The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club / Helen Simonson

 

5 out of 5 stars 

I shall have to thank my local book shop for recommending this title to me. I might not have picked it up without their nudge and that would have been my misfortune. Mind you, I should have known that the author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand would produce another incisive commentary on unwarranted prejudices and the ridiculous rules of the class system, all wrapped up in a charming story of female friendship and unexpected romance.

The time frame of the novel was what cinched the deal for me, set in England in 1919 as the Great War has wound to a close. Back in February, I read a nonfiction book, Singled Out, about the societal changes brought about by this war. The loss of so many young men, resulting in “surplus women" who now must plan lives without marriage and with extremely reduced chances to make a living for themselves. Women who had worked steadily and well during wartime were abruptly sent back to the kitchen and the drawing room, pushed back into dependent positions. This novel illustrates the frustrations of these women to perfection.

Constance hopes to find some way to support herself, since her sister-in-law is hostile to her and her family farm is therefore no longer a welcoming haven. Her mother has recently died in the influenza epidemic and she has been left to the mercies of her mother's supposed friend, who considers Constance a burden and treats her as an unpaid servant. Despite the fact that she has nursed this woman's mother through the flu, she now finds herself persona non grata, and is sent on one last mission, accompanying the elder lady on a seaside vacation.

Some consolation comes from making friends with a group of young women who are trying to make a living using their motorcycles, running a taxi service. Constance develops a taste for ripping around the countryside wearing goggles and with her bonnet tied firmly to her head with a sturdy scarf. With her bookkeeping acumen and other practical skills, plus a substantial dose of courage, Constance becomes an asset to the seaside community.

There are many problems to be faced and overcome. I could sympathize and I found myself unwilling to set the book down until I knew the outcome. I would highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates the value of good friends and of knowing your own worth.