Anything but Easy

I can't say enough good things about this book. I love that Kira is an impulsive, free-spirited woman who isn't portrayed as a train wreck who is loved in spite of her personality. She is smart, talented, driven and successful. She and Barclay had an intense connection and she doesn't compromise who she is to fit into his life. Her friends were amazing and I want to go back and read their stories because I want more of these wonderful people.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review
Trigger warnings for sexual harassment and assault
Dr Kira Murphy is a sexual health doctor and works with patients with sexual diseases often in very unconventional ways. Her free spirit and lovable personality makes her a popular doctor and friend. When she helps Henry who has been diagnosed with HIV turn his life and attitude around she has no idea how much it will turn her world upside down. After seeing the huge changes in Henry after his visit with Dr Murphy Henry’s brother serious and straight laced Barclay approaches Kira and asks her to work with Henry on an ongoing basis. Kira is speechless not because of the offer but because Barclays is her celebrity crush. He is a minister in the British parliament and she has been adoring him from afar. Even with her crush offering her money she refuses to do it for pay and insists she will do it as a friend to Henry.
After a drunken night at Barclays and Henry’s house resulting in Kira sleeping there overnight she walk out the front door the next morning to find the footpath covered with reporters. Never one to shy away from free publicity Kira launches in to speeches about vaccines for young people and then provides free tea and biscuits to the reporters. This interaction has a positive outcome for Barclay and increases his popularity so he propositions Kira again and asks her to be his date to a few events. This is to be strictly a business agreement but Barclay finds himself drawn to Kira and her carefree ways and cannot get her out of his head.
Meanwhile Kira is struggling with an educator at work who creeps her out and makes unwanted advances towards her. Although others ask her if she is okay when they see her upset after seeing him she is not willing to burden them with this or report the educator for fear of not being believed.
This book made me laugh right from the first page. Kira was such a beautiful character that was quirky and carefree but also passionate about helping others in not only her life but in the community. There were some very serious topics that were tackled that I thought they were written and addressed fantastically. Henry’s story about acceptance of his diagnosis was a long road for him but with Kira’s sometimes soft sometimes harsh support he was able to,overcome his demons and start living his life. Her relationship with Barclay was full of laughter and tear and his growth as a person was also a great storyline.
I could not put this book down and I read it in one sitting (it is currently 2.30am). Fantastic for anyone wanting to laugh, cry and read about some serious and not so serious topics all in one.

Get ready to laugh until you cry while reading, Anything but Easy. There were a few serious points also that I enjoyed. This book is a definite reread in my future.

I’m a big fan of Susie Tate and have been waiting for her new book for a while and I’m so glad this one did not disappoint!

This is Kira’s book whose been a secondary character in early books and I also loved the fact we caught up with couples from earlier books, this added to my enjoyment of the book.

Kira is a outspoken fun loving doctor who meets strait laced Barclay Lucas, a politician who finds himself attracted to Kira despite their differences. This is an opposites attract romance, which leads to some hilarious scenes.

This book is really recommended, I read this in one sitting and will probably be rereading again in a few months like I usually do with Ms Tate’s books.

As well as being a great Romantic comedy, there were also some serious issues tackled in this book, which were dealt with really well.

Now I’ve finished, of course I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book!

ARC kindly received from the publisher/author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received this ARC from the Publisher via @netgalley

This book was good. Really good. It touched on very real issues in our society, issues that people don't always consider modern. I loved that Susie felt comfortable enough to address them.

Did I think that the couple were believable? No always, but at the end Susie made it all click together.
Did I love the patchwork quilt of characters in this book? Yes, absolutely.

Over all, a solid 4 star book. I would recommend this book to someone looking for a not always happy rom com to read.

I loved this book for sooo many reasons one of which and the main reasons is because it's hilarious... oh my goodness especially my girl Kira
I also loved the romance and the other amazing characters in this book
Thank you Susan, it's positive to say this book made my day when i was reading it

I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a bit of cray-cray with a dash of humor and lovee.

