What do you think?
Rate this book
Definitely Better Now
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.
Except—was dating always this complicated? And did Emma’s mother really have to choose now to move in with her new boyfriend? Being assigned to plan 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.
Bittersweet and darkly hilarious, Ava Robinson’s debut novel about navigating sobriety and complicated family dynamics is witty, heartbreaking, and profoundly relatable.
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.
Except—was dating always this complicated? And did Emma’s mother really have to choose now to move in with her new boyfriend? Being assigned to plan 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.
Bittersweet and darkly hilarious, Ava Robinson’s debut novel about navigating sobriety and complicated family dynamics is witty, heartbreaking, and profoundly relatable.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published December 17, 2024
821 people are currently reading
30.9k people want to read
About the author
Ava Robinson
1 book169 followersAva Robinson is a writer, educator, and New Yorker. She is the Assistant Director of the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College and a graduate of The New School’s MFA program. Her debut novel, Definitely Better Now, will come out in late 2024 from Mira Books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,109 reviews
December 24, 2024
4.5 Stars
I love train wreck characters, so this book’s blurb was like a siren’s song when I saw it as a December Book of the Month offering. I also was very interested in reading the POV of someone a year into their sobriety journey.
I felt a kinship with Emma and enjoyed reading about her experiences with her parents and the general effects of enmeshing yourself with another person. What that can look like and how it can affect your identity, especially as an adolescent. I also LOVED Ben.
I have a few very minor quibbles (thus the less than 5-star) but I really enjoyed this. I just love stories about childhood and family trauma, drama, and any and all the accompanying -amas.
I love train wreck characters, so this book’s blurb was like a siren’s song when I saw it as a December Book of the Month offering. I also was very interested in reading the POV of someone a year into their sobriety journey.
I felt a kinship with Emma and enjoyed reading about her experiences with her parents and the general effects of enmeshing yourself with another person. What that can look like and how it can affect your identity, especially as an adolescent. I also LOVED Ben.
I have a few very minor quibbles (thus the less than 5-star) but I really enjoyed this. I just love stories about childhood and family trauma, drama, and any and all the accompanying -amas.
April 7, 2025
This heartfelt, engaging, and poignant debut delves into themes of addiction, familial dysfunction, the struggles of sobriety, mental health, and the quest for self-discovery and acceptance.
The protagonist, Emma, at 26, embarks on a journey to take control of her life. Celebrating one year of sobriety with the support of the special group HG and her sponsor, Lola, she grapples with complex feelings towards her father, who denies his alcoholism and lives a hippie lifestyle in upstate New York.
As Emma navigates her new chapter, she learns to accept that while she cannot control everything, she can control her reactions. Stepping out of her comfort zone, she encounters challenges, including interactions with Mitchell, an office jerk, and Ben, a hot IT guy she harbors feelings for.
Assigned to organize a Christmas party with Ben and Mitchell, Emma's journey becomes more complicated. Her slow-burn friendship with Ben and her efforts to accept her parents' changing lives lead her to question her past mistakes and the kind of person she wants to be.
This realistic and honest portrayal draws readers in, allowing them to empathize with Emma's journey of acceptance and growth. It's a pure, genuine, and inspiring read that resonates deeply.
I eagerly anticipate reading more works from Ava Robinson in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for providing me with a digital review copy of this heartfelt novel in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter
The protagonist, Emma, at 26, embarks on a journey to take control of her life. Celebrating one year of sobriety with the support of the special group HG and her sponsor, Lola, she grapples with complex feelings towards her father, who denies his alcoholism and lives a hippie lifestyle in upstate New York.
As Emma navigates her new chapter, she learns to accept that while she cannot control everything, she can control her reactions. Stepping out of her comfort zone, she encounters challenges, including interactions with Mitchell, an office jerk, and Ben, a hot IT guy she harbors feelings for.
Assigned to organize a Christmas party with Ben and Mitchell, Emma's journey becomes more complicated. Her slow-burn friendship with Ben and her efforts to accept her parents' changing lives lead her to question her past mistakes and the kind of person she wants to be.
This realistic and honest portrayal draws readers in, allowing them to empathize with Emma's journey of acceptance and growth. It's a pure, genuine, and inspiring read that resonates deeply.
I eagerly anticipate reading more works from Ava Robinson in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for providing me with a digital review copy of this heartfelt novel in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium.com
April 5, 2025
Boring, yet somehow impossible to put down. I considered DNFing, but I was past 50%, and quitting that far in felt like walking out of a movie right before the big reveal.
Emma’s been sober for a year, doing everything right, but life refuses to make things easy. Her mom moves in with her boyfriend, her estranged dad shows up with bad news, and on top of it all, she’s stuck planning the office holiday party. The one bright spot? Ben, the IT guy who might actually get her.
It wasn’t amazing, but it kept me hooked like a reality show you don’t even like, yet somehow have to finish.
Emma’s been sober for a year, doing everything right, but life refuses to make things easy. Her mom moves in with her boyfriend, her estranged dad shows up with bad news, and on top of it all, she’s stuck planning the office holiday party. The one bright spot? Ben, the IT guy who might actually get her.
