I don’t think I’ve ever read a book and proceeded to read the acknowledgments right after. I needed to get into Alexa’s mind to see where this beauty of a book came from. Multilayered and engaging - a honey spoon for any reader. I will forgive Alexa for using ‘she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding’ TWICE in this book but beware: TikTok might be coming for you :)

Jasper is a quintessential book boyfriend, a swoon-worthy dream of a man. Well done!

DNF at 49%. Really wanted to love this…but, sadly, this one wasn’t for me. Characters felt one-note and, as a result, I couldn’t get emotionally invested in the romance. Though I craved a bit more depth, I think the author did an excellent job portraying Drew’s grief!

I’m sure this will appeal to many looking for a quick, sweet bookish read.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Believe it or not, fellow book lovers, but owning a bookstore isn't everyone's dream [cough: Drew] and some people don't even like to read [gasp! Drew!]. With more than a little grief and stubbornness, family drama, career angst, and meddling elders, Drew Young is stuck in a story she never wanted to pick up but can't in good conscience put down. She has a great supportive friend and bookstore help, but she's still feeling stuck and hopeless. Enter hot, swoony romance author Jasper Williams. Can his outlook on life and sizzling romantic attention help Drew get out of her head and into the story she deserves? Can her enthusiastic love for her Colorado mountain town and a life lived outside of books inspire and ground him beyond the scope of his next manuscript? Romance readers know the answers: yes and yes. But not without some third act drama and plot twists along the way.

What sets this love story apart? A beautiful Colorado area that is explored rather than just used as set dressing, a main character who is allowed to be real and complex, fun pop culture references and banter, an incorrigible group of meddling old aunties, spot-on behind-the-scenes bookstore details, steamy chemistry with a sweet-hearted man, and the satisfying awakening of the joy of reading in a self-proclaimed book hater.

It's been awhile since I've picked up a contemporary romance. I've sort of been burned out on them as they tend to follow a formula and there isn't much to differentiate one from another. I rather enjoyed this one. It was very witty with relatable characters in relatable situations and the required angst was not over the top. As a matter of fact, this one kind of pokes fun at the fact that contemporary romance does follow a pattern, and that was kind of fun!!!

This is the first Alexa Martin book I've read. The strongest aspects of it are Martin's depictions of grief and the challenges of toxic family dynamics--the revelation with the will is a refreshing twist--and I loved Drew's relationship with her sister, her best friend, and even the "Dirty Birds" book club that prowls the store. Unfortunately, I didn't care about the romance because I wasn't invested in Jasper; the two of them seem cute together, but I felt like I didn't get to know Jasper at all. It's more surface-level than I was expecting, which made their conflict feel manufactured.

Overall this is a quick, sweet read that would be good to pick up for an afternoon.

This one was cute and a quick read. I don't love forced proximity. But over all it was a good read. I would for sure recommend this to patrons.

“The weight and feel of a book in my hand, the crisp pages beneath my fingertips, the bright and colorful covers that are all so similar, yet so different. It’s almost hypnotizing.”

As a self-proclaimed book hater and a firm believer that the movie is always better [BLASPHEMY], 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.
 
When Jasper Williams meets Drew at his Book Nook signing event, he becomes determined to show her the beauty of reading. But when messy family ties jeopardize the future of the Book Nook, Drew is caught between a bookshelf and a hard place. Is Jasper the plot twist she never saw coming?

“The world is a little bit brighter when you’re getting it good on the regular.”

Ok I am not sure what I was expecting going into this one, but what I got was a laugh out loud funny five star read and probably my favorite MC in some time. Gahhh I loved it! Drew is just so spunky and sarcastic and that just speaks to my soul. She is flawed, heartbroken, and damaged. But watching her transformation was an absolute pleasure. And imagining a Gerard Butler-esque author being the rock she needs? Swoon. My heart.

I also love that this book has both interracial and multicultural components. And it mostly takes place in a bookstore. I mean, come on. Utter perfection. If you loved Emily Henry’s People We Meet On Vacation or Book Lovers, add this to your tbr. Stat!

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group, the author, and NetGalley for the free gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE Alexa Martin as a writer, and this was cute but CRINGEEE. I absolutely devoured Alexa Martin’s sports romance series, but this one might have been a little too cringe and perfect for me. As we know, most romances end happily, but this one didn’t have enough conflict or drama for me. The story was just a bunch of cheesy romances with no plot.

