Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts

Miller’s claustrophobic debut promises a weeklong vacation on Catalina Island but winds up largely taking place on its characters’ phones. Podcaster Margo “Go” Anderson struggles to enjoy a free vacation (provided by her podcast’s sponsors) because the upcoming marriage of her podcasting partner, Jo, signals the likely end of their series, which celebrates single women hooking up and disappearing fast without catching feelings. The rest of the wedding party is also in attendance, meaning Go must reunite with her high school nemesis, the best man Declan Walsh, who pulled a few too many pranks on her as a teenager. Surprisingly, engineer Declan proves easy to talk to now that he’s all grown up, making Go wonder if she ought to put her “love em and leave em” attitude on hold to explore their connection. Miller does make some use of the scenery in kayaking and hiking excursions, but the plot is driven by Go’s online life, as she worries how a relationship would affect her internet persona. This obstacle feels flimsy when Declan makes her so demonstrably happy and she’s decided to end the podcast anyway. There are some cute moments here, but readers will long for more substance. (May)