Lana Ferguson's debut novel The Nanny is a master of a romantic comedy. After Cassie is unexpectedly laid off from her job, the OT student is in desperate need of cash as she finishes out her program so she accepts a job as a live in nanny for a single dad and his daughter. All is going well until she realizes that her boss used to be her biggest client on OnlyFans. And because of her mask in the videos-- he has no idea. Burdened with this secret and finding herself falling for Aiden (a second time) Cassie is in a predicament. This hilarious and heartfelt novel is full of spice and laughter that will have readers begging for Ferguson's next book! Thanks so much to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 4.5/5 rounded up

Let me just start off by thanking Berkley for sending me an ARC and allowing me to read this one early. I was so excited about it and honestly, my excitement didn’t wane for the majority of the book. With that being said, let’s get into the plot.

The Nanny is about Cassie, an unemployed former OnlyFans performer who ends up getting a job as a live-in nanny. Aside from the pay being amazing, her boss, Aiden Reid is smoking hot and a chef so the temptation is there. At first, Cassie is able to play dutiful nanny to Sophie who tolerates her at best to start.

As they live together longer, the attraction between Cassie and Aiden is undeniable yet it all comes to a head when Cassie realizes Aiden was one of her clients. He wasn’t just a client though as they had a special relationship and bond when she was performing. That throws a monkeywrench into things quickly.

Honestly, there was a lot I loved about this book. Firstly, it was incredibly sexy and steamy. The way Aiden talked to Cassie and how filthy their scenes together were, I needed a fan. This was so hot for being a traditionally published book. I also enjoyed Cassie as a character since she’s working on herself and becoming a better person while also working and juggling a friendship with Wanda, her elderly best friend.

Another aspect I loved was how close Cassie and Sophie became. Sophie wasn’t willing to budge at the beginning but the two eventually became close and it was adorable to watch it happen. I mean Aiden, Cassie, and Sophie went to Disneyland for Sophie’s birthday which was just so dang adorable.

I feel like my issues are ones that are understandable as Lana Ferguson is a debut author but I didn’t enjoy the third-act conflict in this book. It felt a bit cheesy and over-the-top or it could have been switched out for something else. The only other complaint I had was the “villain” of the story who I understood by the end but I also couldn’t sympathize with either. Maybe it was just me.

The Nanny was such a delightful debut by Lana Ferguson. I’ll definitely have her on my radar for next year and I’m excited to see what the future holds for her.

Such an incredible debut. Lana Ferguson is a creative and talented new voice. I fell in love with her characters and storytelling. I can’t wait to read more!

This book was so much fun! I t was definitely the most predictable type of Rom-Com but it had my attention the whole time I was reading. I think it lacked a little bit more of that depth I really crave in my romance novels. The whole thing was definitely a little surface-level. I also think we lack a bit more of that emotional connection within the first few pages between Cassie and Aiden but I don't think this lack overall overshadows the fun and lighthearted and SPICINESS of this book.

Super fun premise, super easy read, super silly and fun. Outstanding over the top life-changing you have to read it immediately? No. But definitely a fun one to engage with if you love a steamy contemporary rom-com. Definitely hard on the rom-com. They're both so bumbly and cutie and klutzy. Big fan of Aiden.

This book has been my most anticipated read of 2023 since I learnt about it so getting to read it early was already amazing… and the book has done the rest. It has become one of my favorite books of all time.

Cassie and Aiden were everything. The chemistry was so obvious, it felt like my Kindle was heating up. I love nanny romances, especially when they’re living in the same house. The forced proximity is always so good, but the best thing for me was to see their online interactions in the past and how much the liked each other back then… only to happen again in the present time without them realizing. I LOVE this kind of second chance in epistolary romances. Falling for the same person twice… I want it directly in my veins, thank you very much. Their communication was SO good. They handled everything with so much maturity, I found myself saying “yes, thank you” so many times out loud!

