This is the third installment in the charming series starring Emmy Lake, who writes the Yours Cheerfully column in the "Woman's Friend" magazine. While Emmy's husband Charles is away at the war, we see snippets of her letters to him, where she remains cheerful despite the problems on the homefront, not the least of which is a major shake up at "Woman's Friend". Their benevolent owner/publisher Lord Overton has died after over 50 years of the magazine's existence and he has left it to his niece, The Hon. Mrs. Porter. Mrs Porter is lovely and appears to be quite pleasant, but she has no idea what the readers of "Woman's Friend" are actually living through. While most ladies in England are drawing lines on the backs of their legs to simulate seams in their non-existent stockings, making do, making over, or doing without; Mrs Porter changes the basic premise of the magazine to be one of parties, custom frocks, and pictures of her ugly and mean dog, As their subscription list declines and their advertisers leave them in droves, Emmy, Charles's brother Guy, the editor, and her friends have to save the magazine. At the same time, there is tragedy with the loss of a dear friend, and a new love interest for another. Help comes in the person of an unexpected source. I received this ARC at no charge from the author AJ Pearce and Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.

Mrs. Porter Calling is the continuing story of Emmy Lake. This story is filled with humor, hope, heart, love and with a gentle reminder of sacrifices made by many people during WWII. This series is just the best!!!

I love the characters in this book. As Emmy continues responding to her articles in the "Yours Cheerfully" section, we get introduced to many fun and often distressed characters along the way. But with a new person in charge, this could all change. So Emmy, Bunty and friends must try to save the day. There is plenty of cheekiness to go around!

I was completely immersed in this story and these characters.
I absolutely loved this book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

It was a joy to be back with Emmy Lake and her friends in this third book in the series. While this book is light at times, it also is set during WWII so deals with many serious issues as well. I enjoyed learning more about what living during this time may have been like for ordinary people. An enjoyable read and I'm hoping for a book four in the series!

This is the 3rd book of the Emmy Lake series. I had not read books 1 and 2, so I can safely say this book can stand alone; however, now that I am reading book 1, I do understand all of the characters better. Author does a marvelous job portraying how London residents fared during 1943 bombings.
Mrs. Porter is now publisher of Women`s Friend, and a friend she is not. She wants to completely change the magazine to showcase frivolous articles about clothing and food no one can afford. Emmy and her friends set off to save the magazine from utter ruin. While I laughed out loud at Mrs Porter and her grumpy dog, I also shed tears at the death and destruction Hitler caused. I hope there is a 4th book in the works.

Having already pre-ordered a copy of this third installment in one of my favorite series, I was nonetheless delighted to be granted an e-galley thanks to Netgalley and Scribner. I fell in love with Emmy Lake within a few chapters of Dear Mrs. Bird and my love for our plucky heroine has only grown. In Mrs. Porter Calling, Emmy's beloved magazine, Woman's Friend, unexpectedly changes hands and becomes the property of the Honourable Cressida Porter, who, along with her dog Small Winston, is truly unforgettable. As things at the magazine change drastically, Emmy, Guy, and the other staff members fight to keep the spirit alive that makes Woman's Friend special to so many women in Britain as World War II rages on.

I was happy to be back in Emmy's world as she and her found family of magazine staffers, fire department personnel, neighbors and friends, "do their bit" and help each other through the immense difficulties of a nation at war. I rarely cry while reading books but Pearce has managed to squeeze a few tears from me with each installment of the Emmy Lake Chronicles. Emmy, who narrates in first person, is funny and relatable and all the characters have been thoughtfully crafted to feel authentic and unique.

Pearce has truly created something special in in a subgenre (WW2 historical fiction) that often seems over-saturated. I highly recommend the entire series and Calling Mrs. Porter will definitely be among my top reads of the year.

Another delightful installment, featuring the lovable Emmy Lake and her band of loyal friends and colleagues. Heartbreaking, hopeful and triumphant…exactly what this author does best.

