This book was a cute, funny, honest look at how someone goes through a healing journey. It was a nice mix of sweet and spicy,

The narrator was wonderful. I just struggle to connect with the main character. I’m sure others will love it more than I did. Thanks for the review copy.

I love realistic and imperfect protagonists like our main character. She's navigating a world in which she is sober, and all of the awkwardness, struggle, and pitfalls that entails. Including, both big and small wins. The way she navigates the relationships around her, and chooses herself And her sobriety, is so real. The humor that weaves in and out is realistic and much needed. I highly recommend

Thank you NetGalley and MIRA for a copy of Definitely Better Now!

"A touching and deeply funny debut about starting over sober only to discover life’s biggest messes are still waiting right where you left them."

I love this book! It fits the "girl who is going to be okay" niche trope lol - and it's just an amazing day-to-day story.

This story is about someone's sobriety journey; understanding that people are imperfect and we can be assholes; and the messy relationships we have.

Highly recommend for fans of Margo's Got Money Troubles!

Emma, at 26 years old, is celebrating a full year of sobriety after spending much of her life since age 14 lost in a haze of alcohol, drugs, and reckless decisions—many alongside her wild and enabling best friend, Susannah. When their friendship falls apart, Emma reaches her breaking point and realizes something has to change. Enter Lola, her outspoken but well-meaning sponsor, who guides her through the ups and downs of recovery.

At work, no one knows the real Emma—only the polished version she presents. Her past, shaped by an alcoholic father who later turned to an off-the-grid hippie lifestyle, has left her deeply distrustful, especially when he suddenly reappears in her life. I admired Emma’s resilience as she faced these emotional challenges and continued her journey despite setbacks.

One of the most compelling moments in the book is when Emma reconnects with Susannah, only to realize they no longer have much in common now that their bond isn’t built on partying. Having spent so much of her life under the influence, Emma struggles to navigate genuine relationships, particularly with Ben, her patient and understanding coworker. Their dynamic highlights her fears and insecurities about love and commitment in sobriety.

This book offers an insightful and realistic look into the inner workings of addiction and recovery. It portrays the challenges, setbacks, and personal growth that come with rebuilding a life from the ground up. A raw and powerful read!
Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

Definitely Better Now is definitely a good read, but not necessarily a happy read. Its a book that will hit you in the feels. The theme of addiction is a bit heavy and emotional, yet I felt that Robinson balanced it well with humor. I liked Emma and related to her lack of social anxiety. There's a sweet romance subplot, but DBN mainly focuses on the MC as she navigates sobriety. Though DBN technically takes place around Christmas, I wouldn't consider it a holiday book. It works pretty much any time of year. Just maybe avoid it it if you're feeling messy or depressy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for the eARC!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you NetGalley, and Ava Robinson for an eARC of Definitely Better Now.

While this book was funny, it was also a pretty heavy read. There’s some romance, but I find it’s more women’s fiction than a traditional romance. I learned a lot about AA and how different groups approach things, which I really appreciated. Emma had an authentic journey as she worked through her issues with drinking and figured out why she wanted to quit for good. Ben was a likable character who respected her choices, even though some of them were frustrating. Overall, it’s not a lighthearted book, but it’s definitely a worthwhile read. There are no cringy moments, and the story wraps up in a satisfying way.

Ava Robinson's Definitely Better Now offers a sincere glimpse into the life of Emma Finley, a 26-year-old navigating her first year of sobriety in the bustling backdrop of New York City. The novel delves into Emma's challenges, from workplace dynamics to complex family relationships, all while she strives to maintain her newfound sobriety.

Robinson's portrayal of early recovery is both authentic and unflinching, capturing the internal battles and external pressures that accompany such a journey. Emma's character is relatable in her imperfections, and her struggles resonate on a genuine level. The budding romance with Ben, the IT director at her firm, adds a layer of sweetness to the narrative, providing moments of light amidst the heavier themes.

However, while the novel excels in depicting the realities of sobriety, it occasionally falters in pacing. Some subplots, particularly those centered around Emma's workplace, feel underdeveloped and could have benefited from deeper exploration. Additionally, certain secondary characters lack depth, making their interactions with Emma less impactful than they could be.

