This books gives you all the feels. It’s about Emma, a young woman who just celebrated her one-year anniversary of sobriety in AA. In the past year, she became sober, got an job in a corporate office, and is one the road to a turnaround. And then, her life is hit with dating, being named to the Christmas party planning committee, and learning that her estranged father is dying of cancer. She is trying to hold her life together and not fall off the wagon, and while reading you are rooting for Emma and telling her that she can do this and other hard things.

This is a funny, romantic, emotional, and sad story of one woman trying to hold her new life together. It’s a great read.

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OMG, this was a five-star listen for me! Ava Robinson’s Definitely Better Now is a heartfelt and hilarious journey following Emma, a quirky, flawed 26-year-old trying to rebuild her life after a year of sobriety. The story tackles heavy topics like the stigma of alcoholism, surviving social situations after sobriety, family dysfunction, and navigating AA while sprinkling in lighter elements like online dating, a sweet work romance, and baseball references, which I adored—baseball being my favorite sport! Add in New York City as a vibrant backdrop that feels like its own character, and you’ve got a contemporary fiction masterpiece that strikes the perfect balance between humor and depth.

Karissa Vacker’s narration was absolute perfection. She nailed Emma’s voice—capturing her awkwardness, vulnerability, and dry humor effortlessly. Vacker’s ability to differentiate characters was spot-on, making it easy to follow the dialogue without ever feeling lost. Her pacing was smooth and kept me hooked. I also loved how she handled the emotional shifts in the story, moving seamlessly from laugh-out-loud moments to the more heartbreaking ones. She brought Emma’s world to life in a way that elevated the entire story.

The flow of the audiobook was excellent. The transitions between chapters and scenes felt natural, and the narration made it easy to follow the shifts in time and place. While the audiobook didn’t include any unique elements like music or sound effects, Vacker’s performance was so engaging that nothing extra was needed.

This is one of those stories where the audiobook format enhances the experience. Vacker’s narration added so much personality to Emma, and I think listening to her voice made the character even more relatable and lovable. If you’re debating between reading or listening, I highly recommend the audiobook—it’s the perfect way to experience this witty and bittersweet story.

If you love messy but lovable main characters, relatable struggles, and sharp contemporary fiction, Definitely Better Nowis a must-read (or rather, must-listen 🥰). It’s a beautiful reminder that life doesn’t need to be perfect to be meaningful, and I couldn’t recommend it more!

What I Loved:

Emma’s Journey: Emma’s struggles with alcoholism, recovery, and self-acceptance are raw and relatable. Her imperfections and honest reflections hit home for anyone who’s ever wanted to be better, whether they’ve struggled with addiction or not.

The Humor: Ava Robinson balances the heaviness of Emma’s journey with dark humor and witty moments that had me laughing out loud.

Complex Family Dynamics: The reappearance of Emma’s estranged father and her mother’s new relationship add layers of emotional depth, showing the difficulty of navigating family bonds while healing yourself.

Self-Compassion and Grace: Emma’s ability to give herself grace, even when she stumbles, is inspiring. Her growth reminds us that progress isn’t linear and that it’s okay to take things one day at a time.

Ben: The charming IT guy brings lightness to Emma’s story, offering her a glimpse of what love and acceptance might look like without judgment.

This was a slow start for me. I enjoyed the premise right from the beginning, but felt the events didn’t move along so well at first. Definitely Better Now had many story elements that I enjoy, dysfunctional families, a main character going through a real life journey and believable events that help you related and root for the MC. There is a lot of emotion packed into this one and some of the events can get heavy but the author did a fantastic job making these life lessons relateable and believable. Overall, a fantastic debut novel and once I really got into this story I could not put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for my gifted audiobook copy.

This debut novel by Ava Robinson is truly one of a kind, and absolutely a must read. You will laugh out loud, you will cry, and will be drawn in by the beautiful honesty and vulnerability of the FMC Emma.

This books follows a 20 something named Emma as she celebrates one year of sobriety. She believes after that this hard achievement, the many fractured pieces of her life will begin to fall into place, but learns the hard lesson that life is still messy.

This book is truly genre defying. It’s part general fiction, part romance, and part just raw and beautiful. It needs no small box to fit into. The way the author draws you in with Emma’s inner dialogue, her honest reactions to the situations around her, and the difficulties and joys of sobriety truly made this a unique must read novel.

I’m not usually a big fan of”laugh out loud” in books kind of person, but I immediately drawn in by Emma’s quirky charm, and this book had me crying both tears of laughter one minute and tears of sadness the next.

The writing was masterful and I am shocked it Ava Robinson’s first novel! Well done, and I CANNOT wait to read more from what I know will be a stand out author!!

Absolutely loved this one. It was heartfelt, very relatable, witty & emotional.

Emma is a recovering alcoholic who has one year of sobriety. We get to see her navigate this new and unfamiliar chapter in her life. She’s having to do a lot of things for the first time as a sober person. In many ways, she is having to learn to live all over again.

