The Perfect Nanny initially attracted me as it sounded like an intriguing suburban thriller which I love. There is just something so satisfying reading about rich people getting karma, their just desserts, or maybe that’s just me. #I’mSaneIPromise


Anyway let’s have a bit of blurb:

You trust her with your home, your husband, your baby… but she is about to destroy it all.

Sophy Pemberton is struggling to cope with the pressures of becoming a new mother. Her nine-month-old son never settles in her arms and the unrelenting tiredness from late night feeds is all-consuming.

So, when Liv Granger from the mother and baby group offers her services as a nanny, Sophy is overcome with relief. Now she can finally get some sleep… She can stop failing at being a mother.

But Liv has a secret.

She is convinced that Sophy was accountable for her brother’s tragic death and she has been searching for her for years.

And now that Liv’s found her, she’s outraged Sophy seems oblivious to the pain she has caused her family.

Sophy’s perfect house, perfect husband and perfect baby are too much for Liv to bear… and she’s going to make her pay.

—‐————-

This blurb just made the story sound so dark and sinister with a slight hint of violence. However in my opinion the story didn’t live up to the blurb.

However, I do have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand the story hooked me in and I read this in 2 days. I needed to know what happened next. And the characters were well developed.

I predicted some of the twists but others I half predicted so it is a well written story line. I also really liked how it utilised multi person narratives, it is possibly one of my favourite writing tools as it just builds so much more into the story and adds so much more depth.

It felt slow a lot but at the same time I couldn’t stop reading. It’s one of those books I can’t make my mind up about. I think I just wanted a bit more to the storyline, maybe a bit more about the lust for revenge to make it a bit more darker. I felt that as a thriller it needed to be a bit more sinister but that is just my opinion.

Nevertheless I still enjoyed it, it was an easy read (not something I would usually say about a thriller) and it had a few good (although predictable) twists along the way.

⭐⭐⭐ – a good thriller but I wanted more to the story, more darkness and sinister undertones

This book grabbed me and pulled me in relatively quickly and I couldn't read it fast enough!

It was fast-paced, fresh and exciting. It felt slightly predictable but I didn't mind that. This held my attention and I read it with relative ease and at a good pace.

The characters came across as very complex and deep, I wasn't sure how I felt about them at first but they grew on me. The alternating chapters were a plus for me, I always like them in a good book!

The ending was quite a surprise and there had been a few twists unfolding throughout the book. It was juicy, full of tension and I really enjoyed it.

A totally gripping twisty book. I had calculated some of what was going on but did not determine the whole plot as it unfolded . A book full of real characters that were so easy to sympathise with and understand their emotions. Once I started reading I found it so compelling that I just had to keep reading, loving every minute. This could serve as a great story for all new mothers to read to make them aware of what can so easily happen.
Highly recommend this to all readers that like crime stories.

I received this as an ARC on NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review

Actual rate: 4.5!

Good:
- SO GRIPPING!
- Twisty plot
- 3D characters

Bad:
- Felt a little rushed, I wished there was more exploration of the ending.

This book grabbed my by the paws and pulled me onto a rollercoaster, and i loved every second. I read this is one day, because it was so fast paced and fresh, and the storyline felt very new and unpredictable. I also felt that the characters were real and fun, with complex personalities and motives. I'm still a little shell shocked from the ending! Talk about unexpected but making sense!!!

Gripping, thrilling and twisty.

CWs: vomit, anxiety, non-consensual drugging, panic attacks, kidnapping of a child, divorce, suicide, mentions of child death, alcoholism, stalking.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves true crime, and a good thriller. Also, to true crime junkies.
Overall: 4/5

Sophy is a new mom having a hard time. Liv is a nanny looking for revenge she thinks is due Sophy for her brother's death.

The first half is semi-predictable with Sophy looking obvious as a new mom who cannot get it together. No one believes her that strange things are happening which aren't her fault and then Liv finding the the perfect foothold into being Sophy's baby's nanny rather quickly.

The second half gets a bit juicier with lots of twists to keep you guessing who's really behind the strangeness. I think I may have changed my mind 3 times about whodunit!

The ending wraps up rather quickly, and not so predictably, but did keep me from putting it down. While not a mind blowing thriller, it is a good read.

Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is psychological suspense with a domestic setting that is told from two viewpoints Liv and Sophy.
Liv is targeting Sophy as she seeks revenge for the death of her brother. Sophy is struggling with motherhood, not helped by an over-enthusiastic mother-in-law and a constant state of exhaustion.

