Introduction

In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers.

Unwilling to be forced into a traditional woman’s role in the Midwest, Hazel remains on the west coast, and finds herself in the bohemian town of Laguna Beach. Desperate for work, she accepts a job as an assistant to famous artist Hanson Radcliff. Beloved by the locals for his contributions to the art scene and respected by the critics, Radcliff lives under the shadow of a decades old scandal that haunts him.

Working hard to stay on her cantankerous employer’s good side, Hazel becomes a valued member of the community. She never expected to fall in love with the rhythms of life in Laguna, nor did she expect to find a kindred spirit in Jimmy, the hotel bartender whose friendship promises something more. But Hazel still wants to work with airplanes?maybe even learn to fly one someday. Torn between pursuing her dream and the dream life she has been granted, she is unsure if giving herself over to Laguna is what her heart truly wants.

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1???Laguna Beach, California—February 1946??I stepped off the coach, directly in front of the boardwalk, and was immediately struck by the colors. Everything sun-drenched and vivid—from the towering palm trees shooting up into the cloudless blue sky to the polished shine of the automobiles lined up along the curb. On my left was a large, white hotel with Mission-style details and scalloped parapets, and just beyond, the ocean glistened green and blue, fronted by striped beach umbrellas dotting the sand.??“Wowsers,” I said to myself, as I took it all in.??The coach pulled away and I looked back, feeling the weight of my suitcase in hand. Everything I owned was packed into that small rectangular case, and the remainder of my wages from the airplane factory were tucked into the waistline of my trousers. I carried my case down the boardwalk, past a ballroom and a café, to a wooden bench, where I sat and considered my next move. It was almost two o’clock in the afternoon, and before the day was over I needed to find a place to sleep and a job to pay my way.??A young boy walked down the boardwalk calling out, “Chocolate sodas, malted milkshakes, hot beef sandwiches. Come and get one at Walter McQuinn’s Ice Cream Parlor.”??My stomach growled at the thought of food.??“Shoestring licorice, root beer barrels. Get your sweet-tooth fix at Walter McQuinn’s Ice Cream Parlor.”??I waved him over. “Excuse me, does this place Walter McQuinn’s sell newspapers?”??“Yes, ma’am. Newspapers, magazines, Mary Janes, Sugar Daddies, Coca-Cola floats.”??“And where is Walter McQuinn’s Ice Cream Parlor exactly?” I asked.??“Walter McQuinn’s Ice Cream Parlor,” he called out for all to hear, “located on the corner of Forest Avenue and South Coast Boulevard, just across from the beach!” He turned, pointed, and continued on, “Banana splits, Brown Cows, tutti-frutti sundaes.”??“Thank you,” I said, picking up my belongings and heading over in that direction.??Perched on a stool at the granite soda fountain, I went straight to the classified section of the South Coast News. I scanned and scanned. Carpenter wanted, inside and outside work, must have materials and tools … Installers needed for cesspools and septic tanks. Experience a plus … Housing needed for veterans, list your vacancies with American Legion … Housekeeper needed, two days a week.??I sighed and circled the last one. I was capable of so much more after the work I’d done over the past few years at Douglas Aircraft. I knew my way around a toolbox just as well as the fellas, but now that the war was over and the men were back from overseas, the women who’d been doing these jobs had been thanked and sent on their way. There was no more demand for us to work a man’s job, and they’d let us know how they felt loud and clear.??“Go on home, go back to being a mother and a good housewife,” our plant manager had said, and some women were thrilled to do just that.??Not me. I had no home to go back to.???Copyright © 2023 by Nicola Harrison... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the publisher:

1. Hazel is a strong, impulsive, and determined character. Did you relate to her at the beginning of the book? Does she change by the end?

2. Was Hazel wrong in the way she initiated her relationship with Bobby Watson? Afterward, should she have handled things differently?

3. How does Hazel's upbringing, and her lack of family to return to, influence her choices and impact how she interacts in the world?

4. Hanson is a complex character. How did you feel about him throughout this novel? Did your feelings toward him change? Did he influence and/or transform Hazel in any positive or negative ways?

5. The Isabella Rose scandal hangs over Hanson's head for most of his life. Did you sympathize with him? Do you think he played a role in Isabella’s death, or was he the victim?

6. Laguna Beach becomes a special place, an almost sacred place, to many of the characters--Hazel, Jimmy, Hanson. Discuss the role that the setting and atmosphere of this beach town play in the story.

7. This novel celebrates the value of community and unexpected friendships. Have you ever had an experience where a community or a specific friendship has saved you or changed your life?

8. Did you think it was inevitable that Hazel and Jimmy would end up together the way they did, or did you think that Edgar Berg might stand a chance?

9. Truth and beauty are two recurring themes in the story. In what ways were the main characters affected by them?

10. The Pageant of the Masters is a world-famous art show that started back in the 1930s and continues to this day. Have you heard of it before? Were you able to visualize the living tableaus coming together? Did this novel make you want to experience this event in person?

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