This is Simonson at her best. Deep and wonderful characters and terrific dialogue. Once again we find ourselves in post WWII England with vets, a German waiter and women who now find themselves in a country trying to recreate prewar culture in a world very much changed. A great read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction of women pursuing independence after WWI - driving motorcycles, flying planes, and trying to make their own way rather than relying on marriage. Endearing characters, great story. Enjoyed every page!

This was such a sweet and delightful book. It had a unique time and setting, in a post-WWI English seaside town. The challenges the characters faced in the post-war recovery period were poignant, and I thought the author dealt well with issues of class, gender and race without being too heavy-handed about it. The friends and fringe characters in this book were wonderful, and though there was some sadness, it had a happy ending. I would recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

WWI is over, England is trying to return to normalcy but normal has different definitions depending on your social status. This story revolves around the titled and aristocrats, with a nod to the average men and women working as librarians and mechanics. Constance Haverhill is at the center of everything although not always in the most admirable ways. Being bright, competent and possessing business skills fails to secure her gainful employment as the men return from war and replace the women who have competently performed during the war. She has been demoted from running the finances of an estate to becoming a Ladies companion. She is the glue in this story.

The story finds Constance at The Meredith Hotel in Hazelbourne-on-Sea amidst a cast of varied and diverse characters. Klaus Ziegler, a waiter of German heritage, believes he is lucky to have a position despite horrid treatment by his superiors and some of the hotel’s guests. He remembers how things used to be and tries to recreate what was - his side story broke my heart. Of course there is a simpering hotel undermanager who is so easy to dislike. Poppy Wirrall, is everything Constance is not, wealthy, brash, adventurous and outrageous. She is going to be the impetus that drives this story, all the ups and downs. Harris, Poppy’s fighter pilot brother, lost a leg and much of his will to continue. He is also going to be a major player in this story.

You can see where this story is going but getting there is a very slow ride. There are many characters and many side stories and each adds value. This was not a book that I could “rip” through. Simonson doesn’t flinch from exposing the inequality, rascism, bigotry, misogyny and a host of other uncomfortable truths which were prevalent in 1919. The writing seems to be authentic to the time and therefore slightly stilted. The situations at times are hilarious and at other times tragically frustrating. The descriptions of time, place, thought and emotions are beautiful in their detail.

Another triumph for Helen Simonson. Many thanks to The Dial Press and NetGalley for a copy.

I enjoyed this story so much I didn't want it to end!
This post-WWI story illustrates how the war affected so many lives; from German immigrants to wealthy British aristocracy to injured veterans to working-class people, even Commonwealth citizens from India -- all are reflected in this terrific story.
The main character is a young woman. Constance, whose family has fallen on hard times, and is forced to earn her own way in the world. As the story begins, she is the paid companion to an older woman who is spending the summer in a seaside hotel. Through a complete accident Constance makes friends with a local baronet's daughter, Poppy, who runs a taxi service where all the drivers are women. Poppy plans to add flying lessons to the service as well; hence the book's title: The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club. Poppy has an ulterior motive for including flying lessons as her older brother Harris, who was a fighter pilot during the war has returned with one leg amputated and tremendous guilt gnawing at him because he was the only survivor of his plane crash. Poppy thinks being around an airplane (or aeroplane, as the British spelled it then) will help to pull him out of his deep depression and help him get back to caring about life, and their estate.
There are so many different characters and sub-plots in the book it's impossible to name everyone here but suffice it to say they are all interesting and complex and Simonson has you rooting for the underdog, no matter who it is.
I grew so fond of Constance's character that I found myself getting angry at the way she was treated by some of the horribly snobby and condescending characters in the book, I wanted to give them a piece of my mind! Now, if my getting that caught up that isn't a sign of a really good story, I don't know what is!
I haven't read any of Simonson's other books, but I'm adding them to my TBR right away. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

While this may be Helen Simonson's 3rd book, its my first time reading her - and I enjoyed it! The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club a captivating read. It is a smooth blend of history, camaraderie, resilience with a small bit of romance thrown in.

Brief synopsis: Constance Haverhill is a young woman navigating the uncertainties of post-war England. She's been displaced from her job and home and reluctantly accepts a position to be a lady’s companion. Her world grows upon meeting the spirited Poppy Wirrall. This is the spark thats lights a journey of empowerment as they establish the Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club.

My thoughts: Set in England in the summer of 1919, the novel explores the aftermath of World War 1. Society has changed, people have changed, but the old values quickly reassert themselves. Women who were allowed to drive trucks and work the land during the War now have to give up those positions for returned servicemen. And many of the menfolk have come home battered and broken, physically and emotionally.

