What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club
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
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.
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.
423 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2024
2259 people are currently reading
40103 people want to read
About the author
Helen Simonson
4 books2,526 followersHelen Simonson was born in England and spent her teenage years in a small village in East Sussex. A dual UK/USA citizen, she is a graduate of the London School of Economics with an MFA from Stony Brook Southampton. Helen is married with two sons and lives in Brooklyn NY. Her debut novel, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, was a NY Times bestseller, sold over a million copies and was published in twenty one countries. Her second novel The Summer before The War was also a NY Times and international bestseller. Her newest novel is The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,283 reviews
March 28, 2024
Another five star book from Helen Simonson. She has once again crafted an engaging story of English life in the early 20th Century. This time, it’s right after WWI and women have once again been relegated to the sidelines and deprived of the jobs they held during the war.
The story is told from three perspectives, each showing how different groups have been impacted by the return of peace. The first PoV is Constance Haverhill, a woman without prospects. She managed a farm during the war but was released as soon as peace was declared. She’s on a few week visit to the seaside resort of Hazelbourne with Mrs. Fog before she will need to start the search for a job. There, she meets Poppy, a free spirited woman of means who runs a motorcycle club for women. The second POV is that of Harris, Poppy’s brother. A pilot during the war, he lost his leg. Now, England wants to move on and no one wants the reminder of the damage the war wrought. The third POV is that of Klaus, a German born, naturalized English citizen. He was interned on the Isle of Man during the war and has now managed to get a job as a waiter. But his accent means he has to keep a low profile.
Simonson has done a great job of capturing the strict social mores that are just beginning to be loosened as the country enters the 1920s. Quite a few young women are fighting being forced back into the restraints placed on them before the war. She also weaves in enough facts to give a real sense of time and place. For example, the War Practices Act mandated which professions had to be allocated to only men.
I loved that while everyone is glad the war is over, some miss the excitement. Simonson finds the perfect balance between the dark and the light - the depression and worries against the joy of the ride and the friendships. “Constance was moved to see the pain, joy and anguish chase each other across his eyes.” All the characters are fully fleshed out and I came to care for all of the main characters. On the other hand, she has crafted some perfectly wretched villains.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
The story is told from three perspectives, each showing how different groups have been impacted by the return of peace. The first PoV is Constance Haverhill, a woman without prospects. She managed a farm during the war but was released as soon as peace was declared. She’s on a few week visit to the seaside resort of Hazelbourne with Mrs. Fog before she will need to start the search for a job. There, she meets Poppy, a free spirited woman of means who runs a motorcycle club for women. The second POV is that of Harris, Poppy’s brother. A pilot during the war, he lost his leg. Now, England wants to move on and no one wants the reminder of the damage the war wrought. The third POV is that of Klaus, a German born, naturalized English citizen. He was interned on the Isle of Man during the war and has now managed to get a job as a waiter. But his accent means he has to keep a low profile.
Simonson has done a great job of capturing the strict social mores that are just beginning to be loosened as the country enters the 1920s. Quite a few young women are fighting being forced back into the restraints placed on them before the war. She also weaves in enough facts to give a real sense of time and place. For example, the War Practices Act mandated which professions had to be allocated to only men.
I loved that while everyone is glad the war is over, some miss the excitement. Simonson finds the perfect balance between the dark and the light - the depression and worries against the joy of the ride and the friendships. “Constance was moved to see the pain, joy and anguish chase each other across his eyes.” All the characters are fully fleshed out and I came to care for all of the main characters. On the other hand, she has crafted some perfectly wretched villains.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
June 9, 2024
Having loved “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” I was up for this one, knowing that this author has a way of creating characters you want to meet. And, I was not disappointed.
World War I has ended. What happens when women have been in charge while the men have been off to war and then they return and everything changes? What then?
Well, something new comes along for our main protagonist, Constance that opens doors to new beginnings.
It didn’t take me long to feel like I had known these many characters as if they had been my own personal friends. The author has a way of making a reader feel invested with what is happening in the story. And even if our main protagonist Constance, may doubt her confidence, readers never do.
This story is a delightful read. Readers will feel like they are in the middle of their love stories while developing lifelong friendships.
Yes, the war may have ended, but everything about what happened will feel very close to the characters, and readers will feel the trauma and drama of their experiences.
And, as I said, the characters and the setting will draw readers in from the beginning to the end. It is as colorful and memorable as the book cover.
World War I has ended. What happens when women have been in charge while the men have been off to war and then they return and everything changes? What then?
Well, something new comes along for our main protagonist, Constance that opens doors to new beginnings.
It didn’t take me long to feel like I had known these many characters as if they had been my own personal friends. The author has a way of making a reader feel invested with what is happening in the story. And even if our main protagonist Constance, may doubt her confidence, readers never do.
This story is a delightful read. Readers will feel like they are in the middle of their love stories while developing lifelong friendships.
Yes, the war may have ended, but everything about what happened will feel very close to the characters, and readers will feel the trauma and drama of their experiences.
And, as I said, the characters and the setting will draw readers in from the beginning to the end. It is as colorful and memorable as the book cover.
April 22, 2024
This is such a beautiful book, filled with the kind of writing that makes you want to highlight every delicious sentence so you can lick the collection of words every now and then like a favorite ice cream.
It's not just the words that are lovely, though, it's also the story and the subplots set in a time when women were treated as objects that have their place on a dusty shelf rather than unique individuals with a wealth of personality and much to contribute to society. Simonsen has a lot of fun mocking the social order of post-war life, and her main character has the best lines, like a 1940s Persuasion.
The historical research was very well done, with lots of information that was never info-dumped on the reader but parsed superbly throughout the pages.
