FISHBOWL

Red Dress Ink, 2003. Very Good. Mlynowski's second novel is a pleasant departure from the typical tale abou t young women searching for meaning and love in the big city. Roommates All ie, Jodine, and Emma are about as different as three people can be. Allie i s enthusiastic but immature; Jodine is cold and closed-off; Emma is a styli sh good-time girl. Despite the fact that they get on each other's nerves, t hey get along well enough, even after Jodine wakes up one night to discover that their kitchen is on fire. With no insurance, the girls are forced to come up with creative ways to raise money, including throwing big parties a t a local bar and offering a seminar for men hoping to meet girls. Meanwhil e, each roommate has her own man troubles: Allie pines for her friend, Clin t, while the cute repairman flirts with her; Jodine is bored by her loyal b oyfriend; and Emma has fallen for a sexy guy she meets at one of their part ies, only to discover that she's smitten with Clint. Mlynowski wisely focus es the most on the girls' relationships with each other, creating fully dim ensional characters and a terrific story. Kristine Huntley.