I've recently got into reading WW2 fiction, so this book was on my TBR list as soon as I heard about it. The story follows Emmy, an aspiring journalist, through the period of the Blitz. Emmy mistakenly takes up a job as an assistant to a magazine 'Agony Aunt'. She deeply desires to help the war effort, and so begins to (clandestinely) write back to some of the letters which are not deemed suitable to be published. At the same time, the war is going on. There are nightly bombings and lives lost. While the tone of the novel is light hearted, the tragic events during this period are not ignored. The author also writes in the tone of the period, I'm not sure how accurate this is but I did enjoy the capitalizations. A fun read, but not one, I think, that will remain with me. On the whole, I would say I prefer Kate Atkinson's WW2 fiction. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

With a blend of lightheartedness and a dose of the heartbreaking reality of wartime, A.J. Pierce gives recognition to the women at home during WWII in this story taking place during the London blitz. Emmeline Lake’s lofty ambition to be a war correspondent isn’t meant to be when she finds out the job she applied for as a junior secretary for The Evening Chronicle was actually for a weekly magazine called Woman’s Friend, working for Henrietta Bird. She’s a straight laced advice columnist who will not respond to any letter that mentions: “Marital relations, Premarital relations, Extramarital relations, Physical relations, Sexual relations in general (all issues, mentions, suggestions, or results of), Illegal activities, Political activities and opinions (excl. queries regarding church groups and services), The war (excl. queries, regarding rationing, voluntary services, clubs, and practicalities) .” That is until Emmy decides to take things upon herself because she genuinely feels sorry for and wants to help these women who write in asking for advice that Mrs. Bird won’t think about giving.

This tribute to the the women remaining at home during wartime is not just reflected with Emmy who is also a volunteer with the Fire Brigade, answering calls each night as the bombings occur, but with those who lose loved ones, and those who write letters to Henrietta Bird seeking advice as they try to deal with their real problems. It also depicts what true friendship is about with Emmy and Bunty. It’s a quick read, funny and light at times, but sad and horrifying as we see the destruction and losses. A satisfying story I recommend.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Scribner through NetGalley and Edelweiss.

During the Blitz in London, Emmy is doing “her bit.” She works as a dispatch officer for bomb response firefighters. She is glad to feel useful but she really wants to become a serious war journalist. When she spots an ad for a part-time position at a newspaper, Emmy jumps at the opportunity to get her foot in the door. After a brief, distracted interview, she takes the job, but on her first day she learns it isn’t quite what she thought she signed up for.

Emmy has been hired to help sort reader letters for the advice columnist Mrs. Bird. A gruff, old-fashioned woman, she refuses to answer anything that references the “unpleasantness.” She really only shares household tips and recipes, which Emmy is sure is one of the reasons the circulation is so low. Frustrated by Mrs. Bird and determined to help the desperate inquirers, she begins to send replies by mail, signing Mrs. Bird’s name.

Meanwhile Emmy and her roommate Bunty try to navigate the day-to-day life of simply being a young woman living in the city — meeting men, worrying about families back home, holding down a job, making do and altering hand-me-down clothing — all while living in the midst of the Blitz.

The book is a fairly light read, considering the heavy topics. Told from Emmy’s point-of-view, it takes too long to get to the meat of the story. Emmy dithers about how to handle the letter replies until at least a third of the way into the book. Additionally, the final resolution is very predictable though it is somewhat forgivable since the book is meant to ultimately be a feel-good story.

The characters are fairly strong but their actions are a bit to generic for me. Why is Mrs. Bird so strait-laced? What does Mr. Collins love about writing fiction? What ultimately happens with Emmy’s brother? It would have made for a more emotional story if the reader for to see just a bit more of what made each character tick. I think this could have been done without bogging down the light style.

For such a specific place and time in history, the setting also didn’t feel very real. In only a couple of tense scenes did I begin to get a sense of the backdrop. Perhaps the author felt knowing it was 1940 London was enough for the reader.

Overall, it was an enjoyable if somewhat lightweight read. It felt unpolished some of the time but it moves at a brisk pace.

A charming story about Emmeline Lake who accidentally takes "the wrong job"!

I think Emmy's enthusiasm for becoming a reputable World War II correspondent clouded her understanding of the job description at the London Evening Chronicle. I loved her optimism and how upbeat she felt even after realizing she was only hired as a typist for a woman's advice column.

