When we first met Emmy Lake she was a dreamer who fantasised about being a Lady War Correspondent. Now, by rhe third book of the series she's been worn and honed by years of war. She's now a very competent, humane person who is a very good friend to have in a crisis.
She's grown just as the magazine she works on has flourished under the capable guidance of Charles, her urbane brother-in-law. But it seems not only Hitler has plans to destroy this happy corner of London - and still the bombs fall.
This book is still as goid as the first and the authentic details make it a real pleasure to read. If you havent already - start with Cheerfully Yours and prolong rhe wncounter as long as you can

I thought this was the whole novel but in fact it is just a small sampler. I can't really say that there was enough here it get a proper feeling for the story as a whole, however it did not grab me to be honest and has probably put me off reading the book, even though i have read the previous 2.

This is the 3rd book in the Emmy Lake series and I thought it was every bit as good as the previous two. Although far more emotional than the other books, it still managed to strike an excellent balance between humour, sadness and real life, with a heart warming and ultimately uplifting feel to it.
Really lovely.

I read the first book in this series and found it quite delightful. This is the next in the series and is also a lovely story with some heartache and joy. Emmy is still working at the magazine and enjoying her responsibilities when a new owner comes on board and shakes everything up. It's a light read but not oversweetened - there are some dark moments due to the war setting. I very much recommend it.

Another fabulous outing of the intrepid Emmy Lake! In this 3rd installment in the series, Women's Friend is left to Mrs Porter, a society lady with a clear vision of where the magazine should be heading. As always, the characters are delightful, the attention to wartime details throw you back into the era and the story, although a little slow at first, keeps you hooked.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

An enjoyable preview although I knew nothing about the book or that it was part of a series and chose to read it based on the title ;)
Felt like the book would uld be a comforting read

Mrs Porter Calling is the third book in the Emmy Lake series, and it's a really lovely book. You can read it as a standalone, but if you're read the others that may be a bonus as you'll already have been introduced to some of the wonderful characters.

Emmy Lake is a columnist at 'Woman's Friend', working almost as an agony aunt on the popular magazine that is doing it's best to keep up women's spirits on the home front during WW2.

Following a death in the family, the Honourable Mrs Cressida Porter is appointed the new owner of Woman's Friend. At first, she is charm personified, detailing to the team how determined she is to keep the magazine just as it is.

It soon becomes apparent she wants to do the exact opposite, and destroy everything its loyal readers love about it. Determined that the magazine continue to be a success, the team work 'with' Mrs Porter to make the changes that she desires, whilst secretly keeping bits that she's asked to be removed, and adding bits that they know readers will appreciate.

At first Mrs Porter, wanting to get them all on side, takes no real interest in the publication. But when she finds out that they've been editing the magazine behind her back, she drops the façade immediately. What she says goes and make no mistake about it!!

As they begin to implement changes bit by bit, it's clear to Emmy and the team that the magazine is going to lose some of its most loyal readers. But Mrs Porter couldn't care less. It's clearly her way or the high way.

And then the worst thing imaginable happens, putting everything in to perspective and making individuals questions where their loyalties should lie.

Mrs Porter Calling is a lovely novel, and I really hope there is another in the series so we learn the fate of our favourite characters as the war draws to an end.

Thank you for sending me a 12 page preview of the 3rd book in this series; Mrs Porter Calling.

I loved Dear Mrs Bird and felt very at home with Yours Cheerfully. From what I've read of Dear Mrs Porter we're in for more of the same and I adored the little party with the children at the start of the book, helping to recap what has gone before.

I'm really keen to see what happens and coorie doon with this as soon as I go book shopping.

Total feel good comfort novel. It is set in a magazine office circa 1940, so mid WW2. Emmy Lake is the heroine of the novel. There were 2 prior books in this series, so I definitely benefited from having read the prior two. There is loads of sad things happen in the book, but you still end up happy at the end of it.
Gifted from PanMacmillan via @netgalley.

Mrs Porter calling is the third in the series.

Its really difficult to review something where you are only given the first couple of chapters. I have not read the previous two in the series but I have to say I will do now as I found the beginning of the third made me want to read Dear Mrs Bird to see what it was all really about. I liked the language and the opening.

Apologies for not being able to say anything more but again I cannot review a couple of chapters.

