3.5 stars

Best Day Ever will always be a favorite of mine. I love to hate Paul Strom. While he is in this new story, it is very little.

Cecilia has a new baby with her soon to be ex, Evan. She needs help caring for her daughter so when she meets Lizzie, a nanny, for the next-door neighbors, it seems to be perfect.

But we all know it's not.

That's where this got a little bit repetitive for me. I feel like I have read this storyline, or something very similar, before. A nanny who is not who she seems, unreliable narrators, and over the top events. You definitely have to suspend disbelief, but it's a quick, easy read.

Make sure you at least read the second book in this series (The Second Mrs. Strom) before this book to completely enjoy it.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is classic Kaira Rouda, a fun, over-the-top, domestic thriller! The author gives us a host of unlikeable characters to pick through and a couple of ambiguous ones as well. Because of that, we are just waiting to see who the bad guy turns out to be!

Facts:
• Lizzie was unappreciated in her job with the Johnson's.
• Cecelia desperately needed help with her 5 month old, because her back injury prevented her from basic care.
• Cecelia is generous but naive.
• Paul, her husband who is in prison for attempted murder (of her), is a bad guy.

Needs context:
• Lizzie is an excellent nanny.
• Evan (Cecelia's) partner and Peyton's father, loves Peyton and cares about Cecelia.

Even though they are on my TBR, I didn't realize Best Day Ever and The Second Mrs. Strom are book 1 and 2 in the series, respectively, but it didn't matter, because Rouda describes enough background to make this book a standalone.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Books-on-Tour for an advance reader's copy.

How can so many bad people come together time and time again? I did figure out one of the (many) twists early. That just meant I could follow along as things fell apart? Fell together? I guess it matters how you look at things. In the end I think we need to start a GoFundMe for Peyton’s future therapy or criminal defense. That child is gonna need it!

very much a popcorn thriller. A lot of aspects felt a bit unrealistic or unworkable, but in general pretty good. 3.5 rounded down. tysm for the arc.

After looking at some of the other reviews it seems like this is book three in a series. I wasn't aware of that, but it can survive as a standalone. I read a lot of thriller books (over 100 this year) and this felt like a proper thriller to me.

I liked the letters aspect although the 'older woman' comment gave away who he was writing too. Before that, it was more ambiguous like it could have been the nanny. I started not to like the nanny's character towards the end (some of her dialogue wasn't really believable I guess).

Overall though it is a nice quick read, although slightly predictable toward the end. If I had read the preceding books I might think differently but give it a solid 4.

Everyone at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse loves to hate Paul Strom, and I was excited to see what he could get into in the third book in the series by Kaira Rouda. What the Nanny Saw focuses on Cecilia Strom, Paul’s second wife, who last we saw her, was pushed off the roof of a building in Paris. Five years later, she is living in Malibu with a new baby. After catching her boyfriend cheating, she decides she needs help taking care of her daughter, Peyton, so she hires a nanny, Lizzie.

Rouda delivers an intriguing, page-turning popcorn thriller that navigates themes of privilege, deceit, and the dark undercurrents of wealth. I was excited to delve into Cecelia’s life again, and I thought Rouda gave a realistic depiction on the struggles of motherhood.

Lizzie, the nanny, was an interesting character. I liked how Rouda included pieces of her past throughout the book, as this showed us her true character. I could tell something was off about her, and I loved how it all came together in the end.

While Paul Strom is mentioned in this book he isn’t the main character. This book focuses on Cecelia, but don’t worry, you still get a crazy story with some unlikeable characters. You can read this as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading Best Day Ever and The Second Mrs. Strom first to get some backstory.

Overall, I enjoyed What the Nanny Saw. The pacing is brisk, keeping the reader hooked until the very last page, though at times, you will need to suspend all disbelief and the plot twists can feel slightly predictable for seasoned thriller enthusiasts. Nonetheless, Rouda’s storytelling and her knack for suspense make this a highly engaging read.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Kaira Rouda is the queen of creating vile characters. Those kind of characters you hate, but totally love hating them. She definitely keeps her crown with this one.
She is truly unmatched in this sub genre.

This was addictive and so faced, I guarantee you'll devour it!

