I was so thrilled to be able to read this book by Susie Tate, as she is one of my favorite authors. Her books are mostly set in the UK and frequently have characters who work in hospitals. She and her husband are both doctors.

The main characters are Kira Murphy, Barclay Lucas and his brother Henry. Kira is a gifted doctor who was raised by a hippie Mama. Kira has very little fear, few inhibitions, and is an outsize personality in a barely 5 foot body. Her specialty is genitourinary medicine (sex health). Having mandatory vaccination for genital warts is one of her passions, and she is apt to discuss them at the drop of a hat, with graphic descriptions. She has a crush on Barclay Lucas, whom she has seen on the news.

Barclay Lucas is tall, handsome, buttoned-up, and an up and coming politician who is driven to move the UK to renewable energy very soon, not a decade or even five years from now. He is horrified when he meets Kira in his home. Horrified ... and attracted... and horrified about being attracted.

Henry is one of my favorite characters. He is younger than his brother, and did a little too much partying, only discovering that he was HIV positive when he ended up in the hospital. Henry thinks his life is over and refuses more treatment. Kira, his doctor from the hospital, calls on him at home to cheer him up (and convince him differently). Barclay discovers that his brother is better after her visit, and has to go eat some humble pie to persuade Kira to keep visiting his brother.

There is so much to love and laugh about in this book, but I don't want to give too much away. I loved Kira's Mom, and her and her Mom's diverse and interesting friends. Characters from some of the earlier books also made an appearance, which was great.

I do have two niggles. I wished that the word 'shouted' had been used a little less. While reading, I even began to substitute other words and phrases like 'called out', 'cheered', or 'yelled', etc. I also questioned that any woman would live and sleep in an apartment where the door did not lock.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine.

O M G ... what a ride this books was. Kira Murphy, Dr Murphy, is now my absolute favorite heroine. She is a hoot!

Kira has tremendous spark and joy. A petite force of nature that can easily scoop you up , turn you upside down and bring different colors to your boring world. She also knows it. Knows that she walks around in a world of bright colors, never pastel, but bright. She is smart, loyal to her friends and family. Working hard for her patients and bringing a freshness to her practice that is very different from any other patient-doctor connection. I love her.

Barclay Lucas, Sexy Badger - LOL., our brooding, too serious politician, can’t help to be swept away by this little tornado. Kira brings so much energy to his life, clearly unsettling him and yet he finds it pretty fulfilling, as crazy as that sounds. He convinces Kira to treat his brother, Henry, outside of the office. Henry has HIV and has isolated himself from friends and family. Kira is the only one that is able to get to him.

This was a subject that I have not come across in a romance book yet and I found it pretty interesting. I like how frank Kira was with Henry as she tried to get him to start back on his medication and eventually seeking out his friends.

If you are looking for a spitfire that is full of energy, and loads of laughter this is the book for you! You will not be disappointed! I for one will never see a badger the same LOL!!!

Ok ... this book ... this book it's hilarious! I had so much fun reading it. The first half I was literally laughing out loud and the second half it was center more in serious subjects but I still enjoyed it so much.

So, we have Kira Murphy who specializes in genito Urinary Medicine and Infectious Diseases (a sex health doctor it's how she describes herself) and then we have this serious and dedicated politician, Barclay Lucas. And as you must expect these two have nothing in common and they are the definition of opposites which only makes everything more fun to read.

I gotta say that I loved Kira, she is one of the weirdest characters out there with an unique sense of humor and I can understand how she can be a little too much for some people but I loved her. She is the kind of person that brings happiness to everyone and takes care of everybody but forgets to take care of herself which drives Barclay crazy.
Overall it's was a great read. I had a good time reading it and I really liked how the author includes sensitive matters through the book.

I got this as an ARC. Thank you netgalley for giving me a digital copy of this book.

Anything But Easy by Susie Tate

Thank you to NetGalley, Susie Tate, and the publisher for the ARC. 

This was a fantastic read! Susie take took me on a such a journey with Kira and Barclay.