Sophie was such a sweet kid. Her rough façade fooled no one. Even though it takes her time to warm up to Cassie, the latter’s patience and love was hard to resist. The relationship of the MC with the kid(s) in a single parent romance is as important as the romance itself for me, and this book gave me an amazing development in that front.

There isn’t anything I didn’t love in this book. Wanda (Cassie’s 80-year-old bestie) was a delight, the romance was top tier, THE STEAM WAS INCREDIBLE (and recurrent)… everything served. Never a dull moment!

Meh. Started off fine but declined as the book went on.

The premise is fun, and the spice (which hit at around 40% and stayed pretty consistent until around 80%) was good, but the writing itself was mediocre and the third act break-up was so contrived and immature. Characters didn't really have depth to them, and it was so bizarre that a major point of dialogue in the story was that the MMC, who is a literal professional chef at a 5-star restaurant, can't make pancakes. I know children who can make pancakes.

Also, this is just a personal preference, but I don't like dual POV novels that are written in first-person. It feels too juvenile.

I'd probably give this 2.5 stars, maybe 3.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thanks for the free book @berkleyromance 🥰 #penguinrandomhousepartner #berkleypartner #berkleyig

✔️ age gap
✔️ single dad
✔️ super steamy
✔️ geriatric best friend

Ahhh! I loved this book so much. It really had everything I look for in a great steamy romance.

Tons of banter. Stolen moments. Pining. Top tier spice. I read most of this on a plane and was blushing and squirming in my seat non-stop. Lana Ferguson described it best - “SPICE SO MUCH SPICE (seriously, Paul Atreides would lose it over this nonsense)”

The chemistry between Cassie and Aiden was jumping off the page - even in the snippets you get of them as just Cici and A.

I related extra hard to Cassie with her anxiety and putting off the hard conversations because I wouldn’t want to chance losing a hot, single dad chef either! Aiden Reid is trying his hardest as a father and it makes your heart melt he interacts with his daughter, Sophie.

The Nanny is fast paced and doesn’t get caught up in small extraneous details or metaphors which a lot of books suffer from. Featuring a DILF, an ex-OnlyFans content creator turned Nanny, a sassy nine year old and a bonus geriatric best friend, I will be recommending this book to anyone and everyone all year long.

This book was gross to me. The premise was fine until she realized who her boss was and then proceeded to keep that to herself while she continued having a relationship with him. As characters, I liked them but the story felt performative and manipulative like some sex work can be. The writing itself was okay, but the main conflict and resolution felt rushed after how long it was top of her mind and an issues throughout the book.

I thought this book was pretty okay, however I was disappointed to realize I wasn’t really rooting for the main characters’ relationship. I didn’t feel very strongly towards them, which always lessens the reading experience in my opinion. It was cute and the storyline was definitely interesting. Not my favorite but still well done!

Was not a fan of the power dynamics in the relationship between the employee and employer from the very beginning but I only got about 10% into it before I DNF. I found the interludes suuuuuper awkward at the beginning in between the chapters - I assume they make more sense later when the steam picks up, but when they are literal non sequiturs I kind of hated them.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

A steamy, sweet single dad romance. The Nanny follows Cassie, a grad student desperate for a job to pay her way through school, and Aiden, a struggling single dad in desperate need of a nanny. When Cassie finds Aiden’s ad for a live-in nanny, she thinks it is her dream job..until she finds out that Aiden is 1.) super hot and 2.) her biggest fan on her (now deleted) OnlyFans account. Things get awkward..and very steamy.

I loved this romance with a dash of Uptown Girl and a ton of my favorite tropes. Cassie is a great heroine and I LOVED her relationship with Aiden’s daughter, Sophie. Aiden and Cassie have a ton of chemistry (seriously. Things get 🔥) and are adorably awkward at times. Also, shout-out to Wanda, who was just the best. Highly recommend this romance.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lana Ferguson's debut, The Nanny, is a refreshing feel-good romance, served up with a nice bit of spicy heat once the slow burn turns into a raging, roiling boil.