It wasn’t amazing, but it kept me hooked like a reality show you don’t even like, yet somehow have to finish.
January 29, 2025
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 all the boxes!! It was real and relatable. Dark yet comedic. 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 life doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. "It might not have happened in my family but the fact that it happened anywhere made me feel a little more hopeful."
Side note: Our love interest Ben was **perfect** and I am truly excited to see more of Ava Robinson's future 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
Side note: Our love interest Ben was **perfect** and I am truly excited to see more of Ava Robinson's future 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
April 22, 2024
This was a heavy read, and while there's some romance in it, it's more women's fiction than romance. I learned a lot about AA and how different groups do things differently, and I appreciated the authentic journey Emma (MC) took to process her drinking and figure out why she wanted to stop for good. Ben is a likeable character, and he respected her choices even though some of them were incredibly frustrating.
All in all, this is not a happy book, but it's a good read, there are no eye-rolling moments, and things resolve nicely at the end.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA and NetGalley for the opportunity to review it.
https://www.netgalley.com/book/336462...
All in all, this is not a happy book, but it's a good read, there are no eye-rolling moments, and things resolve nicely at the end.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA and NetGalley for the opportunity to review it.
https://www.netgalley.com/book/336462...
January 21, 2025
3.5⭐️ | TikTok | IG |
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.
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.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing (MIRA) for sending this book (eARC &ALC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
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.
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.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing (MIRA) for sending this book (eARC &ALC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
April 8, 2024
This is such an amazing debut! I was really intrigued by the premise, as I've never read a book from the POV of a recovering alcoholic, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Emma is celebrating a year of sobriety, which means she's essentially ready to take off the 'training wheels' and start living her life again- including stepping back into the dating pool. As she starts to build her new life- navigating new friendships, an office romance, and family issues- it becomes clear that giving up alcohol is not going to solve ALL of her problems. This had a coming of age feel to it that I really enjoyed- and Emma was such a relatable character despite having almost nothing in common with her. I really enjoyed the subtle humor and awkwardness, particularly in the office scenes. The romance between Emma and Ben was really sweet and I just loved Ben's character in general. There is some heavier subject matter, particularly the last third of the book as she is losing her father, so that may be tough for some readers who are sensitive to this topic. I will say at times I was a bit confused by lack of dialogue tags- particularly in the texting/IM-ing scenes (which there was quite a lot of)- I think it would flow much better if these were cleaned up a bit. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and found the writing to be very impressive for a debut author. I look forward to reading more from Ava Robinson!
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
December 30, 2024
I really love flawed characters and challenging topics, so I had a feeling I’d like this one. But gosh, it was even better than I expected. The story follows Emma, an alcoholic who has just reached one year of sobriety. While Emma can admit her life is undeniably better and richer than before, it very thoughtfully explores how sobriety isn’t the blissful experience she had imagined.
It was such a raw, real look at alcoholism. And I like that it didn't rely on external conflicts to threaten Emma's sobriety. Instead, the focus was on Emma embracing her new life, seeing the world through a different lens, moving on from her mistakes, and learning to open up the most messy parts of herself to others.
It was both wonderfully emotional and funny, with Emma navigating newfound friendships, major family challenges, and even the expectations within her AA group. The romance with Ben, the charming IT guy at her office, was beyond sweet and perfectly placed within the story. I truly loved everything about this one!
(heat level: one open-door scene, mild details. language throughout)
It was such a raw, real look at alcoholism. And I like that it didn't rely on external conflicts to threaten Emma's sobriety. Instead, the focus was on Emma embracing her new life, seeing the world through a different lens, moving on from her mistakes, and learning to open up the most messy parts of herself to others.
It was both wonderfully emotional and funny, with Emma navigating newfound friendships, major family challenges, and even the expectations within her AA group. The romance with Ben, the charming IT guy at her office, was beyond sweet and perfectly placed within the story. I truly loved everything about this one!
(heat level: one open-door scene, mild details. language throughout)
December 29, 2024
Giving this 3.5 stars but not entirely sure that’s a fair appraisal, as I think a lot of my own biases lent themselves to my thoughts on this book. I’m not toggling over for a spoiler alert, but there may be a mini spoiler in here, so proceed with caution. However, if you’re one who’s reading it and going insane with some of the themes, you might want to stick around for the spoiler bc you’ll probably enjoy it more, knowing a little bit more.
