I like this one better than the other Kaira Rouda books. Can you ever trust a nanny? Fans of Shari Lapena will enjoy this mystery. Looking forward to the next book.

Let me start by saying how much I love Kaira Rouda’s books! I was excited to see more from this series after reading Best Day Ever and The Second Mrs. Strom. These are not my favorite books of hers, however I love domestic thrillers and What the Nanny Saw really kept me entertained. I’ll eagerly be awaiting her next book!

This summer, I was invited on the book tour for “The Second Mrs. Strom”, and I really enjoyed it. I realized afterwards that it was a sequel to a book called “Best Day Ever” (which I finally purchased in the middle of reading this third book). As with the second book, this would be fine as a stand-alone, but it was great knowing a couple of the characters. I can’t wait for my copy of the first book in this series to arrive!

We know Cecelia from “The Second Mrs. Strom”, but she is a different person now. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband, Paul, is in prison, and she’s now dating Evan, who gave her a daughter she wasn’t trying for. Once she got pregnant, Evan became distant, and when Peyton was born, he didn’t seem to want to connect with his daughter. Once Cecelia finds out he’s been unfaithful, she kicks him out of her luxurious home and refuses to let him see their child.

The problem is, Cecelia has severe back pain, loves her daughter so much but never felt maternal or anticipated having a child, and doesn’t feel she can do this on her own. After a breakdown at a coffee shop, she meets Lizzie, who surprisingly lives right next door. Lizzie is a nanny for the Johnson family, but after the kids got older and Mr. Johnson got pervy, she was looking for a new job. When she realized how much Cecelia needed her help (and how much she’d be paid), she immediately quit, and moved in next door.

The two women get along great; they both love Peyton, and Lizzie loves living in the luxurious house on the ocean (at the Johnson house, she was relegated to the attic - not quite as nice as the guest suite she was given at Cecelia’s house). Soon though, Evan and his mother start to come around asking to see Peyton, Paul is released from prison, Cecelia starts getting threatening texts, and the entire situation becomes out of control. Cecelia doesn’t trust anyone; even Lizzie is worrying her, and she’s feeling like she’s the worst mom ever. This ends with a terrifying twist, then perfection. I can’t wait to read the first book of this group, since I enjoyed the other two so much - look for that review soon. 4.5 stars!

(Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me on this book tour. “What The Nanny Saw” will be released on November 13, 2024.)