Calling All Women. The Country Needs You!

Hip hip Hooray. Hang out the bunting! At last we’re finally back in wartime London rejoining Emmy Lake and the gang at the offices of the Woman’s Friend magazine where change is afoot and Big News is in the pipeline. It’s now May 1941 and Guy Collins is the newly appointed editor. The formidable Mrs Henrietta Bird has finally left the building, her much loved advice column, renamed Yours Cheerfully now under new leadership. The far more compassionate Mrs Mahoney is ably assisted by the outspoken Emmy who’s fortunate to have clung onto her job. Her past rather unwise but well meaning decision to take matters into her own hands when dispensing advice to the magazine’s readers may have landed her in hot water but for now it’s a case of onwards and upwards. Grateful not to have permanently blotted her copybook she’s cock a hoop at the opportunity to accompany Guy to a Very Important Meeting at the Ministry of Information where editors of womens magazines are tasked with encouraging women to join the war campaign and Do Their Bit for king and country. This is just the kind of challenge Emmy with her gung ho attitude relishes and when she and best friend Bunty fortuitously meet munitions worker Anne Oliver she instinctively knows just what to do in highlighting the problems faced by female war workers. Determined to redeem herself in the eyes of Mr Collins and the rest of her colleagues Emmy’s journalistic efforts might just raise the profile of the magazine as well as help boost numbers in the Ministry’s recruitment drive. So it’s full steam ahead!!

Oh what a joy to be reunited with Emmy and Charles and dear old Bunty after a lengthy gap. These decent chaps and chappesses feel like old friends whom I was dropping in on for a natter and a restorative cup of tea, picking up the conversation just where we left off, discussing Five New Ways with Haddock. I’m not sure why but reading this cheerful, positive and funny novel put me in mind of my nanny’s People’s Friend magazine and her Camp coffee she kept on the top shelf of her cupboard,all relics of days gone by! Yours Cheerfully is a wonderful nostalgic nod to a bygone era where people seemed to truly care about their friends, family, neighbours and work colleagues and by golly they actually talked to each other!! AJ Pearce excels at capturing the camaraderie and spirit of We’re In This Together so redolent of the war years, and the make do and mend philosophy that leads to much creativity and inventiveness. Not even the shortage of all manner of foodstuffs and goods will stop these gals from living the best lives they can. Times may be awfully horrid but that British stiff upper lip mentality of facing whatever comes your way with a cheery smile and a friendly, encouraging word is ably demonstrated by all and sundry but none more so than by tip top best friend Bunty. Nursing a leg injury from the bomb blast that killed her fiancé Bill she still manages to rejoice in others happiness and good fortune, namely Emmy’s, despite her own heartbreak. Inwardly she may be cursing her rotten luck but it’s her uncomplaining attitude together with making the most of every day that earns her the title (in my eyes) of tremendous good egg. The importance of female friendship and solidarity really shines through as Emmy and Anne wage their own war against the authorities, with a little help from all those around them of course! Instantly likeable and entertaining these women are indomitable, inspirational and their bonhomie infectious. This is a novel that pays homage to all the marvellous, magnificent women who contributed in any way they could to the war effort with the spotlight falling on all aspects of these women’s lives from childcare issues to their daily struggles with menfolk away fighting on the frontline to the spectre of loss that hangs over everyone.

All in all this novel is jolly good fun. Striking the right balance between joyful and uplifting, whilst acknowledging that beneath all the bravado lies sorrow, tragedy and loss this novel is an absolute tonic. There is great characterisation throughout from the indefatigable Emmy and the stoic factory employees to the cheeky little monkey that is Ruby through to the dastardly factory owner Mr Terry determined to put a spanner in the works, not to mention man of the hour Mr Noakes who deserves a rousing three cheers! Bursting at the seams with love, warmth, humour and happiness I can’t find fault with writing that serves only to brighten your day and lighten your mood, although there are occasions where it’s also quite touching and emotional. Sshhh…don’t tell anyone else but the ending even bought a lump or two to my throat! My only complaint is that this sequel to Dear Mrs Bird has been a long time coming! Was it worth the wait? Most definitely! I only hope that Emmy and the gang will grace us with their presence for a third time; I’m keeping everything crossed!

My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Having previously read, and thoroughly enjoyed, Dear Mrs Bird, I was thrilled to see that there was a follow-up. I’m happy to report that Yours Cheerfully doesn’t disappoint. AJ Pearce is a master at immersing you in the world of the characters - in this case London during the Second World War - and everything feels so authentic. From the mannerisms of the characters and the dialogue, to even the situations they find themselves in, it’s so well researched that it could have been written at the time.

