cover image Love Always

Love Always

Ann Beattie. Vintage Books USA, $15 (256pp) ISBN 978-0-394-74418-6

Lacking the elements that distinguish Beattie's earlier novels, Love Always relies instead on transparent and relentless use of her several stylistic idiosyncracies. The results are stereotyped characters and situations. ""Bleak and unconvincing,'' PW found. (August)