4.25stars-WHAT THE NANNY SAW is the second instalment in Kaira Rouda’s contemporary, adult FAMILY SECRETS suspense thriller set in the author’s BEST DAY EVER world. WHAT THE NANNY SAW focuses on Cecilia Strom, her estranged husband Paul; ex baby daddy Evan, and the nanny Lizzie.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Cecila and Lizzie) WHAT THE NANNY SAW pulls the reader back into the life of Cecilia Strom. At the end of THE SECOND MRS STROM, Cecilia found herself struggling to heal in the wake of a near death experience. Starting anew, Cecilia is now a mother but her most recent significant other is often absent or in the arms of someone else. Battling her own demons, Cecilia will meet her neighbor’s nanny Lizzie, who offers her expertise to Cecilia in the face of Cecilia’s own apparent inabilities to do it all but Cecilia finds herself at odds with the new nanny, and begins to realize, all is not as it appears to be.

WHAT THE NANNY SAW is another dark and dramatic thriller of secrets and lies, obsession and madness, betrayal and vengeance, power and control. We learn a little bit about Lizzie’s history, and the who and what that is the local nanny. Kaira Rouda pulls the reader into a tragic and melodramatic saga with characters as unlikable as they are deceiving and disturbing, conniving and conspiratorial.



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I had a hard time rating this book, I was between a 3 and a 4 star for me but ultimately I went with a 3. From the beginning, I was INTO this book, I went to bed thinking about all the ways it could play out and there was so many details and ways it could have been. I found myself thinking randomly about this book which would normally leave me giving a higher review BUT the very ending, oh the ending, it just kind of fell flat for me. The entire book even leading up to the ending was great, fabulous even, but that very last bit just let me down. It would definitely not deter me from reading more of Kaira Roudas work, in fact I'm very intrigued to read more of her work, especially knowing there are more books with these very characters. I do recommend this book and I know a lot of others do not have the same opinion on the end as me and I really think her writing style and the wondering of how this all plays out is masterful.

RATING: 4.5/5

This twisty thriller was everything! When I saw there was an opportunity to read Kaira’s newest book…& then I read the synopsis…I was in! This is the third book in the series & I now plan to go back & read the first two. It is able to be read as a standalone though. I’m so glad all my friends at @thrillerbookloversthepulse put me onto this series! It was everything you’d want & expect. This book is making me second guess everything! I was speed reading & completely enthralled with Cecilia’s past & all her secrets. Lizzie was such a captivating character as well. There were so many amazing plot twists that kept me reading into the night! Privilege & deceit make for quite the novel.

Reading in Between the Wines book review #116/130 for 2024:
Book Tour
Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: What the Nanny Saw
Author: Kaira Rouda
Available now!!!

Sipping thoughts: Have you ever read a book where the main characters are all so unlikable that you must root for the lesser of two evils? This is how I felt reading the dual POVs from Cecilia and Lizzie. I went into this book, not even realizing that it was connected to the Strom books. I accepted this book tour based on it being written by the phenomenal author Kaira Rouda. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and even figured out a few parts. I hope this isn’t the last I’ve heard of Strom’s and all of their shenanigans.

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @Bookouture for an advanced copy of @WhatTheNannySaw.

#WhatTheNannySaw #KairaRouda #Bookouture #NetGalley #ARC #advancedreader #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

I didn't realise before I started reading this that it was the third book in a series and I wish I had read those first! I don't feel like I needed to but I always think it's adds more background to the story.

Cecelia is a wealthy woman who has a five month old baby with her partner Evan. She throws him out after having enough of his laziness when it comes to looking after their daughter Peyton and finding out that he is having an affair with someone at work.

Cecelia was previously married to Paul, who is currently imprisoned, and he has now reached out to her via letter. I believe the previous two novels focus more on him so I will definitely be going back and reading those!

Meanwhile, Lizzie is the nanny for the Johnsons who live next door to Cecelia. Their children are teens and preteens and Lizzie is fed up with their spoiled attitudes and how the Johnson parents treat her. She has been watching Cecelia, eager for a nanny job with her and is delighted when Cecelia finally contacts her offering her the role of Peyton's nanny.

I remember reading Favourite Daughter by Kaira Rouda back in 2019 and I loved it. I felt the same reading What The Nanny Saw. Rouda is fantastic at popcorn thrillers, I flew through the pages, gripped from the beginning. I love unreliable narrators and dark female characters, add the amount of tension and you have a great thriller. I would definitely recommend!

After the devastating events in Paris, Cecilia (Cece) starts her life over. She now has a baby and a new man by her side. Paul is in jail, but Cece can't shake off her paranoia—perhaps she has a good reason to be paranoid.

Exhausted and battling a back injury, Cece desperately needs a nanny to help care for baby Peyton. Luckily, Lizzie is excellent with the baby and grateful for the job opportunity.

