Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
I absolutely loved returning to Emmy Lake and her friends at the Women's Friend magazine set in London during WWII. In this story, Emmy gets promoted to help with two new newspaper columns and there is a lot of focus on highlighting working women's lives and the challenges they faced trying to both fill in while the men were off fighting but still manage to take care of their children and homes. There was honestly nothing I didn't like about this book. It had everything my historical fiction lover's heart craves. Based on real women's lives, strong female friendship, a swoony love story with a hard earned HEA. This was worth the wait and I hope we get more Emmy Lake adventures soon! Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy.
Yours Cheerfully (The Emmy Lake Chronicles #2) by A.J. Pearce
It's London, November 1941, and Emmy Lake is thriving at her job. She loves the people she works with and she's been given many more responsibilities at Woman’s Friend magazine. Getting to attend a Ministry of Information meeting for journalists opens the door for Emmy to do articles on the wartime female workers, giving their all for the war effort. It's when Emmy really gets to know some of these women, and the hardships they are facing, that she knows the magazine not only needs to promote the war effort but more importantly, they need to highlight and attempt to remedy the real, life crushing, challenges that working women face when they also have children and the other responsibilities of wartime life hindering their every step. These women are doing the same jobs that men did for much less pay, working weekends and ever changing shift work, with no help or understanding from their employers.
Although this is wartime London, and from the first book, Dear Mrs. Bird, we know the challenges and threats that all of England faces, both books have a lighthearted feel to them. I enjoy these stories and self deprecating characters that are able to support each other and find humor in the everyday strangeness of this wartime life they are living. No one is allowed to forget the loss of life and also the loss of health for those who do return from war. Wartime rationing means creativity is a part of each day and the generosity of others is often what gets people from one hour to the next. Everyone has lost someone and, for the most part, Emmy and her friends try to put a good face on each minute because that's the only way to keep going.
I love these characters, Emmy's co-workers who really care about each other, her long time friends and her family, and the new friends she makes as she tries to help the women factory workers who get no leeway when it comes to understanding the hardships of finding constant childcare for their children. Whether it's subtle or faced directly, we are always made aware of the heavy weight that the war places on each person.
Pub: Aug 10th 2021
Thank you to Book Club Favorites, Scribner, and NetGalley for this ARC.
It's London, November 1941, and Emmy Lake is thriving at her job. She loves the people she works with and she's been given many more responsibilities at Woman’s Friend magazine. Getting to attend a Ministry of Information meeting for journalists opens the door for Emmy to do articles on the wartime female workers, giving their all for the war effort. It's when Emmy really gets to know some of these women, and the hardships they are facing, that she knows the magazine not only needs to promote the war effort but more importantly, they need to highlight and attempt to remedy the real, life crushing, challenges that working women face when they also have children and the other responsibilities of wartime life hindering their every step. These women are doing the same jobs that men did for much less pay, working weekends and ever changing shift work, with no help or understanding from their employers.
Although this is wartime London, and from the first book, Dear Mrs. Bird, we know the challenges and threats that all of England faces, both books have a lighthearted feel to them. I enjoy these stories and self deprecating characters that are able to support each other and find humor in the everyday strangeness of this wartime life they are living. No one is allowed to forget the loss of life and also the loss of health for those who do return from war. Wartime rationing means creativity is a part of each day and the generosity of others is often what gets people from one hour to the next. Everyone has lost someone and, for the most part, Emmy and her friends try to put a good face on each minute because that's the only way to keep going.
I love these characters, Emmy's co-workers who really care about each other, her long time friends and her family, and the new friends she makes as she tries to help the women factory workers who get no leeway when it comes to understanding the hardships of finding constant childcare for their children. Whether it's subtle or faced directly, we are always made aware of the heavy weight that the war places on each person.
Pub: Aug 10th 2021
Thank you to Book Club Favorites, Scribner, and NetGalley for this ARC.
Magazine feature writer, Emmy charms the reader as she takes on the problems of those around her and stands up for her boss and her new friends--women war workers treated unfairly--and her best pal, Bunty. We get to see more of her brave & decent boyfriend, Charles, and catch a glimpse of the in-it-together spirit of the good-hearted British citizens during WWII. I'm a fan of this series!
Oh these cute, plucky broads. I felt like this fizzled out a little, but I’d be happy to read another one if it comes out.
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
THE ULTIMATE RELATIONSHIP IN THIS SERIES IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMMY AND BUNNY. DAVE TOLD ME I WAS A “SIGHT” BECAUSE OF MY WEEPING OVER THEM. THANJS AND GOOD DAY.
Now that Mrs. Bird has left Women's Friend they need a new advice column. Emmy Lake has remained at the magazine but she is not allowed to write without supervision. Emmy does what is asked of her since she knows this is her second chance. Just as things are changing at Women's Friend, Her Majesty's government wants the lady's magazines to help promote women's war work. While Emmy is trying to come up with some ideas she makes a new friend on the train who is off with her two young children to live with her mother and work at the local ammunition factory.
Yours Cheerfully is the follow up to Dear Mrs. Bird and while the advice column is still important this one involves more action and integration to the war effort through the magazine work instead of the volunteer fire brigade. If you enjoyed Dear Mrs. Bird pick this one up. If you have not read Dear Mrs. Bird, so that and then grab Yours Cheerfully.
Yours Cheerfully is the follow up to Dear Mrs. Bird and while the advice column is still important this one involves more action and integration to the war effort through the magazine work instead of the volunteer fire brigade. If you enjoyed Dear Mrs. Bird pick this one up. If you have not read Dear Mrs. Bird, so that and then grab Yours Cheerfully.
This one was sweet. It was a lovely follow up to Dear Mrs Bird. I enjoyed seeing more of Emmy’s story and how she progressed in her journalism career, and her personal life.
Sometimes I felt like there was just too much going on. But it did come together.
This one was a happier WWII story though it does touch on some of the home-front troubles.
Sometimes I felt like there was just too much going on. But it did come together.
This one was a happier WWII story though it does touch on some of the home-front troubles.
Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce is a sequel to Dear Mrs Bird. We are in 1941 London, and Emmy is gaining more independence at the women's newspaper. Print media is asked by the government to support the war effort through positive magazine spotlights, and Emmy fixates on women's employment in factories and advocates for adequate support, be it childcare centers or other clear solutions she believes would help.
Emmy's beau is a soldier, so she wrestles with what it means to be individually invested in the war, as she is also supporting her grieving best friend, Bunty.
This is a respectable sequel, one which I enjoyed more than Dear Mrs. Bird.
(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)
Emmy's beau is a soldier, so she wrestles with what it means to be individually invested in the war, as she is also supporting her grieving best friend, Bunty.
This is a respectable sequel, one which I enjoyed more than Dear Mrs. Bird.
(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)
hopeful
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No