The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club

A Novel

By: Helen Simonson

Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham, Helen Simonson

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Historical fiction of the highest order . . . an absolute joy of a book, warm and romantic, and with so much to say about the lives of women in the years following World War I.”—Ann Napolitano, bestselling author of Hello Beautiful

A timeless comedy of manners—refreshing as a summer breeze and bracing as the British seaside—about a generation of young women facing the seismic changes brought on by war and dreaming of the boundless possibilities of their future, from the bestselling author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

A PARADE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

It is the summer of 1919, and Constance Haverhill is without prospects. Now that all the men have returned from the front, she has been asked to give up her cottage and her job at the estate she helped run during the war. While she looks for a position as a bookkeeper or—horror—a governess, she’s sent as a lady’s companion to an old family friend who is convalescing at a seaside hotel. Despite having only weeks to find a permanent home, Constance is swept up in the social whirl of Hazelbourne-on-Sea after she rescues the local baronet’s daughter, Poppy Wirrall, from a social faux pas.

Poppy wears trousers, operates a taxi and delivery service to employ local women, and runs a ladies’ motorcycle club (to which she plans to add flying lessons). She and her friends enthusiastically welcome Constance into their circle. And then there is Harris, Poppy’s recalcitrant but handsome brother—a fighter pilot recently wounded in battle—who warms in Constance’s presence. But things are more complicated than they seem in this sunny pocket of English high society. As the country prepares to celebrate its hard-won peace, Constance and the women of the club are forced to confront the fact that the freedoms they gained during the war are being revoked.

Whip-smart and utterly transportive, The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is historical fiction of the highest order: an unforgettable coming-of-age story, a tender romance, and a portrait of a nation on the brink of change.

©2024 Helen Simonson (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Simonson expertly probes cultural tensions hindering her characters’ efforts at post-war reinvention, including the immense human cost of combat, the hypocrisy of letting women work during wartime but not afterward.”—Shelf Awareness

“Simonson knows a good era when she sees one, so Hazelbourne is set in a seaside town just after World War I, with romance and women chafing under the constraints of society after war showed them what is possible when they’re given the chance.”—Parade

“The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is an absolute joy of a book. Warm and romantic, it also has so much to say about the lives of women in the years following World War I. This is historical fiction of the highest order—pleasurable and smart.”—Ann Napolitano, bestselling author of Hello Beautiful

The women riding motorcycles and learning to fly

I liked the story. It had plenty of twists and turns and kept me wanting to hear more. I liked the ending but was sorry when the book was finished!

Historical fiction.

Loved the story strong resilience and women empowerment. We have come a long way from this time

Very romantic

The story has a lot of charm, wit and suspense. Really nasty, snobby villains. Overall Constance is very likable except for the fact that she complains a bit too much to everyone about her circumstances. It seems like she is trying to make everyone feel uncomfortable and sorry for her, which doesn’t align with the rest of her personality. I wish more of those worries about how poor she is were kept as internal thoughts.

Escape to 1919

Keeps you moving from one character to the next while the plot materializes.
Lots of characters all with beauty and quirkiness. At the end I am a little sad since I want to know what each of them did with their lives.

Loved the characters!

This really was entertaining. I loved the characters and their quirkiness. It was a "values" piece without getting preachy. Also thoughtfully presented the dilemma of women following the war - but also of government, men and society in general.

Such a delight!

This book was such a delight to read. I love reading historical fiction and the author did a wonderful job transporting me back in time to the English seaside. The narrator was amazing with all the different voices for such a variety of interesting characters. I loved the story so much, I might just read/listen again!

Engaging at every step

Loved this book! Felt a bit like a post WW I Jane Austen novel. Touched on many social issues while keeping you engaged in the story throughout.

Great storyline and beautiful ending.

I enjoyed the weaving of history into the story as well as the characters and lovestory.

Just no words!

Increíble novel. Wonderful writing. I can’t use my lame review vocabulary to describe this novel so I’ll just stop. Please read.

economic vulnerability of women

The story is written in linear time rather than flipping back and forth for different characters as with so many current books.