Jenny Xie

fiction set in Oakland CA (with a trip to Vegas) - recovering from a breakup with a man she thought she'd marry and questioning her career direction, a psychology student rebuilds her relationship with her newly sober, fit, engaged-and-in-love mother, while finding work as a professional Cuddler for lonely people craving touch. There is also a rat-owner/Influencer in a minor role.

Enjoyed this tenderly told story about a mother-daughter relationship troubled by each woman's reluctance to communicate their vulnerabilities in part to protect the other. interesting characters with unique problems that are nonetheless relatable.… (mer)

In the glut of books about 20-something women trying to find themselves, Holding Pattern by Jenny Xie stands slightly above the crowd. As usual with many of these books, Kathleen Cheung finds herself moving back into her mother’s house after getting dumped by her boyfriend and leaving her Ph.D program. Xie adds some interesting twists, though, as Kathleen’s mom — a recovered alcoholic — is planning her wedding to a wealthy man, and presses Kathleen into assisting. Kathleen also finds herself working at a Cuddle Clinic, hanging out with her high school friends as she tries to figure out her life. The story ends rather abruptly, and certain plot points feel very forced, but overall not a bad story for readers who enjoy this genre.… (mer)