This is a true opposites attract novel with unconventional Kira and staid Barclay. Kira, a sexual health doctor, lives life how she wants to, without worrying about what other people think of her. She’s good at her job and wants to help people, but with a pink streak in her hair and no filter she’s not exactly what you expect when you think “doctor”. Barclay is a Tory politician who just became the Minister for Business, Energy, and Clean Growth. He is also good at his job and exactly what you expect from a conservative politician. Together they butt heads over almost everything. But they soon realize just how great they can be together.

Kira and Barclay’s story was such a wild ride. It was a little hard for me to get into in the beginning because Kira is a lot, right from the first page. But like Barclay, I feel in love with her over the course of the book. She was unapologetically her and in the end Barclay and I both accepted and loved her for it. I really felt the change in the individuals as they grew together to become a couple. There wasn’t a sole sacrifice on Kira’s part to conform into the perfect political wife, and I’m so glad about that.

This is my first Susie Tate novel and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future! Overall I could tell this wasn’t the first in the series, but I was able to jump right in without feeling like I missed too much. There were some moments where I could tell there was more and the novel might have been more satisfying had I read the other books in the series, but honestly that’s most series so it wasn’t a huge problem for me.

HJ Recommends!

Brace yourself with a decent napkin on your lap and hook into Anything but Easy with joyful abandon, because this little cracker is spirited, juicy, and has a little dash of Love Actually meets Brigit Jones’ Diary sprinkled in for good measure. Kira, the adorable whirlwind of a Sexual Health Doctor is simply loveable and hilarious from the first 2 pages of the book. From the onset, it is clear that she is an untameable life force who cares deeply about others and will do anything it takes to support people on their journey. Interestingly enough, despite her lunatic fringe hippy-esque demeanour, she finds herself crushing hard on Barclay Lucas, a conservative Tory MP who believes firmly in environmental policy as key to a better country. Whilst both of our hero’s have the same general mission and personal goals in mind – making the world a better place for everyone, you could hardly find more opposing characters and inevitably, lovers. Opposites clearly do attract in this little ditty. But of course, not everything is smooth sailing and nothing with these sorts of social cultural oppositions will come easy – certainly not relationships and certainly not when it always means one partner will inevitably have to change some significant part of themeselves and who they are to fit into the others’ world. And of course, given his high profile political stakes, it inevitably means that delightful Kira, who literally lights up rooms, is the one that has to dull herself down. And this comes at a painful price for everyone she graces.

Tate, quite tactfully addresses the strange standards we have in society when one group of people judge another, and it is interesting that within her commentary is the firm belief that conservative values are the ones we always seem to uphold, when in fact, it should be the exact opposite as is realized throughout. Even from a media perspective, people crave liberal self-expression, seeing people care and love one another and yet, why is it we seem to navigate towards robot style politics that serve no one in the end? These questions and more are the ones Barclay finds himself addressing as he struggles to come to terms with what actually gives his life joy and purpose. Quite effectively, Anything but Easy holds a giant spotlight on the fact that everything we love should be worth fighting for, whether it be our environment, our living standards, or quite simply and beautifully each other for a more healthier us. With it’s easy flowing character chapters, we see insight into both Kira and Barclay’s world, two very different worlds granted, but garner a deep understanding of what it takes to really make a difference.

I highly recommend, everyone takes 3-4 hours out of their schedule, however busy, however necessary and chew a little on this one. Not only was it anything but easy to put down but an effective reminder that we shouldn’t change who we are or conform to a social norm when being ourselves is often the most powerful thing of all. A true Happily Ever After that will fill you up like a delicious home-cooked meal.

Firstly a huge thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book early because believe me when I say this - the PLEASURE's all mine. This is probably the best book in the series! I am a long time reader of Susie Tate's books and Kira's story is my favourite out of all previous books in the series( I definitely recommend those if you haven't read them yet already). This book is both hilarious and serious at the same time. I had a huge crush on Kira. She is awesome! The girl is hilarious and mad but she makes people fall for her despite her quirky character. SHE. IS. AWESOME. I repeat - She is awesome and you all seriously need to read this book. The romance, the drama, the relationship issues between her and Barclay and ofcourse the chemistry - all of it made it such an awesome read. I can write an essay on how much I liked it and it would not be enough. I highly recommend it if you are a true romantic. It's a must! Hope you all fall madly in love with Dr. Kira and Barclay's hilarious romance as deeply as I did. Happy reading!