For those who haven’t yet read Dear Mrs Bird (and for those of us who read it when it was first released and have slept since then!), Pearce does a brilliant job of weaving in little snippets of information that bring you up to speed on what you might have missed / forgotten.

Yours Cheerfully once again follows the exploits of Emmy Lake, an enthusiastic and go-getting reporter working for Woman’s Friend magazine during the war. Having previously proved herself as a master agony aunt in the first novel, this time she’s taking on the Ministry when she befriends a young widow on the way to her first job in a munitions factory.

The novel has a strong feminist message that’s sincere, and still relevant today, and the romance is believable and heartwarming. With her best friend Bunty by her side Emmy is a loveable character with a heart of gold and you really do root for her the whole way through.

I delightful book and one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Let’s hope we have more of Emmy’s adventures to come!

A big thank you to Pan Macmillan / Picador / NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoyed Dear Mrs Bird as much as I did, then certainly you are in for a treat with this eagerly awaited sequel. Emmy continues assisting with the advice column in Woman’s Friend magazine and Bunty continues to be her caring and encouraging friend. Emmy’s boyfriend, Charles, is now stationed in the U.K. and their romance is still going strong.

Emmy and her editor attend a meeting at The Ministry of Information who are keen to recruit women factory workers and they want women’s magazines to encourage their readers to join in this war effort. Emmy has an idea to interview women who have recently begun work at a munitions factory and she then is able to visit a factory where a new friend, Anne, is working.

The main focus turns towards the various hardships women factory workers faced: shift work with long hours, no access to childcare in the factory with perhaps no family nearby to help out, and earning less than their male counterparts. Despite this, these strong women have a personal interest in the war and want to do their bit. A.J Pearce wonderfully describes the factory setting and the supportive friendships the women forge with one another.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book with the author’s signature humorous style along with moments of real poignancy. Emmy and Co now feel like friends and I hope there more to follow for these delightful characters!

I would like to thank the publisher, Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Although I hadn't read the previous book Mrs Bird I found this book was a good standalone .Set in London 1941 at Womens Friend Magazine, Emmy a budding journalist is tasked with answering the problem pages .This is such a lovely feel good story despite or perhaps because it is set in the middle of WW2.Everyone is doing their bit for the war effort particularly the brave women left behind to survive without husbands .The story highlights how unfair the conditions of women workers in munitions factories were ,with unequal pay and conditions they had to fight for their rights not always successfully .The stiff upper lip and the banter thread throughout the book and make the story so charming .I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope there is follow up book one day .Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my free copy in return for an honest review .

Dear Mrs Bird was one of my favourite reads of 2018. A feel-good story despite being set during a world war. Now the main character Emmeline Lake is back and as plucky as ever as she works on her journalism career at The Woman's Friend magazine while "doing her bit" during the war. Emmy gets her chance to write her first feature, focusing on women war workers as a recruitment drive for the British goverrnment. But she soon realises these women are facing huge challenges and no one is helping them. I found the story slow in parts and Emmy's thought processes a little repetitive. Though it felt less engaging than the first book, it's still a charming, quick read and one can't help but root for Emmy and the women she is writing about.

Ah it was so good to be back with Emmy and the team. I loved Dear Mrs Bird and it resides on my forever shelf so when I saw this was coming out I was so excited and it certainly didn't disappoint.
This book starts where Dear Mrs Bird left off, Emmy is working for Womans Friend and the war is still going on. Emmy is helping with the advice column and is wanting to become a full war correspondent.
There is a call to power from the government and Womans Friend is asked to help increase the women workforce to help with winning the war, the problem is though, nothing is really set up for women to be working. This part was super anger inducing as some of these things still carry over in to today! Emmy has to decide between doing what she thinks is right and what she is being asked to do and the storyline was progressed well.
I loved the friendship with Bunty and how life changes affected this, Bunty is just such a great sidekick. I loved the new characters from the munitions factory and this is just an all round jolly read. So basically I really enjoyed it, can you tell?!

It’s been a while since I read Dear Mrs Bird, but from the very start of Yours Cheerfully I was transported back to the Women’s Friend offices, and into the lives of Emmy Lake and Mr Collins.
Unlike Dear Mrs Bird, this book centres less on the advice column and more on the lives and struggles of the women left behind during the war. It’s not a common topic and I’m here for it. I adore books set during this era - I found a few of the references were post war but I think most readers wouldn’t even notice. It was engaging all the way through and I always wanted to know what happened next. The ending didn’t tie up a lot of loose ends but I suspect there may be a third book in the series!
Yours Cheerfully works as a standalone book - you don’t need to have read Dear Mrs Bird first but it will enrich your reading experience and help you understand Emmy’s character and background a little more!