I hope PBS picks up the book and turns it into a show. A huge well done to the author - a wonderful read.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
It's not just the words that are lovely, though, it's also the story and the subplots set in a time when women were treated as objects that have their place on a dusty shelf rather than unique individuals with a wealth of personality and much to contribute to society. Simonsen has a lot of fun mocking the social order of post-war life, and her main character has the best lines, like a 1940s Persuasion.
The historical research was very well done, with lots of information that was never info-dumped on the reader but parsed superbly throughout the pages.
I hope PBS picks up the book and turns it into a show. A huge well done to the author - a wonderful read.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 8, 2024
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is the latest book by Helen Simonson, an author with a gift of creating all of the pathos and drama of the English countryside after World War I. And in this book taking place in 1919, one is swept up into the social whirl of Hazelbourne-on-Sea as we see a lot of the after effects of the First World War as society is on the brink of social and economic change. Constance Haverhill has been capably keeping the books for an estate but she is about to lose her position and her cottage to make way for the returning soldiers from the front. However, Ms. Haverhill is sent to the seaside hotel as a companion to an old family friend convalescing at the seaside hotel. But the excitement begins as she meets the local baronet’s daughter, Poppy Wirral. Poppy wears trousers and operates a taxi and delivery service employing the local women. Poppy also runs a ladies’ motorcycle club and plans to add flying lessons. And we meet her brother, Harris, a former fighter pilot still reeling with coming to terms with his war injury but warms in the company of Constance. As the country is preparing to celebrate National Peace Day, the women of the ladies’ club are forced to confront the fact that they are about to lose all of the freedoms they had gained during the war.
This beautiful historical fiction novel is written smartly and utterly transporting, refreshing as a summer breeze. I love reading everything Helen Simonson writes as her stories are captivating, warm, and full of joy.
This beautiful historical fiction novel is written smartly and utterly transporting, refreshing as a summer breeze. I love reading everything Helen Simonson writes as her stories are captivating, warm, and full of joy.
”Harris took a cautious flip around the field, just to test the engine, then steered away for the seafront. . . . In front of him, the girl, Constance, looked about her eagerly, Iris’s pink scarf close around her neck. There was no time now, he thought, to examine the feeling she created in him. He had often felt the fluttering of attraction in the presence of a pretty girl. Even in the depths of his melancholy, it had seemed an almost instinctive reaction. But Constance inspired something deeper. She had pierced his armour as much with her barbed wit as with her beauty, and in the slicing, she had let sunlight into the darkness.”
May 23, 2024
This was likely just a me thing or a wrong time, wrong mood, thing. I usually love historical fiction books like this one but I found it really long with a lot of characters and when I was 50% in I just could not get into it or find myself absorbed by the story AT ALL. It was quite disappointing as I was really looking forward to this one. I probably should have DNF'd this one - maybe not the book for me but I would still recommend it for fans of WWII historical fiction fans. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
June 14, 2024
Helen Simonson is the author of the bestselling novel, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand. With her new release, The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club, she is once more in her element, creating believable characters and using them to skewer the pervasive racism and class snobbery of Britain, and also, in a smaller way, that of the U.S. With outstanding word smithery and an unflagging pace, this historical novel should be number one on your summer reading list.
My thanks go to NetGalley and Random House for the review copy. This book is for sale now.
The year is 1919; the place is England. Constance Haverhill has been ousted from her job running an estate; the Great War has ended, and now the women that have been gainfully employed and done a fine job are unceremoniously ejected so that their jobs may go to the men that have returned from the conflict. For the time being, she has a position as a traveling companion to a family friend who’s recuperating at the seashore; once this situation ends, she has no idea where she’ll go or what she’ll do.
Out of nowhere comes Poppy, a daring young woman from a wealthy family. Poppy wears trousers and drives a motorcycle; she befriends Constance and sweeps her into her motorcycle club. Things become even more interesting when Poppy purchases a used biplane to bring home to her brother Harris, a handsome but severely depressed young man who’s lost a leg in the war. At one point he laments, “They look at me as if my brain has gone missing along with the leg. Or rather they refuse to look at me at all.”
Poppy is utterly fearless, challenging local authority and promoting women’s rights. She doesn’t care about the opinions of others; her eye is set on the horizon. And she can do that, because she has a soft nest in which to land. At the same time, Constance is always aware of the stark class division that prevents her from behaving as Poppy does. “Respectability was the currency in which Constance knew she just trade for the foreseeable future. She…did not have Poppy’s wealth and position from which to defend herself against notoriety.”
There are a number of amusing side characters whose less progressive attitudes contrast with Poppy’s. The two women—also very wealthy—on the adjoining estate sniff at her exploits and declare them to be unladylike. The class division is also highlighted when Constance is offered a position with the hotel where she and Mrs. Fox, the family friend she accompanies, are staying. However, she is told that once she accepts the offer, she can no longer be a guest at the hotel, nor may she use the restaurant, which is a frequent gathering place of Constance’s new friends. No hobnobbing with the clientele will be tolerated; she must use the back door. Constance reflects to herself that wherever she goes, her friend Poppy will use the front door.
Britain’s racist attitudes toward people of color is also featured here, but in a way that does not hijack the plot. There’s an Indian guest of the hotel that is snubbed left and right; at one point, an American visitor attempts to have him excluded from the social events to which he’s been invited. This is resolved in a deeply satisfying manner, as is the issue of taboo friendships formed by Mrs. Fox.
If I could change one thing, it would be to add a bit more nuance. The bad characters are oh so bad; and while the good characters make the occasional mistake, we never doubt their complete goodness. However, this is a minor bone to pick, and overall this is a delightful book.
