Plumley (Falling for April) has a knack for crafting hip, realistic dialogue and screwball characters, but her skills are squandered on a story line more suited to a novella than a novel. Self-described girly-girl Jayne Murphy, who lives for shopping and bubble baths, has authored the bestselling Heartbreak 101: Getting Over the Good-Bye Guys, and now she's ready to do some hands-on research for her next project, a self-help workbook. So she sets out to lead a group of five heartbreakees on a cushy hiking trip through the beautiful Arizona high country. Things fall apart from the get-go when Jayne discovers that the adventure will actually involve strenuous hiking and that it will be led by macho hunk Riley Davis, the nature photographer/wilderness guide/commitment-phobe who broke her heart and inspired her book. Despite the story's cute premise and likable protagonists, the thin plot line quickly runs out of steam, as do Jayne's hokey self-help realization techniques (such as "shampoo therapy" and "Karaoke 'Your Song' into Submission"). The budding romance between Riley's 13-year-old niece (herself a young breakupee) and a 15-year-old wannabe guide is an appealing counterpoint to the adult goings-on but, overall, this featherweight comedy fails to hold the reader's attention. (Oct.)