A fantastic, joyful follow up to Dear Mrs Bird. Set in a war ravaged London, following journalist Emmy as she follows a story of female exploitation, this is a brilliant, heart warming read full of humour.

Book 1...Mrs Byrd was sat on my shelf for ages. Actually, since the time it was published and I only got to read it last year and flipping loved it. When I heard this was being followed up with a book 2 I was so anticipating it.

I leapt on it when I saw the audio version as I’d listened to book 1 that way too so I was so happy when I saw the narrators name. She’s so good.

This book is such a lovely tale of very strong women in the war times. I know my mother when she was alive told me what she did in the war and other women. Women supporting the war efforts, farming, driving, delivering, health care etc was just a tip of the iceberg to working in factories making parachutes and other war items.

But what about those women who had to become the breadwinners while their husbands were away?
And what if they had to not only provide for themselves, children and their mothers?

Who is there to look after the children whilst they work.

A fabulous account of history within this fictional writing with an updated role from Emmeline now that the formidable woman from the previous book is now gone. We see more strength of character from Emmeline and when you have other women, strong women and support from other avenues it’s clear what can be achieved with the help of Yours Cheerfully in the forefront.

Romance thrown in with a war wedding planned, set your mind back to that era and read this beautiful heartwarming uplifting read around tragedy of life around you.

Following on perfectly from the events of Dear Mrs Bird, in Yours Cheerfully we see the indefatigable Emmy Lake take on the boss of a munitions factory, go from strength to strength as a journalist and hold it together for the man she loves.

This book does have a different focus but that means that the story within it can stand up on its own. Though I think it would be helpful to have read the first, I wouldn't say it is essential.

The same mix of determination, willpower and that British stiff upper lip and this is a lovely sequence destined to charm any readers the first hasn't already.

I love that this book centred around appreciation for women - women who work, women who have children, women who are missing their husbands, single young women sticking up for mothers even when their needs aren't the same, women supporting women. It isn't isn't narrative you always see, let alone in historical fiction.

This sequel to Mrs Bird is every bit as charming as its predecessor! The story picks up just where the previous book left off, with Emmeline Lake enjoying her work at magazine “Women’s Friend” a lot more following the departure of her former boss Mrs Bird. The book addresses some of the issues women faced during WWII, particularly young and sometimes war-widowed mothers who were keen to help the war effort but who found the juggle of motherhood and work an impossible task.

It is heartwarming and uplifting, and whilst I did find it a little slow to get going, I was very invested in the characters and the storylines.

With thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan - Picador for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The sequel to Dear Mrs Bird and just as enjoyable. A lighthearted and easy read that also tackles the issues affecting women during WW2 (and some that continue to affect women). Funny, humorous, sometimes sad with a feel good ending. I loved this book and definitely recommended it .

London, November 1941. Following the departure of the formidable Henrietta Bird from Woman’s Friend magazine, things are looking up for Emmeline Lake as she takes on the challenge of becoming a young wartime advice columnist. Her relationship with boyfriend Charles (now stationed back in the UK) is blossoming, while Emmy’s best friend Bunty, still reeling from the very worst of the Blitz, is bravely looking to the future. Together, the friends are determined to Make a Go of It.

This is a follow up to Mrs Bird and is wonderful! It’s a book to immerse yourself in and take yourself through the story and plot with ease. The characters are likeable, with plenty within the story to keep you entertained

"Yours Cheerfully" continues on from where "Dear Mrs Bird" left off with delightful junior journalist, Emmeline Lake taking over the 'Women's Friend' magazine's letters page now that the formidable Mrs Bird has left.

With a senior editor helping Emmy to dish out more kindly and caring advice, the letters page has seen a huge jump in popularity. Emmy is also given a new role in the magazine when the Ministry of Information puts out a request for women's magazines to do whatever they can to encourage women to take up jobs that men can no longer fill to help support Britain's war effort. Emmy writes a series of articles on a group of women working in a munitions factory and becomes involved in helping working mothers campaign for improved conditions that will help them juggle work and childcare.

This uplifting sequel is just as charming and delightful as the original and makes for a light, humorous read. Emmy's romance with Charles is progressing nicely now that he is stationed in London and her best friend Bunty is recovering well after losing her fiance and being badly injured in the Blitz. As the novel finishes at the end of 1941, after the bombing of Pearl Harbour, I hope there will be further additions to the series as I can't wait to catch up with Emmy and her friends again.

