Sweet Indulgence

Anthony (Once a Lover, etc.) serves up an excess of immediate gratification in this pretentious tale of a poor-little-rich-girl compulsive eater who becomes a famous and beautiful self-made woman. One day, tubby Kit Daniels, whose sweet indulgences are described in graphic, caloric detail, starts a diet, and her pounds peel off in a few paragraphs. She pens books that soar to bestsellerdom, and while becoming ""a regular at the firecracker string of media parties detonating with famous names,'' and pursuing a stormy affair with her agent Aden Lassiter (who's also a talented playwright), she manages to star in a Broadway play. Although some serious issues are raisedsuch as Kit's destructive relationship with her socialite, unloving motherthey are overshadowed by the turgid prose, trendy but hollow characters and predictable plot. (August)