Member Reviews

A delightful step back into 1919 where young women who were so instrumental in the war by taking on new and traditionally male jobs are now being forced out by law. Even when they are unmarried and need to support themselves. Constance finds herself pushed out of her job running an estate and takes a position as a “caretaker” companion to the elder Ms Fog at a seaside hotel. She is “the help” but also becomes friends with girls of upper society girls who have started a taxi service via motorcycles. A cute tale of time in history where women struggle to make their way in a world that keeps pushing them back to household duties even when there are much fewer men to marry and they want to continue to contribute like they did during the war that includes a deep sense of family duty, love, society rules of how women should behave and survival in a new era.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC!

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When a male dominated community delivers notice to the women who kept the war effort running while the men fought, tells these same women that their efforts were laudable but no longer necessary, it should not be a surprise when resistance is met. I've often wondered who had the temerity to tell these women to go back to their pre-war places and act like it never happened. Helen Simonson has taken that premise and run it into an excellent story of the refusal of some women to go back to their domestic duties. The characters, bith male and female, in THE HAZELBOURNE LADIES MOTORCYCLE AND FLYING CLUB are entertaining in their refusal while courageous in their insistence that they have earned their rights to be more.........

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Full of charm and warmth thanks to its endearing characters, we readers learn of the various hardships of what happens after war. I enjoyed the different points of view and found myself rooting for the smart and plucky women who want to continue with the changes in their lives brought about by their efforts in WWI.

Many thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the advance review copy.

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If THE WOMEN was your favorite historical fiction book this year, you will enjoy this post-WWII story exploring women's resilience and unrecognized work contributions during the war.

Helen Simonson, widely known for her novels Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and The Summer Before the War, admitted in her author's note that writing with love and optimism was challenging amidst these bitter political times and the pandemic. Although the threads of her cynicism sometimes shimmer, this endearing story captured my heart.

It's 1919, and readers are pulled into the bustling dinner table scene at a seaside hotel, where servings feel thin, but the conversation is robust with the town's lively gossip.

Constance is one of many women who found themselves without a paid position. She managed a farm during the war but was released after peace was declared. This job loss led her to an unexpected position as a companion to an old family friend staying at this resort for a few weeks.

She quickly feels drawn into the orbit of Poppy and Harris, siblings leading very different lives whose mother also resides at the resort.
Harris is a pilot who has returned as an amputee and struggles to find his place in society. From the abrupt ending of his engagement to his inability to provide for the family, he's not only navigating a city that feels inaccessible to him but also unclear what a future looks like with his disability. Harris is a hero but treated as the town's punching bag, with scenes that made me bristle up more than once as people speculated on his peg leg and perceived inabilities because of his injury.

In contrast, his spitfire sister Poppy inventively bucks the atrocities expected of women of this era, from running a motorcycle taxi service to wearing pants. While indeed opposites, both hope to be free of the financial hardships that have plagued them since the war, especially when Harris discovers that their mother's economic future is far from secure.

This novel reminded me of Downton Abbey in many ways as it explores social class and the hierarchy, especially post-war when financial futures look different even for the wealthy. Women cannot afford to not worry about their future, and this contemplation is captured beautifully in Simson's line, "To live for today, one must be reasonably financially assured of tomorrow."

Luckily, the camaraderie of these women reaches unexplored levels when Poppy concocts creative ways to offer local women jobs during a tumultuous time when many have found themselves widowed or financially downtrodden.

She boldly purchases a beaten-up airplane in a new hair-brained scheme to teach the ladies in her motorcycle club how to fly, pulling her brother in as an instructor. But, as Poppy, Harris, and Constance all find a new purpose, the town's residents grapple with progress, potentially halting their hard work.

The story offers a few well-plotted villains as this women's club becomes embroiled in a scenario that compromises this cozy, progressive space for the town and gives a book club much to discuss in this sprawling 432-page novel. I loved this more than expected and finished it in a single day.

