Monkey Business

Monkey Business is a hoot of a book. Readers will love its quirky, unconventional main character, William Fox, a television writer who is on location in Florida. William, or Liam, ends up being taken to a strip club by the executive producers of his show, Eric and Phil. It is there at the Miranda Club that he meets Cynthia, a very talented dancer. Eric and Phil buy Liam a private dance with extras and Liam and Cynthia end up spending five-plus songs talking until Cynthia realizes how much time has gone by. She fakes giving Liam the “extra” part of his dance to make the other guys happy. Not only is Liam sexually attracted to Cynthia, but he is also mentally attracted to her. Herein lies the problem. Liam finds himself obsessing over Cynthia whose real name he learns is Nicole Diver. He learns that Nicole names each one of her wigs after a different fictional character. In fact, Nicole Diver, her “real name” is a character from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night. Each of her characters also has a different backstory. Liam cannot stop obsessing over Nicole and as she reels him in, she alters his life by making him read books about monkeys, the meaning of limerence, and Mao Zedong. This girl clearly knows what she is doing and is manipulating Liam every step of the way.

This book was absolutely fantastic as the reader is in Liam’s head the whole time. And Liam is so much of an overthinker that the reader will start to feel a little neurotic at times just to keep up with Liam’s thoughts and actions. Liam is not a happy person, in general, and this is displayed though-out the book in almost every part except for when he spends time with Nicole.

I found Monkey Business to be satirical, naughty, a bit raunchy, and sad all at the same time. I genuinely felt bad for Liam as he ends up falling down the rabbit hole. I absolutely loved the character of Nicole for her boldness, intellect, and full control over the entire situation. Monkey Business is bold, entertaining, and quick-witted. It is a book with so many hidden details that it can be read over and over again. This book will make you change the way you think about humankind.