I've been enjoying this series and getting to know the characters better and better. However, book 3 wasn't as strong as the first two. Story was predictable and moved along slowly. (I did get choked up at the appropriate moment about 2/3 through the book--no spoilers). It seems there is room for one more in the series when the men return from war (or not) and the magazine takes off. Is there another one planned?

This is a heartwarming story that I read in one sitting. It reminds us once again about the hardships and sorrow suffered by ordinary people in WWII Britain.

I laughed and I cried as I read Mrs. Porter Calling, by AJ Pearce. Emmy Lake iWorks at a ladies’ magazine in London during WWII. She lives with her best friend Bunty while her husband is overseas serving. When a new owner takes over the magazine, lots of unexpected , and hilarious things happen that nearly ruins the magazine.
Personally, they make friends, lose loved ones, and form special bonds with friends and neighbors during this challenging times. It was a delightful book and provided a look into the lives or ordinary people of London during the war. I highly recommend it!

In spite of the silliness of Mrs. Porter and her actions, this third novel in the series about the home front in England during WWII, has a bit more depth to it – and I certainly appreciate that. The character of Mrs. Porter was the perfect contrast to those characters being widowed or orphaned or maimed by the war.

This whole series is a profound (yet light) look at those Britishers who were merely trying to make the best of a horrid situation – how to manage their food shortages, how to manage without gasoline or heating fuel, etc.

I received this advanced copy from NetGalley and the publisher, Scribner, in exchange for an unbiased review. For those who enjoyed the first two novels, I think this third is the best one yet.

What do women want to read during the war? They want to be filled with hope and answers to all their questions. Yours Cheerfully is an engaging column which Emmy is in charge of. The readers love reading her advice and helpful tidbits to get them through the day. Mrs. Porter buys the newspaper which features Emmy’s column and others but she has big changes in mind. Trying to create it into a high end magazine is not what the readership needs or wants. Emmy and her coworkers work tirelessly to come up with a solution. Good characterization throughout keeps you wondering what’s going to happen next. This is a wonderful series and I am looking forward to the next one! #Mrs.PorterCalling #AJPierce #NetGalley

A heartwarming story of overcoming the struggles dealt by WWll in London through the strength of friendships. At times charming and heart-breaking, this story pulls at you and cheers you up.

Emmy Lake’s life centers around her friends and her job at the weekly magazine, Woman’s Friend, as the advice columnist for Yours Cheerfully. The daily struggles of life in a war torn city are exacerbated by the struggle of surviving a new socialite publisher who is completely out of touch with reality.

You will laugh, cry and cheer for the characters in this delightful tale of friendship and survival.
Read it as soon as you can!

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

Very engaging story of a publishing firm during WWII. Her books are always chock full of warm vibrant characters who bring you into their lives. and doesn't let you forget about them.

Very interesting and loving read.

A lovely third installment of the Emmy Lake series (I do recommend reading Dear Mrs. Bird and Yours Cheerfully first). Emmy and her colleagues at Women's Friend magazine face one challenge after another when a new owner, who shows no understanding of publishing or compassion for their audience, makes sweeping changes. With her new husband away at war, Emmy is no stranger to hardship and faces this, and a much greater one, with pluck, fortitude, and grace. I have enjoyed the character development over the course of this series. The deep, abiding friendships and innate goodness of the people in Emmy's life make this series a pleasure to read.

I enjoyed the first two books in this series, so I was looking forward to this one, and I'm delighted to say it did not disappoint. Mrs. PORTER CALLING is charming and uplifting. I enjoyed following along as Emmy progresses in her career, and of course, Mrs. Porter herself is a fabulously entertaining character. There are heavy moments throughout the narrative which are handled deftly. Overall, there is the glorious sense that life is full of light, that things will work out, and that the human spirit is nothing if not resilient.

