Drew Young inherited a book store from her late grandmother, Alice, called the Book Nook which is quite ironic because she loathes reading. Although Drew basically grew up in and around the bookstore, some early childhood traumas put her off reading for good or rather, in this case, for bad. Since her grandmother passed several months before, Drew gave up her own dreams of being a professional nature photographer to keep the bookstore running with the help of some cantankerous and meddling older women who are Drew’s posse whether she wants them to be or not. When said ladies invite a bestselling romance author, Jasper Williams, to a bookstore event, Drew is less than pleased.

While Jasper believes in romance and writes very successfully about it, Drew thinks it is just a bunch of pretty lies. Jasper is in Denver to also work on his next book and enlists Drew’s help with a challenge: he creates a book list for her designed to get her reading while she will take him on adventures in Colorado where romance meets the road. They dine at local restaurants and explore the natural beauty of the area and beyond.

Drew has several challenges to face including an odious father determined to wrest the store away from her, a tentative relationship with a younger step-sister who had the type of life growing up that she missed out on, and enough emotional baggage to keep Jasper from getting too close despite their mutual attraction. With the “help” of her best friend and the older ladies, Drew begins to let go of some of her fears and angst while realizing she does not have to give up on her heart’s desire whether in work or a relationship. In life and fiction, the course of true love never did run smooth as the Bard said so Drew and Jasper face some challenges; the question is: will she take a chance on love despite the risks to her heart. This story is a mix of women’s fiction and rom-com as some hi-jinks ensue. Drew has a lot of grief and loss to work through in order to move forward and not miss out on her best life.

Better than fiction takes the dream of owning a small bookstore and turns it on its head. Add in the delight of the "dirty birds" book club and a steamy romance writer in town to write his next book, you've got all the ingredients of a surprisingly fresh story.

Gently-paced and funny, with a vivid Coloradan setting, Better Than Fiction is a sweet
look at finding love again after a huge loss. The bookstore setting is a delight; and readers will love how Jasper and Drew’s opposite interests draw them together. (Full review coming for Shelf Awareness.)

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of Better Than Fiction. I loved this book!

Star Rating: 5⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: November 8, 2022

This was my first Alexa Martin book, and it will not be my last! Holy moly, I've been missing out!

I loved Drew and Jasper. Drew was such a relatable character! Dealing with her grief, the imperfect family situation, the struggle to move on...all of those things are struggles everyone faces at some point. I also loved that Drew was a real person who sometimes made the wrong decision said the wrong thing, acted selfishly, etc. She wasn't a paragon of virtue written to perfection; she was, though, perfectly written in realness and authenticity. I felt like I could be Drew at some points in the story, especially dealing with the grief of her grandmother's death. I still struggle with my grandmother's death, so it was really meaningful to identify with a character like Drew who showed that it's okay not to be okay. And Jasper...come on. Show me a woman who doesn't swoon at him in this story, and I'll show you a liar! :) In all fairness, I loved his sensitive soul and how he wasn't afraid to be real at all times. Of course, I think I fell in love with him a little during the white water rafting scene and the description of his chest hair and abs. I can't help myself!

I also really liked Drew's support group in this story. She wasn't alone before Jasper entered the picture (albeit, she was lonely). She had a cackling group of elderly ladies with her best interests at heart, a best friend with a sharp wit and protective streak, and a sister all but begging to be let in. Jasper wasn't the solution to all her problems or her savior; he was the missing piece of the puzzle. I loved that! Drew's struggle wasn't having a support group; it was learning to lean on that support group. The scenes with her and her ladies were at turns funny, infuriating, and LOL enjoyable.

I was really torn between four and five stars for this one. I felt like the issues with her dad were unresolved at the end, but at the same time, I don't think he deserved even an ounce of space in her life. What a jerk! Ultimately, I decided on five stars because I loved the story between Jasper and Drew, the way they made the other one stronger, the way they brought new things into each other's lives, and the emotional journal of Drew's grief really spoke to me. I think, if you've never lost someone you loved, her grief won't reach out and grab you the way it did me. But for me, her character let me know, even if it was just for a short page span, that I wasn't alone...and that meant a lot to me as a reader.

