Nobody Does It Better (novel)

Infobox Book |
name = Nobody Does It Better


image_caption =
author = Cecily von Ziegesar
cover_artist =
country = flag|United States
series = "Gossip Girl"
genre = Young adult novel
publisher = Little, Brown, Bloomsbury Publishing
release_date = 2004
media_type = Print (Paperback)
pages = 240
isbn = ISBN 978-0316735124
preceded_by = You're the One That I Want
followed_by = Nothing Can Keep Us Together

"Nobody Does It Better" is the seventh book in the bestselling "Gossip Girl" series by Cecily von Ziegesar. It was released by Little, Brown in 2004.

The uptown girls are headed downtown as Serena and Jenny take on their new fabulous roles as rock-star model girlfriends of New York’s hottest band, The Raves. Meanwhile, Dan is too busy drowning his sorrows in empty bottles to notice a mysterious French beauty who has a penchant for dirty, Jim Morrison-wannabe lead singers. Blair takes residence at the Plaza to think about her future. Will she become a gun-toting international spy or Manhattan’s snobbiest society hostess? Decisions are so difficult! Sounds like everyone needs a day off at the spa. And Senior Spa Day promises to serve up further doses of scandal for New York’s busiest private-school vixens.

Plot summary

In this book Jenny's desire to go to boarding school first becomes apparent. In the last book, it was kept implied and foreshadow that Jenny will go to boarding school. After compromising photographs of her and The Raves' drummer and guitarist appear on Page Six, Mrs. McLean, Constance Billard's headmistress, suggests that she do the remainder of her schooling elsewhere, as she is tarnishing Constance Billard's reputation.

After giving birth to Yale, Blair's mother Eleanor Waldorf is suffering from postnatal depression and becomes irrational and prone to unpredictable mood swings. After Eleanor purchases four exotic islands, one for each of her children (Blair, Aaron, Tyler and Yale), Blair decides she's had enough and moves out. She stays at the Plaza Hotel, until Mrs McLean also recommends that she find a more stable residence. This leads to Blair moving in with Vanessa, an odd pairing, but the two become friends, even after Blair redecorates Vanessa's Williamsburg apartment. At the beginning of the book, Nate and Blair are in a state of bliss after finally consummating their relationship. However, their happiness is quickly dashed when a stoned Nate and his friends take Captain Archibald's yacht to Bermuda without telling anyone. By the time Nate has returned, Blair has already set her eyes on Stanford Parris 5, though only because she thinks he can get her into Yale.

The drama culminates on Constance Billard's Senior Cut Day. Isabel and Kati organized the whole senior class to have a girls-only sleepover at Isabel's Hamptons beach house. However, many crashers tag along include Jenny and her best friend Elise, Dan, Blair's stepbrother Aaron, The Raves, Chuck Bass and of course, Nate. Blair learns from Aaron that she has finally been accepted to Yale University, the college of her dreams. Ecstatic, she rushes to find Serena to share the good news-only to find Serena and Nate kissing half-naked in a bathtub in the bathroom.

Secondary Characters introduced

; Stanford Parris the Fifth: The grandson of a wealthy, influential Yale alumnus, Stanford Parris V has the hots for first Serena and then Blair. However, Blair only sees him as a way to get into Yale, not as a boyfriend, and when he reveals he didn't even get into Yale she is horrified.

; Stanford Parris III: Stanford Parris is a Yale graduate and his entire penthouse is dedicated to his love of the school. He meets Serena van der Woodsen at the Yale Loves New York party and encourages her to be an actress. Serena and Stanford Parris III form a friendship, and Serena even reflects that she wished she'd worn the embarrassing Yale-themed outfit her mother had picked out, just to make the old man happy.

; The Raves: They are a super-cool New York based indie band who recruit Dan Humphrey as their new lead singer after seeing his phenomenal poetry. However, they quickly realize that Dan is a terrible singer and turn their attention to his little sister Jenny. Lloyd, the handsome drummer, and Damian, the lead guitarist become infatuated with her and soon Jenny is hanging out with them all the time, like she'd always dreamed. Rumours abound that Serena and Damian are dating, but when they actually meet at a party at his house, Serena feels out of place and leaves. The Raves eventually fire Dan and after being kicked out of Constance Billard, Jenny is forbidden to hang out with them anymore.

; Lexie: Lexie is a skanky hippie senior at L'Ecole who falls hopelessly in love with Nate. She tags along with him on his boating endeavour, but Nate gets sick of her and wants to be with Blair again.