FROM THE JUMP

An inhibited designer rethinks her paint-by-numbers approach when a leap of faith lands her in closer quarters with a friend.

Graphic designer Olivia Bakersfield has carefully cultivated her image as a successful—if somewhat cold—career woman. Raised by a single mother and traumatized by a brief brush with homelessness in her childhood, Liv feverishly clings to advice dished out by self-improvement books and blogs as if they are life rafts that will save her from further harm. But when she is forced to make a hard financial decision quickly, Liv decides to shelve some self-prescribed diktats: Not only does she finally refuse to work on yet another uninspiring assignment at her workplace, but she also impulsively decides to join her friends on their trip to South Africa. Although the holiday bonds her more thickly with her group, it puts her in uncomfortably close proximity with her extremely gorgeous and equally aloof friend Lucas Deiss. As the group prepares to return home, Liv tries to ensure that she and Lucas revert to their old equation. But when a series of crises force her to lean more on him than ever, Liv must reevaluate not only Lucas’ place in her life, but her entire attitude toward careers and companionship. Waldon charts Liv’s epiphany and eventual transformation with convincing attention to detail. Although Liv and Lucas’ gradually blossoming intimacy is the centerpiece, the shifts in Liv’s relationships with several other people are also crucial to her coming-of-age story. Liv’s friend circle is fun and their dynamic is charming, but owing to their tendency to withhold crucial parts of themselves from each other, they seldom appear as close-knit as they seem to think they are. Liv and Lucas take a tantalizing amount of time to become lovers, and the slow burn makes for delightful reading. But their journey from that point onward feels slightly rushed, especially since Lucas’ perspective remains conspicuously absent.

A fluffy and comforting romance that bolsters faith in the power of friendship.