This was a perfectly fine book but it had the potential for a lot more, in my opinion. Jasper was open and honest, and Drew needed that in her life - but it felt rushed. I wanted more character development with her and unfortunately we just didn’t get it.

There were also some interesting family dynamic at play here that could have been explored more. I almost wish we had less of Drew’s friendship with Elsie and got more bonding with her sister.

A sweet book with a bit of spice but overall a meh for me.

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Better than Fiction by Alexa Martin is a charming bookish book about a woman who inherits a small bookstore from her grandmother. I enjoyed this heartwarming romantic comedy very much.

Story Recap:
Drew Young just inherited her Grandmothers bookshop, The Book Nook. Unfortunately, Drew is not a book lover. Why read the book when the movie is so much better? She remembers how much her Grandmother loved the story and she has wonderful memories of hanging out with her in the store.

Drew encounters a book club that has been around almost as long as the store and the women in the club are interfering and bossy. But, Drew doesn’t mind as they remind her of her Grandmother. Hopeless romantic and bestselling author Jasper Williams comes to The Book Nook for a signing, and when he learns that Drew doesn’t like to read, he makes it his mission to turn her into a bookworm.

My Thoughts:
I loved the concept of a nonreader inheriting a bookstore, and it worked wonderfully in this story. The book club ladies were an added bonus as they added some humor and heart to the story. Jasper is a dream hero, and his love of book and romance really endeared him to me. I enjoyed all the adventures that Drew and Jasper went on, as I’ve been to some of the places they visited.

Drew seems to be a bit of a mess at first, but as the story moves on, I realized that she has so much to give and she became one of my favorite characters. She didn’t need to grow or change, she just needed to realize how to harness the talents that are deep inside her. In the beginning, Drew and Jasper seem very incompatible, but as we learn more about each of these characters, they are much more alike than what it seems in the beginning.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend Better Than Fiction to anyone who enjoys fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

i'm in this book and i don't like it (i'm kidding i loved it)

alexa martin you have my heart in your hands this was so good i have no thoughts only happiness


thank you netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Another author that drew me in with her first few books then fell off with her last few books. Ugh. Why? Another book I really hoped to love that I just couldn't.

I might get flack for saying this, but this author has become too woke for me in her writing. Like I already said, her first few books were great! Now, she seems to be out to prove herself a little too much with her writing. She already did that. She didn't need to change it up.

I just couldn't connect with these characters. They were both gross and unlikable. I forced myself to finish this book. Books should just follow the story, not a step by step cookie cutter plot. They need to flow and breathe. This one just didn't. It was a forced story with characters who just don't fit.

This might just be another author I abandon. I am not feeling her writing anymore.

This was a cute read, I love this author and her writing so much and this was another fantastic read, it's heartwarming and sweet!Drew was a photographer until her grandmother passed away and left her the Book Nook., I love her journey through the story and I could relate to her in so many ways! I loved the type of romance this was have!A romance writer with a non reader, you can imagine what is happening!

Drew Young is a self-proclaimed book hater, so the last thing she was expecting was to inherit her late grandmother's bookstore, the Book Nook. She'd much rather experience things firsthand with her camera than through the pages of a book. Drew knows she's in way over her head, and to make matters worse, a group of elderly book clubbers is intent upon meddling in her love life. Jasper Williams is a best-selling author and hopeless romantic. While at a signing at the Book Nook, Jasper is immediately taken with Drew and determined to show her the wonders of reading. So the pair decide to strike up a bargain: Jasper will curate a list of books perfect for Drew, and she'll show him around Denver to get inspiration for his newest book. With every date, Drew begins to open up more and starts to think that maybe happy endings aren't just fictional.

I've never read anything by Martin before, but this sounded too cute to pass up. There were a lot of things I enjoyed about it. I liked the cozy bookshop and wished it was a real place I could visit. The dates she and Jasper went on were cute. I also liked seeing Drew grow and learn to handle her grief with the help of Jasper and her friends. Despite all that, I never found myself getting too invested in the story, and I think it had to do with Jasper. I need to be able to root for the love interest in romances to feel invested in the story, and he felt a little too one-dimensional for me. Overall, it was sweet but not that memorable.

I so enjoyed the irony of a non-reader inheriting her grandmother's bookstore!! This was so much fun and very possibly my new favorite book by this author!

