Dr Chelsea Scott has built the perfect life - at least, from the outside. An accomplished OB/GYN, happily married to her charming husband Wesley, and living in a stylish home, Chelsea is used to having control over every detail. Her world is meticulously organised, her plans carefully crafted - including the next big step: motherhood. But when getting pregnant proves to be far more complicated than she ever anticipated, Chelsea finds herself spiralling into a world of relentless ovulation trackers, fertility tests, and perfectly timed intimacy that feels anything but natural. As the months drag on, the woman who has made a career out of helping others start their families must confront the harsh reality that life doesn't always follow a schedule.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's work life is filled with patients whose journeys reflect every possible joy and heartbreak of fertility and pregnancy - from young women facing unplanned pregnancies to heartbroken couples desperate for a child. Balancing her professional duties with her increasingly obsessive personal mission, Chelsea begins to question everything she thought she knew about success, love, and what it truly means to become a mother.
Should It Be This Hard? is a sharp, witty and emotionally charged novel about the pressure to have it all - and what happens when life refuses to go according to plan. With its deeply relatable heroine, honest portrayal of fertility struggles, and moments of laugh-out-loud humour, Nina Winther's latest novel will resonate with anyone who has ever chased perfection, only to realise that the messiest moments are often the most human.
Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Marian Keyes, and Sophie Kinsella, this heartfelt story captures the highs and lows of modern womanhood with compassion, insight, and an unflinching sense of humour.
