First Time, Long Time

In comedian Silverberg’s haphazard debut, a struggling writer embarks on an ill-fated relationship with a famous older man. Allison, 28, has been living in Los Angeles for the past year, hoping to find creative inspiration, a reprieve from her boundary-averse parents in Reno, Nev., and relief from her sadness over the untimely death of her older brother, Jack, a popular comedian, two years earlier. She fields calls from her mother about the Problem (their name for her father), while cobbling together a living by teaching at a community college and running book clubs for rich ladies. Eventually, she bumps into Reid Steinman, a famous shock jock beloved by the Problem when Allison was a child. Reid still hosts his raunchy and unapologetic show, but he’s losing touch now that he’s reached the “shallow end of his sixties.” The pair begin dating and Allison becomes unmoored as she finds herself falling for Reid’s self-absorbed daughter, Emma, an aspiring comedian. Allison’s wry humor and searching nature make her a companionable narrator, but the plot sputters as the focus jarringly shifts from Allison’s daddy issues to her growing attraction to women to her desire to escape Jack’s shadow and make something of herself. Adding to the jumble are frequent flashbacks to Jack’s life that leave his death a mystery. It’s a mixed bag. Agents: Mollie Glick and Anthony Mattero, CAA. (July)