Originally self-published a few years ago, M.J. Pullen is making the jump to the traditional publishing world. Her first book, The Marriage Pact, is a romance/popular fiction crossover.
Marci Thompson has just turned 30. She's working as a temp, living in a tiny apartment, and having an affair with her married boss. She's not sure how she let circumstances get to this point. She hates being "the other woman," but can't seem to break up with Doug. Her job is boring, and her apartment is terrible, but she feels stuck in Austin.
Until, that is, the day her old friend Jake sends her an e-mail reminding her that 10 years earlier, when they were in college, they made a drunken pact to marry each other if they were both single when they turned 30. When her relationship with Doug ends abruptly, Marci flees back home to Atlanta and the comfort of Jake's familiarity. But will she regret it?
While Marci initially comes across as rather whiny, Pullen does a great job of drawing the reader into Marci's world and empathizing with her dilemmas. The two men in her life are complicated for different reasons, and watching Marci work through her difficulties is entertaining. With a few laugh-out-loud moments, and several silly side characters, M.J. Pullen's novel is a very enjoyable read. Fans of Jane Green or Emily Giffin are sure to enjoy The Marriage Pact. --Jessica Howard, blogger at Quirky Bookworm