This is the third in the Emmy Lake Chronicles including DEAR MRS BIRD (a favorite of 2019) and YOURS, CHEERFULLY. I do recommend reading the first two books in the series to fully appreciate the story and characters.

Set in London during WWII in the 1940s, Emmy Lake is continuing her job at the Women’s Friend magazine. Emmy is still writing her “Yours, Cheerfully” column answering women’s heartbreaking yet important questions with advice in the friendliest yet appropriate way. She continues to live with her childhood best friend Bunty while her husband is at war. In this novel, their friend Thelma and her children join them while Thelma’s husband is also fighting the war.

Things are going well at the magazine until the staff hears about a new owner of the magazine. When Mrs. Porter arrives at the magazine headquarters to assess the viability of the magazine, her new ideas don’t sit too well with everyone. Mrs. Porter wants to include society wedding stories and dedicate full pages to photographs of her dog. She also finds the letters to Emmy’s advice column to be way too “mis” and puts a stop to answering any of the more depressing letters, though many of the letters pertain to wartime concerns.

As you can imagine, these changes don’t sit well with Emmy or the rest of the staff and frustrations come to a head with Mrs. Porter. Remember, there is also a war going on, and loss hits the Women’s Friend family. A.J. Pearce handles the characters’ emotions with great care, especially when the children are involved. Even though this series is set during the war, it is mostly in the background with a few characters being directly affected throughout the series. But it also reminds the reader that people had to live their lives, continue to raise their families, and work even through rationing, heartbreak, and great despair.

“Don’t worry, Em, we’ll do what all the other women in Britain are doing.”
“What’s that?” I said.
“Cope,” said Bunty.

Leaving Emmy, Bunty, and the Women’s Friend crew behind made me a bit sad at the end of this story. Their witty banter, close-knit friendships, and determination to fight for what they believed in kept me turning the pages. I loved being transported to 1940s London with women I’d be honored to call my friends. I chose to listen to the first two in the series for my own enjoyment, narrated by the talented Amy Popplewell. Receiving this one for review was an honor, especially since the book was already on my to-read list.

“Bunty said you didn’t miss someone any less, you just made room for other things to surround the gap they had left.”

I was SO excited for this book. The others in the series have been awesome and I enjoyed them immensely. This one however, really left a lot to be desired for me. The standout in the first couple of books in the series was the writing. The writing style was unique and absolutely charming. This book was missing the magic the first so books had. I was sad to miss out on that writing style, as it is truly unique and fun to read.

I cried a lot during this book and books normally do not make me emotional. I was surprised it hit me so hard because I have been binging historical fiction but this is a stand out

Emmy Lake and her coworkers work hard on their Women's Friend magazine, bringing news, recipes and everyday advice to those left on the home front. When the publisher dies, Guy assures them all will be well, but the niece left in charge, Mrs. Porter, has a much different vision for the magazine. At home, Bunty and Emmy invite their friend Thelma and her 3 children to live in their upper floor. The kids bring a bit of chaos to their world, and animals in the backyard shed. When I read the first one of Pearce's books, I didn't realize it would be a series. I am always glad to revisit this crowd and see how their lives are faring.

I cannot remember the last time a book elicited such a range of emotions in me - if I wasn't angry, I was crying. If I wasn't crying, I was laughing. If I wasn't laughing, I absolutely was angry [spitting nails angry]; because while I don't remember a book giving me this huge range of emotions, I also cannot remember when I despised a character as much as I did Mrs. Porter - and let me tell you, there was not even ONE thing about her to like. Everything she did and said either made me angry or grated on my last nerve. I was barely into the story and told a friend that I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to read it. Never have I been SO GLAD [I really sense a theme here LOL] to stick out a book until the end.

Because...

THIS. BOOK. IS. QUITE. SIMPLY. JUST. GORGEOUS.

Gorgeous y'all. Filled with these moments of beauty and love and caring. Also has HUGE moments of bravery and love deeper than most of us will ever experience [war and fighting nazi's, and sending your beloveds out to do just that will do that to and for you] and friendships that are both lifelong and forged in fire and are the kind of friends that everyone wishes for. It also has one of the most annoying print human beings that I have ever encountered and there is not ONE redeeming quality about her. In the midst of said war, she still thinks the whole world revolves around her and just "WHY CAN'T she do this, that, and the other". Forget spraining my eyeballs, they may or may not be totally broken now. ;-) Yet, in the midst of all her annoying interference, there is hope. And perseverance. And the realization that everyone involved is MUCH stronger than they ever thought there were.

There is also great sadness and I had to stop reading I was crying so hard. War is awful and that is one thing this series has never shied away from - the realities and horrors of war and the aftermath of great sorrow and I think even the most hard-hearted person would have sniffled at the sadness in this book.

And now, I have book hangover. Big time. This one will last for awhile I think. I have come to love these characters so much and this one was just so deeply personal for them and I really felt for them all. Emmy, Bunty, Thelma [and her fantastic kids - the scenes with the illicit chickens will make you laugh out loud], Guy [and may we ALL have a boss like this amazing man] and all the people who work at the magazine, are some of the best characters around and this series has just been so fantastic for me; I can only hope that there is at least one more book so we can see what happens to everyone as the war ends [and PLEASE bring all the men in these women's lives home safely - though I know that isn't always how it happened and the ones who DID come home were forever changed].

