In "The Au Pair" by Jane Renshaw, I regretfully rate it 1 star with a DNF (Did Not Finish). Despite my attempt to engage with the story, I found the characters, especially Alice, to be unlikeable. The author's attempt to portray her innocence came across as cringey, with an excessive use of exclamation points that felt forced rather than quirky. Melanie, initially promising, also fell short of being a likable character. The inconsistent behavior of the mother resembled a pattern seen in another book, "Housemaid." Despite my initial efforts, nothing in the first 25% of the book captured my attention enough to continue the journey.

This book was very gripping, and I enjoyed it from the moment I read the first page! Looking forward to more great books by this author in the future.