This book was a slow burn. In the last third it was more fast paced to find out what happened. I enjoyed the suspense throughout and the questioning of everyone's behaviour and why. Then in the last third when it all came together full of twists and unexpected turns. I liked how the author brought it all to a close at the end. Would recommend.

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

Keeping secrets is a must...

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderlay again...oops, nope. Wrong book! But seriously, this one had modern day Daphne du Maurier vibes running through it. The author even got a mention here and there throughout. She was most definitely an inspiring factor for this tale.

Lily leaves her toxic relationship with Nick behind and flees to Cornwall when she sees a job for a nanny at Kewney Manor. The perfect solution, she can cut herself off from her old life and all that went with it and focus on moving forward. Only trouble is, she can't seem to leave him behind. Nick seems to be in her every thought or action...even in her new life.

The family she is working for - Charles and Laurie Rowe - seem like the perfect couple with the perfect family. They have two children, Bess and William, and Lily falls instantly in love with her new home. But then strange things begin to happen, as they inevitably do. And soon Lily begins to wonder what she's really got herself into. Where does Laurie disappear to at night in nothing but a robe? And why won't anyone tell her about the nanny before her? What happened to her? And is Charles too smooth?

There is an element of claustrophobia throughout making NANNY WANTED an atmospheric read. It is dark and compelling examining toxic and coercive relationships, mental health all wrapped up into nature versus nurture. It's deliciously dark and disturbing in parts with that hint of du Maurier.

I would like to thank #LizzyBarber, #Netgalley and #PanMacmillan for an ARC of #NannyWanted in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Thank you so much to the publicist for sending me an early review copy of this book
The book follows Lily, who has left a toxic relationship and her life behind, to become the new live in nanny at Kewney Manor.
On first impressions, this is the dream house and dream set up. But is all what it seems at the Manor…. did Lily really swap a complicated life for a safe life?
The author actually messaged me about this book that she was nervous about it going out to bloggers. I will repeat what I said to Lizzy that there is absolutely no need. This is a great book!
The claustrophobic tension the author creates between the pages is fantastic.
I was second guessing everything and had all sorts of theories running through my brain!
The book is dark, disturbing and creeping and will leave you reading until the early hours of the month to unravel the truth!
A big recommendation from me!
The book is released on 17 August

When Lily leaves her life in London to escape a troubled relationship, she starts a new life as a nanny in Cornwall. She feels incredibly lucky to have found a fresh start, however it soon becomes clear that the family are keeping dangerous secrets.

I could not put this book down.

It was completely addictive and I constantly found myself reading "just one more chapter". I absolutely loved the brilliant writing style. The plot was so dark and gripping that I was thoroughly invested in where the story was going.

Lizzy Barber has done a fantastic job at building tension throughout, with well-written characters that came to life on the page. The remote Cornish house setting was a perfect fit.

If you are a fan of Ruth Ware then you will definitely love Nanny Wanted.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

If you're looking for your next 'devour in one read' story about how the other half live in their mega-rich lives, look no further, Lizzy Barber has got you covered!

All of the elements of the story came together wonderfully in this pacey character-driven domestic thriller. I was completely taken aback by some of the plot twists which is always a great sign and was glued to the page from start to finish.

Lily is running away from her abusive ex-boyfriend Nick once and for all, and finds a great chance for a fresh start as a nanny in a remote country house in Cornwall. The house is idyllic, it has more rooms than you can count, staff everywhere to cover every domestic task, a family history that goes back for generations, first editions of classic books in the library, the works.

The owners of the house, old-money Charles and American incomer Laurie, along with their children Bess and William, are the most welcoming hosts, urging Lily to make herself at home and settle into her new life. Laurie is a bit isolated as a newcomer to the area, and her and Lily quickly become close, with Laurie even buying expensive outfits as gifts. Charles, in the meantime, is suave and debonair, complimenting Lily on her outfits and her opinions. As you read, you know that something is going to happen between Lily and at least one of them, just waiting for the moment that a lingering glance becomes a little bit more loaded.

The longer that Lily stays at Kewney Manor, the more that she starts to question the family's set-up, with some glimpses of Charles' violent temper and Laurie's stubborn behaviour. She spots fractures in their relationship and is keen to find out more about the family. Most of the couples' friends and neighbours are very discreet about what has happened in the past, leaving Lily to make her own enquiries.

