Almost every girl known to man wishes to change a certain characteristic about them: They want more intelligence, less frizzy hair, a slimmer body, fewer pimples, longer legs, more dates — the list could go on forever. Claire LaZebnik bases her novel “The Smart One and the Pretty One” on these desires for change with two differing sisters who help one another through life’s struggles.

After graduating from Harvard University, LaZebnik wrote for several women’s magazines including Vogue, GQ and Cosmopolitan. A few years later, she married television writer/producer Rob LaZebnik (“The Simpsons”) and had four children, the oldest of whom was diagnosed with autism at a young age. Her daughter’s struggle motivated her to write books on the disease, including “Overcoming Autism: Finding the Answers, Strategies, and Hope that Can Transform a Child’s Life” and “Same as It Never Was,” in the hope of educating others.

LaZebnik is the youngest of five siblings, and that fact provided the foundation for her latest novel.  “It takes a sister to know a sister. No one gets you the same way, and while you can drive each other crazy at times, there’s a basic loyalty there that pretty much nothing can destroy,” author LaZebnik said in an interview with the blog Bookshipper. Her sister Nell stimulated her to become a writer and promoted her career in every possible way, which actually parallels the relationship between Ava and Lauren, the two main characters of “The Smart One and the Pretty One.”

The tone of this novel is quickly established in the description of the main characters — Ava as “the smart one” and Lauren as “the pretty one” — and gives the reader a feel for their distinct personalities; however, in real life, both girls have smarts and beauty, but neither will believe it. As the novel concludes, their views on life intermingle and the reader is left with feelings of delight and inspiration to change for the better. “The Smart One and the Pretty One” connects with many women of the 21st century because, instead of focusing solely on a desire to find true love, the story focuses more on the strong connection between the two sisters.

Ava is a successful, conscientious and smart businesswoman and Lauren is a fearless, disorganized saleswoman who eventually loses her job and goes to live with her sister. This time together allows Ava and Lauren to help one another with their problems — i.e., Ava’s troubles with men and Lauren’s troubles with money and growing up into a mature adult.

Men are not Ava’s forte, so when Lauren is reminded of a previous childhood experience with Ava and some neighbors, she is able to catch hold of a perfect scheme to set her sister up on a date.  However, Ava is resistant to this change because she doesn’t want to lose her sense of self. “I’m not going to change myself to get a guy. I want to be appreciated for who I am,” is Ava’s excuse for not wanting to date men. The reader sympathizes with her, and actually cheers for her to open herself up to others. Although the moral of this story is corny, Ava must find her inner beauty first before anyone else will truly see it.

Conversely, many know wanting something and needing to own it are two different things. But thrill-seeker Lauren only wants to have her cake and eat it, too. Her troubles with money motivate Ava to find Lauren a financial counselor so she can become an independent, self-sufficient adult. Lauren does not believe she has the smarts to become wealthy like her sister and struggles with being unable to buy things on a whim. She uses her beauty to earn her place in life, but she finds out beauty can only take you to a point and for the rest, you’re on your own.

Separating this novel from the rest of the “chick-lit” genre, the guy aspect is — admirably — not No. 1 on the agenda. The struggles of Ava and Lauren allow for their relationship to grow, and a twist thrown into the story allows them to become even closer. The sisterly love and developing relationship found in “The Smart One and the Pretty One” serves as a source of inspiration — and it even creates a feeling of love in those who read it.

3 1/2 stars out of 5