Confessions of an Ex-Girlfriend

April 1, 2002
First-time novelist Curnyn pens an easy, breezy first novel that's part Sex in the City
with more heart, and part Bridget Jones with less booze. A frustrated would-be writer and an editor at Bridal Best, Emma Carter becomes an ex when her beau of two years sells a screenplay and moves to L.A. without her. ("You have so much here," he tells her; needless to say, she doesn't agree.) Her two 30-something girlfriends, Alyssa and Jade, each beautiful and romantically challenged in her own way, try to coax Emma out of her rut with either tough love or encouragement, depending on the day. But Alyssa is considering cheating on her longtime love Richard (a lawyer and the "best guy she's been with") and Jade, who was recently hurt by a man, too, has sworn off anything but casual sex. Drawing comfort from snack cakes and diet ice cream (for which she must atone at the gym) as well as her own confessions ("I would marry for a below-market one bedroom"; "I am ready for my miniature schnauzer") Emma eventually does meet a new guy. He's a writer, too, but he doesn't call after she sleeps with him; meanwhile her father's drinking and her mother's upcoming third marriage give her lots to stew about, as does her potential promotion. But the lost relationship haunts her until a few final moments of self-empowerment in the book's conclusion. This is light, occasionally amusing fare, but it's nothing new. Emma may be a New Yorker and a nonsmoker, but her story feels pretty derivative of you-know-who's. (Apr.)Forecast:Lovers of women's magazines and people who don't mind maxims like "There are some ailments only good hair can cure" may appreciate Curnyn's snappy take on desperation; for book clubs whose members like to meet over cosmopolitans, this is probably a winner.

May 15, 2002
Suddenly single when her aspiring screenwriter boyfriend takes off for a hot job in L.A., bridal magazine editor Emma Carter is forced to reassess her appearance, her job, and her prospects-and take action. A diverse cast of engaging, occasionally offbeat characters, the hilarious sayings attributed to them, and a fast-paced style facilitated by Emma's pithy sound-bite "confessions" add to the fun in a lively Manhattan-set story that, while not a true romance, leaves the heroine happily pursuing her dreams and involved in a satisfying romantic relationship. This work may appeal to those who enjoy Bridget Jones-type books and like their stories urban, trendy, and slightly ambiguous. Curnyn is a fiction editor and lives in New York. This is her first novel.

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2002
Emma Carter has been unceremoniously dumped by Derrick, her boyfriend of two years, who leaves her behind in New York to go to L.A. Distraught at being thrust back into the singles scene after thinking Derrick was the one, Emma relies on her friends, sunny Alyssa and cynical Jade, to help her along. It doesn't help matters that Emma is working as a contributing editor for the magazine " Bridal Best," and competing with a successful colleague for a coveted senior editor position. And Emma's life isn't made any easier by her mother's upcoming third marriage and her father's battle with alcoholism. But, still pining for Derrick, she tentatively reenters the dating scene, going out first with a boring and unattractive lawyer, and then with a self-involved freelance writer. The gorgeous guy who works in the local ice cream shop might be a potential fling as well. Is Emma doomed to repeat the mistakes of her past, or can she find both love and self-confidence? Readers will eagerly turn the pages to find out.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)