Looking for a late summer read? Boiled Peanuts, a whimsical little tale full of characters as nutty as its title, is perfect for the beach or a plane ride.
Shy and awkward, librarian Paul Kirk craves intimacy but his social ineptitude always leaves him on the outside looking in. Not figuratively, but for real: he's a peeping tom. In his quest for closeness, if not stumbling over his bicycle, Paul is tripping into trouble. When he discovers a smarmy gigolo pushing a Ponzi scheme on a kindly middle-aged "cougar," he decides it's time to step out from the shadows and take action. Along the way he finally finds friendship and falls in love with the beautiful but blind Bronwyn. But can this voyeuristic Galahad win the trust of a girl who sees only with her heart?
Touching gently on themes of isolation and acceptance, U.K. transplant Doyle's debut novel, set in a small Southern town, has hints of Carson McCullers's The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. It's also reminiscent of the 19th-century novels adored by the protagonists, complete with jolly vicars, nosy aunts, family secrets and hidden treasure. But this is a lightweight read, with none of McCullers's existential angst or any Austen-esque aspirations of serious social satire. And Boiled Peanuts is firmly 21st century in its sexual sensibilities. This romance may be a bit raunchy for your maiden aunt, but she'll probably love it. --Tom Lavoie, former publisher