This book totally gripped me right from the beginning. It reminded me of both The Girl on the Train, and The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, with its themes of parenting, gaslighting and stealing someone elses life.

I loved the dual POV telling of the story, with each chapter revealing a little more of the secrets the two women carry. I haven't read the first book in this series, and this one hints at things that happen but I don't feel anything we missing as a result. I am going to read the previous book though.

I have to admit that I had guessed a lot of the twists before they were revealed, but I still raced through the book, desperate to see if I was correct or not.

Thank you @bookouture and @kairarouda for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I first met PAUL STROM and his wife CECILIA in THE SECOND MRS. STROM. Paul and Cecilia were celebrating their first wedding anniversary in Paris, but they both had a few tricks up their sleeves, and their special night did not go as planned.

This book (which can be read as a stand-alone) takes place a few years later. Cecilia has control of Paul’s fortune and she doesn’t spare a dime as she owns a lavishly decorated mansion and all the beautiful clothes and jewelry money can buy. Cecilia also has a new baby with her partner Evan. But when Cecilia discovers Evan has been unfaithful, she kicks him out. Left alone with a baby, Cecilia knows she needs help.

LIZZIE is the nanny next door and she has her eye on Cecilia. She quickly inserts herself into Cecilia’s life, and soon she is the nanny to Cecilia’s beloved daughter, Peyton. But Lizzie snoops, steals, and gradually transforms herself into a Cecilia look-alike.

The story is told through the alternating perspectives of Cecilia and Lizzie. Cecilia, formerly a self-centered gold digger, redeems herself in this book with her love for Peyton. Lizzie also has her own vulnerabilities. It is interesting to read from both perspectives. As the suspense gradually builds, the reader becomes uncertain about which character to trust. Though this book is described as a psychological thriller, I would describe it as psychological suspense, as there are no murders. However, this is an entertaining read.

This one pulls you in early, hinting at something nefarious behind the scenes.

This is book three of her Strom series, though you can read them as standalone novels. I haven’t read the first two and still enjoyed this standalone story, but I’m sure reading the first two provides so much information about many of the characters.

Things I loved: short chapters, dual POV, good pacing, totally bingeable popcorn thriller

Things I didn’t love as much: some repetitive writing at times, no big twist or reveal, and the characters themselves (though I think that’s on purpose! You love to hate them 😅)

Thank you Bookouture for the ARC and spot on the tour in exchange for my honest review.

Lizzie doesn’t want to be a nanny forever. Cecelia and her daughter Peyton could just be her way in to a new life. But Cecelia has plans of her own.

A fast-paced domestic thriller in the style of The Housemaid and The Last Mrs Parrish with characters you love to hate in a setting only fit for the über rich. Or those who strive to be.

Another Kaira Rouda winner, this girl cannot be stopped. She just lays down the best novels time and time again. I had read the Second Mrs Storm a few weeks ago and I was so excited when a friend told me the sequel was up on NetGalley. I raced over there and requested this book and I’m so happy I was able to read an early copy. I still had the first book fresh in my mind. I do this this one can be a stand alone, it does pick up where the first book left off but you don’t need to read the first to be able to enjoy this one.

This story follows the Nancy Lizzie and Cecelia (the Second Mrs Storm) as we discover Cecelia has a newborn and she desperately needs help figuring out how to navigate the sleep schedules, finding herself and having someone show her the ropes or what to do. I found myself routing for Cecelia in this one and eeek watch out for that Lizzie! There are hints from page one that she is not all that she seems.

My only critique would be about how the book handled the money that Cecelia has. It doesn’t add up for me from how the first book presented her wealth. I don’t want to write any spoilers but overall i felt the book needed a stronger reason to make that a storyline then what was written.

Go read this one!

This is a gripping thriller! All throughout the story, I was trying to guess who was telling the truth and who was lying. Enjoyed this twisty tale!

WOW! This book had me unable to put it down. I could not stop turning pages and needing to know what was going to happen with Cecilia and Peyton and how would the nanny fit into that story. I could see the twists coming but I did not see how they would play out.

The nanny, Lizzie, was a character that from the beginning I knew that she would be a unique character. I knew that she would be a character that would keep me on my toes knowing that there was more to her than meets the eye. I liked her from the beginning. She is a character that I hope there is more from in future books.

I love that this is a standalone book but Cecilia had hew own book, The Second Mrs. Strom, so that made her a familiar character to me. This book does not really start where the first took off but there are a few references to things that happen in that book.