So first, I should note that I’ve been closely acquainted and very familiar with twelve step programs for as long as I can remember. So the first third of the book that spelled out in such explicit detail, the workings of “the program” was incredibly boring to me. Even if I wasn’t super familiar, I don’t think I would have needed THAT much detail around anything in order to enjoy or understand a book. Given my familiarity, I also have a lot of feelings about AA, particularly as it relates to women in our society, and the rules, principles, steps, requirements, “powerlessness” etc etc etc etc…. There is a huge societal (and feminist) argument to be made that women don’t intrinsically suffer from the same “malady of ego” that men do, so they entire philosophy of breaking one down before they can build themselves up, is counterintuitive to helping women thrive. Compared to men in our society, women already have less power, less “will”, less autonomy, less freedom, less choice, less everything… (I know I’m making generalizations here, but you get my point). With that, AA does little to help build women up and instead continues to strip them of any power, self-esteem, self-reliance, any iota of control that they have (…and let’s not even get into the implications this has on trauma). So it reallllly gets under my skin when I see that reinforced so strongly like it was in this book. I realize I digress, and also am on a soapbox, so I’ll step off now, haha! But really it did drive me insane HOW much Emma felt like she had to appease and defer to her sponsor. She had no confidence bc she was so dependent on her sponsor to tell her if she was “good” or “bad”.
So here’s my tiny spoiler —- Emma does end up having this realization toward the end of the book… THANK GOD!!! (Or the universe, if you’re Emma, ha!). So with that, I felt a lot better about the book, although I wish it would have been given more weight and attention bc it was a huge turning point for her. It was the moment she internalized her value, WHICH IS LITERALLY WHAT THE ENTIRE BOOK WAS ABOUT! I don’t even think most people would have caught it if they weren’t as bothered by her AA indoctrination (I know I know, strong word, but I don’t know what else to say besides “brainwashing” and that’s even worse!) to begin with, or don’t see the far reaching negative implications the program can have on women.
Ok, that was a lot, ha! And I swear, I don’t hate (or honestly really even dislike) AA. I know it does amazing things for so many people. I just also believe that it has the potential to be problematic from a gender power dynamic perspective, if one doesn’t have that insight. So for me, I would have loved the book if that was more the road we went down and was more of the conclusion.
Also, gtg now so that this one isn’t my last book of the year, ha! One more to 100 and I’m so glad this wasn’t it.
So first, I should note that I’ve been closely acquainted and very familiar with twelve step programs for as long as I can remember. So the first third of the book that spelled out in such explicit detail, the workings of “the program” was incredibly boring to me. Even if I wasn’t super familiar, I don’t think I would have needed THAT much detail around anything in order to enjoy or understand a book. Given my familiarity, I also have a lot of feelings about AA, particularly as it relates to women in our society, and the rules, principles, steps, requirements, “powerlessness” etc etc etc etc…. There is a huge societal (and feminist) argument to be made that women don’t intrinsically suffer from the same “malady of ego” that men do, so they entire philosophy of breaking one down before they can build themselves up, is counterintuitive to helping women thrive. Compared to men in our society, women already have less power, less “will”, less autonomy, less freedom, less choice, less everything… (I know I’m making generalizations here, but you get my point). With that, AA does little to help build women up and instead continues to strip them of any power, self-esteem, self-reliance, any iota of control that they have (…and let’s not even get into the implications this has on trauma). So it reallllly gets under my skin when I see that reinforced so strongly like it was in this book. I realize I digress, and also am on a soapbox, so I’ll step off now, haha! But really it did drive me insane HOW much Emma felt like she had to appease and defer to her sponsor. She had no confidence bc she was so dependent on her sponsor to tell her if she was “good” or “bad”.
So here’s my tiny spoiler —- Emma does end up having this realization toward the end of the book… THANK GOD!!! (Or the universe, if you’re Emma, ha!). So with that, I felt a lot better about the book, although I wish it would have been given more weight and attention bc it was a huge turning point for her. It was the moment she internalized her value, WHICH IS LITERALLY WHAT THE ENTIRE BOOK WAS ABOUT! I don’t even think most people would have caught it if they weren’t as bothered by her AA indoctrination (I know I know, strong word, but I don’t know what else to say besides “brainwashing” and that’s even worse!) to begin with, or don’t see the far reaching negative implications the program can have on women.
Ok, that was a lot, ha! And I swear, I don’t hate (or honestly really even dislike) AA. I know it does amazing things for so many people. I just also believe that it has the potential to be problematic from a gender power dynamic perspective, if one doesn’t have that insight. So for me, I would have loved the book if that was more the road we went down and was more of the conclusion.
Also, gtg now so that this one isn’t my last book of the year, ha! One more to 100 and I’m so glad this wasn’t it.
January 14, 2025
(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.
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.
December 30, 2024
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.
February 28, 2025
“why did I do this to myself” I say, crying at 3am when I finished this book
March 27, 2024
This book will undoubtedly make my top 5 of 2024!
The writing is amazing, Emma is SO REAL, her relationships are raw and full of depth. I appreciated the discussions of AA - the process of sponsorship/working the steps/finding meetings that are right for you/etc.
I am so happy Emma has healthy and supportive relationships with her mom, Vanessa, and Ben. I think her hope of “once I’m one year sober everything will be “better”/I’ll be “normal”/i can move on with my life” not just being automatically true can be applicable to and experienced in a lot of different life situations (work/school/weight loss/salary/relationships/etc).
I want everyone to read this book when it is published - i really can’t accurately sum up how touching, emotional, and truly relatable this story is.
