This realistic, workplace romance wasn't something I thought I needed - but couldn't stop reading it!
A slow-burn romance between Emma and Ben was cute and engaging and I kept cheering them along as I read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for providing me with a digital review copy of this novel.

Ava Robinson’s debut novel is a touching and deeply funny story about starting over sober only to discover life’s biggest messes are still waiting right where you left them.
The story centers around Emma, a 26-year-old New Yorker who has been sober for a whole year. That’s twelve months of better health, fifty-two weeks of focusing on her nine-to-five office job, group meetings, and avoiding bad decisions. But it’s also been 365 days of not dating, and with her new dating profile, Emma is ready to put herself back out there.
Except—was dating always this complicated? And did Emma’s mother really have to choose now to move in with her new boyfriend? Planning her office’s holiday party feels like icing on the suddenly very overwhelming cake until her estranged father reappears with devastating news. Icing, meet cherry on top. But then there’s Ben, the charming IT guy who, despite Emma’s awkwardness and shortcomings, seems to maybe actually get her.
Sobriety is turning out to be far from the flawless future Emma had once envisioned for herself, but as she allows herself to open up to Ben and confront difficult past relationships, she’s beginning to realize that taking things one day at a time might just be the perfectly imperfect path she’s meant to be on.
I’d say you found it both heartwarming and hilarious. Emma’s journey through sobriety, complicated family dynamics, and the ups and downs of dating likely resonated with you. The balance of wit and heartfelt moments would have kept you engaged, and you probably appreciated Emma’s realistic and relatable struggles.
Robinson’s writing is witty, heartbreaking, and profoundly relatable. The characters are well-drawn, and the plot’s twists and turns keep the story engaging without feeling overwhelming. The humor adds a light touch to the more serious themes, making the book an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.
Overall, this debut novel is a must-read for anyone who enjoys stories about personal growth, family dynamics, and finding love in unexpected places. I’d rate this book 3.5 stars for its engaging plot, relatable characters, and perfect blend of humor and heart. Thank you to the NetGalley team for providing me with the ARC to review.
🌟🌟🌟✨
(No chili peppers, as the focus is on personal growth and relationships rather than romance)

This book wasn’t really my style. There was nothing specifically bad about it, but I couldn’t bring myself to care about the characters or anything that was going on with them.

Ava Robinson's debut novel, Definitely Better Now, is a story of self-discovery and the strength it takes to rebuild a life. The story centers around Emma, whose journey of overcoming alcoholism is told in such a way that she is real and relatable. Her struggle with recovery is not sugar coated or romanticized. Her feelings are raw and true, making her relatable to anyone who has ever struggled with anything, not just alcohol or drug abuse.

Through it all, Emma has an unwavering spirit and determination to make her life better. As her sobriety is tested through difficulties in with her family, her work, and her personal relationships, she remains ever positive and focused. Her resilience in the face of adversity makes her a character you'll root for throughout the entire story.

Definitely Better Now is a must-read for anyone looking for an uplifting and honest portrayal of overcoming addiction, or really any struggle at all. Robinson's heartwarming tale is a celebration of self-care, resilience, and the transformative power of new beginnings.

This was a wonderful and heartfelt read.

Definitely Better Now follows Emma, an alcoholic 26 year old New Yorker, just as she marks her first year of sobriety. As soon as her program-encouraged dating-ban is lifted, she meets Ben, a gentle and empathetic man in the IT department at her office. Now, this isn’t strictly a romance novel - while trying to find a balance the difficulties of a dating as a newly and privately sober individual, Emma also needs to navigate her strained relationship with her semi-estranged alcoholic father in the wake of some life changing news.

Emma was heartbreakingly real and honest with her sobriety journey, making her an easy character to fall in love with. I loved the romance element to the novel - the hopeful realness of it - and the dimension that her addiction/sobriety added to both the conflict and conflict resolution.

The peek into AA/HG recovery programs and the mental toll of sobriety was fascinating to me as well, as naturally it coloured every part of her waking life. Her reflections on sobriety and growth felt mature and respectful.

In a really good way, this was not the novel I thought it was be when i picked it up, and I’m really glad for that.

I was really excited to check this book out because on paper I can relate a lot to the main character. However, I just couldn't get into it. Everything fell flat, and I didn't find an emotional connection to Emma or the story. I figured this would be a low-plot book, but I wanted more of an emotional pull through the book.

I could see this book being good for someone who wants some insight into how AA works. Or someone who is considering getting sober.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to read Ava Robison’s feel good debut novel, Definitely Better Now. Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson follows Emma on her journey through sobriety and navigating the world once she has reached her year milestone with AA and the strict rules she has set in place become a little more lax. She can now date and allow herself to shed some of these walls she has put up, but as she does so she is now met with a bombardment of news from her mother and her estranged father.

