Lessons in Duck Hunting

Like the überbook its title calls to mind, Buxton's debut is intelligent chick lit with a literary audience in mind. Ally, a 37-year-old divorced mother of two with a less-than-glamorous job marketing marmalade, reluctantly signs up for a dating workshop when her best friend, Mel, a woman's magazine writer, begs her for help on a story. The subject is the "Proactive Partnership Program" for finding a partner, which embraces the four P's: Product, Packaging, Place and Promotion. Among other assignments, Ally must seek out three "Duck Decoy," or practice dates. These result in liaisons with her older brother's fireplace installer (nice guy, no chemistry), her electrician (plenty of chemistry, along with a kinky offer) and an attractive widowed neighbor, Tom. She also assembles her friends for her own packaging and branding seminar, at which they critique her overall style and coin a slogan to sell her to prospective suitors. But as Ally learns she's great the way she is, her ex-husband, David, takes notice and her connection with Tom deepens. How will Ally balance (Super)motherhood and a demanding boss? How will she decide between the father of her children and a genuine chance at love? Buxton's laugh-out-loud debut will captivate readers. Agent, Fletcher & Parry. (Jan. 31 )