Contents May Have Shifted

Writing teacher Pam has a comfortable life that allows her the flexibility and freedom to travel the world, usually with her boyfriend, Ethan. However, she realizes that Ethan can’t commit and discovers that he’s still involved with former girlfriends. Once she learns this, Pam turns to her friends to evaluate her needs, desires, and priorities. She finds a new partner, Rick, who has an adorable seven-year-old daughter, Madison. Pam inexplicably bonds with Madison, but this new relationship also means struggling with Rick’s ex-wife and her continuing influence over Rick’s life. Pam starts to feel like she has to choose between her nomadic lifestyle and the life she’s building with Rick and Madison. Instead of a proper novel, Houston’s (Cowboys Are My Weakness) latest reads more like a collection of delicately framed and delightful vignettes. With the narrative jumping from place to place, readers will feel like they too are touring the world. However, despite well-crafted prose, Pam feels curiously absent from the emotion of the story, which prevents readers from investing in her relationships or life choices. Agent: The Sayle Literary Agency. (Feb.)