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Title details for Mrs. Porter Calling by AJ Pearce - Available

Mrs. Porter Calling

#3 in series

by AJ Pearce
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
From the author of the bestselling "jaunty, heartbreaking winner" (People) Dear Mrs. Bird, a charming and irresistible novel featuring aspiring journalist Emmy Lake as she navigates life, love, and friendship in London during World War II—perfect for fans of The Paris Library and Lessons in Chemistry.
London, April 1943. Twenty-five-year-old Emmy Lake is doing her part for the war effort by spearheading the hugely popular "Yours Cheerfully" advice column in Woman's Friend magazine. The postbags are full, Emmy's guidance offers much needed support to her readers, and Woman's Friend is thriving. Cheered on by her best friends Bunty and Thelma, and resolute in the absence of her husband who is fighting in the army, Emmy is dedicated to helping women face the increasing challenges brought about by over three years of war.

But Emmy's world is turned upside down when glamorous socialite, the Honorable Cressida Porter, becomes the new publisher of the magazine, and wants to change everything about it. Aided by Mrs. Pye, a Paris-obsessed editor with delusions of grandeur, and Small Winston, the grumpiest dog in London, Mrs. Porter fills the pages with expensive fashions and frivolous articles about her friends. Worst of all, she announces that she is cutting the advice column. Her vision for the publication's future is dreadful and Emmy is determined to fight back.

Emmy and her friends must save the magazine they love, but when personal tragedy strikes, they are forced to face the very real implications of life in war-torn London.

Set in 1943 but inherently resonant with how we live today, Pearce's signature blend of laugh-out-loud funny and heartbreakingly sad storytelling delivers a tribute to the strength of friendships. An enriching story about women coming together, Pearce's latest novel is the perfect tonic for our times.

  • Creators

  • Series

    Emmy Lake Chronicles

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    August 8, 2023

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781668007730

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781668007730
      • File size: 2911 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      March 1, 2023

      The popular Pearce continues the story of rising journalist Emily Lake, now in charge of the "Yours Cheerfully" advice column in Woman's Friend magazine in 1943 London. But the column is threatened when the Honorable Mrs. Cressida Porter becomes publisher and announces plans to turn the magazine into a glitzy fashion spread. Prepub Alert.

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      June 19, 2023
      An advice columnist for a London women’s magazine tries to keep her job and readership when a new publisher takes over in Pearce’s immersive latest in the Emmy Lake Chronicles (after Yours Cheerfully). In 1943 London, Emmy’s husband is at war overseas while she remains in England, working at a fire station and writing a column for Woman’s Friend. She and her friend and roommate Bunty, whose fiancé has died in combat, invite another friend to move into their house to pool their resources. After the magazine’s publisher dies, his niece, an out-of-touch aristocrat named Cressida Porter, inherits the business. To appeal to England’s upper crust, she cuts back on the advice column and adds sections about society weddings, much to the disappointment of readers who relied on Emmy’s guidance for their wartime survival and well-being. As the magazine flounders, the housemates face a personal tragedy. Pearce enhances the well-trodden material with lively characters, showing how they find joy in simple pleasures and humor in the face of loss. Series fans won’t be disappointed.

    • Booklist

      August 1, 2023
      In the third installment of Pearce's Emmeline Lake series (starting with Dear Mrs. Bird, 2018), WWII continues to rage on, and Emmy's new husband has shipped off to serve. She continues her work in London at Women's Friend magazine, where they strive to meet the needs of war-weary readers, but a new owner with a very different point of view threatens to upend all their efforts. Emmy and her best friend, Bunty, also welcome a friend and her children into their home, expanding their circle of mutual support. The cast of characters, both recurring and newly introduced, is both endearing and amusing. While the realities of war are not ignored, the focus of this heartwarming story is on how these people meet their difficulties with optimism and determination and move forward knowing that they are not alone. For readers who enjoyed The Summer before the War (2016), by Helen Simonson, The Kitchen Front (2021), by Jennifer Ryan, and Bloomsbury Girls (2022), by Natalie Jenner.

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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