I was very happy to see there was a sequel to Dear Mrs Bird. This time in Yours Cheerfully, you jump straight into the storyline - it is absolutely a continuation of the previous book. Not a great deal of time has passed, it is still early in the 1940s and Great Britain is in the midst of war. Emmy is continuing her work at the magazine and is planning her wedding. The magazine are asked by the Government to support and encourage the movement of women in the workplace and so Emmy is involved in a series of pieces based on women working in a munitions factory.

I like the fact that although this book is a historical novel based during the second world war, the central focus is not the war itself but other things that are happening due to the war. The author tackles some serious issues such as lack of childcare and lack of interest in women's welfare. It felt very well researched and authentic to me. As with Dear Mrs Bird, the language throughout feels genuine and off that time and this adds to the charm and character of the novel.

I have to be honest, I found the first half of the book a little slow. However, in the second half I was fully immersed in the issues and you could feel the tension building as the storyline progressed towards the wedding. I loved the ending and everything around the wedding! Beautifully written and very emotional.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction but I also highly recommend reading Dear Mrs Bird first. Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

The story is set in London, 1941. After an editor leaves Woman’s Friend magazine, there’s changes for Emmeline, shes been given a new role, of young wartime advice columnist.

She’s in a relationship with Charles and it’s going very well, but her best friend Bunty, is still coming to terms from what happened in the Blitz, she’s bravely looking forward to the future.

So, when the Ministry of Information wants the Britain’s women’s magazines help in recruiting female workers for war effort, Emmy is only too happy to be asked to step up and help.

But, when she and Bunty meet a young woman, one who shows them what sort of challenges the women face in the workplace, Emmy feels she has a dilemma, does she do her duty as a journalist or stand by her friends.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy of this book!
I first read Dear Mrs Bird when it was a book included in the Richard and Judy book club pick and it wouldn't usually be my kind of read but I fell on love with Emmy and Bunty so when I found out there was a sequel I knew I had to read it!

Yours Cheerfully follows the story on from Dear Mrs Bird where Emmy is still working for Womens Friend during the war effort.

At first I found this slow to get into, from just finishing a thriller this was a different way to go, but once it got into it I fell back into the world of Emmy and Charles.
It is moving and emotional, had tears in my eyes for a few chapters but is a lovely read and informative about the war without being boring!

A joyful read and if you haven't read Dear Mrs Bird, get and read it before Yours Cheerfully is released!

I cannot tell you how excited I was when I found out that #DearMrsBird by #AJPearce had a sequel and Emmy was back alongside Bunty. While Dear Mrs Bird had a slight frivolity to it, #YoursCheerfully is much more focussed and determined on the plight of female war workers.
Like Dear Mrs Bird the plot plods along, but is thoroughly enjoyable and the slower pace allows the reader to savour each moment. The visual imagery AJ Pearce creates is sublime.
If you enjoyed the first book, you will most likely enjoy following the characters on their journey set in London, 1941.
I had my favourite reading combo #ebook and #audiobook for complete immersion!
Thanks to the publisher and #Netgalley for gifting me a review copies of #YoursCheerfully in exchange for an honest review.

**listened to audiobook and read along with kindle copy**

I loved the first book in this series - it was just so cosy and comforting. So I was super excited that there was going to be a second book in the series. This book is just as cosy - but steers away from the idea of the 'agony aunt', and takes a more political and hard hitting view of the war. I say hard hitting, but it still feels very warm - think that is down to AJ Pearce's easygoing writing style.

I loved how the other book was referenced, but if you hadn't previously read the first book in the series there is nothing in this second book that would hinder your reading experience.

The narrator of the audio book is brilliant, and brought to life all of the characters. It also enhanced the tone of Pearce's writing style.

I really enjoyed this book, and do not feel i can say whether or not i enjoyed this more or less than the first book in the series as they are both such individual books.
This book is the perfect read for a hot sunny day - it transports you back in time to the war, yet still feels incredibly warm and comforting - not many war books can do that.
Really enjoyed it!

A sequel to Dear Mrs Bird, this is a follow-up story which follows Emmeline Lake’s career as a wartime agony aunt in a woman’s magazine. You get the feeling that the author has researched her subject well and there is something compelling about Emmeline’s earnestness and determination to serve the war effort through supporting the women who are struggling to support their families, holding down important roles on the home front, grieving their lives ones and putting on a brave face in the face of adversity. Warm, authentic and with just the right balance of humour and realism. With thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.