But “Heartburn” falls short. The lead character is interesting, but lacks the depth of Bridget Jones (who is fairly shallow). Her situation is complicated by the fact that she is hugely pregnant, but so little is made of it that you keep forgetting all about that as you’re reading.

Check out “Open House” by Elizabeth Berg or “Skinny Dip” by Carl Hiaasen if you’re in the mood for a funny breakup book. Nora is obviously meant for Hollywood.

There were portions of this book that felt a bit more self-serving than the last, but it’s all forgiven given the immensity of the task ahead of the Central Asia Institute. You will again be moved to laughter and tears over the strength of the human spirit.

And you will perhaps again wonder how Greg’s family can possibly deal with his absence and the danger that he puts himself in. And then wonder how they ever couldn’t deal with it, when it’s so obvious that he (and many others) are answering a higher calling and doing what they must.

If we all had the courage to follow our convictions, the world would be an even better place. We must be grateful for those who not only “talk the talk” but who get dirty, go without sleep, travel into dangerous situations – to make change happen.

What Martini’s book does do is draw us into a murder that somehow weaves around racial tensions, a Surpreme Court Justice, the Constitution and a whole lot of other twists and turns. Do all the pieces fit perfectly? No. But I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.

If you like John Grisham or Perri O’Shaughnessy, you’ll probably like Steve Martini. Just be aware that you may be required to think a bit, so if you’re looking for something mindless, this may not move swiftly enough for you.

It’s not the worst book I’ve ever read and it probably won’t even make my top 10 list of worst books ever. A romance novel set in another dimension is weird, but hey, I love sci-fi and fantasy, I could roll with that. It’s utterly predictable, but that’s not necessarily a death nell, aren’t all romance novels formulaic? So what’s my problem with it?

It’s trite and written at what seems to be a 4th grade reading level. Have readers gotten so dumb that we have to spell everything out, remove all big words and teach simplistic moral lessons in every book? At one point in this book, I believe the point was essentially made “just because someone looks different than you, doesn’t mean they’re a bad person”. Really? I NEVER knew that! Oh wait, I learned that on Sesame Street before I even knew how to read.

So if you know a licentious 4th grader that would like to read a fantastical romance novel, then maybe this works. Otherwise, it probably doesn’t belong on your summer reading list.

Before you pack this one up in your beach bag, you should know that it’s serious steam with serious consequences. This is not light-hearted and sexy banter like you might find in a Janet Evanovich novel. This is more like sitting in on a sex addicts meeting. Sure at first, it might be mildly titillating. But as they delve deeper and deeper into their own issues, you’d become aware of just how gross they are behaving.

The darkness leaks out of just the bedroom scenes and into the entire plot of the novel. Like reading about ebola, you become horrified and positively entranced by the words on the page. I found myself rushing ahead to just get it over with, whatever was going to happen.

If that sounds like your kind of read, then you’ll love this book. If you feel vaguely uneasy just from my description, it’s not for you.

Still, that doesn’t make it bad. If you’ve ever had a best friend and especially if that friendship has ever grown apart or come to an abrupt halt, this story will resonate with you. And it’s light enough to make for a good beach read.

Her housekeeper urges her to join the local Penny Pinchers club that meets at a local library to swap coupons and share Costco memberships.

This would make a fine beach book as it’s very superficial and predictable, but still fun to read. The characters are clever and funny and it’s a quick read. Who knows, maybe you’ll even pick up a few tips on how to save some money.

After signing on with friends to make a vigorous mountain climb, she realizes just how weak and unprepared she is.

Her journey to find herself is the more intriguing portion of the book. This is not a “feel good” book that leaves you upbeat and laughing, but it is a good read.

The only drawbacks are that it’s a touch formulaic and lacking in emotional depth. This is a great beach book for the upcoming summer season, you won’t be sobbing in the sand and just might snicker a few times.

Just make sure and tell your husband that it’s fiction.