The Nanny [Paperback]

Melissa Nathan (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Avon Trade (2004)
• ASIN: B000K01MQ6
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nathan Knows, August 27, 2004

By 

R. Chaffey "beckahi" (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Nanny (Paperback)

This is the third Melissa Nathan book I have read, and I am always blown away by her remarkable wit and her wry sarcasm. Although not typically a fan of 'chick-lit', I was drawn to Nathan's previous books due to the Jane Austen angle, and I wasn't surprised to discover that I liked her with her own plotline. 'The Nanny' is a quick, enjoyable read that you'll find hard to put down.

'The Nanny' introduces us to Jo Green, a twenty-three year old woman from the English countryside, who is dissatisfied with her life but doesn't know what to do. Impulsively, she answers an ad for a nanny position in London and gladly accepts to work for the lovely but dysfunctional Fitzgerald family. Jo almost immediately regrets this decision - it's her first time away from home, she's in charge of three kids (aged 4, 6, and 8), and an entire house. Life looks better for Jo though, when she meets Pippa, a fellow nanny who teaches her how to rule the household, and not be ruled by them. Things take a turn for the worse however, when Josh, a son from the husband's first marriage, moves in and takes a dislike to Jo. The feeling is mutual, or is it?

'The Nanny' showcases Nathan's trademark wit and clever asides. Jo is a well-drawn character, although not entirely like her namesake (Josephine from 'Little Women'). Even though predictable and almost seemingly made for a romantic-comedy screenplay, Nathan rises above the vapid fluff of numerous chick-lit novels and sets the pace for some truly talented writing.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply The Best, December 7, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Nanny (Hardcover)

This has to be with out a doubt the best book ive read! I wanted to laugh i wanted to cry and the depth of the characters is wonderful i felt i was there right beside them and i could see all the rooms! In fact this book is a first of Melissa Nathan's books for me and i want to read of of her books now, she is the best author around. A Must Read.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a holiday-time "beach read", December 13, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nanny (Hardcover)

This is a well-written, modern comedy of manners that contains an occasional gem of a sentence. It's not exactly "chic lit" but neither is it War and Peace; the subject matter is light and familiar (at least to women) and the characters eccentric and charmingly British. I highly recommend it as a vacation read. It will entertain you, not strain you. But it won't rot your brain for lack of witty writing, like a lot of the other drivel being published under "romance" these days!