Five On The Fly - Books Edition

I am going to be honest: I am feeling exhausted. Between work and life, there is little inspiration left in me to write about fashion and beauty. When moments like that hit, I turn to books. Especially novels set in another country that feel like a mental escape. It has also been a while since I have done a Five On The Fly, so I thought I would write one up about the best contemporary novels I have read in the last six months that I think are worth your time. Given that so many of you will be traveling over the next few weeks, the timing felt right. Something to tuck into your bag for the beach, the pool, the lake, the porch or wherever the wind takes you.

As a kid, I loved fantasy (Harry Potter, LOTR, Hunger Games and the like), mysteries, thrillers, and historical fiction, and then shifted mostly into contemporary novels in my 20s. Then in my late 30s as postpartum hit, and a podcast and a friend simultaneously nudged me back toward fantasy, and I fell hard all over again. More recently I have found my way back to contemporary fiction too. For contemporary books, I do read a fair number of reviews ahead of time to make sure nothing triggering will come up, or if it is sensitive territory, that the writing handles it with enough care to make it worth the read. Below are the five books that made the cut. I am keeping my review a little vague on purpose so as not to give too much away. Also, I read all of these on my Kindle through Libby, which is one of the best perks of having a library card!

Green Dot by Madeleine Gray - Contemporary literary fiction with coming of age and romance themes
I love reading about someone navigating their first real job and all the messiness that comes with it. Set in Sydney, this was the perfect read going into our trip there over the holidays last year. I loved the way the author explored relationships and how we tie ourselves to things, convincing ourselves of whatever feels most convenient in the moment.

Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley - Contemporary literary fiction and contemporary romance with some social comedy
New love, relationships, motherhood, career. All the things I find endlessly fascinating. Set in London (and I love a book that lets the city itself become a character), the author had a real gift for articulating so many of the raw, tangled feelings I experienced after having a kid and trying to figure out what my career looked like on the other side of that. This one sat with me for a long time after I finished it.

Finding Grace by - Contemporary literary fiction crossed with romance and mystery
I finished this in two days. The first sentence hooks you immediately, and by the end of the first chapter you are so dazed there is simply no putting it down. The narrator is unlike anything I have come across before in this genre (I genuinely cannot say more without ruining it), and I was hook, line and sinker from the start. It covers love, loss, grief and the slow work of moving forward. Published in 2025 and somehow flying completely under the radar, I only discovered it through a late night Instagram doomscroll. A video popped up of someone (the author) going through what would be in different characters’ bags (you all know I cannot resist a what’s in my bag moment), I clicked through to her profile, realized she was an author, found the book on Libby and started reading immediately.

One and Only by - Contemporary romantic fiction with magical realism
Such a fun beach read. I read this one on holiday in Menorca. It has love, relationships and a little bit of magic woven in, and it has the exact energy of a book that was made to become a rom-com movie. In the best possible way.

Are You Mad At Me by Meg Josephson - Nonfiction: self-help and psychology, specifically in the mental health and personal development space.
Okay so this one is not a novel, but it is like looking straight into a mirror, especially if you are someone who tends toward people pleasing. Highly recommend it if you want to start recognizing the behaviors that might be keeping you stuck in patterns you know are not working for you.

BONUS:

I realize I have spoken about vacation packing in many of my newsletters before. What I did to prep for the trip, what I did on the trip, and so on. But I rarely share what happens when I get home. The process of returning, unpacking and resetting for real life is an art. Not a sexy art, but an art nonetheless.

Here are five things (continuing the Five On The Fly theme) that I try to always have on hand to help with the transition back home.

Flamingo Estate Heirloom Tomato Candle
As soon as we walk in the door, I wash my hands and light a candle or some incense. Sometimes a locked home can smell musty and I just can’t have that. If I have it at home, my absolute favorite is the Heirloom Tomato candle from Flamingo Estate. I have to motivate myself into being excited to be back home after a trip, and a great scent goes a long way. Especially when you are the type of person who unpacks the moment you walk through the door.

Dirty Labs Detergent
Unless we come home at midnight, I am doing laundry right away. Clothes go straight into the washer and I jump into the shower. Hands down the best scented detergent I have used that does not irritate my skin is Dirty Labs. And it actually cleans the clothes and keeps them smelling fresh. I have been using it since 2020 and the green bottle (Bergamot scent) is my favorite. It also washes really well in cold water, which is a huge plus. For what it’s worth, I use this for my silks and cashmere without any issues.

Dawn Foam
A note on stains - anything with food or sunscreen or makeup that I could not get out on the trip gets treated with Dawn Foam to soak first before going into the washer. Even as I am typing this, my jeans are soaking in Dawn Foam after a matcha incident at work (in the crotch, no less) this morning.

Biom Wipes
Once the clothes are out of the suitcase and into the washer, I wipe down my luggage with Biom all purpose wipes. I first discovered them when I was prepping our house for a baby (back in 2022!) but I have kept refilling these ever since. Two reasons: the cases are genuinely beautiful and can live out in the open without looking out of place, and they actually clean really well. I always wipe the suitcases top to bottom, get the wheels, let them dry and then store them in the closet. And no, I do not think that is excessive. We drag those things through streets and airports and I am not bringing all of that into my home.

Paume Hand Sanitizer
My travel handbag is machine washable so that goes straight into the wash too, but everything inside gets a wipe down with Paume hand sanitizer sprayed onto a wipe. My battery pack, chargers, and any miscellaneous toiletries all get the same treatment. I also discovered Paume during my pre-baby nesting phase and have been buying refills for four years now. Like Biom, the Paume dispensers look really nice sitting out, which means I actively see and use it. The formula is also moisturizing so my hands do not dry out, and it has never left any weird film on my things.

Once I am clean, the house smells good and the laundry is running, I can finally get into bed. Oh, one more thing: I always change the sheets the day we leave so we come home to a fresh bed to collapse into.

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There are a few affiliate links used in this newsletter which means I may get a small commission if you buy something (at no cost to you). Thank you for trusting my recommendations.