Singletini

Neurotic, chatty Victoria Hart is a typical shopping-and-Starbucks chick lit heroine who made a college pact with three friends at the University of Illinois: all would be "singletinis," women with jobs, men, money and martini parties. Now 24, Victoria is loving her life in Chicago—except that she's been fired from her computer sales job, doesn't have a boyfriend and her best friend Gwynn has just announced her engagement, threatening the pact. Victoria's new job as a wingwoman (a platonic woman-for-hire who takes men into social situations and helps them with their pick-up technique) and her time-consuming position as part of Gwynn's wedding party, center the unfolding action. A Bridget Jones –like suffering of one wacky humiliation after another detracts from the juicy banter and clever inclusion of faux horoscopes and news articles. Though Victoria's narration is vibrant, funny and confessional (she demands of the reader, "You can't tell anyone I cried, though. Okay?"), anyone over 24 will probably bristle at Victoria's "I feel so old. I'm almost twenty-five" shtick. (June)