THE ABCs OF LOVE

Written in brief entries from "ambition" to "zzzz," Salway's confident debut novel chronicles the existential ups and downs of British 20-something Verity Bell. The alphabetically arranged mini-chapters make for an inventive, pleasant-enough gimmick and an episodic narrative, as Verity muses on her career (A is for attitude: "I work as a secretary in the media... something I don't always talk about because some people seem to think I'm showing off"), her friendship with the fabulous Sally (B is for best friends: "my best friend, Sally, has become the mistress of a millionaire called Colin"), her feelings on Gwyneth Paltrow (G is for you-know-who: "If I looked like Gwyneth Paltrow, nothing could possibly go wrong in my life") and other issues of love, friendship and family. With both parents deceased, Verity clings to Sally as a sort of substitute family, but struggles with her insecurities and her envy of Sally's "perfect" existence. "Sally and I are friends.... I am not jealous of Sally. I am especially not jealous of Sally's relationship with Colin." Despite Verity's apparent disdain for Sally's adulterous romance with Colin, she too falls madly in love with a married man. Unsurprisingly, their steamy affair is not the solution to Verity's problems; rather, it exacerbates her self-doubt as she plays second fiddle to the wife and children. Ultimately, Verity's life takes an unexpected turn, and she emerges a stronger and more creative woman. Salway wraps her bright, comic writing in bite-sized chunks that make this first novel an easy-reading pleasure. Agent, Rupert Heath . (Apr.)