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A review by natlbugz
Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
TLDR: A solid debut with relatable moments, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. If you enjoy a straightforward, stream-of-consciousness style, this might be more your vibe!
This book was… fine. It’s got the slice-of-life, introspective vibe that I think a lot of readers are going to connect with, but for me, it fell just a little flat. I’m all for contemporary fiction that mirrors the messiness of real life, but this one leaned a bit too much into that “everyday monotony” feeling. At times, it felt like I was reading someone’s unfiltered diary—not necessarily a bad thing, but not quite the depth or excitement I was hoping for.
I think my main issue was how heavily it relied on now-isms.TikTok, dating apps, endless references to modern life—it’s all there, and while I get that it’s supposed to make the story relatable, it came across as a bit on-the-nose. I want contemporary fiction to feel timeless, not like it’s timestamped with every cultural trend from 2024. Honestly, it felt a little juvenile at times, which pulled me out of the emotional impact the story was aiming for.
That said, I did enjoy some aspects of it. There’s an honesty in the writing that feels raw, and Ava Robinson clearly has a knack for capturing the uncertainty of life in your late 20s/early 30s. The simplicity of the narrative does give it a kind of charm, but it also made the story feel… uneventful. Like I was waiting for a moment to punch me in the gut, but it just never came.
Overall, Definitely Better Now has its moments, and I can see it being a comfort read for people who want something low-stakes and reflective. For me, it just lacked that extra spark to make it stand out. I’ll definitely keep an eye on Robinson’s future work, though—I think there’s a lot of potential here once she finds her stride.
This book was… fine. It’s got the slice-of-life, introspective vibe that I think a lot of readers are going to connect with, but for me, it fell just a little flat. I’m all for contemporary fiction that mirrors the messiness of real life, but this one leaned a bit too much into that “everyday monotony” feeling. At times, it felt like I was reading someone’s unfiltered diary—not necessarily a bad thing, but not quite the depth or excitement I was hoping for.
I think my main issue was how heavily it relied on now-isms.TikTok, dating apps, endless references to modern life—it’s all there, and while I get that it’s supposed to make the story relatable, it came across as a bit on-the-nose. I want contemporary fiction to feel timeless, not like it’s timestamped with every cultural trend from 2024. Honestly, it felt a little juvenile at times, which pulled me out of the emotional impact the story was aiming for.
That said, I did enjoy some aspects of it. There’s an honesty in the writing that feels raw, and Ava Robinson clearly has a knack for capturing the uncertainty of life in your late 20s/early 30s. The simplicity of the narrative does give it a kind of charm, but it also made the story feel… uneventful. Like I was waiting for a moment to punch me in the gut, but it just never came.
Overall, Definitely Better Now has its moments, and I can see it being a comfort read for people who want something low-stakes and reflective. For me, it just lacked that extra spark to make it stand out. I’ll definitely keep an eye on Robinson’s future work, though—I think there’s a lot of potential here once she finds her stride.