🤍Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!!🤍
The writing is amazing, Emma is SO REAL, her relationships are raw and full of depth. I appreciated the discussions of AA - the process of sponsorship/working the steps/finding meetings that are right for you/etc.
I am so happy Emma has healthy and supportive relationships with her mom, Vanessa, and Ben. I think her hope of “once I’m one year sober everything will be “better”/I’ll be “normal”/i can move on with my life” not just being automatically true can be applicable to and experienced in a lot of different life situations (work/school/weight loss/salary/relationships/etc).
I want everyone to read this book when it is published - i really can’t accurately sum up how touching, emotional, and truly relatable this story is.
🤍Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!!🤍
May 24, 2024
This was such a good book to show how someone overcomes an alcohol addiction. I loved watching her journey and character development throughout the story. Not going to lie, Ben was amazing and perfect. He's definitely an amazing book Boyfriend! This also has topics on strained family relationships, losing a parent to cancer and grief. It is such a beautifully written book. I giggled several times. But I also deeply cried once. It's such a touching story with deep meanings! I hope to read many more from this author!
I received this book from NetGalley and MIRA to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this book from NetGalley and MIRA to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
December 3, 2024
Wonderful contemporary novel in the book club fiction genre, a twenty something New York woman hits her 1 year of sobriety in AA and this book is about Emma figuring out how to navigate life and dating sober. Although I am much older than the main character, I found this to be an enjoyable and moving read.
Emma celebrates her one year mark with her AA friends and stays anonymous at work. In AA, it is generally recommended that you do not start dating within your first year. There is a lot of work, meetings, step work with your sponsor, and a lot of change involved in the first year. There are also a lot of celebrations, you get a month medallion every month. The one year coin is nicer, but then it occurs to you how differently life can be. You aren't as busy in AA, there aren't as many calls to your sponsor, and you don't get celebrated every month. This book is about that transition into long term sobriety for a young person.
Along the way we also have a MBA bro villain, a love interest, reconnecting with Emma's parents, grief and loss, and typical office malaise. It is a deep and meaningful book, if you are looking for a lighthearted rom com, this isn't it. The way that the book portrays meetings, sponsorship, step work, and AA "culture" is incredibly accurate and valuable. I love that it doesn't paint an overly rosy picture or suggest that once we get sober, everything is A-ok. We are never fixed!
Emma's story isn't everyone's story, but the book does a really good job of highlighting that.
There are many sober and sober-curious "quit lit" memoirs, which I loathe, and a few fiction books that are well done about early recovery and very very long term recovery. This is in the middle, a story that is not often told.
Thanks to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the ARC. Book to be published December 31, 2024.
#booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #booklover #arcreview #booktok #netgalley #bookrecommendations #definitelybetternow
Thanks to @netgalley
Emma celebrates her one year mark with her AA friends and stays anonymous at work. In AA, it is generally recommended that you do not start dating within your first year. There is a lot of work, meetings, step work with your sponsor, and a lot of change involved in the first year. There are also a lot of celebrations, you get a month medallion every month. The one year coin is nicer, but then it occurs to you how differently life can be. You aren't as busy in AA, there aren't as many calls to your sponsor, and you don't get celebrated every month. This book is about that transition into long term sobriety for a young person.
Along the way we also have a MBA bro villain, a love interest, reconnecting with Emma's parents, grief and loss, and typical office malaise. It is a deep and meaningful book, if you are looking for a lighthearted rom com, this isn't it. The way that the book portrays meetings, sponsorship, step work, and AA "culture" is incredibly accurate and valuable. I love that it doesn't paint an overly rosy picture or suggest that once we get sober, everything is A-ok. We are never fixed!
Emma's story isn't everyone's story, but the book does a really good job of highlighting that.
There are many sober and sober-curious "quit lit" memoirs, which I loathe, and a few fiction books that are well done about early recovery and very very long term recovery. This is in the middle, a story that is not often told.
Thanks to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the ARC. Book to be published December 31, 2024.
#booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #booklover #arcreview #booktok #netgalley #bookrecommendations #definitelybetternow
Thanks to @netgalley
January 9, 2025
At a loss to describe how this book touched me. I truly believe you can read a book at the right time in your life and this book was one of those times. That isn't to say that this book wasn't beautifully written (and narrated phenomenally).
I love a relatable and raw main character. There was no ostentatious quirkiness to be humorous; it simply was. I related to Emma on a deep level--her fear of opening up and letting people in. While I didn't relate to her frequent lying, it showed the growth of her arc--especially with Ben. I had no idea going into this that there'd be a little subplot with Ben, who was such an angel! I ADORED his character and his patience. He gave me an obsessed-Ali Hazelwood-mmc vibe and I was HERE for it. (I didn't really read the synopsis I just knew she was an alcoholic. I'm realizing that this is written in the synopsis lol). I pretty much went in blind.
With the audiobook, the narrator truly did a fantastic job at animating her voice and the other characters. I was never bored while listening. It felt like a story being told to me from a close friend. The characters in the book were so fun--even Mitchell, despite how much of an ass he was. Then there were those real characters that ask why you don't drink, over and over, as if not drinking is a crime. "Like ever?" Yeah, like ever. Set in NYC, it's a coming of age story for any woman in their twenties trying to find themselves. I wish I had a physical copy to quote key points because I feel like I'm not selling this book good enough. It was just perfect for me.
