Constance Haverhill is spending the summer at Hazelbourne-on-Sea on the English coast. But in the summer of 1919, things are not as joyous for her as they could be. While World War I has ended and everyone is happy to have the soldiers return home, it also means that much of her independence, and her work, will be taken from her so the men will have jobs when they come back. With her brother estranged and her mother’s death still heavy in her thoughts, her summer at the sea is not what she expected.

"You’ll fall in love with the characters and the setting, and you won’t want to put it down until the last word is read."

While her older companion is resting, Constance stops by the hotel restaurant for lunch. In a fortuitous meeting, Poppy Wirrall unexpectedly livens up her summer. Poppy is the proprietor of the Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle Club (to which she plans to add flying lessons) and employs several local women as part of her taxi service. Constance, Poppy and the ladies of the club become fast friends, giving Constance something to think about other than her rather bleak future as a possible governess, which she is not interested in exploring as a career choice. Poppy, the daughter of a local baronet, continually flaunts convention, sometimes to the chagrin of her family and friends, but shows Constance a version of the future she didn’t consider.

As summer rolls to a close, Constance’s life changes in ways she never imagined. She becomes an honorary member of the Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle Club and helps her companion, Mrs. Fog, rekindle a long-lost romance. And even Constance begins to build her own future. The friendships she thought would be fleeting are turning out to be very real and even life-altering.

Just a few pages into the book, it felt like I knew these characters all my life. Helen Simonson has a way of welcoming in a reader, showing just enough so you’re quickly invested in what happens right from the start. Constance is quiet but strong, and while she might doubt her future, you never do.

THE HAZELBOURNE LADIES MOTORCYCLE AND FLYING CLUB is a wonderful read with some love stories intertwined alongside the friendships, and even a few sad moments that remind the reader that World War I was not far off for these people. This book is a perfect summer companion whether you’re on the beach or sitting in the backyard. You’ll fall in love with the characters and the setting, and you won’t want to put it down until the last word is read.