This was such a delightful book to read!! This was such a heartfelt and comforting read, even when everything was falling apart in Emma's life, and I found myself rooting for her success and happiness by the end of the book. I also SOBBED through the last few chapters, I felt all the emotions!

Definitely Better Now follows Emma, a woman who has just reached her 1 year mark of being sober. At the 365 mark of being sober, Emma is finally ready to put herself back out there and try dating again, but this time, as the boring, normal, calm Emma. As Emma attempts to start dating again, she is forced into a new role at work, learns horrible news from her estranged father, and has to face another big life change with her mother moving. However, all these changes bring her closer to Ben, the IT guy from work, and learning more and more about the type of person she wants to be, and how she wants to interact with others.

This book was such a refreshing breath of air to read. Emma is the type of character who is messy, flawed, funny/witty, and just trying to make it one day at a time. Her perspective on wanting to be sober, the different missteps along the way of her sober journey, and trying to navigate her adult years was so relatable. I really loved how much I could connect to Emma and her insecurities with dating and interacting with others as an adult who feels socially awkward but wants to be herself. Her experiences navigating her difficult family dynamics, and seeing her choose to put her father first in his time of need made me really happy. This was a book of growth, healing, and finding yourself, all while dealing with the bumps life gives you along the way. I had so much fun reading it and it was a very emotional book.

Thank you to Harper Collins for the free book!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good book. It was definitely a deeper read than I expected. The main themes of the book, in my opinion, are about love. Loving yourself, and letting others love you.

You're probably thinking the main theme is alcoholism. And yes, you're correct, in part. But behind alcoholism there are so many layers. Love being a major one.

I would recommend this book. It goes deep, but it was worth it.

Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson
.
Emma has officially been sober for one year. On her one year anniversary she happens to meet Ben from IT at her work and is completely and utterly awkward. Now she is on a party committee with Ben, and it’s fine, everything is fine.
.
What I liked:
-I was able to listen to the audio and it was such a great way to read the book. The narrator really did a great job with Emma’s voice in this story. I felt like I was Emma’s bestie sitting on her couch just listening to her tell her story.
-This book was so much more emotional that I thought it would be going in! I teared up several times.
-My heart went out to Emma. It’s hard enough trying to figure out life without throwing addiction into things.
-The story with Emma’s dad was heartwrenching.
.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Emotional and hopeful, I really enjoyed Emma’s story. She had a great arc and I was really happy to see how the book ended. Trigger warnings for death of a parent.

It put me in a 3-month book slump. Do I need to say more? I will possibly never get over this book. I'm definitely not better now.

thank you to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin/MIRA for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book. The description wasn’t a must read for me, but I figured I would give it a chance. I’m glad I did.

This is a debut novel from author Ava Robinson, and honestly it felt so fresh and different. It felt so real to the experiences of many. The story intertwines with the 12 Steps and Big Book from AA. While there are pros and cons to AA and other 12 step programs, they do typically work. I’m familiar with them because the steps are useful for all kinds of things not just alcohol and drugs, but betrayal trauma or anything we feel “addicted” to. It would have been easy for the writer to just gloss over the ins and outs, but the fact that she didn’t made the character seem more real and gave her depth. People who are working the steps, don’t just stop. They come to mind, they are referenced, and sometimes shared.

The idea of having a “work Emma” resonated with me. I have many “personalities” because while I’m not fighting addiction, I am still recovering from trauma and abuse. I tend to hide the real me from so many in order to conform and not cause issue.

While the romance was a more minor aspect to the story than I expected, it felt genuine. The conflict felt believable. It felt like an accurate depiction of two people who both have heavy things coming together. The way Ben holds space for her is brilliant.

Only negative was I could not stand her sponsor, Lola and much of the activities of the Hudson group. It felt like Lola treated Emma with kid gloves. I can see this being a good aspect from a sponsor for a sponsee who needs it, but it was clear Emma didn’t feel that connection. The activities of the Hudson group made me want to cringe and have bystander anxiety for people. Oh booooy the feelings I had about forced discussion, the Watch, the men and women sitting separate, and really so much more. But, it became clear later on why this was the group Emma was with at the start as Emma learned more.

I appreciated most the growth and change Emma went through, and that no her past as an alcoholic didn’t have to be her identity, but would always be a part of her. That the skills of a 12 step program could be applied to so much, and we just have to live one day at a time.

Emma is officially one year sober. She goes to work, goes to meetings, and goes home. She also hasn’t dated for a year. Her sponsor finally convinces herself to go out with her co-workers. The create a dating profile for her on an app. One of her co-workers in on it, but a gross one. Then there’s Ben, one of the head IT guys. He’s quiet and shy. But Emma is really scared to date. But the path she is on isn’t easy and life does throw her some curve balls, including her second guessing herself.