Kaira Rouda has done it again with What the Nanny Saw! This thriller kept me on the edge of my seat with its shocking twists and turns. Rouda masterfully crafts a chilling narrative where nothing is quite as it seems, pulling readers into a web of suspense and dark secrets.

The protagonist’s obsession with Cecilia, her "perfect" employer, reveals layer after layer of buried truths that are both unsettling and addictive. As the story unfolds, the tension mounts, and I found myself engrossed in every detail, wondering just how far this nanny was willing to go. Rouda’s writing pulls you in so deeply that you start feeling as if you, too, are keeping all her secrets.

If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page, What the Nanny Saw is a fantastic pick!

This was a fun and twisy story. I haven't read the other books in this series, but I feel this worked well as a stand-alone. a definite recommend

thanks publisher and netgalley. all thoughts are my own

I have read and enjoyed a couple of Rouda’s books, so when I had the chance to read What The Nanny Saw for a book tour, I was excited!

This one grabbed me instantly and kept me turning pages. I loved the idea of the good-nanny-but-bad-person character (Lizzie). Her whole backstory was intriguing and her new life was even more interesting than that. She was fun to read!

Sometimes, the book just felt like I was hanging out with very rich friends by the pool, or shopping, or gossiping in the kitchen. That’s how great the characterization was in this one!

The ending was anticlimactic and fell flat for me. I was really hoping that, with as crazy as the story got, there would be a better twist or at least a surprise, but I had figured it out long before the half-way mark of the book.

Still worth the read!

This was a fun and twisy one! I believe this is the third book in a series. I haven't read the other books, but I feel this worked well as a stand-alone. You get enough of the back story to follow along. Lizzie was an unreliable character. She wasn't always likable, but you could partly understand why because of her past. I had a hard time putting this book down and will be going back to read the other books in the series!

This book is getting lots of raves over at The Pulse @thrillerbookloversthepulse, and for good reason!

Thanks, @netgalley and @bookouture, for the #gifted e-arc!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. This one was a roller coaster ride of emotions and I didnt want to get off! Very well told plot and story and character building. I enjoyed this book

Add this title to your to be read list if you like twisty thrillers about coveting another person’s life. Lizzie seems like the solution to Cecilia’s struggle to balance life with the new baby. Lizzie has experience and she is just so helpful. On the surface Lizzie is great but why is she always taking pictures of herself and the baby? Is Lizzie just being helpful or is there something else going on? Add in an ex in jail for crimes that injured Cecilia and the baby daddy that is no help at all and it is the setup for a book that grabs hold of the reader and takes them on a twisty ride. This is part 3 in a series but I read it as a standalone and thoroughly enjoyed it. Many of the characters were delightfully unlikeable and I kept wondering what they would do next. The twists kept me guessing and with so many things going on I was engaged until the very last page.

This electrifying thriller grips you right from the opening pages and doesn't let go until the shocking conclusion. Kaira Rouda has truly nailed it!

The array of ultra-wealthy characters is a rollercoaster of emotions. Cecelia stands out as a breath of fresh air among the cast that you love to hate. Despite her fortune, she radiates kindness and generosity, having faced her fair share of struggles that make her stand out.

Then there's Lizzy, the overworked and underappreciated nanny. She endures the snobbish tantrums of entitled teens, and just when it seems she might find a glimmer of happiness with Cecelia, those ominous red flags start waving furiously.

Kaira Rouda masterfully crafts intricate and compelling characters that leave you craving more! The ending of "What the Nanny Saw" isn't neatly resolved, and I'm hoping for a sequel to unravel the mysteries that still linger. I know Cecelia has more secrets waiting to be uncovered!

A big shoutout to the author and Bookouture for the gifted copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!

#WhattheNannySaw #KairaRouda #Bookouture #sBOOKtober2024 #capcut #bookish #lovetoread #readmorebooks #bookishlife #bookaddict #bookworms #booksbooksbooks #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #thrillerbooklovers #bookreviewer #thepulse #pulsepoint #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMeTeam #lovetoread #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #readers

Thank you so much Booktouture for the early release copy of What the Nanny Saw by Kiara Rouda. This was my first book by this author but definitely won’t be my last! I enjoyed this popcorn thriller and read it in about a day.

The plot was intriguing as were the characters and kept me guessing for a while. I did figure out the final twist but even though I figured it out I still enjoyed the build up to the big reveal.

