Fly!: A Woman's Guide to Financial Freedom and Building a Life You Love

by Steph Wagner

A Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published November 11, 2025

Reviews

[elizabeth rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steph Wagner’s Fly! is the rare personal-finance book I highlighted from cover to cover and immediately wanted a physical copy of. The opening quarter is devastatingly honest: Wagner’s account of being blindsided by her husband’s affair and left to care for three young children is written with such clarity and compassion that it turns an abstract warning about dependency into something visceral and urgent. That emotional candour is the engine of the entire book — it’s the reason the practical advice that follows lands so hard.

Around Chapter 4 the book pivots into a crisp, workbook-style program: seven Steps that anyone starting from zero can follow.

1. Explore Your Relationship with Money
2. Know Your Numbers
3. Expand Your Knowledge
4. Turn Your Knowledge into Action
5. Stay the Course
6. Build Your Team
7. Get Smart With Your Love Life

Each Step follows the same effective pattern: a short, relatable memoir vignette; clear reflections to reframe your mindset; concise instruction on the financial mechanics; and immediately usable exercises and checklists. Wagner covers the essentials — debt, interest, savings, basic arbitrage ideas, investing basics, and planning frameworks — with the clarity of a trusted mentor rather than the distance of a textbook. The workbook elements are genuinely helpful: they force you to move from feeling to doing.

What makes Fly! extraordinary is the way it links money to identity. Wagner doesn’t treat financial literacy as dry arithmetic; she insists it’s a practice of self-respect and agency. Her repeated prompt — “Where do you want to go?” — transforms budgeting into a life design exercise. That integration of emotional healing and technical skill is what will make this book transformational for many readers. Wagner shows that financial freedom isn’t just about numbers — it’s about reclaiming your self-worth.

I loved this book. I highlighted so much I want a print copy to keep on my shelf and return to again and again. Highly recommended — a must-have for anyone who wants financial literacy taught with heart and real, usable steps.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Michael Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

* I received a preview copy of the book. *

Fly is an amazing blend of memoir and financial literacy guidebook for women. The author keeps the story captivating while moving through various financial topics that all people should know. I look forward to giving a copy to my daughters when it comes out.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think I was necessarily the intended audience of this book. I’m well versed in personal finance since I was incredibly fortunate to grow up in a family that talked about finances and I’ve been working in the industry for the last 3 years. As a result, I didn’t get much value out of the financial lessons or definitions provided by the author. That being said, I do believe this book has the power to help women better understand the power of knowing their finances and saving for the future. I think there’s something to be said for encouraging women to better understand their household finances and to have a voice in the financial decision making. Steph’s book encourages financial literacy, responsible spending, appropriate budgeting, and saving for the future. She provides some easy-to-digest financial lessons sprinkled into engaging story telling of her own hard lessons. I would definitely recommend this book to other women, regardless of life stage, to get a gentle introduction to financial literacy.

[Jill K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished an advance copy of Fly! and it did not disappoint. Steph makes money advice simple and approachable. It feels like the kind of guidance you’d expect from a financial advisor who is also a friend.

What I love most is her honesty. Steph tells you in a relatable and personal way how she has incorporated her own advice into her day-to-day life. She shows that no matter your salary or situation, there are always ways to save, pay off debt, and move toward your goals. Her approach works for anyone — whether single, coupled, or a family. With real stories, clear numbers, and simple exercises, she makes it feel doable.

Fly! isn’t just another money book. It gives you the confidence to start your journey to financial freedom and your dreams, no matter where you are today.

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read an advance copy and from beginning to end, Fly! feels like a conversation with your best friend and that long-forgotten college Finance 101 course wrapped into one. It’s raw, real, and deeply human—the story of someone who’s been there, lived it, survived, and then some. But it’s not a story shared for sympathy; it’s shared in solidarity. Steph took the pain from the worst moments of her life and turned it into purpose—and ultimately, joy for herself and a roadmap for the rest of us. Fly! is a love letter to all women, empowering each of us to build a life of abundance. And all we have to do is start.

[Mary Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading an advanced copy of Fly! and it's a book I'll be sharing with every woman in my family, and the men too. No matter your age or financial situation, this book offers empowering, practical advice and clear, actionable steps to take control of your financial life. Steph Wagner weaves her own inspiring personal story, openly sharing both the triumphs and challenges that shaped her journey. Fly! is more than a financial guide, it's a roadmap to confidence, resilience and true indepence.

[Kim Handelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of this book, and wow! I've already started to implement Steph's practical steps, and it's opened my eyes to how I can change the trajectory of my financial journey. Her honesty about her own journey made me feel like "if she can do it so can I!" This isn't some GURU telling you to do unrealistic things, it's a really smart woman talking to you like a girlfriend - totally accessible and practical. My money story is long and ugly. This book showed me that I'm not alone and that even later in life, I can turn things around! THANK YOU STEPH!

[Molly Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steph's book is an inspiring tale of a woman who rebuilt her life after a devastating divorce. She documents her struggle to gain financial independence as a single mom. She then shares her 'hard-earned' financial advice and wisdom to help women (and men!) do the same in their own lives. Steph's financial lessons are practical for both a young person just starting out and also a person worth seven figures.

[Albert Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of “Fly” and well, wouldn’t you know it, it’s sensational. Steph Wagner’s expert ability to encourage and help her readers build a financial plan is paired with the warmth, honesty, and humor that makes it a great read.

[Tessa Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Fly! and I can’t wait to use her advice and apply it to my life. I have yet to reference her website, but I hope it’s relatively easy to find her sheets. She does a great job of breaking down all of the elements of investing and I love her ideas on budgeting.

[Lilia Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fly! is the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve closed the cover. I was fortunate enough to receive an Advanced Reader Copy, and I absorbed every piece of knowledge Steph Wagner had to give. She writes with raw honesty, making financial literacy feel like a face-to-face conversation rather than a lecture. Her guidance feels like the mother many of us never had when it comes to money—gentle, clear, and empowering. The financial lessons are invaluable, but her reflections on love and self-discovery make the book even more powerful. Chapter 10 was a standout for me, and I know I’ll carry her lessons into my 20s. This isn’t just for women in midlife; it’s essential reading for any young woman today. A must-read on financial independence, love, and family.