The Nanny

Rating:
Summary: Not even decent Chick-lit
Review: "The Nanny" by Melissa Nathan looks like something special, but inside it is filled with flat characters, which the reader is able to guess the outcome. You just know by the end of the first chapter that Jo, our titled Nanny, is going to used by her new employers and boyfriend that seem a little to good to be true. and by the end the reader gets just thatn"The Nanny is a fine example of bad Chick-lit.

Rating:
Summary: Not so good...
Review: I thought it would be interesting from the book description, but, turns out it's not. I didn't like this story because...I just didn't seem to take to the characters. In fact, most of the characters I just absolutely loathe. I even disliked the main character. I can't really say why, because then that would include many spoilers. But let's just say I found them all hypocritical. [My opinion only]

Rating:
Summary: Not typical chick lit - much, much,much better!!!
Review: I'm as big of a chick lit fan as the rest of you, but this one bridges the gap - funny, full of relationships -but a better written piece of fiction than most chick lit. I've read Melissa Nathan's other books - and loved the Jane Austen twist and the cute plots and clever dialog. Liking those books as I did, I made a point to purchase The Nanny as soon as it came out in paperback. I was blown away by this book, this is in another class! Nathan's talent seems to have just exploded - this book is much more satisfying. It's still full of her trademark humor (a bit sarcastic and I love it - but it's not off-putting). The plot takes several wicked twists with all kinds of roadblocks being thrown up for our Jo, the nanny. But it's the complexity and the finesse of this book that really grabs you - it's just a darn good tale. Jo leaves her safe village and her safe (it seems) relationship with Shaun, her friends, her family to go off the London to care for three (sometimes more) children, the offspring of Dick and "Scary Spouse" (as her eldest stepson, the Hornblower look-alike Josh, calls her.) Well, obviously no good can come of this drastic move and soon Jo's world is completely turned over - as is everyone else's' in the book. All through, it's funny, sad, gentle, abrasive, silly, profound. Jo emerges a stronger and happier person at the end, as does pretty much everyone that you might care about in the book. You know that the ones you don't care about get what they deserve too - always satisfying! And best of all, although the ends aren't tightly tied up at the end, you also know it's all going to be OK for the good guys

Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I've been working my way through a bunch of the chick-lit out there and was just starting to worry that I had already read all the good ones when I came across The Nanny. I loved this book! I really liked the way it concentrated on the entire Fitzgerald family and not just the romance between Jo and Josh. They were the center point of the book (and I loved their relationship), but the rest of the family made what would have otherwise been a typical book that I read then forget into one I'll reread and put up there among my favorites. Too often we're given a central story that we care about, only to have it ruined by side stories with not enough heart, that are there merely to fill pages. I can honestly say that this is not the case with The Nanny. Every one of these characters becomes important and adds to the already delightful relationship between Jo and Josh.

Rating:
Summary: Nice , a little out of ordinary
Review: In comparison to the Nanny Diaries, this is way better. Perhaps it enlightens us on a job many look down upon ( perhaps maybe no thanks to fran drescher ). It is funny, heartwarming and a good book to read again and again. However, like all chic-lit, the guy ( Josh Fitzgerald ) is too damn nice. And the girl is always the blur mistaken one. But its nice and damn well worth a read.

Rating:
Summary: Bad Title- Good Book
Review: The bland title of this book almost put me off from buying it!! This book is much more than a "nanny" story...I started this book thinking I was going to be reading a knock-off of "The Nanny Diaries"-- a story about bratty children, an unbearable boss, etc...and the back cover actually leads one to belive this.

However, this book is none of the above! This was a real story..not just about one character, but about many. The reader gets to know the ins and outs of several characters throughout the book, thus making it a very complete and satisfying read.

The toilet humor I could have done without, though-- there seemed to be no point to it other than a lame, unsuccessful attempt at creating a laugh or two.

This book was a find....easily passed by due the title- I am happy I stumbled upon this one!

Rating:
Summary: Light and fun (3 1/2 stars)!
Review: The Nanny is the perfect light read. You'll enjoy Jo Green's struggles with the Fitzgeralds. She moves from the countryside to London to look after Zak, Cassie and Tallulah. But she ends up babysitting the parents as well. After all, Vanessa and Dick give a whole new meaning to the word dysfunctional. To make matters worse, Jo has a crush on Josh -- Dick's son from his previous marriage. She cannot ignore the fact that she has a boyfriend back home -- or could she? The Nanny is pure fun. Very entertaining. I recommend this cute, quick read.

Rating:
Summary: Nathan Knows
Review: 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.