Simonson's cast of characters are interesting. I really loved trouser wearing, Poppy. She 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 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. The women of the Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club are forced to confront the fact that the freedoms they gained during the war are being revoked.

Simonson addresses social issues of the times - Where small missteps can land one as a social outcast., the elite were generous until or unless their generosity might somehow impact their respectability or resources and there were many restrictions on women working (the War Practices Act). If I were to compare this read with another I would say: It is an Austen-style novel of manners combined with a feminist look at post-war lives in Britain. (it's obvious this clash opens the doors to humor)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House sharing portrait of life in a changing world where cold reality often collides with individual dreams and established expectations!

𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌

Apologies as this has been published, but April precluded me from having it read on time. ♥️🥹 Thank you author, publisher and @netgalley

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙯𝙚𝙡𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙮𝙘𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙡𝙪𝙗
by Helen Simonson
432 pages
@thedialpress
May 7, 2024

Helen Simonson has been a favorite author of mine as I was delighted by her debut novel 𝙈𝙖𝙟𝙤𝙧 𝙋𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙬’𝙨 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 when I read it. Her new bestselling historical fiction should be read by everyone. This novel has an appealing cast of characters coming to terms with the reality of the aftermath of World War I as women lose newfound freedom and soldiers return home with new scars to heal.

Read this if

🌎 you enjoy historical fiction
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 enjoy a diverse cast of characters each with obstacles to overcome
🏍️ you enjoy enjoy stories about independent women
☮️ enjoy reading a post-war story about the postwar homefront and reclaiming community with all of its pitfalls and biases in a small community as a microcosm to the world at large. We also see postwar and wartime England from a German’s perspective living in this village- the prejudice and hatred faced by him during and after the war ended.
Women were replaced by men in the workplace - they lost the jobs they had throughout the war as soldiers returned from battle. The Hazelbourne ladies continued to strive and to show their community their skills and abilities by operating a motorcycle club including a taxi service and dreaming of opening a flight school for women.

I will be recommending this to everyone.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5

Readalike authors (in my opinion based on characterization and storytelling). If you like these authors, you should read Helen Simonson's books (there are more, but these strike me):
Alexander McCall Smith
Fredrik Backman
Ann Patchett

#literaryfiction #historicalfiction #worldwarihistoricalfiction #hazelbourneladiesmotorcycleandflyingclub #helensimonson #arcreads #bookreviews #currentlyreading #amreading #boonstagram #mustreads

The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club, by Helen Simonson, is the kind of historical fiction that makes learning history not just interesting, but delightful. Contrasting the strictures of social class in post WWII England, with the upper class holding on to tradition that no longer works for anyone, especially their daughters, with a generation of women who filled all jobs while men were away fighting the war makes for built in conflict generally, but Simonson brings that conflict home with the wonderful men and women she creates.
Our protagonist, Constance Haverhill, has been orphaned and cast out from her family’s farm for no reason of her own. The rules of primogeniture meant that her brother inherited everything, and she was left to figure out how to get along on her own. Sent to the seaside as nursemaid to the matriarch of the family where her mother was in service creates an opportunity for Constance to understand her own skills and talents, even as she battles proper conduct for a young lady. When she is befriended by Poppy, an heiress in her own right, but also a believer in the power and talent of women, Constance learns that there are many gray areas when considering what is right and proper for men and women alike.
This book was captivating, endearing, frustrating and a wonderful reminder of how far we’ve come. I didn’t actually think I could enjoy a “war” book so much! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the review copy of this excellent book. The book was released May 7, 2024

Having enjoyed the previous two books by Helen Simonson, I was looking forward to The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club. But for me, this was a 3.5 read. I think the story started strong, but with more and more characters added in, I started feeling that the plot gets bogged down and drawn out. Ultimately, I couldn't click with it. I would have enjoyed more focus on just the ladies involved in the motorcycle club and their life experiences during and just after WW1.

The title intrigued me, but little else in this book did. I wasn't exactly sure what the plotline would be when I began reading, but unfortunately, I found this book to be overly drawn out, with characters who seemed to be two-dimensional at best.

Set in 1919 in post-World War I England, Constance Haverhill finds herself living in a seaside hotel as a lady's companion to an old family friend. She eventually meets the Wirrall family and is befriended by daughter, Poppy, and later by Poppy's brother, Harris (a soldier who returned from the war as an amputee). Constance eventually becomes very involved with the Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle Club founded by Poppy and much of the book centers on this new enterprise.

While it was interesting to read about women's rights (or lack of) after the war, the storyline didn't keep my interest nor the insertion of various subplots with uninteresting characters who were rarely fleshed out.