Thank you Ms. Pearce for giving the book world this amazing series; I for one, will be forever grateful. Very well done.

I was invited to read/review this book by Scribner and I thank them, AJ Pearce, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Emmy Lake and friends remain hard at work in 1943 to produce the Woman's Friend magazine that means so much to their readers. Although the times are difficult with people still getting killed or hurt in air raids, they strive to answer questions submitted by readers and provide some solace from the difficult days.

When a new posh publisher sweeps into their offices with her "tiny suggestions," the staff is dismayed at the changes that will ruin the magazine for their readership. In addition to these changes, the new publisher tends in a direction that could mean loss of employment for them all.

With true courage and perseverance, Emmy and staff come up with a plan to save the magazine, while dealing with their own personal worries and heartbreaks. This novel of friendship and family will provide a thoughtful and provoking read, whether readers have read previous offerings in the series or are starting out with this one.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

It was different. Not on my favorite list but an interesting read for anyone looking for a change of pace.

Don’t you hate those people who cannot read the room or when everyone is clearly struggling with something they act like life is amazing? They are tone deaf and they are proud of it. Enter Mrs. Porter here…. Posh niece with no understanding of war whatsoever became to new owner of the Women’s Friend.

Emmy and Bunty could not take a break. There had to be a new person walking into their lives and messing everything up. Emmy had to deal with a new boss who was destroying everything she worked very hard for. Bunty needed to get over her memories to ope herself to new adventures. But loss found them again.

In the midst of all tragedies, I like how these girls managed to find something to hold on to. It must be the sign of the times: during the war times, any good news was great news; any day you wake up to was a gift. I’ll be waiting for #4,

Veering into a bit of the "let's all pitch in and do the impossible because, crikey, we're at war!" and then a dash of grief here and there to bring it all together. Don't get me wrong, Pearce continues to write with delicious aplomb, and the tone of the mid-40s English dialogue rings true to my 21st century American ear. I admit, though, to having done one or two eye-rolls at what I thought might be a bit of over-the-top pluck shown by the lead characters.

That is the only negative I can offer for this otherwise delightful addition to the series, and I'm hopeful to see another book in the near future.

Sincere thanks to the publishers for reaching out to me with a digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

It’s always a pleasure to return to the office of Woman’s Friend and catch up with Emmy and her colleagues and friends. I’ve read many WWII home front novels and I always learn something new about the experiences of women through this series.

I loved continuing on in this series about family and friendship. It was heartwarming and I did cry a little.
Many thanks to Scribner and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I wanted to preface this by saying that I am not, generally, a fan of series, though my recent exceptions have left me wondering why. I thought at first that it was that I thought they lacked variety, and I would not be bothered to return to the same set of characters over and over again. But maybe I will stop saying that, and consider that I don't like series that last more than 5 books (I'm not sure if this one will be a trilogy, or if Pearce has more in mind.)

Honestly, I cared about all of them. I think I actually enjoyed this book more than the two previous ones—not sure if that's because I knew most of their backstories and I was able to settle right in (and yes, I know that's the general idea of a series), or because Pearce has made them more dimensional, and, I think, shown that they aren't all quite as perfect and precocious as they seemed in the first two books. Pearce also adds new characters seamlessly here, and they add more depth to the story. If this is the end of the trilogy, then ok, it was sweet and satisfying. But if there's more, I'll take it.

Mrs. Porter Calling follows Emmy, her brother-in-law and boss Guy, her neighbors, colleagues, and friends in the thick of World War II as she, Guy, and their coworkers navigate the arrival of a new owner for their magazine Woman’s Friend, the Honorable Cressida Porter. However, Mrs. Porter lives apart from their target audience and has several questionable ideas she forces the staff to put into place despite the consequences they may have for the paper. Emmy and Guy, however, continue to live and do their best to maintain the integrity of the paper, though life and war outside the workplace do their best to make things difficult. Pearce’s characters are strong-willed and dynamic, and their emotions and responses to life’s challenges add to the characters’ relatability. The paper, too, takes on a life and personality of its own, especially given its importance to its nameless and faceless readers. The war looms in the background of the novel, adding necessary tension and complications to the story and threatening the characters’ lives (in addition to the conflict in the workplace). Pearce’s novel highlights the multiplicity of wartime experiences, the necessary comforts that a friendly ear or magazine can provide, and the warmth and kindness that a group of united friends can create for themselves and others.

I'm a big fan of the Emmy Lake books and enjoyed Mrs. Porter Calling just as much as the first two. The book oozes charm and whimsy, it's impossible to read without falling in love with each of the characters. It's World War II historical fiction, but told in a way that is heartfelt, personal, and very funny. Emmy Lake is the star, and I adore her, but it would be safe to say that after reading Mrs. Porter, I have a huge crush on her brother in-law Guy. I hope there will be more books in the series; a delightful read for historical fiction lovers!