Diving into the deep stuff, I was initially intrigued by the synopsis of the book of an alcoholic since I am the daughter of an alcoholic father who is currently dying from liver failure. I thought it would give me some insight as to how they think, and I realize that I am not much different from my dad. Emma goes through this same realization. "And it wasn't me he couldn't stand to be sober around. It was himself" was a quote that struck me so hard. Their relationship was strained from the alcoholism, and while Emma's father didn't quite act the same as mine, I found so much solace in the story. It made me cry even though I knew what was coming.
Even with the sad parts, it is still a deeply humorous and witty book and was so much fun.
I love a relatable and raw main character. There was no ostentatious quirkiness to be humorous; it simply was. I related to Emma on a deep level--her fear of opening up and letting people in. While I didn't relate to her frequent lying, it showed the growth of her arc--especially with Ben. I had no idea going into this that there'd be a little subplot with Ben, who was such an angel! I ADORED his character and his patience. He gave me an obsessed-Ali Hazelwood-mmc vibe and I was HERE for it. (I didn't really read the synopsis I just knew she was an alcoholic. I'm realizing that this is written in the synopsis lol). I pretty much went in blind.
With the audiobook, the narrator truly did a fantastic job at animating her voice and the other characters. I was never bored while listening. It felt like a story being told to me from a close friend. The characters in the book were so fun--even Mitchell, despite how much of an ass he was. Then there were those real characters that ask why you don't drink, over and over, as if not drinking is a crime. "Like ever?" Yeah, like ever. Set in NYC, it's a coming of age story for any woman in their twenties trying to find themselves. I wish I had a physical copy to quote key points because I feel like I'm not selling this book good enough. It was just perfect for me.
Diving into the deep stuff, I was initially intrigued by the synopsis of the book of an alcoholic since I am the daughter of an alcoholic father who is currently dying from liver failure. I thought it would give me some insight as to how they think, and I realize that I am not much different from my dad. Emma goes through this same realization. "And it wasn't me he couldn't stand to be sober around. It was himself" was a quote that struck me so hard. Their relationship was strained from the alcoholism, and while Emma's father didn't quite act the same as mine, I found so much solace in the story. It made me cry even though I knew what was coming.
Even with the sad parts, it is still a deeply humorous and witty book and was so much fun.
December 8, 2024
I’m not entirely sure what to think about this book because I don’t think this book really knew itself, the entire time I was reading it I felt like the book was having an identity crisis. Was this a contemporary fiction novel? A romance? A book about navigating dating? Wait no a book about weird parents wait no now about grief? I feel as if the author tried so many complex topics in a short amount of time that it left everything feeling very half thought out and rushed. It was as if the author just wanted the FMC to experience the most amount of random shit you could think of so by the end you’d be like wow she’s so strong. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed this to a relative degree, but couldn’t get over the jumbled storylines.
I think this author has a lot of potential and I feel like I understand the overall essence that she was going for, I just think it needed to hone in on a few topics and discard the rest of the noise that clogged this from being a really standout book. Would definitely be interested in reading her other books.
I think this author has a lot of potential and I feel like I understand the overall essence that she was going for, I just think it needed to hone in on a few topics and discard the rest of the noise that clogged this from being a really standout book. Would definitely be interested in reading her other books.
December 27, 2024
For a book with little plot that should have made up for it in character development, I felt nothing. It was as though Emma kept me at arms' length away from her feelings, her past, her thoughts, the whole time. I know nothing about her despite being in her head for 341 pages.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2024
Anyone over 30 will be bored to death
January 4, 2025
this was absolutely fantastic.
i’ve never been an addict/alcoholic nor have i known one, so i cannot relate to the process of becoming and remaining sober, but i can empathize and acknowledge that it’s not easy or perfect. definitely better now does not pretend the process is one size fit all, or that life after becoming sober is easy, and i appreciated the care ava robinson show cases this alongside the blunt reality of life.
definitely better now is a debut that focuses on addiction and sobriety, love and loss, and the struggles of a child whose parents are divorced due to addiction, but it’s also wickedly a funny novel about breaking down walls to create and maintain different relationships, acknowledging the hard emotions, and moving forward despite everything life throws at you.
i also totally did not laugh out loud when the mcs discussed dramione fanfic (i was shook!!)
overall, an excellent read and i’m excited to see what else ava robinson writes
i’ve never been an addict/alcoholic nor have i known one, so i cannot relate to the process of becoming and remaining sober, but i can empathize and acknowledge that it’s not easy or perfect. definitely better now does not pretend the process is one size fit all, or that life after becoming sober is easy, and i appreciated the care ava robinson show cases this alongside the blunt reality of life.
definitely better now is a debut that focuses on addiction and sobriety, love and loss, and the struggles of a child whose parents are divorced due to addiction, but it’s also wickedly a funny novel about breaking down walls to create and maintain different relationships, acknowledging the hard emotions, and moving forward despite everything life throws at you.
i also totally did not laugh out loud when the mcs discussed dramione fanfic (i was shook!!)
overall, an excellent read and i’m excited to see what else ava robinson writes
February 24, 2025
Emma was so loved by me and I’m so proud of her! Such an amazing debut written with such heart. You can tell so much was thought out and well done about alcoholism for this story and for knowing people in my life who are sober, I thought it was written so thoughtfully. From grief, career, navigating friendships, NYC, anxiety, and discovering love — I was really rooting for our main character. Audio was fantastic storytelling. I loved moments in the Hudson Valley too and just so many NY spots!
