Lots of atmosphere and tension in this one and I couldn't put it down. The tension and suspenses builds and builds as it reaches the conclusion and there were a few twists and surprises I didn't see coming.

I gave this book 3 stars
It didn’t give me a wow factor but it was still enjoyable.

It reminded me a lot of the housemaid by Frieda McFadden, the plot and the characters very much resembling each other.

I loved the side characters like Joss and the way the different plots combined together. The twist at the end with the main character Lily was good and I didn’t see it coming. Although I feel it was a little bit rushed.

One thing I didn’t like was how long some of the chapters were, it’s a personal turn off for me when they’re over 15/20 pages long.

This book had so much potential but the twists weren’t well executed and some were a bit over the top and the ending felt quite rushed. But a good read none the less

Loved this. I read it in a matter of days. Really enticed me in and kept me wanting to know more. Definitely recommend

"Nanny Wanted" by Lizzy Barber is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the complexities of trust and secrets within a family. When a struggling couple hires a live-in nanny to care for their child, the story takes a dark turn as suspicions and mysteries unravel. Barber's clever narrative keeps readers guessing until the chilling conclusion. With well-drawn characters and a tense atmosphere, "Nanny Wanted" is an engrossing page-turner that delves deep into the darker side of domestic life.

Nanny Wanted is a gem. Lizzy Barber is definitely an author to watch out for. I have loved every moment of reading this book.

I was instantly pulled into the pages of this one and became unwilling to put this down. Nanny Wanted is haunting, atmospheric and completely captivating.

Lily is a great character. We move through this one with her as she leaves the city life for nanny-ing. A job that she has instantly jumped at.

Kewney Manor is meant to be a fresh start for Lily. Only, there are definitely secrets to unfold. Lily is unable to find out about the previous nanny. She finds that on occasions – the couple aren’t everything they appear to be from the outside.

Barber draws you into this and keeps you hooked. As a reader, you become desperate to know what secrets need unfolding. I have even questioned who is trustworthy. Everything about this book is completely brilliant.

The manor itself adds an extra element of atmosphere. You find yourself craving more. The characters add to this perfectly. I loved how these have really given atmosphere to this.

This is a book I have devoured. I have adored this book and found myself completely transported. Barber is definitely an author who needs to be on the TBR.

I have no hesitation in recommending this book.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I found this book to be very intriguing and it doesn’t really give you much to go on in the beginning. It is definitely a slow burner but I’m so glad I persevered as it definitely got much more exciting towards the end. I would say that the book is suspenseful and I was eager to find out who the villain was. I don’t want to give any spoilers but I will say the ending had quite a few surprises that I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it. I have given it 4 stars.

Having enjoyed Lizzy Barber’s previous novels, I was keen to try this thriller, set in a manor house in Cornwall and with gothic overtures that conjure up Daphne du Maurier’s majestic writing, as book critics before me have already pointed out. The combination of an evocative setting and an unreliable young female narrator trying to recover from previous trauma is not new, but Barber weaves it into a promising contemporary yarn by also drawing on compelling themes such as coercive control, narcissism, and mental health. As becomes clear, the title 'Nanny Wanted' mostly likely not only refers to a job opening, but also to the narrator's innermost desires. Barber's protagonist, Lily, has just escaped a controlling intimate relationship and immerses herself whole-heartedly in her new job as a nanny to young children by the names of Bess and William. Very quickly, however, Lily’s illusion of tranquillity is fractured. The unpredictable behaviour of her employers, the suave Charles, and the enigmatic Laurie, as well as the mysterious disappearance of the children’s previous nanny, as well as several strange goings-on contribute to Lily’s growing anxieties. It all makes for a compelling, atmospheric read that I highly recommend. My thanks go to the publishers and NetGalley for the free ARC that I received in exchange for the production of this honest, unbiased book review.

I loved this book
After Lily leaves her job,she decides to take a job as a nanny at Kewny Man0r
Her employers are the Rowes who on the surface are the model family.
but Lily feels something is wrong
She wonders why they wont talk about the previous nanny and the couple go out individually to different places but she feels that Charlie wants something but she needs to know what.#

She then feels compelled to get closer to them not considering any consequences.
Lily then thinks she left one toxic place only to replace it with another.
Instead of running from danger she is running towards it.