New bookstore owner Drew is still getting the hang of running the place when she meets romance author James after he comes to sign some of his books. The two hit it off and start hanging out on the auspices of helping James find inspiration for his new book. He even gets Drew to give romance books a try.

Drew is a really strong character who is grieving for her grandmother and wants to see the store succeed, even if it means giving up her budding photographer career. The author does such a good job writing about Drew's relationship with her grandma and I loved the relationship she has with her best friend (exhausted mom of four) and the old lady book club members!

Full of humor, heart and a lot of steam! I really loved everything about this book and recommend it for fans of The banned bookshop of Maggie Banks or Picture perfect by Jeevani Charika. Great on audio too narrated by Nicole Lewis.

Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! This was a cute and thoughtful novel from romance veteran Alexa Martin. I like her writing style and the plot of this moved forward well, though her not liking books was hard for me to stomach at first. Sometimes the style of writing was a little too modern, but overall cute and fresh and different than books I usually read. I recommend this book for fans of Alexa Martin, contemporary romance, and books.

This book was cute and heartwarming.
Reading this felt like a cozy hug. I really enjoyed opposites attract and reverse grumpy/sunshine the romance had. The two leads were dealing with loss and were able to find their person in each other.
As much as I liked the romance, I did feel it moved rather quickly at times. But I guess when you know you know, right? I loved their romantic dates too, swoon!
I would recommend this to readers who like small town romance, reverse grumpy/sunshine trope, opposites attract, book lovers and sweet romances.

I was really invested in his story up until about 60% mark. The story is 100% from Drew’s point of view. We get her quirky inner voice and it was fun. She meets Jasper and they have a deal to hang out exploring Colorado. Her sister and best friend are hilarious as well as the Dirty Birds, but after a while it just got draggy and stale for me.

Totally fun with delightful characters - I'm a sucker for bookstore books - even though it is a familiar trope Alexa does it proud.

Well, this was a perfectly bookish romance.

I really loved watching Drew and Jasper’s relationship develop. It was sweet to see it move from two people doing a favor for the other to more.

I especially loved the interactions between Drew and both her best friend and sister. I love seeing the bonds of female friendships.

And the scenes with the Dirty Birds were also so cute. A group of old women meddling in my life, sure why not.

There were moments when I felt frustrated with Drew. With her idea that she wasn’t allowed to be happy; and she had to give everything up for her new life. I can understand where some of her thinking came from, but it still annoyed me. I wanted to grab her shoulders, shake her, and yell that she should take a moment to think things through.

But of course, this is a romance and all ends happily.

Overall a really enjoyable read.

I’ll admit, as soon as I saw the cover of this book, I wanted to read it. I didn’t even know what the story was about, but it looked so cute, and I loved the title. Then when I read that it followed a bookstore owner, I was even more eager to read it. I’m glad my instincts didn’t steer me wrong. It’s a charming story with realistic and funny characters, amazing female friendships, and I found a new book boyfriend!

There are so many fabulous characters and relationships in the story, and they’re all relatable. Drew, the protagonist, is interesting and complex, and I related to her in many ways. After her grandmother’s death a year ago, Drew, an aspiring photographer, inherits her bookstore. Though she is not a reader and had no aspirations of owning the store, Drew feels obligated to keep her grandmother’s legacy alive, even if it means putting her own interests and goals aside.

The story has a lot of great messages about grief and moving on after the loss of a loved one. Drew’s grief is still fresh, and she misses her grandmother immensely. The bookstore is her connection to the woman she so desperately misses, and Drew is conflicted between her dreams and fulfilling her grandmother’s legacy. I lost my mother twelve years ago, and I still grieve deeply. Like Drew, I also struggled to define myself after she was gone and always wonder what she would think of my decisions. Am I making her proud? What advice would she give if she were here? How would life be different?

I thought the author showed the effects of loss well. Grief is not linear, and there is no right or wrong way to mourn. It also hits you when you least expect it, which happens to Drew more than once. She never really faced her grief, and there are times in the story when it consumes her. It was really relatable, and I so sympathized with her in these moments. Luckily, Drew has a great support system to help her through everything.

