Dear Miss Lake is the final book in the quartet of WWII era stories about a women’s magazine in London. It’s 1944 and things are starting to go well for the Allies. But after five years, England is mired in deprivation. Emmy is the editor, handling the interviews and also writing the advice column. Now she’s being given the chance to be a war correspondent.
The book gets off to a slow start. Yes there’s a wedding and the team moves to the countryside to avoid the doodlebug bombings. But the beginning needed a little more drama to make an impact. As the book goes on, it gets more interesting with the final push to victory in Europe. Pearce does an excellent job conveying the hardship of families of POWs - the fear, the lack of knowledge, the radio silence of the government. But overall, it’s a kind of cozy story about manning the homefront fires. It never gets too dark or brooding.
The strength of the book is the characters and their relationships. This is the weakest of the four books but is a pleasant ending for those readers who have been with the characters through the first three. It would not work as a stand-alone.
My thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of this book.

I have been a fan of the Emmy Lake Chronicles since reading "Dear Mrs. Bird", the first in the series. So, I was thrilled to be offered an ARC ebook edition of "Dear Miss Lake", the final book in this lovely, heartwarming series.

Set in WWII England, Emmy Lake is part of a close-knit group who work for the women's magazine "Woman's Friend". As war rages on and life in London becomes ever more perilous, Emmy and her best friend Bunty propose that the entire staff of "Woman's Friend" should move to Bunty's grandmother's country estate "Rose House" for the summer.

Old friendships are strengthened, new friendships are formed, and the group is all together to support one another through all the ups and downs of being separated from loved ones in wartime.

I love the gumption of all of the characters in this series and their "Keep Calm and Carry On" attitude. AJ Pearce weaves just enough drama throughout the story to keep it interesting, and plenty of love and cups of tea.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC edition of this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner Books for this ARC. Book 4 in the Emmy Lake Chronicles. This sweet series during the war of the publication of the Woman's Friend and the group that makes it happen. Though the "office" needs to be moved to the countryside for everyone's safety, the press must go on. Great series and finale! #DearMissLake #AJPearce #ScribnerBooks #Aug2025

England, July 1944.

After nearly five years of war the nation is weary, and the readers of Woman’s Friend need agony aunt Emmy Lake more than ever. With London under attack from the doodlebugs, the magazine decamps to the countryside, determined to keep helping the women of Britain and give hope to readers feeling powerless in the face of desperate news. With husband Charles now posted closer to home, and best friend Bunty at her side, Emmy throws herself into rural life, juggling children, competitive knitters and plans for a very important wedding. And then a phone call comes that means she may finally have the chance to become the war correspondent she always dreamed of.
But disaster strikes, and suddenly Emmy is faced with her biggest challenge yet. Because when your own heart is breaking, how do you help everyone else?

This was a great addition to this Emmy Lake Chronicles. I enjoyed this wonderful read.

I did not realize that this was the last book of this series and was fully devastated to find out at the end of the novel. I have read all of these books and felt really drawn into their world, the time period and the relationships that had flourished throughout. Her friendships, the group of employees at the magazine all of their struggles in this difficult period of history felt grounded and real and the devastation and loss they experienced was always carefully balanced with small joys and wins. I really enjoyed AJ Pearce's writing and would happily read further books of hers outside of this series. I hope more are coming!

In this fourth and final installment of the Emmy Lake Chronicles the whole staff of Womens Friends magazine moves to the country in the summer of 1945 to avoid the bombs in London. Bunty has a family home that is big enough for everyone and the novel continues right where the previous one, Calling Mrs. Porter left off. While the staff works diligently to uplift their readers struggling with all the effects of war Emmy Lake is asked by the ministry to be a war correspondent, travelling to newly liberated Belgium to interview British service women.

Being true to war times, however, the fun of everyone living together, and Emmy achieving her dream of being a war correspondent doesn't last, and the novel progresses through several heart wrenching issues of the time, and the family and found family of the characters we have learned to love through all the novels come together to support each other.

I liked the way the author tied up all the characters story lines by the end, and although this was not my favorite of the series it was a nice conclusion. Although it could be read as a stand alone I would not recommend it as so much of it has its origins in earlier books in the series. Thank you to net galley and Scribner publishing for the e copy.

This was a sweet story. I really enjoyed it. It was easy to follow along and I enjoyed the characters.

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is the fourth book in the Emmy Lake series and I have read and enjoyed them all. Emmy Lake, a sweet, slightly boundary-pushing reporter and advice columnist for a woman's magazine in WW2 Britain, is the main character. She is surrounded by a fun group of quirky friends and co-workers as they deal with food rationing, bombs, their "boys" off fighting the war, and keeping a magazine running. I loved all the British phrases and nicknames like Bunty.

I found the first third of the book a little slow but then it picks up when Emmy must face a new challenge regarding her husband Charles. These women are very inspiring.

The author brings the series to a satisfying close. There are happy endings for many but there is definitely some sadness and surprises along the way. A great choice for historical fiction lovers who want a slightly lighter take on WW2.

Dear Miss Lake is the fourth, and final novel, in a series set in WWII London. The first book in this series, Dear Mrs Bird introduces us to Emmy Lake as a young adventurous woman who wants to be a war correspondent. Over the course of 4 very well written and enjoyable books we follow Emmy and her friends and co workers as the war wages on.
This truly is a wonderful series. You can almost feel what it was like living through the war. Although there are many sad moments there is also joy and courage. I highly recommend starting with the first book, Dear Mrs. Bird, and settle down for some enjoyable reading time. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dear Miss Lake is a heartfelt and fitting conclusion to A.J. Pearce’s charming and uplifting Emmy Lake Chronicles. While my relationship with the series has been somewhat on and off over the years, I find myself genuinely sad to see it come to an end. Part of me had hoped Emmy’s world would continue on indefinitely—a comforting place to revisit time and time again.