I really enjoyed this book. A gripping psychological thriller. First time reading @kairarouda and won’t be my last. Even though this is book #2 of Family Secrets series it can also be read as a standalone as you get enough back story to follow along easily.
I was hooked from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down.
It’s brilliantly written with great twists that keep you turning the pages and an intriguing storyline with unreliable and unlikeable characters that are all keeping secrets. It just keeps you guessing.
I liked the authors writing style with the chapters alternating between Cecilia and Lizzie’s POV’s which adds depth to the story. I liked the letters aspect too.
Overall, a fast paced, fun easy read. Definitely recommend as it’s well worth the read if you enjoy this genre.
With thanks to #NetGallery @bookouture for an arc of #WhatTheNannySaw in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 13 November 2024.

Huge thank you to Bookouture for the gifted book!

This was Book 2 of Family Secrets series! I also read and thoroughly enjoyed book one, The Second Mrs. Strom, and while it was nice to have the background information, I didn't remember too much about it and was just fine with the information in this book. If you wanted to read this one without reading Book 1, you will still enjoy it!

Overall, this was the fun and bonkers ride I have come to expect from Kaira Rouda books. I love that her books are quick and easy to binge and they always are able to get me out of a reading slump.

While they may not always be the most believable, they are guaranteed to be entertaining, and sometimes that's all you want out of a popcorn thriller!

3.5 stars rounded up for GR!

Tense, gripping and deeply unsettling. This book plays brilliantly on the insecurities of the early stages of motherhood, when you’re sleep deprived, unsure if you’re doing the right things and about your capabilities to care for another helpless human being. This coupled with a traumatised past and domestic abuse to the nth degree (he tried to murder her) it couldn’t get more wobbly if it tried. The knight in shining armour in the shape of a nanny, is definitely not all that she seems, albeit with her own tragic and messed up past and then it just gets more and more terrifying. I could almost feel a big cloud of doom and disaster hovering right over me.
I didn’t actually like any of the characters, too many flaws and selfishness a plenty but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. I guessed a few of the little twists and turns but, again, that wasn’t a problem. My only (slight) disappointment was that it seemed to wind up in a bit of a hurry and left it feeling a bit unfinished for me. A great psychological thriller nonetheless.

A good read…was expecting a big twist but it never really happened. There were a few twists and the characters are all crazy! Paul is back with his insane, taunting personality. Lizzie is trying to find her way but definitely has an agenda! Cecelia is a greedy, manipulative biotch but karma has a way of catching up with her. A good read that will keep your attention.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the complimentary copy.

4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars.

This is the 3rd book in the Paul Strom series, and I think it's my favorite one so far! I don't usually stay up past my bedtime reading, but I certainly did with this book!

None of the characters are likeable, but that just kept me turning the pages to see what trouble they got into next. This books is very fast paced, and I enjoyed all of the twists that I didn't see coming. I would say this book could be read as a standalone, but I think it's more enjoyable knowing the background and tension of the characters.

I literally LOVE everything Kaira writes. This one had me unable to put my kindle down. The plot twists were great & the storyline kept me wanting to know more. I look forward to reading her next one!

Lizzie is a nanny for the rich Johnson family looking after three children who are incredibly spoiled and ungrateful. She is at her wits end and considers looking for a new family to work for, determined that this next family will be the right fit.
We also follow Cecelia, who is a new mother to Peyton. She seems overjoyed by her new daughter but is struggling with back pain and the fact her partner has been increasingly absent since the birth of their daughter. She wants out of the relationship since he doesn’t do anything to help, but she has a job which she loves at his company and she’s worried about losing it. I could really relate with Cecelia’s feelings of being overwhelmed and exhausted after having a baby. It bought back so many memories and feelings after I had my own child. I think anyone who’s had children could relate to this character.

What I found really compelling about this story, is that I didn’t fully trust either of the main characters, Lizzie or Cecelia. They both had some demons and secrets from the past. The whole way through the book I couldn’t quite make up my mind about which one was the character that was up to something.
What I didn’t realise until I read the authors acknowledgements at the end is that this book, whilst entirely capable of being read as a standalone, is actually a continuation of sorts from Cecelia and her previous partner Paul. It’s definitely a book I will be seeking out to add some background to these characters from this book.

It’s a bit of a slow burn this one, but it creates a tense atmosphere which makes it hard to put down. I would recommend for anyone that likes a domestic thriller vibe in their reads. I feel there are some further twists this book could take as well so I’d be interested to see if there is a follow on book from this.

This is third book in the Best Day Ever series. Cecilia is back!!! A domestic thriller you can’t put down!! This can be read as a standalone.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kaira Road can do no wrong in my eyes. I always look forward to reading her latest and greatest. Her writing has a way of pulling you in with the first sentence, and not letting going until the last.

