Overall an ok book, there were some good moments that had me laughing out loud but not enough for me to rate it above 3.5 stars. It just didn't quite do it for me but maybe I am not quite in the age group to enjoy it as much as others.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 from me for this one.

Love love love this book. Made me laugh out loud. Author very clever at observing life and capturing the reader in.. Found it very easy to relate to being a woman of a similar age too

I thought this was brilliant and really well written. Really relatable. I’ve recommended it to my book club. Thank you.

An enjoyable, easy read which is very easy to relate to.

Kate is approaching 50 with 2 teenagers, Richard her husband going through a midlife crisis and a dog. This book was a fabulous read. Hillarious in parts and leaves you wanting to give Richard a good slap at times; a great portrailal of aging and coping with life.

Well worth the wait. Hugely entertaining and amusing but with a good dose of wisdom too. An easy and enjoyable read.

A truthful insight into the life of a 40-something woman. Extremely relatable, readers empathise with, laugh and cry with Kate Reddy as we support her along the way. A realistic, yet uplifting novel.

This book was at times a true reflection of me and my fifty something friends, we could all relate to kate, useless husband teenagers then trying to get a job again when you 49! Even if you have more common sense and life skills than these jumped up little boys who think they know it all - ha ha
Whilst reading it I became aware that I was just like Kate and she was empowering me to stand up to stroppy teenagers
This book punched all the right buttons in fact it would do men and teenagers to read it forewarned is for armed !!!

The sequel to 'I dont Know How She Does it' follows Kate as she faces 50 - with teengae kids, a husband having a midlife crisis, aging parents needing extra care whilst trying to forge a return the work place.

This book has all the ingredients for a great read... interesting topics, a main character so many women can relate to and very funny in places.

However for me the book drags in places and Kates personality isnt consistent and seems to change to make other plot elements fit.

Sometimes it feels like Allison Pearson has written this with a view to getting another film deal rather than as a book in its own right.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review :-)

Every woman floating around fifty, with or without teenagers should read this book. It made me laugh, it made me think ‘oh, I’m normal then’ and it made me glad I walked away from the patriarchy when I had my children. The only niggle is the proposition that having twins is a nightmare, having twins is a rollercoaster ride like all parenting but with amplified highs and lows.

I really enjoyed this follow up book featuring one of my all time favourite characters, Kate Reddy. An interesting and humorous look at what happens to our lives as we get older and I laughed out loud at several parts.
The only character I didn't take to was Kate's husband Richard who it seems has went all new-agy and irritating - I really felt like kicking him at times as I'm sure Kate did!
As a mum of teenagers I found Ms Pearson's observations accurate and amusing and could relate to Kate's feelings completely. A great follow up but could well be a stand alone for new readers also.
Thanks to Netgalley for ARC.

I loved her first book and this does not disappoint. I found it so realistic, maybe as I am the same age with teenagers and ageing parents - an easy read and funny and truthful.

It’s not often you come across a truly funny and entertaining book like this one.

Kate is a 50-year-old woman, needing to go back to work, dealing with stroppy teenagers and a husband that has turned into a “New Ager” and is not earning any money.

I have not read the first book and I will buy it, as I enjoyed this one so much.

I highly recommend this book.

Fatima

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

This isn’t my usual genre but I like to read outside my comfort zone and I’m not disappointed. This was an easy to read, enjoyable and heartwarming story. Although at times I struggled with the pace of the story as I found it a bit slow and predictable, overall a good story,

A funny and refreshing read! Kate is nearly 50 years old and is trying to balance finding a new job, family and her aging mother. Initially, while things look they're going to take a turn for the worst, she ends up turning things around to her full advantage including contact with her previous love interest!! The dynamics between Kate and her husband had me crying with laughter throughout the book and I felt she handled the situation with such balls and class. I liked a lot of the banter and one liners used by Kate and could truly identify with her position both as a mother and partner. A recommended read for all ages especially us older ones!

This book was so warm, witty, clever and compelling that I could hardly put it down. The characters were all believable and I felt a connection to each of them. It was only once I’d finished the book that I realised I was reading a sequel! How wonderful that I get to read more from about Kate! I just wish that I had read them in order. However not reading the first one did not hinder the enjoyment of the second so I am going to assume it works both ways. An absolutely sublime read, I’m sad that I’ve finished!

I was kindly sent a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What a treat!

Kate Reddy is not without a few problems: teenagers and their problems (do you even know what a 'belfie' is?), an old house in need of upgrading and almost constant attention from Piotr the builder, a 'drop out' husband trying to find himself by studying mindfulness, ageing and ailing parents, trying to get back into work after years away, a big birthday (50) looming, approaching menopause and the forgetfulness that often accompanies it. Modern parenting is definitely not easy.

She had been a successful fund manager.

She really needs to get back into the workplace and start earning to support the family. To give herself a chance of getting a job she knocks a few years off her age (and the ages of her children) and gets a bit creative with her CV. She ends up getting a job at her old workplace but keeps quiet about the connection she has, although no one recognises her, the company having changed hands twice while she was away, and her old colleagues long gone. Her boss and colleagues are all so much younger and less experienced but she keeps quiet about her earlier successful career.

Of course it seems her boss is trying to set her up to fail. She gets the difficult clients and there are clashes with work and family life (and a few dilemmas). It's definitely not easy juggling work and the demands of family life.

I think everyone will identify with at least a part of Kate. I celebrated the big birthday long ago (and the big one after that). I was never really a career person; my children are grown up with children of their own and yet I can still recognise and sympathise with Kate's predicament.

It's brilliantly written and very funny but also quite sad. Kate is a wonderfully vivid character, in fact all the characters (good and 'bad') have their parts to play. It's a really good, entertaining read.

I have just had the pleasure of finishing this book, it came highly recommended and I can see why. This book was a strike of comedy genius, it tackles the lovely Kate and her trials and tribulations of being a premenopausal working mum, it made me laugh throughout, it will strike a chord with any working mum as we have all been her at some point. Praise for Allison Pearson on being able to capture all of this so well and create a book full of pure comedy moments.

This is a fabulous read that contains so many memorable incidents as Kate returns to life in the City after Rich decides to leave his job to study Mindfulness. If you add to the mix a teenager who uploads a dodgy photo plus her brother who is joined at the hip to his computer game. The novel vividly describes how age is now a problem for employers and Kate shaves off some years to get her job. The usual male City brokers dominate Kate’s workplace and one of the funniest scenes is her pitch to a Russian as she copes with the onset of menopause. Slowly she regains her confidence as she juggles her family and inlaws and becomes part of a group of females who are trying to return to the workplace. Iris a fantastically funny novel which made me laugh out loud especially when American Jack from her past returns to the picture.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I hadn't read the previous book but it didn't matter. I sympathise with Kate as "Perry's" influence affected her, and was pleased with how She managed to overcome that and the many other obstacles thrown her way. Would be pleased to read more about the characters, and plan to read the first book now.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advance copy.