Cassie is a former cam-girl; Aiden used to be her biggest OnlyFans supporter. Now, he's looking for a full-time, live-in nanny to help care for his daughter. When she responds to the Help Wanted ad, neither know who the other is (she wore a mask and wig to keep her identity secret, and in their virtual one-on-one interactions his camera was always off). She's left OnlyFans behind, but her education and work history in occupational therapy as a grad student makes her the most qualified applicant. There's a certain spark between them that makes their interactions progressively more awkward, until they find they can't keep their hands off each other (except for when 9-year-old Sophie is around, natch!) and Aiden's unique scar from a cooking accident clues Cassie in that he was once @alacarte, the man who ghosted her before she shut down her OnlyFans page. Now they both have a secret, as well as a second chance at love and happiness... if they don't screw it all up first.

While The Nanny follows the typical romance arc, what's most surprising is the fact that this is Ferguson's first book. She's a supremely confident storyteller (even if her acknowledgments indicate otherwise!), and the story flows naturally -- compellingly so, in fact. Cassie and Aiden radiate charm and chemistry, and their interactions are pretty much always cute when they're not being cutely awkward in their initial "getting to know you" phase. There's also a heck of a lot of sweet and snarky humor throughout, thanks to Cassie's best-friend (her 72-year-old neighbor Wanda, who still brings home different men on the regular and is too old to put up with anybody's BS, especially Cassie's) and Sophie, with whom Ferguson pulls off a few really good moments that are authentically child-like and never too-precocious.

As far as the steam... holy moly, the steam. Cassie and Aiden's relationship is a lovely slow burn, and around the time you start wondering will they or won't they, hoo boy, do they ever, and quite frequently at that. Definite thumbs up there! Ferguson dedicates The Nanny to her mother, who once asked, "Wouldn't rather write children's books instead?" Sorry, Mrs. Ferguson, but it's a damn good thing Lana stuck to her true passion and made sure this book is definitely not safe for the kiddos!

The Nanny is a great debut romance packed with heat, laughs, and even a few tear-jerker moments near book's end. Lana Ferguson is definitely an author to watch for, and I'm eager to see what she pens next.

The Most Anticipated Contemporary Romance Books of 2023

While it’s easy to recommend contemporary romances based on various combinations of shorthand tropes and archetypes, it’s equally fascinating to pick up on the common themes in a year’s crop of new romances.

In 2023 expect more than one ghostwriter falling for her client (because what’s more intimate than learning someone’s voice) and plenty of author crushes in the flesh. Yet there’s also the themes of writing ourselves into fantasy scenarios or idealized versions of ourselves—or if not writing, then taking the cannonball plunge into summer camp or other group getaways in the sunshine, when we can be freer versions of ourselves not weighed down by expectations or exes. Or if you’re looking for a sharper edge to your contemporary romance, get ready for books that amp up the archetypal enemies or rivals into witch-versus-witch-hunter or competing con artists. This list has new books from Kate Clayborn, Emily Henry, Taj McCoy, Christina Lauren, Tehlor Kay Mejia, and many many more. Truly, it was difficult to narrow down, and this is just the first half of the year.

The Nanny by Lana Ferguson

Release Date: April 11 from Berkley

“Bed first, feelings later” romances make my knees go weak, so the moment I learned about this premise I had to know more: Cassie takes on a live-in nannying gig to a hot chef single dad and his sweet daughter, only to discover that Aiden is one of her former regulars from her defunct OnlyFans.

Lana Ferguson tackles this thorny scenario with thoughtful commentary on transactional relationships but also with levity, as Cassie and Aiden manage to stumble into several innuendo-laden late-night conversations that have the power dynamic seesawing wildly as they figure their path from lust to love.

I really enjoyed this book!!! I loved this unique take on a romance.

Thank you Berkley & NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review!

