THIS SIDE OF MARRIED

The venerable Jane Austen would no doubt be astonished to find herself compared via back cover copy to the author of this dreary, plodding tale of matrimony and mishegas in modern-day Philadelphia. Dr. Evelyn Rubin became a doctor at a time when women simply didn't become doctors, but in her 60s, her only source of pleasure is getting her own daughters safely married off. She's succeeded with the middle child, Isabel, who hasn't been able to get her husband to impregnate her; but her bitter disappointments are goody-goody Alice, the eldest, 38, and woefully single, and wild-child Tina, the youngest, who subscribes to the blow-and-throw disposable-man school of dating. Men of varying degrees of suitability wander in and out of the story, upsetting the lives of our three heroines in various ways. Unfortunately, neither the men nor the ensuing turmoil are interesting enough to sustain readers' interest. Sedate to the point of colorlessness ("Still, she did not actually broach the subject with him but asked instead, 'So, when did you first become interested in me?' "), this is an excellent lesson in the difference between going through the motions and pulling out the stops; the ranks of wedding lit won't be improved by this addition. 4-city author tour. Agent, Henry Dunow . (May 24)