Sadly, this was a disappointing read. Despite this, I want to thank #NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/The Dial Press for this ARC of #TheHazelbourneLadiesMotorcycleFlyingClub.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ebook ARC of “The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club” by Helen Simonson. “Hazelbourne” is a warm and lovely look at life in a small seaside village in Britain after the Great War.. This was a time of tremendous upheaval. Soldiers newly returned from the war struggled to reacclimate; and the women who had taken on “men’s roles” to help the war effort were now expected to return to their former roles. “Hazelbourne” has a large, varied, and engrossing cast of characters, and we are quickly caught up in dramas, large and small, of their daily lives. I found myself rooting particularly strongly for our main character Constance and the elderly lady to whom she serves as companion (Mrs. Fog), but I eagerly read on, wanting to find out what was going to happen to each and every one person in Ms. Simonson’s novel! Overall, I enjoyed this book very much, except for the fate of one character, which seemed harsh and out of keeping with the overall tone of the entire book. Would definitely recommend! #NetGalley #TheHazelbourneLadiesMotorcycleandFlyingClub

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.

What happens to the women that have found independence while the men that were away fighting in WWI return home? It’s 1919 and women are finding themselves without prospects as the men return home to their previous jobs. Constance is but one of these women, seeking new employment she finds herself in Hazelbourne and is quickly swept up in the social scene. Soon she becomes friends with trouser wearing Poppy who runs a taxi service in order to employ local women, she also plans to add flying lessons to her repertoire. The women are learning that as the country is celebrating peace, they are losing their new found freedom. With a cast of wonderful characters you’d like to be your friends, this book was a delightful read. Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is a new release from Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand. Set in the summer of 1919, in a British seaside resort town, it explores the alteration of British lives in the aftermath of WWI and the Spanish flu.

Constance Haverhill is a young woman who has lost both her parents and now her job and home. During the war, she helped run the estate of old family friends. But with the return of men from the war, women were booted back to traditional female roles so that men could have jobs, no matter if the women (and their children) had no means of support. For this summer, Constance is serving as a companion to Mrs. Fog, the widowed mother of Lady Mercer (whose estate Constance had been overseeing.) Fortunately for Constance, Mrs. Fog is a kind woman who allows her a good bit of autonomy. (Mrs. Fog has interests on the side that she doesn’t want her daughter to know about.)

While at the hotel, Constance is befriended by Poppy Wirrall, a feisty girl of her own age who runs a motorcycle taxi and delivery service, staffed by women. Poppy takes Constance for a ride, and Constance is hooked. Poppy also introduces her to her mother, widow of a local baronet and a force in the community. And Constance meets Poppy’s brother, Harris, a sour-faced and angry war veteran, a pilot, whose leg had been amputated after a crash. Harris has means to live an idle life, but he wants to fly again, to be treated as the man he has always been, not be shunted aside as damaged goods.

While Constance is enjoying this time with new friends, abuzz with activity, she is acutely aware of the difference between her social class (and some of Poppy’s employees/friends) and that of Poppy and her society friends. Moreover, Constance is pressed by the passage of time to look for employment. The summer will not last forever, and Mrs. Fog will be returning home to her daughter. She will have no further need for a companion. Constance hopes for a bookkeeping job, but fears those jobs will go to men and she will end up a governess.

The plight of women cast adrift in the aftermath of the war is beautifully shown, as is the upheaval in the lives of veterans. Nevertheless, despite the potentially heavy subject matter, this is a light, charming read thanks to the good-heartedness of the protagonists and their enjoyment of what the summer has to offer.

A fun and heartwarming post-war fiction, this was an enjoyable audio to listen to. I listend along with the audio and Fiona Hardingham nails the characters' personalities and Simonson has written another must read (or listen)!

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Great War is over and all of the social shifting in Britain that mobilized troops and women into the workforce are settling back into pre-war standards.

In 1919, Constance takes a summer to care for her wealthy charge at a seaside estate while charting the course for her next move. Although she helped run a large estate during the war, a man will take her place to order seeds, collect tenet rent, and ensure smooth operations of a large Downton-type family home.

Should she move to London and become a secretary? She lives in this liminal space as the beneficiary of a wealthy family and can afford this luxurious hotel, but soon she must return to the reality of bills and rent.

She meets Poppy, who while wealthy, operates a women run motorcycle service for taxis. Constance is taken in to this new world of women operating a business and seeking thrills without reliance on men or the wealthy benefactors of her past.

I learned a lot about WWI history and loved cheering for Constance to find her own way in a world limited for female independence.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing this ARC for a review.

