Helen Simonson’s The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is a spirited, witty novel that captures the energy and uncertainty of post–World War I England through the lives of a vibrant group of young women. Set in the seaside town of Hazelbourne-on-Sea in 1919, the story follows Constance Haverhill, whose precarious future collides with the daring ambitions of Poppy Wirrall and her friends—a generation determined not to retreat quietly into the past.

Simonson’s sharp, charming prose paints a vivid picture of a society in flux, where the freedoms women earned during wartime are under threat. Through the daring motorcycle rides, dreams of flight, and the formation of new enterprises, the novel celebrates women’s resilience, innovation, and refusal to surrender their hard-won independence. Constance’s journey from genteel invisibility to self-determination is particularly moving, while characters like Poppy, Iris, and Tilly embody the exhilarating possibilities and real struggles facing women in a changing world.

Brimming with humor, heart, and historical insight, this novel is a joyous tribute to a generation of women redefining their place in society—and to the friendships, risks, and dreams that helped them do it.