Her uptight boss, Mrs. Bird was anything but an endearing lady. She was overbearing and wanted Emmy to trash all letters containing what she perceived as "unpleasant" which turned out to be just the kind of problems that many were writing to her about.
Emmy starts "secretly" corresponding to some of the letters flagged unpleasant by her boss and may have put herself in a bit of a pickle. So many laugh out loud moments in this book, even with the back drop of bombed out buildings and German raids. Emmy's contagious optimism and good heart had me cheering for her to the end.

You will enjoy this one, if you love heart warming stories full of humor and friendship. I absolutely fell in love with Emmy.

Dear Mrs. Bird is a delightful, charming book, that was a great summer afternoon book by the pool. The book is about Emmy, who lives in London during the time of the Blitz. She is doing her part for the war effort as part of the women’s fire brigade, but dreams of a job as a war correspondent. 

Emmy sees an advertisement for a job at a women’s magazine that she infers to be one of import. ”I had taken entirely the wrong job.” She was so taken by it all, she failed to realize it was for a typist position. Reality sets in as she realizes she is just weeding out “undesirable” letters to the advice columnist, Mrs. Bird. Emmy realizes that the advice is harsh and meaningless, and takes it upon herself to advise a bit on her own. What could possibly go wrong?

The backdrop of war in London offers heartache and death, but Emmy and her friends help make this book a charming summer read. The ending was cliche but it didn’t fall flat, just predictable.

This is a great chick-lit historical fiction book that has this strange Capitalization thing Going which Drove me Nuts while Reading. I Don’t Even know What That Was About, but the editor might want to Re-Think That.

Read it….it’s worth Four Stars.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for a pre-publication ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love this book! Such great characters! It was one of those reads that you cannot put down, I read in less than 24 hours.

It took me a while to get into this book. It’s written as a first person narrative and nearly feels like a journal of a young British woman living in London during WW2. Which is basically what it is: Emmeline lives in London with her best friend Bunty (every time her name pops up I imagined the copies of Bunty, a comic for girls that I would religiously get every week as a kid). She sees an ad for what she thinks is a real step towards her dream job (war correspondent), but when she gets the job realizes she’s actually just in charge of sorting and typing up problem page letters for the very obnoxious Mrs. Bird. Dear Mrs. Bird is a story of growing up in a world at war, where women’s lives were changing rapidly, more rapidly than society was able to keep up with. It’s also a story of surviving WW2 in London amidst terrible bombing and incessant fear of losing a loved one.

I had a hard time with Emmeline’s naivety at first and her constant lack of attention when anyone is talking to her. But as I got further into the book I learnt to love how empathetic she is, how she really just wants to help people, but also how daring and how in charge of her aspirations and dreams she is. It was a slow burner for me, it took me about a third of the book to get into it, and then after that I didn’t want to put it down. I found myself out on a walk with the kids, wondering how Emmy was going to get herself out of another pickle that she had inadvertently got herself into.

AJ Pearce does a wonderful job setting the plot in wartime London, including even the little details such as a popular toilet paper brand, and areas that were heavily bombed at a specific time. The style is very much in tune with the style one would find in correspondence, women’s magazines, and literature at the time. I think it was a huge part of why it took me a while to get into the book, but in the end I actually found that I liked it as it helped draw a picture of Emmy and her personality.

All in all this is a lovely novel, which will have you laughing out loud at times, and also bursting into spontaneous floods of tears in others (no spoilers here but that does happen too so have your tissues handy).

Dear Mrs. Bird will be published on July 3rd, 2018 by Scribner. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!

4.5 Stars

”We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
'Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away

“So will you please say hello
To the folks that I know
Tell them I won't be long
They'll be happy to know
That as you saw me go
I was singing this song”
--”We’ll Meet Again,” Vera Lynn, Songwriters: Hughie Charles / Ross Parker

Overflowing with charm and humour, Dear Mrs. Bird is a treat as sweet as that favourite one your mother made specially for you, just the memory of it makes you smile. I laughed out loud, I cried, I fell in love with Emmeline Lake and her best friend, Bunty, and all of the people inside these pages.

Still, it’s not at all light and fluffy, as this begins in London in December of 1940, and there are bombings. People’s nerves are frayed more than a bit, but it seems Emmeline really wants to set the tone for all about her. Air raids abound, and buildings about are crumbling, but she keeps her focus on the positive.

