Four Letter Word

August 29, 2016
Daniels (Sweet Obsession) launches a contemporary series with this uneven, ultimately disappointing novel. In the promising opening scenes, best friends Sydney and Tori, who are both having man trouble, decide to embrace a life of single gal pals living together in a small North Carolina town. But Sydney's hilariously overdone attempt to defend Tori leads to an embarrassing mistaken telephonic confrontation with Brian, a local surfer with some baggage of his own. As she gets to know him, Sydney starts to realize what she was missing in her marriage. Brian and Sydney embark on a charming sequence of phone calls and text messages, cautiously proceeding through a secretive quasi-affair that's a delight to follow. But when they finally meet in person, the story spirals into a series of uncomfortable encounters with Brian's unforgivably sleazy friend Jamie, interspersed with summarized sex scenes. The book develops an abrasive focus on catering to the emotional needs of the male characters. The story is innovative and interesting for the first half, but by the end it looks as if this series might be one to skip. Agent: Kimberly Brower, Rebecca Friedman Literary.