I ABSOLUTELY ADORED this book.
Anything but Easy is a lighthearted romance where Kira, a free spirited and unorthodox sex doctor with some questionable swear words, meets Barclay Lucas, an uptight, control freak (AKA Kira's celebrity crush) (obvy) :).

I liked the two POVs and it definitely worked well for this book. Barclay's outlook on the situation made him a more likable character and added an additional dimension to the story that definitely helped the reader get into the story. A lot of times I find multiple POVs to be unessisary, but without it here, it would have been much more difficult for the reader to become invested in the characters.
OTHER THINGS: Some iffy swearing and, if you're not from the UK, you might have to look up some of the terms used in this book.

A wonderful story about a tiny hurricane called Kira and a Tory politician named Barclay.

extremes of any kind are never good, moderation in everything is key to a good life. In this book we meet two totally polar opposite extremes, Kira is who is too in-your-face everything, and Barclay who is too uptight-by-the-rules kind of person. In each other they find the perfect balance.

This is a well written book, which discusses serious topics in a laugh out loud, light hearted way. I will give this book 5 out 5 star rating, because I absolutely loved reading this book. The character development is done beautifully and the ending was amazing. However a trigger warning should have been mentioned, because while it did not bother me, it did catch me by surprise.
**trigger warnings for sexual harassment and assault should be noted**

Kira is an off the wall, brash,outspoken, non-conformist medical doctor who has difficulty censoring her thoughts, thoughts which becomes words regardless of who her audience is. She meets Barclay, a politician and a perfect target for Kira and her cause, namely herpes.She is tolerated because of her unconventional method of getting Barclay's brother to be compliant and rethink his outlook on the future.Their lives become intertwined,they become a couple, then the very quality that attracted Barclay to her becomes a sore point, unkind things are said, feelings are crushed.I loved the dynamics between the friends and the hilarity of the interactions.I found myself laughing out loud several times while quietly cursing at anyone that would hurt Kira and dampen her spirit. The story gets tidied up neatly and happily ever after, although I thought Barclay should have grovelled more.I have always liked Ms.Tate's stories and while one or two have been less than stellar, this one has redeemed her in my eyes.Definitely would recommend this one.

I wen into this expecting something different but really enjoyed it. Kira is a great character. I have read a lot of books lately that use two narrators the way this did and it doesn't always work. Here it did. I found it a little annoying that it was obvious that there are character in this book that have their own books. Two much back story was given so that if you have read the other books it was too much but if you haven't the plot is pretty much given away here. Still enjoyed it and will now look for this author's other books.

3.5 Stars. If you've enjoyed Susie Tate's books in the past then this book is for you. A buttoned up hero meets his match with beat to her own drum heroine. I really enjoyed watching these two find each other and fall for each other. It's a satisfying read and does have HEA.

This book met my expectations (and craving) for a romance novel while exceeding all expectations I had in regards to plot. Kira and Barclay are full of life, passionate, both with great careers - and yet both are flawed too. Something I personally truly appreciate in contemporary pieces. There are so many different types of Rep within this novel, that my heart sung each time I found something different (I don't want to spoil anything, but there is a lot to be thankful for in the rep department).

I will admit that I wanted to knock their heads together on more than one occasion, especially for their lack of communication - but that can be real life unfortunately. Relationships take work and sometimes work can get in the way and give you a really foggy view.

PS. I will forever love the term "badger" now.

3.5 Stars

What I liked
Except for a few times (where I thought she lacked some plain common sense and self-preservation), Kira was so freaking odd and hilarious, I loved it. She might come off as too much for some but I didn’t mind. I don’t think I’ve ever read about such a wacky character before.

