Missed Connections

Mataya's vapid novel holds little appeal for even the most flexible and generous fan of contemporary romances. Sarah visits the Missed Connections website several times a day, scrolling through posts about chance encounters and looking for her elusive Mr. Right. When an unknown admirer posts a message to her, she starts chatting with him online. At the same time, she hooks up with Jack, her best friend Pete's twin brother, and the sex is as amazing and sizzling as she'd always suspected it would be. She loves how Jack makes her feel sexy, but Sarah is judgmental and hung up on his supposed immaturity. Jack and Pete are both loyal, funny, and sweet, but it's perplexing why they put up with Sarah's narcissism and shallowness. And no matter how Sarah tries to justify it, she is cheating on Jack with her virtual admirer, and the fact that the relationship is completely online is irrelevant. Sarah makes a lot of excuses, wishing she could have an emotional connection with Jack, but she does nothing to take the relationship beyond the physical. Even Sarah's bosses and coworkers have more personality, and readers will have little tolerance for Sarah's whining about her job and love life. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (June)