3.5 stars. What if you are not who you think you are? The mystery is told by two narrators, both young women. One tells the current story of trying to find out the truth about her family; the other tells the past story of hiding family secrets. Intriguing enough to want to find out what’s what but with an over-the-top, soap opera like quality . . . adultery, family secrets, superstitious folklore, and sad, pathetic women. Still, a page turner with a surprising reveal.

It feels unfair to judge a character in a book based on the plot contrivances they have no reason to see coming. Real life has no genre conventions, so real people couldn’t possibly predict them. All the same, both the narrators of this novel are pretty difficult to take, with their cliches and naïveté. The climax comes too late and lasts too long, and the ending is both too tidy and unsatisfying.

This is not a good book, but it is compulsively readable, which is easily confused for being good, so I won’t be surprised if it does well.

The Au Pair is the story of twins and death told in a mix of present day and flashback chapters. Writing in this style allows the author to control some of the revalations to pace the book differently than the traditional crime fiction/thriller. Unfortunately, the book is predictable, especially once all the characters are introduced - the style of the book limits how quickly character introductions occur.
Not as good as many of the reviews I read lead me to believe. I found the reveals predictable, the characters two dimensional, and the basically nonsensical.

4.5 stars

Such a page turner, I ended up finishing it in a day. It's just one of those good old popcorn eating reads in which you can't wait to see how everything unfolds.

Seraphina and her twin brother Danny were only hours old when their mother committed suicide off the cliffs of the Norfolk coast. Now an adult, Seraphina is mourning the death of her father. While going through his possessions at the family estate, she uncovers a family photograph of her parents, older brother Edwin, and a baby on what looks like the day she and Danny were born. But what strikes Seraphina is odd is her mother is smiling in the photo even though in a mere matter of hours she kills herself and there is only one baby in the photograph. What does this mean and will she be able to find the answers she is looking for even though so many years have passed?

In terms of sheer entertainment, this was a 5 star read. I loved the dual timelines of the present with Seraphina and the past with the au pair, Laura. The story does become a little complicated towards the end and there were times I had to pause and get everything squared away in my head before I could continue reading. I think some valid points could be made on whether the story is realistic however this book has that weird, creepy but fun, trainwreck type vibe that whether or not it is believable doesn't really matter much to me. This is the type of book you read when you want to escape from your life and read about the crazy, messed up lives of other people. A perfect vacation read!

I received a free copy in the mail from the publisher before my wish was granted here on Netgalley. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

I seriously did not see the twist at the end coming. I read this in one day, could not put it down. Great characters, told from two different perspectives 25 years apart. Easy to follow both stories and surprise ending. Highly recommended

Exhilarating! The suspense builds slowly with many unexpected twists and an unexpected ending. I couldn't put it down!

Told from two different perspectives in two different time periods by two very different narrators. I’m not sure I liked either one but the story held my interest and there were just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. The perfect book for those who enjoy sprawling family sagas wth a bit of mystery thrown in and lots of secrets.

Seraphine is obsessed. When her father passes away suddenly, she finds herself going through his things and discovering a photograph of her mother holding a baby. One baby. Seraphine has a twin brother, Danny. Why is one of them missing in the picture? Why did her mother commit suicide right after Seph and Danny's birth? Now she is determined to find out the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it makes the rest of the family, but is she ready for the harsh reality?

Fast paced and engrossing! Highly recommended!

An entertaining and thrilling read about families and their secrets. A young woman finds a photograph that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her family. Why if she was a twin was there only one infant in the picture, why did her mother kill herself right after the photo was taken,. Multilayered, this novel will keep you guessing right up to the end..

The story is revealed through the eyes of Seraphine in the year 2017 and Au Pair Lauren in 1991. As the two stories progresse, the tangle of lies begin to unfold and I thought, what?!
It was hard for me to know which characters to like and which to resent. As you read, keep the characters straight in your mind because this is fast paced and full of twists you cannot predict.