There's a particularly awkward dinner party which left me giddy with second-hand embarrassment to read about, Im still cringing now! There's also an ex-nanny that no-one talks about, and a sexy young gardener Joss who sounds really rather dreamy!

The book sizzled with tension and mystery, with more intrigue in every chapter, particularly as the story developed and built towards its final reveal. A great beach read or book to take you into those autumnal reading moments.

I really struggled with this book as I felt the plot and storyline was really dragged out and slow that I couldn't really get invested in it. The twists at the end kind of made sense but since the build up wasn't particularly interesting I was sort of like oh okay. I'm not a fan of cheating which I didn't realise this book would have and I found the ending to make no sense as the book didn't read like it would end that way. Honestly, I was just glad when it was over.

This tense thriller is set in Cornwall, with a mysterious background about the main character. Lily takes on a seemingly pleasant job as a nanny for a wealthy family but quickly discovers that the family has dark secrets - and as she investigates these secrets she realises she is in more danger herself.

The author used a detailed style of writing which made this an enjoyable and entertaining read which I devoured in less than a day. I would definitely recommend this for fans for ‘The Housemaid’.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#netgalley #NannyWanted

3.5 stars rounded up.

When Lily finally leaves her toxic relationship. a job as a Nanny at Kewney Manor seems like the perfect solution. There, she can cut herself off from her old life and never have to see him again. The Rowes seem like a model family, and Lily can't help feeling that something isn't quite right. Why will nobody tell her about the Nanny before? Where does Laurie go at night? And what does Charles really want?

Filled with lots of drama, twists and an intriguing plotline. The story is told from Lily's perspective. Lily had moved from London to Cornwall to get away from a toxic relationship. She takes a job as a Nanny. It's also filled with mystery and suspense. This psychological thriller found a way to draw me in and keep me there. But, when something feels too good to be true, it's usually a warning sign. The tension builds and there's a creepy gothic feel to it. Some parts of the story are a bit predictable. The pace is really slow, so I took off half a star.

Lily sees her opportunity to get away from her super abusive boyfriend Nick when she answers a ‘Nanny Wanted’ advert for a job in idyllic and remote Cornwall. The Rowe’s appear to be the perfect family, living in ‘Kewney’ a glorious old mansion by the sea. Artistic Laurie the mum is friendly and beautiful, married to the charming Charles, and their two children are sweet and well behaved.
Lily relaxes into her new life in what appears to be the perfect place to hide. But she increasingly suspects that all is not as it seems under the roof of Kewney, with voices raised at night, slamming doors, Laurie’s mysterious night-time disappearances, and a pact of silence regarding the fate of the previous nanny.

The narrative flows, with well-formed characters and a gothic setting that provides the perfect atmosphere to accompany the mystery. Barber deliberately makes links to Daphne du Maurier and ‘Nanny Wanted’ certainly reminded me of all I love about du Maurier’s novels, including the twist at the end which provides a totally unexpected climax.

Lizzy escapes her abusive relationship and applies for a live-in nanny post at Kewney Manor - a remote Cornish mansion.
It’s the perfect solution to cut herself off from her old life and she is soon settled in with the charming Rose family - Laurie, Charles & their 2 children.
But it’s not all as it seems, where does Laurie go at night and why will nobody tell her about the nanny who came before her.
Creepy and very atmospheric, with a real sense of dread, leaving you on the edge of your seat.
Definitely giving you the Daphne Du Maurer vibes
Thanks @lizzybarber @panmacmillan & @netgalley for the eARC

Snakes and ladders ★★★☆☆

Fleeing from her abusive partner, Lily sees her new job as the Rowe’s nanny at Kewney Manor as a fresh start.

However, soon she becomes embroiled in Laurie and Charles’ games and seductions. Laurie is vulnerable and eccentric yet demanding and possessive. Both have dark pasts and even darker secrets.

As Lily becomes closer to the children, she must uncover the mysteries of the previous nanny and of Charles’s sister without exposing her own secrets as the stakes become more deadly.

A jealous and dangerous game of cat and mouse.

This is my second read by Lizzy Barber and I must say I love her writing style and story setting. Nanny Wanted is a psychological thriller that uses its setting to heighten the mystery and suspense. The characters have their shades of grey which makes it an interesting book.