Highly recommended.
My thanks go to NetGalley and Random House for the review copy. This book is for sale now.
The year is 1919; the place is England. Constance Haverhill has been ousted from her job running an estate; the Great War has ended, and now the women that have been gainfully employed and done a fine job are unceremoniously ejected so that their jobs may go to the men that have returned from the conflict. For the time being, she has a position as a traveling companion to a family friend who’s recuperating at the seashore; once this situation ends, she has no idea where she’ll go or what she’ll do.
Out of nowhere comes Poppy, a daring young woman from a wealthy family. Poppy wears trousers and drives a motorcycle; she befriends Constance and sweeps her into her motorcycle club. Things become even more interesting when Poppy purchases a used biplane to bring home to her brother Harris, a handsome but severely depressed young man who’s lost a leg in the war. At one point he laments, “They look at me as if my brain has gone missing along with the leg. Or rather they refuse to look at me at all.”
Poppy is utterly fearless, challenging local authority and promoting women’s rights. She doesn’t care about the opinions of others; her eye is set on the horizon. And she can do that, because she has a soft nest in which to land. At the same time, Constance is always aware of the stark class division that prevents her from behaving as Poppy does. “Respectability was the currency in which Constance knew she just trade for the foreseeable future. She…did not have Poppy’s wealth and position from which to defend herself against notoriety.”
There are a number of amusing side characters whose less progressive attitudes contrast with Poppy’s. The two women—also very wealthy—on the adjoining estate sniff at her exploits and declare them to be unladylike. The class division is also highlighted when Constance is offered a position with the hotel where she and Mrs. Fox, the family friend she accompanies, are staying. However, she is told that once she accepts the offer, she can no longer be a guest at the hotel, nor may she use the restaurant, which is a frequent gathering place of Constance’s new friends. No hobnobbing with the clientele will be tolerated; she must use the back door. Constance reflects to herself that wherever she goes, her friend Poppy will use the front door.
Britain’s racist attitudes toward people of color is also featured here, but in a way that does not hijack the plot. There’s an Indian guest of the hotel that is snubbed left and right; at one point, an American visitor attempts to have him excluded from the social events to which he’s been invited. This is resolved in a deeply satisfying manner, as is the issue of taboo friendships formed by Mrs. Fox.
If I could change one thing, it would be to add a bit more nuance. The bad characters are oh so bad; and while the good characters make the occasional mistake, we never doubt their complete goodness. However, this is a minor bone to pick, and overall this is a delightful book.
Highly recommended.
June 3, 2024
I shall have to thank my local book shop for recommending this title to me. I might not have picked it up without their nudge and that would have been my misfortune. Mind you, I should have known that the author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand would produce another incisive commentary on unwarranted prejudices and the ridiculous rules of the class system, all wrapped up in a charming story of female friendship and unexpected romance.
The time frame of the novel was what cinched the deal for me, set in England in 1919 as the Great War has wound to a close. Back in February, I read a nonfiction book, Singled Out, about the societal changes brought about by this war. The loss of so many young men, resulting in “surplus women" who now must plan lives without marriage and with extremely reduced chances to make a living for themselves. Women who had worked steadily and well during wartime were abruptly sent back to the kitchen and the drawing room, pushed back into dependent positions. This novel illustrates the frustrations of these women to perfection.
Constance hopes to find some way to support herself, since her sister-in-law is hostile to her and her family farm is therefore no longer a welcoming haven. Her mother has recently died in the influenza epidemic and she has been left to the mercies of her mother's supposed friend, who considers Constance a burden and treats her as an unpaid servant. Despite the fact that she has nursed this woman's mother through the flu, she now finds herself persona non grata, and is sent on one last mission, accompanying the elder lady on a seaside vacation.
Some consolation comes from making friends with a group of young women who are trying to make a living using their motorcycles, running a taxi service. Constance develops a taste for ripping around the countryside wearing goggles and with her bonnet tied firmly to her head with a sturdy scarf. With her bookkeeping acumen and other practical skills, plus a substantial dose of courage, Constance becomes an asset to the seaside community.
There are many problems to be faced and overcome. I could sympathize and I found myself unwilling to set the book down until I knew the outcome. I would highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates the value of good friends and of knowing your own worth.
The time frame of the novel was what cinched the deal for me, set in England in 1919 as the Great War has wound to a close. Back in February, I read a nonfiction book, Singled Out, about the societal changes brought about by this war. The loss of so many young men, resulting in “surplus women" who now must plan lives without marriage and with extremely reduced chances to make a living for themselves. Women who had worked steadily and well during wartime were abruptly sent back to the kitchen and the drawing room, pushed back into dependent positions. This novel illustrates the frustrations of these women to perfection.
Constance hopes to find some way to support herself, since her sister-in-law is hostile to her and her family farm is therefore no longer a welcoming haven. Her mother has recently died in the influenza epidemic and she has been left to the mercies of her mother's supposed friend, who considers Constance a burden and treats her as an unpaid servant. Despite the fact that she has nursed this woman's mother through the flu, she now finds herself persona non grata, and is sent on one last mission, accompanying the elder lady on a seaside vacation.
Some consolation comes from making friends with a group of young women who are trying to make a living using their motorcycles, running a taxi service. Constance develops a taste for ripping around the countryside wearing goggles and with her bonnet tied firmly to her head with a sturdy scarf. With her bookkeeping acumen and other practical skills, plus a substantial dose of courage, Constance becomes an asset to the seaside community.
There are many problems to be faced and overcome. I could sympathize and I found myself unwilling to set the book down until I knew the outcome. I would highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates the value of good friends and of knowing your own worth.
