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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
I loved the first book in this series and was delighted to see a book two! It was so fun to reunite with Emmy and the crew. These are on the lighter side of historical fiction and are written in a unique, charming way. That was essentially what I loved about book one and why it became a favorite for me- the unique writing style. Book two was missing that magic and I missed it desperately as it added a certain charm to the plot. Yours Cheerfully was still a fun, witty read and I enjoyed the strong female storyline. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review!
I enjoyed this book, didn’t love it didn’t hate it!! It’s a perfectly lovely book telling the next chapter in Emmeline Lakes story (following on from Dear Mrs Bird)
Quite predictable but a nice easy read
Quite predictable but a nice easy read
"Yours Cheerfully" gets a solid three stars from me. Even though it's about World War II, it's a light and extremely pleasant read that I blew through over the course of a weekend.
The story picks up not long after the conclusion of "Dear Mrs. Bird," the first book in the series. Emmy Lake is (as she would probably say) Making the Best of It as she continues to work at "Woman's Friend" magazine, volunteer at a fire station and carry on a long-distance romance with her boyfriend. Notably, she's gotten a promotion at "Woman's Friend," and takes a lead role in the work the magazine is doing to support England's war efforts — Emmy ends up writing a series of stories on women working in factories, making a new group of friends along the way.
I won't go into too much detail, but it's not long before Emmy discovers that while her factory friends are eager to do what they can to support their country, their country isn't giving them the support they need. As the story progresses, she has to find a way to balance her duties to the magazine with trying to raise awareness about workers' rights. Not the usual take on wartime issues!
I see that I gave "Dear Mrs. Bird" four stars, but since I read it awhile back I don't remember why I assigned it a higher rating than "Yours Cheerfully." If I had to guess I'd say it's probably because "Dear Mrs. Bird" focuses more on Emmy's adventures as an advice columnist, while "Yours Cheerfully" is more about real-world problems. I'm drawn to anything related to advice and I love when books have an epistolary component, so those factors probably tipped the rating higher.
If the series gets a third instalment I'll most likely check it out.
The story picks up not long after the conclusion of "Dear Mrs. Bird," the first book in the series. Emmy Lake is (as she would probably say) Making the Best of It as she continues to work at "Woman's Friend" magazine, volunteer at a fire station and carry on a long-distance romance with her boyfriend. Notably, she's gotten a promotion at "Woman's Friend," and takes a lead role in the work the magazine is doing to support England's war efforts — Emmy ends up writing a series of stories on women working in factories, making a new group of friends along the way.
I won't go into too much detail, but it's not long before Emmy discovers that while her factory friends are eager to do what they can to support their country, their country isn't giving them the support they need. As the story progresses, she has to find a way to balance her duties to the magazine with trying to raise awareness about workers' rights. Not the usual take on wartime issues!
I see that I gave "Dear Mrs. Bird" four stars, but since I read it awhile back I don't remember why I assigned it a higher rating than "Yours Cheerfully." If I had to guess I'd say it's probably because "Dear Mrs. Bird" focuses more on Emmy's adventures as an advice columnist, while "Yours Cheerfully" is more about real-world problems. I'm drawn to anything related to advice and I love when books have an epistolary component, so those factors probably tipped the rating higher.
If the series gets a third instalment I'll most likely check it out.
2.5 stars. Light, quick, a little dull. But it's a nice change of pace to read an uplifting WWII novel.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was fun. I listened to book one on audiobook while knitting Christmas gifts last year (2020), and was glad the sequel was out so I could repeat the experience this December.
I'm not generally a fan of audiobooks, but these ones are pretty good. Popplewell walks a fine line between "acting" and voicework, and just reading. It's a little slow, though, and I listened to this on 1.25 or 1.5 speed.
The story itself is light and fun balanced with bittersweet - it's WWII, after all. I think this book was better than the first; fewer crucial plot points relied on unrealistic misunderstandings. There's a definite sense that this was written by a modern woman; as with the previous book, I could practically hear the 2020 views filtered through the characters. Some are a bit too ahead of their time. But overall the characters are all likable and relatable and sweet, and it makes for a fun and engaging experience.
Just like last time, the little lighthearted mentions of the "bloody war" between characters were really nice as we enter another year of the pandemic. It's nice to remember people have been through hard things before and will do so again. We're resilient, and it's nice in these hard times to read about other hard times, especially when the story is also fun and optimistic.
I'm not generally a fan of audiobooks, but these ones are pretty good. Popplewell walks a fine line between "acting" and voicework, and just reading. It's a little slow, though, and I listened to this on 1.25 or 1.5 speed.
The story itself is light and fun balanced with bittersweet - it's WWII, after all. I think this book was better than the first; fewer crucial plot points relied on unrealistic misunderstandings. There's a definite sense that this was written by a modern woman; as with the previous book, I could practically hear the 2020 views filtered through the characters. Some are a bit too ahead of their time. But overall the characters are all likable and relatable and sweet, and it makes for a fun and engaging experience.
Just like last time, the little lighthearted mentions of the "bloody war" between characters were really nice as we enter another year of the pandemic. It's nice to remember people have been through hard things before and will do so again. We're resilient, and it's nice in these hard times to read about other hard times, especially when the story is also fun and optimistic.
I love that we get to follow Emmy's story. In this book she becomes even stronger in supporting other women and I loved it. Bunty and Emmy are quite a duo and I enjoy reading their adventures. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Book Club Favorites for the opportunity to read this book!
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Yours, Cheerfully takes us on the journey of a young, up and coming female wartime advice columnist. I loved this historical fiction novel and seeing women get involved with the war efforts, while also learning about the challenges that female war workers faced during the time and how they rallied together to fight these challenges.
3.5 *s
If you enjoyed Dear Mrs. Bird, you'll definitely welcome this sequel. These books are witty and charming with a light feel, despite the WWII era.
If you enjoyed Dear Mrs. Bird, you'll definitely welcome this sequel. These books are witty and charming with a light feel, despite the WWII era.