All seemed sorted for our heroines at Women's Friend and the support they offer through their articles and readers' letters.
But then the publication is taken over by rich socialite Mrs Porter and changes threaten the magazine's reputation.
At the same time our little team of heroes carry on through the worries of the war, and I did cry.
Great

London, April 1943.
Emmeline Lake loves her job working at the Women’s Friend magazine, readers write to her about their problems and she provides helpful advice. English women are struggling, their husbands have been away fighting in the war for years, and they have been left behind to juggle raising children, working, lining up for food and making everything stretch.

When, the new owner of the magazine arrives, the Honorable Mrs. Cressida Porter, she decides to make changes and despite having no publishing experience. The editor Guy Collins (Emmy's brother-in-law) tries to steer Mrs. Porter in the right direction, she won’t listen and the faithful readers of Women’s Friend are in for a shock.

Mrs. Porter doesn’t like Emmy’s advice column at all, she thinks it rather common, dreary and depressing. "The Egg" takes over the meeting room, she wants Emmy to write about society engagements, weddings and Emmy’s not impressed. Upper class women start sending in letters asking Emmy for guidance, the poor dears are struggling to find domestic staff and missing children who have been sent to boarding school. Emmy feels like the regular readers of Women’s Friend have been let down, abandoned and she’s failed them.

Emmy has the support of her best friend and housemate Bunty, Thelma Jenkins and her children, George, Margaret and Stan. Soon Guy, Emmy, Bunty and her friend Harold Thomas and the staff at Women’s Friend are trying to save the magazine before Mrs. Porter loses the loyal subscribers and advertising accounts. When a tragedy happens, Emmy, Bunty, Guy and Harold all step in and help the Jenkins family.

I received a copy of Mrs. Porter Calling by A. J. Pearce from NetGalley and Pan Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. The third book in The Emmy Lake Chronicles is just as delightful as the two previous books, Dear Mrs. Bird and Yours Cheerfully. With a cast of wonderful characters, clever use of the English language and quaint sayings. Mrs. Porter Calling is suitable for a variety of readers and age groups, I absolutely adore Emmy and Bunty and five stars from me. I hope in the next installment, Bunty finds happiness and she deserves it and Emmy gets to spend time with her husband Charles.

An excellent third novel in the Emmy Lake chronicles. It is 1943 and Emmy and Bunty are still living in the house in Pimlico which belongs to Bunty’s grandmother. Much has changed for the two young women but some things remain constant - like their friendship. When Mrs Porter inherits Woman’s Friend from her late uncle, her sweeping changes disrupt Emmy’s life and those of her colleagues at the magazine. Faced with increasingly ludicrous editorial suggestions and a growing postbag of complaints from their readers, Emmy, Guy and the team have a war of their own to fight.

Full of AJ Pearce’s trademark wit, coupled with engaging writing and wonderful period details, this is a satisfying third novel in the series.

Thanks so much for the preview of the first chapter. I adored the first two books in this series. The 12 pages that I read were fantastic and I can’t wait to dive back into Emmy and Bunty’s lives.

Part two:
This is the third book in the Dear Mrs Bird/Emmy Lake series and it is SUCH a joy!! Emmy Lake is back and Is Doing Her Bit to help the World War II efforts.

If you’re not familiar with the series (I’m envious that you’ll get to enjoy it for the first time) we follow Emmy Lake as she navigates life in Blitz era London. Here in book three, Emmy 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, what could go wrong? Enter a new owner, the Honourable Mrs Porter.

I thought this book was just as good as the original book in the series. The friendships are so well drawn and heart wrenching. The office dynamics are priceless and thoroughly entertaining. The tension of the war hanging overhead kept me on my toes throughout. I definitely shed a few tears.

