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    Queen of Babble in the Big City
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    Queen of Babble in the Big City
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    Queen of Babble in the Big City
    Ebook351 pages4 hours

    Queen of Babble in the Big City

    By Meg Cabot

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Lizzie Nichols is back, pounding the New York City pavement and looking for a job, a place to live, and her proper place in the universe (not necessarily in that order).

    "Summer Fling" Luke's use of the "L" (Living Together) word has her happily abandoning plans to share a one-room walk-up with best friend Shari in exchange for cohabitation with the love of her life in his mom's ritzy Fifth Avenue pied-à-terre. Lizzie's landed a non-paying gig in her chosen field—vintage wedding gown rehab—and a paying one as a receptionist at Shari's boyfriend's father's posh law firm. So life is good … for the moment.

    But almost immediately her notoriously big mouth is getting her into trouble. At work she's becoming too chummy with society bride-to-be Jill Higgins, inflaming the ire of Jill's troublesome future mother-in-law. At home she's made the grievous error of bringing up the "M" (Marriage) word to commitment-shy Luke. Once again joblessness and homelessness are looming large for hapless blabbermouth Liz—unless she can figure out some way to babble her way to a happily ever after.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 13, 2009
    ISBN9780061750618
    Author

    Meg Cabot

    MEG CABOT’s many books for both adults and teens have included numerous #1 New York Times bestsellers, with more than twenty-five million copies sold worldwide. Her Princess Diaries series was made into two hit films by Disney, with a third movie coming soon. Meg currently lives in Key West, Florida, with her husband and various cats.

    Read more from Meg Cabot

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    Reviews for Queen of Babble in the Big City

    4/5

    402 ratings23 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This is probably my favorite of the series and it's not because of the romance (which is kind of lame). Instead I really liked how Lizzie had a dream and she went after it singlemindedly. I loved how she genuinely wanted to help others feel good about themselves.
    • 3/5
      quick easy read for older teen girls. some sexual content. sequel to the queen of babble. hip young graduate moves to the big city to live with her boyfriend, whose an actual prince (because of course). she tries to make it working as an intern for a delightful french wedding gown restorer by day and as a receptionist for a fancy law firm in the early morning. all while thinking her royal boyfriend is going to propose constantly. it's cute although not accurate. most girls in their early 20's these days aren't exactly begging for a ring. although he is a prince so i'll cut her some slack.
    • 4/5
      Meg Cabot is one of the few "chick-lit" authors whose books I can stand, and a select few of her books - for example, the Queen of Babble series - I love. Sure, they're shallow, they're unrealistic... but they're books, not reality; they're entertainment, and this one definitely entertains.
    • 1/5
      This book truly annoyed me!! The second book of the series completely ruins the story of the first. When an author writes the perfect romantic story, with a great happy ending, why do they have to go and destroy everything with a second and a third book?!
      I really liked the utter romance of the first book, and I wish I left it there, as the author should have.
      If you were swept away by the French romance of book number one my advice is not to read this one, it will just spoil the story.
      And the third one is even worse.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed reading this book, just as i enjoyed the first one, but i was so happy and glad that lizzy kissed chaz and i wish she is going to get married in the next book, it would be Chaz not luke, and the other thing i love is the fashion tips and informations, they are amazing! looking forword for the next one :)

      In the second book, Lizzie moves to New York to fulfill her dream of becoming a wedding gown restorer. She is joined by her boyfriend Luke, who has recently joined medical school. Luke asks Lizzie to move in with him into his mother's pied-a-terre on Fifth Avenue. Lizzie agrees and moves in with him, but her best friend Shari who is currently staying with her boyfriend Chaz, disapproves of Lizzie moving in with Luke during the first months of their relationship. Lizzie later begins to work as a secretary for Chaz's father's company Pendergast, Loughlin and Flynn while taking up a job at Monsieur Henri's wedding gown restoration shop, free of cost. She is later fired by Pendergast. Loughlin and Flynn for ruining the "confidentiality of a client". Throughout the book, Lizzie cherishes the dream of marrying Luke and is terribly upset when she finds out he doesn't want to marry her. They break up, he leaves for France and Lizzie vacates the house they had been sharing for many months. Lizzie then goes for a wedding of a friend, accompanied by Chaz, where they share a stroke-of-midnight kiss. They go to Lizzie's place kissing in a cab and Chaz later admits that he is in love with Lizzie even though Lizzie is confused about how she feels about him. The book ends with Luke flying back from France and proposing to Lizzie.
    • 5/5
      Lizzie Nichols is fabulous. I couldn't read these books enough times.
    • 4/5
      on Saturday, July 12, 2008


      Weirdly enough I liked this book even better than the first one. I can't say why but it kept me intrigued. I liked the little stuff about wedding dresses, (more than the extras in the first book) .
      All and all I liked this book so much I tried to buy book 3 . Queen of Babble gets hitched. Alas it is not yet available here. There is a Belgium shop where I could order it but it would cost me 19 euros.
      Then I did a search and I ordered it online through a new online store: Strand Bookstore.
      Waiting for the invoice so I can pay. (with pay-pal!)

