The final installment of the Emmy Lake chronicles has arrived. It was good to return to the world of Woman's Friend and the lives of those involved with it. The story combined the series' usual warmth with some of the difficulties and social history of World War 2. It was a fitting end to an enjoyable series.

I wasn’t aware that there was one more book coming in this series - it was a really charming story as usual, that makes you feel more emotional than you expect thanks to great writing and endearing characters. A really good insight into the final months of the war, and a perfect wrap for this series

It was a joy to return to wartime Britain with Emmy, Bunty, and the Women’s Friend team in AJ Pearce’s Dear Miss Lake. This final instalment in the Emmy Lake series offers another heart-warming glimpse into the charm, camaraderie, and quiet resilience of life on the home front.

The story opens with Emmy riding a wave of success, finally realising her dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent whilst still carrying on the important job of answering the letters sent into the magazine’s advice column. But with the nation weary after nearly five years of war, she and the team have their hands full encouraging everyone to pull together and push on. Victory may be in sight, but nothing is certain, particularly for those who still have loved ones serving at the front. And then disaster strikes, thrusting Emmy even further into the thick of things once again.

What I particularly enjoyed about Dear Miss Lake was the richness of the character development and as Emmy and those around her navigate an ever-changing, uncertain world. A J Pearce captures the complexity, uncertainty and bittersweet nature of life during wartime with a deft hand and her ability to weave a plot twist into the story can take your breath away. Like the first three books in the series, this well-researched book also goes behind the propaganda and offers a heartfelt, sometimes poignant, glimpse of what life was really like for women on the home front during the second World War.

Although Emmy is at the centre of the story, one of the things I liked is going on around her. From Bunty’s ongoing personal journey to the issues facing Guy, Monica and members of the Women’s Friend team, there is a real sense of everyone helping each other. These subplots - including threads involving family, friendship and romance - add depth, heart and a sense of real life that makes the world A J Pearce has created feel authentic and alive.

I would recommend this book and indeed the whole series to anyone who enjoys World War II historical fiction as well as stories about resilience, friendship, community and the strength of women supporting one another through challenging times. I enjoyed Dear Miss Lake and the whole series so much. I was sad to see it end. I may just have to go back to the beginning and read all four books from the beginning once again!

Wow ,the final part of this trilogy and in my opinion the best book of all ,really show what women went through when their loved ones were killed or missing or as prisoners of war .Its simply an amazing read and will stay with me for a long time .

What a terrific end to the series! I’ve loved spending time with Emmy, Charles, Bunty, Guy and all the rest of the gang and so it was an emotional read, knowing it was time to say goodbye. This story contained all the usual charm, warmth and good spirit but there was also a sobering reminder of the real impact of war with the scenes in the war hospital and the storyline about the prisoners of war. I’d highly recommend this whole series and look forward to seeing where AJ Pearce turns her talents next.

This is another delightful story from AJ Pearce. I have read all the others in this series and while the first was probably my favourite, there is something nice about the growing team of characters in the subsequent novels.

In this one, we are approaching the end of the war, which seems to be stretching on forever. Decamping to the countryside to escape the bombing means an opportunity for the whole team to achieve a sense of peace. But given the war is still happening in Europe, the peace doesn't last long.

We see our main character face new problems and explore new horizons. That said, this is still a fairly breezy novel and not one to create too much drama. It is an easy read and I enjoyed it very much.

Dear Miss Lake, A.J. Pearce

The fourth and final instalment of the Emmy Lake Wartime Chronicles. It was such a pleasure to restart this journey, rereading books 1-3 to get to this very bittersweet finale.

Dear Miss Lake is set with the end of this "bloody war" in sight. But not quite there yet.

Increased air raids on London take the 'Woman's Friend' gang out to live and work together in Mrs Tavistock (aka Bunty's granny)'s country estate. They are welcomed with open arms.

Amidst the new norm, the colleagues live and work together in idyllic settings, another wedding is on the cards, the Ministry are very happy with everyone - Emmy is finally sent overseas as a genuine lady war correspondent, fulfilling her dreams from the earliest pages. What does it say about me that in all these happy times I was waiting for it, something terrible was due to happen!

Then came a telegram... and we all know what that can mean.

This catalyst rouses everyone into action, and Emmy and the team into meeting a whole new host of wives and families of the men out there. Somewhere. Fighting this "bloody war".

With the usual peaks and troughs, chin up and carry ons, frustrated readers, emotional plots, absolute charm and wit to boot, this book brings our journey with these wonderful characters through such tough times to an end. But I think they'll all live on in my head and my heart for a while to come.

