Longings

Set in the rosy, never-never land of romantic fiction, this debut novel has little to recommend it except a timely theme. The characters are one-dimensional, the language is stiff and the flat descriptions are not enlivened by a parade of brand names. In the starring role is Jennifer Martin, a beautifulbut also smart and hard-hittingTV newswoman in New York. Her big break comes when a bomb explodes in Grand Central Station, killing the Channel 7 anchorman, among many others. Having rushed to report on the scene, Jennifer swoons in the arms of an attractive British photojournalist before hurrying back to the studio, where she's promoted to the empty anchor spot. Her career and her transcontinental love affair surge forward until sudden tragedy strikes. Afterward, Jennifer stoically pulls herself together to accept a job anchoring the network news and a proposal of marriage from a wholly different quarter. The love scenes are fairly steamy and Stern manages to pull a few heartstrings. But for the most part, this is formula romance fiction of the least rewarding kind. Major ad/promo; first serial to Cosmopolitan. (September)