Queen of Babble Gets Hitched

Started off well, but the end seems too pat. Funny characters from past books are barely in here and there is an appalling lack of detail in parts. More than one gospel at a Catholic funeral mass? Has the author never heard of Wikipedia or bothered to google anything about the structure of a Mass? Maybe in the fourth installment, Lizzie and Chaz will have a baby every six months despite this being biologically impossible, why quibble about little details if it makes for melodramatic and whiny story-telling?

As the third romp of Meg Cabot's Queen of Babble series begins, Lizzie Nichols's life is on the upswing (well, except for the little detail of the person she just spent the night with). Thanks to her big but friendly mouth, the wedding shop she works in is suddenly a tremendous success. Then, of course, there's her recent acceptance of a fabulous engagement ring from her prince (he literally is a prince), handsome Luke. She is going to get married and is simply thrilled about finally being a bride herself, after working on the wedding gowns of so many other brides.

But back to the man she has spent the night with. It's Chaz, who happens to be not only her best friend's ex but also her fiancé's best friend. In fact, even as Lizzie accepted Luke's ring, the tuxedo-clad, champagne-sodden Chaz snored in her bed. Oops! However, Lizzie is pleased to note that, although there may have been a bit of indiscreet fondling the night before, she is still wearing her Spanx.

Chaz is bewildered when Lizzie urges him to depart quickly before Luke returns. He keeps referring to "us," even as Lizzie replies that there is no "us" in spite of the obvious case of Chaz-induced beard burn inflaming Lizzie's face. Lizzie feels terrible about her drunken carousing and is determined to recommit to Luke.

However, every time Lizzie contemplates her upcoming wedding, she feels a wee bit queasy instead of anticipatory. She is sure that her wedding nausea stems from all the excitement and/or the Chaz guilt. After all, Luke is her dream husband. He not only has the royal title and the looks, but he is dedicated to helping people in his future career as a doctor.

Lizzie is slightly distracted by her new client, gum-chewing celebrity heiress Ava Geck. Ava is engaged to be married to a Greek prince and insists that Lizzie must make her wedding gown for her. Lizzie reluctantly agrees but is also determined to turn Ava (who is frequently photographed without underpants and commonly referred to as a "skanky crack whore") into a decent, underwear-wearing young woman. Meanwhile, Lizzie is shocked to learn that her boss, Jean Henri, is in the hospital after suffering a heart attack. Both Monsieur and Madame Henri will be unable to work in the shop for an indefinite period --- even as the demand for their shop's services increases. Will Lizzie be able to hold down the fort?

Lizzie's life nosedives in other ways as well. Her new fiancé seems less interested in pursuing medical school and more interested in working overseas. Lizzie cannot move to France to be with Luke while he works for his uncle. At least it's a temporary job, right? Then there's the confusion she experiences every time she runs into Chaz and his new perfect girlfriend. There's also an unfortunate episode with paparazzi, traceable to Lizzie's admittedly big mouth, which causes her to lose a valued friend. When tragedy strikes, at home and at work, Lizzie makes some difficult choices.

QUEEN OF BABBLE GETS HITCHED is the feel-good reading equivalent of a luxurious soak in a fragrant bubble bath with an unending supply of chocolate at hand. Meg Cabot's many fans will treasure yet another good-natured story, complete with her signature humor and irresistible romance. Lizzie is a sympathetic main character with a terrific self-deprecating voice, who triumphs over the rollercoaster plunges of life. Readers will also continue to revel in her supporting cast of friends and family, who are a rambunctious, colorful lot. The various threads of Lizzie's story appear to be resolved by the book's end, giving admirers a worthy conclusion to such an enjoyable trilogy.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon

The books in Meg Cabot's "Queen of Babble" series are consistantly great reads. Usually authors have a hard time keep the quality of each story consistant with the previous, but Cabot is not one of those authors. I have two complaints about her and this book:
1. It ended much too soon. She should have added and extra 100 pages because I did not want it to end.
2. She isn't adding to the series!!! :(

Last summer when I was in the mountains on vacation with limited shopping, other than a great little bookstore, I picked up the first QOB book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I quickly returned to purchase the newly published sequel "in the Big City"...a total cliffhanger! Then...a whole year to wait for this one! Ordered it on Amazon the day it came out..and read it in one day! Thank you Meg Cabot for a completely fun way to spend a hot Sunday afternoon..peeking into the life of the lovable Lizzie Nichols!

Oh my god i have read the three queen of babble books and this is by far teh best! i was sad that it finished but the ending was perfect. i suggest that if you have not read them as of yet you go to the nearest bookstore and pick one up today.