I loved the way these characters are drawn they are easy to connect with.
The author is so good at keeping a fast pace and the atmosphere is always kept up.
If you want an excellent thriller I recommend this

Thanks to netgalley for providing an advanced copy for the purpose of review

This was a slow burn thriller that kept the tension ramped up. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages.

An easy read, finished in 3 days on and off. The story wasn’t much different to most with this narrative, nanny moves in, husband takes a shine to her, good looking gardener trying to save her etc.

Nanny Wanted.

A simple enough advert, for a simple enough job, right? Lily thinks so.

When she sees the job advertised at Kewney Mano, she realised it is the perfect escape she needs from the bad relationship that she's just gotten herself out of. A remote Cornish mansion means she can cut herself off from her previous life, and start afresh.

Lily is quickly recruited, and moves to Cornwall. Much to her delight the she instantly bonds with the Row family, who seem perfect.

Maybe a little too perfect?

It isn't long before Lily begins to feel like something isn't quite right. But she can't put her finger on anything specific. There is talk of the previous Nanny, but whenever she starts a conversation about them, she is immediately shut down.

What are the family trying to hide?

And then we have the classic Nanny/Husband scenario. Lily knows that she shouldn't, but Charles is pretty irresistible, about as far away from her ex as you could possibly get, and make Lily feel seen, wanted. Something that she isn't used to, but find she quickly enjoys.

Lily knows that she is playing with fire. What she doesn't know is how very badly she could get burnt. Because the Rowe family have secrets, some of them dark and disturbing, perhaps even deadly.

I can't say too much more as I don't want to give anything away. I liked Lily but at times I wanted to shake some sense it to her. But then we've all been young and naïve once...

This is a novel where you really want the bad characters to be punished for their actions. And there are a lot of them...

Lily drops everything and takes up the position of Nanny to two small children in a country estate home on the Cornish coast.

She becomes Isolated and uncomfortable despite Mrs Rowe’s warm welcome there is the itching creeping fear of something not quite right puts which you at prickling attention as intrigue is created. The shared moments with Charles in the library and attending dinner parties with the Rowe’s allow Lily to piece together that something isn’t quite as it seems….

The Sensuous description places you in the Rowe family home, take time to slip in to their evening wear, mist yourself in their perfume and let the Gothic imagery of Kewney Manor envelop you.

The reader will get the best out of this book by making time to enjoy it in large chunks as the atmosphere is nicely crafted with some really beautiful writing however I read in snippets and found it hard to build momentum, that being said, the characters were well created and memorable so it was easy to remember what was happening in the plot.

I personally found it difficult to empathise with Lily and some of the plot points feel very predictable however there are plenty of interesting twists and turns in the final third which were satisfying and made up for the slower start.

This is a great atmospheric autumn read. I was impressed that the author, Lizzy Barker, even managed to slip in a jump scare at one point!

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan / Pan Books for the ARC and thank you to Lizzy Barker for the mystery and thrill!

Nanny Wanted is a quick read with an enjoyable writing style, but it’s a slow burn thriller that, although it didn’t affect my ability to finish the novel, I did find that at times it altered the tension and suspense. Unfortunately, it was a too predictable plotline for me to be fully engaged with, but for others they may find the plot and twists more compelling.

Thanks to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for a eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nanny Wanted is a twisty read that will have you turning the pages at every moment you get.
Lily has just left a toxic relationship, she should have left long ago but she’s done it now. Kewney Manor is where she is heading to be a nanny for the Rowes family. Lily is hopeful this is where she can’t be found and her ex will leave her in peace. Lily gets on well with the two children and Laurie and Charles welcome her into their home and things seem like they are going well. Except why does no one speak of the previous nanny and why she left, Laurie disappears at night but where does she go and what is wrong with Charles? Lily tries to do some digging with loose lipped friends of the family and starts to find out things aren’t quite as simple here as she first thought.
I enjoyed this book and the twists just kept coming, some I’d worked out and others I’d not. The book flowed well and the characters were well written so I felt more aligned with the storyline.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for this ARC.
This is the kind of book I love - fast paced, good story, a few twists and turns and unable to put it down because you need to know what happens!
I had my theories throughout (all of which were wrong lol!) and the story definitely kept me guessing until the end. Would definitely recommend!

Will return to post review when posting to socials ✨ thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy!

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