I struggled with this book a lot more than others. I understand what this book was trying to do, but I just think that the execution of the book could have been better. While I normally like first person point of view books since we really get in the heads of the characters, this one felt like it was one long monologue. There was hardly any dialogue, which is just something that I don’t like – a personal preference is to have dialogue.

I think part of my issue is that on Amazon it is described as a witty take on romance and to swipe right into her complicated life. But this book is really Emma learning how to live her sober life, including dating again. But, the romance parts aren’t really at the forefront of the story. Or at least it didn’t feel that way to me. I also didn’t feel the chemistry between Emma and Ben.

I appreciate what this book as trying to do. I do realize that I am an outlier, other reviews rave about this book and others have really enjoyed it. This is only my opinion. I do think this book will resonate with others, it just didn’t work for me.

Definitely Better Now was an unexpected delight for me. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading it a few days ago and quickly fell into the story that Ava Robinson was writing. There was something so easy and effortless about the writing style throughout that made it so bingeable and thought-provoking that even when I wasn't reading, I was thinking about it.

The characters were the shining point of this story for me. Each and every one of them was messy and complicated and felt so very real. I connected with most of them on some level but especially Emma. While I may not relate on the needing to be sober side, I could see myself in her shoes navigating a world in a new way as an adult whose just trying to figure things out. Her story of sobriety, grief, making friends, and navigating the dating scene was so familiar that I couldn't help but feel like I was in the story with her.

The death of Emma's father was definitely the most surprising point of the story for me and the most heartbreaking. Death, especially from sickness, is so complicated. Grief as a whole is unsettling and difficult and so so sad. The way Ava wrote it was beautiful and even a little poetic at times. The way Emma wished for more time to make amends and try to sort out some of the heartbreak she felt from her father over the years was familiar.

AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ABOUT BEN. I love Ben. He was so wonderful and understanding and so good at communicating. We all deserve a Ben in our lives.

All in all, Definitely Better Now was more than I ever expected and I couldn't be happier I decided to pick this one up. I look forward to reading more of Ava Robinson's work in the future.

definitely Better Now by Jessi H. Smith is a raw, honest, and uplifting read that feels like a heart-to-heart with a good friend. Smith opens up about her struggles and growth, showing that healing isn’t a straight path, but every step forward matters. It’s a refreshing reminder to be kinder to ourselves and embrace progress, no matter how small. If you’re looking for a relatable and inspiring book, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc copy!

*copied from my personal/private goodreads review of the book

This books gives you all the feels. It’s about Emma, a young woman who just celebrated her one-year anniversary of sobriety in AA. In the past year, she became sober, got an job in a corporate office, and is one the road to a turnaround. And then, her life is hit with dating, being named to the Christmas party planning committee, and learning that her estranged father is dying of cancer. She is trying to hold her life together and not fall off the wagon, and while reading you are rooting for Emma and telling her that she can do this and other hard things.

This is a funny, romantic, emotional, and sad story of one woman trying to hold her new life together. It’s a great read.

#readmorebooks
#readmorebooksbywomen
@netgalley
#netgalley
@bookofthemonth
#bookofthemonth
#readersofinstagram
#bookstagram
#bookstagrammer
#bookish
#mybookishlife
#wearebookish
#lovereading
#alwaysreading
#readinggoals
#2024reads
#goodreads

I had no expectations for what this book would be like. I loved the focus on sobriety, its challenges and its importance. It felt very realistic, and I am sure that readers with a larger personal connection to alcohol and substance issues will have a deeper impact by this book. It was thought provoking in the beginning but became predictable. Overall, an easy read and one that could be great to spark discussion.

Thank you to HTP for the gifted copy.

This is the book for anyone who’s ever pinned their hopes on that one thing—the belief that once I achieve [insert goal here], everything will finally make sense. For Emma, that milestone is the one-year anniversary of her sobriety. But when the day comes and goes, she’s left grappling with the realization that life doesn’t magically transform, and she’s not the flawless human she imagined she’d become.

This is a deeply relatable, somewhat dark, yet ultimately hopeful novel about the journeys we take and how they often end up being more meaningful than any specific destination. I read this at the exact right moment in time, and I just loved it.

4.5/5

This was a romcom with enough depth to make it feel like a slightly more serious book than many in the genre. Of course, true to the genre, there was a lot of humour and a modicum of spice. It follows Emma, who has just completed a year of sobriety and is ready to move on with her life. She soon realizes that even sober, life can be hard. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reading copy. I really enjoyed it, as it was light but did not feel like fluff. 4/5 stars

4 stars-This book hit a lot of different notes for me, but it is definitely heavier than your average rom-com. Emma is a year sober, and has been living through the AA program. She has not been able to date, and frankly has no idea what it is like to date anyone (or have sex) sober. Her friends make her a Darin profile and an awkward exchange begins with a co-worker in another department…but it’s Ben who she really likes. As Emma navigates her way through her relationship with Ben, her dad also comes back into her life. His own struggle with alcohol has made her choose sobriety so that she can be as little like him as possible. The tenderness with which the author handled Emma and her dad’s relationship brought tears to my eyes. It was so human, and hard. I particularly enjoyed the last moment between her dad and the cat, Houdini. Overall, this was something more than I expected (in a good way.) I will definitely be looking for this author in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

It’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these - here are five things I loved about this 5 star read:

1) The choice to start “halfway” through the MCs healing journey was spot on. I love how it captures the process - that we are always changing and always improving and that it isn’t on any set schedule. It also set up an interesting dichotomy in her when she kept trying to convince herself she was “fixed” while clearly knowing that wasn’t true.