December 28, 2023
I was hoping for a story about strong women and their lives after WWI. That is the story here, but I found it to be simply boring. I couldn't get involved with most of the characters, and the one I really liked (Constance) finally just annoyed me. I gave up about halfway. The women just kind of wandered around and I didn't see any growth. I usually love historical fiction, but this one just didn't grab me. Two stars for the setting and premise -- not a time period that is often featured.
December 19, 2023
Enjoyed this spirited and intelligent war story. Memorable characters, humor, and all around touching read. It was like meeting up with an old friend.
July 8, 2024
This story is set in England in the year following the end of World War I. It examines the social issues of that time. Women are forced from jobs they have held to make room for the men returning from the war. This left them, many of them widows, unable to provide for their families. They were expected to marry and leave the workforce anyway, but that avenue was closed due to the lack of eligible men.
There is a large, diverse set of interesting characters. The relationships between these characters is what drives the story. Among the people we meet are men who believe that women belong in the parlor and kitchen, entitled aristocracy with their haughty superiority, royalty from the British colony of India, people of mixed race facing prejudice and discrimination, a man of German descent who although a naturalized British citizen continues to face the prejudices of the war, wounded veterans of the war who find their prospects for employment limited, and an arrogant American from Virginia who is appalled that people of all these classes are allowed to mingle.
But it is the women of the motorcycle club that make this an entertaining story. These are strong, independent women.
There is a large, diverse set of interesting characters. The relationships between these characters is what drives the story. Among the people we meet are men who believe that women belong in the parlor and kitchen, entitled aristocracy with their haughty superiority, royalty from the British colony of India, people of mixed race facing prejudice and discrimination, a man of German descent who although a naturalized British citizen continues to face the prejudices of the war, wounded veterans of the war who find their prospects for employment limited, and an arrogant American from Virginia who is appalled that people of all these classes are allowed to mingle.
But it is the women of the motorcycle club that make this an entertaining story. These are strong, independent women.
May 17, 2024
I absolutely adore another book by this author (Major Pettigrew's Last Stand) and was eager to read her post-war novel featuring unflappable women. I really enjoyed how this book explores the frustrations experienced by women who were gainfully (and happily) employed during wartime, only to be told that their services are no longer needed and that they should return their focus to marriage and child-bearing. I haven't read many novels tackling this subject, and I adored the pluck of Poppy and the ladies of her motorcycle club. Our hero, Constance, is also likable, but her ability to be good at everything and solve all problems made her a little less endearing than her flawed fellow females.
I also admired how Ms. Simonson called out the post-war society for seeing its wounded veterans as whole people who were unfit for work. The idea that a veteran with an obvious injury should be hidden away was repellant but nothing new. Veterans often keep fighting wars long after the official war is over.
I knocked off a star because of Percival, the obtuse American. A bully and a racist, this character had no redeeming qualities and felt very two-dimensional in comparison to the rest of the ensemble. Even the spoiled mayor's son, who commits murder, is presented with shades of gray. I've read several books over the past two years from UK authors with these types of American caricatures, and to me, they're a distraction from an otherwise excellent read.
I also admired how Ms. Simonson called out the post-war society for seeing its wounded veterans as whole people who were unfit for work. The idea that a veteran with an obvious injury should be hidden away was repellant but nothing new. Veterans often keep fighting wars long after the official war is over.
I knocked off a star because of Percival, the obtuse American. A bully and a racist, this character had no redeeming qualities and felt very two-dimensional in comparison to the rest of the ensemble. Even the spoiled mayor's son, who commits murder, is presented with shades of gray. I've read several books over the past two years from UK authors with these types of American caricatures, and to me, they're a distraction from an otherwise excellent read.
July 21, 2025
Stilted was the writing, was it not? Perhaps done to mimic the British aristocracy post World War I, but the sentence structure slowed me down.
2.75 ⭐️s. I know my review is an outlier, but I found the plot kind of flat and most of the characters one-dimensional..
2.75 ⭐️s. I know my review is an outlier, but I found the plot kind of flat and most of the characters one-dimensional..
October 14, 2024
Helen Simonson started writing her colorful "The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club" back in 2019 as the world was shutting down during the pandemic. That year was also the 100th Anniversary of the official Peace which followed the Treaty of Versailles after World War I. As the soldiers returned home, many women who had been working traditional men's jobs were displaced by the men and had no means of support. The novel is set in a seaside town in southeastern England as people are trying to figure out what the "new normal" will be after the war.
The main character is Constance who had managed an estate during the war, but lost her job when the soldiers returned. She is acting as a companion for an older woman, Mrs Fog, and is staying in a seaside hotel for the summer, but needs a permanent position. Mrs Fog had some beloved people in her past, and is trying to rekindle the relationships.
Constance meets Poppy who worked as a motorcycle dispatch driver during the war, and has a women's motorcycle taxi business using sidecars for the passengers. Poppy's brother is Harris, a military pilot whose leg was amputated after war injuries. Harris finds that people act like he also lost his brain when he lost his leg, and he's looking for employment.
Klaus Ziegler is a German waiter at the hotel, and a naturalized citizen. He was put in a detainment camp for part of the war, and still experiences prejudice.
The book is written as a witty comedy of manners as men and women adjust to a different sense of propriety in social situations now. It's a hard time for people in the lower classes, immigrants, and the disabled soldiers. The book has a likable main character and many humorous, satirical moments so it was an engaging read.
The main character is Constance who had managed an estate during the war, but lost her job when the soldiers returned. She is acting as a companion for an older woman, Mrs Fog, and is staying in a seaside hotel for the summer, but needs a permanent position. Mrs Fog had some beloved people in her past, and is trying to rekindle the relationships.
