I was given a free copy of an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


This story is about Kira Murphy, a junior doctor in the UK in the genitourinary department. She has on out there, eccentric personality which she sometimes gets flack for. She has been mooning over Barclay Lucas who is a politician in the British Parliament. One day, she meets him because she has been able to help his little brother with an issue that he thought was unresolvable. Thus their journeys begin.

I really came to love Kira as a character because her eccentricities make her who she is although she does have some insecurities about. She also becomes more insecure due to her boss sexually harassing her and I’m glad that she found her voice to speak up. It’s not easy to speak on these issues, especially in work environments that are dominated by males. I also loved the added touch about her work and what she does and trying to correct misinformation about sexual health, HIV and the stigma that comes with having it.

However, Barclay really got on my nerves at times. I didn’t really like how he was trying to change Kira’s personality to fit with him, his job and society. I did really like that the issues he had were very realistic and was not sugar coated and just skimmed over. I like that the big blow up that him and Kira has wasn’t skirted over and they just made up because he said sorry. She really had an issue with what he said, she told him outright and did not take him back immediately. Although, maybe fleshing out the time in between when they break up and get back together would be good. I like that they both changed some parts of themselves for the betterment of their relationship.

I also really liked all the side character as well, especially Henry, Kim, Mark, and Mellie. I would love to learn more about Mellie and her journey as well.

Overall, I liked this book, although there were some issues. I feel like with a bit of tweaking here and there, it could’ve been a 5 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for giving me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

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.

ANYTHING BUT EASY is a romance novel, so of course our protagonists are going to become a couple, but when hippy-child and carefree Dr. Kira Murphy crosses paths with burdened-by-responsibility Barclay Lucas, you do wonder how such diverse and solid personalities will get there. And we do get there. Susie Tate has brought us another terrific read with this story of an NHS doctor whose light-heartedness clashes with an uptight Tory politician.

The attraction between Kira and Barclay is certainly electric yet between those hot-n-heavy moments, there was plenty of communication. The fought, bickered, insulted and even hurt one another but each interaction brought a better understanding between them.

There are plenty of shenanigans; some made me laugh, some had me wanting to take a Kira break – hey, I’m an introvert and Kira is an exhausting character – but I was always entertained.
Several characters from previous Tate books also make an appearance. Anything But Easy is book three in the Beg. Borrow or Steal series but it can be read as a standalone story.

I typically stay away from romance books featuring politicians – they’re not my thing – but here I am recommending this story by a hugely talented romance book author.

Review copy courtesy of the author and Netgalley

I really like Susie Tate’s writing style and her previous books have always been good so I was very excited to get stuck into this one. I liked that we got both Kira and Barclay’s pov throughout the story and I also enjoyed catching glimpses of characters from past books. I did find Kira to be a bit of a ‘manic pixie dream girl’ at times and there were some points where I got very irritated with her character (lack of caring for her own personal safety!). Even though I was rooting for them I did feel Barclay needed to do a lot more than he did at the end given how harsh he was to Kira. Think I need him to show more of an interest in her whole world rather than just the “weird” / “wacky” bits. I especially liked the way the author handled Henry’s story and HIV. Kira’s interactions with Henry and how she played a role in pulling him back into the world were a highlight for me. Overall a good book, well worth a read.

As always I just love these British books by Susie Tate (a GP herself), in this case about tiny hurricane Kira and Tory politician Barclay.

I must say I found Kira to be a bit tiresome sometimes, the energy exploding from her making me roll my eyes. But I do know some people like her and it is spot on. I liked the fact the characters from the other books are in this book as well (Millie/Pav, Libby/Jamie and even Sam - who notes the fact Kira is like his wife Katie). Very enjoyable!!!


*** I got an ARC from Netgalley and this is my honest and voluntary (and enhousiastic) review. ***