I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read Meg Cabot’s Queen of Babble series. It’s been at least three or four, possibly more than that; I’m really not sure.
And that’s a really, really good thing. I love this little trio of books, so much so that I could barely believe it when I realized I hadn’t recommended them here yet. I did two or three searches on my blog, just to make sure.
I have recommended the books, but only, apparently, on a one-on-one basis to friends and family. And, for the record, anyone who’s read them after that has enjoyed them just as much as I do.
Today, though, I’m here to fix my lack of an online recommendation. I’m here to tell you why I love these books as much as I do.
Lizzie Nichols has a habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, and always, it seems, to the wrong person. It’s gotten her into plenty of trouble in the past, but as it leads her through an adventure in Europe, a new job back home, and a maze of new and old relationships, she discovers that her tendency to babble may not be quite as bad as she thought.
That summary may not have gotten you hooked, but I hope the knowledge that the series is an utterly fun read will. It’s full of humour, caused by both Lizzie’s voice and a healthy dose of misunderstandings—of the best possible sort. Add in some wonderful, warm, fluffy romance, and you have three books that are very difficult to put down.
All of that said, however, I also love the books for the growth Lizzie sees throughout them. I don’t want to give too much away, so I won’t tell you exactly how she grows, but just know that it’s entirely worth going along on her journey with her.
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Goodreads summary (for book 1)
What’s an American girl with a big mouth, but an equally big heart, to do?
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 written on her non-refundable 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 Souillac. 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 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, especially Lizzie’s chance at ever finding real love…
Unless she can figure out a way to use that big mouth of hers to save the day.
Miranda Burski 
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