Overexposed

The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but the black leather–wearing black sheep of a boisterous Midwestern Jewish clan never figured her best friend would actually leap into her backyard. Photographer Rachel happily trades her suburban Chicago roots—distant doctor dad, meddling mom, doctors-in-training younger brothers, and an extended family of dictatorial elders—for the boho life in New York City, and though she longs to revel in the edgy art world where her idol, Elizabeth—daughter of a famed and famously drunk Life photographer—was raised, Elizabeth can't shed the trappings fast enough for the "normal" life Rachel shuns. The gimmick is clever, but Elizabeth's transformation from art world orphan to suburban yenta seems unlikely at best. Luckily, there's more to this hip tale of yearning than her transformation, and Shapiro (Speed Shrinking) champions the small asides, the stubborn secrets, and the unconditional affection of a big, complicated family to forge a connection with readers. (Aug.)