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Owens (Bookends), publisher of Zibby Books and host of the podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, delivers a fanciful first novel about a struggling author. Pippa Jones, anxious to follow up her successful debut novel, is overwhelmed by raising two teens with her emotionally distant husband and stumped on what to write next. In one of the book’s many meta moments, Pippa thinks she’s hit on something fabulous—a rom-com about a podcaster. But then another bestselling author beats her to the punch by releasing a book with the same plot. How did her idea get stolen? More importantly, how will she fulfill her contract with just days left before her publisher drops her and demands she return her advance, which she’s already spent? In a twist that Owens intends as a satire of bestsellers driven by media hype rather than their content, Pippa comes up with a gimmick meant to upend the publishing industry. Though Owens’s depiction of Pippa’s angst feels genuine, especially given the convincingly portrayed demands of marriage and motherhood, the denouement concerning Pippa’s next book (the substance of which would be a spoiler to reveal) depends on some facile notions of the book market. This fast-paced romp muddles its message. Agent: Joe Veltre, Gersh Agency. (Mar.)