Emmeline, Emmy is so determined to keep calm and carry on despite the war that’s going on, and so when she sees the newspaper advertisement on a day that she considers a cheerful day, despite the Luftwaffe’s bothersome presence creating delays for everyone and making people late for work, she just about bursts from the excitement she feels. She wants nothing more than to become a journalist, a Lady War Correspondent, she’s been dreaming of this for the last ten years of her life – which is almost half her life at her wizened age of twenty-two.

Emmy is offered the job she applied for, but it isn’t quite what she thought it would be. Instead of leading to a job as a Lady War Correspondent, she will be screening letters from readers of Woman’s Friend magazine, weeding out anything … unacceptable. Included in “unacceptable” topics - anything hinting at s-e-x, or socially inappropriate behavior, premarital, extramarital, marital “relations,” divorce or other unpleasant topics. She is to destroy any containing any “unpleasantness,” per Mrs. Bird’s rather firm directions. But she’s also been told to do what she can, as well as she can, and she can’t bear to let all of these letters go unanswered. It’s only one to start with, and she feels better knowing that the writer will feel heard.

I loved the colloquial expressions from another era, I loved the off-hand manner in which Emmy approaches things such as having to carry a gas mask along with her handbag, I loved her heartfelt desire to reach out to these women so they would know that someone out there cared. I loved Emmy for having the best intentions. I loved that there was a deeper, darker story underneath the light and sweeter exterior. I loved reading about the changing issues of the day through these letters, seeing women reaching beyond the lives they thought they were destined to live.

Most of all, I loved the perfectly imperfect Emmy.

The idea, inspiration, for this novel came from a 1939 women’s magazine that the author, A.J. Pearce, came across. Inside was a peek into women’s lives in another era, another way of life. Reading the letters on the “Problem Page” which ranged from what to do if you have freckles to how to deal with rude people in public. An idea was born, and a very entertaining debut novel is the result.


Pub Date: 03 JUL 2018


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Scribner

What I thought was going to be a predictable fluffy novel about a female in England working her way up a corporate ladder when it was unheard of, turned out to be a heartbreaking story of wartime drama, struggles and happiness. I really enjoyed the fast paced action and loved the admirable characters. I do wish there was more on Mr. Collins younger brother - so I hear a follow up novel?

Set during WWII you follow Emmeline, who wants to work as a war correspondent. When she sees an advertisement for a job at a publishing company Emmeline feels this is just the job she needs. Emmeline soon finds out the job was not what she was expecting, but instead working for a magazine typing up the answers from Mrs. Bird in an advice column. When certain letters are ignored for unacceptable material Emmeline takes matters into her own hands.

Emmeline was a determined character, she has strong ambitions to work towards a career as a war correspondent. She has a lot of empathy towards the readers that are seeking advice from Mrs. Bird. I liked that she wanted to reach out and help these readers that Mrs. Bird would refuse to help. While Emmeline had good intentions she shouldn't have forged Mrs. Birds name. Emmeline also had a great friendship with Bunty, they each looked out for one another and were there through the rough times.

Being set during WWII you are shown all the trials and tribulations that citizens endured during this difficult time. You are shown the horrors and how close tragedy hits to home. You also see great resilience in how the citizens tried to keep living their life.

This was an enjoyable read that had funny moments as well as sad. I would recommend this book for any that enjoy historical fiction particularly ones set during the WWII era.

Emmeline Lake dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent. She thinks she finally has her chance when she accepts a job for what she thinks is a major newspaper, but turns out to be a failing ladies’ journal. Instead of reporting on the brave deeds of soldiers fighting against Hitler, she assists Mrs. Henrietta Bird by typing up responses for an advice column. Mrs. Bird refuses to answer any “unpleasant” letters, and Emmeline, moved by the difficulties of the women writing to Mrs. Bird, decides to respond to them in secret. The story takes place during the London Blitz in 1940, and focuses on the “chin up” attitudes, as well as the everyday plights, of people living with the war. At turns delightful and heartbreaking, AJ Pearce’s Dear Mrs. Bird will be difficult to put down and have you reaching for the tissues. Recommended for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows and The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson.

Review written for Ingram's Premier Picks.

I enjoyed this novel set in London during WWII because of the fresh and unique way it was experienced through the lens of protagonist Emmy Lake. I liked that Emmy was a fairly typical young woman living in London, working a typical job and volunteering as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services. The war permeated her life, but not in the way it would were she a nurse or a spy recruit. I especially enjoyed reading the slice of life experiences of Emmy, her friends, family, and co-workers. I also think that the advice column was a great way to show and the particular difficulties that women were experiencing. It was also an excellent way to highlight Emmy's growing awareness and maturity as the story progressed.

