There were several heavy issues in this novel, which definitely is more women's fiction than it is romance. The intracies of AA meetings/sponsors/etc was very interesting, as was Emma's journey to process the role of alcohol use/abuse in her life. The characters were likeable, but some of the decisions were frustrating. Though not a happy book per se, it was a good read, and there were several moments in the story I will remember.

📚Definitely Better Now📚

The FMC, Emma is navigating life through sobriety; dark feelings, fears, struggles, tiny victories, relearning how to make friends and forming relationships in AA recovery.. and still manages to get through life without picking up alcohol. Never have I ever seen alcoholism and recovery portrayed more accurately. This story was so powerful with the office drama to finding out that her alcoholic father that wasn’t really there for her gets terminally ill. Emma finds a way to maintain her composure and does not pick up alcohol and let it destroy her life again. She finds herself without the substance and it’s one wild ride.


I personally think that this story was written with so much emotion and depth. You can definitely feel the tension and emotion when you read the whole book. Changing yourself for the better is not always easy but having the right mindset and support is always key to success.

This book is a beautiful story about a socially awkward woman who has struggled with alcohol abuse previously and is not one year sober. This book was a short and sweet story that I could not stop listening to from the moment I started it! I loved the main character of this story and felt very connected to her, I cared very much what happened to her. Definitely recommend this book!

Ava Robinson’s debut novel delivers a bittersweet and darkly hilarious take on sobriety, complicated family dynamics, and the struggle of starting over. While the story has a lot of heart and some great moments of humor, it also has some flaws that held me back from loving it completely.

Let’s start with the highlight: Ben. If you’re a fan of Jim from The Office, you’ll adore him. He’s charming, kind, and exactly the kind of steady presence Emma needs as she stumbles her way through early sobriety. Emma herself is a complicated but relatable protagonist, constantly doubting herself—a trait that makes sense given her recovery journey but, at times, felt a little repetitive.

I didn't love the AA aspect. I'm wondering where the author got her view of AA from? Emma's sponsor Lola came across as controlling, creepy, and self-righteous. Every time Lola guilted Emma into going to a meeting she didn’t want to attend, I couldn’t help but feel like Emma had just swapped one form of dependency for another.

The writing itself leans heavily on telling rather than showing, spelling out emotions rather than letting them unfold naturally through body language or dialogue. While this made the book easy to follow, it sometimes felt like it didn’t trust the reader to pick up on emotional cues.

That said, for a debut, Robinson shows a lot of promise. While this wasn’t a perfect read for me, I’d be interested to see how her writing develops in future books. If you’re looking for a character-driven story about rebuilding a life after addiction—one with humor, heart, and a bit of workplace absurdity—this might be worth picking up.

definitely better now was an excellent read. I loved the writing and it was propulsive. Great character study. I would read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for my digital audiobook copy!

I’ve seen mixed reviews on DBN and wanted to try it out myself. I also chose this as my book of the month choice for my last book in December in 2024. I decided to listen to it on audiobook, and after listening it was just okay for me. I know a lot of people could really resonate with the FMC with sobriety / alcohol, but thankfully I am one that is not interested in alcohol, so it didn’t connect as much to me as some others. I did see a lot of people enjoy it and brings hope to others so I’m excited to still share this to those who need an uplifting & hopeful novel!

Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson

I was hesistant about this one, I’ve read a couple other similarly marketed books over the last while and struggled with the predictability messy characters. But this one surprised me and I ended up really enjoying it.

Starting off on the 1 year mark of being sober, Emma’s life is a definite work in progress. I really loved her, and her perspective of perfection, her realistic expectations and her sometimes misguided but always well intentioned actions.

What really won me over was how the idea that life doesn’t stop just because you are going through something was explored. Just because you are struggling, doesn’t mean life will give you a rest. You will still have to deal with curveballs and unexpected twists. Also this is a great reminder that you truly never know what other people are going through.

The narration was great for the audio, it made Emma feel relatable and realistic, I really recommend this one to put things in perspective!

Thanks to @harlequin_audio for the audiobook from @netgalley.

Emma is trying to become a functioning adult. Prior to a year ago, she was a party girl. As an early teen, she became an alcoholic, and lived a life style of drugs, sex, and booze. Black outs and hang overs were a daily occurrence. Her parents divorced at a young age due to her father's alcoholism. His father was also an alcoholic. She accepted it as her destiny. Until she got tired of it. She joined AA, got a real job, and is nearly a year sober. She feels like an imposter though. She is trying to hold it all together and give the impression that she is in control. But she doesn't feel like it.