"Life is ten per cent what happens to you and ninety percent how you react to it. Don't waste yours looking back for what you've lost. Move on. Life isn't meant to be lived backwards.”
I really liked how the book dealt with life after having contracted HIV (Barclay’s brother Henry). It was super interesting to read and see what someone might go through. This is something I’ve never read before and I always like it if an author is able to work in something new. After a decade of reading romance, I sometimes get the feeling that I’ve read it all already.

What I didn’t like
Even though the eye-catching cover made me take a second look, the blurb is what sealed the deal for me. It sounded like there’d be some epic grovel in here so of course, I signed myself up for this. Unfortunately, the blurb didn’t deliver what it promised. The groveling does not play a major role in the book. The part the blurb referred to, was only realized near the end of the book, and him using "all his hard-earned political negotiating and maneuvering skills to get her back" were pretty underwhelming and not at all what you’d think it would be. BUT! I did love how the heroine was no pushover, i.e. she knew how to say no to the hero and didn’t immediately accept him back.

For some reason, I lost interest in the couple halfway through, basically when they got together. At this point, I was basically only waiting for the other shoe to drop and for it to create some conflict between them. This might be a me-thing though because the most interesting part for me is always how they become a couple and not the after.


ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Anything but Easy is a British rom-com by Susie Tate, starring Kira, a "sex doctor", and Barclay, a politician. Does that seem like an unlikely match? It is. Trust me, it is. But that was good about this book - it was as fun and unpredictable as Kira herself.

I normally write notes for my NetGalley books in order to write a proper review, but with this, I didn't - I was so hooked it took me less than 24 hours to finish. It was light and fun and quick and I loved it - maybe not every second, because Kira really did get to me sometimes, but I enjoyed it immensely nevertheless and recommend it to fans of chick-lit and rom-coms, especially if you're blue and in a need for something to cheer you up!

This book made me laugh with the verbal sparing and over the top eccentricities of our heroine. It also tackles serious subject matter, in particular, HIV, destigmatizing it and providing accurate information and showing you can live a normal life. We see our hero’s brother coming to terms with his diagnoses and reestablishing a happy life for himself. From the accurate medical portrayal and health information, its clear the author is in the medical field (she’s a GP). 

Minor issues I had were with the odd nicknames Kira uses and her turn of phrase was annoying at times. She was also a little too out there in her eccentricities, but I can’t say I haven’t met similar. Some doctors and nurses do dress and act similar to her and no one bats an eye really.

The sexual harassment that Kira deals with and her fears for repercussions are accurate. It is too common for the victim to be blamed if they are in a subordinate position. It is an unfortunate reality that people cannot speak up against wrongdoing in health care as the providers will punish the whistleblower. I applaud the author for highlighting this issue. I only wish it were a tool used to create drama and not reality. 

This was a highly entertaining read, and I read it in one sitting. If your a fan of opposites attract romance with plenty of humour and touching drama, then this book is for you. 

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a definite must read! I absolutely loved everything about Kira and though it took the man awhile I also fell for Barclay!

There was some lingo I wasn’t up to par with (I’m in the US and this takes place in the UK) but for the most part everything that transpired and took place I understood perfectly and I loved getting a look into the life of this quirky amazing British woman!

Kira is definitely a free spirit but she is a woman who loves with her full heart and care deeply for those around her! She’s a kick butt doctor and the most amazing friend anyone could hope for but she’s eccentric and isn’t the norm for a man who has political aspirations!

Barclay was a stiff one that’s for sure but underneath is strong exterior is a man who just needs to see that sometimes a little “crazy” is all you need! The more time Barclay spent with Kira the more he fell! He just needed to see that she is everything he needs!

I love a story that has strong leads but also amazing secondary characters and I can say Tate hit it out of the park with this one! I loved all the crazy quirky characters as well as those Kira met along the way!

This book was so fun! I loved the lead character and her spunky, feisty attitude. I laughed out loud reading this and then I cried with pangs running through my chest. I'm looking forward to reading Susie Tate's other books.

