3 stars. Charming. Witty. Entertaining.

This was a light hearted romp in 1940’s London that centered around Emmeline (Emmy) Lake, a strong and determined young woman doing her part to help the war effort. Emmy finds herself employed as the typist for an eccentric and outrageous advice columnist, Mrs. Bird. While the job isn’t exactly what Emmy had hoped it would be, she puts forth her best effort and tries to help improve the columns dying fan base.

The novel gives interesting insight into a women’s side of the war effort. Women’s determination to stay strong and continue living their lives, all the while the horrendous wartime atrocities lingering in their minds. Their men gone to fight the brutal war with no end in sight, yet they continue on helping where they could while longing for their men to return home safely.

This was an entertaining story with likeable characters and witty humour. While I enjoyed the characters and their relationships, I didn’t feel completely invested in them or fully engrossed in their lives. It was more of a light, surface glimpse into their story without a true connection. The novel had a lot of sarcastic humour which had me chucking a few times, but for the most part, felt overdone. I enjoyed the advice column letters scattered throughout the novel and wished the story had a stronger focus on the column itself.

This was a Traveling Friends read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and AJ Pearce for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Dear Mrs. Bird is available now!

A fun read with a surprise twist that I know my older adult customers will just love. I race through it to find out if Emmy would get caught and then kept reading to find out if Emmy and Bunty would reconcile. I hope to read more from AJ Pearce in the future

DEAR MRS. BIRD by A.J. PEARCE was an absolutely wonderful, charming, fun, and for the most part an all around light-hearted read that immediately grabbed my attention and had me totally engaged right to the very end. Although there were definitely some very emotional, moving and heartbreaking scenes though that pulled at my heartstrings.

A.J. PEARCE delivers an intriguing and well-written tale here with very interesting, real, and loveable characters. The story was told from the perspective of Emmeline (Emmy) Lake and the setting takes you back to the streets of London during World War II. Emmy Lake was such a delightful and fun-loving character and I thoroughly enjoyed how optimistic, caring, kind and positive she was during such a heartbreaking time.

The storyline was extremely amusing at times and I thoroughly enjoyed the advice column aspects to it and everything that it entailed from the “inappropriate topics” to Mrs. Birds intense and no-nonsense character.

After reading the Author’s Note in the end and learning how the idea of this story began and that many of the letters in DEAR MRS. BIRD were inspired by actual letters and articles from wartime magazines always brings in another added layer to the story for me. So thought-provoking and touching!

Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Somewhat intriguing, love the bright colors, the typeset and display of the title with the typewriter keys - very fitting!
Title: Fits the story well and love how it also plays obscurely into the story.
Writing/Prose: amusing, light, and empathically written.
Plot: Engaging, steady-paced, held my attention and extremely enjoyable.
Ending: Warming, touching, memorable and completely satisfying.
Overall: An excellent, uplifting, delightful, and heartwarming read! Would recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and A.J. Pearce for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Charming story that seemed quite authentic to the period and caused such heartbreak. Loved all the characters, they felt like mostly real people. And you could see the places so well.

Dear Mrs. Bird is the lighthearted tale of a likeable young woman during the Blitz. Despite the jovial tone, she faces many difficult obstacles that one would expect of wartime Britain. The writing style is reminiscent of Sophie Kinsella in that the protagonist is a young woman making bad decisions and making light of a serious situation. Some parts of it were quite comical too.

I got an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGallery (Thanks!!!).

I Heard a lot about this book, even before it was released. The thing that really stood out was the comparison to “Bridget Jones”, but in WWII.

I love reading books that tell us about the “normal” people who lived during this crazy war.
In this book we get a glimpse of London during the war through Emmeline Lake’s eyes. Emmy, a young woman in her 20’s is sharing an apartment with her best friend Bunty and they try, with their friends and loved ones, to live the normal life of young people, while escaping bombs and with some of their loved ones fighting the war far away.

We get to experience life as young people experienced it during the years of the war when they go to cinema and escape bombs on their way back home, or go dancing hoping the night would be raid-free. When they need to deal with loss and love, while working at day and volunteering at nights to help the war efforts.

Emmy dreams to become a lady war corresponded and to write scoops from the front but ends up, after applying to be apart time junior by mistake, in “Woman’s Friend”, a women magazine, working under Mrs. Bird, a tough woman that has no time for nonsense during the war. Mrs. Bird answers the readers worries and questions in her help column in the magazine, but she has a “Not to be published” list with words and phrases that are unacceptable and unpleasant (like affair, bed, Berlin etc.) and most of the readers’ letters are shredded and thrown away. Emmy can’t stand to see all the poor readers’ letters staying unanswered and decide to change it.

