The bi nurse, Olive Murphy, may be terrified of flying, but when a medical emergency strikes mid-flight, she leaps into action without hesitation. Not only does she save a man’s life, but she also catches the attention of Allied Airlines’ copilot Stella Soriano. When their flight gets canceled, Stella offers Olive an unexpected escape: a road trip together.
What starts as a fleeting adventure soon turns into something more complex. Just as Olive thinks their time together is over, Stella proposes an unconventional arrangement — why not pretend to date? For Olive, it’s a way to handle the sudden media attention after a viral video of her in-flight heroism. For Stella, it’s a chance to boost her public profile and finally earn the promotion to captain she deserves.
But as their fake relationship unfolds, so do real feelings. Fly with Me (2023) follows Olive and Stella as their connection deepens, blending humor, steamy romance, and heartfelt emotion. Yet love doesn’t come easy — both women grapple with grief, family struggles, and the weight of their own insecurities. Olive has spent years being told she’s “too much”, while Stella fights to prove she’s worthy of her dreams.
Praised as “an amazing sapphic romance” (Culturess) and named one of Autostraddle’s Best Queer Books of 2023, Fly with Me strikes a delicate balance between joy and sorrow. Author Andie Burke describes it as a story where “fun fake dating happens alongside both characters’ heavier family and mental health [struggles]” (The Nerd Daily). In it, both heroines must confront their pasts to believe they’re deserving of a happy ending.
The novel features a diverse queer cast, including Olive’s gay best friend Derek, her gay older brother Jake, Stella’s trans coworker Esther, and a bi side character in Suzanne. While sexuality isn’t the central focus, the book doesn’t shy away from real-world biases, like when a drunk colleague dismisses Olive’s bisexuality, leaving her frustrated but silent.
At its core, Fly with Me is a romance that feels graciously real. It celebrates love while acknowledging life’s messiness — family conflicts, grief, mental health, and career challenges all weave into Olive and Stella’s story. Heartwarming, poignant, and deeply human, this novel proves that the best love stories aren’t perfect — they’re honest.