The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson, read by Fiona Hardingham.

Whip-smart and utterly transportive, this 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 charming and uplifting tale – I LOVED every minute!' FAITH HOGAN
'A ripping tale of friendship, survival and true love’ CELIA IMRIE
'Witty, amusing and touchingly emotive ' ROSIE GOODWIN
'A page-turning original story' KATIE FFORDE
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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 to 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 and its colorful inhabitants, most notably, Poppy Wirrall.

Poppy, the daughter of a land-owning baronet, 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.

Readers LOVE The Hazelbourne Ladies
‘An absolute must for lovers of historical fiction' *****
‘What a delight! … captured the essence of the era' *****
‘This book was brilliant! Totally recommend it' *****
‘I loved the characters ... and found out more than I expected *****

Critics Review

A charming and uplifting tale - I LOVED every minute of it!
Faith Hogan
A page-turning, original story about a group of independent woman who refused to go back to back into their allocated positions after the First World War
Katie Fforde
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club captures the ambitions, frustrations and inevitable tragedies of women and men emerging from the Great War. Written with great humour and compassion, it is an absolute delight
Pip Williams, bestselling author of The Dictionary of Lost Words
Witty, amusing and touchingly emotive
Rosie Goodwin
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is an absolute joy of a book. Warm, and romantic, it also has so much to say about the lives of women in the years following WWI. This is historical fiction of the highest order—pleasurable and smart
Ann Napolitano, bestselling author of Hello Beautiful
A whirlwind of joy from beginning to end, The Hazelbourne Ladies showcases Simonson's best skills: great drama, lively historical detail, and delightful characters who have you hooked from the start ... Her Austen-esque wit lifts every sentence ... Charming, delightful, and gripping, it's hard to not love those Hazelbourne ladies from beginning to end
Jennifer Ryan
With cinematic verve and a keen eye for detail, Helen Simonson captures a vibrant group of unconventional women who defy social norms in their determination to forge their own futures. Beautifully written and brimming with charm, The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is both a fizzy escape and a moving portrait of a nation on the cusp of change
Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train
I was utterly transported and gripped by Simonson’s perfectly rendered story of insiders and outsiders, rebels and underdogs. Whether racing on two wheels, soaring through the skies, or nursing the deepest of wounds, I was rooting for these resilient characters from the start
Carol Rifka Brunt, bestselling author of Tell the Wolves I’m Home
I am so in love with the way Helen Simonson writes, how she tells a story. This book is utterly captivating from the first page, as it champions the indomitable spirit of women who refuse to be confined by the limitations of their era. With a perfect blend of historical charm, courage, and camaraderie, this novel takes readers on a riveting journey through a world where the skies are the limit for those brave enough to soar
Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy
A charming and uplifting work of historical fiction
Take A Break, Book of the Month
If you enjoy coming-of-age stories, a touch of romance, and a dash of historical intrigue, this book is a quick and heart-warming read
What's On
In this beautifully crafted examination of post-war cultural upheaval, Helen Simonson has given us everything we could look for in a novel of the human heart
Historical Novel Society

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