Constance meets Poppy who worked as a motorcycle dispatch driver during the war, and has a women's motorcycle taxi business using sidecars for the passengers. Poppy's brother is Harris, a military pilot whose leg was amputated after war injuries. Harris finds that people act like he also lost his brain when he lost his leg, and he's looking for employment.
Klaus Ziegler is a German waiter at the hotel, and a naturalized citizen. He was put in a detainment camp for part of the war, and still experiences prejudice.
The book is written as a witty comedy of manners as men and women adjust to a different sense of propriety in social situations now. It's a hard time for people in the lower classes, immigrants, and the disabled soldiers. The book has a likable main character and many humorous, satirical moments so it was an engaging read.
June 17, 2024
I really enjoyed the beginning of this one but it got a bit bogged down in the middle and I felt she rushed the ending. This imo wasn’t the author’s best work. The audio was also just so so in my opinion.
There are some characters in here that I really enjoyed, and I love the spirit of the ladies trying to find their independence in the aftermath of WWI, where many businesses were forbidden from hiring women, to make room for the veterans of the war. A couple of events toward the end stretched believability a bit, for me, but all in all, I’m glad I read the book (but wasn’t sad to see it end either 😬).
The most moving part of this book, for me, was the author’s acknowledgements at the end, in which it becomes clear why the book wasn’t her best effort. This author experienced several tragic events which understandably took the wind out of her sails.
Happily, the acknowledgments were read by the author herself at the end of the audiobook (unlike the book itself, which was performed by a professional narrator). I love when the authors note and/or acknowledgements actually make it into an audiobook. I’ve been seeing this more often of late.
There are some characters in here that I really enjoyed, and I love the spirit of the ladies trying to find their independence in the aftermath of WWI, where many businesses were forbidden from hiring women, to make room for the veterans of the war. A couple of events toward the end stretched believability a bit, for me, but all in all, I’m glad I read the book (but wasn’t sad to see it end either 😬).
The most moving part of this book, for me, was the author’s acknowledgements at the end, in which it becomes clear why the book wasn’t her best effort. This author experienced several tragic events which understandably took the wind out of her sails.
Happily, the acknowledgments were read by the author herself at the end of the audiobook (unlike the book itself, which was performed by a professional narrator). I love when the authors note and/or acknowledgements actually make it into an audiobook. I’ve been seeing this more often of late.
June 23, 2024
Two and a half stars. This book was too long, disjointed, with a rushed ending that was not believable. The structure was weird too, with most of it told through Constance's perspective, but sometimes Klaus or Harris. There were also way too many subplots. The maharaja, just one of the many unnecessary ones. I wish the author had been more focused, instead of having an everything but the kitchen sink approach.
June 20, 2024
We (Simon and I) enjoyed listening to the audiobook read by Fiona Hardingham with an afterword read by the author. We cheered, booed and cried as the characters faced hardships and some triumphs during World War I. We were interested to learn about the airplanes of this era, as well as the daily challenges of people from all walks of life. We had characters we rooted for and those we despised also. It was truly a stirring novel that provided some escapism from our current task of preparing to move overseas.
Favorite quotes:
"I frightened three friends and a housemaid just this month. My record of persuading women to adopt motorcycle transportation is pretty dismal at this point."
"I don't suppose the bank would have a post for me too?" [asked Poppy]. "I believe your complete disdain for numbers might be a greater barrier than your sex," said Harris. "Not that you don't understand them perfectly, you just refuse to be limited by them."
Of serving the war wounded - "Behind the disfigured faces she found ordinary men, some of whom cried to be offered a cup of tea and a cake from her hand. Some kept apologizing as if their appearance were a bad suit of clothes they had worn to the wrong occasion."
"It's a silly competition that most of us despise, but as a club of women, we need to make a good showing to counteract the notion that we are all would-be men in skirts."
"It made him wince just to think of the slicing blade of her response."
"The women of Poppy's barn had taught her a new resilience she thought or perhaps she had flown above the earth and seen her place on it more clearly."
"I don't suppose we can just hide in the library all evening."
Favorite quotes:
"I frightened three friends and a housemaid just this month. My record of persuading women to adopt motorcycle transportation is pretty dismal at this point."
"I don't suppose the bank would have a post for me too?" [asked Poppy]. "I believe your complete disdain for numbers might be a greater barrier than your sex," said Harris. "Not that you don't understand them perfectly, you just refuse to be limited by them."
Of serving the war wounded - "Behind the disfigured faces she found ordinary men, some of whom cried to be offered a cup of tea and a cake from her hand. Some kept apologizing as if their appearance were a bad suit of clothes they had worn to the wrong occasion."
"It's a silly competition that most of us despise, but as a club of women, we need to make a good showing to counteract the notion that we are all would-be men in skirts."
"It made him wince just to think of the slicing blade of her response."
"The women of Poppy's barn had taught her a new resilience she thought or perhaps she had flown above the earth and seen her place on it more clearly."
"I don't suppose we can just hide in the library all evening."
October 17, 2024
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson is a historical fiction novel set in post-World War I England. It follows a group of women from the fictional village of Hazelbourne who defy society expectations by forming a motorcycle and flying club. The novel celebrates female empowerment, independence, and friendship. The characters who each deal with personal struggles while pushing against the restrictive norms of their time.
May 29, 2024
4.5 Stars!! May just be my favorite of Helen Simonson's-although The Summer Before the War was so good too! Glad I don't have to choose one! I loved the characters, the post WWI England time and setting of this book. Ms. Simonson writes this type of novel so well; I couldn't help but be reminded of Rosamunde Pilcher and her Coming Home in particular.
