The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club: A Novel
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 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.
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.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
I had to start the audiobook over after I realized I had gotten a couple chapters in and hadn't absorbed anything. But, after getting a better sense of the characters, I did find myself more invested and by the last 30% I was making excuses to keep the audiobook on and not wanting to stop. I will say that this felt like a case of the Earn Your Happy Ending trope where the '"good" characters were constantly being thwarted by a surrounding cast of closed minded and selfish people. There are some really awful characters who are like the worst kind of people that a lot of us unfortunately have encountered in real life, but it feels a bit worse because society as a whole seems to be on their side. If I didn't like Constance, Harris, and the Motorcycle and Flying club girls as much as I did, I might have been too frustrated with the other characters to enjoy the book. I did wonder throughout the chapters why we were getting so much of the perspective of the kind German waiter. I wish I hadn't wondered, what a horrible and senseless way to end that story. I suppose that's the point, though.
Content Warnings:
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Racism, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Alcoholism, and War
Minor: Violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Child death
Content Warnings:
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Racism, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Alcoholism, and War
Minor: Violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Child death
At page 180, I messaged a friend that had finished this and asked if I should bother continuing - not much was happening, and the themes were repetitive. I'm so glad I took her advice and kept going. A perfect summer read with a touch of romance... but mostly, a likeable main character that sheds her immaturity and embraces her worth.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.