Don’t get me wrong I still love a cheesy romance, so I still enjoyed the read and finished but I wouldn’t say this is a must-read romance.

Drew never anticipated that her grandma would leave her the family bookstore in her will - she doesn't even enjoy reading! But when it becomes clear that this was exactly what her beloved grandma wanted, Drew takes it on board, throwing herself into the running of the store and putting aside her dreams of being a photographer. When she meets author Jasper, things start to look up as she shows him around town in exchange for reading some of the books he suggests.

A love story set in a bookstore between an author and the store owner - can you get any more bookishly perfect than that? I'm a sucker for books about books so I knew I was going to love this one. The story was really cute and it was great that Jasper was a male romance author! The only downside to the book was how Jasper was repeatedly portrayed as being so good looking. I mean, who drops their glass when seeing a random gorgeous guy? There were countless situations like this throughout the book. Maybe one or two would have been ok to hammer the point across but I don't think any more were needed.

Better Than Fiction is a very unique book. I don't have many other ways to describe it. The book has a very interesting and wonderful romance storyline. The fact that it gave me You've Got Mail vibes alone was enough to sell me on it. I found myself truly thinking about all the things in my life that had gone wrong and the ways that we have to take a chance on new opportunities throughout this entire book.

The way that this book dealt with grief was especially important to me. I found myself hurting for Drew in many cases, especially early on when you can really tell how hard it is for her to have this bookstore. It was not something Drew wanted nor thought she could manage. I also found that this book has a great way of showing family dynamics. Drew and Daisy's relationship, Drew and her father's, her mothers, her grandmothers, etc. all of them show this very interesting dynamic and for me, as someone who tends to be a people pleaser it's hard to read at times, but again so incredibly important.

Then you throw Jasper into the mix. I will say while he didn't impress me to begin with, I found myself loving him. more and more throughout the story as we got to know him. He and Drew's relationship is both complex and sweet at times and I liked that they find something good inside each other.

And of course, I can't forget to mention some of my favorite characters AKA the Dirty Birds. I swear those ladies are easily my favorite part They have such a great way of stirring up trouble, but I like that for this kind of story. You need some meddling otherwise the whimsy is lost with all the heaviness.

Overall, I'd give this book a 3.5/5 stars. It definitely is on my list of books I'd recommend to people who love forced proximity and fans of You've Got Mail.

This was cute!
Our main character Drew is a self-proclaimed book hater and a firm believer that the movie is always better, When she inherits her Grandmother's bookstore, she realizes she is in way over her head.

Bestselling author Jasper Williams is a hopeless romantic. He meets Drew at a bookNook book signing and is determined to sh0w her the beautify of reading.

I loved the exploration of grief along with the romance that develops between our two main characters. Jasper is the perfect sweet contrast to Drew's cynicism. Sort of a grumpy sunshine troupe in reverse.

Again, it was cute! I wanted more from Jasper's point of view, but otherwise, it's a great cute romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

the idea of this book was absolutely everything.

you have someone who lost their grandmother and inherited her bookshop which now she has to put away her dreams and goals to run it meeting a romance author looking for inspiration for his new book? LOVED THIS SO MUCH.

loved drew's support system and it was honestly my favorite part of the book and why I continued to read it. I think the plot was so good but I couldn't get myself to fall in love with the individual characters.

there are a lot of pop culture references which I didn't mind but just be warned.

enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to continue to support this author <3

Better than Fiction by Alexa Martin is a heartfelt story with lovely, engaging characters and amazing adventures. A charming, swoon-worthy and utterly relatable rom-com that takes place in Colorado. I can't wait to read more from the author soon.

This was a different book than I'm used to getting from Martin, but I loved it all the same.

Drew was an interesting character to get to know. She feels this pressure to keep her grandmother's bookstore alive, even though it means sacrificing her own career and interests. Plus, she's not even remotely interested in books. Hearing about Drew's interactions with her late grandmother and seeing how she carries on the legacy is inspiring and heartwarming.

And seeing how Jasper played into all of this was nice as well. He and Drew worked so well together and brought out the absolute best and worst in each other. I loved every scene with them together.

I love that the MMC was a romance book lover and the FMC was not even interested in books. It reminded me of Viggo from the Bergman Brothers series.

Overall, this was an enjoyable new book from Martin filled with grief, love, and passion.

