This novel is an amusing yet realistic take on the "Sandwich woman". Middle age women layer parenting on one side and elder care giving of parents or in-laws on the other. In the middle are home and career responsibilities. Add in a dose of marital malaise and menopause, and you have Kate's life in a nutshell. It is complicated and sometimes completely overwhelming. Presented in first person, Ms. Pearson, the author, makes the story fresh by using comic satire and mixing in text and email messaging. Kate's life is not easy and certainly not fair, but it makes for a great read.
I would recommend this title particularly to women who might relate to the middle aged Kate: a working mom going through menopause with a husband who doesn't appreciate her and leaves her responsible for finances, kids, and parents while he reinvents himself. It is entertaining and highly readable. Thankfully Kate's patience and long suffering pay off when she finally reaches her own wished for hopes and goals. I found this story to be both fun to read and important. This would be a good book club choice for a women's fiction group.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of How Hard Can It Be? I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Kate Reddy did not plan on reentering the workforce after spending years raising her children, but her husband's abrupt career change has left her with no other option. When her age becomes a barrier, Kate decides to fudge her resume and take charge of her own future. Will an unexpected visitor from her past give Kate a whole new direction to follow?

I did like the humor in this book, but I found that I just did not find Kate's story to feel authentic or realistic. It did not seem likely that this strong, determined, and witty woman would have stood for the treatment she faced from her family. I did not sympathize with Kate, although I definitely should have considering all that occurs in the book. The lighthearted look kept How Hard Can It Be? afloat, making it more entertaining and interesting. I would be hesitant to recommend the book to other readers, because of the holes in the story and the unlikable characters.

In a sequel to "I Don't Know How She Does It," Kate Reddy returns and is on the verge of turning 50. While she is ushering in the new decade, her life is in turmoil. Her husband has quit his job and seems to be experiencing a severe midlife crisis. Her children have entered the tumultuous years of adolescence and her daughter is experiencing a frightening aspect on the road to maturity.
Kate lands a temporary job where she use to work years before but, when applying feels she must lie about her age in order to even be considered for employment. Her life is further complicated when a former love interest reappears.
There were many times when I was laughing out loud. However, beneath the levity there is a timely message relative to today's world.

I was very excited to catch up with Kate. I loved I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT. Unfortunately, the story got too bogged down with emails, trivial details of home improvement, and cliches. So many middle age cliches! It also took on too many issues, gambling, social media, Alzheimer's, age discrimination, phew! The ending was incredibly unrealistic. Why take on a realistic topic and give it a fairy tale ending?

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Allison Pearson, How hard can it be? (2017)

I loved it but boy did it sting! I had read the first novel “I don’t know how does she it” probably around 2005, at any case before starting this blog, and I had always felt that the ending could not end just like that. For those who haven’t read it, Kate Reddy realized she could not have it all (gasp!) and left London and her job in a big financial fund to go north near her mother to take care of her kids (gasp!). As a full-time working mother I felt it was a bit of a let-down (well, to be honest, I just felt betrayed). I don’t have a blog post about reading the book, but I remember that it loomed on my mind when I became a mother in 2008 and when I had to return to my day job 2 1/2 months after, as per French legal dispositions:

How I come to rethink Allison Pearson’s “I don’t know how she does it” not as a pink-covered chick lit hit but as a dark and desperate cautionary social tale à la Dickens.

How did Kate Reddy grow and evolve over nearly 2 decades? Well, she approaches the terrible age of F… Fifty, that is. She has two teenagers, a husband going through midlife crisis, ageing parents, and she needs to get a proper paycheck to balance it all. But as she quickly realizes that the big bad F-word scares employers away, she decides to take drastic measures… and lie about her age.

It is sharp and hilarious and unvarnished about the dilemma that women face around the age of F… (the age that must not be named!), the double standard, the physical changes (hot flashes, forgetfulness, etc.), the invisibility, the age discrimination, etc. I will not reveal the ending but it is charming and uplifting and unrealistic enough to make Kate Reddy firmly belong in chick lit land. But Pearson has a piercing eye for details and comical situations and the plot often walks a fine line between comedy, tragedy and social criticism. For those who have read the first book as for the newbies who are anywhere near the age of F… , the book comes highly recommended!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.

