More Like Her

Chick lit favorite Palmer (Seeing Me Naked) dips into darker territory with her latest. Private school speech therapist Frannie’s most recent breakup opens her mind to the possibility that her romantic failures are due to a “fear that my defenseless heart and my unconditional love are a burden no one wants.” Frannie’s burgeoning confidence leads her to start a relationship with Sam, an “out of my league” architect working at the school. The novel takes a strange turn when the new headmistress’s controlling husband kills his wife on campus during a faculty gathering at which Sam, Frannie, and her friends are present. While the drama of the incident propels all the characters to honest reflection and action, the second half of the book suffers as the incompatible tones of the two story lines grate against each other. Nonetheless, Palmer’s dialogue is reliably natural and funny, and her insights into the way women betray their true selves in search of acceptance are keen and honest. Agent: Christy Fletcher, Fletcher & Co. (Apr.)