That was a whole lot of fun to read. The cast of characters is a colorful bunch. I would definitely want to read a sequence with them. The historical time and place (culture and all) were interesting components to the plot. I had never read this author before and now I look forward to reading her prior novels. I highly recommend this book.

4.0 I’ve really liked Helen Simonson’s other books, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand and The Summer Before the War, all during the WWI era, a timeframe that is generally lacking in recent novels. I really liked this one, too. As in WWII,, women took the place of those men who went to serve, and when the war was over, the women generally lost their jobs to the returning soldiers. This novel takes place in post WWI and after the Spanish flu pandemic. We are introduced to Constance,, the main character, who had lost her mother and also the family farm to her brother so she is challenged economically to find a job. Constance was provided a job by her mother’s childhood friend to take care of her elderly convalescing mother at a seaside resort in England. Constance meets some engaging, cheeky, and hardworking young women who themselves are struggling after the war to keep their jobs running a motorcycle taxi service.. They ran taxis during the war and want to start a flying school. Although some are from the upper crust of society, not all are and they, too, are trying to survive financially. All of the characters are engaging and well defined. In addition to the sexual discrimination issues, there are issues of discrimination in social status, the discrimination that disabled returning servicemen faced, along with the tragedies, emotional and physical, that all faced during and after in the war. A nice read. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an unbiased and candid review.

The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club had me turning pages furiously and well into the night. The characters, the struggles of both the men and the women trying to fit back in after the war, and the social class differences in England all came to life in this book. It was a fascinating read, one that I will remember and recommend to friends and family.

I was invited to read and review this book, and I accepted the invitation on the premise that the book would be funny and engaging to read. I've not read a book by Helen Simonson before and thought this would be a great introduction to her writings.

The novel takes place post World War I and Spanish Flu pandemic. Constance is occupied with being an old family friend's companion, but soon the friend won't need her and she will need to find a job that pays her. Her friend, Poppy, wants to start a motorcycle-taxi business with all female drivers and mechanics. And Poppy wants to learn to fly. Poppy's brother is a veteran of the war and was a flyer in the war, but he lost his leg on one of his missions. This is a story about Poppy taking Constance under her wing and helping her find her way in an ever-changing world.

I have to say this wasn't my favorite book that I've read this year. I felt the plot was rather stilted and forced, and I had a hard time wading through the book. I'd have to say this is a three-star book.

Random House Publishing Group provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

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.

Another Simonson book that I believe will be enjoyed by many readers. It takes place in a coastal area of England in the years following WWI and reflects the changes in society and the changing roles of women during and after the war. This book tells a good story as it depicts a specific time in English and the worlds history

I received a free e-arc copy of this book through Netgalley. I really enjoyed this book. Okay, it's predictable in some ways, but sometimes that is what life needs. It did have some unexpected turns that I appreciated as well. A fun and wholesome read.