In Search of Jimmy Buffett: A Key West Revival

Unique characters and Southern charm abound in this quirky debut romance from Oliphant, set in the tropical splendor of Key West. At 24, North Carolina English professor Olivia “Livie” Green suffers an early midlife crisis and heads to Key West, hoping that living on the island will help her figure things out. Livie happily embraces adventures such as skinny dipping in Ernest Hemingway’s pool and attending a hurricane party, where she becomes attracted to a gorgeous shrimper, Luke Spottswood. Livie quickly learns that there’s more to Luke than just shrimping, and like any Southern gal, she knows the key to his heart is through his stomach. Livie is clearly a steel magnolia (with some serious cooking chops), and the sweet romance between her and Luke could have used some conflict to make their pairing all the more satisfying. Nonetheless, Oliphant’s character-driven narrative, peppered with hilarious, colloquial dialogue (Livie’s mother calls Key West “a big old jumble of drunken spring breakers, ungodly humidity, and voodoo all caught up in a cloud of cigarette smoke”) and lush imagery, is a literary feast for the senses. (Oct.)