I enjoyed many parts to this story. Kate was a character I could relate to and I found that her trials and tribulations surrounding turning 50 seemed so on point. The pace and structure worked well for me and I enjoyed Kate's ability to keep a sense of humor . I did find that this was a bit too long and maybe tried to cover too many topics which resulted in me feeling the author was trying a bit too hard. An overall ok read in the end for me

In How Hard Can it Be?, author Allison Pearson has continued the story of Kate Reddy. When we last saw Kate in I Don’t Know How She Does It, she was a harried business executive trying to balance her career, marriage, and caring for her young children. Flash forward almost a decade and Kate is attempting to re-enter the workforce while closing in on her 50th birthday. She finds herself stuck in the “sandwich years”, parenting sullen teens who are immersed in a technology/social media driven world, and also caring for aging parents. A crumbling marriage and peri menopause add to the humorous fodder. The novel initially reads like a stand up comedy narrative before the actual story unfolds, but Pearson does a solid job of depicting the pressures of aging in the workplace and the challenges of caring for elderly parents while still raising children. This should be a solid 4 star chicklit, but I found myself getting annoyed throughout the book that Kate (the narrator) continually lobbed clues about her daughter and husband that she herself was clueless about. She also complained incessantly about her husband’s disconnect from his family, but kept him in the dark about a huge family issue. Overall a solid beach book or book club pick with a great message. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.

I liked this book for the plot behind the story...Kate, at almost 50 is balancing a lot on her plate but like most mom's she puts herself last and is just focusing on survival. Somewhere in the writing I feel like it got too bogged down with her age and how she was hiding it and it lost me for a bit. I do like how it ended with all those loose strands but still giving you enough to come up with your own happy ending.

If you loved, I Don't Know How She Does It, then you will love the sequel, How Hard Can it Be? Any woman who has ever juggled home, job, marriage, and family has probably asked that very question, "How hard can it be?" while simultaneously staggering under how hard it actually is! Although How Hard Can it Be is a sequel, even readers who haven't read the first installment, I Don't Know How She Does It, will find this book completely relevant and laugh-out-loud funny. Full of relatable, genuine characters, How Hard Can it Be will have you nodding your head in agreement as you read, laugh, cringe, sigh, and smile. Don’t miss this one!

A LOL-funny follow-up to I Don't Know How She Does It. I think many middle-aged women will relate to this book!

Thank you for the advanced reader copy. I loved Allison Pearson's first book and found this one to be even better. The book had me laughing out loud and I could totally relate to Kate. Great read!

Loved this book, even when I was not reading it I kept thinking about it and couldn’t wait to pick it up again and I finished it in a day. Would definitely recommend to others and can’t wait to read other titles from this author.

Highly recommend!!

I had mixed feelings about this novel. Like Pearson's earlier book, I Don't Know How She Does It, this story is well crafted, easy to read, and often relatable. And Pearson is just so funny! I did laugh out loud quite a few times. Still, there is something kind of unpleasant about a main character who is this into her looks, and this consumed with her age. At times I wondered if I was the crazy one for not being as obsessed with my body as she is, and not being as up-to-date on the latest anti-aging products and treatments as she is; at other times, I wanted to scream at her to get over herself already. I also think things ultimately resolve for her a little too easily, particularly with respect to her daughter's serious issues. Real life just isn't as that benign. But all that said, Pearson is entertaining and a shrewd observer of the absurdities of contemporary culture. And perhaps taking a step away from reality is not too high a price to pay for an enjoyable read by a talented storyteller.