January 29, 2025
What 26 year old woman does not know how to buy underwear?? I wanted to root for the narrator during her sobriety- but sometimes she was irritatingly dense. Even after being sober for a YEAR. How do you only have underwear from 10 years ago from CVS? How is the only thing you have to wear on a date is a too-small shirt you stole from someone in high school even though you work at a corporate office? How are you so worried about being "Work Emma" and no one finding out about "Drunk Emma" but write an entire sobriety speech on a work computer?
Alcohol is often an integral part of social interactions (at least in my experience), and navigating these situations in your twenties amid sobriety can be extremely difficult. I was expecting this to be a story of self exploration and coming of (new)age, but it turned out to be more of an awkward-workplace- romance- drama.
First, Richter & Thomas Financial Consulting is an incredibly toxic workplace. If someone volunteered me for a "Fun Committee" to plan a single party that had a budget higher than my yearly salary, I would be sending in my resignation the next day. That committee, along with the gossiping, nosy, unprofessional HR department was too much for me.
I was also disappointed by the cringey, stereotypical love triangle. "Quirky, loner girl" doesn't know she's pretty. She's pursued by "Rich, handsome jerk" even though they clearly have nothing in common. "Rich, handsome jerk" is his expected big jerky self. "Nice, quiet nerdy guy" swoops in to save the day. "Nice, quiet nerdy guy" professes his love for "Quirky, loner girl" and they drive off into the sunset together. All of their interactions and dialogue felt too contrived and awkward; I found myself just scanning over the pages to get it over with.
I wish the author placed more emphasis on the character's struggle to form meaningful friendships and her place within a community. I don't know much about AA, but her sponsor seemed incredibly pushy and controlling. Every time Lola would guilt Emma into going to a meeting when she didn't want to, I couldn't help but think she had taken the control alcohol had over her and just handed it to her sponsor.
I also would have preferred more exploration of her complex family dynamics. I thought that should have been such an important part of her journey during sobriety. Instead it spent the first 2/3 of the book on an awful love triangle.
Lastly, as a person living in Albany and working in Troy, almost every mention of upstate NY was just weird and wrong. And I'm pretty sure no New Yorker gets excited enough to yell "the capital!" when someone mentions Albany.
Alcohol is often an integral part of social interactions (at least in my experience), and navigating these situations in your twenties amid sobriety can be extremely difficult. I was expecting this to be a story of self exploration and coming of (new)age, but it turned out to be more of an awkward-workplace- romance- drama.
First, Richter & Thomas Financial Consulting is an incredibly toxic workplace. If someone volunteered me for a "Fun Committee" to plan a single party that had a budget higher than my yearly salary, I would be sending in my resignation the next day. That committee, along with the gossiping, nosy, unprofessional HR department was too much for me.
I was also disappointed by the cringey, stereotypical love triangle. "Quirky, loner girl" doesn't know she's pretty. She's pursued by "Rich, handsome jerk" even though they clearly have nothing in common. "Rich, handsome jerk" is his expected big jerky self. "Nice, quiet nerdy guy" swoops in to save the day. "Nice, quiet nerdy guy" professes his love for "Quirky, loner girl" and they drive off into the sunset together. All of their interactions and dialogue felt too contrived and awkward; I found myself just scanning over the pages to get it over with.
I wish the author placed more emphasis on the character's struggle to form meaningful friendships and her place within a community. I don't know much about AA, but her sponsor seemed incredibly pushy and controlling. Every time Lola would guilt Emma into going to a meeting when she didn't want to, I couldn't help but think she had taken the control alcohol had over her and just handed it to her sponsor.
I also would have preferred more exploration of her complex family dynamics. I thought that should have been such an important part of her journey during sobriety. Instead it spent the first 2/3 of the book on an awful love triangle.
Lastly, as a person living in Albany and working in Troy, almost every mention of upstate NY was just weird and wrong. And I'm pretty sure no New Yorker gets excited enough to yell "the capital!" when someone mentions Albany.
Read
December 30, 2024Why I Love It
By Lucie Riddell
If a book makes you both laugh and cry, you know it’s good. If a book makes you both laugh and cry at your desk in front of your mildly worried colleagues…well, then that book must be Definitely Better Now, because that’s exactly what happened to me! Despite my office humiliation, I loved every word of this funny, spiky contemporary debut, which offers readers a window into the unique world of Alcoholics Anonymous and sobriety culture while resisting stereotypes and easy answers.