Tragedy and trauma have changed Cecilia, making her feel like a completely different person. This was the only aspect of the book that I didn't enjoy. I miss the old Cece.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with a free copy of this book.

What the Nanny Saw is a quick read. I did not realize it was part of a series when I first picked it up. I am curious to read the other books in the series. I do think it works as a standalone because the important events of the other books are referenced regularly.

The book is written in short chapters and with multiple points of view. This makes it very easy to keep reading. I was not fond of some of the ways Cecelia behaved and rolled my eyes a few times. Actually, none of the characters were particularly likeable.

You do have to suspend belief for several things - in particular the timeline doesn’t fully work (commercial real estate transactions do not occur in 2 days). The story does not necessarily have major or killer twists but it is still an engaging read.

The book started very strong and it wasn’t necessarily able to sustain the energy the entire way. However, if you are a fan of thrillers and especially if you like a series then I think you should definitely check out this series.

This is my first book by this author and I look forward to reading more of her work.

What The Nanny Saw by Kaira Rouda
#whatthenannysaw
#kairarouda
Rating 3.5 stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 rounded up
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Lizzie is a nanny. She wants another job. The mother day drinks, and the father hits on her, asking her to join his naked pool parties
Cecilia just had a baby 5 months ago
She's exhausted. Evan doesn't help her with the baby. In fact, Evan is cheating, and she has just thrown him out. She can do this by herself. Although forgetful and tired, she's got this right.
Lizzie and Cecilia meet by chance. Now, Lizzie works for Cecilia taking care of her baby instead of working for the Johnsons
Lizzie and Cecilia are becoming quite close
This is just what Cecilia needed now that she has put Evan out of the house and is getting on with becoming the person she was before she became a mother
Cecilia seems to be sleepy all the time, but it's okay because Lizzie is like a sister to her and will take care of the baby
Lizzie wants what Cecilia has. She has even started taking pictures of the baby and dresses herself and the baby alike as if the baby is hers
Cecilia is too tired to notice her life and jewelry slowly slipping away right in front of her

What The Nanny Saw had great twist and turns. The build up and how each chapter gave you just a little bit more of the mystery to try and figure out was great. There was a certain part that I thought I knew but not until maybe the last 70 pages found out I was wrong. It has great suspense with a little added spice of creepy with always thinking someone is watching. The writing style was so good I was able to read this book in one day, I didn't want to put it down. I also really liked the dual point of views and alternating chapters with each person adding to the build up.

📱E-Book Review📱

What The Nanny Saw
Kaira Rouda

🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is the first book that I've read by this author and so wasn't sure what to expect - but from the cover image and title, I was sure that this would be a great read to fit my usual genre.

It actually took me a little while to get into this one and the first few chapters felt as though I was playing catch up and had missed a previous book.
This definitely wasn't a full-on recap, but there were too many references to miss them.
On looking into this, I did discover that this was a sequel and so I think that I'd recommend that these books be read in order.

After I'd got through this beginning section, the story settled and from then on, I didn't feel as though I'd been too hindered in this story by starting here.

The writing at this point was gripping and I loved the dual pov which revealed the secrets and lies bit by bit.
I wasn't really sure who to trust and can't say that I really loved any of the characters - they each made me feel uncomfortable about their actions and decisions at different times.
Looking back, I feel this was definitely done on purpose to stop us becoming too attached to either and keeping us guessing until the end.

The ending did seem a little rushed and in some ways, didn't feel nicely rounded off - as I've now seen this is a series though, this makes me wonder whether there might be another book to continue the storyline further.

I'm looking forward to catching up with the previous book and seeing more from this author in the future.




💕Thank you to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of ”What the Nanny Saw” in exchange for my honest opinion. I wish I would have known before reading this book that it followed “The Best Day Ever”, which I really enjoyed and was followed up with “The Second Mrs. Strom” which I have not read. I would have liked to have read the story about what happened to them in Paris before reading “What the Nanny Saw.” The story had a good pace to it and I enjoyed the alternating viewpoints. Unfortunately, the ending was very lackluster and perhaps it’s my fault for reading too many thrillers, but I feel like the story of nannies is a bit overused. It was an entertaining read, but I was really disappointed by the ending.

I’m so excited I got to read Kaira’s second book in her thrilling Family Secrets series! I loved the first book & additionally, loved this continuation with Cecilia as Pernod yhe two main characters. This time told from her and her nanny, Lizzie’s perspectives. As in book one, I was on Cecilia’s side. But I didn’t know just how this gripping & unputdownable thriller would unravel. As always, Kaira Rouda blew me away with her exciting & twisted storytelling!

Thank you, Kaira Rouda, Bookouture, & Netgalley, for my early gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

Awesome follow up to the Second Mrs. Strom. Cecilia is back and so is Paul. After surviving Paul’s murder attempt Cecilia moved on with her life and now has a baby. In a coffee shop Lizzie meets Cecilia and offers herself to be the nanny. Really love these characters and that no one can be trusted.

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.