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Meet Tom Farrell. He's single, 32, lives in New York City and rewrites articles for Tabloid, "America's loudest newspaper." When he's not working, watching cartoons or having cereal for dinner, he's dating and/or drinking. Both compulsively.
Tom, whose "most time-consuming hobby is collecting ex-girlfriends," would like to have a relationship and regular sex. After all, "in Singleland, you hardly ever get to ask: did you just fart?" The problem is finding that right girl.
Even if he doesn't have a serious relationship, he still has music. Every occasion in Tom's life, every mood, every memory is in some way linked to music. The frequent song references will appeal to the music lover, but may leave those who are not so musically inclined feeling a bit in the dark when they are not familiar with the songs and artists that make up the most meaningful moments of Tom's life.
In spite of looking like "a redheaded Winnie the Pooh, an Oompa Loompa without the self-tanning lotion" or a "slightly elongated Teletubby," Tom seems to have no trouble getting dates with women whom he describes as "better looking for a girl, than I am for a guy." However, none of his dates lead to a lasting, committed relationship.
Then Julia wanders into Tom's office and into his life. She is ten years his junior and also works at Tabloid. She immediately strikes Tom as the perfect woman when she can match him drink for drink, is "as addictive as java" and "her panties should carry a warning tag: Caution: The Girl You Are About to Enjoy is Extremely Hot."
Despite her perfection, Julia is not without her faults. Take, for example, the fact that she has a boyfriend and a bad habit of standing Tom up or canceling dates at the last minute. None of that, however, is enough to mar Tom's absolute adoration for her.
Julia leads Tom on a merry chase, leaving readers wondering where, when, how and if it will all end. Will Tom get the girl or will she flit away like a beautiful butterfly in a field full of flowers? In the meantime, he continues to date a variety of other women, all who pale in comparison to Julia.
While Tom is living the life of a "man-boy," tragedy strikes his beloved New York City on September 11th and leaves Tom changed as it did all Americans.
LOVE MONKEY is a direct, if somewhat scary, glimpse into the unvarnished, single male psyche of modern day. It's a must-read for women in the dating scene, especially those who wonder what really goes on in the minds of men. As they say, forewarned is forearmed.
Tom Farrell is the creation of Yale graduate and Gulf War veteran Kyle Smith, who makes his debut with LOVE MONKEY. While there are some hilariously funny comments sprinkled throughout the book, Tom's outlook on life seems a bit skewed and the book left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. However, the wit and witticisms that made me laugh out loud --- and even sometimes uproariously --- will ensure that I am looking forward to and will read Smith's next foray into literature.
--- Reviewed by Amie Taylor
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