A comfy, cosy return to Emmy Lake and her writing in the Woman’s Friend magazine.

In July 1944, everyone feels that the end of WW2 is approaching, but while there is still danger in London, the magazine re-establishes its staff in a country house, where a real community becomes established. Emmy’s husband Charles is in the army, and although they spend some time together, she feels a lot of the danger personally.

As with the other Emmy Lake stories, this one is packed with fun and interesting characters, and a cosy easy-read style.

If you have revelled in the first two books then grab this final one of the series because its just as good.
Emmy has a great deal to worry about but does finally fulfil her original ambition to be a “Lady War Correspondent.”
Meanwhile she supports Bunty, her old friend, Hest her newer one the two children without a mum and the magazine reading public.
It is heartwarming without being “cosy” or too sweet. War is pretty horrible and this is reflected in the book.
Recent VE 80 celebrations ahoe us old photos of youths and frail centurions byt really they were normal flesh and blood people as we find here.

Well its fair to say that I find book 4 the cherry of the wonderfully layered cake from this series. Another glorious instalment and I am sorry to see this series come to an end, even though I do feel its now reached its natural conclusion. Reading this around the anniversary of VE day felt even more poignant and special to me. This had the usual characters we've known to grow and love and some lovely final tales to tell. This still doesn't shy away from the resilience and strength needed for people of this time. Superb.

A brilliant ending to the Emmy Lake series. I have loved the whole series and I properly sobbed at this (in a good way). AJ Pearce really makes you feel for these characters and I will miss them! But I'm looking forward to seeing what she writes next. Whatever it is, I'll read it!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

This is the 4th book in the Emmy Lake Chronicles and covers the last year of the 2nd World War. She and her husband Charles have spent a weekend together whilst he was on leave, but it's back to Europe for him for the final onslaught on Berlin!

London is being bombed nightly and so the team go to the country to continue with the publication of Women's Friend magazine and answering their problems, providing advice and encouragement throughout the war.

Charles is listed as being a POW and this adds to Emmy's worries, she writes daily to him and waits to hear from him. She makes a nuisance of herself, using all of her contacts to find out about her husband and other missing military men.

We are introduced quite skilfully into the times of rations, doing without but also the resourcefulness of women to make the most of things and to assist with the war effort.

A welcome addition to the series, I do hope AJ will write more books as I've really enjoyed this series.

In the final instalment of the 'Miss Lake' series, we again reunited with Emmy, Bunty, Charles and the team at Women's Friend' as they negotiate their way to the end of the second world war.

The final book has lost none of the charm of the previous books, with the stories of hardship told with warmth, charm and wit. The crew remain stoic to the very last as they inspire their readers even through the worst of times.

I have enjoyed each book in the series and will be sad to say goodbye to Emmy and co. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a wonderful return for Miss Lake!

Having read all of the previous books in the series, I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of this one - in exchange for an honest review.

With the end of the war in sight, the Emmy and her colleagues at Woman’s Friend are trying their utmost to keep spirits high. When the chance arises to move their office to the country pile of Bunty’s family, they jump at the chance. But whether during war time or not, life has a habit of not going to plan.

The book is packed with all of the same wit, humour, heart, emotion and stiff upper lip as the previous ones, and I adored it. A J Pearce has a real knack for making you feel like you’re there, living the heartache of these women who are going through so much. The tone of the writing perfectly matches the era, and you’re so invested in the lives of the characters.

I’m sure it could be read as a stand alone book, but I’d recommend reading the other books first - if only to discover the joy of this gorgeous series.

I’m so going to miss Emmy and the gang but this was a lovely ending to a wonderful series. It doesn’t pack quite the emotional punch of previous books (I wept over Thel) but there was still plenty of drama and tension alongside the lighter moments. What stands out are the bonds of friendship and found family and the sense of hope amid such adversity. I really loved these books and look forward to seeing what AJ Pearce writes next.

"London, July 1944. Journalist Emmy Lake's career is Woman’s Friend magazine is a huge success, and she is finally realizing her dream of becoming a Lady War Correspondent. On the personal front, Emmy's husband Charles has been posted closer to home, and they and their friends Bunty and Harold have escaped to the countryside for a few precious summer days. They all know how lucky they are."
But as we know from this series, this does not last.
This is the final book in the Emmy Lake story and it is the usual blend of proud making do and mending blended beautifully with the horror of the Second World War.
The war is in its final few months but this does not mean that there are not struggles and this story clearly tells this .
I am sad that I won't be able to follow the adventures of the Woman's Friend but it has shown me the extreme bravery of women on the Home Front

