Nanny - Melissa Nathan

I got this book as part of a gift set called 'The Chick-Lit collection' a few years ago, but it was only recently that I got round to reading it. I had never read anything by author Melissa Nathan before, but obviously from the fact it came as part of a box-set of books entitled 'Chick-Lit collection', some fluffy chick lit was what I was expecting. ~The plot~ Jo Green is a Nanny living in Niblet Upon Avon, a small town where everybody knows each other. On her 23rd birthday, she finds herself taking a good hard look at her life. She's been in a relationship with Shaun for 6 years, and despite the fact he has proposed several times, she has ...

In order to keep enough variety in my book reviews and to ward off any accusations (or compliments?) relating to my supposed snobbery in literary matters I thought it would be a good idea to review a book from a genre that is often thought to be the epitome of easy-read, badly written, shallow entertainment. You know, these books with colourful covers drawn in `bang-on-the-door` or `groovy-chick` style. Oh, yes. The chick-lit. Melissa Nathan wrote a couple of (pretty dire) Jane Austen inspired books before (it`s all Bridget`s fault anyway) while "Nanny" uses more of the Jane Eyre model (albeit very loosely); with a sprinkling of Mary Poppins too. ...

This book has many light hearted caricatures of all sorts of people from those enjoying a simple village life, to those with designer lifestyles in central London. Their jobs range from housewives, builders, small shop owners, high-flying advertising executives, accountants, and policemen. Oh and I mustn’t forget the nannies! The author’s observational skills of people going about their every day business, is obviously great, and she portrays them in an entertaining, and often witty, way. The credits show that she adequately researched areas where her own experience was limited. Even if you don’t like romantic comedy, if you have access to this ...