barely a 3 star rating

This book had the most unsatisfying ending for a book that I have read in a long time.

Sarah needs to find a second job to help pay the medical debt she has from her aunt dying from cancer. She ends up finding an ad for a nanny job that could be her ticket out of the debt. After having two different interviews she gets the job, and she signs an NDA without even thinking about it. However, the job ends up being a little or well a lot strange because she quickly learns that she will be spending more time with Mrs. Bird instead of the daughter...
With this though Sarah notices some weird things happening and things just keep escalating and escalating until she ends up spending literally all of her time with this family and not really having any contact with anyone outside of the house.
It got weird and just a no real quick for me.

Overall I found myself very annoyed with this book on multiple occasions because of all the things that the characters were doing. Sarah herself while being suspicious at times, would just go along with what was happening and that was so annoying and frustrating. She knew something wasn't right but she kept going with it partially because she didn't seem to know how to control the situation but also because of how good at things this family was when it came to manipulation. Add in her fiance getting suspicious of things and then that causing a whole other situation, this entire book and situation goes from iffy to bad, to even worse, to omg what in the world is happening at times.

Now onto the ending of this book, while I had suspected part of this ending, I was not expecting the other half of it and definitely was not expecting how open-ended it was about a certain part. That part was very unsatisfying to me and made me so annoyed after finishing this book.

this book is barely three stars for me and it's getting that last .5 to take it up from a 2.5 because of how fast I read this one because I needed to know what happened.

Nanny Needed by Georgina Cross is a mystery thriller novel. This one certainly is a book that makes you think about the old saying too good too be true as the story unfolds.

Sarah Larsen is living with her fiance in New York city and knows that they are barely scraping by with bill collectors constantly calling. Sarah had grown up with her aunt raising her after her parents passed when she was young so when her aunt got sick Sarah stayed by her side as the bills piled up.

When Sarah sees a notice in her building’s lobby advertising a nanny position in the more elite section of the city she thinks this may just be the thing to get them out of debt. However, after applying and accepting the job Sarah quickly finds that things may not always be what they seem and having signed a contract she’s not sure she can leave.

I have to admit that when I began reading Nanny Needed by Georgina Cross I was not too sure how this one would work out for me in the end. Some books pull you right in and others take a while and this was a mix between the two. The first twist in the story was a bit obvious to me as a reader but the problem there was not that it wasn’t hidden well but that the main character’s reaction put me off a bit. However, that being said I was definitely pulled under by then and needed to continue to fly through the pages and was certainly entertained by the rest of the twists and turns. One that I would say try for yourself, you just may find you enjoy this wacky ride.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Rosemary’s Baby and Psycho meet Nanny Needed 2.0! You might be thinking what could those two novels have in common with Nanny Needed? How about this book is an incredible musical crescendo of words that starts off gradually and builds you up to an ending that you didn’t quite see coming. That’s what those novels have in common. Although I have to admit, I had three scenarios playing in my mind and I’m happy to say, I figured it out. But, that’s not to take away from this great story. I could not get enough of it. Hot damn, we got ourselves a delicious read to sink our thirsty eyes into!

Sarah Larsen is living the dream (not so much) of working in an upscale restaurant alongside her fiancé, Jonathan, busting tables and taking orders. She’s in debt up to her eyeballs trying to pay off bills and get ahead living in New York City. As luck would have it, she comes home to their tiny apartment and discovers a help wanted note posted in the lobby. As soon as she begins reading, Sarah’s heart skips several beats. This is the dream job she’s been waiting for. The only problem is, she’s never been a nanny before, so she’s not quite sure she’s up for the task.

That is, until she reads the fine print and she notices that there isn’t any experience necessary. Well hell, who could turn down a job like that? She decides to answer the ad. When she goes to the Upper West Side of NYC to have her first interview with the Birds, she is in awe. This is how the other half live and Sarah was all too happy to be a part of this community. Would she fit in? Would the little girl she’d be responsible for like her? How much money would she stand to gain from taking this job? Sarah’s mind was in a whirlwind. When Steven advises how much money she will make, Sarah sees her and Jonathan on easy street and not only that, they’ll be able to have the lavish wedding they always dreamt of.

Of course, Mrs. Collette Bird fell head over heels in love with Sarah and didn’t take long to make the decision to hire her on. Sarah was elated and couldn’t wait to meet Mrs. Bird’s daughter, Patty. The only problem was, every time Sarah asked to see Patty, she was advised that the little girl wasn’t feeling well. Sarah brushed this off and thought nothing more of it. The other thing that bothered her a little was the contract she was made to sign to take this job. Discretion was at the utmost of importance. Sarah didn’t feel the need to read the fine print. And let’s be honest, how many of us ever read the terms and conditions on documents? Sarah begins to realize that she’s signed a contract of which she did not have a copy and the little girl she was to start overseeing, was nowhere to be found. Hmm? Just what exactly did Sarah get herself into, you ask? Well, Nerds, this is where the story takes off and soars. Wowwwww!

