Holly Heckerling is a Jane-of-all trades: she cuts hair, watches other people’s pets, does some typing and a bit of construction, and has a part-time job as a stand-up comedian. It takes all of these jobs to make it in New York City. Add to this a madcap assortment of friends, family, and acquaintances, and Holly’s life is almost too full for a relationship—almost.

Holly meets a man in Starbucks who has potential, but he’s going through a messy divorce and custody battle—is that something she really wants to deal with? She’s recently added her cousin’s girlfriend’s boa constrictor to her pet menagerie, and now she’s been asked to pet-sit a helper monkey. And what about the mysterious man she’s been doing typing for? His book manuscript appears to be based on a true story, and that tale is tugging at Holly’s heart. Throw a passel of odd relatives into the mix, and Holly doesn’t know which way to turn.

Monkey Love is delightful chick lit full of quirky and unusual characters (both human and otherwise) and is sure to please readers bored by stock formulaic single-girl novels. There are definite laugh-out-loud moments and situations so strange they just seem to fit (Holly’s cousin’s celebrity sock collection for one). The story is fast-paced and difficult to put down; I definitely wanted to keep reading about these people to see what on earth would happen.

The only thing that got on my nerves is that Holly tends to be too much of a pushover with others. Instead of standing up for herself, she lets others railroad their own agendas through without much of a protest. When faced with the dilemma of caring for the boa constrictor when she absolutely detests snakes, she lets herself be forced into it time and time again. I would have liked to see her develop a little more backbone. Overall, Monkey Love is enjoyable and Tallulah, the monkey, is the total star of the show!