In recent months, I have waded through some fairly mediocre chick-lit. I have left books halfway, groaned at the plot-predictability and mentally castigated the dull-as-ditchwater heroines and their pompous heroes.So now when I come across an author who took a much-mauled genre and perfectly bound all the essential elements together; I want to genuflect before the Lord and send up a fervent "Thank You!" The Nanny is another brilliant offering by the late Melissa Nathan. It's a tale of 23 year-old Jo Green. She’s a young lady who’s increasingly feeling the pangs of a life that’s going nowhere. She’s stuck tight in bucolic Niblet-Upon-Avon, lived with her parents, has a boyfriend (Shaun) who she’s known since kindergarten and is trying to eke out a living as an underpaid Nanny.Taking a leap of faith (and desperation), she decides to take up the job of live-in Nanny in London with an affluent family. The perks are humungous. She will have her own suite with a massive TV, her own car, new friends and the golden opportunity to pull herself out of stagnation. But every silver cloud has a demented lining.Her new boss Vanessa Fitzgerald is a hard-wired, smart-talking corporate biggie. Evenings at home take the form of nasty digs and articulate squabbles with her easy-going husband Dick who runs a record store. They are the proud and terribly exhausted parents of bloodthirsty Zak, warrior-pixie Cassandra and the well-mannered little Tallulah. Adding to the family dynamics are Dick’s two sons from his previous marriage : obnoxious (since he has a chip on shoulder) teen Toby and charming but prone-to-bouts of obnoxiousness (since he has enough chips to form a mini-skyscraper on his shoulders) 25-year old Josh.Just when Jo is getting the hang of things, she suddenly has to deal with the fact that Josh will be her new roommate. Simmering attraction, blow-hot blow-cold responses from Josh and the ever-intrusive presence of boyfriend Shaun do not make for peaceful living. And then there are the constant parallel dramas of the Fitzgerald clan. Everyone seems to be harbouring some deep dark secret....everyone’s ticked off but not always in unison....and everyone needs their lives to be set right. Jo Green has a lot of growing-up and decision-making to do. All this while finding true-love and keeping her hair attached to their follicles.The book justifies it’s massive size. Nathan’s style is chatty and witty and loaded with punch and righteous indignation. The characters are not clichéd and even their most confounding personality disorders are beautifully unravelled. I strongly recommend this book to all disillusioned chick-lit lovers who are sniffing out for something fresh, humorous and utterly engaging.
This book was really cute and I would definitely read more by the same author! Jo is stuck in a rut in her life- 23 years old, living at home, an turned down her boyfriend of 6 years 3 times for marriage. When she sees an ad for a nanny in another town in the papers, she decides to go for it. She is introduced to the Fitzgerald family- 3 hilarious, likeable children, one pre-teen and a 20-something from another marriage, and two parents. Jo ends up getting the job and going through some major life changes and growth as a result. It doesn't help matters (or does it?) that the oldest Fitzgerald boy is attractive, witty, and even occasionally nice. This book was interesting in that it wasn't just from Jo's perspective. We got the point of view and inner thoughts of other characters, which meant the reader was involved in multiple characters' stories (and rooting for them!). Jo was a sweet, likeable girl, if occasionally naive. Each member of the family had a distinct personality. I got sucked into the story and really cared about Jo and her experiences. I kept wanting to find out what would happen next and was satisfied with the ending- some was predictable, but not all. Being a former nanny/babysitter, I enjoyed reading about Jo's job duties as well. Very enjoyable, quick read!
What do You think about The Nanny (2003)?
A good chick-lit read, but as usual a bit predictable and rosey, rosey rosey - why can't life turn out that way all the time. Perhaps I ought to give the chick-lit genre a break for a while, as I know that is the point of it!! Brief sysnopsis. Jo Green has a slightly overbearing, caring but guilt inducing family, a nice “local boy” boyfriend and a small town existence. In a bid to take a sneak peek into the big wide world out there she takes a nannying job in the London, working for the dysfunctional Fitzgerald residence. The quick tongued and catty Dick and Vanessa Fitzgerald have been going through a tough patch for a while and Jo finds herself not only looking after the family brood but getting caught in the middle of the whole family goings-on. Then Josh, oldest son from Dick’s first marriage, sultry and moody but irresistibly good looking moves in and this shakes things up even more. It is written in the third person and jumps about quickly between the perspectives of Jo, the Fitzgeralds, the children, Josh…. I mostly enjoyed this although I was more interested in the adults perspectives that the children’s.
—Sharon
At first, I stopped reading this. I just wasn't in the mood, and the first bit was very odd. There are just so many characters and different POV switches.Two days later, I picked it back up. I am honestly glad I did. It was quite funny.So many secrets in that London house.It makes me so grateful that my husband and I almost OVER communicate.Jo was very relate-able. Josh was amusing.Nick and Gerry were quite funny, though Gerry was far too keen.Pippa had some sage advice.Vanessa.... well... I understand her actions.Dick ... I also understand his actions.All in all, everyone in the book was very human.My only problem with the book, was that while I was reading it, I wasn't sure if the author was an American or a Brit, simply due to the amount of name branding that went on in the book, it almost seemed like it was an American going "seee I know what life in the UK is like!!!", just little things, like referring to tea as PG Tips and Costa instead of coffee etc. But then, she went and confused Public and Private schools. IN the UK, a Public school = you pay a fee. A Private school is one that is free. Which is completely backwards/opposite to what it is in the US, and seems like a mistake a Yank (which I am one) would make.Also my only other real problems with the book was the constant POV changing. It often felt quite abrupt. But all in all, I rather liked it.
—Erin
Jo Green has practically lived her whole life in Niblet-Upon-Avon and desperately desires a change! Her job isn't fulfilling, her love-life isn't great and her life seems like a meaningless pursuit. Eager to snap out of her mundane existence, Jo grabs the opportunity to be nanny to Dick and Vanessa Fitzgerald in London. But once she starts working for them, she realizes that she has just walked into the most dysfunctional family on earth. And the arrival of Josh (Dick's first son from his previo
—Naomi Nair
