FOOTFREE AND FANCYLOOSE picks up right where BASS ACKWARDS AND BELLY UP ends, at the end of the Christmas-New Year holiday season. Harper Waddle—college reject, writer-barista, and Dream Train starter—has burned the first fifty pages of her first novel as per her English teacher/dream man Mr. Finelli’s constructive criticism. This time she is starting over and writing from the heart. Harper is determined to let nothing stop her, but mixed feelings about her coworker, Judd, Mr. Finelli, and a family accident make the road a lot bumpier.

All the way across the ocean, Kate has joined a humanitarian project in Ethiopia, digging wells for villages. She feels more in control and strong and herself than she’s ever felt…except her teammate, a pretentious Princetonian named Darby, mislabels her as a ditzy blond and seems to think she is a waste of time and space.

In LA, Sophie is getting used to a new Hollywood sort of life—far, far away from the glamorous poolhouse she used to inhabit. Now she’s rooming with Sam, the Meyers’ ex-poolboy, and still struggling to make it big, still feeling like she’s not LA material. She snags an agent finally, but at what cost? How much of herself is she willing to give up in order to advance up the screwed-up quid pro quo world of Hollywood?

And finally, at Middlebury College, Becca is living out her Dream, bigtime. Not only is she doing phenomenal on the slopes, she’s also head over heels for her boyfriend, Stuart, a smart, understanding, gorgeous guy, despite the fact that he IS a football player. But of course, perfect bliss cannot endure in Becca’s world. She receives a shocking revelation about her family that sends her Stuart ecstasy into a hurtful tailspin.

The lives of four friends who chose the other path—and grew and succeeded as a result. Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain’s books are full of chick-lit adventure and romance, which will be sure to please girls all over. ( )

I was eager to see this young adult novel at the ALA conference this month in Philadelphia. I snatched up the advanced reading copy. The original is due to be published April 1. The first book in this series, Bass Ackwards and Belly Up, I described as a Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants for older teens. Other than being slightly confused by which character was what, I enjoyed this romantic, frilly chick lit novel.

Four best friends took the plunge in the last novel and decided to not go to pursue their dreams. Harper decides to stay home and write the next great American novel. Kate takes off for a European vacation but ends up volunteering in Africa to dig wells. Becca is dealing with her parents divorcing or marrying or whatever while she is on the ski team in college. Sophie is out in California trying to make it big as an actress. Throughout the novel, they come together for big events and stay in touch via email and phone calls. All four grow up, a few find romance and all find a little bit of happiness.

I do have a problem with the cover. There are four best friends in the book, so I don't like the three that are on the cover. I know, I know, Kate is in Africa, but she still deserves to be on the cover. ( )