I would get my best pregnant friend, “From Here to Maternity: The Education of a Rookie Mom“, which I found more amusing. Konig’s books are real, which is great and they’re not all silly stories. Some of them have a point and some of them are touching. I just didn’t feel the depth of humor that I was looking for. Worth a read, but not going to impress the pants off of you (unless, of course, they’re your old maternity pants, in which case, maybe those will just fall off – here’s hoping!).

The group of women decides to try their hand at writing and they slowly draw closer together as their writing reveals more and more about their lives. None of them are entirely flat characters, they all have a depth that is surprising and moving.

I hesitate to call this “chick lit” because it is more meaningful than some, but this is so clearly a book by a woman for women, that I think it fits that category best.

Whether you have a group of close friends or not, whether you’ve always dreamed of writing your life story or not, there’s something for you in this book.

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.

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.

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.

But hey, it’s chick lit, what did you expect?

Does it work for the beach? Sure! Will it make you smile at least once? Probably.  Will it remind you of Bridget Jones? At least once or twice (in a good way).

So give it a whirl, if you’re chick lit inclined. It’s only a few hours of your life and you needed the distraction anyway.

If you’re looking for a chick lit novel with a bit more depth, I’d recommend “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” (read my review) or “The Elegant Gathering of White Snows” (read my review).

And as usual, Berg tells the story well and keeps out of the way.

I didn’t love it as much as “Open House“, my personal favorite Berg novel, but it was a good read and a fast one. If you like Elizabeth Berg, you’d also enjoy “An Elegant Gathering of White Snows” by Kris Radish.