Emma is heavily involved in AA and is struggling to maintain a relationship with her father who is also an alcoholic.

The story tackles addiction, mental health struggles, family dysfunction, and fragmented friendships. I just loved Emma, she is so real. I was rooting for her the whole time & really connected with her character. I loved seeing how much she evolved throughout the story.

There is a romantic element to the story, but it felt secondary to me. Definitely reads more like Contemporary Fiction with a bit of romance. I would really recommend this one!

This book was so good!! I can’t believe it was a debut!
This book is heavy- Emma is a new-ish sober person and she talks how she navigates her thinking as opposed to how things were in her past.
You go through new relationships and friendships, tense family dynamics, and loss.

If you enjoyed the tv show “mom” you would enjoy this book! Definitely recommend.

And as always, Karissa Vacker was flawless narrating this book.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio for my ALC. book is out now!

Holy cow, I really loved this book. It was beautifully written! Emma & Ben were such a beautiful couple to read about. Emma's struggles were so real and the author did an amazing job making you feel all of the emotions Emma feels. Definitely an amazing read!!!

This book had me in my feels. I really felt for the main character. She is struggling with how to exist outside of alcohol. She’s a year sober and trying to form bonds but isn’t sure how that looks sober. She struggles to navigate everything. She also struggles with her relationship with her father who is also an alcoholic.

My family is riddled with drug abuse or alcoholics so I was a little apprehensive about this one but I actually loved it. It gave me hope and I liked the insight into the alcoholics mindset. It was very lighthearted so it’s not a heavy read. There’s emotions and loss and feelings for sure but nothing too heavy which made it very readable for me.

There’s also a bit of romance! I was so here for this couple!! And he’s def book boyfriend material!

I just loved the progression of this one. The acceptance. The growth of the character. Definitely recommend it.

This was an interesting read, especially since it’s a debut novel!

Emma is an alcoholic. She’s been struggling with sobriety. She has just reached one year sober! She should be celebrating! She should be ecstatic!
Instead, she’s…. a … wreck!!

She goes to AA meetings. She has a steady job. She’s TRYING to make friends. BUT.. She’s shy….which is a huge change from her drunken self…

She has a support group in AA, and her mother. Her father has been a drunk as long as she can remember…

As she tries to go through this world, as a sober human being, she is faced with so much turmoil..and so many firsts…

Add to this that her mother (and her new boyfriend) are moving on…
Her father and his hippie new wife are in a world of their own, and Emma can’t seem to get along with him no matter how hard she tries….
AND…she’s just been tasked with a place on the ‘Fun Committee’ at work…to plan the big Christmas Party!! BTW…she really wants nothing to do with this…

Additionally, her work friend keeps asking her to join their drinking buddies group on Fridays after work…. How can she tell them about her past?

There’s a lot of turmoil, family dysfunction, self-discovery and friend building in this one, as well as some attempts at romance. But can she do any of this without alcohol???

Sweet yet sad story. Very angst-y! But, well worth the read!

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

#DefinitelyBetterNow by #AvaRobinson and narrated nicely by #KarissaVacker.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarlequinAudio for an ARC of the audiobook!! This one was released in December (so you should be able to find it now)! I was lucky enough to get an advance copy earlier this week!

As for me… You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads.
Insta: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

This is a review of the audiobook.

Audiobook Narration: Great narrator, solid performance - I really enjoyed this one on audio. Sounded great sped up, which is sometimes not an easy thing to accomplish. 5/5 would recommend.

Fans of stream of consciousness, slice of life style narratives will enjoy this.

I really enjoyed this author’s writing style and prose and felt the introspection (albeit too brief for my preference) was well done.

I quite liked the way this author wrote the romance aspects of this book. If the author writes a full Romance in the future I’ll be the first in line to preorder. It was sweet. In fact I think had this been heavier on the romance it may have worked better for me.

Actually that brings me to my largest critique - this book tried to do A LOT, rather than focusing on and diving into a single, or maybe two aspects/plot points we got a tiny snippet of too much at once.

Not only is she dealing with navigating dating post 1 year sober but there are at least 5 other major struggles for the FMC. While I understand that real life often does have a plethora of struggles at once, presenting them in this manner in such a short book gave me little to no satisfaction. We only saw surface level exploration of each topic, and I wanted more.

It felt like every time I really started to get into the narrative of drama unfolding we’d switch gears, and I was left wanting more.

My other critique is that this is marketed as being funny and I just don’t think it was that.

I think this had the potential to be a truly spectacular book. In the end the narrative pulled me in too many different directions and failed to give any one plot point enough attention.

I will certainly check out more from this author in the future and I think as a debut it’s quite decent.

