cover image HOW TO MEET CUTE BOYS

HOW TO MEET CUTE BOYS

Deanna Kizis, , illus. by Ed Brogna. . Warner, $21.95 (251pp) ISBN 978-0-446-53072-9

A West Coast fashion writer pursues true love in La-La-Land in this fun, fab debut novel by "someone who knows" (Kizis is, after all, Elle's West Coast editor). The thin but oh so clever story is a must-have for fans of "Girlie Porn" (fashion mags) and "Girlie Crack" (shopping for clothes that cost more than what you make in a month). Inside, dating tips (illustrated with perky pink accents) from Benjamina Franklin enliven and sometimes distract from the dating-is-hell tone of the crisp first-person narration as Benjamina and Kiki, Ben's editor at Filly, mix with VIPs and wannabes in pursuit of the perfect party and romance. When 27-year-old Ben meets Max, a Hugo Boss type who owns Super Very Good, a trendy T-shirt company, fireworks go off. Plus, Ben's little sister is getting married, and Ben has to have a date for the wedding, so she falls for Max only to discover he's only a cute BOY (turning 21?!). Marshaling her own cougar ("older woman who picks up younger guys") dating skills—"Where's the J. Lo you? The Get-Your-Freak-On you?"—Ben tries to keep Max interested, but when he suffers a commitment-phobic anxiety attack and bails, she must re-evaluate her desires, leading to the only real flaw in this sexy popcorn farce—an indecisive resolution, which may inspire readers to scream, "Go ahead and jump!" (Sept. 29)