This is the 3rd book in the Emmy Lake series and continues the charming and poignant story of women pulling together is terrible times. Set in 1943 London, WWII is raging and its continuing impact is hard on Emmy and her friends. Emmy’s best friend Bunty has come to terms with the death of her fiancé at the beginning of the war but feels guilty when she starts to have feeling for her former fiancé’s university friend who’s recovering from sever injuries obtained while he was on an unexplored bomb team. Emmy and Bunty live in Bunty’s grandmother’s large Victorian house and invite their friend Thelma and her 3 young children to move in with them. Thelma’s husband is in the Navy and hasn’t been home in some time. Emmy dearly misses her husband Charles who she married over 2 years ago but only have 3 days together before he was deployed. She writes to him every day but his letters from North Africa arrive only periodically. Emmy loves her work as the advice columnist at a women’s magazine and is bolstered by the close knit staff including the chief editor who is also Charles’ half brother and thus Emmy’s brother-in-law.
Two big events happen in the book. One is a sad surprise that occurs about halfway into the book - so no spoiler. The other story line is about the death of the owner of the magazine and he’s left it to his self centered and ridiculous niece, Mrs. Porter. While she tries to ruin the magazine with her clueless changes and disrespectful treatment of staff, Guy, Emmy and fiends endure Mrs. Porter’s abominable behavior and try to undermine her efforts.

Mrs. Porter Calling is the third book in the Emmy Lake series. These irresistible stories follow the antics, adventures and heartbreaks of Emmy, Bunty, Charles and their cohorts as they navigate life, work and war during in 1940's London. While Dear Mrs. Bird (book 1) is still my favourite, Mrs. Porter Calling is a close second. It's a charming story with amusing characters, including Small Winston, a pampered, discriminating dog who is featured in a magazine photo shoot sporting a nautical hats. He also takes a chunk out of a chapter we all love to hate. Huzzah! Sure, this book won't win an awards. But, paired with a fuzzy blanket and a warm mug of tea, it will take you away from today's worries and into another world,

Mrs. Porter Calling by AJ Pearce is a wonderful and charming WWII era historical fiction that is the third book in the delightful series: The Emmy Lake Chronicles.

I just absolutely love this sweet, funny, heartwarming, and entertaining series. Emmy Lake is an excellent main character and her dialogue and that of the surrounding characters, really make this book.

The one-liners, snazzy banter, and occasional sassiness is perfectly balanced with the heartwarming subject threads, the positive and uplifting narratives, and the serious and difficult adversities that the characters experience in life and specifically that of WWII.

I really loved this third book and hope there are more.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Scribner for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/8/23.

The third installment of Emmy Lake’s story did not disappoint. The friendships between the characters and their tenacity living in London during WWII continue to be the strengths of the series and what keeps me engaged and excited to read. The historical details about life in that time and place show the thoughtful research that went into writing and give the reader a chance to further imagine what it was like for those who lived through WWII.

While the situations in the book have a depth and seriousness appropriate to the events of the time, Pearce manages to keep a hopeful tone to the story through the first-person narration. It makes the book an enjoyable read while continuing to be an interesting story full of wonderful characters that you root for the whole time. I’m already looking forward to reading more.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I have read the previous Emmy Lake books so it was with joy and anticipation to read this third book and it certainly did not disappoint. The story takes place in Britain during World War II which is my favorite genre, the continuation of Emmy and Bunty’s friendship with each other and their fellow neighbors and friends was heartwarming and very special. I enjoyed reading about Emmy’s rising status at the magazine and the working relationships at the magazine overall, the feeling of teamwork and commitment was very uplifting. The addition of Harold, Thel, and the children added extra story lines that did enhance the story. I thought that this third book was a bit better than the second book which seemed a bit flat in my opinion, it was still a good story but I enjoyed this installment more. I hope that there will be a fourth book to hopefully complete the story and tie up some loose ends. I would highly recommend this book, which could be read as a stand alone or in book sequence.