In all honesty, I did not finish this book. I loved the premise of the book, loved the cover and couldn’t wait to meet Emma and learn her struggles, learn more about the difference between office Emma and ‘real world’ Emma and how she is taking life one step at a time - but I just couldn’t connect with the story nor Emma. As we meet her in her office on her big momentous day, I was rooting for her but as we approached the evening she kind of fell flat. I love that she has an ‘outside Emma’ who has a different persona from her actual self but she took too far of a step back and didn’t have any connections which is where I also lost my pace with her. I did not finish this but made it to 25%.

Ava Robinson did an amazing job telling such a beautiful story. I couldn’t put this book down and I loved every minute of it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

This one was a bit of a challenge for me to rate. Definitely Better Now focuses on Emma, a recovering alcoholic in her 20s, trying to cope with her new life and sobriety. There is some romance in here, which I enjoyed, however it is primarily women's fiction surrounding Emma's life and journey in her sobriety.

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!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Emma is a recovering alcoholic who has just reached her first year of sobriety. Other than going to work, seeing
her mother and attending AA meetings, Emma has kept to herself. She now has to learn how to navigate life
without the benefit of alcohol and isolation. It allows her to see how her father's alcoholism impacted her and make peace with him. As the story progresses, Emma's self growth is evident.
A thoughtful interesting read with a relatable character.
#DefinitelyBetterNow #Mira #Harlequin #NetGalley

A timely story about overcoming addiction, and the way that your life can still be a mess even after recovery. I really enjoyed this one, and the layers of character development.

'A touching and deeply funny debut about starting over sober only to discover life’s biggest messes are still waiting right where you left them. The very last person anyone should worry about is Emma. Yes, hi, she’s an alcoholic. But she’s officially been sober for one entire year. That’s twelve months of better health. Fifty-two whole weeks of focusing on nothing but her nine-to-five office job, group meetings, and avoiding the kind of bad decisions that previously left her awash in shame and regret. It’s also been 365 days of not dating. And with her new dating profile, Emma, 26, of New York is ready to put herself back out there.'

Mini spoiler ahead-

This book touches on heavy content. Which I'm comfortable with, but check your trigger warnings.
This was such a a wonderful debut book. In the beginning Emma seems like she's not going to be a good character, but that quickly changes. She turns out to be so wonderful.
Emma is a recovering alcoholic, in NYC, who's done nothing but work on herself for the past year. She quickly finds herself falling for a guy, but she's not sure she can trust herself in a sober relationship. She goes through the motions of life and sobriety. My favorite thing about this book, is even when she struggled so hard with personal issues, she never relapsed, which is wonderful. So many books and movies would've had her relapsing before figuring it all out. Emma though, stayed true to her sobriety, and honestly that made me love this book so much more.

I picked this book up thinking I would feel connected to the characters because I grew up with an alcoholic. I feel like this book is aimed at the 20 something crowd. I had a hard time putting myself in Emma’s shoes. She is in her twenties and realizes that she has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Decides to quit completely and go to AA. As a almost 40 year old I think this is awesome and something to be proud of but Emma is mostly embarrassed about it. She creates this perfect good girl persona at work and hides who she really is. She has a hard time dating or going out and making friends because so much of social life revolves around drinking. This book is about her embracing her new life and jumping back into dating.

This book was definitely out of my comfort zone but was so beautiful in a lot of ways as well. I will say I struggled to get into it in the beginning the start was slow and felt a little aimless (although Emma kind of did as well so maybe that’s the point) but the last 100 pages absolutely sold me. I was sobbing, I was smiling, I was rooting for Emma so hard it hurt. Absolutely stunning work and very impressive for a debut novel!

One thing I really enjoyed about this was the fact that Emma had very real flaws, there were moments that I was really struggling to even like her. I think moments like this made it hard for me to read but they were so so important. It is so crucial to understanding someone to see their flaws as well as their positives. I also think this story gave a really interesting insight into addiction and what recovery means for each individual. I wish the first half had been a bit quicker moving or had a little less exposition but it did pay off in the end.

Truly this book is heartbreakingly honest and hard to face head on at points, but that is where its strengths lie. Definitely Better Now provides a perspective shift for difficult relationships and it showcased empathy and what healing really means for an individual. A slow burn that has really good payoff though.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this ARC! I will be posting my review on my instagram page closer to the publishing date, but I did add the link to my instagram for when it is published! Will definitely be talking about this book on there prior to that full review as well.