I so enjoy Susie Tate’s books. She writes interesting characters whose stories simply draw you in. In this book, the heroine, Kira, is one of the most charismatic and entertaining, yet vulnerable heroines that I’ve read. She’s larger than life although she’s very petite. She makes friends everywhere she goes as she works as a doctor specializing in sexual diseases in a London hospital. She has a crush on a sexy member of the Tory cabinet, Barclay Lucas. When she gets to meet him in real life after she helps his HIV-infected brother, he can’t resist her charm. He realizes that she is quite wacky, but her good humor and kindness also attracts him

Of course, a young Tory politician on the rise with an ambitious plan to switch the UK over to nuclear energy shouldn’t be hanging out with a girlfriend with a distressing tendency to start talking about preventing genital warts when she meets reporters and other cabinet officials. But he can’t resist her. Yet Kira is also experiencing sexual harassment from her boss at work and doesn’t want to have a boyfriend who sometimes tries to suppress her spirit.

I didn’t want this novel to end. The epilogue was great and I found myself wanting another novel to see what would happen after they were married.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

*Received an ARC for an honest review**** OMG. What kind of sorcery was this book? It had everything. It was funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, sweet, sexy and just a really good read. Kira is one of my most favorite heroines to date. The book is about Kira,”a self proclaimed sex doctor”, meeting and eventually starting a relationship with an uptight politician in the UK. She was such a quirky person but I loved how kind she was and how much joy she brought to the book. There is a little back and forth between the two characters and I honestly cried because Kira was hurt in the process. Cried. This book evokes ALL the emotions and I loved it! Note: This book is written by a British author so I didn’t quite get all the references but it in no way dulled the shine on this book! Highly, highly recommend!

I loved this book!! It had me from the very first page. I laughed out loud with Kira, I had happy tears, sad tears, felt such empathy for her on her kitchen bench, and man that sexual tension!! I would love to see this book come to the big screen!!!

I would like to thank netgalley and the author Susie Tate for this advance copy

Anything But Easy by Susie Tate the easiest five-star novel you will read. This was my first by this author, but I am certain it won’t be the last, there was something extra special about Kira, she just melted my heart and made me realise that I was stronger than I ever realised as the way she reacted was the same as me I hid and shied away and that it was okay as we both eventually came out the other side. But that’s not the only thing about this story, it is filled with funny medical stories and a book club that is anything but, and a Tory politician who also isn’t anything like what you imagine he should be, it also has the amazing undercurrent of destigmatising HIV and other sexual health matters and also shining a light on how important vaccination is, and how people don’t seem to understand how seriously they need to be taken. This was really well done and had a very nicely done lightness that balanced the heavier subjects making it a fun read that won you over and made you root for Kiki and The Badger. (Special mention to the hilarious names, I am also a re-namer and loved some of these I am sure they will make it to my repertoire there were already one or two in there but some of these need taking and giving a re-naming ceremony of their own).

I instantly fell in love with Kira and her personality. This was a totally unpredictable romantic comedy, because of her. You never knew what she was going to do or say next. Braclay is a politician, serious and straight-laced. They definitely help balance each other out, with Kira still being true to herself.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Susie Tate for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Wow this was quite a ride. I loved the characters! Kira and Barclay had great chemistry! this book made me smile, and.laugh. It still has things to say about sexual health as well. I truly enjoyed this book. 4.5 star

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!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Another fantastic read from Susie Tate. I thought the previous book was good but this one was even better!
I connected with these 2 characters and the story, beside being funny was also emotional with the problems that Kira and Barclay were facing. I love all books written by Susie Tate. I’ve read them all and enjoyed them so much.To sum it up, loved this book, would recommend and will be reading the next one.

Kira Murphy might only be five foot tall but she has a lot of personality. She's quirky, unpredictable, a loose cannon. During her role as a 'sex doctor' GU registrar at St Thomas' hospital she speaks her mine to a HIV patient who is non-compliant with his medication. He is shocked to hear a doctor talk to him in that way but somehow it seems to work better than all the other doctors he's had to deal with since his diagnosis.

Barclay Lucas is a politician, a tory, attempting to save the world. One environmental cause at a time. After hearing what an affect Dr Murphy had on his brother he goes in search to Hire them. Only he wasn't expecting Kira. She refuses to take on Henry as a patient and as a private patient. She doesn't take on any paid work on top of her NHS contract. But she agrees to go and see Henry as a friend. Barclay is confused, irritated and unsure what he's got himself into.

A fake relationship is spun by Barclay's press Secretary after the press see Kira leaving the house. She agrees to help for Henry's sake, but like all good fake relationships it's not quite fake on both sides but they are polar opposites in almost every area of their lives. Although their is more going on in Kira's life than Barclay's knows about - will he be there for her when she needs him?

A story of opposites attract, acceptance, dealing with depression and gaslighting. A feeling of Notting Hill and Love Actually runs through the storyline and characters.

