Definitely Better Now

Robinson debuts with an appealing chronicle of a 20-something woman as she enters her second year of sobriety. Though Emma Finley still struggles with feelings of self-hatred, she takes tentative steps to reveal her true self to Ben Nowak, the cute IT director at her Manhattan office, where she works in marketing. After she fumbles her first one-on-one conversation with Ben, the pair end up spending time together planning the office holiday party. Rumors fly about them, even as they remain friends and Emma tries to guard her privacy. Tensions arise when Emma’s alcoholic father, Robert, visits out of the blue, leading her to suspect there’s something he’s not telling her. After Robert leaves, Emma learns he’s dying of liver cancer, and the stress causes her to undermine her burgeoning connection with Ben. Robinson offers a detailed and convincing look at Emma’s recovery as she attempts to overcome her tendency to self-sabotage and worries she’ll scare off Ben with her grief and then relapse. There’s raw honesty on every page, and the narrative ends with a moment of well-earned hope. Readers will find much to like. Agent: Jamie Carr, Book Group. (Dec.)