You've been served

In Alicia's witty debut, frustrated California chef Simone Alexander turns to a Magic 8 Ball for guidance, leading her to leave the kitchen and head to a three-year law program in Michigan. She feels decidedly unprepared for both the Midwestern winters and the cutthroat world of law school, but who is she to ignore her destiny? On move-in day, Simone's best friend, River, secretly asks Simone's handsome new neighbor, Silas Whitman, to make Simone feel welcome, leading to a fast friendship outside of the classroom. In class, however, it's a different story, with Silas sucking up to the strict professor who has it out for Simone. It's rough going, but Simone's relationship with Silas sees her through--even after she rejects his romantic overtures in favor of focusing on school. When Silas moves on, however, Simone worries that she made the wrong choice between love and education. Simone's journey of self-discovery is given equal weight as the cute romantic story line, and readers will cheer her on as she comes into her own. This should win Alicia plenty of fans. Agent: Stacey Graham, 3 Seas Literary. (July)