Some novels simply use the past as a setting. Others make readers feel as though they have stepped directly into another era. Some Girls Will Some Girls Won’t by Joe Smalle belongs to the second category. Through its music, social customs, workplaces, vehicles, entertainment and everyday conversations, the novel recreates the distinctive atmosphere of 1970s Britain with warmth, humour and remarkable detail.
At the centre of the story is Kevin “Bubbles” Tyler, a young man trying to improve life for himself and his widowed mother. His journey takes place during a period when Britain was experiencing major social and economic change. Traditional expectations remained strong, but new ideas about relationships, business, ambition and personal freedom were beginning to reshape society.
Kevin reflects this changing world. He comes from a modest working-class background and knows what it means to live carefully. After his father’s death leaves the family in financial difficulty, Kevin becomes determined to escape poverty. His unusual mail-order scheme gives him a chance to earn more money than he ever imagined, but it also places him in unfamiliar social and moral territory.
Everyday Life Before the Digital Age
One of the most engaging elements of the novel is its portrayal of ordinary life before mobile phones, online banking, social media and instant communication. Kevin relies on letters, post office savings accounts, newspaper and magazine advertisements, telephone kiosks and face-to-face conversations.
His growing business requires him to collect sacks of mail, count cash by hand, visit multiple post offices and find discreet ways to manage his income. These details do more than move the plot forward. They show readers how commerce, communication and daily routines functioned in a very different world.
Cars also represent freedom and success. For Kevin, purchasing a Ford Cortina is not merely a practical decision. It is an emotional connection to his late father and a visible sign that his circumstances are changing. Later vehicles further reflect his growing confidence, status and ambition.
Music as the Soundtrack of a Generation
Music plays an especially important role throughout the novel. Songs heard on radios, jukeboxes and record players accompany key moments in the characters’ lives. Artists such as The Carpenters, Boney M, Chuck Berry, Roberta Flack and The Beatles help create an authentic soundtrack for the period.
The title itself is connected to “Some Girls” by Racey, a favourite jukebox song shared by Kevin and his friends at the snooker hall. The music does not feel like decoration. Instead, it becomes part of the characters’ memories, relationships, humour and emotional experiences.
Social Customs, Romance and British Humour
The novel also captures the formality and awkwardness of courtship during the era. Cinema dates, evenings at local pubs, family introductions and careful conversations all play a role in Kevin’s romantic life. Relationships often develop slowly and approval from parents still carries considerable importance.
At the same time, Joe Smalle fills the story with recognisably British humour. Embarrassing misunderstandings, colourful characters, local expressions, snooker-hall banter, cups of tea, pub meals and uncomfortable social encounters give the book a lively and familiar personality.
Yet beneath the nostalgia, the novel explores serious issues. Poverty, grief, class, crime, loyalty, love, revenge and the consequences of ambition all shape the characters’ lives.
Some Girls Will Some Girls Won’t is more than a nostalgic trip into the past. It is a vivid portrait of an era when Britain was changing and ordinary people were searching for new opportunities. Through Kevin’s remarkable journey, Joe Smalle gives readers an entertaining story filled with period detail, emotional depth, humour, romance and suspense.