LOVED IT! So funny and true. At times I was laughing out loud. I love this author. her books are just great

I’ve never met a book so quotable and hilarious! If I would have started highlighting while reading, my whole book would be glowing yellow right now.

f your eggs have been “reduced for quick sale,” run, don’t walk, to get a copy of Allison Pearson’s new book How Hard Can It Be? (St. Martin’s Press). With great humor, charm, and a nice dollop of wisdom, Pearson sketches the travails of Kate Reddy, mom of two teens who is married to a mid-life crisis, and is also a hopeful “returner” to the workplace. Kate is also on the cusp of turning 50, and her “sell by” date is the biggest obstacle to her much needed employment in a world that doesn’t allow women much leeway in the dual and competing roles of breadwinner and primary parenting. Much beleaguered by hormones (hers and those of her teenagers), Kate is also dealing with the increased frailty of elderly parents (hers and her husband’s) who are now reliant on her to navigate the basic needs of life. Sandwiched between her children, husband, and parents, Kate’s own needs fall to the wayside as her role as breadwinner compels her to lie about her age in order to wedge her way back into employment. Overall, Pearson has given readers a funny and bittersweet tale of love, friendship, sacrifice, appreciation, and self-value that will resonate with women everywhere, and hopefully with men as well

As I am the target audience for this book (working mother in mid-40's), I really appreciated the funny and relatable situations and feelings in this book. Kate has lied about her age to return to work and tries to balance a career with family demands of two teenagers, a husband facing a mid-life crisis and aging parents. Kate's sarcastic humor and comic predicaments make for a fun and engaging read.

If you found yourself relating to Kate Reddy back when she was juggling work and small children , you'll now enjoy her take on surviving teenagers, aging parents and revitalizing her career.

My Thoughts

‘Here I am, at half-time. At best, fifty is half-time, isn’t it? And the need to feel alive, to be reminded one is still alive, not merely chauffeuring one’s kids to their own lives, is suddenly intense.’

How Hard Can It Be? (Kate Reddy, #2) is a sequel to I Don't Know How She Does It (Kate Reddy, #1 - there is even a film of it with Sarah Jessica Parker). Having not read the first book, I was not at any disadvantage as the current story can very much be read as a standalone. If you are a woman who has experienced any of the following - marriage, bringing up kids, have aging parents whilst trying to hold down a job - then this is the book for you. If you are in your 40s, maybe approaching 50, then go grab your copy now!

‘So yesterday, I Googled “Perimenopause.” If you’re thinking of doing it, one word of advice. Don’t.’

Allison Pearson has most definitely written a book for what she calls the ‘sandwich’ generation - she totally gets what many of us are trying to get through day in, day out. The main female leads story will be one that is all too familiar to many of us, juggling so many things and trying to keep everyone happy whilst trying to assess exactly where you are personally with such a milestone as 50 years approaching. Pearson will have you laughing, crying and nodding your head in agreement; with a perfect mix of comedy and drama where everything from teenage hormones, to ‘Perry’ perimenopause, to partner’s midlife crisis and parent senility will confront you. Laugh or cry, you will easily recognise the challenges and conflicts faced by the most engaging characters.

‘Once, when my phone flipped to selfie mode and I found myself looking at my own face, I recoiled. It was unnatural.’

Underlying it all, truthfully speaking, is a study of some serious contemporary issues. Yes, they may be dealt with in a light fashion given the nature of the read, however, there is always that element of truth even in the joking. eg. infidelity, social media sharing, online bullying, aging and medical conditions tied together with openness, honesty and truth. The one thing I did not like was the appalling way Kate’s children spoke and treated her - should not be okay in anyone’s book, really.

‘Take away a teenager’s phone and you remove the threat of dangers which are invisible to the maternal eye, plus the constant pressure on a girl to peacock herself for the peer group, then get crushed when she doesn’t get enough Likes. Unfortunately, you also take away their life, or the only part of their life they care about.’

So, if you are a female of the ‘sandwich’ generation and would like to take a break and have a few laughs (or commiserations) then this is a most worthwhile read.

‘As the plane begins its descent, the thought still isn’t quite formed. Something like, if I have to save everyone else, I need to start by saving myself first. How hard can it be?’