Insatiable (2010)

With the plethora of paranormal (vampire) fiction, it's hard to find one that has the elements of mystic, romance and originality - but Meg Cabot has hit the spot. At first glance, it probably might seem like another soapy romantic story of a depressed vampire boy meeting an ordinary human girl but Insatiable goes beyond that. It narrates the story of Meena Harper, a dialogue writer for a soap opera called Insatiable, who subsequently finds herself in a series of frustrating events - losing her well-deserved promotion, compromising the storyline to meet the demands of sponsorship, and having to deal with her next-door neighbour trying to fix her up with a new man. To others, Meena comes across as a normal woman dealing with the messed- up realities of her life. But she has the supernatural ability to see the demise of people around her and Meena goes all the way to prevent these events from happening - until she meets a young immigrant woman whose incoming death becomes the igniting factor of the story. Lucien Antonescu, a 500-year-old vampire, is more than just a bloodsucking machine - he's the son of Dracula and the new Prince of Darkness. When a series of vampire killings strike New York, Lucien leaves his teaching job and hometown behind, determined to stop the carnage and find the culprit before another woman is killed. But his mission is not without obstruction as Alaric Wulf, who works for the Palatine Guard, thinks that Lucien is behind all of it. I absolutely loved the first half of the story, where the tension started to build up and the relationship between Meena and Lucien raised questions about the possibility of a vampire-human romance and how it came to be a threat to her loved ones. But somehow I was a little bit disappointed by the second half of the story as it seemed to be a little scattered and predictable. (XT)

Queen of Babble (2006)

Lizzie Nichols is a blabbermouth: she just can't keep anything to herself. She heads to England to be with Andrew who rescued her from a dorm fire. But things don't work out when she blabs about him working while he's on the dole. Next Lizzie finds herself on a train in France, where she plans to meet up with best friend Shari and her boyfriend Chaz, who are helping out with wedding catering at a chateau. Telling all her woes to a fellow passenger, she then discovers that he is the chateau owner's son. Opening her big mouth keeps getting her in trouble at the chateau - until once it may just help her save the day?

Queen of Babble in the Big City (2007)

In this sequel to Queen of Babble, Lizzie Nichols is back from her holiday in France, in New York looking for a fashion job and an affordable apartment with best friend Shari. When boyfriend Luke asks her to live with him in his mother's Fifth Avenue apartment, Lizzie decides that solves one of her problems - especially as her job hunt is proving harder than she expected. To break into the wedding gown restoration field, she offers to work for nothing, so must also takes on a paying job as a receptionist at a prestigious law firm. There she meets Jill Higgins, a society bride whose mother-in-law is forcing her to wear a hideous, too-small, tartan gown. Can Lizzie save her day, get her own man to commit and find out why Shari is being so bad-tempered?

Queen of Babble Gets Hitched (2008)

When Luke arrives unexpectedly on her doorstep with a marriage proposal, Lizzie accepts . . . then has to hurriedly get rid of his best friend Chaz, who'd spent the night. For a wedding gown restorer, who's used to dealing with the whirl of weddings, Lizzie sure seems to be a reluctant bride. As she throws herself into making a wedding dress for discount store heiress and paparazzi target Ava Geck, Lizzie finds she breaks out in hives whenever she thinks about her own big day. Even Chaz and her best friend Shari think she shouldn't be with Luke. And what chance do they have when the groom-to-be has returned to France to work for his uncle's investment banking firm. Although life seems to be on the up for Lizzie, this book puts the series into a downward spiral. Maybe it's fortunate that it's time for the Queen of Babble to get ditched!

Size 12 Is Not Fat (2006)

For Heather Wells, proclaiming her individuality was the biggest mistake. It made her lose almost everything - her life savings, a recording contract, her heart-throb boyfriend. But she soon settles into a job as an assistant residence hall director at the New York College to pay off her tuition fees; while living with her ex's private eye brother, Cooper, whose charms she finds it hard to resist. When girls from the dorm start turning up dead, Heather decides to investigate. Can she solve the crime before she ends up being one of the victims? (XT)

Size 14 Is Not Fat Either (2006)

In this sequel to Size 12 is Not Fat, just as Heather Wells thought that the year would get better (after her near-death experience last year), a series of problems pop out of nowhere: her dad arrives on her doorstep hoping to move in; ex-fiance Jordan Cartwright comes back to declare his undying love for her and the head of a cheerleader is found among the pots of the residence's cafeteria. Once again, her heroine nature comes to the fore as she tries to crack the case, along with her hot landlord (and crush) Cooper. Can Heather save the day and set things straight? (XT)

Big Boned (2007)

aka Size Doesn't Matter

The last book in the Heather Wells series. With a fetching, athletic assistant math professor, Tad, as her boyfriend and her dad finally moving out, Heather seems to be having some of the best moments of her life. But the latest murder victim in "Death Dorm" happens to be her new boss, Dr Owen Veatch, and the finger of suspicion is pointed at the would-be boyfriend of her graduate assistant. Will Heather be able to find the murderer, answer Tad's important question, make Cooper realise that she's the one for him, and most importantly save her own skin? (XT)

Every Boy's Got One (2005)

Jane Harris, a famous cartoonist, is going to Italy to be maid of honour in her best friend Holly's wedding. Mark and Holly are eloping to Italy because their parents do not approve of their relationship. Jane is a romantic and knows that Mark and Holly are perfect for each other and will live happily ever after. Cal Langdon, best selling non-fiction author, is the best man. He doesn't believe in love or the concept of marriage and thinks Mark and Holly are making a mistake. With Jane and Cal despising each other from the start, Jane is determined not to allow his negative views of love and marriage sabotage the upcoming nuptials. This novel is a fast read using travel journals and e-mails to tell the story. (AO)

She Went All the Way (2002)

Hollywood screenwriter Lou Calabrese has just been dumped by her boyfriend of 10 years. To make matters worse, she is stuck in a helicopter with gorgeous Hollywood playboy Jack Townsend, star of her screenplay and the man whose ex just ran off with Lou's boyfriend. In the middle of their flight, the pilot attempts to kill Jack and the helicopter crashes in the Alaskan wilderness. Jack and Lou must now find their way back to civilisation, with Lou determined that she is not going to give in to the sexy star. (AO)

The Guy Next Door (2002)

aka The Boy Next Door

In this prequel to Boy Meets Girl, with the story told in email format, Melissa Fuller, social writer at the New York Journal, is almost on the brink of losing her job. One day she is late to work again (her 37th time this year) because she finds her elderly neighbour has been the victim of a violent intruder. She contacts the woman's nephew, Max Friedlander, to tell him to look after the cats and dog. Since Max doesn't want to end his vacation with a supermodel nor be written out of his aunt's will if she comes out of her coma, he asks a friend, John Trent, a crime reporter on a different New York newspaper, to pretend to be him and live at the apartment. What will happen when Mel finds out that the cute nephew isn't who she thinks he is?

Boy Meets Girl (2000)

Kate McKenzie's life isn't going according to plan - she's sleeping on her best friend's couch, she's broken up with her musician boyfriend and she works for Tyrannical Office Despot Amy Jenkins in the human resources department of the New York Journal. It may seem like things can't get any worse . . . but they can. When Kate is forced to sack Ida Lopez, one of the most popular staff members, she gets caught up in a legal fight. But maybe lawyer Mitch Hertzog will prove a bright light on the horizon. The story is told by written communication, ie letters and emails.

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