In this final installment, Pearce once again strikes that delicate balance she’s known for, tackling weighty topics like POWs and unwed pregnancy during WWII with remarkable grace. These potentially heavy themes are handled with such gentleness and optimism that you never feel overwhelmed by the sadness of the circumstances. Emmy’s unwavering “can-do” attitude remains the series' emotional anchor, eclipsing any shadows with her signature warmth and resilience.

Though Dear Miss Lake isn’t my personal favorite (that title still belongs to book three), it is a beautiful, satisfying wrap-up that honors the journey we’ve taken with these beloved characters. It can be read as a standalone, but its true emotional depth shines brightest for readers who’ve been with Emmy from the beginning. This final chapter is a testament to the joy, kindness, and quiet strength that Pearce has infused into every page of this singularly delightful series—the nicest historical fiction about WWII you’ll ever read.

Emily Lake and The Women’s Friend crew are back for another (apparently final) installment, and it is a highly enjoyable reunion. The bombings of London drive the whole office, extended family, and menagerie to the Hampshire countryside, where they set up shop and continue the magazine, all living under one roof. There are marriages, babies, separations, and reunions; new roles for Emily as a war journalist/operative and editor; and a focus on both the essential role of women in the war effort and the plight of POWs and soldiers who are MIA and the anxiety and frustration of their families back home trying desperately to obtain information. The story ends, as always, in an all’s well that ends well fashion, and one is very story to see them go.

In the fourth and final installment of The Emmy Lake Chronicles, readers are invited once again into the offices of Woman's Friend magazine. As Emmy continues to answer the many letters from readers, she and her coworkers and friends face new challenges as the war drags on.

While not the strongest in the series, I still enjoyed being back with this group of characters. With each of AJ Pearce's books, I've been charmed by the camraderie and resilience of Emmy's circle and spending time with them is a pleasure. I will miss them! This book had less of a cohesive storyline than the others which made it a little harder to get into but its still a series I recommend. Readers must start at the beginning with Dear Mrs. Bird, which is one of my favorite novels set during WW2.

I can't wait to see what AJ Pearce writes next and will order a copy of Dear Miss Lake to round out my collection of the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Edelweiss for the ARC.

This was the final book in the Emmy Lake series. I've enjoyed all the books including this one. This book did a nice job of tying up the look ends for all the characters while also having its own distinct plot points. It was touching and bittersweet at points but ultimately felt like a triumph of the human spirit story. It was a fitting end for each character and did not feel rushed or too slow.

I love the Emmy Lake books, and was so excited for a new installment! I really enjoyed following along on their journey after 5ish years, as they saw the end of the war. I love the characters in this series, and even though there are some sad bits, I loved reading all of the story!
I highly recommend reading this series if you like historical fiction and endearing characters that really stay in your heart.

Dear Miss Lake by A.J. Pearce
delivers a fun, sweet story where dreams come true, weddings happen, and the war finally comes to an end. When the opportunity presents itself for Emmy and her friends to work on Woman’s Friend away from London, they secure an idyllic rural setting in Hampshire, far away from the devastation of the Nazi bombings in London.
The Women's Friend magazine staff needs a little persuasion to relocate so they can begin a summer of writing and adventure. This part was really fun to read.
This is book #4 in the Emmy Lake Chronicle Series and has all the charm of the earlier books. We read about peril, heartache, and the difficulty waiting to hear about loved ones lost in the war. Waiting for the war to end seems endless. The readers of the magazine unite to keep the magazine thriving.
I love the banter with these characters. It makes them come alive on the pages of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've enjoyed all of the Emmy Lake books in this series and this 4th and final book was great too. The characters are endearing and the author does a great job of showing how difficult it was for families of POWs and other deployed loved ones.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is my favorite book of the year, so far. I absolutely loved it and thought the author did a wonderful job wrapping up the series. I would highly recommend that readers read the entire series in order to fully appreciate it. As a huge fan of the books, I flew through this one, staying late to finish it. Once again, Pearce portrayed the time period beautifully. I felt like I had gone back in time, worrying about the servicemen, rationing, bombing and all the other stresses of wartime. The interrelationships of the characters made me love and admire each and every one of them. Although I will miss them, I look forward to Pearce’s next venture. In the meantime, I may go back and re-read the whole series, perhaps in audio form. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy of the book. I highly recommend it!

The fourth and final book in The Emmy Lake Chronicles series, and it’s a bittersweet goodbye to such a beloved series for me. If you know me at all, you know I don’t read many series. So to have eagerly followed this one over the years says a great deal. It’s a sweet and nostalgic look at the British home front in Blitz-era London and one spirited and gutsy young woman’s efforts to do her part for wartime women. I absolutely love it and recommend it highly.

I didn't realize this was the fourth and final book in a series, and probably would have enjoyed it a lot more had I read the other three first. That said, the author did a fairly decent job of including pertinent information here and there so that you could at least follow the story if you hadn't read the previous three, and the characters were relatable and likeable. Keep calm and carry on...exactly what these British ladies do as they navigate the war and all of the hardships it has brought. The author also does a great job of making the reader feel as though they are living these difficulties and triumps right alongside the other ladies, experiencing both their grief and joy as a reader-friend.