In What the Nanny Saw, Kaira Rouda delivers another tense, twisty entry in her series following Cecilia Strom, the resilient and often embattled protagonist from Best Day Ever and The Second Mrs. Strom. This latest installment finds Cecilia in a new chapter of her life: single, raising her infant daughter Peyton alone after her turbulent marriage to Paul Strom has finally ended. Still haunted by her ex-husband’s presence—even with him in prison—Cecilia hires Lizzie, a seemingly perfect nanny, to help manage her life as she navigates single motherhood and tries to rebuild.

Rouda crafts Cecilia’s struggles with both authenticity and suspense. Her vulnerabilities around new motherhood, paired with the challenges of handling the fallout of her failed relationships, make her a deeply sympathetic, if flawed, character. Lizzie, the enigmatic new nanny, adds layers of intrigue, and as her backstory slowly unravels, readers are drawn into a tense guessing game. Can Cecilia trust Lizzie? Or is Lizzie’s arrival another complication in Cecilia’s already chaotic life?

Known for her fast-paced thrillers, Rouda once again presents readers with morally complex, often unlikeable characters that keep the plot simmering with suspicion and deception. The dual perspectives intensify the suspense, revealing just enough secrets to leave readers hooked, but never quite comfortable.

What the Nanny Saw may require a bit of suspension of disbelief, particularly as Cecilia juggles her wealth, status, and the ever-present chaos surrounding her. However, the story’s razor-sharp pace, palpable tension, and a jaw-dropping twist make it a binge-worthy read. Longtime fans of the series will appreciate the glimpses of Paul Strom's shadow over Cecilia's life, even as she strives to break free.

A gripping, fast-paced read with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end, What the Nanny Saw is a worthy addition to Rouda's portfolio of addictive thrillers. Recommended for anyone who loves a blend of domestic drama and psychological suspense. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Kaira Rouda for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To the outside world, new mother Cecilia is the picture of perfection—a beautiful, wealthy woman with a precious baby and a stunning beach-side home in Malibu. But from the moment Lizzie spotted her in a bustling café, she knew Cecilia was far from flawless. When Lizzie offers her nanny services, Cecilia quickly agrees. After all, she’s just discovered that her baby’s father has been both unfaithful and neglectful. Lizzie is everything she needs: smart, nurturing, efficient, and experienced with babies. Without a second thought, Cecilia welcomes Lizzie into her home, unaware that she knows almost nothing about her new nanny—or that Lizzie has been watching her for a very long time.

This psychological thriller was absolutely gripping, keeping me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I loved the eerie atmosphere woven into both the story and the characters—none of whom were particularly likable, yet each was deliciously unhinged in their own way. From the very first page, it was clear the plot would only get darker and more twisted. The suspense was perfectly executed, with red herrings that kept me guessing until the end. This was my first read from Rouda, and it was an exciting, thrilling experience that left me eager for more.

The Strom's are back! One of my favorite dysfunctional couples is now trying to get divorced. Paul is in prison, and Cecilia has a new baby girl with Evan. Talk about moving fast. Cecilia has been struggling. Being a mom is not all that it is cracked up to be. She is beyond exhausted, cannot think straight, and Evan has been no help since the delivery. She needs someone to pick up the slack. Lizzie is a nanny for the most horrifyingly, terrible family. The father is a narcissist and thinks every woman wants him. His wife is always in bed, snuggling her bottle of wine. Leaving the four children in the capable hands of Lizzie. But Lizzie needs to be out of the situation. When she bumps into Cecilia, it appears as though fate has stepped in. She needs to be Peyton's nanny. She knows she can help Cecilia become the best mother. All she needs is for her to ask Lizzie to quit her job and move in.

This is a fast paced read, that had my attention from the get-go. I did not know who was still in touch with Paul and why. Lizzie's background comes out in fits and spurts. Cecilia is hanging on by a fingernail to her life. All that matters is Peyton. I wish Paul was in the book more. I missed that revenge seeking psychopath. Thank you to Kaira Rouda, Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse, and Bookouture for my gifted copy.

I loved “what the nanny saw”. I didn’t realize before I started this book, but it’s the 3rd books with the Stroms from Kaira Rouda and I loved the continuation of the story. It’s not necessary to have read the other books, but definitely adds to the background of the characters.

I love Kaira Road books! This one had me on the edge of my seat just like the others in the series! Gripping, thrilling and wild! Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

Such a good second story - I cannot wait for a finale in series! Cecila is such a strongly developed character in this story -you actually begin rooting for her!

What the Nanny Saw is what I would consider a popcorn read. The action within the story is so wild and bizarre that one needs a big tub of popcorn to eat while reading it. (Kind of like when you're watching a fight on a daytime talk show where people are throwing chairs.)