Anything but Easy is about how a doctor, Kira, and a politician, Barclay met and fell in love with each other. Aside from romance, the story also showed some aspects of medicine and politics and how people should not be judged by how they look.

The charm of this book was that it was very entertaining because of Kira’s personality and her jokes. With how she looks and acts, one won’t believe she’s a doctor but as the story progresses, it showed how Kira was kind and competent in handling patients. Barclay was also a good character, even if he seems very uptight at the start. It was enjoyable to read about how they fell for each other. It was also nice how the story was told in alternating viewpoints so that the reader can learn more about how both of them think. I also liked Kira’s advocacy since there are still a lot of misconceptions about HIV. The book had also shown some problems in medicine such as being understaffed, overworked and working in the presence of mysogynistic guys.

Overall, this had been a very enjoyable read because it had me laughing most of the time. This book is perfect for readers who are looking for a hilarious rom-com with a good story.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC..

This is an 'opposites attract' story. We have Kira, who is very energetic, quirky, flamboyant, and a complete extrovert. Then we have Barclay, who is a politician, a cabinet minister to be precise. He is a serious, straight-laced, rule follower. Their personalities are extremely different; where Kira is spontaneous, Barclay is cautious. Kira is all vibrant color, whereas Barclay is all monotone. Their paths cross when Barclay's brother ends up being one of Kira's patients. What comes next, is a whirlwind romance. There are many funny moments here, sweet moments and steamy moments. The story was actually very predictable for me, but fun to follow. There's lots of attraction between our two main leads, then there are misunderstandings and fights and disappointments, but there are also some sweet intimate moments.

I liked the storyline, but I had a problem with the two main characters.

I disliked Kira in the first half of the book. I liked that she was shown to be so quirky and weird, and she does whatever she wants, wears loud, striking clothes, she speaks whatever is there in her mind and does not conform to society's norms. All this was great. What I did not like was her behavior. She behaves in such an immature manner. She is constantly encroaching personal boundaries. To me, she also seemed very judgemental. If someone does not agree with her views or opinions or suggestions, she immediately brands them as stuck-up and prude. She prefers staying in a dangerous environment rather than approaching her friends (who are extremely supportive and understanding) for help because she does not want to appear weak! Why?! I can understand the need to be self-reliant and independent, but asking for help is never ever a sign of weakness. So many times in the story, she advises others to be open about their issues and get help, and if they are resistant to her suggestion, she thinks they are stubborn. But she herself is not taking her own advice. All this made me feel very annoyed with Kira and I struggled to read her parts in the first half. Later in the book, I did start liking Kira, because she was helping Henry a lot and I liked how passionate she was about her work.

I had issues with Barclay as well. He is very judgemental and becomes very self-centered towards the end. Also, he thinks everyone should behave the way he wants them to behave. He seems to blame his mother for having mental health issues, which to me, felt very insensitive. Both Barclay and Kira's tone often felt too complaining and whiny, and their behavior was just plain stupid in some places. There were also one or two places in the book where the characters make impolite references to the people living in ghettos. So all through this book, I was having a problem with one of the two main leads.

I liked the supporting characters in this book, like Henry, Millie, Mark, Barclay's parents. But my overall enjoyment was hampered because I was having issues connecting with the main characters. Also, the ending was too cheesy for me.

I would recommend this book to people who are looking for a light, cheesy romance.

ARC provided by NetGalley

I normally find Susie Tate's books to be emotional stories with complex characters, and that is true in this case also. However, her heroines, although some can be a little brash or extroverted, Kira takes it to a whole new level. I honestly felt that she was an absolute tornado.....a smart, compassionate, well meaning tornado. It was a little overwhelming and made it difficult for me to connect with her even though there were glimpses and scenes that showed her vulnerability. Honestly, I understood Barclay's hesitance and attitude. I would LOVE to think that a Prime Minister could have a spouse like Kira and not have there be a negative impact on his career.

The secondary characters were wonderful and truly helped to add dimension to both Kira and Barclay. Despite having some difficulty connecting with the heroine and a couple of questionable decisions made by both main characters, I did enjoy the story.