Belle Epoque

Ross, Elizabeth. Belle Epoque. Delacorte BFYR, 2013.

Maude overhears her father arranging her marriage and decides to run away to Paris.  There, the only job she can find is as a "foil," a plain or ugly girl hired by a rich person to make the rich person look better by comparison.  Maude is hired out to a woman who wants her daughter to find a man to marry, but Maude must keep her position a secret from the girl.  But will Maude be able to complete her mission while also remaining true to herself and to her new friend?

I did not like this book at the beginning, but it definitely grew on me. I was interested to see what would happen with Maude and Isabelle when Isabelle found out that Maude was hired to be her friend. I was glad that Isabelle was a strong, intelligent character instead of being a stereotypical stuck-up entitled rich girl.  And the ending was satisfying as well.  I know I can book talk this book to my students.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: some alcohol use
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars