abuse.. But the story is told with such grace! The history is well researched and the characters fully developed and engaging!

I love finding historical fiction novels about things that aren't a mainstream part in history. In Come Fly With Me, we get a glimpse of what it was like to be a new Pan Am stewardess. I was invested in both the main character's storylines and how they intertwined with each other, learning how to be strong and independent in their own ways with each other's support.

Without spoilers, I was a little saddened with the ending, but also knew it was coming.

3.5/5

I absolutely loved this story. Come Fly With Me at its heart is a beautiful story of female friendship that takes place during the Golden Age of air travel. This was my first book by this author and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Come Fly to Me is a historical novel set in 1962 - 1963. Two very different women, Judy Goodman and Beverly Caldwell, begin work as Pan Am flight attendants. Judy is escaping a violent marriage and lies about her marital status in order to apply. (Pan Am flight attendants during this time period had to be single.) Beverly is tired of her NYC society life and her controlling father. Judy and Beverly become fast friends while training in Florida. They bond over their love of Sinatra music and determine to fly to the locations he mentioned in song. The story follows them as they begin their careers and both navigate new romances and complications from their old lives.

I wanted to read Come Fly With Me because I love reading about the 1960's. I also am interested in Pan Am and this glamorous time in air travel.

The author did a wonderful job with period details, which were subtle and never detracted from the storyline. She also did a great job alternating between Judy and Beverly's viewpoints.

I really loved this book. I read it over a weekend and I was so engrossed in the story that I read every moment I had free time! I found it both entertaining and very moving. I looked up a few flight details from the book and learned some new flight history because of this novel. I highly recommend Come Fly With Me for other fans of historical fiction, and especially for other readers who love the Mid-Century time period. Five enthusiastic stars!

I didn’t know I needed this book. It started out a little as one thing and morphed into something surprising.

There are three narrators. Beverly and Judy in the 1960s telling how they became coveted Pan Am flight attendants. And in the present, a mystery narrator discusses their past and spreading their friend’s ashes.

It’s a beautiful story of friendship and how life was for women in the 1960s. I quickly fell in love with the two and their new glamorous life. Their travels. Their friendship. Their romances.

The descriptions of their exotic locations surrounded me. French Polynesia and Hawaii. It made me want to jump on a plane.

I loved getting to know the loves of the two. Their history. Their family. And how their new adventures changed their lives.

While not really focused on the romance, I loved that we got to know the men in their lives. Joe and Mark were both swoon worthy in their own way.

This ultimately grabbed me and was a warm hug. The golden age of flying. These woman and their larger than life experience.

Such a great read.

I’ve been off Historical Fiction, lately, as it mainly seems to come in the WW2 variety.

I love that I’m finding more books that deviate from that period.

The Matrix – 12th Century
Joan – 15th Century
The Briar Club – 1950s
Lessons in Chemistry – 1960s

This book is another excellent example.

It’s also super-niche – specifically focused on the ‘golden age’ of PanAm air travel.

I loved all the nerdy details about becoming a flight attendant – some of them haven’t aged well – and now understand why it was such a sought-after career.

My favourite part, though? The strong female characters, nurturing strong female to-the-bitter-bitter-bitter-end friendships.

I’m here for all of it.

(Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an eARC of the book.)

I learned about the many tasks stewardesses were in charge of and what they had to deal with. The story is split between the two main characters who leave their old lives behind to pursue a life with more freedom. I liked reading about the close friendship between the two women as they experienced their new lives together. Compared to the more "traditionally feminine" roles at the time, being a stewardess and being able to fly around the world was a new and exciting opportunity for women. The research the author did for the book showed in the details of the story.

(CW: death, grief, plane crash, misogyny, sexual assault, domestic violence, abusive relationship)

Last night I finished reading Come Fly with Me for one of my book clubs. Excellent, touching, informative book about Pan Am's stewardesses in the early 1960's. Loved this book and it will stay with me a long time. Great characters! More than historical fiction, a story of women evolving and gaind their own independence! Thanks to Camille DeMaio for writing this book! And, thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Press for the ARC!

"Come Fly With Me" by Camille Di Maio combined so many things I enjoy in stories: adventure, pioneering women, historical fiction, And I've always had a fascination with early air travel and the development of the flight attendant program.

Judy and Beverly come from different backgrounds (Judy is from small-town Pennsylvania while Beverly is from high-society New York City), but both are applying for the Pan Am flight attendant program for different (but similar) reasons and the two soon hit it off and become close friends as they navigate the strict requirements in hopes of having the chance to explore the world.

As the two become flight attendants, we see their relationship develop as they each also learn more about themselves and life itself.

We know from the beginning that there is a tragedy in the future, so readers are immediately invested in following along and finding out what really happened.

I knew I would like this book, but I didn' t know I would like it so much that I would finish it in two days--the writing was engrossing, the characters realistic and likable, the plot fast-paced, and, of course, I loved reading about what they had to learn and the adventures they took.

Book: Come Fly With Me
Author: Camille Di Maio
Format: Digital
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Places Featured: Several
Review Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Really well researched historical novel regarding TWA stewardesses. The Point of View (POV) alternates between two stewardesses who become friends and also journal entries from French Polynesia. I loved both the main characters.

Weigh-ins and management turning a blind eye to fondling of the stewardesses by customers; average length of time that stewardesses were in the air was about 18 months, as they were single and attractive. (Evidently some men booked flights to find perspective mates.)

Well written, very interesting. I'm nearing 60 and still remember the ashtrays in the armrests.

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley ... for yet again introducing me to a new-to-me author. And thank you to Lake Union Publishing for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Come Fly With Me in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date Feb 18, 2025.

Come Fly With Me is a beautiful story. Judy and Beverly are looking for a change in their lives and apply to be stewardesses for PanAm. This story takes you on a journey of their blossoming friendship and to beautiful locations as they begin their careers. Di Maio shared in great detail what it was like for a woman to work for PanAm back in the 60's, including all of the rules and regulations. Her characters were very well developed and relatable. I enjoyed reading this story.

The first chapter sets this emotional book up as a melancholy read, and overall I loved it. This is a story of female friendships, resilience and love. I like historical fiction, but get tired of war related topics. This didn’t touch on a war but instead the beginnings of airline travel and the stewardesses who made that better. Great read in my opinion!