Nanny Returns Book Review

Nanny Returns Book Review
Some of you may remember that tiny little book The Nanny Diaries which became a runaway sensation that sold over 2 million copies and became a major motion picture staring Scarlett Johansson and Laura Linney.  The same book that garnered praise such as “a national phenomenon” (Newsweek), “impossible to put down” (Vogue), and “diabolically funny” (New York Times).  If [...]

Some of you may remember that tiny little book The Nanny Diaries which became a runaway sensation that sold over 2 million copies and became a major motion picture staring Scarlett Johansson and Laura Linney.  The same book that garnered praise such as “a national phenomenon” (Newsweek), “impossible to put down” (Vogue), and “diabolically funny” (New York Times).  If you were a fan then, you will be delighted to hear that Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Krauss have written the sequel, Nanny Returns, and it’s due to hit bookshelves today, December 15th.

Nan returns to the Upper East Side of Manhattan twelve years after we left her after her meltdown via nanny cam.  She married ”Harvard Hottie” and traveled the world with him while he was working with the UN.  Nan was tired of traveling from county to country, so she convinces Ryan to move back to New York so they can begin their life together in a more normal way.  They settle on Harlem, and as soon as I read that, I knew they were in for some trouble.  My first problem with this book is that as soon as Ryan mentions he is ready for kids, Nan is suddenly backpedaling and is not sure she is ready to be his baby momma.  As a former Nanny, I’d think she’d be chomping at the bit after living in huts in Africa.  She is not ready because she is starting her own consulting business and trying to get their pit of a house in order. 

The next issue I have with Nan’s character consistency.  One minute she is terrified to go into Ryan’s parents apartment at 721 Park, the same building as the X’s, but literally the next minute she is ready to jump back into Grayer X’s life.  He’s 16 and in trouble, with a little brother named Stilton in tow.  Why would Nan be ready to do this, especially after traveling the world and growing older and wiser?  Even worse, the situation she has at her new consulting job is horrid and I don’t understand why she’s stand for all of this.  Before I know it Nan suddenly turns back into “Nanny” and her life becomes all about the X’s, Ryan has gone MIA, and Nanny loses her way again, and nearly loses much more than that.   

I am not saying that I hated or even disliked this book, but I had a few problems with it.  I know sequels can be tricky, but I expect growth from my characters and I didn’t find Nan to have much of it in this book.  Twelve years is a long time for a woman to basically remain the same.  I loved Nanny in The Nanny Diaries, but I didn’t love her as much in this book.  While the writers Emma and Nicole do a great job talking about fashion and cultural references (Hello, they even mention Fight Club in this book!), their brightest moments are when they examined the ways in which the rich Upper East Siders are truly poorer than the staff they employ.  I really wish they did a better job writing Nan.  My heart was a little broken when I finished the book, but I still liked it and would recommend it to anyone who was a babysitter (like me) or was a nanny; anyone who loves fashion and/or New York, or anyone who just enjoys a novel with struggle and hardship. 

 

Need a last-minute Christmas gift?  You can buy the book here.

Check out Emma and Nicole’s website here.

Posted in Authors, book reviews, books, bookworms, Emma McLaughlin, Nanny Returns, Nicola Kraus, pop culture, random thoughts, reading Tagged: book chatter, book news, Breaking news, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, entertainment, http://www.emmaandnicole.com, life, Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, news, personal