A young woman's life is forever changed in the summer after World War I when she befriends a group of independent, motorcycle-riding women in a seaside town on the English coast - a captivating novel from the bestselling author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand.
'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 humor and compassion, it is a delight.' - Pip Williams, bestselling author of The Dictionary of Lost Words
'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 World War I. This is historical fiction of the highest order-pleasurable and smart.' Ann Napolitano, bestselling author of Hello Beautiful
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.
With sharp humor, biting wit, and a warm heart, Simonson captures the mood of a generation facing the seismic changes brought on by war. The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is a timeless comedy of manners, refreshing as a summer breeze and bracing as the British seaside.
Praise for The Summer Before the War:
'In picturesque Simonson style we wallow in love, hope and humour. Gentle, astute and observant.' - Australian Women's Weekly
'Simonson describes the era vividly in language matched to the times. Her compelling characters and their snappy dialogue illustrate a heart-wrenching tale [that] strikes a good balance between pathos and playfulness.' - Good Reading
'Read this book at your peril. By the time the camomile tea has chilled, two chapters in, you are hooked.' -Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum
