Definitely Better Now
Full Review

(I received this an audio ARC for my fair and unbiased feedback)

Have you ever struggled with addiction? Perhaps you’ve had a friend or family member who’s struggles have impacted you. Definitely Better Now is about a woman in recovery for drug and alcoholism, who has just reached her one year sobriety anniversary and finds that while she prefers her life as a sober person, as she becomes more involved at work and a potential romantic interest she still has some of the same demons and struggles as she had before.

I really enjoyed this books focus on addiction and recovery and that mistakes (by and large) are recoverable if we do the work to move on from them. I enjoyed the sweet little romance with our broken protagonist, Emma, and the nerdy IT guy Ben. If I’m being frank I wish there was a little more focus on the development of the romance, and it could have used probably 10% more to the story to add to that. I enjoyed her struggles and frustrations with her recovery group and sponsor, which is a problem that I know many in recovery have while trying to find a community and method that works for them. I enjoyed the secondary characters, but I do wish there was a little more development of the characters OR there were one or two fewer characters to allow them to shine.

Overall this was a good little romance and a story about a woman struggling to find out who she is as a sober person and trying to find herself and her community. Despite the minor faults, I think this is an easy book to recommend to many readers.

Four Stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced reader copy.

3.5 stars

When Emma has celebrated a year of being sober, she's ready to step back into the world...maybe? This includes hanging out with work friends, starting to date a co-worker, and trying to connect with her estranged father (who's been an alcoholic for all of Emma's life). This is an angst-filled account of a young woman trying to reckon with the person she was (and all the people she hurt along the way) that made me have to stop listening at times, because I could so feel Emma's anxiety and dread.

this book was well done and I think the author took the material into account and portrayed it in a tasteful way. It was cute, sad, and just overall well done. I am glad I listened to this audiobook as the narrator gave this story such life.

Thank you to the publisher for this audiobook copy Definitely Better Now.

This book was a beautiful story about recovery, and finding our self after sobering up. It’s a great mix of comedic effect on an emotional topic, with a character that grows personally on every page. You could really tell the author put a lot of heart into this book and it shines through.

Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson is a solid book, following a young woman navigating sobriety in her 20s. The audiobook format makes it especially easy to follow, making it a good choice for a simple yet engaging listen.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who has never gone through alcoholism, but has a close family member who struggles with alcohol, this was a great mixture of triumph over addiction, the battles that still rage to fight the addiction, how it affects relationships, and the wonderful possibilities that can come from not allowing alcohol to control your life.

This book was comedic at parts, but also had times of struggles. The main character is trying to find herself in her now year established sobriety, and tries to integrate herself back into social situations along with dating. We also learn more about her past with her parents and how they affected her in the development of her addiction and how it is still affecting her relationship with them.

The characters were all interesting, and the main love interest Ben is a gem. You just felt like rooting for Emma throughout the book, and with Ben coming into the picture, it just made it even better. I am definitely interested to see what else Ava Robinson has in store for us because this debut book was a success!

This was such a heartfelt and uplifting novel, it did a great job of blending themes of self-discovery, healing, and second chances.

The Author did a great job creating some very relatable characters and some surprisingly witty dialogue, with tons of emotional depth with moments of humor and hope. The Protagonist’s sobriety journey feels so authentic, making it seem so raw and real, you really end up rooting for their growth and wishing the best for them.

I really enjoyed this story and this Author’s writing and how she expressed such deep and dark emotions with humor, I would recommend to a friend! 4.5 ⭐️‘s

Thank you to the Author for writing this story and sharing it with us.

This book was definitely out of my typical genre go to and I’m so glad I picked it up!

The book follows Emma’s story as she begins her new life in sobriety and all the obstacles and hardships and laugh out loud moments that come along with the difficult journey.

Although this book definitely as a lot of humour in it there are definitely some darker scenes with heavy subject matter, but honestly as it should be. Sobriety is hard as hell for those who struggle with addiction and although I love the light hearted fun aspects to this book I think the author did a fantastic job of bringing a touch of realism when contrasting the light with the dark.

For somebody who hasn’t had to personally experience the journey of sobriety but have people in my life who have, this book was definitely an eye opener and gave me more clarity and information of what exactly that experience can be like.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend everybody give it a try even if it’s not your usual style!

Thank you to the author and Harlequin audio for giving me an audio copy of this book. I believe this book would read well in either physical or audio formats you’d still get those laugh out loud moments delivered to you either way. Personally I enjoyed the narrator I’ve always been a fan of Karissa vacker and she did a great job here.

Went in blind - a bit heavier and darker than expected, but I honestly loved it so much! It had me giggling at times and crying at others. Ben is soooo swoon worthy. And sober Emma is legit.

This book was heavy in all the right ways - I didn’t feel like the hard parts were gratuitous and I (truthfully) learned a lot more about AA & how to deal with an estranged parent more than I could have expected to or hoped for from a seemingly innocuous read. I will definitely be checking out this author in the future.

it was overall a nice story and I really enjoyed how we got to see all the struggles Emma goes through. The book did a good job at showing the reader how hard addiction is. That said I do think the book was a bit long and it took a while for it to find its groove. But it does get there towards the middle.