2) The realistic love interest/love story. While it was definitely a romance, that part of the plot was more of a side topic than the focus, and was handled in a way that felt wholly real.

3) You know I love me a book about grief. This book got HEAVY, but the writing about loss of all types was incredibly poignant.

4) Despite dealing with some intense topics, this was also really lighthearted and fun at points, mostly due to how great the writing was. It kept it from becoming too depressing and made it a lot more relatable.

5) In addition to the romantic relationships, I found the connections between all the characters to be complex and moving. I love it when a book’s side characters have true personality!

All in all, a home run! Thank you to Mira and Netgalley for this ARC. Definitely Better Now is out now!

The perfect novel to end out my years reading on. This was funny and heartbreaking and -hopeful-. And I love Ben. I want to put him in my pocket and carry him around with me.

Well, this book was a wild ride!

I am not sure what I expected from this book, but it had a little bit of everything from romance to family drama and grief, and about everything in between. I enjoyed the diversity of plot points we got with this book, but I do think the book could have been stronger all around if it picked maybe 2 major plot lines vs. the 4 it had.

Overall, I do recommend this book, but I would like to warn anyone that wants to read this that this book does contain some fairly heavy themes including alcoholism and a terminally sick parent.

This was such a delightful read!

Definitely Better Now is the story of Emma, 26-year old New Yorker and recovering alcoholic. The book opens with her 1-year sobriety anniversary, a milestone for members of AA who are then allowed more independence and privileges, including the option to date. (AA has some cult-y sh*t happening, which becomes more apparent over the course of the book.) We follow Emma as she starts dating again, navigates the challenges of workplace harassment, and copes with the loss of her father.

This definitely qualifies as a romance, or "women's fiction" (somewhat derogatory term meaning there's a major romance plot with other emotional themes). I appreciated that the conflicts and misunderstandings in the book were short-lived. (Upside, it reduces the tension; downside, it reduces the tension.) I also appreciate that there was no alcoholic relapse for Emma, despite the challenges she went through. Even though the themes veered darker over the course of the book, the book itself wasn't too heavy.

Emma has reached a year of sobriety and feels like now things can really start for her-including dating as she hasn’t dated her first year of sobriety. This book navigates Emma’s struggles and challenges in her new sober life. I found it to be a great read. I always go into books blind and I didn’t know what to expect but it exceeds all expectations.

In Definitely Better Now, Ava Robinson offers an intimate look into the ups and downs of navigating life’s complexities. With raw honesty and heartfelt storytelling, Ava shares the struggles and triumphs of overcoming self-doubt, heartbreak, and uncertainty.

This is more than just a memoir—it’s a mirror for anyone who’s ever faced life’s challenges and questioned their own resilience. Ava’s journey is filled with moments of vulnerability, strength, and quiet hope that are deeply relatable on many levels.

Through emotional highs and lows, Definitely Better Now is a celebration of growth, healing, and the simple truth that sometimes just being “better” is enough. This book speaks to anyone who’s ever felt lost and reminds us all that we’re never alone in the journey.

#thankyounetgalley

DEFINITELY BETTER NOW by Ava Robinson follows 26-year-old Emma, a recovering alcoholic living in New York who is celebrating one year of sobriety. She’s a character that you can’t help but root for. She’s real, relatable, genuine, witty, and super funny. The reader comes along for the ride as Emma navigates work, family, friendship, and even a romantic relationship as a sober individual. By the end of the novel, she felt like a close friend, and I appreciated the opportunity to tag along on her sobriety journey.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Family drama and dynamics
- Father/daughter relationships
- Sobriety success stories
- Reflections on alcoholism
- Workplace romance
- Office holiday parties
- Character-driven novels
- New York setting

With Emma’s personal hardships and the somewhat triggering subject matter, one may call this a heavy read. However, Robinson uses humor, grace, and a touch of romance to lighten the mood, so to speak. She blends dark and light moments to create a satisfyingly balanced contemporary fiction novel. I highly recommend the audiobook as one of my very favorites, Karissa Vacker narrates, and does a phenomenal job doing so—as per usual. Overall, I thought that this was a super solid debut, and I’m excited to read more from Robinson in the future. 4/5 stars for DEFINITELY BETTER NOW!