1991
Seraphine and her twin brother, Danny, were born in the middle of summer at their family's estate on the Norfolk coast. Within hours of their birth, their mother threw herself to her death from the cliffs. Where did the au pair disappear? The village is rampant with whispers of dark cloaks, changelings, and the aloof couple who drew a young nanny into their inner circle.

2017
Now an adult, Seraphine mourns the recent death of her father. While going through his belongings, she uncovers a family photograph that raises an intriguing and disturbing question. It was taken on the day the twins were born, and in the photo, their mother, surrounded by her husband and her young son, is smiling serenely and holding just one baby.

What REALLY happened the day the picture was taken?

And it begins.

Hang on reader!

EXCELLENT! The different narrators and different timelines were very well done. The storyline captured me early on and the twists were unexpected. Loved it! Five Stars!

Interesting family drama which starts with the discovery of a photo showing only one twin. The main character's father has just died, the mother committed suicide on the day of their birth, yet the photo shows her mother looking perfectly happy but only holding one baby. The story is about a twin's investigation into her mother's death which takes her to the aupair who took the photo so many years ago. A family saga set in England with lots of twists and turns. A page-turner I thoroughly enjoyed.

Emma Rous does a fine job of exploring how we come to doubt ourselves and our place in the world. She creates something of a family saga in The Au Pair as the action of the book spans decades, with points of view from two women in both present-day and flashbacks. While there are a few instances where the reader has to not think too deeply about the likelihood of certain events, the overall story is an intriguing one. A good choice for those who enjoy books where the setting is almost a character itself.

I was sent this book to review. I enjoy reading a debut author!
It sounded mysterious so I decided to try it.

I immediately liked Summerbourne- a beautiful place with some secrets. It was described that I could see it.
Norfolk is a small town that everybody knows everyone.

Switches between 2 ladies in 2 different time periods- Sept 1991 where an Au Pair is hired and Aug 2017 where a picture is found. The picture is the link and the mystery begins. A house full of mystery.
We dig deeper and deeper into the mystery attempting to solve it only to discover more mystery.

I enjoyed this book. It will keep you guessing and wondering.

Seraphine Mayes has come home after the death of her father. Going through his effects she chances on a photograph that raises questions about her childhood and the death of her mother. Challenging her uncooperative grandmother and brothers, Seraphine decides to seek out answers herself.
The story switches back and forth between the summer of her birth and her quest to seek out the au pair who was in the house at the time. The haunting truth begins to evolve into something dangerous as Seraphine begins to uncover secrets that others have conspired to keep hidden all of these years. This is one of those books that you will not want to put down. It sweeps you along with Seraphine from the scattered memories of a senile gardener to dangerous seaside cliffs.

My review based on AVRC I received. This is a book with many twists and a family with many dark secrets that are all revealed. Told from different characters perspective it all comes together in the end. A very psychological thriller that will keep you reading to the end. A story that stays with you even when you have come to the end.

I loved this one--I was completely swept up in this family's drama and read compulsively until the end! Perfect for fans of British gothics/dual narratives that are chock-full of twists and secrets.

I really enjoyed this one! I liked how the author immediately addressed and dismissed my suspicions/theories (the immediate assumptions we all make when dealing with a character questioning her origins), which made me even more intrigued as to what the actual answers would be. I'm going to recommend it to readers of psychological thrillers and family dramas.

In The Au Pair Emma Rous presents us with the story of questioned parenthood and questionable deaths. Why do twins Danny and Seraphine look so different from one another? Why did Ruth throw herself from a cliff just hours after giving birth? What has upset present-day Laura? Who is making threats against the present day family? The answers are all there for the discerning reader to find well before the end of the book and Rous’s writing style will glue some readers to the page. Her use of alternating narrators in alternating time periods helps elevate the novel from others in the genre. The few major characters are explored in some depth, yet at the end I found myself detached from all of them, even the two narrators. There are too many coincidences and suspensions of belief needed to really “buy” the story. Yet, it is a good read for a cold winter’s night and many readers will find themselves swept into the story.

An entertaining twisty plot that keeps one guessing until the end. Told from 2 different time frames, it became a bit confusing in the first part but it eventually became clear what was going on. Enjoyed the characters and a great plot.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.