Another triumph for AJ Pearce with the last in this wonderfully cosy series set around a magazine team in WW2. Once again we are drawn into the friendships,the frustrations and the fears that surrounded the women who worked and waited as the war neared its end.
I much enjoyed meeting the familiar characters again but despite the overarching atmosphere of warmth what makes this such a good read is the underlying tension and hardship that war brought.The success of the book is the fine balance between the two. It was a sad moment when the story finally ended.
My thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC

Absolutely obsessed with the Dear Miss Lake . It’s not just a wartime romance – it nails the reality of life in bombed-out London and shows how insanely brave women were, even far from the front lines. Total queens holding it all together. 💪 Heartbreaking, powerful, and SO worth the read.📚

A charmingly delightful read with old fashioned language typical of the era. Set in the closing stages of WW2 in London and Hampshire, the book is the last of a series of four. I don't think it matters if the previous three haven't been read although it would enhance the experience. Wonderful characters with an uplifting hopeful as the end of war nears but still the frustrations and weariness of the times.

Always such a joy to read about Emmy Lake and the team at Woman's Friend. Full of heart and good spirits this final installment is a fitting end to an arduous journey.

Another gorgeous, light story of Miss Lake’s (now Mrs Mayhew) adventures as she navigates the trials of living in London during WW2 and working on a women’s magazine as they try to help women in all aspects of their daily lives.
There are some of the more serious and sad aspects of the war but they are balanced with the sense of fun and hope that many young people have, especially when faced with challenges.

I just loved this book. The story is so well written and structured. Though it covers difficult topics of war and grief, it does so in a way that makes you feel the highs with the lows and maintains a light-hearted tone wherever possible throughout. An easy read that isn’t too intense and one that I will definitely recommend.

Dear Miss Lake is the fourth and final book in her World War Two set series set in the world of a woman's magazine at the time and is the perfect way to say goodbye to these beloved characters. In London 1944 Emmy Lake is about to face her biggest personal challenge to date, Career wise things could not be better, her magazine is going from strength to strength and their efforts in encouraging and supporting the home front have not gone unnoticed by the Ministry, in fact Emmy is granted the rare privilege of becoming a Lady War Correspondent and being sent to a recently liberated part of Belgium to report on the nurses who are doing such valuable work caring for injured soldiers. Her happy marriage to Charles is bolstered by his posting near to home but when he is sent abroad on one final mission and is reported missing, presumed captured she is left in a state of worried ignorance and it will take all of her friend's support to help her through this tough time which opens her eyes to how poorly the wives and families of the missing service men are treated, The war may be nearly over but the nation is struggling , it has been almost five years of war and though it looks like things are drawing to a close there is still a lot of uncertainty about what the future will hold and how society will reshape itself after the war, as evidenced by the letters pouring into Emmy's office, she and her team will have to pull together through some very hard times before they get their happily ever afters.
This was a beautiful way to end the series, which has brought me so much pleasure over the years. These characters almost feel like friends at this point and by the end of the book I felt happy with what the future held for all of them despite the struggles they had faced on the way. The coziness of the series is a velvet glove over the steel fist of the tough situations that so many people faced during the war, the author does a wonderful job of keeping that balance which I am sure is not an easy thing to do. I am sorry to be saying goodbye to Emmy, Bunty and all the rest of the wonderul characters that I met over the course of the series but I can only recommend this book as the perfect send off.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I was thrilled to be approved for a review copy of Desr Miss Lake as I have been a diehard fan of Emmy Lake since the beginning. Although I was sad that this is the last book in the series, it makes total sense to end things here. This is a perfect way to say goodbye to Emmy, Bunty and all the beloved characters who have become friends as the series has progressed. I loved it.

The fourth and final part of Emmy's story is as pitch perfect as the previous three in the series.
I was delighted to receive an earc copy from NetGalley and the publishers, Picador and equally pleased to be able to give the book a rave review!
All the characters in the book are so well established and, if, like me, you have read, and enjoyed the three previous books in the series, you will eagerly await what happens next in their lives
There is such a gentle cozy atmosphere to much of the book, but the steel backbone of it is the harsh reality of the last few months of the second world war and the chaos that marked that period.
The heroine, Emmy has to endure as much worry and fear as any of those whose letters she reads and seeks to answer in her pages of the Woman's Friend.
AJ Pearce has undoubtedly done her research very well and the result, for me at least, was a book I couldn't, and wouldn't put down until I finished it!

As with the other books in this series, I loved every minute I spent with Emmy and the team as they navigated the end of the war and what that meant for the troops.
The bonds between the friends and colleagues of the magazine were just wonderful to read and I read it with a smile on my face despite the sadder sections.
I highly recommend reading this series if you haven't already. These characters will just stay with me.

The final installment of the Emmy Lake chronicles has arrived. It was good to return to the world of Woman's Friend and the lives of those involved with it. The story combined the series' usual warmth with some of the difficulties and social history of World War 2. It was a fitting end to an enjoyable series.