Two Books – Light Reads

Right now it’s the season for spooky books but if those aren’t your thing, I do want to tell you about two lighter reads I read that you might enjoy.

“When I first saw the advertisement in the newspaper I thought I might actually burst. I’d had rather a cheerful day so far despite the Luftwaffe annoying everyone by making us all late for work, and then I’d managed to get hold of an onion, which was very good news for a stew. But when I saw the announcement, I could not have been more cock-a-hoop.”

Dear Mrs. Bird
By A.J. Pearce
Source: Advance review copy

Emmy Lake has big dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent and when she finds an advertisement for a job at a Women’s Friend magazine she’s ecstatic. Unfortunately her boss is the formidable Mrs. Bird who is the agony aunt for the magazine and Emmy’s job is to sort out the letters that are fit to be answered and printed in the magazine. Looks like her dreams of reporting serious stories are dashed.

However, when she finds out that Mrs. Bird doesn’t want to deal with any unpleasantness like answering a letter to a woman who wants to elope or offer any other relationship advice, Emmy thinks she may be able to help after all. It’s not long before Emmy is taking letters home and answering them herself.

Part of the novel is all about how she tries to keep the ruse going, but also Emily maturing after tragedies affect those she loves most. I liked Emmy’s plucky spirit even though that did get her in trouble quite a bit. There are some very serious events that happen so it’s not all fun but overall I found this an entertaining read and I know the author has a new follow up, Yours Cheerfully, which I do look forward to reading. Honestly I’m most curious to read about Emmy’s friend, Bunty.

“The more I think about the trips Alex and I used to take together, the more I long for them. But not in the fun, daydreamy, energetic way I used to long to see Tokyo in cherry blossom season, or the Fasnacht festivals of Switzerland, with their masked parades and whip-wielding jesters dancing down the candy-colored streets. What I’m feeling now is more of an ache, a sadness.”

People We Meet on Vacation
By Emily Henry
Source: Advance review copy

Poppy and Alex have been best friends since college and although life circumstances/work may have separated them they still manage to get together once a year for an adventure in some fantastic location. This of course due to Poppy’s job which sends her off to places all over the world to write about them. Poppy and Alex had the best relationship until two years ago when everything changed.

Now Poppy feels stuck in a rut. Is this what she always wanted? What she misses most is Alex and she will do anything to have one last vacation and perhaps they can sort things out. Through flashbacks we see how Poppy and Alex first met and became inseparable all leading up to the falling out.

This is a romance so of course there are going to be a lot of misunderstandings and some minor things which become big things. You can’t help but think if they would only sit and talk all of this angst would have been prevented but I liked both characters a lot and of course with all the jet setting, I couldn’t help but enjoy this one.