51Rr60ME35L._SL500_Synopsis: “A heart-warming, heart-wrenching wartime story from The Sunday Times bestselling author of Dear Mrs Bird, AJ Pearce. 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?“

My Review

This was a fantastic audiobook, the third in the wonderful Emmy Lake chronicles.

This book follows straight on from Yours Cheerfully, with Emmy still working as the Agony Aunt at The Woman’s Friend magazine. At the beginning of the book she finds out, along with her colleagues that the magazine is getting a new publisher, a Mrs Porter. Emmy’s quite excited, and hopes Mrs Porter will be impressed with how well the magazine is doing, and can’t wait to meet her. Needless to say Mrs Porter isn’t who Emmy and her colleagues are expecting, but I’m not saying anything else as it will definitely spoil the rest of the story for you.

As well as changes at the magazine, there are changes at home with Bunty. Thelma, who works alongside Emmy on the phones at the fire station, moves into the house in Pimlico with her three school aged children, bringing much hilarity and small animals into their lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book, even rationing myself when it was nearing the end. I loved being back in the company of Emmy, Bunty, and Guy and enjoyed getting to know Thelma, Margaret, Stanley and George, and hearing about the dubious sounding Scarey Brothers!

It made me laugh out loud a lot, but also made me well up when the plot took an unexpected  heartbreaking turn, reminding me once again that the story was set during WW2.

Anna Popplewell’s narration was perfect again. I really can’t imagine anyone else reading these books and really hope they’ll be more adventures for Emmy, Bunty and friends.

Highly recommended on audio, especially if you enjoy uplifting books set in WW2.

Book 10 of 20 Books of Summer