May 30, 2024
I loved this! ❤️ It’s so satisfyingly long too. When I finished, I felt happy and also bereft. I wanted to keep reading. I’m already conspiring how to get my own copy. I love Constance! And Mrs Fog! And Poppy! And Harris! And the Maharajah! And Klaus! (Okay you probably get the picture 😂)
February 9, 2024
Well done historical novel set after WWI, following the Spanish Flu epidemic, that breathes life into an era. During the war women provided services normally performed by the men who had been sent off, giving them their first experience of freedom and accomplishment in the workforce. Upon the men's return, they were expected to return happily to supportive roles. Here we have some renegades who refuse to fall under that category, and while the plot was a bit slow in getting started, I felt it was necessary to establish character. Some reviewers have found this imponderable, but I think a bit of patience was required to give the book its due.
May 10, 2024
Set in England in 1919, and written with humour and compassion, The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is about the lives of women in the years following WWI. Their plight after the men return from war is real.
Constance Haverhill, a young lady who just completed accounting courses by correspondence struggles to find work, as the men returning take all of the available accounting positions. She becomes a companion to an elderly woman, Mrs. Fog, who is recovering from an illness at a posh seaside resort.
There she meets Poppy Wirral, a well to do young woman who runs a ladies motorcycle club. Poppy's friends welcome Constance into their club. While the country is now celebrating Peace the women at the club are forced to realize that the freedoms they had during the war are being taken away.
Many engaging characters in this witty and compassionate tale.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada/Doubleday for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Constance Haverhill, a young lady who just completed accounting courses by correspondence struggles to find work, as the men returning take all of the available accounting positions. She becomes a companion to an elderly woman, Mrs. Fog, who is recovering from an illness at a posh seaside resort.
There she meets Poppy Wirral, a well to do young woman who runs a ladies motorcycle club. Poppy's friends welcome Constance into their club. While the country is now celebrating Peace the women at the club are forced to realize that the freedoms they had during the war are being taken away.
Many engaging characters in this witty and compassionate tale.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada/Doubleday for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
November 20, 2023
The period setting is very familiar. The challenges of women’s acceptance in the workplace are familiar. And, the British upperclass “cuts” are familiar to readers of historical fiction. But, Helen Simonson overcomes the obstacle of “ been there, done that” by creating some vibrant and truly memorable characters.
I yearned for a happy ending in this book because a few of the characters genuinely earned it. I wont spoil the book for future readers by stating whether it was achieved, but I also rooted for a come-uppance for a few villainous types that populated the story.
It is hard for a Ww1 era historical novel to plough fresh ground, a and perhaps Ms. Simonson didn’t achieve that. But, what she lost in the familiarity of the themes, she gained in the grit and heart of her characters. It was a very satisfying way to spend Sunday afternoon.
I yearned for a happy ending in this book because a few of the characters genuinely earned it. I wont spoil the book for future readers by stating whether it was achieved, but I also rooted for a come-uppance for a few villainous types that populated the story.
It is hard for a Ww1 era historical novel to plough fresh ground, a and perhaps Ms. Simonson didn’t achieve that. But, what she lost in the familiarity of the themes, she gained in the grit and heart of her characters. It was a very satisfying way to spend Sunday afternoon.
July 30, 2024
Another wonderful story by Helen Simonson. I think the last half and towards the end of the book is where I really fell deeply into it. The characters were lovely (well some of them! :-)) and vivid. While I don't think anything can replace the adoration I have for The Summer Before the War, I did thoroughly enjoy my time with the people of Hazelbourne-on-Sea and I hope we don't have to wait too long for another book by Simonson.
March 28, 2025
World War I has just ended, but the ladies are not wanting to go back to their pre-WWI roles - they like working in the realm of business while the boys are away. However, many of those returning vets want their old desks back - some will agree to share the space, but others - not so much. And it isn't just about work space - that same fight happens at home and in recreational and social activities like cycling (bikes and motorbikes), cars and airplanes!
Helen Simonson's latest is a wriggling, tea-boosting, side-hustling group of delightful characters who are trying to find their new normal after WWI. Add vehicles and new tech machinery, a touch of friendly competition, cautious romance and it's a rather first-rate way to spend your leisure reading moments.
*A sincere thank you to Helen Simonson, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* 25|52:18c
Helen Simonson's latest is a wriggling, tea-boosting, side-hustling group of delightful characters who are trying to find their new normal after WWI. Add vehicles and new tech machinery, a touch of friendly competition, cautious romance and it's a rather first-rate way to spend your leisure reading moments.
*A sincere thank you to Helen Simonson, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* 25|52:18c
May 31, 2024
I won this book off Goodreads. Thank you to the sponsor of the giveaway!
I enjoy reading historical fiction, so I was super excited when this book arrived! I love the idea behind this story too.
About 60 pages in, I had to put it down. I debated DNFing it even.
The author overly describes everything, to extreme detail. I found myself getting lost and having to reread paragraphs to try and understand what I was reading.
It took about 300 pages to finally get involved in the characters, all for it to rush the ending. The epilogue seems like a last minute thought to create somewhat of a happy ending.
Overall, eh. It was a slog to push through. I hate writing bad reviews, but I wouldn't recommend this one.
I enjoy reading historical fiction, so I was super excited when this book arrived! I love the idea behind this story too.
About 60 pages in, I had to put it down. I debated DNFing it even.
The author overly describes everything, to extreme detail. I found myself getting lost and having to reread paragraphs to try and understand what I was reading.
It took about 300 pages to finally get involved in the characters, all for it to rush the ending. The epilogue seems like a last minute thought to create somewhat of a happy ending.