I want to join the Dirty Birds Book Club! These ladies, who were friends with Drew’s grandmother, are fantastic and are long-time staples at the bookstore. They are so fun and funny, and they are more family to Drew than some of her own family members. Drew’s best friend is also fabulous, and their conversations are fantastic. She’s the kind of friend you can trust implicitly, and she’s often the voice of reason in Drew’s life. They have a great bond, and I love how they bust on and tease each other. Even when they argue or do something wrong, there’s never any doubt that they’ll work through it.

Drew has a more tenuous relationship with her sister, and because of her toxic relationship with her father, their connection has never been strong. It’s interesting to see how they deal with the past and all of the things usually left unsaid. I like how the sister’s relationship grows and changes as they talk more and are more open with each other.

Ok – All of those relationships and characters are great, but let’s talk about my new book boyfriend. Jasper Williams, author and hopeless romantic, falls so hard and so fast for Drew, and I was totally there for it! His words and actions are so swoon-worthy! His love of reading, their travels across beautiful Colorado, and his understanding and support of Drew make me question how she resisted him.

If you like opposites-attract love stories, you’ll love Drew and Jasper. He’s a book lover, and she’s a bookstore owner who doesn’t enjoy reading. He believes in love and happily ever after’s, while she is not convinced of either. Drew is guarded and reluctant to get into a relationship, and Jasper is more open and willing to take a risk in love. She’s definitely the grumpy to his sunshine. These opposites have amazing chemistry, and their adventures and conversations are fun, romantic, and sometimes emotional.

A story about love, friendship, grief, healing, and more, Better Than Fiction is an entertaining contemporary romance. I definitely need to read more by Alexa Martin after reading this book! Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This is an awful book. It appeared to be about one thing but wasn't.
As a self-proclaimed book hater and a firm believer that the movie is always better, Drew Young didn’t anticipate inheriting her grandma’s bookstore, the Book Nook. She’s in way over her head even before the shop’s resident book club, comprising seven of the naughtiest old ladies ever, begin to do what they do best—meddle.
Bestselling author Jasper Williams is a hopeless romantic. When he meets Drew at his Book Nook signing event, he becomes determined to show her the beauty of reading. He curates a book bucket list in exchange for her help exploring the local Denver scene for his current manuscript. From going river rafting to trying local restaurants, Drew begins to connect with Jasper in a way she only thought happened in fiction.
When messy family ties jeopardize the future of the Book Nook, Drew is caught between a bookshelf and a hard place. She’s reminded that real life isn’t always big dreams and sweeping romance. But Jasper is the plot twist she never saw coming and he’s writing a happily ever after just for them
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily..

DNF Terrible main character, terrible language. A disaster. Not cute or bookish or any of the charming things that the cover and title imply.

⁉️What would you be most likely be to do if you were left a bookshop in an inheritance from a loved one?
I mean, that does sound like a dream to me. I’ve got a retail management background and “bookish,” is pretty much a core identity for me.

BOOK REVIEW
Better Than Fiction, @alexambooks
Pub date: November 8, 2022
336 pages
@berkleypub

Drew gets left her grandmother’s book shop after her passing, finds herself struggling as a non-reader to fill her predecessor’s bookish shoes, and has had to give up her passion for photography to boot.

In walks Jasper Williams, author (turned Jasper Williams, love interest), to turn this love skeptic into a believer in happy endings (and maybe reading?)

I loved Martin’s Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes for the same reason I loved this one. Her writing is so fun, accessible and gave me some much needed levity this week. Obviously, there’s a hitch to the whole romance, because what romcom is without one? But it really was just a delight to read.

I could gripe about the couple of times Drew let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, the amount of times the reader is reminded of just how good looking Jasper is or the author’s use of, “def,” in place of definitely, but honestly I was easily able to overlook it for a sweet and sort of bookish little romance story.

Alexa Martin writes like I talk, and how I imagine maybe she and her friends talk, and there’s just something very charming about that to me. I think back on Mom Jeans and it just feels so very true to life, and I really think it’s the way she writes dialogue.

In the author’s bio it says something about her being into pop culture and anything sparkly (roughly), and that seems so true to the story writer of this book.

This is a def ( 😉) recommend from me!


Thanks @netgalley @berkleypub for my gifted e-copy in exchange for my honest review ♥️

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