When Melbourne-based teacher Netta Phillips discovers the childhood diary of international rockstar Morris ‘Mo’ Maplestone on the cusp of her fortieth birthday, she never thought it would become the romantic endeavour of her dreams. As Netta navigates a breakup, infertility and what it really means to reinvent herself, she finds herself travelling to London, which holds difficult memories from her past. What Netta soon discovers is that her old life needs to unravel in order to make way for her new one.
Filled with 90’s rom com nostalgia, Better than the Real Thing by Brooke Crawford is described as an amalgamation of Notting Hill and Bridget Jones’ Diary. Crawford’s tone is light and unassuming and even if the storyline is somewhat predictable, it will have you hooked until the very last page. Each character is beautifully messy and charming, with just enough surrealism to suspend your disbelief. It’s hard not to imagine yourself on the arm of Mo, the charismatic rockstar.
Crawford has given her millennial audience exactly what they need: a return to the romance our generation grew up with. The protagonist is a normal person, a primary school teacher with a suitcase full of insecurities, self-doubt and an inner monologue that can sometimes hold her back. Then there is Mo, the effervescent fixture of every young woman’s dreams, a man so far out of her league they are from different plants (or opposite sides of the same one). Yet beneath the surface of his hard exterior, Mo is just your everyday man with fears of his own.
The narrative switches between both Netta and Mo’s perspective, allowing an intimate and frustrating insight into their worlds. The audience can easily fall in love with each character while still viewing them as painfully human. It’s cosy, intimate and as complicated as any romance. Crawford’s tone is light-hearted and seamlessly balances complex topics with the beauty of the unknown, allowing readers to fall in love from the first page.
As with most rom coms there is an overarching element of predictability, which doesn’t allow room for anticipation and unfortunately Better than the Real Thing is no exception. This became apparent early in the book and although it was an enjoyable read, it ended up exactly how I thought it was going to. Interestingly, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it. Quite the opposite, in fact. Sometimes, the biggest comfort is knowing how things are going to end up and staying along to enjoy the ride anyway. While the storyline is familiar, Crawford builds anticipation in subtle acts of romance; the first touch, the first kiss, the first night together.
Better than the Real Thing is the modern antidote to a nostalgic era making it the perfect comfort read. It’s beautiful, expected and heart-warming in all the ways we know and love.
Rating: 4/5 stars
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