MORE THAN THIS

Star-crossed lovers in San Francisco.

Evelyn Morgan Reed-Sinclair has taken up as a starving art student in Paris, though in fact she is to the manner born. When a love affair with a professor turns sour, Evelyn packs up her pastels and canvases and flees Europe (via first class, of course) for the safe haven of her family’s stomping grounds in San Francisco. Once back home, Evelyn bores quickly of her family’s vapid social scene. It’s time for a new persona—this go-round Evelyn tries on the roll of executive assistant at a trendy dot-com business. Alexander Velazquez has a bumpier landing back into San Fran life. He’s been booted out of his Manhattan law firm and destroyed his relationship with his gorgeous and manipulative girlfriend. Alexander returns to his old neighborhood to start anew—but doesn’t make any headway when it comes to reinvention. It’s back to the same-old same-old when Alexander becomes lead lawyer on an icily beautiful socialite’s case. (Candela never quite gets the male voice down—Alexander’s charm is elusive on paper.) It’s crystal clear that Alexander and Evelyn are made for each other—love at first sight. But Candela (Life Over Easy, 2007, etc.) must believe in delayed gratification. Chapter after chapter goes by with numerous near-miss meetings, yet they never actually utter a sentence to each other. The entire novel is a build-up, which results in a huge letdown. For all the hype, a spectacular encounter is more than warranted and never supplied. Worse, the author relies on stereotypes (the gay best friend, the irresponsible and irresistible younger sister) to carry aspects of the plot.

Flimsy summer fashion that won’t last the season.