Lilly is running away from a bad relationship in her new job as a nanny. But all isn't what it seems behind the facade of a perfect marriage and affluence. It makes you question the motives of all the characters and the secrets they are trying to hide. This is overall a good and interesting read that will keep you hooked.

Thank you Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

This is an entertaining read.
Lily moves from London and a toxic relationship to Cornwall and starts her job as a nanny. All seems well for a while but then Lily begins to suspect things are not quite what they seem. A very good intriguing read that kept me turning the pages.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A job at Kewney Manor is the tonic for Lily when she finally puts an end to a toxic relationship. It’s a case of out with the od and in with the new: a new job, a new location, a new way of living. But why won’t anyone tell her about her predecessor?

I would firstly to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review this book.

An instant intriguing premise started the story off well - a woman running from a secret, into a house that is obviously full of secrets.
However, while the story is well-written, and I definitely enjoyed this read overall; I had guessed the reveal long before it happened, so unfortunately there was no shocking ending.
But a read worth reading for sure.

Arghhh I really wanted to enjoy this book, and, at the start I did. However once it got 20% in I just found it dragged. Lily escapes to Cornwall after leaving an abusive relationship to be. a nanny. But the mother is odd, keeps wandering off, the father follows a cliche of fancying the nanny, but what is it all really about? Lily knows there is something wrong but nobody will tell her, or tell her about the previous nanny. I just didn't like the characters or the style of writing, that's just my personal opinion. Others may like it.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #PanMacmillan for an #ARC of #NannyWanted.
Told through the perspective of Lily, a woman who needs to get away from London and takes a nanny position in Cornwall, this booms starts well. However as the chapters went on I found it a bit of a chore to keep reading. The story didn't really flow and I didn't find there to be 'shocks' or 'twists' in the book. Not sure if I would recommend this one.

Lily, running away from a bad relationship, starts a job as a nanny for Laurie and Charles at their large home in a remote Cornish setting. After she has started, something feels off to Lily and as time goes on she begins to realise that maybe things are more dangerous than she first thought.

This was a slow burn of a novel, slowly ramping up the tension and suspense. There was definitely a creepy, gothic undertone and it did give me ‘Rebecca’ vibes. Although well written, I had to get used to some parts of the writing style. I found overall that the book was compelling and mysterious, although some parts were a bit predictable. One part did surprise me though! Overall a good read, just slightly too much of a slow burn for me at this moment in time. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy in return for an honest review.

Lily escapes aa abusive relationship with Nick in London and vows that she will never be controlled again. She wants to start a new life away from where people know her. So, she decides to take a job as a Nanny in a remote part of Cornwall at Kewney Manor.
The owners Charlie and Laurie Rowe and their children Bessie and William at first glance at typical upper-class family who have loads of friends and hold dinner parties. They are very generous Laurie buys her clothes to wear at these parties. But underneath the surface there are not as they seem, and they hold a lot of secrets. Especially about Lily’s predecessor who just disappeared overnight.
Thank you, Pan Mac Millan, for a copy of The Nanny by Lizzy Barber. When I first read the blurb for this, I found this to be really intriguing. But when I started reading. I found this to be slow and I thought it took forever for the story to get going. There was a lot of twists in this story but, for me personally I found them quite predicable. 3 stars.

Determined to put a toxic relationship behind her, Lily decides to take a new job in Cornwall, as a nanny with the Rowe family. At least, she figures, that way she can leave her past mistakes where they belong - firmly in the past.

Arriving at her new workplace, she is charmed by her employers, Charles and Laurie Rowe. Laurie's generosity in giving Lily her lightly used designer clothing simply seals an already sweet deal.

But, as Lily slowly begins to realise, things are not quite as they seem. Charles and Laurie's perfect marriage is far from perfect - as the late night fights she overhears indicate.

And why will nobody tell her what happened to her predecessor? As Lily's concerns multiply, she is beginning to worry - with some justification - that she may have jumped from the discomfort of the frying fan straight into the fire...

Definitely a slow-burn thriller as the first half of the story unfolds, things significantly pick up speed in the second half. The author delivers twists galore in this well-plotted offering, and readers will find plenty to enjoy.