Anything but Easy is another uplifting, humorous romance from this wonderful author, Kira a character from the fabulous Beg Borrow or Steal and Limits now has her own spot in the lime light and what a rollercoaster of a journey it is.
Progressing in her medical career, Kira stands in for one of the consultants at the sexual health clinic, here she sees Henry who is HIV positive and not being compliant with his treatment and having given up on life. After discussing his future in uncompromising terms and taking no nonsense from him Henry appears to take on board what she tells him.
Having a big crush on conservative cabinet minister Barclay Lucas she is shocked when he comes to the hospital telling her he is Henry’s brother and requesting she treat him privately, devastated at Henry’s condition he realised Kira was the first person to get through to him. Kira refuses point blank to work privately and tells him so in her own forthright way, she says though she will be Henry’s friend and help him.
Barclay is stiff and straight laced and has never met anyone like Kira, he is bewitched, she is in lust, this is a beautiful relationship but it becomes very rocky due to Barclays inability to relax and just be taken along on what will be a wonderful ride, with some heartbreaking moments, as with all these books the great journey we are taken on is totally worth it, and the epilogue an absolute blast. Thank you for another brilliant read.
My grateful thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Kira is an over-the-top, funny, quirky doctor. Barclay is a reserved, serious, stoic politician. How will they ever have a relationship? Read this laugh out loud, cry real tears story to see what happens.

** ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review **

This has to be hands down my favourite Susie Tate book so far, and I have loved each one.

This is a romantic comedy and the story is told in an engaging way in alternating first person viewpoints of the main characters. The plot is absorbing and well paced and is reminiscent of a Pride and Prejudice theme, which is quite frankly the best trope there is (in my humble opinion).

The dialogue is what makes the book such a good romantic comedy, there are some real laugh out loud moments. But there are also some tough subjects addressed in the story, which are done respectfully, but with a little banter, which really brings a sense of 'normal' to the discussion of sexual health

I found the main characters of Kira and Barclay to be incredibly well written, having truly relatable vulnerabilities and flaws that made them all the more likable and compelling. It was easy to become emotionally invested in them as a couple, they really are the embodiment of opposites attract.

Highly recommended!

ARC provided for an honest review from Netgalley.



Oh my God.
This book was love at first word. I have always been a fan of Susie Tate's writing as it has the power to transport you to Faraway Britain,from where ever you might be and this book was no exception.
Kira had always been a well loved character in the previous two books of the series and I had always been curious about her.
Let me tell you the author has done her character complete justice. From the first page itself I was in peals of laughter.
Kira's character is extremely well written and she is humorous, quirky and over anything else so damn lovable and strong. Barclay is the perfect partner for her and his character development is a thing of beauty. He is the perfect Yin to her Yang, calm to her storm.
The entire books just flows from page one.
Kira becomes a part of you and you cannot help but shed tears when a sad part comes.
In short I loved loved loved this book. I devoured it in 5.5 hours flat in one sitting because I couldn't bear to put it down.
I have to say that till now Limits was my favourite book of the author with a close competition by Beg,Borrow, Steal but Anything but Easy definitely blows both of them out of the water as my favourite.
I am definitely buying a hard copy for my shelf on 13th September.

After finishing two really long and heavy fantasy books I was looking for a bit of light relief and this book perfectly fit the bill. I found it to be a compelling read and could not put it down. It is so refreshing, easy to read, humorous and I really enjoyed the opposites attract trope.

Kira is an energetic quirky and flamboyant character who is not afraid to speak her mind. She works as a sexual health doctor and is completely dedicated to her profession and also committed to helping people in her community. Despite her extrovert personality she completely wins people over and she is extremely well liked. Barclay on the other hand is a serious, straight-laced politician. I enjoyed the banter between them and there are some really funny and sweet moments. Their paths cross when Barclay asks for Kira’s help following her positive clinic consultations with his brother, who as a consequence is now showing a marked improvement. There is a great cast of supporting characters, the author really had a way of making their personalities shine and they are all so likeable. There are some serious issues explored, such as HIV stigmatism and sexual harassment which are sensitively addressed by the author.

All in all a fabulous book with great characters, a good plot and some wonderful laugh out load moments. This is such a fun story and the epilogue is wonderful. A gave it 5 stars as it hit the nail on the head for me in terms of what I needed to read at the time. I haven’t read any of this author’s books before, but I will certainly be exploring her previous novels.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book.