{"product_id":"the-wheels-of-chance-1","title":"The Wheels of Chance","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn the sweltering summer of 1895, a mild-mannered draper's assistant named Hoopdriver trades his black morning coat for a brown cycling suit and sets out on a ten-day bicycle tour along the South Coast of England. What begins as a simple quest for freedom and fresh air quickly becomes a journey of unexpected encounters, mechanical mishaps, and the slow awakening of a man long confined by the rigid routines of shop life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs he pedals through sun-dappled lanes and bustling market towns, Hoopdriver finds himself navigating not only the treacherous roads and his own unsteady riding, but also the complicated social landscape of late Victorian England. A chance meeting with a young lady in grey sets off a chain of restless pursuit and quiet self-discovery, while the hum of his wheels carries him further from the counter he knows and closer to the man he might become.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith wry observation and gentle humour, the story captures the exhilaration and embarrassment of a first holiday, the weight of class and convention, and the quiet rebellion of a young man determined to feel the open road beneath him.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wildside Press","offers":[{"title":"Perfect Bound","offer_id":68176317448496,"sku":"9781667670850","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0262\/2357\/5085\/files\/9781667670850.jpg?v=1792975273","url":"https:\/\/www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk\/products\/the-wheels-of-chance-1","provider":"The Great British Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}