Review: The Misadventures of Oliver Booth: Life in the Lap of Luxury by David Desmond

rating: 3.5 out of 5 (if it's purely humor you're looking for, I'd round it up to a 4 :)
genre: adult fiction

Ohh, this book. I've never met a character like Oliver Booth - there is no one I can compare him to, to help you get to know him. In Oliver Booth we find a fellow trying his hardest to break into the elite circle that is high society in Palm Beach. He truly believes that he has good things coming to him - despite his lack of ability or charm. His rather corpulent physique and knock-off filled antique shop place him firmly on the fringes until luck drops an amazing opportunity into his lap: a chance to fly to Paris to help furnish the guesthouse of THE socialite in Palm Beach.

His thrill is somewhat dampened when he is forced to take along the delightful Bernard as his assistant, and his "misadventures" in Paris had me actually laughing out loud. While I cannot give this book the five stars I save for literature that really speaks to the human spirit, I WILL say that this satirical look at the creme de la creme kept my attention throughout and though I had to cringe along with Booth and his inept antics, other characters had me cheering for them. I was interested in the way the author showed how little purpose there was in the lives of these rich folk and while some of the society life portrayed seemed far-fetched to me, I am still inclined to believe that there really are people who behave that way and if so, I am glad that David Desmond has taken a stab at them. I found the writing to be witty, occasionally obvious, but always entertaining. I don't think I'll be forgetting Oliver Booth any time soon.

The author's website is impressive - you can read a lot of extra stuff about both Palm Beach and Paris, read essays, and get the inside scoop on what's "real" in the book. Check it out by clicking on the author's photo :)