A definitely cute romance with feel good vibes that will make you smile! I’m usually not a fan of the more stream of conscious first person writing style, but I have to admit that it did really work for this book, seeing everything from Drew’s rambling point of view.

Drew is a photographer who loves the outdoors and hates reading-and has inherited an adorable bookstore from her grandmother. Jasper writes romance books and can’t imagine someone not liking to read. Together they seem like a case of total opposites, but it works. Drew’s pain and grieving over losing her grandmother really tore at me, you could tell she hadn’t even begun to move on and was just going through the motions of living. I loved how a group of interfering book clubbers got involved to help her out-with some less than subtle match making, as well as more subtle pushes towards healing. As much as this was a romance it was also about rediscovering yourself, about reconnecting with what you love and your vision, and about the network of support and (sometimes unexpected) friendship that makes life better in all kinds of ways.

A fun, heartfelt romance that will have you smiling, laughing, and crying in all the right spots

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

"One of Buzzfeed’s New Romances to Read This Fall!

Love isn't always by the book in this charming romantic comedy about a bookseller discovering how to be the main character in her story.

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."

Yes, this book is a fantasy I would love to live.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and to PRH Audio for the audiobook.

I found it tough to like Drew, the female main character from the very first page. She goes further than being the grump in a reverse grump/sunshine trope. She doesn't like college, books, reading, her family, and even ignores her best friend. She is experiencing grief, and that colors her perceptions. But I found it tough to be in her head from the consistent first person perspective.

In contrast, I did appreciate Jasper. According to Drew's descriptions, he writes romance novels, is extremely attractive, and does CrossFit. I really wanted Jasper's point of view. His character seems more one sided, not having insight into his thoughts and feelings. It was unclear what he got from the relationship besides that she was attractive.

I loved the Colorado setting and learning more about some of the attractions there. I also loved many of the secondary characters, especially Drew's grandmother's friends. But I overall did not enjoy this as much as I had hoped. I think it's a better fit for folks who love grumpy characters and steamy scenes.

The audiobook was excellently narrated and pulled me into the story more than I would have been otherwise.

3.5 stars rounded up

What an adorable book this was. I loved Drew and Jasper as characters, and their very realistic story. Drew is suffering from grief and Martin writes that struggle beautifully. The grumpy/sunshine trope is done well here, and drew me into the story.

Also, there's an inherited bookstore, so that's obviously a win. :)

If I had one knock, it was that I feel like the relationship developed a wee bit too quickly. I'd have liked to have seen it take a little longer to develop - especially considering the fact that Drew is in such a low emotional state.

However, I still really liked this book, and would recommend to those who like the romcom genre. And book stores!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Better Than Fiction is the first Alexa Martin book I’ve picked up in a while, due to the fact that, in spite of a strong start, her football series went in a direction that I didn’t care for. However, the premise of this book caught my eye, and I decided to give Martin another chance.

I love the start with Drew going through grief in the wake of her grandmother’s passing. I was immediately hooked on the initial setup, with Drew inheriting her grandmother’s bookstore, despite not being fond of reading. The women of the Dirty Birds are immediately fun, and I love that they immediately bring Drew into the path of romance author Jasper Williams.

Drew is immensely relatable, and I loved the exploration of both her grief as she reckons with the loss of her grandmother and the anxiety she feels. She’s rather prickly, but I loved seeing her open up over the course of the book.

And the Dirty Birds are wonderful. They were good friends of her grandmother’s, and helped to bring Drew out of her shell.

Jasper is a super sweet love interest, and provides sunshine-y optimism to contrast Drew’s cynicism, and is another person who comes into her life who helps her contend with some of the negative emotions, while also inspiring her to open up to people a bit more. Their chemistry is palpable, even if the romance is more slow-burn in nature.

I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys bookish romances.

It's the Dirty Birds. Drew just inherited her grandmother's bookstore where the Dirty Birds gather for their book club. She's not a reader and she's actively annoyed with so much in her life, having lost her travel photography business and being tethered to the store. And then comes Jaspar, a writer who has a bright heart and wants to help her in his own way. The Dirty Birds approve and so will you. This is trope-y in a good way as it's the reverse of the usual rom com couple- she's the unhappy one and he's the fun one. I liked her, liked him, found myself nodding along with some of their dialogue and references (some of which might pass over the heads of a few readers). And I liked the Birds. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, A light fun read.