THE STARTER EX

A woman agrees to help her sister land the man of her dreams—only to fall for him herself.

When Vanessa Cordero was in college, she had a lucrative gig working as a “starter ex”—women would hire her to date their crushes, but she'd make the guy so miserable that he’d turn back to the first woman, who was waiting in the wings to "save" him. Now she’s returned to New York after having spent eight years as a financial planner in Chicago, hoping to convince her overworked parents to sell their Harlem bodega and retire. Her sister, Lisa, who’s been holding down the fort at home, resents her sudden reappearance and, to make up for it, wants her to bring her “starter ex” persona out of retirement to help her land Jason Torres. Vanessa has serious misgivings, but she’s willing to do anything to repair her relationship with her sister. Meanwhile, Jason is dealing with the weight of his family’s expectations. The Torres clan is gearing up for younger daughter Cami’s wedding, and Jason’s mother is pressuring him to settle down. Jason has been burned by previous lovers, and he refuses to make the same mistake again, no matter how much he and Vanessa seem to have in common. He’s hurt and angry when he discovers her deception, but realizes he can keep his family at bay by continuing to date Vanessa no matter how hard she tries to shake him. Sosa’s plotting is successfully zany, with Vanessa’s schemes becoming more desperate and outrageous. Vanessa and Jason are deeply sympathetic characters caught in a trap of their own making, but readers might tire of their lies and wonder what it will take for them to admit they’re falling in love.

A funny, light-hearted romp fueled by miscommunication and subterfuge.