This book had the potential for being a great story. Exploring the idea of two people, almost strangers, deciding it was the right time in their lives to be parents but not having the right partner at the time. So they decide to co-parent together, exploring the idea and spending time together to become friendly enough to go ahead with this idea.

Whilst I accept this may not be an acceptable way of parenting to a lot of people and I would not consider the idea myself, it is an interesting concept with a lot to explore. However, I felt as this story went on, it was less about the initial concept and became a traditional romance. The more time Dee and Andy spent together, the more they realised they were falling for each other.

The ending of the book also felt very rushed and tried to cram a lot of drama into it where I felt there was no need. Dee’s two best friends had baby issues of their own, Roo was struggling to conceive and Minnie had an abortion, and Dee was stuck in the middle. The final explosive argument all seemed too much. Also, the bit with Andy’s ex-wife seemed unnecessary apart from causing the third act break-up before the relationship had chance to bloom.

All in all, this was an average read for me, but not one that will particularly stick in my head for any length of time.

The story dives into the chaos of modern dating, and Hughes does a fantastic job capturing all the awkwardness, hilarity, and heart that comes with it. The main character, Tori, is sharp, self-deprecating, and so easy to root for as she navigates her love life (and the occasional disaster) with a mix of charm and humour.

What stood out for me was how much heart the book had beneath the laughs. It’s not just about dating mishaps – it’s also about friendships, self-acceptance, and figuring out what really makes you happy. The pace wobbled slightly in places, but overall, it’s a fresh, funny, and uplifting story that feels so true to life. If you’re after a smart, contemporary romcom with plenty of laughs and a dash of heart, this one’s a great pick!

A lighthearted, sometimes humorous romp with some valid moral points.
I found this book easy to read and fairly fast paced.
The characters were descriptive and likeable and the subject matter engaging.
I loved Andy the chef and I’m glad how everything turned out in the end!

This book was like a lot of others that I have read previously.

It had a good mix of love, families and drama, but wasn’t anything special.

A pleasant read.

i loved the development of dee and andy, and their decision towards the end of the book. the friendships were so wonderful to read about and so was the relationship between dee and her mum and stepmum.

the story shows a clear development of character in dee and i really enjoyed reading it!

Thank you to netgalley for an arc of this book!

Unfortunately this wasn’t one for me. It was okay just quite generic and not one that stood out among the countless romance books out there. I liked the story but yeah just not one I’d revisit.

Really enjoyed reading this. A lovely book, well written and just the right pace.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A really interesting take on choices around parenting and families. The strongest part of the book was the characters, who felt fully fledged and complex. I wasn't hugely invested in the romance but it was still an engaging and fun read, despite the more serious moments.

A nice easy beach read, which I recommend to anyone going away!
Lovely book, well written and just the right pace.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and easy read that explored the different challenges young women face in society. I loved the friendship between Dee and her friends, the different attitudes towards life and the struggles they faced.

I didn't feel the romance part of the story as much as I'd hoped but I could appreciate the relationship between Dee and Andy.

3.5 🌟

Funny, sharp and very readable. This was a great book which made you think about life in general. I loved the characters very much. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This book was a bit of a curve ball for me. I didn't read the blurb before reading so I went in blind.

Dee for me was a hard character to warm too. Spending so much of her life with a over baring best friend definitely showed! Alongside her initial, awful taste in men! She was very much a person who did whatever made everyone else happy. But as time went on she slowly started doing things for herself. I do wish this side came out sooner.

The ending for me felt a tiny bit rushed. There was a lot of build up with her fertility problems and I don't feel like there was a very satisfying end on that part.

However I did find it refreshing that in this book they talked about pregnancy and babies from all points of view. For some people kids are the main goal. For others it can be an unexpected accident that doesn't fit into their plans. It was lovely reading the story of these ,3 friends who all had a different approach to family life.

I would have liked to have seen a better relationship built with her mum throughout. It seems like all her childhood issues were forgettable and it was easier to not interact with her mum and instead skirt around her to Ines her wife.

Overall a very well woven web of different relationships and lifestyles interacting, trying to figure life out together. I enjoyed the bumps and emotions throughout. A real thought provoking read.

I really enjoyed It’s Complicated by Emma Hughes. The book explored heavy themes while still keeping the reader entertained.

I really enjoyed the character development in It’s Complicated, Hughes did a great job at bringing memorable characters to life. I really felt for them all on this journey.

I thought I was getting a romance book when I requested this on NetGalley, but the romance felt secondary to the other themes.

As a woman who’s struggled with fertility problems, this almost felt like a cathartic read and I feel the author wrote about the subject with understanding and respect.

This was such a fun read!

I loved reading a romance where the characters weren't in their early 20s and thinking everything was the end of the world. These were grown-ups dealing with the life that was in front of them. I've made it sound like a super heavy story, it wasn't it was a lovely, easy read. Although some may find it hard to read about starting a family.
I would definitely recommend this book, and will be looking out for more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an advanced copy of this book.

Oh this novel! It spoke to me in so so many ways.
I’m an adult woman, who is more or less coming up to the age where if I want children, I need to act now. I’ve never been maternal or had any desire for children and sometimes I’ve felt as though there’s something wrong with me
It’s very rare you pick a book up like this where you feel so satisfied with your life choice and can resonate with a character so much. Minnie was like my soul sister
Dee, Roo and Minnie were the perfect friends. Such a diverse group of friends, but they worked so perfectly. I wanted to be in their whaysapp group! I wanted to be part of their group and honestly I was so glad of the ending
I am especially glad Dee didnt end up with Nat and that he didn’t really get what he wanted either
This book was everything I needed in a book and I highly recommend it
There are some triggers in this book, including abortion and fertility issues

Really enjoyed this book. It was very easy to read. Fast paced. Fun. 🤩 think everyone would like this book.

Unfortunately I read this when long-term sick and so while I noted a star rating, at the time I didn't have capacity for reviews for everything I was reading, and am only now just getting round to giving my feedback. Sorry that's not super helpful

It certainly was complicated ! But a great read. This was not a light hearted read but a more substantial book. Difficult themes were handled sensitively and the characters were very relatable
A really enjoyable read
Thanks to Netgalley, Emma Hughes’s and Random House for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

'It's Complicated' is a highly enjoyable read that features some hard hitting subjects. There are moments of real sadness and emotion throughout but there is also a lot of love and laughter. The characters are really strong, I could really feel their friendship coming through the story and I loved getting to know them and following them throughout their lives. I did think the plot was obvious but I still liked the plot and it was nice to know there was predictability coming.
Hughes' has done a great job at capturing human emotion on every spectrum and creating a cast of characters who you really care about. This was a really entertaining read with thought-provoking subjects and I really enjoyed my time reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for an advance copy.

just like the title says... is a little bit complicated. clever, funny and heart-warming novel. Hughes takes a fairly outlandish premise - a single thirtysomething woman, Dee, learns that she may only have a short time in which to have a baby, and decides to explore 'platonic co-parenting' with a chef, Andy, she's only just met - and weaves it into an plausible, believable and relatable narrative.