Thank you to the author and publisher for prividing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn to this book by the title, but wasn't sure what to think. It was either going to be fun and unique or really strange. I am glad I gave it a try. It is historical fiction set after the war when many have come home wounded and women are told to leave their jobs for the men who came home needing work. The story works around the norms and customs of the time, showing how difficult it was for women who needed or wanted to work, but were told they should be home. I was surpised by how poorly wounded men were also treated, seen as unfit to work and even shunned from society. Those pushing against the norms however were able to come togther in this story over a ladies motorcycle club started so women could continue work, providing paid rides via motorcycle to other women. There is friendship, growth, humor, trials that knock you down, and then blessings from keep going. I found this read to be pleasantly enjoyable and am glad I took a chance on it.

DNF 60%

I have loved the author's previous books, and was so looking forward to this new one; unfortunately, it just didn't work for me.

Though this was well-written [ in the respect of that you are supposed to feel what you feel when the "bad" people are on the page and when the discrimination is being shown], and is VERY faithful to the time period [plus there is an excellent narrator, which is always a bonus], there was just no substance to this book and I would be close to dread each day when it came time to read it.

Other than Constance [who is a sweet, kind, likeable character that you spend the whole time wishing she'd grow just a teeny bit of a backbone], and sweet Mrs. Fogg [WHO. JUST. WANTS. TO. LIVE. HER. LIFE. and for her daughter to STFU already], there are no real like a likeable, or even nice [for that matter] characters [Mrs. Mercer anyone?? Blech], and there is just so much talktalktalk [it's almost constant breakfast, luncheon, supper, tea, and cards over and over and over again!], and just awful behavior [the American everyone is complaining about in their reviews is actually the truest-to-life character in the book; the US was not that far out from the Civil War (54 years), Jim Crow is raising its ugly head more and more, and the brave African-American men that fought in France and were treated abhorrently both in France (CAN YOU EVEN imagine segregating the troops WHILE FIGHTING A WAR???) makes Rachel's fiancee's bigotry and racism right on point and was part of the book that rang very true to me] from everyone, just got so very tedious over time. The motorcycle girls were mostly nice, but there was classism there as well, and lots of in-fighting that just got on my last nerve, not to mention the casual "richness" of Poppy [ and her inability to see how it affects all those around her] that just made me want to gag at times. I will say that what Poppy's brother (Harris??) deals with is very true to how the injured were treated after they came home and I still find that behavior completely despicable.

I love this author and I adore good historical fiction, but unfortunately this was just too boring [minus sweet Mrs. Fogg's story; I didn't read the end, but I hope that she gets her very happy ending. And Constance too], unlikable, long, for me and well, life is just too short. I will admit, I am very disappointed.

I was invited to read/review this by the publisher [Random House Publishing Group - Random House/The Dial Press] and I want to thank them for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest .

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

Well-loved and highly respected as an author by yours truly, I will of course read anything that Helen Simonson writes, even if it's a grocery list. Her new stand-alone novel is wildly more addictive and interesting and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt just how amazing and versatile of an author she is. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough and really enjoyed diving back into British society after WWI, and the challenges the women faced when the men came home. It was romantic, witty, and utterly exquisite. Highly recommended and can't wait to own this one in print! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher. It was such a treat!

For some young women at a loss when peace comes and the jobs are given to the returning men, the excitement of riding and servicing motorcycles and airplanes becomes a dandy summer adventure by the sea. Author Helen Simonson has come into her own with a second historical fiction set against the England of Post-WWI with authentic historical details, careful attention to character, and plot development with a gentle pace and a warm, nostalgic tone.



Three narrators from different classes, genders, and nationalities give The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club a richer perspective for the reader to appreciate as a large surrounding cast and side plots are presented. Klaus is a German-born English citizen who has had a rough time because of his ethnicity. Recently interned during the war, he feels lucky to get a good wait staff position, but he knows there must be no mistakes; his position is precarious as anti-German sentiment runs high.

Constance is a farmer’s daughter, educated as a gentlewoman, caught between two worlds, and uncertain of her future. Her mother’s old friend gifts her a summer by the sea as an older lady’s companion, and the old gal teaches her a thing or two about life. Is she brave enough to step out of her comfort zone to try something adventurous like her new friend Poppy and the other women who ride motorcycles and want to learn to fly? Her biggest gamble of all is to take a chance at romance with someone above her station.

And there's Harris, Poppy’s brother, who flew planes in the war, crashed, and lost his leg. He’s morose and uninterested in anything since it happened, but the ladies with their plans, particularly the quiet but determined Constance, give him something to tempt him back to life and recognize that he still has worth.



It was easy to root for Constance and the others as they found their way. I also appreciated the well-written summer seaside 1920s backdrop and the excitement of historical era motorcycles and aviation. The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club takes its time building to the crisis, utilizing a bet, a race, tangled relationships, and an outcome that surprises all.

A great choice for your summer beach reading.