Confucius Jane

In this charming debut, which straddles the line between romance and women’s fiction, two women attempt to juggle life, love, and their careers. Jane Morrow is a poet currently writing fortunes for her family’s fortune cookie factory in New York’s Chinatown. Sutton St. James is a doctor who must choose between a prestigious residency at home in New York and a chance to study stem cell research overseas. The two women yield to mutual attraction, even while knowing their romance may not stand up under time and pressure, especially with Sutton’s disapproving father pushing her in a direction she doesn’t want. Their relationship is brought to the breaking point by a number of factors, forcing Jane and Sutton to rethink their priorities. The protagonists’ chemistry and Lynch’s knack for description and setting provide a delightful beginning and middle, with an adorable meet cute in a noodle shop facilitated by Jane’s precocious, scene-stealing cousin. The last third of the story veers into overwrought territory, piling on the drama from all sides in a somewhat forced manner. Luckily, it’s not enough to ruin the appeal of this sweet romance. [em]Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Jan.) [/em]