Shop Girl by Steve Martin

I'm going through a very challenging time in my life right now -- my Dad had a near fatal fall, so although I have a couple of books I'm itching to read, I'm listening to Shopgirl by Steve Martin, instead.  I just like listening to his voice...  It has been helpful as I drove back and forth between the hospital this weekend.

One thing about the book catches me -- Martin uses the word "confound" a lot.  I don't know why I make a mental note of that word every time he uses it, but I do, and he's used it at least three times.  It's a good word, but...  Maybe I'm just not in the best frame of mind. He does have a lovely voice... and yes, I'm enjoying the story, as well.

Here is the summary:

Mirabelle is the "shopgirl" of the title, a young woman, beautiful in a wallflowerish kind of way, who works behind the glove counter at Neiman Marcus "selling things that nobody buys anymore..."  Mirabelle captures the attention of Ray Porter, a wealthy businessman almost twice her age. As they tentatively embark on a relationship, they struggle to decipher the language of love--with consequences that are both comic and heartbreaking. Filled with the kind of witty, discerning observations that have brought Steve Martin critical success, Shopgirl is a work of disarming tenderness