In this first novel, Ellen and Adam meet cute as undergraduates when they discover that they share a common birthday week. As their relationship develops, it turns out that they have little else in common. Adam thrives on nature in its purest formeven campgrounds are too refined for himwhile Ellen's appreciation of nature doesn't extend far beyond its depiction on canvas. Over the summer, Ellen works the reception desk at a trendy Toronto art gallery; Adam casts about for a suitable MA thesis topic. Looking for a way out, he sets off alone for the Canadian north to spend two months canoeing in the wild, leaving Ellen at home, depressed and lethargic. This time apart tests them both, as Adam fights for elemental survival and Ellen's self-absorption turns into concern for others. Pick, a young Canadian poet (Question and Answer), offers a hip millennial romance that may tap the chick-lit crowd. Recommended for most public libraries.Barbara Love, Kingston Frontenac P.L., Kingston, Ont.

Canadian poet Pick's first novel preciously ponders the travails of a young couple as they figure out who they are and if they want (or, indeed, need) each other. Switching perspectives between art gallery gopher Ellen and brooding grad student Adam, Pick zeroes in on the deceptions and mutual disappointments that dog the pair as Ellen, desperate to hold on to Adam, follows him from Kingston, Ontario, to Toronto, even as she suspects he has been unfaithful to her. He has, of course, which makes her cling to him even more; her fear of abandonment trumps pride. Adam, intent on disentangling himself from Ellen, goes on a two-month soul-searching trip to the Canadian wilderness. While he is away, Ellen begins to see herself as an independent entity and finds herself surrounded by a supportive group of new friends. Adam, meanwhile, battles memories and Arctic hardships he isn't sure he will be able to survive. Pick infuses the novel with shining metaphors, which add a welcome luster to an otherwise stale plot. (Aug.)