I was on the fence about reading this, as it is not something relatable to me. Karissa Vacker narrates the audiobook (she is my favorite narrator) and it intrigued me enough to give it a shot. And I was pleasantly surprised. While I could not relate the the drinking, drug use, and reckless sex, I could relate to feeling like an imposter at times. Like you are just pretending to have things under control. I really enjoyed Emma's journey. And she was a 'real' person, filled with insecurities and flaws.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Great debut novel! Follows Emma as she navigates her relationships, work, and self-growth while just reaching her first year of sobriety.

This book made me cry, to say the least. I had a feeling I would love it, but it was so truly wonderful, so so glad I read it.

Follows a young woman as she figures out life after one year of sobriety.

Emma is struggling with sobriety as she’s been a heavy substance user since her early teens. She doesn’t know how to have fun, go out, have friends, or date without the crutch.

But she’s figured out staying sober , so she can do this right??

Honestly a pretty sweet book about humanity.

I would love to see more titles in this sort of sub-genre. Adult coming of age, backseat romance... either way, I enjoyed both the author and the narrator for the audio. I would recommend to other readers and it would do well in indie stores.

First and foremost, I think this was written very well. It was very funny at points, very heartfelt and sad at others, and you really get to know Emma as a character. My primary trouble with this was lack of being able to relate to the main character and put myself in her shoes. I think there is an audience of people that are going to absolutely LOVE this book, and it maybe even be a new favorite. This one unfortunately just wasn't for me, and that is okay!

I don’t know why, but I did not think I was going into a romance with this. I expected it just to be a contemporary fiction but I did love it! I thought it was a super cool concept in the drinking culture that we have these days. The relationships were really sweet and really realistic. And the journey was a fun one to follow!

What a stellar debut. The author takes us on an emotional journey with Emma. We meet her as she approaches her first year of sobriety tryin to navigate a sober life. It is an emotional, heartfelt, smart, honest, well researched story as she navigates a world that is foreign to her. She has complicated relationships with…everything and everyone. I was rooting for her all the way while she dealt with some very tough situations while she is figuring out who she is, wants to be and how to live her best sober life and finally finds herself. Not an easy listen due to the subject matter, but a good one.

A book filled with raw emotion and learning to make up for your past. Emma is in AA and approaching her one year anniversary of being sober. She reminisces through the novel how she has changed, but also how her life is different and she is approaching things in a different way. She mends relationships and looks at things through a different lens. A true love story, even if it is just about learning to love yourself.

Definitely Better Now is a heartfelt and darkly humorous debut novel that follows Emma Finley, a 26-year-old New Yorker celebrating one year of sobriety. As she navigates the complexities of family relationships, office politics, and the daunting prospect of dating without liquid courage, Emma's journey is both relatable and inspiring.

Ava Robinson balances humor and depth, offering insights into recovery, relationships, and self-discovery. The novel's authentic portrayal of sobriety and personal growth makes it a standout in contemporary fiction.

This book is recommended for readers who enjoy contemporary fiction with female main characters with depth, stories about personal growth and recovery, and complex family dynamics.

I really enjoyed this one. I loved the premise of the FMC being a recovering alcoholic, and trying to navigate life while sober. And I really liked the FMC Emma in general. Although I would have hated drunk Emma, so I’m glad the book starts from sober Emma’s POV.
This book is definitely more literary, concentrating on Emma’s character and development versus a lot going on with the plot. But I still enjoyed the plot, too, with the tiny bit of romance we were gifted. Overall, a sweet, comforting novel that I’d recommend to my friends who enjoy lit-fic.

𝘼 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣:
Karissa Vacker is fast becoming one of my favorite narrators. She did a great job with this, and it’s probably why I liked Emma so much.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/🫑 I was lucky enough to get an ALC of Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson, and I still stand by my original ARC review. The audio was great, the narrator captured the emotional impact of this book very well.

My ARC review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/🫑 Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson spoke to me on the deepest possible level. Our FMC, Emma is navigating life through sobriety; the feelings, fears, struggles, tiny victories, relearning how to make friends and form relationships in recovery.. and still manages to be absolutely hilarious. Never have I ever seen alcoholism and recovery portrayed more accurately.

Well done, @avarson . 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 This was easily the most impactful and genuine read I've experienced yet. It will stay with me, and I will never stop recommending it. Thank you for your service! And for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this amazing book you've written.

☆ALC REVIEW☆
Publication date: Available now!


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I really enjoyed this audiobook of 'Definitely Better Now'. First off, the cover is adorable and intriguing. I thought Ava Robinson did a great job of conveying the seriousness and reality of tough subjects like alcoholism, recovery, AA meetings, grief, and difficult family dynamics, all the while sprinkling in some humor to make it a lighter listen or read. The narrator did an amazing job at bringing this story to life!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Robinson, and Harlequin Audio for an advanced listeners copy in exchange for an honest review.