Just Your Average Princess

Jamie adores her life in Average, Ill., working on her family's pumpkin patch, pining after her coworker Danny, hanging out with her best friend, and planning to fulfill her dream of being crowned Pumpkin Princess at the town's annual festival. But when Jamie's cousin Milan comes to work at the Patch, flirting with Danny, taking the attention of Jamie's parents, and running for Pumpkin Princess, Jamie decides to get even. It's not hard for her to find dirt on exasperating Milan, the daughter of two big Hollywood stars, but once Jamie sets things in motion, her conscience kicks in. Springer's (The Espressologist) frothy story delivers an appealing setting in the pumpkin patch, and Jamie is a down-to-earth, realistically flawed protagonist whose antagonism toward Milan%E2%80%94while well-founded%E2%80%94also points to her underlying fear that her cozy life in Average is beginning to change. But Danny is never fully realized as a character, and Jamie's friends serve mainly as sounding boards for her angst. Jamie's vindictive streak is almost disappointingly short-lived; the girls' easy reconciliation and a sugary conclusion may leave readers feeling like they've overindulged on candy corn. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. (Oct)