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

This is the story of Cassie, a struggling student who used to have an OnlyFans account, and Aiden, a chef who suddenly became a single dad in need of a nanny. Cassie applies for the job and Aiden is only too happy to hire her, considering her amazing resume and his desperation. The only problem? They've met before... through cameras, disguises, and videos.... they just don't realize it right away.

I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, the interactions between them all, and how the struggles they face are overcome in the end. Being a romance novel, you just know they're going to end up together, you just don't know how it will all shake out. I fully admit that I stayed up way too late on a weeknight just to find out the end of the story.

I hadn't read anything about the author before reading this book, so I was a little taken aback at the graphic nature of some of the scenes (I'm not offended, it just surprised me). If anyone is offended by sex scenes, please avoid this book! I love that the author describes herself as a "sex-positive nerd".

INSTANT 5 STARS!!


What do you do when your biggest fan/supporter on (only)fans turns out to be your newest employer. Cassie went from being a camgirl, to becoming a Nanny to Aiden’s absolutely adorable daughter Sophie. As Aiden is a chef and needs to the extra helping hand to look after Sophie. There has been a few Nannies before Cassie, which didn’t work out. But the bond Cassie quickly creates with Sophie makes it a nanny match in heaven!

It didn’t take long for Cassie to realize who Aiden was, never seeing each others faces before or knowing one anothers real names never made it a quick and easy realization. Cassie doesn’t know how to tell Aiden who she really is.

This story was filled with banter, family, heartwarming moments and the perfect amount of spice only a chef can serve;)

The relationship formed between Sophie and Wanda(Cassie’s neighbor) was one of the highlights of this book for me.

I’m also a HUGE fan of Encanto & the obsession Sophie has for that movie was amazing. I absolute adored this book.
And don’t forget, We don’t talk about Bruno.

Picked this one up because the concept seemed so silly but it totally surprised me in its sweetness. Fun and lighthearted and steamy!

First, thank you so much Berkley Romance for the opportunity to read this incredible, life-changing story. I loved every single page - okay maybe that's exaggerating but still, the effort is THERE! The way the story starts, getting to meet this single dad with his kid, getting caught in their entanglement, I wanted it to never end! I am such a sucker for the single-dad trope and this story delivered everything I wanted and more! Cassie and Aiden were some of the best idiot-to-lovers I've read and I could not put down the book when we got to their antics. I was maybe a bit frustrated during the third act break-up because come on, self-sacrifice is so overrated, but I forgive it only because the reunion between Cassie and Aiden was so sweet.

Consider me Lana Ferguson's new biggest fan!!

I really enjoyed this book! I especially loved Cassie's relationship with Sophie - Disneyland had me jumping up and down. I typically don't read books with the single dad trope but I found this one especially unique and a nice change from my typical read. I was rooting for Cassie and Aiden's relationship from the beginning and can't wait to hopefully read anything more to come from this author!

4.5 stars

BRING ME ALL THE DILFS PLZ. No but seriously if you like a single dad romance, with sprinkles of humor & a boatload of steam, then this is the book for you.

What happens when OT student, Cassie, is out of a job and needs something & quick, but just so happens to stumble upon a live in nanny position that seems to good for be true? Well she takes the job of course!!!! What she wasn’t expected was for the dad, Aiden, to be 1. Super hot and 2. Her top OnlyFans subscriber that she started to feel things for. I’m not kidding when I say that I requested this book immediately after seeing dilf & onlyfans in the blurb LOL

Sophie (Aiden’s daughter) & Wanda (Cassie’s neighbor & bestie) are my favorite freaking side characters ever omfg. A 10 year old and a 72 year old duo that I didn’t know I needed!!! Wanda made me cackle so many times!!

I laughed so freaking much during this book but on that same not I was also v hot and bothered during majority of it. We love a sweet man in the streets, but with an extremely dirty mouth in the sheets!!

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶.5

Tropes:
Boss/nanny
Single dad
Forced proximity
Found family