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Helen Simonson’s wonderful new historical fiction novel centers around a group of people in England trying to find their footing following the end of World War I. With the war over and men returning home, women have once again been relegated to the sidelines, and the jobs they held during the war are no longer available to females, often by law according to the War Practices Act. The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club follows numerous individuals living in the seaside town of Hazelbourne as they come to terms with what the return to peace means for them. These characters include a woman who lost her job working on a farm to returning soldiers, a socialite who forms the motorcycle and flying club, her brother who lost his leg in the war, and a German-born, naturalized citizen who was interned on the Isle of Man during the war. As they work to recover from the horrors of war, they realize that life as they knew it has permanently changed and that their country is on the brink of significant transformation. Simonson creates a fascinating glimpse into a drastically shifting world as the reader understands how much more change is coming.

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Simonson’s last novel The Summer before the War is set in 1914 before the beginning of World War I; this novel is set in the summer of 1919 just after the end of that war.

Constance Haverhill is sent as a lady’s companion to Mrs. Eleanor Fog, an old family friend who is convalescing at a hotel in Hazelbourne-on-Sea. After the summer, Constance will have to find a position to support herself but in the meantime she finds herself mixing with the elites who live in the hotel. In particular, she meets Poppy Wirrall, an unconventional young woman, the leader of a group of independent-minded motorcycle-riding women, and her brother Harris, a fighter pilot trying to adjust to life as an amputee.

The book focuses on the challenges of post-war life, especially those faced by women. During the war, women took jobs left vacant by men who were off fighting; these jobs allowed women to show their competence and gave them both responsibility and freedom. With the end of the war, however, women are expected to give up these jobs to returning soldiers. Constance, for instance, managed a large estate but is told she is now no longer needed; Poppy expresses her frustration: “’I got used to feeling life was urgent and I was doing something important. Now we are all expected to go home to the kitchen or drawing room.’” Mention is made of the Restoration of Pre-War Practices Act which legislated certain jobs could be held only by men. Those women left widowed are expected to survive on an insufficient pension whereas those who are unmarried find a limited supply of potential husbands after the deaths of so many young men.

Women also experience misogyny. Constance admits that when showing her wartime employer “’how well his estate was doing . . . I forgot men don’t like women to be too competent. I should have been more circumspect.’” Men and women are certainly judged differently. One man’s comments are jokingly dismissed as overbearing but a woman points out that “’when I am overbearing, which I often like to be, they call me an absolute shrew.’” It’s best that women “’simper and faint and hide our abilities in all things worldly.’” Constance is careful “never to share her opinion, especially with a man” because she knows that if a woman says anything of import, “It was as if when offering a dog a biscuit, the dog had thanked them and begun to quote from the Encyclopaedia Britannica.”

Of course men must also adapt to changes. Those who survived the battlefield and the influenza pandemic have to integrate back into society. Injured men like Harris find themselves being treated as incapable of resuming work; Harris, for example, wants to continue to fly planes but is discouraged from doing so: “’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.’” He also struggles with survivor’s guilt. Men who suffered serious injury are hidden away from society. In a parade celebrating victory and peace, attempts are made not to include the seriously wounded as if to prove one woman’s opinion that “’it seems as if the dead are more convenient than the wounded.’”

Classism is addressed. Men of lower classes who might have proven during wartime that “competence, decency, and grit were not the sole purview, or even the natural gifts, of the well-born” have to return to lives in which they are no longer seen as equals. And as a woman who has to earn a living to survive, Constance does not have the freedom of the wealthy. For instance, Poppy, because of her wealth and social class, is able to engage in activities not available to Constance: “Respectability was the currency in which Constance knew she must trade for the foreseeable future. She . . . did not have Poppy’s wealth and position from which to defend herself against notoriety.”

The book also touches on xenophobia and racism. At the hotel there’s a waiter named Klaus Zeiger, a German-born naturalized citizen. At the beginning of the war, he was kept in an internment camp, and after the war, because of lingering anti-German sentiment, he tries to keep a low profile. “’British India and the independent princely states together contributed over a million men to this war,’” but an Indian delegation is prevented from marching in the Peace Parade in London. One Indian pilot mentions that when he applied to the Flying Corps, he was told to become an air mechanic instead: “Some imputed weakness of my race, or perhaps a disinclination to train and empower a colonial.’” There is also racism against blacks; a visiting American expresses particularly odious views: “’Relationships across the races being, we believe, against the laws of the state and nature.’”

This book will be described as a gentle, quiet read but its charm is not a disguise for fluff. Though its plot, especially the romance, is predictable, the book captures the mood of the world after the First World War. It is the novel’s social commentary that I will remember. It’s an entertaining book that provides food for thought.

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The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson is a delightful read that offers a warm and romantic portrayal of women's lives in the post-World War I era. This historical fiction novel is not only pleasurable but also thought-provoking, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs of women during this time period. Simonson's storytelling is both engaging and insightful, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

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For lovers of historical fiction and stories about women's rights this might be the book for you. I am usually medium on historical fiction, but loved the cover and wanted to try something new. This book is set in the aftermath of WWI as the war wraps ups and the conflict of women being told to take a step back after stepping up during the war, as the soldiers come home. I was rooting for Constance and enjoyed seeing her grow as a character, but felt the book overall felt too long and dragged for me, especially in the second half.

Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press

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Settle in for a warm and often amusing story of a group coping with the shifts in the world and the UK in the post WWI era. Constance, having lost her home and her job managing an estate, is working as a companion to Mrs. Fog during a visit to Hazelbourne, a small town by the sea. A chance meeting with Poppy, daughter of a dynamic and wealthy widow and sister of Harris, who lost his leg when his plane crashed, changes her life. Poppy and her band of friends have a motorcycle club and then she buys a Sophwith Camel for Harris. Each character is more than you think they will be- and there are a lot of them, ranging from Tilly who wants to be a mechanic to a visiting civil servant from India to Mrs. Fog's childhood friends to most poignantly of all, Klaus, the waiter at the hotel who is German. This unfolds slowly (to be honest, more slowly than I originally expected) but that's not a bad thing. It's the small scenes here (wait til Constance and Poppy go to the East End) that mean the most. Indeed it is a tale of manners with the mores that seem outdated to Constance and Poppy. And there's the casual regrettable racism. I've liked Simonson in the past and this is an expansion on her skills and shows off her storytelling better than ever. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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I really liked this book. It cozy in a great sort of adventure way.
 
Its all about Constance who is really trying to find herself now that her mother has passed. She is taking care of an older lady who she nursed through influenza. They are staying in this fun hotel in the town of Hazelborne. She ends up meeting Poppy and their fun amazing friendship starts right away. Of course, I am a sucker for friendship stories especially this one. When all the men went to war all the women had to start doing all the jobs men would do because they need to make money as well to support the family and Poppy has made a business of being a sort of taxi service. Motorcycle and side car, you call and they come pick you up but with all the men coming home from the war things are changing. 
This book has friendship, a bit of romance, exciting adventures and a real way of pulling you into this world that feels like you are right there with them. I love books that take you away like that.
5 STARS for sure!!!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an Advanced Readers Copy of this amazing book. I now have to wait for the book to come out in a few days so I can buy it!!!! Come Out May 7,2024.

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DNF after about 33%. I thought the premise sounded interesting and somewhat humorous, but I found it to be boring and all of the characters to be too one dimensional. I really wanted to like the book, but it just wasn't for me

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Now that the men have come home from the war, women are forced to give up the work that they had come to love, and for women like Constance, the work they need to support themselves. Before Constance has to figure out how to support herself in London, she is spending the summer as a companion to an old family friend at a seaside hotel at Hazelbourne. While there she encounters Poppy, a sassy wealthy women about her age who runs a motorcycle taxi service run by and for women. Constance is brought into her group of friends as they attempt to navigate post WWI England and the misogynistic restrictions being forced upon them which is taking away all the freedoms they had during the war.

I was so excited to read this one because I loved the author’s novel, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand. While I enjoyed all of the quirky and fun characters and Simonson’s enjoyable writing style was present, this one just was a bit of a slow read for me and just couldn’t hold my attention as much as I wanted it to. The last 1/4 of the book was my favorite and I wish the whole novel was as engaging. The novel was good just not as great as I was hoping it would be.