I had been looking forward to this novel ever since finishing The Second Mrs. Strom, and it did not disappoint! I enjoyed going back and forth between Lizzie and Cecilia's narratives. There was a lot of suspense and I just never knew what was going to happen next. I was definitely anxious for most of the story. I also couldn't decide who I wanted to have "win," even though one of the characters was clearly in the wrong. (Kaira Rouda wins for best "Zack Morris" effect.) Peyton sounded adorable and I felt bad for her having to be caught in the middle of so much drama with untrustworthy adults.

There were a lot of inconsistencies and I felt like some storylines got dropped. I believe I had an ARC, so maybe they will be fixed in the final print. The opulence annoyed me after a while, especially with Lizzie getting so caught up in it.

This novel can be read as a standalone, but it's much more fun if you read Best Day Ever and The Second Mrs. Strom first. Especially since this one has spoilers for the latter (which has spoilers for the former).

I am hoping that there will be another story in this Family Secrets series so we can read more about what Lizzie and Cecilia are up to. I'll need to make a double batch of popcorn for if and when that happens!

(Trigger warnings below.)

Movie casting suggestions (some from previous novels):
Lizzie: Grace Van Patten
Cecilia: Virginia Gardner
Evan: Max Lloyd-Jones
Marian: Marcia Cross
Paul: Mark-Paul Gosselaar

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TW: Death of family members, death of young child, domestic violence (all off the page), kidnapping

Thank you @kairarouda @bookouture and @netgalley
For the #gifted ebook.

Kaira Rouda has done it again! The crazy Storm family is back and as crazy and paranoid as ever. Talk about rich people behaving badly! Everyone over at @thrillerbookloversthepulse is raving over WHAT THE NANNY SAW.

Celia has recovered from Paul throwing her off the building in France and has a beautiful five month old daughter Peyton. She has everything, the perfect body, the beach house, the jewels and expensive car. But she finds her boyfriend has been cheating on her and kicks him out of the house. She starts receiving texts from Paul and is becoming paranoid that he is coming after her. Celia questions her ability to be a good mother to Peyton. She meets Lizzie at a coffee shop and hires her to be Peyton's nanny. But little does Celia know that Lizzie has been watching her and has secrets of her own.

WHAT THE NANNY SAW is the third book in the Strom series but can be read as a standalone. But I highly recommend you start with BEST DAY EVER and then read THE NEXT MRS STROM to get the full backstory of these crazy characters. As with all of Kaira's books, this is a fast paced twisty read with characters you love to hate. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and you just don't know what or who to believe. My favorite narcissist Paul only makes a cameo appearance in this book but I am hoping we haven't heard the last of him!

Wow, this is my kind of book. I loved the twists in this book. I also loved the way the characters interacted with each other. I can't recommend this enough. 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After reading the second book in this series, The Second Mrs. Strom, with the team at Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse, I was so excited to get my hands on this sequel!

Cecilia is trying to get her life back together after her relationship with Paul ended with him nearly killling her by throwing her off a rooftop. Paul is now in prison and Cecilia has moved on and has a baby with Evan, who has proven to be a less than perfect partner and father. After kicking Evan out of the house and still dealing with back pain from her fall off of the building, Cecilia feels so lucky to meet Lizzie, a nanny who seems perfect and is ready and willing to leave her current job and work for Cecilia. However, it doesn’t take long for Cecilia to realize that Lizzie might just be enjoying her new life a little too much and her intentions may not be what they seem!

I really enjoyed The Second Mrs. Strom so I was excited to read this one! It’s definitely a fast paced easy read that is told from dual points of view. You just know you are in for a good thriller when jealousy and greed come into play! I enjoyed seeing another side to Cecilia in this book. Just as in the last book, there are plenty of unlikeable characters and I was surprised at who was actually rooting for….I definitely found myself yelling at Cecilia to wake up! If you are looking for an entertaining twisty page turner then this book is for you!

I didn’t realize this was a series, so looks like I have to go back and read the others! I really enjoyed this st9ry. It pulled me in right away and kept me
Turning the pages.

Thank you #netgalley for the arc!

What a good book. It kept me gripped from the beginning to the end

Thanks for the opportunity to review

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK TOUR BOOK REVIEW 📚

What The Nanny Saw By Kaira Rouda
Publication Date: November 13, 2024
Publisher: Bookouture

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚MY REVIEW:

What The Nanny Saw is the latest installment in the Mr. And Mrs. Strom series from Kaira Rouda, bringing a new twist to this compelling domestic thriller series! If you're a fan of Paul and Cecilia Strom, you're going to want to get your hands on this one as soon as you can!

This was SUCH a fast and fun read! This story picks up just after the ending of The Second Mrs. Strom, and while you don't have to have read that book (or its predecessor, The Best Day Ever), some of this story's plotline will be better understood if you're more deeply familiar with the lives of Paul and Cecilia. And besides, who doesn't love a captivating domestic thriller series involving unhinged characters "enjoying" the trappings of cat-and-mouse marital bliss?!

What The Nanny Saw introduces Lizzie, a nanny who steps in to help Cecilia with her new baby girl, while living in Cecilia's beautiful home in a wealthy gated community in Malibu. The story is told from the alternating POVs of Cecilia and Lizzie, and it's so much fun to see the unreliable perspectives of each woman as the plot develops.