The book is an emotional and humorous telling of Emma becoming sober and her new start after being sober for one year. She is "office Emma" where no one knows of her past. She wears her image as a mask and keeps her co workers at a distance. At one year sober things shift and she reluctantly starts to let people get to know her and she gets to know herself. Her overthinking and missteps at work bring an humorous side we all feel in social awkward situations and with that Emma starts to evaluate how she got here and the complexities that played into her life.

I really enjoyed the story - it was an emotional rollercoaster watching Emma come to turns of being human and being 100% in touch with how uncomfortable we can be in our skin.

I enjoyed this book and the narrator. I have family members in AA so I was familiar with a lot of the concepts of the program but this shed a new light for me. I had to fast forward through the entire part at the end where her dad dies. I have stage 4 cancer and the amount of detail, especially how the author highlighted the agony of dying from cancer, was not pleasant for me. A content warning would have been appreciated.

Thank you NetGalley for this amazing ARC. I loved Emma and wanted to be her best friend. This book had me laughing one second and balling the next. And I loved Ben. What a perfect novel.

What a debut! This one was excellent. So many heavy subjects were covered but I still found myself laughing out loud many times. The narration was SO good & definitely bumped my rating up a notch. 4.5 stars.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I love a quirky book. I also happen to love a debut. Check and check! Definitely Better Now not only checks those boxes, but I felt like it checked <b> all </b> the boxes!! It was real and relatable. Dark yet comedic relief . Helpless to hopeful. The themes are pretty darn heavy but I still found myself laughing out loud multiple times. Emma's journey of self discovery as a recovering alcoholic felt very raw...no holds barred. Although Emma hasn't got it all quite figured out, you can tell she is on her way and you can't help but cheer her on. This book is a wonderful example of the old adage <i> life doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.</i> <b> "It might not have happened in my family but the fact that it happened anywhere made me feel a little more hopeful." </b>


Side note: Our love interest Ben was *perfect* and I am truly excited to see more of Ava Robinson's MMCs.

•Slow burn
•Coming of age
•Character driven
•Complicated family dynamics
•Third act breakup

I did a mix of my BOTM copy & audio. The narration definitely bumped it up a notch from me! Bottom line...I loved this book!!

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review. 4.5 stars!

Ava Robinson’s Definitely Better Now is an uplifting and introspective journey through the intricacies of healing, growth, and self-discovery. With an engaging narrative voice and a deep understanding of the human spirit, Robinson crafts a story that is both heartwarming and thought-provoking.

Robinson’s characters are a true highlight of the novel. From the richly drawn protagonist to the quirky and memorable supporting cast, each character feels authentic and multidimensional. The interplay between their struggles and triumphs adds a layer of realism that resonates deeply.

The prose in Definitely Better Now is fresh, vibrant, and imbued with wit. Robinson masterfully balances lighthearted moments with poignant reflections, ensuring the narrative remains engaging without shying away from its emotional core. Themes of [e.g., self-worth, relationships, mental health, or redemption] are explored with sensitivity, making this novel as meaningful as it is entertaining.

Definitely Better Now delivers a perfect blend of heartfelt storytelling and personal growth. Ava Robinson’s ability to capture the complexity of life’s challenges while maintaining a sense of hope and optimism is a testament to her skill as a writer.

Final Thoughts: Ava Robinson’s Definitely Better Now is a beautifully crafted novel that will inspire readers to embrace change and find strength in their own journeys. With its compelling characters, relatable themes, and masterful prose, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression.

This book was really, really great! It’s so refreshing to have a romance whose characters are faced with real life issues. As a daughter of an alcoholic, I realllllly appreciated the sobriety & AA rep in Definitely Better Now. I loved Emma & her insecurities, her humor. I loved her relationships with her work friends & Vanessa. Her mother. &&& her father. I loved her growth from trying to hide herself to being open with who she is.. It all was just so great! & Ben was the icing on the cake. (The banana cake from Magnolia Bakery!)
The audio was also fantastical…Karissa Vacker did an incredible job.
Thank you to all for letting me listen to this in exchange for my honest review.

this was such a raw book. I love stories about women who are figuring it out. At times I wanted her to let people talk and to shake her and tell her that she needs to just communicate but I feel like that’s what makes it so real. The audiobook narrator was great and I felt like it was really easy to follow. There was moments of grief and growth and it was just a wonderful book

Oh my goodness! This book was everything I didn’t know I needed when I listened to it. I don’t really know much about it going in, so I didn’t have any expectations, but when I tell you think book gave me everything, I mean it. At times I laughed out loud, others I was giggling and kicking my feet, some I was angry and upset for the characters, and some I was crying along with them. This is a book that sneaks up on you but will stick with you long after you finish it. I already know this will be a top 15 of the year for me. In addition, Karissa Vacker’s narration was superb, as usual. I loved it, I loved it 🥰

Fantastic debut! The book did a really thoughtful job of exploring alcoholism and recovery and everything in between. The main character Emma felt so relatable and I think that's what really drew me to the book.