Highly recommend this whole series. With thanks to @netgalley and publishers @panmacmillan @picador

#DearMissLake #NetGalley #Picador #PanMacmillan #EmmelineLakeChronicles #WartimeChronicles

Dear Miss Lake delivered in every way – dreams were realised, weddings were celebrated and the war finally came to an end. We follow Emmy and her friends as they push on into the final year of the Second World War. When the opportunity presents itself to work on Woman’s Friend in the idyllic rural setting of Hampshire away from the danger and devastation of the London bombing, the magazine’s staff need little persuasion to relocate. And so begins a summer of adventure.

This final instalment in the Emmy Lake Chronicles had all the charm and optimism of the earlier books in the series, but was not without darkness, peril and heartache. The theme of waiting permeated the novel – waiting for news, waiting for loved ones to come home and waiting for the war to end. It shone a light on how challenging it was for women to navigate wartime bureaucracy when trying to get information about prisoners of war and highlighted the importance of publications like Woman’s Friend in keeping up morale and signposting women to the organisations which could help them.

I found the way that the characters cared for one another and maintained a can-do attitude in adverse circumstances extremely uplifting. Their willingness to leap into action whenever they could be of help to others drove the plot forward. In this wonderful conclusion to the series, AJ Pearce struck the perfect balance between portraying the cost of war while keeping alive the hope that families could be reunited as the end of the war approached. I hope that other readers enjoy this final instalment as much as I did.

I wholeheartedly recommend the series and was absolutely delighted to receive this eARC of the final book. Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for sharing this copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

I have been in such a big mood for WWII fiction recently and I always look forward to a new Emmy Lake book! I was big fans of the first and third books in the series and wasn't that keen on the second and this fell somewhere in the middle. I suppose sometimes it all felt a bit too cosy for my tastes, the way everyone they meet instantly becomes best friends, and it didn't have the fun idiosyncratic writing (like the first book) and the great plot (like the third book) to make this a fave. But it actually did make me quite emotional at points and it was interesting reading a book that was set in the last year of the war, when things were in theory getting better but nothing had really changed.

I have really enjoyed these books about Emmy, and so I was very happy to receive a copy for review of this, the final episode which saw me let out a large, unexpected sob near the end! In this story we see the end of the war approaching and yet still unknown...and whilst it looks like the horrors might soon end, nobody knows when, or how, and London is still facing a barrage of bombs, and the women at home are still living through rationing, shortages, working, keeping their children safe whilst not knowing, in some cases, where their husbands are or if they're even alive. Emmy and the magazine's team continue their work to encourage and support these women, whilst living through wartime horrors of their own.
I whip through these stories so quickly. I did wish for a little more Bunty, and a little more Stan too (because he really makes me laugh), but I loved the country gathering then return to London, and Emmy's fierce, passionate quest. And Guy, dear lovely Guy. It made me want to read some of the actual magazines from the time. It made me think about my Nan, and the work she was doing during the war, and of how her sister, my great aunt, must have felt watching her husband go up in the planes (he was a navigator), and of their wedding photo where she and my Nan look so beautiful, but how much their clothes must have been cobbled together and remade.
Anyway, these are lovely stories and I feel sad they're at an end, though they ended just as I would have wished. I'm looking forward to see what the author will write next!
With thanks to the publisher, and Net Galley, for my review copy.

What a lovely final book in this series. The book joins Emmy, Guy, Bunty and all the gang still struggling through the war. Women’s Friend is still doing its bit to support the war effort and keep the spirits of its readers up. The book made me cry, both happy and sad tears. Like a lovely warm hug in a book. Highly recommend.

I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series set in the 2nd World War in the offices of the magazine,Woman’s Friend,where Emmy Lake answers the problems page.The story and characters have all developed so well throughout the series,and as the letters are based on real life problems faced by women at the time,it feels very realistic.It’s cheerful and lighthearted in part,but doesn’t gloss over the tragedy and difficulty of every day life in war time London.
I don’t want to spoil the plot,but in this book there is a plot development which was similar to one faced by my family when an uncle of mine was captured in Germany,and it really brought home to me how it must have been for my grandmother.
Highly recommend this book-I loved it.Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.

London, July 1944: Emmy Lake's career as a journalist is flourishing. Working at Woman's Friend magazine, she’s on the cusp of realising her dream of becoming a Lady War Correspondent. Personally, things are looking brighter too—her husband, Charles, has been posted closer to home, and they, along with their close friends Bunty and Harold, are enjoying a few peaceful days in the countryside. They know how lucky they are, given the ongoing war.

