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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.