This is a multi-layered story, and whilst the revenge sub-plot is predictable, there is menace simmering elsewhere. Whilst Liv and Sophy are unreliable protagonists, they are both victims, and the story has many poignant moments. Steady suspense building leads to a climactic ending with shocking twists and unlikely alliances. The story has a final terrible twist that resonates.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Sophie is a new mum. who doesn't believe in herself. she thinks she is going mad, she is so tired and she thinks her baby would be better off without her. Add in the mix a husband who is a bit suspicious as to why his wife is so tired and a mother in law who just wants to take over. Sophie meets Liv who offers to help but there is something not quite right. It seems that Liv somehow blames Sophie for her brother's death. Liv finds herself feeling sorry for Sophie and starts to question what is happening to her. When the baby is taken suspicions fall on Liv - it was a bit predictable but I didn't guess who was responsible until the end

A revenge thriller that I just could not put down. I have never read anything written by two authors before but this was just a brilliant read, two heads are definitely better than one. Full of plots and twists. A true masterpiece.

An exciting, interesting read with a theme of 'the hand that rocks the cradle', a little predictable, but a recommended read.

Sophy is a first time mom and can't shake the feeling of being exhausted, sleepy, and confused while trying to care for her son Finn. She will have no recollection of falling asleep and things are always missing and show up out of the blue. Her husband Dom's mother Elizabeth steps in to help out all the time. Sophy feels uncomfortable whenever Elizabeth is around, so she is happy to have befriended Liv, another woman who is a nanny. When Liv leaves her nanny position, Sophy hires her so that Elizabeth doesn't have to come over anymore. Sophy feels like things may make a turn for the better with Liv now helping out. Too bad Sophy has no idea Liv has other plans, which includes seeking revenge on Sophy for her brother's death.

I love reading books with so many twists and this one definitely had that. We are introduced to many characters, and when you think you have it figured out and know what's going on, more surprises are thrown your way. Both Liv and Sophy feel guilty - Liv with the death of her brother and Sophy with not being a good mom. Liv's anger has clouded her judgement and with Sophy in her line of fire, she intends on making her pay. This book was a page-turner for me. Looking forward to reading more from these authors.

Thank you Netgalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read this book.

The Perfect Nanny by Karen Clarke and Amanda Brittany was an absolute page-turner. I had to keep reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Many thanks to Netgalley for my gifted eARC copy for an honest review.

Sophy is a new mom with a 9-month-old son. Her husband Dom is worried about her because she seems unable to handle the pressure of being a new mom. She is constantly tired and definitely feels the postpartum depression. Her pushy mother-in-law always seems to be at the house willing to help when needed. When Sophy attends a Mummy meet-up group she meets Liv Granger, who is a nanny to another family in the neighborhood. Liv is very grossed out by her current boss’ husband and so when she offers to help Sophy and she jumps at the offer she couldn’t be happier; but is there something more sinister to Liv’s reasoning on wanting to help.

I really enjoyed the tension in this book. There were a few good twists in this book and one that really surprised me. You all know by now that I truly love books that flip back and forth between narrators and this one delivered on that. There was strong character development, and I think it really helped push the story along. The main takeaway from this book is there were very many unhinged women. At times I felt like things were kind of far-fetched, but I think that sometimes it really makes the story juicy. I definitely recommend this book.

Once again thank you to Netgalley for my gifted eARC.

A mother is struggling in the months after her baby’s birth. She can’t remember things and she falls asleep all the time. Her mother in law is always there to help but does she want her there?

I was interested in the plot but thought the book was just ok. You suspected something was wrong with the mother but didn’t know what. There were a lot of suspects which made the book interesting. The ending was a bit of a surprise.

Sophy Pemberton is struggling with motherhood. Her pregnancy and delivery were very difficult leaving her exhausted and listless. Her son, Finn, is 9-months-old and his father, Dom, plus Dom's mother, Elizabeth, do their best to help Sophy. Elizabeth shows up most days and takes Finn with her making Sophy feel even more useless.

Sophy attends a Mums Meet Up group but is not really taken with it. But there she meets Liv Granger who is the nanny to 18-month-old, Evie, whose parents live nearby and they seem to hit it off. Liv is tired of having to sidestep Evie’s father who seems to eye her up all the time. Liv sees that Sophy is struggling with caring for Finn and decides to ask her for a job as nanny.

Liv lost her brother, Ben, to suicide some years back. Unable to accept his death, her anger has her fired up and she is out for revenge on the person she thinks is responsible.

This is a good book that keeps growing in tension. I thought I had it all figured out but I was off on some of it which makes the plot even better. The characters are very well written and I especially liked Sophy’s and Liv’s mothers who are so caring. I wish that Liv had done more research before zeroing in on her victim. But, then again, it wouldn’t have made the book as good as it is. Well done, Karen Clarke and Amanda Brittany.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I love a good mystery/thriller book with a (couple of) twist(s) and this one did definitely not disappoint me. Sure, I wasn't a huge fan of either of the main characters - but I liked that we got to see both POVs (I assume one author wrote one POV while the other wrote the second, it didn't feel like that honestly so I guess their writing style is similar), but yeah neither of the characters really felt great.

There was so much stuff packed in this book that I couldn't wait to unpack towards the end, but I have to say the ending felt like a high-speed race, I was rushing so fast to finish this book because I needed to know what happened. Would have loved the book to be a bit longer (GR said it's less than 300 pages) with a more drawn out ending, to be honest.

