This is a delightful book. That may make it sound too light and fluffy, and since it takes place in London during World War II, the story definitely deals with some darker topics. It is written in the first person, and the main character’s plucky spirit makes the story so enjoyable to read. I liked that while most of the book was written as a narrative, it did include some letters. The ending is good for this to be a stand alone novel, but also leaves room for a sequel, and I would love to spend more time with these characters!

4 Stars. This one is charming.

Full review to follow on March 22, 2018, two weeks before publication.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I do not believe a review should include plot information. If you are looking for those specifics, you can find those in the description on line, book flap and reader blogs. Having said that, I enjoyed this cozy and warm read. Although set in a dark time, WWII, the author created a light hearted novel, without negating the hardships and tragedies of war time. I loved the “British” phraseology. The characters are quite likeable yet extremely predictable. Some parts were not very believable. If you are looking for a book that will lift your spirits, and who wouldn’t?, here it is. Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC in return for my honest review.

4.5 stars

Dear Mrs. Bird is a Gem of a Book. A.J. Pearce uses a clever writing style and capitalizes the protagonist Emmy Lake’s expressions that are Important or Exciting which makes for an entertaining and enjoyable read. As the book begins in 1940 London, Emmy shows up for a newspaper interview thinking the position is for a lady war correspondent when instead the position is to sort through letters written to a Dear Abby type named Mrs. Bird. Unhappy with Mrs. Bird’s position on many of the letters she receives (and Mrs. Bird’s refusal to answer any that she deems unpleasant), Emmy decides to secretly answer some of the truly desperate letters, and the tale unfolds from there.

Based on the book’s blurb, I was expecting a light-hearted read when in fact the story is thought-provoking, occasionally heart-wrenching, and simply beautiful. Pearce’s descriptions of blitzed and war torn London are so vivid that at times I felt I was right there with Emmy and her friends. The plot is Creative and Original, and I am so glad I read Dear Mrs. Bird. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading more from A.J. Pearce. I received the book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This book took a long time to get into, and then it was a series of ups and downs. The setting is excellently created; you actually feel as though you're in WWII-era UK. The characters are...funny. I'm not sure how believable they are, but they're interesting. The storyline itself has moments of laugh out loud humor, but it also has sections that you really just have to trudge through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. Rarely do I wake the morning after finishing a book and feel I compelled to write the review immediately. This book, historical fiction, is set in war time, with Emmy, wanting to do her part, but also with dreams of being a journalist. The beauty of this book is the characters....the best I've seen in a long time. It's funny (I laughed out loud), there is sadness and it also made me feel like I was in the setting. I shed some tears, and it's been awhile since a book moved me to that. This book begs to be a movie or a series...it's really special.