Ann Brashares’ fourth ‘Pants’ novel zips up series

“Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood”

by Ann Brashares (Random House, 400 pages, $18.99)

After hearing that Ann Brashares intended to write a fourth “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” book, I briefly wondered how long she could keep adding to the best-selling franchise. Would the four close friends take turns wearing the magical denims on their honeymoons? Would the pants morph into “mom jeans” after the pals had their own little ones to scurry after?

Fortunately, Brashares answers that in “Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood.” Without giving the ending away, I can say that this is the last of the “Pants” novels.

Lena, Tibby, Bridget (aka Bee) and Carmen are in college now, pursuing dreams that range from art (Lena, of course) to theater (Carmen, surprisingly). They are miles and hours apart but connected by phone, computer and that amazing pair of pants. (The jeans fit all four of their builds, have never been washed and are covered with stitched and penned memories from three busy summers.)

In this installment, Tibby’s filmmaking takes a back seat to her relationship crisis with that cute Brian, and Lena’s art studies expand to modeling for a dreamy fellow artist, Leo. But Carmen and Bridget run off with the story, each discovering something in their lives that they’ve been taking for granted.

Bee, who is athletic and gorgeous, has signed on for an archaeological dig in Turkey, while boyfriend Eric is at soccer camp in Mexico. She’s drawn to a young professor, Peter, who is leading the work on a long-buried room. How will she handle her passion for the dig and her growing interest in Peter, who is married?

Carmen, meanwhile, has been avoiding her buds. Usually an extrovert, she’s pulled in, unsure of herself, easing her fears with sweets. She finds herself tagging along with an acting student, Julia, who basks in the built-in audience.

They both wind up at a summer theater program, where Carmen’s old self finally returns – to the reader’s relief and Julia’s surprise.

Brashares cuts in and out of the four plots faster than she did previously, often within chapters and with fewer e-mails. She seems determined to give each of the girls their due, but Tibby’s anguish over her relationship robs the humor from a great character, while Lena’s obsession with the specter of Kostos feels rewarmed from earlier books. (Lenny, dear, Leo is far more interesting.)

The Pants sisterhood – that warm blanket of shared experience – isn’t fully present until the last few chapters, when the four girls are together again to celebrate – and to solve a problem.

And with one last affirmation of friendship, their creator sends them out into the world.