In essence, Definitely Better Now is a heartfelt debut that authentically portrays the complexities of starting over. While it offers moments of humor and hope, it leaves a desire for more nuanced character development and a more cohesive narrative flow. It's a commendable read for those interested in stories of personal growth and resilience, even if it doesn't fully reach its potential.

Thank you for the advance copy of this book! It was so good! Poignant. Funny. Relevant. It hit close to home for me and warmed my heart in ways I wasn't expecting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson!

I truly enjoyed this book so much!!!! It was amazing to watch the main character grow while remaining sober. I was sad that she was embarrassed to tell others she didnt drink, likely in fear of not fitting in.

But she remained strong, and I loved at the end how strong she was speaking at AA.

This was a first for me by this author and I truly enjoyed it!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a young woman who is a year sober. She is trying to navigate life and dating while being sober. I listened to this one on audiobook.

I enjoyed this book! I liked the main character and she was really relatable. I think it was interesting to hear her thoughts and follow her throughout her life.

Emma messes up a lot but she is a relatable and a nice character. The romance was nice to follow as well. It wasn’t perfect and that was nice to see.

There was a lot of talk of addiction and AA. I didn’t mind it but some people may not enjoy that part of this book.

I enjoyed the audiobook as well!

I loved this! It is refreshing to see the perspective of a recovering alcoholic, something that is not talked about a lot in a positive light, let alone as a struggle of the main character. Emma is very relatable and her relationship with her mom, her sponsor, and her coworkers grow and develop very nicely. I do with we had more of her and Ben, so I’d say the romance is a bit of a subplot. But we love a patient man. Thank u Ava for this great and memorable story!

I loved this book! I've never read anything like it. It's raw, beautiful, heart wrenching, and full of hope. It was heavy at times, but it was such a great read!

I really liked this.

Emma is a year sober, and she’s trying to get her life back together. She’s in AA, she’s working with her sponsor, and she has her mother’s support. But now it’s time to start standing on her own again. And Emma has to make the terrifying choice of doing it in a way that’s true to her, or doing exactly what her sponsor tells her to.

In the midst of all this, she meets the head of IT at her company and has a HUGE crush, AND her dad wants to try to reconnect with her.

Overall, I really felt like this was realistic and enjoyable.

I loved this story, a great debut on living your life sober. Not as easy as you may think, the explaining, dating and finding who you are sober. This story is so relatable it is crazy, I know it is a dark humor, but I can totally relate to the main character.

This would make a great book club read, because I feel like a lot of people could relate. Even though the nature of the story is dark, I found the pace perfect and had me laughing. Ben the IT guy was the best, loved him. The author nailed what it is like to work in office environment, sober can be dangerous waters. I can't wait to see what this author does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mira Original for copy of this story for my honest review.

Wow? Wow. This was so raw and yet so comforting? I may not be someone who has struggled with alcoholism but I'm familiar enough with AA and similar programs to feel the plight of our main character and her desire for connection and fulfillment within the program and it just not fitting quite right.

Our main character navigates hitting a year of sobriety while tackling getting dealt some major blows, opening herself up to new relationships, and struggling to find a community to support her that fits her.

Solid read, not for everyone.

I absolutely loved Definitely Better Now.

There was hilarious moments, sad moments, loving/romantic moments. It was very enjoyable!

Emma is a single woman who lives in New York. She is a recovering alcoholic and has never slept with anyone while sober. She had a complicated early life and deals with a lot of her issues from the past specifically regarding her father and their relationship.

Theres some romance drama involving Mitchell, upper management at her employer, and Ben, IT worker.

I definitely recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ I laughed out loud in Ch. 1 of this book and was hooked from there on… About a woman just finishing her first year of sobriety and inching back into the dating world (this time without the help of alcohol), it felt a little like a modern Bridget Jones Diary with its wit and charm and - at its core - its deeper messages about finding courage and discovering yourself despite all the curveballs life throws.