3.75 stars (rounded to 4)

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for the ARC

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I wanted to like this book, it just wasn't for me. There were too many storylines and character and I found myself wandering. But, that is just my personal preference. If you like a lot of happenings and much goings on,,, this might be the perfect book for you! :)

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for and ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Helen Simonson for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There were lots of changes for women in 1919, when the men returned from war and needed their jobs to support their families. Women were expected to give up these jobs that they had performed so well and enjoyed. One such person, Constance Haverhill, had to give up her job on an estate, which included the cottage where she lived. Finding a job wasn’t that easy, so she accepted a temporary job of helping an ailing family friend at the seashore. While there, she is befriended by the delightful Poppy Wirrall, who wears slacks and has a motorcycle taxi business. Put your imagination to work. Add in Poppy’s brother who seems fond of Constance and you are set for a great adventure!

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Welcome back, Helen Simonson. We have missed you. How pleasant and wonderful to be in Simonson's new historical novel, this one taking place just after the end of World War I in England. It feels like going back in time to meet the most finely drawn characters who become people you will admire, love and some you will detest.

Constance, a talented young woman, comes face to face with the fact that now, with servicemen coming back from the war, women will lose the jobs they were needed in. She works as an aide to Mrs. Fog, her friend Rachel's grandmother, and is constantly told by Rachel's mother that she should resign herself to life as a governess. Post 1918 flu, piling further losses upon losses, Constance has left her brother's farm following the death of her sister-in-law's baby.

Constance meets Poppy in a seaside village. Poppy runs a motorcycle taxi service along with a group of women. If you find engineering fascinating, you will get quite an education regarding motorcycles and Sopwith Camel airplanes. You will also learn a lot about estate management, British society, Indian royalty, and living with an amputated limb. Is it a lot? Yes! But every page is filled with Simonson's gripping prose. The novel is lengthy, but worth it. Several suspenseful scenes will have you reading on the edge of your chair. At the end, you will sit back with a satisfied smile.

Thanks to The Dial Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this early copy.

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DNF

I am 26% through this book, It has so many storylines and people that I cannot keep it all straight. Plus, nothing is happening really. It is very descriptive and slow. Additionally, there are so many words used that are either very British in style or words that are pure SAT words that I have to stop quite frequently to look up definitions. Yes, I love to learn new words, but not in every single paragraph.

I'm so sorry not to finish this book, but it just didn't work for me.

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This charming historical novel meets us in Britain as WWI is coming to an end. It centers around high society women and the roles they assumed while the men were in the war. As the men come home, the women find themselves undervalued and displaced. Can a group of fun and adventurous female entrepreneurs provide a haven for female jobs, or will their carefree, sometimes raucous behavior be too much for Hazelbourne to handle? Thanks to Dial Press and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

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3.75 stars rounded up to 4.

As the book started, I was entranced by the life of Constance and her companion Mrs. Fog. We watch as we get to know the hotel, its guests and the women in and around the hotel.

Then, the pacing falls off a bit and it was necessary to keep reading as the characters are compelling and I was curious as to their fate. However, the story was very slow and there were several times I considered not finishing.

As always, I’m so glad I finished. The last third of the book was charming and heartwarming. Constance’s character grew by leaps and bounds, as did Mrs. Fog, Harris and Mrs. Wirrall. The beauty of the story was truly in the characters that were redeemed and grew to be better people. They found happiness and purpose, and the end for these characters felt very complete.

Advance Reader copy provided by NetGalley and Random House but all opinions are my own.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about the displacement of British women who worked for the war effort during WWI and then had to give up their jobs to returning war veterans. It is a character driven novel with quite a bit of social injustice and romantic undertones. Great characters, a well placed plot and a bit of intrigue kept me turning the pages. I read it straight through in two days. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and The Dial Press for an advanced reader copy.

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The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is generally an easy read about a young woman in a wealthy seaside hotel for the summer. Under the gentle romance and friendship, there is a sad undercurrent of a society trying to heal from World War 2. This is an enjoyable and thought-provoking novel.

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