I LOVE this author and all the books in this series. Keep them coming! The characters are amazing and develop even further book to book!

YOURS CHEERFULLY • AJ Pearce • Pub Date: August 10, 2021 • 3.5 stars, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Caveat: I opted to listen to the audiobook, post-publishing date.

Abridged Goodreads Synopsis: Yours Cheerfully is a sequel to Dear Mrs. Bird. We jump immediately back to London, in November of 1941. Following the departure of Henrietta Bird from Woman’s Friend magazine, things are looking up for Emmy Lake as she takes on the challenge of becoming a young wartime advice columnist. Her relationship with boyfriend Charles 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. When the Ministry of Information calls on Britain’s women’s magazines to help recruit desperately needed female workers to the war effort, Emmy is thrilled to be asked to step up and help. But when she and Bunty meet a young woman who shows them the very real challenges that women war workers face, Emmy must tackle a life-changing dilemma between doing her duty and standing by her friends.

I am a few years late on this review, but I am happy to report that I finally promoted Dear Mrs. Bird and Yours Cheerfully from my TBR to my "Recently Read" list. This duology (or maybe series, time will tell!) was incredibly charming (made even more so by the narration of Annas Popplewell). I absolutely will recommend this book moving forward, with the caveat that you must read Dear Mrs. Bird first or you'll be incredibly lost.

This was a sweet, poignant book that manages to tackle serious topics in a light-hearted way that makes for an easy read. While there were certainly some slower parts, the friendship between the women in these books made my heart happy. I am always hesitant to read anything close to historical fiction because of how heavy this genre tends to be, but this book struck the perfect balance. I hope we get a sequel where Bunty gets to shine!

Your Cheerfully by AJ Pearce had great potential. It has likable characters and an overall story that should have been great. However, I felt that nothing happened in the book and what did happen took a long time to take place and in the end, I just wasn't very interested.

An excellent tale of how a bright young woman learns that her education may not be as complete as she thought. As the war drags on, the magazine industry is asked to help recruit women to the war effort. Her loyalty to her country says this is an excellent chance for her to support her countrymen. As she learns the truth of how these women fare in war, she will question her own truths and the consequences she faces when her efforts place others in danger.

In England, during World War II, women had to go to work and newspapers and magazines across the country were asked to help with the recruitment. Emmy Lake and Women's Friend magazine join the effort as Emmy writes articles describing the women who are working in a munitions factory. She gets involved in their lives and their troubles. In the meantime, her boyfriend Charles asks her to marry him before he joins his friends overseas.

This is a nice story, a nice depiction of the homefront and the women who were left behind to provide support during the war. The real focus is on the way women were torn between their duty to family/children and their duty to country. Unfortunately, that's all it is -- a nice story. The "conflict" while certainly realistic and timely, lacked the tension and urgency to keep me interested. It's an OK book, but just not very compelling. If you're looking for a nice story, something like a Hallmark movie, this is a good choice, but if you're looking for more action/tension/excitement, this is not it.

A well told sequel to Dear Mrs. Bird. The continuing story of Emmy Lake, her friends, the magazine she writes for and WWII.
If you enjoyed Mrs. Bird you’ll like this one, too!

This was a wonderful 2nd book to follow up Dear Mrs. Bird. I thoroughly enjoyed the deeper character development of the main character, Emmy Lake, from ditzy and inexperienced, to a firebrand for WWII causes. The setting, WWII London, was realistic and not immune from the realities of war, while still preserving its charm in some ways. Can’t wait to continue this series! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The letters here were great, I enjoyed them and the premise of the book. It was a little slower than I normally like, but I was Al Le to take it all in that way. Great character developement.

Here are the reasons for my recommendation:
1. I am not a fan of series books for adults. No judgement, I just mainly have the attention span of a flea. Honestly, I don't think I ever even read that last Harry Potter book.
2. I read the first book in this series, <I>Dear Mrs. Bird</I>, and I really liked the concept. Told with the backdrop of WWII London, I loved Emmy and her office colleagues, even the horrid advice columnist whose "fans" Emmy of course tries to help. But I wanted more, literally and figuratively. I gave that book a 3.
3. I requested the new book from NetGalley, against my unwritten rule against sequels.
4. It was terrific. Not telling you the plot, that's what the summary is for.
5. I gave that book, a 4. So, I liked it even more than the first one. Sort of like how my husband talks about The Godfather Part II.

