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The Sugar Queen  By  cover art

The Sugar Queen

By: Sarah Addison Allen
Narrated by: Ariadne Meyers
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Publisher's summary

In this irresistible follow-up to her New York Times best selling debut, Garden Spells, author Sarah Addison Allen tells the tale of a young woman whose family secrets - and secret passions - are about to change her life forever.

Twenty-seven-year-old Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favorite season, she's a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother's house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night - until she finds it harboring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis and two parts fairy godmother.

Fleeing a life of bad luck and big mistakes, Della Lee has decided Josey's clandestine closet is the safest place to crash. In return she's going to change Josey's life - because, clearly, it is not the closet of a happy woman. With Della Lee's tough love, Josey is soon forgoing pecan rolls and caramels, tapping into her startlingly keen feminine instincts, and finding her narrow existence quickly expanding.

Before long, Josey bonds with Chloe Finley, a young woman who makes the best sandwiches in town, is hounded by books that inexplicably appear whenever she needs them, and - most amazing of all - has a close connection to Josey's longtime crush.

As little by little Josey dares to step outside herself, she discovers a world where the color red has astonishing power, passion can make eggs fry in their cartons, and romance can blossom at any time - even for her. It seems that Della Lee's work is done, and it's time for her to move on. But the truth about where she's going, why she showed up in the first place - and what Chloe has to do with it all - is about to add one more unexpected chapter to Josey's fast-changing life.

©2008 Sarah Addison Allen (P)2008 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Like the most decadently addictive bonbons, once started, Allen’s magically entrancing novel is impossible to put down.” (Booklist [starred review])

“Bewitching…. Such a pleasurable book.” (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Sugar Queen

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mom figured it out!

Good story with an interesting catch at the end. liked the characters and the narrators.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Daughter vs Mother plus

I really enjoyed the interaction with all of the characters and was rooting for Josy to be herself and be independent of her mother. How it all came about was a wonderful story.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Couldn't Take Anymore!

I'll never know if I would have enjoyed the story. I couldn't get past the narrartor's attempt at a southern accent. Seriously painful!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Great author

I picked up a copy of Garden Spells in my dentist office and by the time they called me in I was hooked! I would have given it 5 stars. This one I only gave 3 but it was a good book and I was surprised at the ending-love that! I will continue to read her books.

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