Overall, eh. It was a slog to push through. I hate writing bad reviews, but I wouldn't recommend this one.
August 10, 2024
In this book, we find a great cast of characters set in England after WWI has ended. It’s a fascinating time in history: women who worked during the war who are now expected to return to pre-war social status, and also for men. Our main characters are Constance Haverhill, an intelligent woman trying to avoid a future life as a governess, currently a companion to a lady’s mother. We also have Poppy and Harris Wirrall, brother and sister. Poppy is the brain and power behind the Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club, free-spirited, wanting to support other women, and still tied to conventional social expectations. Captain Harris fought and flew during the war, returning with both physical and mental/emotional injuries. And we also experience the story from Klaus Zeiger, a German by birth, who never fought in the war, has lived in England his whole life, is a kind man, and is a waiter at the hotel where most of the story takes place. He suffers from prejudice for his heritage, despite being a peace lover. The story moves soooo slowly, and not a lot of events happen. Towards the end the story picks up. The author did a great job creating real characters that you become invested in. She also does a great job creating the feeling and tone of post WWI and gives the reader a lot to think about for how society functioned at that time, which I found so interesting. Her writing style was strong. Good characters. For me, the story needed more editing to move the plot line along more quickly. Very well written and would recommend giving it a read.
April 25, 2024
I was delighted by this novel and set aside all other books to read it.
I loved it for the witty epigrammatic insights of the characters. I loved it for the sensitive portrayal of the post WWI world of Britain. There are the war wounded men, struggling with horrific disfigurement and trauma, unable to obtain employment because no one wanted to be confronted with the human cost of the war, and because they were considered mentally as well as physically handicapped. Spunky women who had kept Britain together were being forced out of jobs after the government classifies the jobs as for men only. I loved it for the wonderfully drawn characters. So often, I was reminded of Jane Austen, that master of the comedy of manners and reversals of fortune in affairs of the heart.
In 1919, Constance Haverhill is a companion to her mother’s dear friend, connected by regard and not by mere economics, summering at a seaside resort. Come fall, she must find employment or become dependent on her brother, who had inherited the family farm. During the war, she had run an estate, her accounting and management skills top notch. But that job was going back to a man.
Constance meets the iconoclastic Poppy and her women friends who hope to continue their independence with a motorcycle transport business. These daredevil ladies include a mechanic and a motorcycle racer. Poppy hopes to expand the business by adding flying lessons for ladies; her brother Harris was a pilot in the war, returning home without a leg. He is morose and surly; his fiance had thrown him over, unable to face a crippled husband.
The war had left two million disabled and over forty thousand amputees, many of the men maimed with no prospects for employment or love, Constance learns when she visits the local convalescent center filled with veterans. Constance and Harris face the same challenges, unable to find employment. “People are unable to see beyond what they deem our limitations,” Harris concedes.
With the introduction of an American Southerner and a man from India with a secret, the story addresses racism on both sides of the pond.
Constance is drawn into Poppy’s exciting circle and her welcoming family, taking risks she would never have imagined. But even they fail her, their wealth sheltering them from their worst actions. Her prospects growing dim, Constance outwardly keeps her place while secretly she is breaking limits, daring to hope for a fuller life.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
I loved it for the witty epigrammatic insights of the characters. I loved it for the sensitive portrayal of the post WWI world of Britain. There are the war wounded men, struggling with horrific disfigurement and trauma, unable to obtain employment because no one wanted to be confronted with the human cost of the war, and because they were considered mentally as well as physically handicapped. Spunky women who had kept Britain together were being forced out of jobs after the government classifies the jobs as for men only. I loved it for the wonderfully drawn characters. So often, I was reminded of Jane Austen, that master of the comedy of manners and reversals of fortune in affairs of the heart.
In 1919, Constance Haverhill is a companion to her mother’s dear friend, connected by regard and not by mere economics, summering at a seaside resort. Come fall, she must find employment or become dependent on her brother, who had inherited the family farm. During the war, she had run an estate, her accounting and management skills top notch. But that job was going back to a man.
Constance meets the iconoclastic Poppy and her women friends who hope to continue their independence with a motorcycle transport business. These daredevil ladies include a mechanic and a motorcycle racer. Poppy hopes to expand the business by adding flying lessons for ladies; her brother Harris was a pilot in the war, returning home without a leg. He is morose and surly; his fiance had thrown him over, unable to face a crippled husband.
The war had left two million disabled and over forty thousand amputees, many of the men maimed with no prospects for employment or love, Constance learns when she visits the local convalescent center filled with veterans. Constance and Harris face the same challenges, unable to find employment. “People are unable to see beyond what they deem our limitations,” Harris concedes.
With the introduction of an American Southerner and a man from India with a secret, the story addresses racism on both sides of the pond.
Constance is drawn into Poppy’s exciting circle and her welcoming family, taking risks she would never have imagined. But even they fail her, their wealth sheltering them from their worst actions. Her prospects growing dim, Constance outwardly keeps her place while secretly she is breaking limits, daring to hope for a fuller life.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
March 7, 2025
I adored The Summer before the War and was excited to revisit early twentieth-century England with Helen Simonson as my guide. The Hazelbourne Ladies Mororcycle and Flying Club takes place less than a decade later, but so much has changed—not least the quality of the writing. In her Acknowledgments Simonson mentions the death of her previous editor, and I can only conclude that loss accounts for the difference.