If I had one Saturday all to myself, I could have read this book in one sitting it was that damn good! I was so mad when I had to close my Kindle to go to work. I couldn’t wait to get back into this story. You all know how much I hate long stories and this one was much longer than my normal tastes, but when a book is that damn good, you totally forget all about the length and devour the pages and before you know it, the story is done. OMG, this book was ahh-mazing! I loved, loved, loved it! And that ending…let’s just say, get the book and get to reading. You’re going to love this!

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book is part psychological mystery and part family drama. A page turning compelling read that takes you on a wild ride!

Listen, I know that I have a problem with thriller tropes and I know which ones that I love and which I don't. That being said, I know that the "nanny" trope can easily go south for me. This is a really fast read, but unfortunately, does not bring much to the table in terms of new or exciting things in the genre.

This was an interesting ride! The problem with thrillers is that if you've read a few, you start to expect the twist. Read a lot and you figure out what the twist is before it happens. This leaves you to then depend on the storytelling to bring you along. Fortunately, this story was well told. The writing was easy to follow and drew you in to the drama unfolding within the Bird family. There were a few moments where you had to scratch your head and just let it go, suspending belief, and the ending was a little cringeworthy but otherwise, I was hooked with the writing.

What a wonderful premise and it is written so well! I simply could not stop reading. It was 3 am before I knew it, so I just stayed up all night and finished.

Sarah gets a job as a nanny to help pay off the debts incurred by her aunt’s final illness. Georgina Cross took that idea and went into places never dreamed of. While I figured out the plot about halfway through, the way the author got there was amazing.

The characters are deep and colorful. You love them, you hate them, you are just not sure about them. What they are is perfectly written. The storyline jets from one idea to another, leaving the reader is awe. When I finished, I wanted more. Not because it was lacking but because I didn’t want it to end.

I have always enjoyed Georgina Cross’ books. I believe Nanny Needed is the best one yet! I can’t recommend it more.


I received an ARC from Random House-Ballantine through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

Sarah Larsen is in massive debt after her aunt's death, living in a small studio with her fiancé, Jonathan, and barely holding onto her waitressing job when she spots a flier for a nannying gig at an exclusive address on the Upper West Side. Despite her lack of experience, she gets the job and seemingly clicks with her new boss, Colette right away. Plus, the pay is amazing. Then, the job begins to take a strange turn. And as Sarah begins to become deeper ingrained into the lives of her new employers, she becomes more concerned about how deeply she's become intwined with them.

I just don't even know where to start with this book. It's going to be hard to talk about this book without giving away spoilers, and let me tell you, this book is BANANAS and you're going to want to go in spoiler-free so that the twists land. So yeah - let me just tell you that OMG THIS BOOK IS INSANE. It's definitely NOT your typical nanny-focused domestic thriller, this one is in its own league.

So now that that's out of the way, yeah, there's a lot going on in this book and it is super suspenseful and I enjoyed every page of it, trying to figure out how it was all going to land in the end. And it lands really, really insanely (again!) but I actually really liked it. I think if the ending and all the twists had led to a "normal" ending, it wouldn't have fit. But an insane ending to an insane book? Yes, please. I loved it!

Sarah was also a great character, very unsteady and waffle-y, but I think with the situation that's really expected. I think she was in a bad situation and that's all you can expect. I can't really say much more. She was a likable and relatable person and I really enjoyed getting to know her. I felt for her in the end. I'm not sure how I would have handled things myself, so I have to assume she did what was right.

Oerall, if you're looking for something original, out there, with plenty of twists and over-the-top. This is what you need.

Good creepy story. Wasn't sure when I started this how the author could make a nanny story different, but Georgina Cross did - and did it well! I never suspected the twist at the end, and although the story was a bit far-fetched at times, I couldn't put it down. Thanks to NetGalley for and advanced copy.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I read "The Missing Woman"
by Georgina Cross & I loved it so, when I discovered that her newest book, "Nanny Needed" was available to review, I jumped at the chance to read it.
"Nanny Needed" was a crazy carnival ride that will get you hooked in the 1st couple of pages.
It's an original, well written & disturbing thriller & the ending was an unexpected surprise.
I can't wait to read what Ms. Cross writes next.

This is my first Georgina Cross book, and it definitely won’t be my last. From the very start, as Georgina sets the stage at the Bird family residence, you know something is terribly amiss but you have no idea what. Is it the usual…nanny is abducted, the child is abducted, the husband is a sexual predator, there are children in the attic? No, all wrong. A new twist with this, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the extra special twist at the end and was embarrassed that I never saw it coming.
This is a quick and fun tension-filled read where you walk in the shoes of a trusting 26-year old, and you have zero control over the events that befall her and her loved ones.
Ms. Cross has two other books out now with three more books scheduled for 2022. Bring them on! I love these kinds of entertaining spine-tingling traps!
Sincere thanks to Random House- Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date was October 5, 2021.

For Sarah Larsen and her fiancé the struggle is real. She is burdened with her deceased aunt’s medical bills, they can barely pay the rent on their tiny apartment, and have no idea how they will ever be able to pay for a wedding.