This book has everything, laughter, tragedy and it punches you hard in the feelings. I loved the writing, can’t wait to read more of A.J. Pearce.

I found this book difficult at first to get into as the main character seemed flippant and unrelatable. I am happy I stuck with it though as her unique charm developed through the following chapters. Overall, an enjoyable read. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Mrs. Bird is a great read about a young girl named Emmeline Lake who wants nothing more than to be a writer for a newspaper. One day she comes across an ad in the newspaper for what she thinks is her perfect dream job. On her first day she finds out that she will actually be working for Mrs. Bird who answers letters for an advice column. Mrs. Bird has very definite ideas about what are appropriate letters to be considered for replies. It is Emmy's job to shift through the letters and pick out the ones to be answered. Due to the strict guidelines she is to follow, Emmy isn't left with too many options. Emmy decides that it wouldn't hurt to respond to a letter or two herself pretending to be Mrs. Bird. After all these women have legitimate problems and she thinks that she can help them. This is where the fun begins.

This story,for the most part, is a fun and light read with a good dose of what living in London during World War II was like.

I really enjoyed this one and will be keeping an eye out for future books by AJ Pearce.

I notice that this book is favorably compared to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Although it is a charming book on its own, I couldn't agree more! Set in WWII London, columnist Henrietta Bird needs a secretary, mostly to route out what she calls "Unpleasantness". Emily takes the job, but finds herself answering many of the letters consigned to the bin. Recommended reading.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic version of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Emmeline Lake has a dream of being a war journalist. While the Second World War rages through London, Emmy is volunteering as an emergency services reporter, trying to “do her bit” for the war effort, when she comes across an advertisement to work for a newspaper. Immediately intrigued, Emmy applies and gets the job, only to find out that the job involves basic typing and the sorting of “Dear Mrs. Bird” letters, “Mrs. Bird” being the crotchety editor of the column, who refuses to answer any letters with “untoward” subjects. Taking pity, Emmy secretly replies to the letters that Mrs. Bird won’t respond to, knowingly putting her job and her journalistic dreams at stake.
“Dear Mrs. Bird” by AJ Pearce, is witty, charming, and even, at times, hysterical, while still staying true to the grim backdrop of London during WWII. As bombs drop, Emmeline and her friends and colleagues do their best to keep their heads above water with a positive water, doing what they can to “support their boys” overseas.
This novel was an unexpected delight for me. Although I would classify it as historical fiction, due to the setting, it was so much more. Emmy is a lovable character, desperate to achieve her dreams in a world where the men still reign, clumsily struggling on her own through a life plagued by heartbreak and disaster. She, and her best friend Bunty, have the kind of relationship every woman should have and I instantly was enamored with both of them.
“Dear Mrs. Bird” showed the scary and dark sides of World War II, as bomb alarms went off periodically and buildings were demolished. The positivity that radiated from Emmy and her friends prevented this novel from being dismal and depressing.
A stellar novel, to be sure, and one that took me by complete surprise. Easy to read, I finished this novel before I knew it, and each and every bit of it was satisfying and entertaining. I was surprised to find out that this is Ms. Pearce’s first novel, as it definitely did not have any markings of a novice writer, and I hope she grants us the pleasure of more Emmy, and more novels in the near future.

Dear Mrs. Bird is a Historical Fiction novel set in London during the Blitz -- a time when the daily lives of Londoners were filled with fear, loss and destruction, yet they carried on despite the ever-present threat of the Luftwaffe.

While some war-time issues are addressed, the feel of the story remains on the lighter side with the characters and story line lacking somewhat in depth. Emmy came across as a little too perpetually plucky for my tastes and her continual and odd Use Of Caps For Certain Phrases wore thin early on. But, overall, the characters (besides the ol' Bird) were endearing and I liked that friendship was a main theme throughout. I just would have loved to have known why and how Mrs Bird became the 'staunch, rule-follower-no-matter-what' sort of woman she was. That information is left to the readers' imaginations.

This is a sweet, lighter read that is set during a horrific time and I feel the publisher's comparison with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is aptly made. The premise was interesting but what I truly appreciated was how the reader is privy to a view of the war through the eyes of a young woman who wanted more out of life than society was willing to give her.

This novel is set in WWII during the Blitz in London. A young woman gets a job at a paper where she secretly starts answering letters from readers written to Mrs Bird’s Problem Page. The language for the time and place is on point and takes some getting used to, as well as the Excessive Use Of Capitalization. This does add to the humor of the story and helped set the tone of each situation. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read which surprisingly also required some tissues! 5/5 stars!