But after nearly five years of conflict, the nation is weary. The Yours Cheerfully advice column is overwhelmed with letters, and even though there’s hope the war may end by Christmas, the hardships are far from over. For Emmy and her team, it's all about sticking together and pushing forward.

But just as things seem to be improving, disaster strikes. In this moment, Emmy will need the support of her friends more than ever. Dear Miss Lake is an uplifting, heartwarming story about friendship and resilience in the toughest of times—a beautiful testament to the bonds that hold us up when life seems most uncertain.

I found Dear Miss Lake to be a truly heartwarming and emotionally satisfying read. The characters, especially Emmy, are so well-crafted, and you can’t help but root for them as they navigate the challenges of war and personal loss. I loved the sense of community and camaraderie that runs through the story—it’s a reminder of how crucial our relationships are when times are tough. It’s a book that balances the sadness of the era with moments of light, and I found myself smiling through tears. It’s definitely a book that leaves you feeling grateful for the people in your life and inspired by the strength we all have to endure.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

It was a sad day when I finished Dear Miss Lake by AJ Pearce. I knew that this was the final book in the series and, indeed, it had to be. But I have so enjoyed the company of Emmy, Bunty and their friends that I was in no hurry to get to the end of the book. As you might expect, the tone is the same as it's been all the way though the sequence: hopeful in spite of the realities of war which it doesn't attempt to minimise.
If you haven't read the rest of the series, so that first but make sure that you read this.

Another great update on Emmy Lake, Bunty Charles Guy and all the magazine regulars. There is domestic and actual war drama heavily featured, and throughout it all Emmy, Bunty and all the magazine staff do their best to soldier in with a positive attitude.
An excellent story, which I enjoyed even more than the previous 3 books.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to have read this ahead of publication and exchange for an honest review

I greatly enjoyed all the other novels in this series and this was no different and am sad that this is the last novel where we will read about Emmy, Bunty, Guy and all the other characters.

However, I feel that this is the weakest of the four. Whilst the author has always dealt with issues of the war years with both humour and compassion, I didn't feel that this tone was really appropriate to capture how the horrors of the frontline in the last years of the war (POWs' treatment at the hands of the Nazis and especially Japanese) had to be faced at home. Some of the levity sat very ill next to the greater concerns which was then smoothed over with some tell-don't-show heavy-handed dialogue.

This was still an enjoyable read, even though it felt that the original idea was running out of steam. I look forward to what AJ Pearce writes next.

Absolutely brilliant! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending it.

And so Emmy, Bunty and the gang come to 1944 - the end of the war is in distant sight and with it the end of this engaging, funny, and at times emotional series. I for one am not ready to say goodbye (especially to Mr Collins).
The genius of these books is that they have felt perfectlycontemporaneous to the period, as if they really were written by Emmy in real time, with the language, morals and world building absolutely spot on. It also means that we experience home front life in all its danger, drab dreariness, constant fear, sadness and sometime joy, brought to vivid life through Emmy's eyes. She has of course matured through this series, honed by grief and love and experience, now as the wife of a senior officer it is her role to set a good example and lead the wives of more junior officers, some of whom are barely out their teens, in addition to her responsibilities to the magazine and the many women who write in for her help, her friends and the three motherless children she and Bunty are looking after until their father returns.
I have loved every word in this series and can't recommend them enough. I don't know what AJ Pearce is planning to write next, but may I suggest a Mr Collins origin story? I think there would be an eager market for that...

Book number four in the chronicles of Emmy Lake has been a joy to read . Following our heroine as she navigates life through the hardships of war torn Britain with a stiff upper lip . This series reminds me a lot of Enid Blyton and jolly hockey sticks and has had me laughing out loud at times . But on a serious side AJ Pearce has bought to life what life was like for the women in that era covering domestic hardships and the reality of war . I love all the characters and it tied up all the loose ends of the previous books . Don’t want to give out any spoilers so I’ll leave it there . If you’ve read her other books it’s an absolute must .

The last of the Emmy Lake series and a fitting end - poignant but ultimately hopeful. I have enjoyed these gentle and thoughtful reads. The reality of war for those left behind is brought to life in an understated but poignant manner.

Those working on Women’s Friend magazine continue to publish articles to raise spirits and encourage women to put their everything in to support the war effort despite their own struggles. As well as toeing the government line, Emmy is determined to raise issues important to their readers and to answer their questions on the Problem Page honestly.

When her own husband becomes a POW, she takes up the cause of the wives and mothers left in limbo when there is no confirmation of their status. She also demands answers as to their fate as the Nazis retreat.

Against this sober background there is a wedding, two births and a summer in the country. The light and the dark.

A positive ending to a very enjoyable series.