The Bounce Back

Neale Delacroix’s performance art is going up in flames, literally. When Neale’s costume for her avant-garde act catches fire in front of an audience and her snarky cohorts and becomes fodder for the next viral video, she wants to crawl into her childhood bedroom and forget the world. But her artsy, bohemian parents think this is the perfect opportunity for Neale to spread her wings and leave the nest. Suddenly, Neale is working a drudgework office job for a very small greeting card company with a very distracting coworker named Anthony. Will Neale really be able to stick to a 9–5 life and be happy? Woolridge (The Checklist) has created a relatable and exasperating heroine with a lot of growing up to do. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, a diverse cast of characters, and a nice change of pace with the art-world backdrop, but this is otherwise typical chick-lit fare.