This book picks up after the wild events in The Second Mrs. Strom with Cecilia still recovering from her almost fatal fall thanks to her husband Paul. She has a new life and a new baby, and is falling apart. Crazy comes in the form of a new nanny, Lizzie. Just when I think the characters can’t get any more unstable I am proved wrong. I went back and forth on how to fell about Lizzie. Her tragic past rules her decision making/craziness, but at the same time I felt sorry for her. Don’t miss this one when it comes out next month!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #WhatTheNannySaw by #KairaRouda. I couldn’t put this book down and loved bed all the drama and suspense. In this Family Series book, Cecelia has had a baby with her new boyfriend, Evan. She is in desperate need of help since Evan never has time to pitch in at all. She hires a nanny, Lizzy, to help with her baby girl, Peyton. But it seems that the nanny is as great as she thought. She has let her into their lives and now her baby is missing. Who took her and why?

Bestselling Author Kaira Rouda (long-time favorite) and queen of dark humor returns with her popular Family Secrets series and the devilish Paul Strom following The Second Mrs. Strom, and Best Day Ever with her latest scandalous adventure, WHAT THE NANNY SAW —an addictive psychological domestic suspense thriller and a wicked game of cat-and-mouse that will have you on the edge of your seat from page one to the end.

Will someone be able to outsmart Cecilia? The answer lies within the pages of this gripping tale that will keep you guessing!

About...

We pick up from the last book with Cecilia (The Second Mrs. Strom) from Palm Beach. She is still in Malibu, with a new home on the beach. She is beautiful, has money, and has a beautiful baby. She is alive after Paris. She will get back to her art and her normal life.

However, due to the unfortunate accident in Paris (due to Paul), she has severe back problems that worsened during labor, and she needs help taking care of the baby, Peyton. She is overwhelmed, in pain, lack of sleep, and exhausted.

The father (Evan) proves not to be very dependable or helpful and is now having an affair. Five months with an absentee dad. First Paul, now Evan. Cecilia decides she will make it alone after her life has been upended, and she is almost at the end of her rope. But she has made it, and now Evan needs to go.

Paul is in prison, but somehow, he is communicating with her. She cannot seem to get rid of him. Will he be released soon and come after her for revenge and money?

Enter a perfect set-up. Two women meet (not so random) at a coffee shop in Malibu. One is Cecilia. The other appears to be a natural helper, a nanny (Lizzie) looking for a new position. A step up in life with a dream to create. And one day, a loving family of her own. After all, they need one another. But both women are hiding secrets and will do whatever it takes to protect the life of their dreams.

ANYTHING...

My Thoughts...

“Wildly entertaining! Diabolically twisted, a wicked game of cat and mouse domestic thriller infused with Kaira's signature deliciously dark humor.”

Kaira Rouda is fabulous! Anything she writes is a gem. She is one of my all-time favorite authors. I have read all her books and am anxiously awaiting the next. No one does dark humor and domestic thrillers better. She keeps you laughing and guessing.

WHAT THE NANNY SAW is yet another devilish, wicked, fun tale!! Darkly comedic, twisty, and entertaining. From Juicy secrets, lies, betrayal, stalking, and more.

Kaira keeps you turning the pages with her funny banter and the characters' attempts to outdo one another with their devious schemes and gaslighting. Cecilia needs to stay on her toes with Paul, Evan, Marian, and Lizzie.

Has Cecilia finally met her match? Can she trust The Nanny, and what is her end game? Who has Peyton? The answers to these questions are as unpredictable as the story itself, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

I am hoping for more in the series! Cannot wait.

Recs...

For fans of the author (be sure to read her backlist) and those who enjoy humor with their dark, edgy thrillers! Also, for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Miranda Rijks, and Jenova Rose.

Blog Tour

Join me on my blog on November 13 (pub day) for Bookouture Books-on-Tour Stop to learn more about Kaira and What the Nanny Saw.
PS Bonus: Check out (Three) Fun & fascinating #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A Rides with Kaira (The Palms, The Widow, and The Favorite Daughter).

Thanks to Bookouture for a gifted, advanced reading copy via NetGalley for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Nov 13, 2024
My Rating: 5 STARS
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A solid popcorn thriller and a sequel to The Second Mrs. Strom, this book explores the challenges faced by a new mom with a mostly absent partner. The story gives insight into Cecilia’s struggles, though the unreliable nanny trope feels a bit repetitive, and the twists are fairly predictable—I found myself guessing most of them before they were revealed. The chapters alternate between Cecilia and Lizzie’s perspectives in a third-person narration, adding depth but not quite enough shock value. While it may not be gasp-worthy, it’s an easy, quick read with enough intrigue to keep you turning the pages.

Another great read by Kaira Rouda! Packed with great tension and thrills, I had no idea who to trust. Great characters that had me flipping pages long past my bedtime. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Thank you NetGalley, Kaira Rouda and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.