Emma Finley hopes that achieving her one-year sober anniversary at AA will mean all her troubles are finally coming to an end. After all, she’s Sober Emma now: professional, reliable, and a million miles away from the person she was last year. But with a new work assignment threatening to upend her sobriety, a cute IT guy catching her interest, and her alcoholic father unexpectedly reappearing in her life, Emma’s life after alcohol is beginning to look just as difficult as her life before…except this time, she can’t hide behind a strong drink.
Whether AA chips and weekly meetings are a regular part of your life or something you only know from the movies, this hilariously honest book is the perfect read to help you through the emotional highs and lows of the holiday season. I promise you’ll find something to relate to in Emma’s struggle to rebuild her life, construct her brand new self, and maybe even forgive her old self along the way.
By Lucie Riddell
If a book makes you both laugh and cry, you know it’s good. If a book makes you both laugh and cry at your desk in front of your mildly worried colleagues…well, then that book must be Definitely Better Now, because that’s exactly what happened to me! Despite my office humiliation, I loved every word of this funny, spiky contemporary debut, which offers readers a window into the unique world of Alcoholics Anonymous and sobriety culture while resisting stereotypes and easy answers.
Emma Finley hopes that achieving her one-year sober anniversary at AA will mean all her troubles are finally coming to an end. After all, she’s Sober Emma now: professional, reliable, and a million miles away from the person she was last year. But with a new work assignment threatening to upend her sobriety, a cute IT guy catching her interest, and her alcoholic father unexpectedly reappearing in her life, Emma’s life after alcohol is beginning to look just as difficult as her life before…except this time, she can’t hide behind a strong drink.
Whether AA chips and weekly meetings are a regular part of your life or something you only know from the movies, this hilariously honest book is the perfect read to help you through the emotional highs and lows of the holiday season. I promise you’ll find something to relate to in Emma’s struggle to rebuild her life, construct her brand new self, and maybe even forgive her old self along the way.
January 22, 2025
"I have to be sober because I want to be sober. Because my life is better when I don't drink."
A surprisingly touching read. Emma is freshly sober for a full 12 months. She's been dutifully doing her steps, attending all her meetings, and keeping to the rules. But it's now been 12 months and she allowed to start doing more and start testing the bounds of her sobriety to ensure she doesn't take a step back.
And Emma faces some things. It was so heartbreaking, the little things that tripped Emma up, but also such human, realistic things. It's hard to start friendships and relationships when you don't know how or who to be when sober. This was such a great story showing all the ways that getting sober affects the little things you say and do, how your life changes.
I found myself rooting Emma on and I love that this one didn't suffer the struggle of Emma falling back into addiction and having to crawl back out. It really was just a feel good story about tough truths and real relationships. I absolutely loved it, I'll definitely look for more from this author!
A surprisingly touching read. Emma is freshly sober for a full 12 months. She's been dutifully doing her steps, attending all her meetings, and keeping to the rules. But it's now been 12 months and she allowed to start doing more and start testing the bounds of her sobriety to ensure she doesn't take a step back.
And Emma faces some things. It was so heartbreaking, the little things that tripped Emma up, but also such human, realistic things. It's hard to start friendships and relationships when you don't know how or who to be when sober. This was such a great story showing all the ways that getting sober affects the little things you say and do, how your life changes.
I found myself rooting Emma on and I love that this one didn't suffer the struggle of Emma falling back into addiction and having to crawl back out. It really was just a feel good story about tough truths and real relationships. I absolutely loved it, I'll definitely look for more from this author!
December 22, 2024
okay debut author!!!!!
this was my december book of the month pick so i’m basically amazing for reading it in the month of december!! this is a story about sobriety after living, and still living, with addiction. i was hooked by the writing style and how personal this book feels from the very beginning. like emma and i were besties from page one and i loved that!
i did not expect this book to hit me so hard. emma is celebrating being sober for one year at the start of the book and you spend the book just going through her life now that she’s sober. it was so simple and real and amazing!!! she’s falling in love, she’s making friends, and she’s going through it. that was most surprising to me, the sadness. the synopsis doesn’t clue you in to what is going to transpire in the third act and it ripped my heart out. if you’re a girlie with divorced parents, be warned the third act may slap you in the face.
this entire story was such a surprise and i had the best time falling in love with a new author. by the last page i was so incredibly proud of emma and all she accomplished and realized about herself. she truly had become one of my favorite characters of the year and i’ll think about her often. ben was also just the best, need him in my life NOW!!! as a conclusion, i can’t wait to see what comes next from ava robinson because i will be heavily anticipating it!!!!
this was my december book of the month pick so i’m basically amazing for reading it in the month of december!! this is a story about sobriety after living, and still living, with addiction. i was hooked by the writing style and how personal this book feels from the very beginning. like emma and i were besties from page one and i loved that!
i did not expect this book to hit me so hard. emma is celebrating being sober for one year at the start of the book and you spend the book just going through her life now that she’s sober. it was so simple and real and amazing!!! she’s falling in love, she’s making friends, and she’s going through it. that was most surprising to me, the sadness. the synopsis doesn’t clue you in to what is going to transpire in the third act and it ripped my heart out. if you’re a girlie with divorced parents, be warned the third act may slap you in the face.
this entire story was such a surprise and i had the best time falling in love with a new author. by the last page i was so incredibly proud of emma and all she accomplished and realized about herself. she truly had become one of my favorite characters of the year and i’ll think about her often. ben was also just the best, need him in my life NOW!!! as a conclusion, i can’t wait to see what comes next from ava robinson because i will be heavily anticipating it!!!!
