Tiny Imperfections

February 3, 2020
Frank and Youmans pack their debut with drama and exposition, sidelining romance in favor of a prolonged glimpse into the glamorous, ultra-competitive world of San Francisco private schools. Josie Bordelon, director of admissions for Fairchild Country Day School, has an extremely stressful personal life: her beloved Aunt Viv is ill, her daughter is graduating from high school, and her best friend is on her case to start dating again following a two-year dry spell. Enter Ty Golden, who Josie believes to be a gay prospective Fairchild parent and with whom she strikes up a very flirtatious friendship. Josie’s family connections, especially her angst-ridden relationship with her daughter (which is sorely affected by Josie’s lingering issues with her own mother), are far stronger and more believable than the romance, which is not given enough time to develop. The glitzy, high stakes world and gossipy narrative voice will put readers in mind of Crazy Rich Asians, but the story gets bogged down in overexplaining the ins and outs of the admissions process, and none of the many subplots vying for readers’ attention is given sufficient room to breathe. Readers will enjoy the atmosphere, but wish for more cohesion. Agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency.

March 1, 2020
The director of admissions at a prestigious private school attempts to balance her job, her family, and her love life in Frank and Youmans' debut. Once upon a time, Josie Bordelon was walking the catwalk as a sought-after fashion model. Now that she's almost 40, she's the director of admissions at Fairchild Country Day School, an ultraprestigious private school in San Francisco. Josie's used to being the only black woman in a largely white male-dominated field, and after all these years, she knows what to expect from her job--overscheduled children, pushy parents, and a boss who wants to undermine her. While she may be killing it at work, her personal life is another story. She hasn't had a serious boyfriend in years, much to the chagrin of her Aunt Viv and her best friend, Lola. It's too bad that the only man who's caught Josie's eye lately is a married and gay dad of a prospective student. And even though Josie just wants her daughter, Etta, to attend an Ivy League college and major in something practical, Etta insists she wants to follow her ballet dreams and study dance at Julliard. But it turns out that Etta's career goals aren't the only shock Josie's about to face--her job, her romantic life, and her own Aunt Viv have plenty of surprises up their sleeves. While Josie's budding relationship is certainly interesting, it takes a back seat to the rest of the plot, and it never quite gets the chance to blossom. The book shines, however, when it comes to the Bordelon women, especially Josie's hardworking and hilariously meddling Aunt Viv, who clearly loves Josie and Etta more than anything. The family's bond comes across vividly on the page, manifesting in sometimes-gentle and occasionally not-so-gentle banter among the three women. Frank and Youmans create strong voices even for the side characters, like Josie's no-nonsense teacher BFF, her quick-witted assistant, her clueless boss, and Etta's snooty ballet teacher. A fun, snappy read about the over-the-top world of private school admissions and the unbreakable bonds of family.

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