      This makes it even more clear that I really liked it cause I do not often buy new books.

    • 4/5
      Think I might have to get number one and three of this series... Cute quick read...
    • 3/5
      Book Two has a few better things going for it than the first one, but hoo boy. There’s still a lot of things I complained about from the first book that carry over into this.

      I really didn’t like that Lizzie starts off the book by talking about how awesome it is to have Luke as a boyfriend. Not because they’re compatible, not because the sex is good, it’s because he’s loaded. And wants to be a doctor. Mostly loaded. Also, he’s descended from royalty. Head, Desk; Desk, Head. I think you’ve met.

      What I do like about this set-up, though, is that Lizzie’s fairy tale fantasy slowly gets stripped away over the course of this book (and the next one) and how it doesn’t really work in the real world. When Luke WTFs at Lizzie’s freakout over not getting an engagement ring, it feels like an authentic reaction. Unfortunately, I really don’t know who I’m supposed to be siding with in these books, Lizzie or the other characters. Lizzie feels compelled to remind us all the time about how she’s so levelheaded and much more capable than her sisters, but she falls into the trap of becoming completely obsessed with whatever guy she’s with at the moment and thinking that he’s absolutely perfect. Not that I’m disparaging against hasty relationships, but I find it a bit irritating that Lizzie considers herself above her sisters, who get married the moment they’re pregnant, but she’s willing to slap a ring on after three months.

      It’s the obsession with weddings that also bothers me, but more about the point of the books. The hook for the series is that Lizzie’s such a blabmouth that it nearly ruins her life. But after the first book, this element is pretty much dropped. And a lot of Lizzie’s big moments in the series revolve around a wedding or fixing up someone else’s wedding dress. If she’s so obsessed with weddings and getting married, why not shift the focus to that? You can still have all of the plot elements, just make her issue that she tends to say the wrong thing to ruin a relationship. I know “Queen of Babble” is catchy, but it quickly becomes an artifact title.

      On a completely different tangent, Shari’s coming out subplot was another thing that grated on my nerves. The book was originally released in 2007; I think even by then we were beyond the reaction of “OMG, my best friend is gay! Did they ever think of me that way? Oh, God! Am I secretly their type???” If these two friends were really that close, this wouldn’t be the automatic reaction. Same goes with Chaz and Luke’s repeated “Are you sure you two didn’t experiment?” (Which, for the record, no. JUST NO.*) And after all of that, the revelation just comes out of nowhere. It’s never hinted in the first book that Shari’s bi, but all of the sudden Lizzie goes, “Well, there’s all of these questionable times with other women that I remember…” Foreshadowing is used for a reason; otherwise, these plot twists come off as cheap and pointless. The only reason it’s here is so that Chaz can be freed up for a love triangle in the final moments. Despite being Lizzie’s supportive guy friend. Because two heterosexual adults can’t be friends without sexual tension. Ever. (Somebody please kill this with fire.)

      Overall, the same problem persists in this book as the first one—it resorts to generic chick lit tropes. I’ve read nearly every Meg Cabot book and I know she can do better than this. If anything, the first two books should have been one, detailing the initial start to Lizzie and Luke’s relationship and then going into why it wouldn’t work. The third book would have come as more of a surprise if she had gone this route instead of going into another freaking trilogy.