I really loved meeting Emmeline (Emmy) Lake and getting to know her. Her dream is to become a war correspondent, so when a job is posted for the London Evening Chronicle, she applies. The job is not quite what she had in mind. She is working for Mrs. Bird, the advice columnist for the magazine Women's Friend.
The time is 1940. This is London and everyone does their part for the war effort. Emmy is no exception- she volunteers as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services.
This books gives us a glimpse as to what was going on at home while the war was raging on the continent. Through Emmy and her best friend Bunty and though the letters, our eyes are opened to the feelings of those at home.
This book was an absolute delight- Emmy is spunky, determined, caring and oh so lovable- I am so glad to have made her acquaintance!

I loved the book. It was charming and witty while effectively illustrating the problems facing women in Britain during WWII. I was so delighted with "Dear Mrs, Bird" that finding another book to follow it was difficult. I can't wait to hear more from this author. Well done.!

All in all, this is a story about the helpers of World War 2 - amongst all the atrocities, there was a bit of light in those who came to the rescue of others.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Mrs. Bird is the editor and advice columnist for a failing ladies’ publication when Emmy joins her staff in 1940. To say Mrs. Bird is hopelessly outdated and rigid is an understatement. She is firmly rooted in Victorian standards so many of the questions that come her way are dismissed as being Unpleasant and good for nothing more than the rubbish bin.
Emmy, who had visions of becoming a journalist when she signs on, is the guardian at the gate so to speak. She opens the mail and sorts through what Mrs. Bird might find acceptable. As a young woman, painfully aware of the issues that confront young people in this time of great turmoil, she is unable to discard them . She figures if they have the courage to write, they deserve an answer. Knowing it will never come from Mrs. Bird, she takes it upon herself to answer but signs as Mrs. Bird.
We know things will not go well when her deceit is discovered, as it inevitably is. Mrs. Bird is livid and wants to prosecute Emmy to the extent of the law. But in the midst of chaos and betrayal and death, something wonderful happens.
The reader is treated to a charming story, full of historical detail about people just trying to get on with it when the world seems to be falling about their ears= literally. As a student of the Blitz, the book recreates that time with colour and detail but never letting the external story detract from the real story. It is a jolly good read,
I give it five purrs and two paws up.

5 incredibly enthusiastic stars for Dear Mrs. Bird.

I fell in love with Emmy, Bunty, and all the other characters in this story and when I realized I'd turned the last page, I was truly disappointed to be leaving their lives. I went into this book thinking it would be light and silly, and parts of it definitely were. But what I didn't expect (and was delighted to find!) were the layers of depth beneath the top floofy veneer.

Emmy, like other young women in London of 1940, is Doing Her Bit for the war effort by juggling a job, volunteering as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services, and, you know, dodging bombs in nightly raids on the city by Germans. Filled with daring and adventure she responds to an ad at one of the local newspapers thinking it will be the first step on the path to her dream of becoming a Lady War Correspondent.

She lands the job only to discover that instead of writing hard-hitting news articles, the position is assisting Mrs. Bird, a rather grumpy advice columnist who doesn't believe in giving advice for any topics on a rather lengthy list of Unpleasant Things. As Emmy reads through the letters from women in the mailbag to find the few that Mrs. Bird will answer, she realizes some of these women have serious problems, often terribly exacerbated by the living in wartime conditions. Heart broken by some of these letters, Emmy takes things into her own hands and starts to secretly reply to some of the letters.

AJ Pearce has written a story that fully immerses you in the time period without reading like a history book and without being as dreary and depressing as something like Atkinson's Life After Life. Each of the characters has a true personality, and the story is very compelling -- I had trouble putting this book down because I wanted to keep reading. My only complaint is that there isn't a sequel that I can dive into right now -- I want more of Emmy and her pluck.

Badass Female Character score: All. The. Stars. -- Emmy is strong and capable, and all the other female characters presented in this story are doing their darnedest to Keep Calm and Carry On no matter how hard the circumstances make it to do just that.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and the author for providing me with a free DRC of this lovely book.

Please see the following link for my blog's review of Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. https://wordsofmysteryblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/03/book-review-dear-mrs-bird-by-aj-pearce/

I thoroughly enjoyed this quirky novel about a ww2 advice columnist with Attitude and the young assistant who had her own voice to be heard. What an original way of considering the human challenges of wartime.

What a delightful read! The characters are likeable and real. The book cleverly creates a feeling of foreboding with the potential for disaster always present, probably how it felt to be living in wartime London. But our characters are optimistic and unsinkable, soldiering on and living their daily lives, including the reader in their adventures. Perfect for the beach or curl up in front of a fire with a big mug of tea and enjoy!