Helen J. Darling

An ambitious single woman. A lifelong goal within reach. Will Manhattan's unexpected challenges turn her fantasy into a disaster? After ten lackluster years in a dead-end job, Jane Desmond can't wait to pursue her enduring ambition of a career in the glittering NYC literary scene. But the city starts throwing her curveballs the moment she arrives and what's worse, her nervous mother, petrified for Jane's safety, won't stop texting her. Determined to reclaim her sanity, Jane posts a selfie challenge to prove to her mom she's living the dream. As she struggles to find an apartment and blows critical interviews, her online pics tell a very different tale. Caught up in a web of social lies, Jane digs herself deeper with every update. Worried that she doesn't have what it takes to make it in the city and on the verge of calling it quits, she races the clock to get her life together before her parents and friends learn the sad truth. Can Jane get comfortable in her own skin before the deception comes crashing down around her? Witty and endearing, Terms and Conditions follows Jane as she discovers the thrill, the challenge, and ultimately the joy of living truly for herself.

A witty and warm-hearted debut novel from Helen J. Darling about the challenges of ambition, friendship, and the boundaries that balance them. Jane Desmond's life wasn't supposed to turn out like this. Almost at the top of a professional ladder she never meant to climb, she's got a great view...of a messy life. Unwanted attention from an infatuated coworker and meddlesome matchmaking from her mother has her social life in tatters. Thank goodness her best friend Thea's around to keep her sane. When Thea loses her job a few days after purchasing her dream home, Jane steps in to help. But her good intentions backfire, and Jane discovers Thea's been keeping secrets from her. In order to save the friendship, something's got to change. It just isn't what Jane expected it would be...Relatable and funny, with energetic prose and a style that keeps the pages turning, Helen J. Darling offers a fresh voice in women's fiction.