Couldn't get into this one. Loved the opening and found the protagonist to be dynamic and was really intrigued by the premise. However, despite the humourous writing style, this novel was less comedic than I was expecting and while I enjoyed the narrative, the plot itself struggled to maintain my interest.

A cute little romance about love in all its forms. Vivid characters bring this love story to life, peppering their problems all over the place and helping each other figure out the solutions.

I really wanted to enjoy this one but the writing style just wasn't for me and I couldn't get into it. It takes alot for me to dnf a book but this one just didn't hook me like I hoped it would.

Imagine being in your mid-thirties and told that you'd better get a wiggle on if you want kids because your body is not being very cooperative.
This is the situation our main character, Dee, finds herself in. She's always wanted a family, and now, with a relationship that hinges on a childhood crush crumbling, she is at a loss as to what she can do to boost her chances of making her dream come true.
Dee rides the storm with her two best friends, Roo, inseparable since school, and Minnie, a more recent addition to their friendship circle. Both have strong opinions and battles to fight in the fertility/pregnancy stakes.
The idea of co-parenting with someone else desperate for a child but not in a relationship is planted. Soon, a chance meeting with chef Andy and some drunken disclosures later, Dee finds herself possibly embarking on a co-parenting journey.
This book has many offshoot stories regarding Dee's friends, her mother, Alice and her partner Ines, and snippets of her relationship with her estranged father, who is living in Denmark.
It is a pleasant read with some deeper issues that haven't been explored fully.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and Cornerstone (Penguin Books) for an ARC.

I really enjoyed the first half of it I found it really interesting and different, but somewhere around the middle it lost my attention. I normally love a cheesy romance but I didn’t think there was much chemistry between Andy and Dee, everything was just so circumstantial and they were both attractive.
The ending was a bit too neat for me, and a bit rushed.
I’d read more work by the author, but this just wasn’t my fave.

I really enjoyed reading this, at times it had me laughing out loud. A great storyline of a woman discovering her worth however as the title implies - it's not an easy ride! Well written and definitely worth a read.

I really enjoyed this book. The relationship between the three main characters was great and I loved how their relationships interwove with the the other characters in the book.

Perfect beach read, devoured it in an afternoon. Loved the three main characters and how their lives connected throughout.
Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read it

Loved this one, the three main female characters were so interesting -we are all so different aren’t we! I enjoyed how the relationship developed between Dee and Andy.

Fabulous rom com From Emma Hughes- loved the characters, loved the plot, loved the fact that Dee's life wasnt all perfect and breezy - she had some great depths to her character and interesting personality twists. Easy to read, a great page-turner - I wouldnt have changed anything about it!

Sadly this didn't really work for me, the writing was great and I thought the premise and blurb sounded really interesting but I don't think it worked in execution. This book touched on a lot of deep, serious topics regarding Pro-choice, pressures on women and different fertility difficulties which is very unique and not touched on upon enough in media. However I think it was so highly focused on this and the friendship between the women and I felt like the co-parenting and relationship/romantic narrative was lost and I didn't feel absorbed or like it actually was the same book the blurb promised. I did feel slightly disappointed, but many people did enjoy this book so I think this is just not for me and my opinions are no reflection on the author as she is a very good writer.

I just adored this book. I started and finished it in the same day. I love the journey we went on with Dee and gang, because yes it is not just Dee’s story. I won’t say what it was it is but, there is something at the end that made me believe I was supposed to read this book. I have only had this feeling a handful of times but it was there,
It was a beautiful book that made me laugh and cry. All the emotions!!! Please, please read this when it comes out.
I was absolutely be picking up a physical copy. Definitely something I will Re-read without a doubt.

I loved this. As a huge fan of No Such Thing as Perfect I was excited for It's Complicated, and it did NOT disappoint. Warm, funny, with believable characters. I hope Emma writes more - I will be ready and waiting to read!

Relevant, vivid, and enjoyable. Emma Hughes brings out the good in friendships and paints the picture of a thirty-something’s busy life in London.
Dee Jensen, now thirty-five, feels she’s stuck in life. Her job isn’t exciting, her housing situation isn’t ideal, and her relationship is there, for now… then something time-sensitive she had never needed to think about suddenly becomes the front focus. But is she ready for this big change? Dee’s life seems to unravel around her and only her close friends Roo and Minnie and her stepmother Ines keep her together.
It’s Complicated was easy to get into and enjoyable. It touched on many important themes and had a wide gallery of memorable characters. I made an instant connection with Dee that stayed with me during the entire book.
Dee’s friendships are strong and true without the extra drama. Instead, Hughes focused on the important problems and made these centre of attention, proving that you don’t have to make your characters drama-stirring assholes to make the story interesting.
The book was a bit educating at times (in a good way) as it brings up topics such as infertility, hormone troubles, early menopause, and abortion, to mention some. Being a woman in her mid-thirties, Dee experiences the impact of her failed expectations about herself and the societal struggles that come with it. Both of her friends also deal with different issues related to this, which was very enlightening. We also get to see the impact of Dee’s childhood growing up with a single parent with mental health struggles and the effect it had on their relationship.
The story had depth on several levels and felt complete and left no loose ends. I think these characters will stay with me for a long time as they really came alive on the page and their struggles seemed so realistic it felt like I experienced them with them.
The story focuses more on Dee’s friendships and the romantic drama comes secondhand. In my opinion, this doesn’t matter, as I really enjoyed seeing Dee seek help from her friends and family to deal with her troubles and didn’t run right to the next guy. The relationship evolved in a natural way that didn’t feel rushed, and Dee came to see the bigger picture.
If you like steamy romance, this might not be for you, but if you like a story about being a woman in your thirties, dealing with expectations about motherhood and family, friendships, and success in life, this might be the book for you.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher. This was just an okay read for me. okay storyline and okay characters

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book, the initial premise was engaging and the cast of characters were all written well.

Enjoyable story of Dee and her best friends, Roo and Minnie; her mum and step-mum; and her love-life.

The story didn’t quite go in the direction I expected, as it opens with childhood friends Roo and Dee discussing Dee’s feelings for Nat, who seems to have been indicating that he might also have feelings for Dee… but he goes out with someone else instead and leaves Dee a little bit heartbroken.

Wind forward 16+ years and he’s back in Dee’s life.

However he doesn’t serve much of a purpose really, other than to remind Dee that she probably needs more in her life!

Mix in fertility issues, a brooding chef and a sprinkling of supporting characters and this is more an exploration of relationships between the women and of Dee with herself than the expected romance.

I really enjoyed getting to know Dee and hearing about her life, her work etc

If I have a criticism, it’s that I really wanted to find out more about some of the other characters. Perhaps I just wanted to spend more time with Dee.

Very enjoyable, light-hearted read that touches on some serious, challenging issues.

A lovely story about three friends and how there lives navigate. It was well written and a perfect beach read.

Review for NetGalley: This was a really enjoyable read. It’s Complicated centres around Dee as she navigates turning 35 and the story focuses a lot on her people-pleasing anxieties, friendship and, family dynamics, and her want to start a family. After her relationship comes to an end, Dee contemplates platonic co-parenting with Andy, the grumpy chef. The development of their friendship is really sweet, but I would say that this sits more in the ‘women’s fiction’ genre as opposed to a more traditional romance.

It reminded me a lot of Mhairi McFarlene’s books both in terms of writing style and the sense of humour and well crafted relationships.

A nice read about 3 friends and their relationship. Deals with some difficult issues in a well handled way. Recommend.