The Summer before the War was subtle and seamless, sneaking its messages in under the reader’s guard. It was also imbued with a tension implicit in the title: none of the characters could know, as the readers do, the horrors in store for them. While Hazelbourne has some of the same moments of lyrical description and a similar affection for female characters who challenge the boundaries of acceptable behavior, it often felt forced to me. One-note characters are introduced simply to make a historical point, and for the reader it felt at many moments more like a guided tour of the issues of 1919 than a story. The trauma of war haunts many of the characters and distorts the behavior of all—a true reflection of the postwar era but one I was rather squeamish to visit.
The central character, Constance Haverhill, occupies an interestingly equivocal position in the world. The sister of a yeoman farmer, she has educated herself beyond her station and has been treated almost like a companion and equal by the daughter and wife of the local lord. Almost—but she is used like an employee under the guise of friendship and never quite allowed to forget the gulf that lies between them. Simonson writes the cringeworthy scenes of cruelty masked as kindness brilliantly, but she’s insecure enough to follow perfect dialogue with unnecessary explanations of how the heroine feels about being put in her place. The explanations rendered tedious what might have been devastating. And the same slights were too often repeated.
The club of the title is run by the daughter of the leading family in town, and she seems delightfully free of class consciousness, but her obliviousness is shown to have problematic consequences for the less privileged members. “The rich are different” is a recurrent theme—so recurrent as to somewhat tarnish the pleasure of a happy ending. I couldn’t help but feel that the heroine might come to regret her success.
The concept of the club was novel—and almost believable, as women have always stepped into new roles during wartime and been reluctant to relinquish those roles when the men come home—and I thoroughly enjoyed some of the secondary characters. But the awkward bits and the preachiness somewhat spoiled my pleasure.
The Summer before the War was subtle and seamless, sneaking its messages in under the reader’s guard. It was also imbued with a tension implicit in the title: none of the characters could know, as the readers do, the horrors in store for them. While Hazelbourne has some of the same moments of lyrical description and a similar affection for female characters who challenge the boundaries of acceptable behavior, it often felt forced to me. One-note characters are introduced simply to make a historical point, and for the reader it felt at many moments more like a guided tour of the issues of 1919 than a story. The trauma of war haunts many of the characters and distorts the behavior of all—a true reflection of the postwar era but one I was rather squeamish to visit.
The central character, Constance Haverhill, occupies an interestingly equivocal position in the world. The sister of a yeoman farmer, she has educated herself beyond her station and has been treated almost like a companion and equal by the daughter and wife of the local lord. Almost—but she is used like an employee under the guise of friendship and never quite allowed to forget the gulf that lies between them. Simonson writes the cringeworthy scenes of cruelty masked as kindness brilliantly, but she’s insecure enough to follow perfect dialogue with unnecessary explanations of how the heroine feels about being put in her place. The explanations rendered tedious what might have been devastating. And the same slights were too often repeated.
The club of the title is run by the daughter of the leading family in town, and she seems delightfully free of class consciousness, but her obliviousness is shown to have problematic consequences for the less privileged members. “The rich are different” is a recurrent theme—so recurrent as to somewhat tarnish the pleasure of a happy ending. I couldn’t help but feel that the heroine might come to regret her success.
The concept of the club was novel—and almost believable, as women have always stepped into new roles during wartime and been reluctant to relinquish those roles when the men come home—and I thoroughly enjoyed some of the secondary characters. But the awkward bits and the preachiness somewhat spoiled my pleasure.
January 5, 2025
A good start to the new year with this read! It was good! It was a little slower in the beginning but the ending really had me hooked.
I found Constance to be a total delight in this read. She is a woman who for so long was on the cusp of transformation and then she completely bloomed. It was empowering, joyful, and full of good reminders as a woman going into this next year! I love the ladies of Hazelbourne club and the women who floated in their sphere… Mrs. Fog was just a complete treat. Adored her.
If you love historical fiction and an empowering, feminist (in its way), and fun read- this is it! I imagine this would make a good vacation book!
I found Constance to be a total delight in this read. She is a woman who for so long was on the cusp of transformation and then she completely bloomed. It was empowering, joyful, and full of good reminders as a woman going into this next year! I love the ladies of Hazelbourne club and the women who floated in their sphere… Mrs. Fog was just a complete treat. Adored her.
If you love historical fiction and an empowering, feminist (in its way), and fun read- this is it! I imagine this would make a good vacation book!
December 20, 2023
I've read Helen Simonson's "The Summer Before the War" and loved it, so I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel.
The period around World War I has been neglected lately, with authors seeming to want to concentrate on WWII. So it's refreshing to read about that earlier time period and what challenges were faced by people after the war ended - both the returned servicemen (and they were predominantly men) and the women who also served at home.
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is only part of the story. The main themes are the roles of women in post-WWI society - how they'd been given the freedom and responsibility of working to keep things moving in Britian while so many men were away fighting, but were expected to give all that up when the men returned; and the struggles between reconciling the old ways of society and women's roles and the new understanding of what was really important, and women were capable of doing. So much more than getting married, following society's strict rules and preparing their daughters to grow up and do the same.
Simonsen presents these difficult themes in a light-hearted way without detracting from their importance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy to read and review.
The period around World War I has been neglected lately, with authors seeming to want to concentrate on WWII. So it's refreshing to read about that earlier time period and what challenges were faced by people after the war ended - both the returned servicemen (and they were predominantly men) and the women who also served at home.
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is only part of the story. The main themes are the roles of women in post-WWI society - how they'd been given the freedom and responsibility of working to keep things moving in Britian while so many men were away fighting, but were expected to give all that up when the men returned; and the struggles between reconciling the old ways of society and women's roles and the new understanding of what was really important, and women were capable of doing. So much more than getting married, following society's strict rules and preparing their daughters to grow up and do the same.
Simonsen presents these difficult themes in a light-hearted way without detracting from their importance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy to read and review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,283 reviews