      *For a better take that on this idea, refer to Libba Bray’s brilliant Beauty Queens. #shamelesspimping
    • 4/5
      Queen of Babble in the Big City is book two of Meg Cabot's Queen of Babble series. This review assumes that you have read the first book, Queen of Babble, and may have spoilers for it if you haven't.The beginning of this book finds Lizzie moving to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a certified wedding dress restorer. Luke is also in New York City pursuing his dream of becoming a doctor. The two of them move into Luke's mother's apartment together while she is living in France with Luke's father.Lizzie is still a bumbling but likable heroine that has trouble keeping her mouth shut. Luke isn't as charming as he was in France, perhaps the honeymoon is coming to an end? This book had a couple of pretty big plot twists that surprised me. Before I started this book I thought I knew where it was going generally but I was wrong. Several colorful and amusing supporting characters are introduced - Lizzie's new friend Tiffany had me laughing out loud a few times.I listened to the audio version of this book which was narrated by Justine Eyre who also narrated the first Queen of Babble book. She did a great job as usual. Her voice for Tiffany was particularly fabulous.This book ended with a doozy of a cliffhanger. I can't wait to read the third book which I believe wraps up the series.
    • 4/5
      Now this is my kind of book. I love Meg Cabot's style, love the protagonist's voice. Perfect fluff!
    • 4/5
      My Summary:After spending the summer in France, Lizzie, Luke, Shari and Chaz move to New York City to begin the next chapter in their lives. Luke and Lizzie move in together and their relationship quickly turns serious. Meanwhile, Chaz and Shari are drifting apart.As her three friends begin school and work, Lizzie struggles to find her niche. Chaz suggests she apply for the front desk receptionist at his father’s law firm. It’s about this time when she volunteers her services at a wedding gown boutique.Lizzie and her friends soon realize their dreams and goals for the big city may not go as planned.My thoughts:I enjoyed Queen of Babble in the Big City more so than the first book, Queen of Babble. Lizzie appeared to be more mature in this book. She still found herself in sticky situations, but overall handled them pretty well.What didn’t work for me was her relationship with Luke. Luke appeared to be “too perfect” in Queen of Babble. In Queen of Babble in the Big City, I couldn’t help but wonder what he was really up to.All in all, it was a quick read. The ending didn’t feel abrupt and flowed with the storyline. I was quite pleased with the events that led up to the ending (actually I secretly wished for it all along). Then Luke had to throw a wrench in it.Why I read this book:Queen of Babble in the Big City has been sitting on my unread bookshelf for almost two years. And, okay, I just really enjoy reading serial books written by Meg Cabot!Do I recommend?Yes, but read the series in order. Fans of Meg Cabot will enjoy this trilogy.
    • 5/5
      If anything, I enjoyed this novel more than its predecessor. Queen Of Babble In The Big City finds Lizzie in the Big Apple with her boyfriend, Luke, and ready to hit the scene. I enjoyed reading how Lizzie’s mouth keeps getting her into trouble, but at the end of the day things will end up just fine.There are numerous improvements over the first one. The plot is heavier and more interesting, with some sub-plots to add depth to the story. The characters also develop very well. Not unlike the previous novel, the storyline can be quite unpredictable most of the time, which keeps your attention to the book. There are some WTF moments in the story, and you just can’t help but laugh out loud. I also like how the novel provides insights of life in New York City, and how the people and culture (if there is a culture) are like.But if there’s one thing about the novel that I’m disappointed with, it’s Lizzie’s characterisation. From the beginning of the novel, she continuously fantasizes about marrying Luke and comes up with obviously unsuitable reasons for his obviously unforgivable mistakes. She’s adamant that Luke and her are happy together, even though the somewhat subtle hints throughout the novel say otherwise. I feel that Lizzie is turning into a chick-lit version of Bella Swan, which is quite annoying. Bad characterization aside, Queen Of Babble In The Big City is better than its predecessor in many ways, and has what it takes to be a favourite among readers. The cliff-hanger ending will definitely make you wanna go to the nearest bookstore and grab the sequel.
    • 4/5
      This book is second in the Queen of Babble series. I enjoyed this book and all the things that seem to go wrong with Lizzie's life. Somehow, in the end, you know it's all going to end up okay in Meg Cabot's books. I don't usually read a lot of 'chick lit' but for some reason, her books are pretty darn good. I spent a lot of this book hoping Lizzie would finally see the light and realize that Luke is not exactly her knight in shining armor. Chaz plays a bigger part in this book and the whole thing with Shari is a total shock. I'm glad I had the third book already in my possession because the ending would have been frustrating without the ability to pick up the third book right away and get back into the story.
    • 4/5
      A cute continuation of Cabot's original book, Queen of Babble. This is the story of quirky Lizzie Nichols who just can't seem to keep her mouth shut. In the sequel, she is living in her boyfriend's apartment, working two jobs to achieve her dream of becoming a wedding gown restorer. Lizzie is sure boyfriend Luke is ready to pop the question, but her friends continue to tell her he's not really the "marrying type." Is Lizzie in love with Luke or just the idea of marrying a charming French prince?