In her literary debut, Ava Robinson has created a compelling character study of recovering alcoholic Emma that is honest and occasionally brutal, while injecting humor and pathos to ensure the narrative never becomes overwhelmingly morose. Even as someone who rarely/never drinks, the book feels immediately relatable, with Emma's lack of passion for her work and her search for more substantive meaning and relationships in her life, and the awkward but endearing romance that develops between Emma and her office crush, Ben. I loved that the book always remains grounded and that the romance develops without feeling like it's trying too hard. To me, this is the ideal 'romantic comedy' in that it isn't overly saccharine or obvious in its plotting and machinations. Things unfold in a way that feels organic, and the obstacles Emma and Ben face are motivated and realistic, rather than artificially inserted for no other reason than to keep the lovers apart as long as possible.
Overall, would recommend, and looking forward to reading more of Ava Robinson's work in the future.

This is my first time reading a book from the perspective of a recovering alcoholic. The issues that the main character dealt with throughout the novel felt so realistic. This women’s fiction book is perfect for those who are struggling through their early adulthood. There is a touch of soft romance throughout the book but it is not the main plot point. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to review this book!

Definitely Better Now is a novel that starts out at the one year anniversary of the MC Emma's first year sober. It's a time in her life of celebration but also new challenges as she can now open herself up to new freedoms that could test her sobriety such as date or go out with her coworkers to the bar.

Emma is experiencing life almost for the first time in many ways. Making friends, having sex, and dealing with conflict are all examples of things that she has never had to do sober before. We follow her throughout the book as she gains more confidence in herself and as well as realizing that just because she is sober doesn't automatically mean all her flaws are fixed. She shows a lot of growth and makes a lot of decisions that, while hard, will be better for her in the end.

This book could easily have been a real person's life. The characters in this book don't spout out the perfect one-liners or act smoothly in every situation. They are awkward, raw, and human. I had the strongest reaction to Emma's relationship with her father throughout the book. He was an alcoholic and rather absent father to her and recently reached out to her again. Their relationship was both heartbreaking, complicated, and sweet

Emma and Ben's relationship was tender and gentle. They both were so awkward and unsure. For me, it was such a fresh approach because it felt genuinely real. That said, do not go into this book thinking the main focus is their romance or you will be disappointed. It is definitely a major plot point, but it doesn't follow the way a relationship would be in the majority of romance books.

The first 30% of this book, I was not digging. I found it pretty dry, and I was tiring of the strong AA focus and wasn't quite sold on Emma as an MC. However, I really adored the rest of it and have grown attached! I'll miss Emma and actually find myself wishing the book was longer.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing an ARC of this book for an honest review.

This review was also shared on my goodreads at the added link.

In this touching first book, we follow Emma, who's 26 and trying to turn her life around after overcoming addiction. With the help of her support group and mentor Lola, she grapples with her dad's denial of his own issues while living a carefree life upstate.

As Emma faces her past and looks towards the future, she learns to control how she reacts to things, even when life throws challenge her way. Along the journey, she deals with unfriendly colleagues and her crush on a coworker named Ben.

When Emma, Ben, and a co-worker named Mitchell have to organize a Christmas party together, things get even more complicated. Through building friendships and acceptance of her family, Emma learns about herself and the person she wants to be.

This story draws you in with its realness and sincerity, making you root for Emma as she navigates self-acceptance and personal growth. It's a heartfelt and motivating read that many can relate to.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

In the novel Definitely Better Now, Ava Robinson tells a touching and funny story about Emma who is a 26 girl who lives in New York. She had managed to stay sober for a whole year.
So she has been focusing on her office job, attending group meetings, and avoiding bad decisions. Feeling able to date again - but finding it more complicated than she expected. Her Mom moves in with a new boyfriend, and her estranged Dad reappears with unbelievable sad news. During this - Ben, a charming IT guy, seems to truly understand her.
As Emma navigates sobriety and complex family dynamics, she learns that taking life one day at a time might be the perfectly imperfect path she’s meant to follow. This book is bittersweet, darkly hilarious, witty, heartbreaking, and extremely relatable.

Emma thought life would be simpler after her first year of sobriety, but things don't go as planned. Learning about AA and support groups through Emma's experiences was enlightening. The romance adds a realistic feel and didn't overshadow the main story.

Ava Robinson's debut is a strong one, and I'll be looking out for her future books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing.

I really enjoyed this book about personal growth and learning to love oneself and others! I appreciated reading about the struggles of an alcoholic and trying to live your life in a different way. It was a super easy read, not too heavy, not too lighthearted…it was just right!