Babe in Boyland: Review

Title: Babe in Boyland

Author: Jody Gehrman

Release Date: February 2011

Published By: Dial

Pages: 292

Goodreads Rating: 3.85 stars

Review: Natalie is secretly Dr. Aphrodite, the relationship columnist for her school paper, but unfortunately, she knows next to nothing about boys. Her solution? To go undercover as a boy at Underwood Academy, the local all-boys boarding school. There she learns a lot about not only guys but girls as well, especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. Too bad he doesn't know she's a girl...

BABE IN BOYLAND is exactly what it sounds like: a cute, fun read guaranteed to crack a smile on your face and keep your fingers turning pages. It's not exactly hard to put it down, but I found myself always looking forward to picking it up again and continuing on in Natalie's hare-brained but hilarious adventures. She becomes stuck in a wide variety of situations, and all of them will keep you laughing and waiting for more.

It's not just the plot that's funny. Natalie has a breezy, easy-to-read voice that would have made even the most stilted stories entertaining. She often imparts her witty and precise observations of the world around her on the reader, and there are an endless amount of sharp lines to read out loud to your friends. Even better, she doesn't blend in with the plethora of sarcastic narrators out there - she has a distinct personality that will resonate strongly with readers everywhere.

However, this book wasn't perfect, and the premise was, at times, quite far-fetched and difficult to believe. There are some books where this can be overlooked, but this is one where I ended up raising eyebrows a lot in the beginning. I just can't see any mother going along so easily with Nat's flimsy cover story, nor can I buy that no one realized she's, well, a she, not with all those close calls.

All in all, though, BABE IN BOYLAND is just what it needs to be: fluffy, unadulterated chick-lit that will drive you through any post-emotional-book haze. It's pure wit and fun wrapped in a snappy voice and unique personality with a satisfying, feel-good ending. This is a book for anyone who wants to sit back, relax, and enjoy a good laugh.