QUEEN OF BABBLE
Author: Meg Cabot ISBN: 0060851988 5/2006 CHICK LIT Publisher: WILLIAM MORROW
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Lizzie Nichols has a problem, and it isn't that she doesn't have the slightest idea what she's going to do with her life or that she's blowing what should be her down payment on a cute little Manhattan apartment on a trip to London to visit her long-distance boyfriend, Andrew. But what's the point of planning for the future when she's done it again? See, Lizzie can't keep her mouth shut. And it's not just that she can't keep her own secrets, she can't keep anything to herself.
This time when she opens her big mouth, her good intentions get Andrew in major hot water. So now Lizzie's stuck in London with no boyfriend and no place to stay until the departure date on her nonrefundable airline ticket.
Fortunately, there's Shari, Lizzie's best friend and college roommate, who's spending her summer in southern France, catering weddings with her boyfriend, Chaz, in a sixteenth-century château. One call and Lizzie's on a train to Souillae. Who cares if she's never traveled alone in her life and only speaks rudimentary French? One glimpse of gorgeous Château Mirac -- not to mention the gorgeous Luke, the son of Château Mirac's owner -- and she's smitten.
But while most caterers can be trusted to keep a secret, Lizzie's the exception. And no sooner has the first cork been popped than Luke hates her, the bride is in tears, and it looks like Château Mirac is in danger of becoming a lipo-recovery spa. As if things aren't bad enough, her ex-boyfriend Andrew shows up looking for "closure" (or at least a loan), threatening to ruin everything, including Lizzie's chance at finding real love. . . .
Unless she can figure out a way to use that big mouth of hers to save the day. |
RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS: 
In Cabot's latest offering for adults, Lizzie spends much of
her savings going to visit her boyfriend in London. Once there, she finds that all
is not what she expected, and she soon finds herself with no place to stay and
little money. Conveniently, Lizzie's best friend and boyfriend are spending the
summer in the south of France, helping a friend cater events at his castle. With
nowhere else to go until the date of her return plane trip, Lizzie finds herself on
a train headed there. As usual, Lizzie opens her mouth before thinking, and as a
result, mishaps occur. Through these mishaps, she realizes self worth and develops
self-confidence, leading to a career and life perfect for her.
Lighthearted, humorous, and sometimes even silly, QUEEN OF BABBLE delights the
reader. Lizzie is a likable heroine, even when she is talking her way into major
blunders. I enjoyed seeing Lizzie triumph over one setback after another,
succeeding it seems almost by accident. QUEEN OF BABBLE delivers everything a fan
of Cabot's work is looking for—a fast-paced and witty story with a
less-than-perfect but charming heroine. This is the perfect book for a weekend
escape. As a side note, the reader needs to be aware that this book is intended for
more mature readers, not the preteen fans of the Princess Diaries series.
Kendra Patterson |