While the plot of this one kept up the series' writing of unhinged and unreliable characters to keep readers intrigued, on a personal level, I didn't enjoy the focus on the new baby and the baby that this book brought. That's definitely a me thing, though, and this book was still a really enjoyable addition to the Strom thrillers!

If domestic thrillers are your vibe, and you've been a fan of the other books in this series, there's no doubt you're going to have a blast reading more about what's happening with the Stroms in this read!

Thank you so much to Bookouture and Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse for inviting me to be a part of this book tour and providing me a copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review!

#WhatTheNannySaw #KairaRouda #thrillerbookloversthepulse #bookouture #booktour #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookrecs

What the Nanny Saw by Kaira Rouda. Thanks to @bookoture for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cecilia had had a traumatic past but she’s trying to heal with her new daughter. When she hires a nanny to assist, she allows her into her life but the nanny may have more intentions than daycare.

This was a suspenseful and engaging story that was hard to put down. The maliciousness and evil in the story takes time to build starting with giving the reader a creepy feeling and ending with complete outrage. I liked the background story and even though I read the previous book, there were perfectly placed reminders to give just enough information.

“I used to be that way. Happy. Carefree. And yet, the fact is, if you pick the wrong partner, all of that can be taken away from you in the blink of an eye.”

What the Nanny Saw comes out 11/13.

This is the first book I've read by Kiara Rouda, and I found it totally engrossing. The central character, Cecilia Storm, has appeared in a previous book, but I didn't feel disadvantaged for not having read it. The backstory is worked in perfectly and contributes to the building suspense.
Cecilia is beautiful, young, wealthy, with a palatial house in Malibu and a beautiful baby girl. Beneath that facade, she's falling apart, unable to cope with the demands of motherhood, frightened by threats from the imprisoned husband who tried to kill her, and emotionally wrecked by a breakup with her boyfriend Evan, her baby's father. When nanny Lizzie comes along, she seems like a godsend. But Lizzie too is very different from the perfect facade she presents to the world. Tension escalates as Lizzie worms her way into Cecilia's life, intent on nothing less than stealing it for herself. This is an outstanding suspense novel that never slows down for a second.

I throughly enjoyed Best Day Ever, with the mostly unlikely but somewhat highly unreliable character Paul. We are back for book 3, with his estranged wife Cecilia.
Struggling with raising her small baby, Cecilia hires Lizzie to help out. But soon starts to realize Lizzie isn't as innocent as she seems to be.
While I still enjoyed reading this, there wasn't really any twists that didn't surprise me. I also don't think we are done seeing Paul, and I'm hoping to see a little more of Lizzie in the future.
3.75 stars

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts in this review are my own.

I really enjoyed this sequel! The characters were well thought out and I like how some of the story carries over from the first book. I had a few ideas of what was going on but the ending was really surprising. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Another book read in one sitting 😮‍💨

I absolutely love Kaira’s writing style - after reading Best Day Ever and The Next Mrs. Strom, I was so excited to continue the story with What The Nanny Saw. While you don’t need to read the previous books, I’ll always recommend that you do!

Cecelia was such a fun character to get to know in the last book and I was excited to learn what she’s been up to since that night in Paris! AND I have a feeling we have NOT seen the last of our friend Paul 😂

What The Nanny Saw comes out on 11/13 and trust me, you want to add this to your TBR!

Big thanks to Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What The Nanny Saw is the third book in a trilogy of sleek, twisty and entertaining reads.
I still need to read the first book but have enjoyed the other two.
We continue on from the events from book two.
Cecilia has moved on from her dark relationship with Paul Strom.
Paul is in jail and Cecilia dreads the day he is released.
She is not coping with life in her big mansion and only has her baby daughter Peyton to look after.
An encounter with the nanny next door leads her to asking for help.
Nanny Lizzie arrives and quickly makes herself at home and part of the small family.
Life gets easier until strange things happen.
Is Cecilia losing or mind or is the nanny not who she says she is……
A fast paced, fun but devious read.
Kaira is an author I will seek out again.
I did guess the outcome but I still was intrigued by the plot.
Easy read as I found myself flipping through the pages wanting to know how it all ends.

So good and exactly what my mood needed! I say it all the time, but I truly am such a mood reader and I wanted a fast paced, popcorn thriller with some good twists and I got that here!

Shorter chapters made for a very quick and easy read. The characters were unreliable, shady, morally grey and you just knew they were hiding something. I had lots of thoughts while reading and it was really entertaining. This author's writing style always works for me.

I will say, while I had multiple theories while reading, one of them did come true for the ending. That final twist wasn't quite as mind blowing as it could have been for me, but it did not affect my enjoyment of the story at all. If you've enjoyed this author's work, and especially if you've read Best Day Ever and want more of the character Paul Strom, this will be a must read for you!

Thanks to the author and publisher for my early review copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this!