Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin Published by Berkley on November 8, 2022
Genres: Romance
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Goodreads
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
About Better Than Fiction
Drew’s shocked to inherit, The Book Nook, when her beloved grandmother passes away. While it’s home to lots of good memories, Drew isn’t a book person. She’d rather focus on her nature photography than run a bookshop. But she feels a sense of obligation to keep it going in her grandmother’s memory.
She gets help from the Dirty Birds, the bookshop’s book group full of meddling old ladies. What Drew wasn’t expecting was to host a book signing with a bestselling romance author Jasper Williams, after the Dirty Birds “help” set up the signing. She also wasn’t expecting to feel attracted to Jasper.
Jasper makes a deal with Drew. If she shows him the local sights – research for the book he’s writing which is set in CO, he’ll create a curated list of books that she’ll love and maybe change her mind about reading. Of course, she agrees.
Add in a subplot about whether or not Drew should sell the store. The thought of selling makes her feel disloyal to her grandmother but she can’t she focus on photography while running it. And then there’s her toxic father who’s trying to force her to sell the store and give him the profits.
My thoughts about Better Than Fiction
This is a sweet and spicy contemporary romance of opposites attract with slow-burn close proximity, and oops there’s only one-bed tropes.
The characters are well written with depth and believable relationships with each other. Drew is funny and articulate with a wry sense of humor – determined to do the right thing about The Book Nook – if only she knew what that was.
Jasper is a luscious cinnamon roll of a love interest. And the meddling old ladies are a bunch of sass, brass, and sweetness as they try to boss Drew into doing what they think is best.
Written with a first-person POV, Drew’s descriptions of the places she takes Jasper are beautiful. The majestic views and great activities like hiking and white water rafting read like a love letter to CO.
Parts of the conflict with her dad were tough to read, he’s such a toxic manipulative jerk. But every time she stood up to him, I was cheering her on!
In closing
Better Than Fiction had me rooting hard for Drew, Jasper, and The Book Nook. It reminded me of Beach Read mixed with You’ve Got Mail.
Thank you, Berkley for the DRC!
Subscribe to my blog, Undine Reads, or follow my Bookstagram to get even more bookish content.
Be First to Comment