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AJ Pearce

Read by Anna Popplewell, known for her role in The Chronicles of Narnia.

Richard & Judy Book Club Pick
Sunday Times Bestseller

Set during London's blitz and filled with warmth, wit and heartbreak, Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce is a wartime story about the power of friendship, the kindness of strangers and the courage of ordinary people.

London, 1941. Amid the falling bombs Emmeline Lake dreams of becoming a fearless Lady War Correspondent. Unfortunately, Emmy instead finds herself employed as a typist for the terrifying Henrietta Bird, the renowned agony aunt at Woman’s Friend magazine. Mrs Bird refuses to read, let alone answer, letters containing any form of Unpleasantness, and definitely not letters from the women the war has left lovelorn, grief-stricken or conflicted.

But the thought of these desperate women waiting for an answer becomes impossible for Emmy to ignore. She decides she simply must help and secretly starts to write back – after all, what harm could that possibly do?

'The most uplifting, lovely book about courage, friendship, love' – Marian Keyes
'Utterly charming and helplessly funny' – Jenny Colgan
'A proper comfort read' – India Knight

Anna Popplewell

Macmillan Digital Audio

The Wartime Chronicles

Dear Mrs Bird

Comforting, charming and hilarious, Yours Cheerfully is the tonic we've all been waiting for, from AJ Pearce, the beloved author of Dear Mrs Bird.

‘Loved. Every. Word.' - Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry

London, September 1941. For plucky, determined Emmy Lake, working at Woman’s Friend magazine has become everything she dreamed, especially since the departure of the magazine’s formidable editor, Henrietta Bird. Now Emmy really can get on and Do Her Bit.

When the Ministry of Information calls on Woman’s Friend to help recruit female supporters to the war effort, Emmy is thrilled, but soon she and best friend Bunty meet a young woman who shows them the real challenges that women war workers face. Suddenly Emmy must tackle a life-changing dilemma: should she carry out her duty or stand by her friends?

'Absolutely lovely!' – Marian Keyes
'Buoyant . . . a tonic in testing times' – Mail on Sunday
'A brilliant follow up to Dear Mrs Bird' – Clare Mackintosh
'Full of wit, friendship and the uplifting knowledge that when people come together, great changes can be made' – Katie Fforde

Picador

Yours Cheerfully

A heart-warming, heart-wrenching wartime story about friendship and courage from AJ Pearce, the bestselling author of Dear Mrs Bird.

'Utterly charming and uplifting' – Jill Mansell

Emmy Lake is the much-loved agony aunt at Woman’s Friend magazine, relied upon by readers across the country as they face the challenges of life on the Home Front. With the problem page thriving and a team of fantastic women behind her, Emmy finally feels she is Doing Her Bit.

But when a glamorous new owner arrives, everything changes. As the Honourable Mrs Porter tries to charm her way around the rest of the team, Emmy realizes that she plans to destroy everything readers love about the magazine.

With happiness quickly turning to heartbreak and war still raging in Europe, will Emmy and her friends find the inner strength they need to keep keeping on - and save the magazine they love?

'Heartbreaking yet feel-good, we loved it' – Woman & Home

'A winning combination of warmth, humour and a compelling story of the power of friendship' – Katie Fforde

Mrs Porter Calling: The feel good novel of the summer

The Wartime Chronicles - The book series

The Wartime Chronicles - The book series

The Wartime Chronicles books in order

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