They say that timing is everything. When Sarah grabs a flyer in the lobby of her building advertising for a nanny, the West 78 Street address that’s listed has her imagining she can be working for a celebrity in a building with a doorman. Why else would the flyer stress the importance of discretion?

Wealth, glamour, opulence….all that glitters quickly turns to idiosyncrasy . Something is very unusual about this family, but the pay is beyond anything she could ever make waiting tables. The longer she stays, the more twisted things become.

This story entangles you and just when you think you are figuring it out, you will discover you never saw this runaway train coming!!

Thank you @NetGalley @RandomHouse Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam
@georginacrossauthor

When Sarah Larsen answers a notice for a nanny needed, I don't think she totally had anything that happens in this fun book in mind. They want discretion. She thinks she can handle that. She has never been a nanny before but thinks she can handle it easily. They are going to pay a lot of money which is something she desperately needs. She just doesn't plan on the fact that there is no child but a mother who has suffered a huge loss and lives in another reality. But wait! There is soooooo much more to this story.

Boy, this went places I had no idea it was heading! Ms. Cross has a lovely imagination. There are some surprising events and reveals and it makes it incredibly hard to put down. I read it in a day! I loved Sarah. I enjoyed being in her brain and working through this whole mess. You won't be disappointed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for a copy of this book.

Wow, what a ride! This was a book I couldn't put down, I needed to keep reading to know what will happen at the end, and when I reached the end it was completely unexpected.

Sarah Larsen answers to an ad for a nanny job posted in the lobby of her East Village apartment building, little does she know that this seemingly insignificant act will change her life upside down and change it completely, and not for the best, I may say.

She believe that the money she'll earn in this job will help her get out of debt and allow her and her boyfriend to finally get married, but she never expected the whirlwind of emotions and the craziness she encounters on the penthouse on West seventy eight street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

This book is full of twists and turns, unexpected finds and a surprising ending.

I truly recommend this book.

4 stars...

-Atmospheric setting - NYC's affluent upper west side
-Fast paced
-Short chapters
-Quick read (most can prob finish in 1-2 sittings)
-Twisted ending

Thank you @netgalley & publisher - out now!

In Nanny Needed, Sarah signs up for what sounds like a dream job nannying a beautiful little girl in a rich family’s penthouse for a huge sum of money … until, on her third day, she realizes this is the creepiest nanny job ever. Her boss is totally unhinged. And the kid is just…well….unexpected. And that’s just the beginning of the madness that is Nanny Needed.

Going into this book I thought I was so smart for figuring out the big twist early on. Surprise! That twist was not the BIG twist. At all! The creepiness begins early but things escalate and get wild and murderous before you know it, and the weirdness of the child (and mom) Sarah is nannying is suddenly not even the strangest or craziest part of this story!

I loved the ongoing suspense, the page-turning writing, and the totally bonkers ending I never saw coming. Georgina Cross is a super fun psychological thriller author, and if she’s got more books as nutty and fun this one, I need to read them all immediately! Googling her backlist as I type.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this extremely fun, twisty, roller-coaster worthy psychological thriller! 4 plus stars!

You could see what was happening a mile away so after a few chapters, I skipped to the end and read that. Not much of a surprise there.

A fast-paced suspenseful story that keeps you guessing till the end. No good deed goes unpunished. Sarah is in debt after caring for her late aunt. Her waitress job isn’t keeping collectors away so she answers an ad for a nanny. How could she predict the turn of events that would follow? This is a story of family, loss, love, & murder. Who can Sarah trust & what secrets will be revealed? Thanks to NetGalley & the Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you are in the mood for a suspenseful novel filled with plot twists and interesting characters then pick up Nanny Needed. It grabbed my attention and would not let go! Having worked briefly as a nanny ages ago when I lived in New Jersey, I was interested in what Sarah Larsen would find once she started working for this family. Discretion yes but at what costs...is what Sarah should have asked herself before accepting the job.
Great writing, intriguing plot twists and a few surprises with characters that I felt like I knew instantly. Highly recommend!!

#NannyNeeded #NetGalley #GeorginaCross #suspense #psychologicalthriller #nanny

Thank you to NetGalley, author Georgina Cross and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for this temporary, digital advance review copy for me to read and enjoy. As always, my opinions are my own and my review is voluntary.

A thank you you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I've read this week that my inital response is "Hmm...huh?" Overall, I'm still not sure how I feel about this one. It's very unusual, even though the story isn't at all the same, it struck me that it had a Stepford Wives / Whatever Happened to Baby Jane vibe. The plot centers around a financial strapped twenty-something living with her almost too good to be true boyfriend (nothing ominous should be inferred here) who answers a strange ad posted in her building advertising a nanny position - discretion necessary, rules apply. Despite having nearly no experience with children, she lands the job with a moneyed power couple, and as days go by, there are indications that there is no child, simply a figment of one woman's imagination and severe state of psychosis. Living a sheltered life, her mental state supported by her family, it's she that wants a friend and playmate. But, of course, there is also more than meets the eye...