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for this ARC.

I was so excited to read the third installment of the Yours Cheerfully, an Emmy Lake advice columnist historical fiction series. I have read and loved the prior books, but I think Mrs. Porter Calling is my favorite. This book totally stands alone and can be read without reading the others first, but reading the others would give you more of a sense of Emmy's backstory.

It is late 1943 London and Emmy Lake is celebrating her 25th birthday with her found family and away from her husband who is overseas in the war. Emmy works in publishing at the weekly magazine, Women's Friend, that is getting a new owner and publisher who vastly different ideas about the future of the magazine.

While hard stuff, really hard stuff, happens in this book, the overall feel of this book is hopeful and positive, which I appreciated. I also enjoyed the great secondary characters in this book series including the colorful and diverse folks who work for Women's Friend and Emmy's best friend Bunty and close friend Thelma and her young children. The author paints a vibrant picture of both the Women's Friend community and Emmy's greater community of founded family and friends. It is a place I love to visit if only through the pages of the book.

5 stars! Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for letting me check out this book! I will post reviews on post this review on Goodreads, Bookbub and Amazon.

Mrs. Porter is the perfect antagonist in this third installment of The Emmy Lake Chronicles. Her dismissive, arrogant attitude regarding the workers and readers of Woman's Friend magazine had me rolling my eyes. The parts of the novel regarding Emmy, Guy and the rest of the staff trying to save the magazine was predictable- but I was quickly turning the pages to see what happens. Where the author really shines are the "background" stories of Emmy, Bunty and Thelma. Some parts had me crying, especially regarding the references to the innocent children and others had me cheering and laughing out loud. A story of hope, friendship and love in a wartime setting. My thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and hope there are more adventures in store for Emmy and friends. I highly recommend this series to those who love historical fiction with a feminine twist .

I love this series, which takes place in London during WWII. Emmy started out as an advice columnist, which soon expanded to offering people a place to vent during wartime, while also offering wartime hacks. When Cressida Porter, an aristocratic, spoiled snob, takes over ownership of the magazine, Woman’s Friend, chaos ensues as Mrs. Porter wants to change the magazine to suit her whims and get rid of the “mis”. With the usual cast of characters, including Bunty, Guy, and the crew of the magazine, the reader will experience a heartwarming gem. Highly recommend the series. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5 fabulously fun stars, rounded up
“While the rest of us had jobs where every day we battled to bring cheer and hope and information to tens of thousands of women who were facing the most challenging of times, Mrs. Porter had arrived like a fairy materializing onstage in a puff of smoke, all sparkly and smashing and completely at odds with the real world.”

Set in 1944 England, Mrs. Porter Calling is both entertaining and educational, “We’re here to help people as well as entertain them.” A.J. Pierce makes the Homefront come alive with hope, tragedy and working together. The Emmy Lake Chronicles, (of which this is the third one), come out about every other year, so at first, I had forgotten the context of who the characters were, but the first two chapters brought me quickly up to speed. It is helpful, though not necessary to read the books in order.

I delighted in the Britishness of the book and how it humorously puts wartime issues in perspective. “’Does she have any idea how hard it is trying to come up with ways to make rations last? I’m doing my best, Emmy, but there are only so many things you can do with a potato.’” Charming turns of phrases paint the scene and amuse. “It was like being walloped in the face with a powder puff the size of a dustbin lid. It looked soft and fluffy, but before you realized it, you’d been sent flying.” “He was still a tall man, of course, well over six feet, but where before he had looked like a mammoth England rugby player, now he was thinner than his clothes wanted him to be.”

The book has lots of predictable enthusiasm, (“Everyone agreed. It was time to crack on.”), but A.J. ‘s writing has really grown, exploring the element of grief with sad and tender moments. No spoiler details! I appreciate balancing the fun parts with war-time seriousness. “’No kids are exactly normal anymore, Bunts,’ I said, watching them all. ‘Lost parents, siblings, homes – even the luckiest have lost the chance to just feel safe and have fun. There isn’t a child in the country who is having the childhood they deserve.’” The pacing and continued character development are superb.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Emmy Lake is working at Woman's Friend magazine as the Reader and Advice Editor. While her husband Charles is serving in the RAF, Emmy is sharing her house with her BFF Bunty, and their friend Thelma and her children are taking the empty flat in their house. Everything is going as well as it can in the middle of a war, until the magazine is taken over by the Honorable Mrs. Cressida Porter ("call me Egg") who has specific ideas about changing the magazine's format, content and audience.

The third installment in the Emmy Lake series, warm, cozy, heartfelt. Enjoyable historical fiction to relax with on a hot summer day.

Emmy and her fellow journalists have a challenge when Mrs. Porter inherits the woman's magazine for which they work. Mrs. Porter has her own ideas and visions for Woman's Friend. It is tricky and difficult for Guy, the editor, and the rest of the staff to work with the challenge of Mrs. Porter's unrealistic desires.
How they do this even if it seems they are losing is the tale to read.