Cover Image: How Hard Can It Be?

How Hard Can It Be?

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Member Reviews

I'm sure someone will enjoy this book, but not me. Kate Reddy is lying; to her family, to her employer, and to her family. I found myself not caring about any of the characters & just wanted to finish the book.

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Kate Reddy returns and what a treat. Who would have thought that a novel about menopause would be hilarious? She is such a strong and sassy survivor putting up with sulky teenagers, a husband in a mid-life crisis and know-it-all co-workers.. On this journey of self-discovery, she is someone who most women will relate to and cheer her on.

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Kate Reddy is back and as big a mess as ever in this terrific sequel to the iconic I Don't Know How She Does It. This time, she's got to lie about her age to hold down a junior position at her old fund. Really plumbs the depths of perimenopausal mania....

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For whatever reason, when I picked this up from NetGalley, I had no recollection of having read the prequel, I Don’t Know How She Does It. It wasn’t until I started reading about Kate Reddy that it hit me that I already knew her! Kate is a little bit older in this book and dealing with troubles in her marriage, raising two teenagers, and being forced back to work as an “older” woman. Not a whole lot that I can personally relate to, but still, it’s hard not to fall in love with Kate and be cheering for her.

In some ways, she’s like a cross between Bridget Jones and Shopaholic Becky Bloomwood (this book also takes place in the UK), but more mature and relatable. There were some parts of Kate’s character that I felt were a bit exaggerated and bugged me a bit (much like with Bridget and Becky!), including the fact that her family and colleagues take serious advantage of her and she rarely sticks up for herself. But overall, this was a really fun read!

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A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is Pearson's part two of the Kate Reddy series—oh how I've missed you, Kate! I actually liked this book better than the first, which I think is an anomaly to like the sequel better than the original.

Kate Reddy is re-entering the work force after being at home with her children because her husband, who appears to be suffering an identity crisis, has gone back to school. To bag the job, she lies about her age. She is feeling the pressure from the much younger workforce, from her demanding mother, ailing in-laws, her contractor, and from her sullen teenagers. And to top it all off, her marriage is F-L-A-T, flat.

How hard can it be to face 50, your husband's mid-life crisis, and to restart your career? Pretty hard I would say, especially when you are shouldering the entire household workload as well because your husband is useless, and you are also feeling strangled not only from your shaping garments, but from your obligations.

Kate is every woman, whether old or young, as she embarks on this often hilarious journey of self-discovery—she's more than just a career woman, mother, sister, friend, or wife. She is as smart as she is funny, she is sassy and strong, and above all, resilient. With every turn of the page, you will be rooting for Kate and wishing she was your friend.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a Kindle galley copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.. "How Hard Can It Be" is the type of book that I would describe as intelligent British chick lit, or as I like to say - Brit Chick Lit. I read one of Allison Pearson's other books, "I Don't Know How She Does It" several years ago when it was published. "How Hard Can It Be" follows our protagonist, Kate, as she is rapidly approaching the age of 50 and struggling to face it gracefully. She is in a marriage with no affection and has a preteen son and teenage girl, with all of the typical teen problems. It may sound like a heavy read but Allison Pearson's writing is light and very witty. I particularly enjoy the Brit references and the differences in the vocabulary. Read "I Don't Know How She Does It" first and dive head-first into "How Hard Can It Be" - they are both worthwhile, fun reads.

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Kate is British, beautiful, married and forty-nine, almost fifty. To top it all off, she is trying to find a job and going through menopause while he husband is going through a midlife crisis. Her teenage daughter just got a naked selfie of herself posted (by accident) all over the internet and her mother has just learned how to skype. Meanwhile, Kate is considering lying about her age to get a job because she has to pay all expenses for her home renovations by a terribly sexy Polish handyman. Whew, Kate’s life is so complicated! This funny, rollicking story will have you laughing all the way through it! Kate’s plight is so normal in so many ways (or should I say, usual) that the reader can identify with the character and “feel her pain” and anguish. I loved the story and really appreciated finding another author that I can look forward to reading ! 

How Hard Can It Be? by Allison Pearson will be available June 5, 2018 from St. Martin's Press. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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I wanted to read this because it isn't something we would sell here at the store. It was an enjoyable book. I would recommend it to someone that would like to read a humorous drama book.

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I must admit that I haven't read I Don't Know How She Does It (or seen the movie, for that matter), though I am familiar with the premise. That being said, I was still able to jump right into Kate's story and never felt lost or like I was missing a key piece of the puzzle. I enjoyed reading about how Kate handled turning 50 and raising teenagers, and her struggles made me a bit more grateful for only having to deal with the drama of a 7 and 3 year old. The only thing that would have made this book better is a bit more, well, something. Some pivotal moment or story line that took your breath away. Nevertheless, it was a good read.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Very cliched writing; did not like the main character.

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I remember reading I Don’t Know How She Does it by Allison Pearson back in 2001 when my kids were little and I loved it. Now my kids are big, I’m older, and so is the main character of the book, Kate who is nearing fifty. How Hard Can It Be? is going to speak to me (and you) on a variety of personal levels from impossible teenagers to aging parents to dealing with life in general.

Kate Reddy is facing her 50th birthday. Her children have turned into impossible teenagers; her mother and in-laws are in precarious health; and her husband is having a midlife crisis that leaves her desperate to restart her career after years away from the workplace. Once again, Kate is scrambling to keep all the balls in the air in a juggling act that an early review from the U.K. Express hailed as “sparkling, funny, and poignant…a triumphant return for Pearson.”

Will Kate reclaim her rightful place at the very hedge fund she founded, or will she strangle in her new “shaping” underwear? Will she rekindle an old flame, or will her house burn to the ground when a rowdy mob shows up for her daughter’s surprise (to her parents) Christmas party? Surely it will all work out in the end. After all, how hard can it be?

To answer the question, How Hard Can It Be? I’ll tell you, it’s very very hard! Thankfully there are talented writers like Allison who can help find the humor in life. I’m about twenty minutes from starting this book, I intend to read straight through until tonight!

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Kate Ready is back, and now she — and I — are women of a certain age. Her problems are those that I and my girlfriends experience every day. So, realistic. But, for that, too cliched and easily resolved. Not enough there, there.

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I loved Pearson’s earlier book, I DONT KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT, but I found this a very weak sequel. Kate is back, but with too many problems and every possible cliche. Yet, none of them ring true. She talks of deep financial trouble, which seems not to disturb her lifestyle a bit. Her husband is going through a major change of life, with a very predictable ending. Too full of trite and over used story lines. The author seems to include so many problems that the weight of them would be impossible to deal with and still manage to work. She gets a magical job with unlimited time off and has some kind of liposuction during her lunch hour, HUH? I just felt as though I drowned in the unreality of this novel.

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I read the first book in this series and this one did not disappoint. I enjoyed catching up on how her life is evolved and despite things not going as expected, to continue to take chances. Highly recommend.

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How Hard Can It Be? by [Pearson, Allison]

Doesn't quite live up to I Don't Know How She Does It. Lots of good one-liners, but the plot left something to be desired.



Review copy provided by publisher.

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Somewhat amusing vignettes of life with teenagers while going through menopause and dealing with a broken marriage. Kate Reddy is plucky and keeps moving forward. I found this to be enjoyable in small doses.

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