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Yours Cheerfully: The Times Bestseller from the author of Dear Mrs Bird (The Emmy Lake Chronicles, 2)

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This was a really beautiful story about friendship, women’s rights, the impact of the war on those left behind, and love. Emmy has just begun the column when the War Ministry has a meeting with many of the women’s newspaper editors. With so many men off to war there is a terrible shortage of workers in factories that supply munitions and other necessary items for the men at the front lines. The editors are advised to come up with ideas to recruit more women workers. Although this is wartime London, and from the first book, Dear Mrs. Bird, we know the challenges and threats that all of England faces, both books have a lighthearted feel to them. I enjoy these stories and self deprecating characters that are able to support each other and find humor in the everyday strangeness of this wartime life they are living. No one is allowed to forget the loss of life and also the loss of health for those who do return from war. Wartime rationing means creativity is a part of each day and the generosity of others is often what gets people from one hour to the next. Everyone has lost someone and, for the most part, Emmy and her friends try to put a good face on each minute because that's the only way to keep going. Although this one is set in England during WWII, it has a more lighthearted tone and even some madcap humor. Emmy continues to get into trouble, but I love her ambition and desire to help her magazine’s readers! Emmy is continuing in her job at Woman’s Friend magazine, writing the advice column. She even gets her shot at writing a feature story! She’s off to interview women who are called to work at munitions factories. She finds more than she bargains for in the process but makes some great friends. In the beginning I didn’t intend to write historical fiction. In fact I tried to write a contemporary novel, but realised it didn’t have a plot! I was wondering what I could write about when completely by chance I saw a 1939 issue of a women’s magazine for sale online. I’ve always loved reading magazines and I was curious to see what it was like.

Despite the lessons learned in WW1, women were still not permitted to join any existing unions and child care and other basic services for working mothers was almost non-existent. Furthermore, the red tape involved in setting up nurseries during the war was a minefield in itself. Government officials would often fluff off any requests to simplify or escalate the process as being unpatriotic.. Women's requests for fair treatment were shut down and disregarded: "Don't You Know There's a War On?" was the consistent rebuff (The rampant feminist in me was outraged.) In fact, one of the nicest things about meeting readers at events and book signings (before Covid of course) is when they tell me how long they have known their best friends. I’ve had lovely conversations about this – it is always inspiring and often very moving. You can’t beat a lifelong best friend! Tell me about authors who inspire you and books which have made a particular impression on you.Emmy takes her job to heart and embraces the challenge. She happens to meet a young woman with two small children who is trying to do a precarious balancing act of being a mother and working in a munitions factory. She needs the money because she is also a war widow. It's London, November 1941, and Emmy Lake is thriving at her job. She loves the people she works with and she's been given many more responsibilities at Woman’s Friend magazine. Getting to attend a Ministry of Information meeting for journalists opens the door for Emmy to do articles on the wartime female workers, giving their all for the war effort. It's when Emmy really gets to know some of these women, and the hardships they are facing, that she knows the magazine not only needs to promote the war effort but more importantly, they need to highlight and attempt to remedy the real, life crushing, challenges that working women face when they also have children and the other responsibilities of wartime life hindering their every step. These women are doing the same jobs that men did for much less pay, working weekends and ever changing shift work, with no help or understanding from their employers. Yours Cheerfully continues where Dear Mrs. Bird, left off (sans Mrs. Bird). It is WWII, circa post Blitz and the focus is on the women, wives and mothers, who work in munitions factories (and other factories aiding in the war effort). It is about the highly motivated and patriotic women workers who raise their banners high in support of their troops, but also need the money to keep home and family together while their husbands are at war. The women are basically taken for granted – filling the jobs of men at inferior salaries and under inferior conditions (at the risk of sounding snarky, I might add, “so what else is new”). This book came along at just the right time for me! I really liked book #1, but I think I liked this one even more! There’s a return of the same characters – Emmeline and her best friend Bunty – these two make quite the pair. I also loved the continuing love story with Emmeline and Charles. Mr. Guy Collins has been promoted to editor. Not only is he a mentor to Emmy, but he is also the half-brother of Emmy’s boyfriend, Captain Charles Mayhew. Along with several other women’s magazines, Woman's Friend is asked by the Ministry of Information to help recruit female war workers. Mr. Collins gives Emmy her chance to finally be a journalist by putting her in charge of the effort.

Yours Cheerfully: the best possible antidote for the blahs, the doldrums, all slumps, but also effective against letdowns and general malaise. Loved. Every. Word." — Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry Mrs. Mahoney tells Emmy that “caring about getting things right is worth its weight in gold” (16). How do the staff members at Woman’s Friend express that they care about getting things right?

Now enjoy Claire’s chat to A. J. Pearce about her writing and inspiration…

Emmy Lake is working for Woman’s Friend magazine assisting with the new column Yours Cheerfully - a column giving out sage advice to readers who write in seeking help. When the Ministry tasks the media with recruiting women to come work to help the war effort, Emmy takes the call to action very seriously. Already working to help her readers, Emmy realizes she’s been given a platform and opportunity to make a real difference and not only help with the war effort, but help the women who are dedicating their time and efforts to do the same.

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. Emmy immediately became one of my favourite historical fiction characters when I met her in “ Dear Mrs. Bird”. Emmy is utterly optimistic and sees joy in the little things, and I admire her for that. She takes the ultimate stand against the government and the male-led system in “Yours Cheerfully” and she most definitely deserves all of the cheers. This reading group guide for Yours Cheerfully includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book. As Emmy visits the factory she speaks with the women and one of the things that is most needed is nursery care for their little ones. Everyone doesn’t have a family member available to care for the children and they also work very odd shifts at times. There are so many great characters in this story, some of the same characters from the first book, with new characters mingled in specific to this one. This author does a great job of including quirky, stoic, lovable and unlikable characters ensuring there is a happy mix of eclectic-ness!While Emmy is championing the Women’s War Effort, she is also planning her marriage to Charles. I felt little depth or heat between Emmy and her betrothed – although I was warmed by friends and family who despite hard times and rationing, each brought something dear to make the wedding a true celebration. I really liked the writing style of this one and I’m excited that it seems like a series, can’t wait to read #3. There’s Still a War to Win!

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