These books are just gorgeous and a totally cosy, comfort read for me. WWII is recreated so well and you are fully transported to the time. I can’t recommend this wonderful series about friendship, community and Doing Your Bit enough! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. It’s out today!

of the Emmy Lake Chronicles "Mrs Porter Calling" is as charming as the previous two titles, with Emmy once more breathlessly setting out her trials and tribulations working at he magazine, Woman's Friend.
This time, the, now highly successful magazine is endangered by the dreadful niece of it's erstwhile owner.
While, as ever, delightfully amusing, this story, as the others in the series, doesn't shy away from the tragedy of the second world war for those at home, and Thelma's story in the book is a definite counterbalance to the general breeziness of the rest of the story.
Can there be another chronicle? I think probably not, although if Emmy's husband, Charles were to return from war, I have no doubt that there would be a tale to tell there.
Thank you to NetGalley for an e arc of this title which I throughly enjoyed

This is the third book featuring Emmy Lake and her life at a women's magazine in World War Two and it's such a lovely read. And what I particularly enjoy is the way that A J Pearce has found different things to explore in each book, rather than using drama in Emmy's romantic life to keep the series going (which is often the usual choices for sequels). So the first book showed Emmy finding her feet in the world of magazines, the second showed her getting involved in the war effort, and this one has a threat to the future of the magazine that she loves. And of course alongside this there is stuff in Emmy's personal life - which is as complicated and hard as you would expect given that it's London in 1943, but the warmth and humour in the writing makes it still seem like a bit of a hug in a mug, so when awful things happens, they really are unexpected and make you cry. As in actual tears from me at one point in this. I'm hoping that we have at least one more of these to come - as we leave the crew in 1944 and there are still questions unanswered...

The latest book in the series and there are dark clouds. Emmy Lake is back with her friends and colleagues from Woman's Friend. The magazine has a new owner and this along with missing her husband who is fighting in Italy nd thecwar and all that means nver far away, means there are a lot of bumps in the road for Emmy.

A really good escapist read but some tearful moments too.

Mrs Porter Calling by A.J. Pearce
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
Publication date: 25 May 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
~~~~~
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. 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 realises that she plans to destroy everything readers love about the magazine.
~~~~~
I am absolutely smitten with this series! The third installment of the Emmeline Lake Chronicles is everything you can expect it to be if you have read Dear Mrs Bird and Cheerfully Yours: it is sweet, funny, a little bit chaotic, plenty heartbreaking and it has such a charm and warmth. But this story takes place in a country at war and A.J. Pearce does not shy away from showing that no one is immune from tragedy, and the themes of loss and grief are approached with great understanding and empathy.
The characters are pure delight. Emmy is a wonderful heroine: plucky, loving, protective and resilient. I adore the found family trope and this book delivers it in spade. It is a cosy read because you know exactly where the story is going to go and this predictability is so comforting in the case of this book, this entire series actually.
I am already looking forward to the 4th book (Author, please make it so! 😊) because I definitely want to spend more time with Emmy, Guy, Bunty and the whole Woman's Friend gang - they are such a joy!
~~~~~

only received first chapter of this book therefore could not give full review. I'm sure its a five star book like the other two have been

It was so good to be back joining the staff at Woman's Friend. This is the 3rd book in the series and it is set in the offices of a magazine. Emmy Lake started at the magazine and her job has changed, with it has her role. She is more confident and has found she really enjoys working there and is friends with all the other staff. When it is announced that a new owner is to take over the running they hope things will not change too much. The whole point of the magazine is that they support women in their struggles, giving tips, advice and support. Women are doing their part in the war effort.

Unfortunately, Mrs Porter has other ideas. A pampered, haughty lady who has no idea how to live on a budget or to have to use ration books for food. Her idea of struggling is definitely not the same as the staff at the magazine or the women they support. When she decides to make changes the staff try their best to show her what the readers like, but of course she knows best!

Along with the magazine, the author brings in the stories of Emmy's home life, she has some amazing friends and they bring their own troubles and lives to the story. With the war on they are all busy coping and dealing with what life throws at them.

Having followed this series from the start I am aware of the relationships and their back stories. The group consists of a range of people, some with children, others widows, and some are recently bereaved but together they form a wonderful mix.

Mixing in the drama from the new owner with a plan to try something quite daring had me on edge. Would the group get their idea off the ground? More importantly, though is what happens closer to home, a tragedy that had me welling up and showed how events can have such a catastrophic effect on people.

With the war, there are going to be mentions of loss, death and injury but through this, the author also brings a wonderful sense of support and spirit. Having others around you to help is something that shines in this book along with the hope that things will get better. But, my goodness the author does not make it easy for her characters and many hurdles are going to be jumped before things start to become more clear.

I do adore this series and once again the author has created a wonderful story set during WWII. A small magazine with a loyal staff who are close and almost like a family themselves shows how they will do what they can to save what they love. A wonderful historical fiction story that I would definitely recommend.