August 10, 2021
Yours Cheerfully by A J Pearce
Genre/Categories/Settings: Historical Fiction, WW11, Women’s Fiction, London
*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
My Summary:
Thanks #NetGalley @ScribnerBooks for a complimentary eARC of #YoursCheerfully upon my request. All opinions are my own.
In this follow up to Dear Mrs. Bird, Emmeline Lake continues her journalism career as an advice columnist for Woman’s Friend magazine. Emmy’s best friend, Bunty, is reovering from her injuries and the loss of her fiance, and Emmy’s boyfriend is now stationed back in the U.K. The focus and intensity of this story changes as the Ministry of Information asks women’s magazines to help recruit female workers to the war effort. Emmy is thrilled to do her part, but then she is confronted with the very real challenges that women war workers face and takes a stand to support her new friends.
My Thoughts:
Even though Yours Cheerfully can be read as a stand-alone, I recommend reading Dear Mrs. Bird first for a richer reading experience. Dear Mrs Bird centers around the London Blitz and its affect on Londoners (bombings are a part of the story) and follows Emmy as she begins her journalism career, Yours Cheerfully focuses on the war effort from the perspective of women left behind and on Emmy’s activism. Yours Cheerfully is very much a “day in the life” type of story.
Do you ever create categories in your mind just for your own benefit? Just me?! In my own mind I think of Dear Mrs. Bird as light histfic and Yours Cheerfully as cozy histfic if that makes sense! What I’m trying to communicate is that I see a different degree of war intensity between the two books, but they are both upbeat and charming in tone.
Main Character: I admire Emmeline as the protagonist. I like a series that follows one character (as opposed to other series that rotate the protagonist of each story). We notice Emmeline’s growth as a competent and confident columnist, observe as she’s challenged by the unfairness of women’s work conditions, and cheer for her actions and involvement. Although Emmy has a fiance, the romance is not a main focus of the story.
Thoughtful themes include women supporting women, women and the War effort, women’s working conditions and equal wages, friendship, influence of news media on current issues, making a difference, and wartime romance.
Recommended: I’m warmly recommending Yours Cheerfully (and Dear Mrs. Bird) for readers looking for light, inspirational, and heartwarming WW11 historical fiction (closed door romance, no profanity, no graphic violence), for fans of fiesty and independent female protagonists, and for book clubs. I think I enjoyed Yours Cheerfully a bit more than Dear Mrs. Bird but that could be because I’ve become familiar with the characters, the setting, and the author. I’m definitely looking forward to more books in the Emmy Lake series!
My Rating: 3.5 (rounded to 4) Stars
Yours Cheerfully Information Here
Meet the Author, A.J. Pearce
AJ Pearce grew up in Hampshire, England. She studied at the University of Sussex and Northwestern University. A chance discovery of a 1939 women’s magazine became the inspiration for her international bestseller, Dear Mrs. Bird, the first novel in The Emmy Lake Chronicles series. She lives in the south of England.
QOTD:
Is Yours Cheerfully on your TBR or have you read it?
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I really must read Dear Mrs Bird. I pre-ordered it and still haven’t picked it up, except when I moved house! 😂
I think reading these in order is the best reading experience! Enjoy!
Thanks for the reminder to read the first book! Excellent review, Carol💜 I’m adding this one, too.
Thanks Jonetta! Save these for when you need a brain break!
Sounds like a lovely read (two lovely reads)! I also like it when a sequel or series follows the same character instead of switching to another characters point of view. I’m adding these to my TBR!
I hope you enjoy them Gretchen! 🙌
Great review, sounds like a good one!
Thanks Kym! A nice brain break!
I like the term “cozy histfic” and I like the genre! I’m looking forward to reading this one. Glad you enjoyed!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
It’s a pretty fun read!
It sounds like a good series!
A great brain break!
My brain categorizes books like that all the time! 🤣
Great minds think alike!
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Thanks Jonetta!
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I just went and reread my review for Dear Mrs. Bird and it brought back some good memories of an enjoyable story. I am definitely going to read this one. Wonderful review Carol, I also like that this is a continuation of Emmy’s story.
I enjoyed it even more than the first one!
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[…] Women’s Fiction: 57Wow! This is the first time I’ve ever read this much “women’s fiction”! There were months when these books were a balm to my pandemic brain! Again, a reader’s definition may vary….for me they are books in which most characters are women and the plot centers around women’s concerns and issues….some in this category are lighter reads that readers refer to as “beach reads” or “vacation reads.” Two of my favorites in this category are Three Words For Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb and Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce. […]