April 8, 2024
My first NetGalley read! “Definitely Better Now" delivers a fresh take on the beloved NYC romcom by taking us through Emma's (MC) journey of dating and AA meetings. She is so strong throughout the book no matter what life throws at her. Ben, the male lead, is an absolute gem of a character, embodying warmth and understanding. This book reminds us that everyone deserves love, and Emma's journey is both relatable and uplifting.
March 16, 2025
3.5 Stars
February 13, 2025
3.5 stars. It was good because I have never read a book before where someone is a recovering alcoholic. I love diving deeper into this and the background.
February 1, 2025
Book Review: Definitely Better Now By Ava Robinson - ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Debut novels are my bread and butter, and Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson is a shining example of why I love exploring new authors and their “babies.” This heartfelt and messy tale had me entranced from the very first page, as it offers a raw and unfiltered look into the life of the main character, Emma. 📚💕
A Deeply Relatable Journey
Emma is one year sober, primarily from alcohol, navigating her journey through the ups and downs of life and recovery. Although I can’t relate to addiction in a traditional sense, Emma’s struggles with self-worth and the pressure to feel "good enough" resonated deeply with me. Robinson's writing is so real and poignant that it’s impossible not to feel for Emma as she battles personal demons and confronts a profound loss. 😢✨
Laughing Through The Heartache
What struck me most about Emma’s character was her messiness—the way she navigates relationships and her job while also seeking to build friendships. It was a refreshing portrayal; it’s often easy to feel like life has to be perfectly curated, but Emma’s imperfections are what make her so relatable. There were moments when I found myself laughing out loud at her situation 😂, and other times when my heart broke for her. This emotional rollercoaster showcased Robinson's incredible talent, especially impressive for a debut.
Narration That Captures The Heart
Also worth mentioning is the exceptional performance by narrator Karissa Vacker. Her voice brought an added layer to the storytelling, making each emotional moment even more meaningful. The combination of Robinson’s compelling writing and Vacker’s skillful narration made for an immersive listening experience that I savored. 🎧💖
Final Thoughts
Definitely Better Now is a powerful exploration of resilience, personal growth, and the messy business of life after addiction. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all my beautiful book besties and anyone who appreciates a story that’s both real and deeply moving. 💖📖
Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Robinson, and Harlequin Audio for providing me with the opportunity to experience this wonderful debut. I can't wait to see what Robinson writes next! 🌟
Debut novels are my bread and butter, and Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson is a shining example of why I love exploring new authors and their “babies.” This heartfelt and messy tale had me entranced from the very first page, as it offers a raw and unfiltered look into the life of the main character, Emma. 📚💕
A Deeply Relatable Journey
Emma is one year sober, primarily from alcohol, navigating her journey through the ups and downs of life and recovery. Although I can’t relate to addiction in a traditional sense, Emma’s struggles with self-worth and the pressure to feel "good enough" resonated deeply with me. Robinson's writing is so real and poignant that it’s impossible not to feel for Emma as she battles personal demons and confronts a profound loss. 😢✨
Laughing Through The Heartache
What struck me most about Emma’s character was her messiness—the way she navigates relationships and her job while also seeking to build friendships. It was a refreshing portrayal; it’s often easy to feel like life has to be perfectly curated, but Emma’s imperfections are what make her so relatable. There were moments when I found myself laughing out loud at her situation 😂, and other times when my heart broke for her. This emotional rollercoaster showcased Robinson's incredible talent, especially impressive for a debut.
Narration That Captures The Heart
Also worth mentioning is the exceptional performance by narrator Karissa Vacker. Her voice brought an added layer to the storytelling, making each emotional moment even more meaningful. The combination of Robinson’s compelling writing and Vacker’s skillful narration made for an immersive listening experience that I savored. 🎧💖
Final Thoughts
Definitely Better Now is a powerful exploration of resilience, personal growth, and the messy business of life after addiction. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all my beautiful book besties and anyone who appreciates a story that’s both real and deeply moving. 💖📖
Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Robinson, and Harlequin Audio for providing me with the opportunity to experience this wonderful debut. I can't wait to see what Robinson writes next! 🌟
January 11, 2025
This was a bit of a surprising one for me, because I wasn’t sure I would like it nearly as much as I did. I loved how much Emma grew in this one, she was fantastic as a main character. I also really loved Ben as well, but I do think the rest of the side characters weren’t nearly as memorable. Aside from that, this was fantastic, I’d say 4.5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,109 reviews