    • 4/5
      In this book, the hints begin to show up. To understand the Sherri thing (and see the hint dropping begin), I would read the first book, as it is a total shock in the second one. But then, the Chaz thing...you can see it coming. Maybe it's not a sure thing, but there are some subtle hints here and there, the biggest one being the fact that he is mentioned and discussed at length at all, as opposed to simply being the background character he was in the first book. The pattern of break-ups is painfully annoying, and feels like Andrew (and by extension, Luke) should never have even been mentioned, that maybe the story should have just been about Lizzie, Sherri, and Chaz to start from, instead of complicating things and as a result, making it repetitive and boring.Rating: 4/5
    • 5/5
      I just finished Queen of Babble in the Big City, by Meg Cabot. Arrghh! This book ended with such a cliffhanger! It's a good thing the third book is already out. I have to get a hold of that soon to see what happens. I read Queen of Babble (the 1st book) sometime last year. I enjoyed it, as I do most of Meg Cabot's books. It was a lot of fun and I loved the character of Lizzie. I also loved Luke. Now, I still think Lizzie is fabulous but I'm not so sure about Luke. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it but I think there's someone better for her. A lot better. Here's hoping for a happy ending.The book is about Lizzie, a recent college grad (almost) who is living with her boyfriend in a fabulous 5th Ave. apartment in New York. He's rich, she's not. She struggles to find a job, ultimately finding one she loves where she doesn't get paid. She has to take on an actual paying job to make ends meet. If you remember from the first book, and if you haven't read it please do, she has a talent for refurbishing vintage clothing, specifically wedding dresses. She goes through turmoil with her friends, her work and her love life in this sweet book. If you are fan of Sophie Kinsella or Emily Giffin I would recommend this series to you.Meg Cabot's books are for the most part lots of fun. I've read almost all of her books for adults over the last few years, and I'll get to reviewing them eventually. I try to alternate between a book that makes me think and a book that I know I'll just enjoy reading. I'm not saying that Meg's books don't make me think, they just make me think about things in a lighter, fluffier sort of way, which is so needed. They are perfect escape books. The only book I've read of hers that I didn't care for was the original The Princess Diaries. I am a huge fan of the movies (which are so different from the book) but I found the book to be not as fun. To be fair I haven't read the rest of the series. In all, I'm a big fan of Meg's.
    • 4/5
      When Lizzie Nichols returns with her boyfriend Luke to New York City, her plans of sharing an apartment with best friend Shari go up in smoke when Luke proposes living together. Lizzie agrees to a temporary arrangement, but insists that she pay some of the expenses. The only problem is, she has no job. Her dream is to have her own vintage clothing shop, specializing in wedding dress refurbishing. She manages to land a part-time job in a high end law firm, but gets in trouble when she becomes friendly with a socialite client.This is a typical Meg Cabot book...full of humor and zany escapades. Lizzie's romance with Luke is carried forward from the first book in the series, The Queen of Babble. This is a fun, quick read.
    • 4/5
      i liked the first one better. this one's plot i saw coming. but that might be because i know what the third book will be titled.
    • 4/5
      This is a fun return to the Lizzie Nichols universe Cabot first introduced us to in 'Queen of Babble'. Lizzie is now in New York City, moving to go after her dream of working in the vintage fashion industry. Sadly, the only job she can get in the field is a non-paying internship in a shop that refurbishes wedding gowns, her dream job. To supplement that income, she works as a lowly receptionist at a prestigious law firm. On top of that, her seemingly perfect boyfriend, Luke, has asked her to move in and her best friends Shari and Chaz are having relationship issues. Nothing is ever boring in the life of Lizzie Nichols!It's the perfect addition to the series, and Cabot's heroine continues to charm the reader with her bubbly personality and gleaming view of life, even in the big city. While her positive outlook may seem irritating, naive, and over-the-top to some readers, I find it refreshing and sweet. On the whole the book is fairly predictable, but I didn't read it for surprises and in the entertainment department, it definitely delivers. Cabot's use of humor is stellar and her characters make me laugh out loud. This is the type of book I read to cheer myself up. I finished it in a day and it's not a literary masterpiece, but that's not why this book was written. And it definitely lives up to it's predecessor! For those looking for fun, this is the book for them!
    • 4/5
      This was a great follow-up to Queen of Babble. I can't wait for the next one to come out. It is reminiscent of Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic books.
    • 5/5
      I really, for some reason, want to hate Meg Cabot. I want to think that because she has written so many books (SO many!!), that she is writing utter trash and drivel. But I can't hate her, because her books are funny and true and compulsively readable. I couldn't put this down - I found myself needing just one more chapter, then just one more... I'm glad the end set me up for book 3, because I would be bummed if this series was over.
    • 5/5
      I love the Queen of Babble series. I stayed up reading this one until 2am and now I can't wait for book 3. A chick lit book with a cliff hanger ending!