Rich Girl

By Carol Culver

At an exclusive school like Manderly Prep, you really need your BFFs to get you through. Victoria Lee, who spent her childhood in Hong Kong, has been transplanted to her parents' McMansion-unsupervised. Anyone else would think they were dreaming, but for Victoria, it's closer to a nightmare. Life alone in a big house can make you feel really empty. Victoria feels like she's stepped out of the book she has to read for Brit Lit, A Tale of Two Cities. And it's not just Hong Kong vs. San Francisco. It's her parents' Ivy League dreams vs. her own dream of fashion school. And the snotty kids at Manderley Prep vs. her real friends, Cindy and Maggie. Then there's her crush Steve, who doesn't even notice her anymore. She doesn't even feel at home at home-since the housekeeper's son, Gabe, acts like Victoria's very breath is destroying his precious environment. Maybe he's got a point. Maybe Victoria is miles from where she really belongs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425219151
• ISBN13: 9780425219157
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Berkley Jam Books
• Length: 231 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

The Compulsive Reader's Reviews

Victoria Lee is living every teenager's dream: she's beautiful, rich, and she has a whole mansion to herself while she attends Manderley Prep in San Francisco and her parents run the family business back in her home city of Hong Kong. Gabe Thomas's mom's employers are moving across the country, and unwilling to uproot him, she accepts a job as housekeeper for an absentee couple and their teenage daughter. For eco-conscience Gabe, this means a new house next door to a snotty rich girl and a new school full of snotty rich and wasteful kids. And when Victoria and Gabe are thrown together, there are sure to be sparks... Don't be fooled by the title, Rich Girl is not your run-of-the-mill YA novel. Victoria's values are true, and her honesty and her lack of an egotistical and materialistic nature will make her an instant favorite. Readers will eagerly devour Victoria's valiant attempts at being a normal American teenager, while at the same time sympathizing with her with her and her many blunders. Gabe is also a wonderfully unique character, a cool relief from the many of stale male leads. Rich Girl contains all of the essentials for this brand of YA: hot guys, mean girls (and guys!), best friends and one big party. This exciting second novel is a fun break from the norm in what looks to be a promising series.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Victoria Lee is living every teenager's dream: she's beautiful, rich, and she has a whole mansion to herself while she attends Manderley Prep in San Francisco and her parents run the family business back in her home city of Hong Kong. Gabe Thomas's mom's employers are moving across the country, and, unwilling to uproot him, she accepts a job as housekeeper for an absentee couple and their teenage daughter. For eco-conscience Gabe, this means a new house next door to a snotty rich girl and a new school full of snotty rich and wasteful kids. And when Victoria and Gabe are thrown together, there are sure to be sparks... Don't be fooled by the title. RICH GIRL is not your run-of-the-mill young adult novel. Victoria's values are true, and her honesty and her lack of an egotistical and materialistic nature will make her an instant favorite. Readers will eagerly devour Victoria's valiant attempts at being a normal American teenager, while at the same time sympathizing with her with her and her many blunders. Gabe is also a wonderfully unique character, a cool relief from the many of stale male leads. RICH GIRL contains all of the essentials for this brand of young adult story: hot guys, mean girls (and guys!), best friends, and one big party. This exciting second BFF book is a fun break from the norm in what looks to be a promising series. Reviewed by: The Compulsive Reader