This book has so many elements that I love in historical fiction, including some humor, a relatable protagonist, some emotional and heart stopping moments, a great friendship and a romantic element. I did feel that there was a character that should have been the romantic interest, and was disappointed in the way that was ignored. I also thought the ending was a bit rushed. However, this was so pleasurable to read, and such a great mixture of cozy, whimsical, and moving situations, that I highly recommend it.

Nice look at life in world war 2 in Great Britain. Characters were likeable. Learned a lot about war correspondents.

What begins as a light and frothy novel by a new author eventually becomes a sobering reminder of the bravery of women and men during WWII. Living in London, Emmaline answers an advert for a local publication house with dreams of become a war correspondant. When she discovers she is to be a typist for Mrs. Bird, the writer of an agony column, her hopes are dashed...for a little while. As she begins to answer the letters Mrs. Bird deems unacceptable (a never-ending list) she finds her own hope restored as she lifts up those looking for advice. A very enjoyable read. I certainly hope Pearce's first book will not be her last.

A delightful story set in London in the 1940s that's light and funny but never shies away from the true cost and pain of war. This is perfectly balanced and wonderful read, and Emmy reminds me a lot of Daisy Wells all grown up. I loved it!

A delightful story set in 1940s London...Memorable characters...and easy, enjoyable read. Treat yourself to an afternoon or two of reading this sweet book. You'll love it!

Dear Mrs. Bird reads like a well-written love letter to one of the greatest generations of women to ever live. AJ Pearce's debut novel is funny, charming, heart-wrenching, and heart-warming all at the same time. Based on the book's blurb, I was expecting a light-hearted read. But war is anything but light-hearted. Told with equal parts humor and emotion, AJ Pearce gives us a unique perspective into the London Blitz.

Perfectly capturing the tone and style of 1940’s British language, AJ Pearce seamlessly transports us to wartime London as well as keeping the overall tone of Dear Mrs. Bird charming and light. The 1940’s tone of the book also celebrates the tremendous British blitz spirit, "There was something about planning a wedding that felt like one in the eye for Hitler. He could send over as many Luftwaffe planes as he liked, but he couldn’t stop people being in love and everyone getting excited."

Through Emmy's experiences as a volunteer telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services and the letters she receives at Woman's Friend magazine, we get a peek into the daily lives and the sheer bravery of those women on the Home Front, who faced the bombings, social and personal upheavals, and food shortages with the fortitude to go about their daily lives. AJ Pearce's descriptions of blitzed and war torn London were absolutely vivid, heart-breaking, and full of emotion. What makes Emmy's perspective that much more emotional is that it is very much based on reality. From the Author's Note:

"Many of the readers' letters in Dear Mrs. Bird were inspired by the letters and advice, articles and features printed in those wartime magazines. I found them thought-provoking, moving, and inspirational, and my admiration for the women of that time never stops growing. Our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and friends, some of whom I hope may even read and enjoy Emmy and Bunty's story. It is a privilege to look into their world and remember what incredible women and girls they all were."

I adored this novel and so will you. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will immediately want to share this story with the women in your life.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. (All opinions are my own)

Delightful story - will appeal to those who like Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. A story of friendship set in 1941 London. Likable characters, quick read.

The thing about reading historical fiction as a history buff is that the story is often spoiled a bit before you’ve even started. In this case, the book was so very evocative of its time and place (London during the Blitz), that I felt quite nervous as I read. And yet, Emmy and her friends were so charming, the book felt much lighter than it was. It has a bit of a chick-lit feel that I really enjoyed. I loved this book - highly recommended!

This review was based on an ARC ebook received in return for an honest and unbiased review.

There's lots to like in this light historical WWII novel set in 1940's London during the Blitz. For me, it was enjoyable to the very last page. Emmy Lane, the main character, wants to be a war journalist but lands a job working as a junior typist for a women's magazine. Her supervisor is the cantankerous Mrs. Harriet Bird who writes an advice column for which she maintains a long list of "unacceptable" topics. Although Emmy has been hired to say nothing at all, she soon finds herself secretly sending compassionate responses to some women who write in. Her volunteer job as a telephone operator for the Auxiliary Fire Service adds drama to the story. Fans of Bess Crawford, Maggie Hope and Maisie Dobbs will enjoy this one!