PRACTICALLY PERFECT by Janet Lambert

My goodness, it has taken me a long time to get through this one! I started it on November 9 and it has been nearly two months getting through it! This is no indicator of the quality of the book, I quite liked it, but rather on my attendance at the gym. I only read the Lambert books after I have worked out when I am sitting by the pool trying to recover. The holidays have played hell with my improvement efforts...

There appears to be only this cover version. At least according to the Google. I was hoping for some salacious paperback cover that I could mock. Alas...

So let's get to the story shall we?

It begins with our Penny still enjoying her role in THE ROBIN'S NEST. She is living in New York with Carrol, who is waiting for David to return from overseas. 

There is a phone call for Andrea. Who the heck is Andrea? Well, it is actually Tippy who is now 12 and absolutely adorable! She is being called by Chubby who is asking her to a school party. Things are heating up for Tippy! The rest of the Parrishes are living on Governors' Island in New York where Colonel Parrish does some important military stuff.

According to Josh who know EVERYTHING, it is time for Penny to start looking for a starring vehicle for herself, or rather, have him look. He is so masterful.

David has been saying in his letters that he wants to be a farmer, work with Joe and Letty (who are working the farm while Carrol is in New York) and then start them off on their own. Carrol is down with this.

Long story short, David comes home and all is well. Penny and Josh go out on the town and she gets some press for talking to General Wainwright - a real person! How interesting... and she realizes she is in love with him. Josh, not General Wainwright

There is a house party. Carrol and David find a farmhouse/inn that they buy. Mike and Terry - Penny's former beaux - are there and it looks like Michael is going to end up with the boss's daughter (he's in insurance or something boring, perfect for him) and Terry is going to end up with a slightly redeemed Louise. This is good because Penny and Josh end up getting married at the end. [Spoiler!]

There is some nonsense before that where she takes Tippy and Bobby to New York City to talk to another agent about something she saw in the gossip columns. It is an adorable scene where we get to see T & B practically grow up before our very eyes. He is with another girl, but we find out later he is trying to get financing for a play he and a pal have written specifically for Penny. 

Carrol and David (who are very, very rich remember) end up financing the play and we don't find out if it is successful, but I imagine it is. They also help Josh buy the house that the bought earlier in the book for he and Penny! And they furnish it as a wedding gift. That Carrol loves spending her money on other people. It is one of her finer attributes. I actually love Carrol. She is the perfect post-war wife. 

This is completely out of order so I will just add that Terry (before he gets the old heave-ho) keeps calling Penny "lamb child" which sounds creepy as hell. And we find out that Josh is 12 years older than Penny which also seems gross, but at least he has the good sense to feel weird about it. 

I really enjoyed this book, but I am having a hell of time piecing together the narrative. Suffice to say it ends up fine. 

Now back to Candy Kane, then the Jordans and then who knows what! But I know this is not the last we will see of Penny.