Firstly I will just point out I LOVED Dear Mrs Bird and was so looking forward to reading the sequel. It’s every bit as wonderful, often the sequels feel a bit lacking or flat in places, this absolutely held it’s own and fully delivered. It’s humorous, warm and a beautiful story. Adored it!

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan I have spent a delightful weekend getting reacquainted with Emmy Lake and the quirky cast of characters I so loved in Dear Mrs Bird.
As with her first book, Yours Cheerfully is full of charm and characters that you find yourself cheering for throughout. The wonderful language and descriptions of them and their foibles can't help but make you smile. There are more of the wonderful phrases we found in Her First Adventures: "My mother steadfastly referred to the war as This Silly Business, which made it sound like a mild fracas over a marmalade sponge." or the use of capitals: "I had an idea the conversation was heading for a You Are Taking Care Of Yourselves Aren't You? speech." There is loads more to smile about as well as you follow the Adventures of a Young Woman Through The Trials Of Ordinary People and Their Everyday Problems in WWII.
Stories like this are a good reminder that while the modern world struggles through a pandemic, that people in the past have also lived through traumatic times yet survived with resilience and humour.
I look forward to reading more about Emmy's adventures in future books.

This is a novel to cheer you up. Warm, cheerful, with lovable characters and a great story! The story picks up from where 'Dear Mrs Bird' left off. Mrs Bird has left the offices of Woman's Friend, and Emmy now has responsibility for the problem page, overseen by Mrs Mahoney. The war is ongoing and life is difficult for women everywhere, when Emmy gets the opportunity to write her first article for the magazine. A brilliant opportunity but adversity awaits......
You can't help loving the characters in this story and I found myself really rooting for them to succeed. Such a heartwarming read, this is a book to bring cheer and a warm cosy feeling. I love Emmy and her friends and I can't wait to read what they get up to next!

I was absolutely delighted to receive this long awaited sequel to the wonderful Dear Mrs Bird and was not in the least disappointed. It immediately felt like revisiting old friends and was a delight from start to finish. Once again the historically accurate style of writing was spot on. Thoroughly looking forward to the next instalment in Emmie's adventure.

I adored Mrs Bird and it felt like I was meeting up with a good friend for this sequel. This book is incredibly comforting despite it dealing with the hard topics of war - sexism and loss, for example. Pearce’s writing is smart and engaging but has such a softness, which I think is so welcome during strange times.

I am always so impressed with her research about World War II. It sets such a vivid scene. But this book also gave a nod to the Great War that came before and how there must still have been such residual pain and drama to contend with when another massive, life-altering conflict came about again.

Obviously this is lovely, escapist fiction but it’s great to remember that there are always women - like Emmy and Bunty - with huge moxie and kindness, in real life too.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This book made me smile, loved it, the storyline and the characters were great.

Loved this almost more than the previous installment. Another reviewer described this book as "a warm hug" and I can only agree. This book gives you more of all the characters from "Dear Mrs Bird", written in warm cheerful prose. In this book Emmeline, still writing for Women's Friend, (having narrowly avoided being fired in the last book) becomes a war time columnist, encouraging young women to go into factory work. In doing so, she realises that the conditions in the factories are at odds with the needs of women, many of whom have families to take care of along with the factory work. If you've got even one feminist bone in your body, this book will make you mad. The women got paid less then men, had to work around the clock shifts with no access to day care for their children, and were not allowed to join the worker's unions. If their husband was in the army they received their pay, and a wife's allowance, but if their partner went missing in duty all this money was stopped (because the partner might be dead, thus weren't working and they might no longer be a wife). Honestly, the fact that someone thought this made even the slightest bit of logical sense, baffles me! Emmeline, feels the same, so helps the women have their voices heard and stage a protest. Despite this serious core to the novel, there is plenty of lovable characters, good cheer, and of course: a suitably dramatic wedding day!

I read and thoroughly enjoyed Dear Mrs Bird, and this picks up and carries the story forward. Such a delightful heroine, these books really illustrate how tough times were during the second world war, especially for the women left behind. One has to admire their tenacity and spirit living through these challenging times.
Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Set in the middle of WWII, this focuses on the mainly female staff of a woman’s magazine, with Emmy cautiously feeling her feet as a fledgling journalist. We also learn how hard it was for women, particularly if they were married with children, when they answered the call to work in factories to fill the void left by their men going to war. They all just wanted to do their bit. It’s incredible to think now that they could work 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week, while trying to juggle childcare and housework with no support, earning so much less than the men still working alongside them. The (male) bosses believing they should just suck it up and get on with it. It makes you appreciate how lucky we are today.

What stands out in this is the camaraderie between the women, their strength and their work ethic. It’s a very atmospheric read, beautifully written, with really well rounded characters. I laughed, cried and was swept along in their stories. I hadn’t read the previous book in this series but that didn’t matter, as it’s a good stand alone read.

Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Firstly I must warn readers that this review may contain spoilers if you haven't read "Dear Mrs Bird" (though if you haven't, why not? It is wonderful). Now I can get onto the frankly gushing and effusive praise for this new novel by AJ Pearce. I absolutely adored this book. Having read Ms Pearce's first novel a few years ago, I was already enchanted by the world and the characters she created and therefore as soon as I heard that she was writing a sequel, I simply could not wait to read it. I must say it did not disappoint.

In this sequel we return to the Second World War setting not long after we left Emmy, Bunty, Mr Collins and all of the other charming characters we grew to love. Mrs Bird has left the magazine in what I presume was a fit of pique and Mr Collins has now become the editor. Emmy is now besotted with Mr Collins' younger half-brother Charles, who does seem to be a very good sort as I'm sure Emmy would say. We also see Bunty continuing to struggle bravely with the loss of her fiance Bill.

Our heroine Emmy though, is now trusted to take a more active role in the problem page (renamed "Yours Cheerfully"). In spite of this, she remains the Emmy we know and love, for she still cannot resist doing her best to help others even when it puts herself and her job at risk. In this novel her new cause is to fight for a government funded nursery for the new friends she makes who work at a munitions factory. All I will say is that it does not go absolutely swimmingly.

The novel itself though remains as beautiful and heartwarming as Ms Pearce's first. She has created a world of kind-hearted, genuinely lovely people and it was an absolute pleasure to return to this world in the sequel. It feels a little like coming home from a hard day and getting under your favourite blanket with a large mug of tea. Honestly it is just that comforting and a tonic for these tough times. Thank you Ms Pearce you have absolutely cheered me up. Yours cheerfully x

If you liked Dear Mrs Bird you will not be disappointed with Yours Cheerfully. Emmy Lake has held on to her job at the Woman’s Friend and it’s under the new leadership of Mr Collins (who is absolutely my favourite). They are summoned to a meeting at the Ministry of Information and told they must help in the effort to recruit women to the workforce. Emmy encounters some mean girls in the lav disparaging her paper and Mr Collins (boo!hiss!) and gets herself in the soup by saying the Woman’s Friend has a Big Plan to achieve what the ministry wants. It doesn’t. So Emmy better think of one quick.
I love a war novel especially one that looks at things from a domestic front. This ones all about the women working, waiting and raising families all with little to no support. Everyone’s dog tired, grief stricken and constantly anxious but Doing Their Bit to support their boys and get them home as soon as. Emmy is always the plucky optimist so in the moments where she can’t find her pluck you really feel it but it’s Charles’ “damn it” that really floors. Mr Collins (who is not in it enough, I would have a whole book of Mr Collins please) is also used by Pearce to highlight the fact that the effects of the last war were still being felt even as this new generation were being thrust into the next conflict. Bloody war. Awful.
Yours Cheerfully is just that, it is cheerful but it highlights important and often overlooked areas of domestic history during WW2, being cheerful doesn’t mean you can’t be serious too.

Having loved Dear Mrs Bird, I was so looking forward to reading this sequel and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
I was transported back to 1941, to follow the story of the lovely Emmy as she forges a career as a journalist for Women’s Friend magazine as well as juggling her volunteer job at the fire station and her romance with Charles.
AJ Pearce tackles the serious subject of women working during WW2 and how they worked very long hours, were paid less than men, with many having young children and no child care provisions available.
It really made me realise how hard their lives were and how unfairly they were treated.
There’s also a great deal of British humour and comradery and I’m hoping there will be another book so I can continue to follow Emmy and her friends adventures.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sequel to Dear Mrs Bird, which I have not yet read (but now will!!), but a friend got me to get an advance copy and here I am writing about a novel I would probably not have picked up on a visit to my bookshop. I have not regretted reading it, on the contrary!!

The protagonist, Emmeline (Em), is a young woman finding her feet as journalist in 1941 London. The storyline follows her exploring the world of women's war work and a number of issues relating to that for Women's Friend, her magazine, whilst, at a personal level, we follow her love life and friendships. On the one hand, the story didn't seem all that original but the telling of it and the number of gentle twists made it thoroughly enjoyable. It made me think of Call the Midwife. Characters are made quite vivid through their language (which feels right for the setting) and attitudes.

I was particularly taken by the treatment of the very real issues faced by women during wartime and that even now are relevant. The touch was light, humorous and sensitive, without falling on sentimentality, but serious and with a sense of purpose - very much like the main character, Em. Perfect positive entertainment. I would read the next installment!

I loved Dear Mrs Bird and this follow up to Emmy’s story did not disappoint. This book was much more focused on the life of the staff at Women’s Friend magazine and women’s war effort. It’s written in the same 1940’s style and I could hear Emmy’s voice in my head - it was like watching an old black and white film - absolutely fabulous! I hope that A J Pearce writes more books about Emmy, Charles, Bunty, Guy, Hettie and the rest of these wonderful characters - I want to know how their war continues. As an aside, I also felt that I discovered a lot about what the war was like for those on the home front and women in particular, trying to juggle childcare, running a home and doing their bit for the war. If you loved Dear Mrs Bird, you won’t want to miss this one!

I was thrilled to be able to dive back into Emmy’s world, and Yours Cheerfully didn’t disappoint. Meeting Emmy and Bunty again was a joyous experience and I loved their continuing adventures, as well as their tireless efforts to make the world a better place. Please tell me there will be more novels in the series - I’m already missing them terribly. Hooray for Emmy and Bunty - they are jolly good sorts!

i loved this book ,yours cheerfully ,set during the war .very heart wrenching at times but wonderful also .

A sweet book from AJ Pearce following up the first Mrs Bird volume.

Engrossing and interesting - would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

I absolutely adored Dear Mrs Bird and three years ago wrote at the end of my review 'Fingers crossed there is a sequel (with a lot of Mr Collins in it!) because I would love to know just what Emmy Does Next.' Yours Cheerfully is the answer and I am happy to tell you that it is just as filled with humour, heart and poignancy as its prequel.

Emmy is now firmly ensconsed at Women's Friend magazine, continuing to juggle work alongside her volunteer duties whilst living with her best friend, Bunty and falling in love with the delightful Charles, half brother of her boss. Young, irrepressible and in love, the only real darkness is the safety of those she cares about and the health and happiness of Bunty, injured in the bomb which killed her fiance. The magazine, long consigned to the out of date and fusty scrapheap seems to be on the up and Emmy is delighted when they are asked to help promote war work to their readership - not only is her idea of a series following new recruits at work accepted but she gets the opportunity to write and research the articles. herself. But as she gets to know and care about the subjects of her articles she realises how hard their lives are and finds herself torn between doing her duty and helping her friends.

I had no idea before I read this book that war widows were given an insultingly low pension forcing them into work, no matter their children's ages, but for those without family nearby to help, juggling work in factories open seven days a week and twenty four hours a day with childcare was an impossible connundrum. AJ Pearce perfectly captured the frustration of women wanting to do their bit and needing to earn a living faced with bureaucracy and indifference.

Once again the research is both impeccable and lightly worn as Emmy's voice rings true in every line. Every word, every reference, every piece of slang, every culteral reference, every thought Emmy has feels so authentic you would swear you were there in 1941. Sweet, funny and at times painfully sad, Yours Cheerfully is a wonderful book in its own right as well as a worthy sequel. This greedy reader can only demand More Please (and lots of Mr Collins please and thank you).

Yours Cheerfully, the sequel to AJ Pearce's delightful Dear Mrs Bird, brings the reader more of the same jollity and 'Blitz spirit' - which is probably even more welcome now during the Covid-19 pandemic than it was when the first book was published. Emmy and her best friend Bunty are still bearing up as well as they can on the home front in London during the Second World War. Emmy is still working at Women's Friend magazine, trying to shore up readers' morale and offer them good advice, but after being invited to a Ministry of Information briefing for writers on women's magazines, she is gripped by the idea of trying to encourage more women to sign up for war work. However, as she starts to meet women who are actually working in factories, she realises that a shortage of government nurseries is both preventing them Doing Their Bit and putting many into financial hardship. Can Emmy balance her 'patriotic' duty to give a positive account of factory work with her new awareness of the real needs of workers?

As she did in Dear Mrs Bird, Pearce deliberately adopts a kind of spoof pastiche of how we think people sounded in the 1940s, without any attempt at historical realism. This worked a little less well for me in this sequel, however, perhaps because of the integration of more serious questions about women's war work and childcare. It also felt more twee than its predecessor - while Dear Mrs Bird was centred on some genuinely tragic events, nothing nearly as dark happens in Yours Cheerfully, so the balance doesn't feel quite right. Emmy's life is indeed so cheery that I found myself becoming more interested in Bunty's quiet struggles instead. All in all, this is a fun read, but it feels very much like the middle book in a trilogy - and I suspect a third will be along soon. 3.5 stars.

I will post this review to my blog and to Goodreads closer to the publication date.

3.5 stars


If you've read dear Mrs Bird,you know exactly what you're getting here.
The same characters,just moving on with their lives.
Despite the very serious issues tackled in this book,theres something very cosy about it... a big warm hug.
I cheered,I almost had a tear in my eye,and I most definitely smiled... a lot.
When you enjoy the second book like this,you cant help but with there will be a third and fourth etc etc.