These Girls

Pekkanen (Skipping a Beat) follows three girlfriends in her pedestrian third novel. Though they’ve been co-workers at Gloss magazine for several years and roommates for six months, Cate and Renee are only casual friends, until a new roommate cements their friendship. Cate, recently promoted to features editor, is struggling to assert her new authority amid office gossip about just how she got her promotion. She’s also harboring a secret: she left college without graduating because of an embarrassing indiscretion. Renee’s up for a promotion herself, and she’s willing to take extreme measures to lose weight in order to fit into fashion-magazine acceptable. When Renee and Cate’s dashingly handsome colleague, Trey, “a six-foot-three, single, straight, employed man... more coveted and rare in New York City than a rent-controlled one-bedroom,” needs a place for his younger sister, Abby, the girls are happy to let her use their spare room. They’re both nursing crushes on Trey, but they also take an instant liking to Abby and the solid friendships they form help Abby move past her own dark secrets. Pekkanen’s got wit and an ear for dialogue, but missed opportunities for conflict keep the story flat and the characters from evolving. Agent: Victoria Sanders, Victoria Sanders & Associates. (Apr.)