But yes, in the end, I enjoyed this book and I am going to check out more books by both authors. I believe they have one other co-authored book, again with dual perspectives, that I might try out as well!

I have only read dual author books by husband and wife teams before, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this book however I am glad to say that I was very impressed with their writing as it flowed very well in the story. It is written from the perspectives of the two main characters - Liv who is the nanny but has ulterior motives and Sophy who is a first time mum also coming to terms with an emergency C-section ( she had my total empathy as this had been me many years ago!). Not sure if Karen and Amanda each 'took' a character to write however it works well and thoroughly enjoyed reading the story.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

I read this in one day as I just couldn’t put it down. Talk about a page turner. Just when I thought I knew how the storyline would pan out, it changed!

The chapters are written in the form of both main characters: Sophy, the young mum who is struggling to adjust and Liv, a nanny to another local mother.

This is a psychological thriller which builds up slowly to the final outcome and is written so perfectly that it gets you hooked from the first chapter.

Sophy is a struggling Mum with an overpowering Mother in Law, a husband who works a lot and an inability to make new friends easily. Liv befriends her at a local mum’s group and this is where the story starts to pick up pace.

Liv is still struggling with the death of her brother from years ago and she blames Sophy as they were at University together.

As the storyline unfolds the interaction between the 2 main characters is so well written. I actually grew to like both characters for different reasons.

Truly believable storyline. One of my favourite reads of the year so far.

Thank you so much to netgalley, the publishers and both authors for an arc. It’s a 10 out of 10 from me!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy.

I struggled with this at first as I had just finished a book with a similar theme. New mum, not coping, overbearing mother in law, suspicious illnesses, so I had to have a break and start again.

I'm so glad I did as once I got over this, the story really came into it's own and took off at high speed. The twists and turns and the suspicion cast amongst the characters had me changing my mind more than once about what happened to baby Finn. My only down point is that some things were blinding obviously so it was a little frustrating in parts, but that's just me.

Definitely a recommended read.

Sophie is finding it difficult caring for Finn (her baby) as he seems fretful, and she is having trouble bonding with him. Her mother in law, Elizabeth, although seemingly helpful, is always calling and interfering making it appear that Sophie isn’t coping.
Sophie befriends Liv at a baby group, though Liv isn’t all that she seems. She is intent on revenge, believing that Sophie is responsible for the loss of her brother. The book is written in short chapters, from the viewpoint of Sophie and Liv, giving a sense of immediacy and deeper insight into their mindset and motives
This is a slow-building psychological thriller, tensions rise as Sophie is becoming increasingly tired and forgetful, and is grateful for both Elizabeth’s help and Sophie’s friendship. The book is expertly plotted with several twists and turns. As a reader, you become convinced that you know who is trying to harm Sophie, but several red herrings make you question your choice.
A gripping page-turner, highly recommended.

Liv Granger had bided her time to take the perfect revenge on the woman that she held responsible for the death of her brother. She had hunted her down and sat in the wings until the right moment came along for her to worm her way into Sophy’s life.

Sophy had struggled with motherhood since her baby boy had been born nine months ago. She was always tired and forgetful. Sophy’s had been living the perfect life where she could tick the boxes for the perfect husband, perfect career and perfect house, but now she couldn’t cope. Liv already had her eye on her and made her move at the perfect time. She was the perfect nanny.

The story is told by Liv and Sophy, as events take on an even steeper downward spiral. I wondered if the two authors of this book had each taken on the role of these characters. The hate that Liv felt for Sophy grew darker on every page, while Sophy put her entire trust in Liz. These two women couldn’t have been more different.

There are some brilliant characters in the story, especially those with supporting roles, with all of them playing some part in the choices that both Liz and Sophy take. The first three-quarters of the story was tense, not knowing what Liz would do to get even. The last few chapters are just incredible and left my head spinning. What a superb ending …………………..

I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

Liv Granger is still grieving the death of her brother more than a decade on when she takes a job as a nanny in an affluent area. Although very much adored by the little girl that she is looking after, she is under appreciated by the family, and actually has an ulterior motive for being in the area.

Sophy Pemberton lives streets away from Liv, so when Liv glances her across the room at a Mother and Baby meeting she attends and sees how much she is struggling with her little boy, she knows what she must do.

Offering her services to Sophy is easy, she desperately wants to leave the family she is with, and Sophy desperately needs help, although she won't admit it. But Liv also has another reason for wanting to get close to Sophy - revenge for her brother's death. For Liv is convinced that Sophy is the person responsible.

Once inside the family home, Liv is intent on causing Sophy pain by any means possible, whether it's stealing a necklace, or leaving an anonymous note about her overpowering mother in law causing Sophy unnecessary worry.

Or is it unnecessary...

Because it seems like something else is going on in the Pemberton household, that neither Sophy or Liv are aware of, and if they don't act fast then it could be dangerous for all involved. The Perfect Nanny is a quick, thrilling and enjoyable read, with some decent twists and turns.