In Monica McGurk's The Agency, readers are treated to a captivating blend of spy-thriller excitement intertwined with the world of sensible nannies, akin to a fusion of James Bond and Mary Poppins. The narrative unfolds with the Norwood training program taking center stage in the initial half of the book, offering a detailed glimpse into its curriculum and the myriad challenges faced by protagonist Bree and her teammates.

The narrative is divided into two halves: the first dedicated to world-building and Nanny training, and the second brimming with pulsating action. As Bree and her group secure their places in the certification program, their inaugural mission triggers a cascade of unexpected events, leading to a thriller adventure that ends with a cliff-hanger - which will be explored further in the next installment.

The series' premise, revolving around a nanny in training whose education extends far beyond mere childcare, is a refreshing and innovative concept. I found the initial half of the book slightly drawn out, the meticulously crafted scenes are nonetheless captivating, and had me hooked until the very end. The latter half of the narrative transforms into a gripping spy-action thriller and kept on the edge of my seat.

The Agency by Monica McGurk is an engrossing and entertaining thriller and a smashing start to the series. Highly recommended for those seeking a riveting mystery with unforgettable characters.

My thanks to the team of NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the free review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

All views expressed in this review are my own and based on my reading of this book.

Monica's book of intrigue about an elite school for nannies for the rich and famous seemed commonplace and cheesy but to her credit she has developed a wide array of characters and keeping it packed with action, suspense and engagement at every turn. The start and initial pace is slow as the world is set but had enough to keep me reading till the end.
The story was great and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Not a stand alone book. It was a long set-up, maybe half the book before it got into what the story was really about.

Norwood is a training academy for nannies but is it? Three girls and a lone guy are put together as a team. The training for their first year was hard and strange (?) but they managed to get through. Then they were sent on their first job as a nanny (or manny) but that is not what the job is really about. Just as you thought the mystery would be solved, the book ended.

The book took too long to get to the heart of the story and then each part was in such depth that I tired of reading about that section. If you like deep detail, a long lead to the actual story and then being left without a solution, this is a series you should read.

Easy to read and full of twits and turns, The Agency is well-written.

Bree has just arrived at Norwood, an elite training college for nannies. There is danger under the facade of this school, and her and her classmates must work together to survive. Love the storyline!

A MUST read!

The Agency follows an American orphan who gets accepted to a British Nanny academy. They train in child development and things like that so they can be Nannies for elite families. However, things are not totally as they seem.

This book was just ok for me. I liked the characters and the premise was interesting. However, I feel like the pacing was off. The first half was so boring and nothing really happened until the later half. And at that point i was just tired of it.

I think people who like spy stories will enjoy this one. However, it wasn’t for me. Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun first book in the series. I really enjoyed the training and it reminded me a little of the Gallager Girls from my teen years!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book was a mixture of spy novel mixed with extreme nanny 101. Bree, an American orphan, is accepted into an elite program for nannies in the UK and feels very out of place. She forms a bond with one of her group mates, Ruby and fights to complete the program. Then comes a twist, which turns everything she knows on its head. Well worth the read, starts off a bit slow, but stick with it to the end,!

Was a quick read, but I highly enjoyed how fast the plot moved. I would put this in my middle school library.

Author Monica McGurk https://monicamcgurk.com published the novel The Agency earlier this month. This is the first book in her Norwood Nanny Chronicles series and her fourth novel.

I categorize this book as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence. The primary character is Briana B. ‘Bree’ Parrish. Parrish has just arrived at Norwood College in the UK. She is an orphan from Alabama and is there on a full scholarship. Norwood is an elite school in the UK for young women to train as nannies. She is the first and only American to be admitted to Norwood. She and her assigned study group struggle to successfully complete their first half-year and be included in the exclusive certificate program.

They all knew that Norwood trained world-class nannies. To their surprise, they discover that it also trains spies for MI6. As they undertake their first training mission, it becomes apparent they may be a traitor in their midst. Parris is a suspect in the failure of their mission. She can trust no one and wants to uncover the traitor to clear her name. She also wants to find out more about her own past. Both of those goals lead to her being in life-threatening situations.

I enjoyed the 9.5 hours I spent reading this 362-page young adult thriller. I was surprised that the book was labeled a Middle-Grade Mystery / Thriller. It contains violence and drinking, as well as implied mature situations. The plot was not very complex, but it is a young adult novel. I did enjoy it and will be looking for sequels to the series. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Thank you to the author, River Grove Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise is interesting, with a select group of wildly disparate students learning to become nannys - until they find out, their job is intended to be so much more. However, the story does have its problems: it flows extremely slowly, which is ironic given the "James Bond" element. None of the characters are especially likeable, nor are they particularly believable and by the time things develop I found it difficult to really care much - even with the twists and turns, which became increasingly fantastical. That the author leaves us with a cliffhanger on so many fronts did not sit well with me, the commercialization was too obvious for me.

The characters and the storytelling are good, but the story is very slow, and the plot too strange. I also think the blurb should me more precise, as this is not my kind of book.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by River Grove Books and #NetGalley for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Unexpected twists and turns, keeps you entertained and guessing.

This sounded like a great premise in the description. For me it didn't quite work. I couldn't figure out if it was supposed to be a mystery or a thriller or a fantasy book. It seemed to be trying to be all of those but got booged down in too much minute detail at the beginning of the classes that it was slow going. By the time we got to the middle and the big twist, it seemed forced and absurb. I really did not like any of the characters in the book and could not believe any of them having the motivation to be in that situation.

Norwood Academy is a prestigious nanny school in Bath, UK. When Bree, an American orphan, shows up everyone is confused-she’s the first American to ever be accepted, not knowing her true family identity. As classes begin, Bree and her cohort prove themselves to be able to join the Certificate Program-a coveted program at Norwood.

But, this program is not quite what any of them anticipate it to be. As they begin their very special training, Bree learns pieces of her past about her parents and their identities. When things go wrong at her summer placement, Bree is faced with danger and uncertainty about her future.

This book is fast-paced, addicting, and thrilling all wrapped up in one! Don’t be discouraged by this book because it is about a nanny (I almost was, so I’m glad I was intrigued enough to request it!)