Unreliable narrators , unhinged female characters , revenge , and deception are some of my favorite themes and trope in a thriller and this one had them all!

This book releases November 13th definitely add it to your tbr!

What the Nanny Saw is a quick, multi-POV, psychological thriller following Cecilia’s new stage of life – motherhood.
It’s important to note that this is the 3rd book in the series, starting with Best Day Ever and followed by The Second Mrs. Storm.

I wasn’t aware that this book was part of a series. Although some reviews stated that it could be read as a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend it.
There’s a tragic event in Paris mentioned repeatedly from the previous book (I think). While it provides enough information about what happened, I can’t help but feel I would’ve connected more if I had read the previous book in the first place.

The characters are not very likeable; in fact, one of them become quite unreliable as the story goes.
I didn’t know who to trust, who’s telling the truth or if it was just Cecilia’s paranoia.
This left me with many questions while reading, which was quite fun.

The last few chapters felt rushed and the twists are pretty predictable. Despite this, I still quit enjoy this psychological thriller drama.

I think I would’ve liked this book better if I had read the previous books. Cause then I would’ve had better understanding of the whole situation especially regarding the Paris tragedy and Cecilia’s ex-husband, Paul.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Domestic abuse, manipulation, psychological manipulation

2.5 stars

For me this one didn't work. I thought I was going to like it and the beginning looked promising, but later the book got a bit boring. I wanted to know more about Lizzie and have more things happening in the book. I feel like everything was wrapped up soon at the ending and that it was missing more excitement.

Thank you for the free ARC!

Cecilia! Cecilia! She has it all but motherhood is starting to take a toll on her. Her body is still a mess from her fall in Paris and it is tiring having a baby! If she could just find someone to help her a little bit, then things would be great. When a random stranger offers to help at the coffee shop, it seems things are lining up. Lizzie is looking for a new nanny job as the family she is currently with, the kids are pretty much grown. As things all check out, Cecilia takes on Lizzie. It seems too good to be true at first. Lizzie knows just what they both need and Cecilia has nothing to worry about. But then there seems to be some odd signs and Cecilia, even with the help of Lizzie is still just so worn out and tired all the time. What is happening? Wanting to get back to being there for Peyton more, Cecilia gives Lizzie some time off. When she awakes from a longer than anticipated nap, she finds Peyton is missing. Who took her baby? As she works to untangle the web of who is being taking her daughter and what they want, she fears who might be behind it all. She also will do everything and anything in her power to get her daughter back. This was another great book in the Strom series. Thank you to the author for the complementary ebook. Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse has loved this series from the first book!

I just recently listened to The Second Mrs. Strom. I was delighted to see that Cecelia and Paul’s story continued. He played a very small part in this outing so I wasn’t able to chuckle at his ego, but I did get to see what happens to Cecelia after the wild ending of the previous book. While it is book 2 in the series and I easily think it can be read as a stand alone, it will spoil book one if you are planning to read it.

Cecelia has a daughter and is in need of a nanny and basically poaches one from her neighbors. She has a lot going on and is still healing from Paris, dealing with the breakup of her last relationship which is tied into her job, and is raising her daughter Peyton.

The author is known for her popcorn thrillers with their twisty plots, fast pace and generally unlikable characters. I was wondering if Lizzie was maybe going to break the mold. She thinks highly of herself, but seemed competent and did a good job taking care of young Peyton.

I binge read this one and spent a lot of time trying to determine what the twist could be. Maybe I should write a twisty thriller because I came up with so many ideas and not a one was right.

It’s another entertaining, bingeable read that kept me guessing up until the very end.

This was the sequel to The Second Mrs Strom, the third in this series. In this one we follow Cecelia (from book 2) as she tries to move on from the events in Paris. She has a new baby girl and a partner who isn't helping her at all. She kicks him out and hires a nanny to help while she recovers from some injuries. Only the nanny isn't the nice, helpful lady she made out she was.

I actually didn't realise this was part of the series when I signed up to read this one, so I'm glad I'd already read the first two books. It is definitely important to read both before reading this.
I genuinely felt so stressed reading this, because we all know what happens when someone hires a nanny in a thriller. I was absolutely glued to this one and I really hope there's another book coming, because this series is nowhere near ready to end.