Now you have two books to add to your to-read pile.

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce introduces readers to Emmeline Lake and her best friend Bunty during World War II and the blitz on London. Yours Cheerfully continues that story towards a different part of the war and a different role for women. While Dear Mrs. Bird is all about friendship, this book expands the focus to be solidarity amongst women. It is an engaging story and inspiring at the same time. I look forward to seeing where the author goes next.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2022/12/yours-cheerfully.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. For a WWII novel, it felt light but also included some important topics I hadn't considered before. I really liked both Emmy and Bunty and definitely want to read the next book in the series now!

This was a nice sequel to the adventures of Emme and Bunty who we met in Dear Mrs. Bird.
Another light hearted view of war for historical fiction fans who want to know more about the lives of those who were on the home front during the war.
Recommended for those who enjoyed Dear Mrs. Bird.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good historical fiction WWII novel. Love the cover.

I expected another delight in the Emmy Lake series and wasn’t disappointed. These books are so comforting and so easy to love. The characters are all wonderful and you can’t help but root for them.

I loved the first book in The Emmy Lake Chronicles, Dear Mrs. Bird, so I had high hopes for this sequel and I'm happy to report that it did not disappoint. Your Cheerfully held the same charm and wonderful writing as AJ Pearce brought in the previous book. I've come to learn that I can confidently count on this author to bring a lovely story to the table.

This was such a well done historical fiction read. It was set in London during WWII and the Blitz and through the atmospheric writing and setting, it all comes to life right before your eyes while still having an overall lightheartedness to it. This is not a story bogged down by history and I enjoyed that about it. A definite highlight to the book (just as with the first) was the lovely group of characters we come alongside including old favorites and even more fun friends. I just so admire these women's courage and strength amidst war throughout the story and find it so inspiring how they step up. Who they are makes the story memorable indeed.

If you're looking for an all around light, cozy historical fiction read that still packs a meaningful punch, let this one be it. I can just about promise you'll fall in love with the storytelling and characters just as much as I did.

Many thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the gifted e-copy!

This is a warm and uplifting book about a young woman during WWII. She has always wanted to be a journalist and she has gotten a chance to work for a women’s weekly magazine.

I didn't read the first book in this series but it stood well on it's own.

It was full of all of the feels. I highly recommend to anyone who wants to renew their resolve, or simply feel empowered as the strong woman she is.

I will read anything by AJ Pearce. ANYTHING. Charles and Emmy are so stinking adorable. I love their relationship. I would’ve loved more letters in this one, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

Thank you to NetGalley, Scribner, & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored Dear Mrs. Bird, and although this one wasn't exactly what I expected for a sequel, it was just as delightful. If you're looking for a low stakes historical fiction that won't leave you in anguish afterwards, Yours Cheerfully is the way to go (but you definitely need to read Dear Mrs. Bird first to get the full effect!).

(Also, I kind of wish I had listened to this via audio, and I might do that for a re-read someday - Anna Popplewell was DELIGHTFUL in her narration of the Dear Mrs. Bird, and I think it would probably push this from a 4 star to a 5 star in terms of just general enjoyment.)

I was thrilled to receive this book from Netgalley. I loved Dear Mrs. Bird and could not wait to read this follow up. This sequel did not disappoint. I loved that this book took a different angle than other WWII books, shedding light on the woman who worked in factories and the struggles of those who worked there. The storyline was well paced and kept me reading and thinking long after I finished the book. I hope the author continues this series!

Yours Cheerfully is the sequel I didn't know I wanted to Dear Mrs. Bird. I loved the first book, which put a spotlight on the British women supporting the war effort at home during WWII. While it does have heavy and difficult content, the tone and the antics of these characters keep the story light and enjoyable.

The second book continues to follow Emmeline Lake and her friends, and the women of the war effort. These books are quite feminist for such an old-fashioned setting. Yes, the issues are a little dated, but I love how the women in these books support each other, and stick up for their rights. It was such an interesting time because feminist ideas were still controversial, but also forced into consideration with the male work force largely absent. The characters are so determined and strong, and I enjoyed both the female friendships and the romance in this one. For readers who enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend these books!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.