I just finished reading Definitely Better now by Ava Robinson and feel completed blown away. This is a debut?!?! It's SO good. Good isn't enough of a word. This book grabbed me immediately and didn't let me go. It might never let me go. Emma was such a dynamic FMC. So vulnerable, so flawed, so relatable, so genuine. I loved how Robinson didn't shy way from the messiness and self doubt that Emma was going through. A story about family dynamics, becoming sober, and trying to figure out how to live life without the devastating comfort that came with your vices. But also, make it funny. She made it so funny! There is grit and there is with and betwixt the two lies Definitely Better now. I can't rave enough about this one.

Emma has been a substance abuser for many years. But at the start of the book, she has just completed 1 year of sobriety. She has leaned on her sponsor and on the AA program. Now she's starting to think about where she wants her life, including her love life to go.

Emma has been fanaticizing about Ben, an IT director in her company. She can't read the signs, but it appears that he may be interested in her. Yet another co-worker is also hitting on her. As she contemplates starting a real relationship, life continues to buffet her and she's considering how her life is evolving now and whether her struggles are worth it. Can she remain sober while dealing with tragedy and stress?

It's certainly not a happy story, but it is one of perseverance, hope, and determination.

Ava Robinson delivers a heartwarming and uplifting tale in Definitely Better Now. This story beautifully captures the messy, imperfect journey of healing and self-discovery. The characters feel authentic, their struggles relatable, and their triumphs deeply satisfying. With witty dialogue, tender moments, and a dash of romance, this book will leave you smiling long after you’ve turned the last page.

Wow! What an incredible debut novel. Definitely Better Now is instantly compelling and emotionally investable for the reader. While I couldn't relate to the journey of sobriety - I can absolutely relate to the feelings of anxiety and overwhelm experienced by the FMC. This was a beautiful story with rich emotions and it was such an enamoring and satisfying read. I cannot wait to see what Ava Robinson writes next!

I absolutely love love this book! This was a heartfelt, poignant, and engaging debut. Karissa Vacker is also one of my all time favorite narrators and she killed his performance as usual!

A best selling author that writes under a pseudonym decides to reveal herself. This is the story of how she came to be. I was engaged immediately. Loved the unfolding of this story and the details of her relationships.

(4.25 stars)
Definitely Better Now was a touching and funny read. We follow 20-something Emma, in her recovery from alcoholism. As the book opens, she’s trying to write a short speech to mark her one year of sobriety. But she’s at her office and her ancient computer locks up on her. She has to call on IT for help and her instinct is to protect/hide what she was working on when the computer went kaput from Ben, the cute IT guy who showed up to help her.

Emma is trying to figure out how to deal with life. (After a year of sobriety, some “rules” are loosened a bit.) When she finally agrees to go out with her coworkers for “drinks” for the first time, the reader cannot help but feel for her. When her well-meaning coworkers help her set up an online dating profile, Mitchell, the office jerk borderline stalks her and starts rumors about their non-existent relationship. I couldn’t stand this guy but recognized the type: quite full of himself. Ben, on the other hand, was a lovely character, and I was so glad that Emma gravitated toward him and not Mitchell.

Emma’s family background is a difficult one. Her father, also an alcoholic, but one who mainly denies it, left her mother when Emma was young and lives a hippie lifestyle with his long-term partner in the Catskills. He and Emma don’t have much of a relationship but toward the end of the book, they get closer.

Most of the book takes place in various locations in New York City and I enjoyed reading about the reality of city life. I was pulled in by the inside look at different kinds of AA meetings and the struggles Emma faces in trying to live her new life.

The writing was terrific and I had no idea that this was a debut novel. Despite my busy schedule, I sped through the book, mostly on audio, wanting to see how things would work out for Emma.

Karissa Vacker did a great job with the audiobook narration, with different voices for different characters.

Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book and to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

One year sober, Emma has transformed much of her life. She has a steady office job, attends AA meetings regularly, and is in frequent contact with her sponsor.

But, even with all the effort she’s put in, life still isn’t easy. She hasn’t spent time developing friendships and relationships with the people in her everyday life. And she wants to put herself out there to try dating again, but doing that sober is so scary.

Any book is better with Karissa Vacker narrating it, but I fell in love with the story of Emma, the changes she’s undergone, her emotional growth, her learning to be openly vulnerable, and her search for connection and where she truly fits.

And, goodness, I sure did adore steadfast and steady Ben. Honestly, is there anything better than a quiet love interest blushing to the tips of his ears due to banter? I don’t think so.

I laughed; I cried; and I cheered Emma on.

As I previously mentioned, this one is narrated by Karissa Vacker. She does a fantastic job capturing the humor, awkwardness, vulnerability, and heartbreak of the story.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Harlequin Audio. All review opinions are my own.

Emma is one year sober and sets out to take the lead in her own life. She addresses her feelings towards her father, steps out of her comfort zone, and accepts that sometimes life just happens and you can't control it. While organizes an office Christmas party, she confronts a lot of challenges in her life and reflects on all her past mistakes. Emma's journey felt authentic from beginning to end, which really drew me in to this book. It was an inspiring read in so many ways and I'm excited to read more from this author.