Nannies Books

It was an okay book, but there were some things that I didn't agree with. I don't think homesickness was much of a murder motive. Stealing babyclothes is a lot different than murder. Being a shy virgin doesn't make you screwed up (I am also a virgin), and having an eating disorder doesn't make you violent. Maybe the reason Olivia didn't rescue Kristie was that Olivia was terrified of fire. Arson investigators have made some serious mistakes. I once heard of a case where a mother was accused of starting a fire that killed her 8-month-old son. The investigators thought that the fire started in the closet in the baby's room. There shouldn't have been anything flammable in there. It later turned out that the fire started in the attic, because something was wrong with the heating system. That is a big difference. The investigators trying to solve Kristie's murder could have been wrong, too. Someone could have been in the house with Kristie and Olivia. Maybe Olivia didn't want to admit that she wasn't paying enough attention. John Gallagher told a lot of lies. Another thing, you can't tell whether or not someone is a murderer by their handwriting. This doesn't mean that I am sure she is innocent, I just have reasonable doubt, like the jury.

This book was very interesting and grabbed my attention.

I live in Valhalla, NY (about 1 mile from Thornwood, NY). I know Louis Alagno, and Greg Wind (police lieutenant and fire chief in the book). Louis Alagno is now my Boy Scout leader, and Chief of Police for Mount Pleasant, NY (Thornwood, Valhalla, and Hawthorne).

After reading this book, I talked to them. They recall the incident clearly, and say that this book is not exaggurated at all.

I read this book and believe me I was disgusted at Joyce Egginton's arrogance in claiming that only Olivia Riner murdered the child and used some obscure dissertation from the 19th century to "prove" her so-called guilt. She also lambasts the defense attorney for the way she used the media. If the prosecution was upset at the way the defense used the media then why didn't they get the judge to issue a media blackout on the attorneys? What really disgusted me about Ms. Egginton was the way she declared that Ms. Riner was mentally unstable. Instead of a psychiatrist she used a hand-writing expert! I was also disgusted at the way the Fischer family handled having Ms. Riner in their home. Ms. Riner came over here not just to take care of the child but also for a cultural exchange and to learn about the United States. I only recommend this book if you want the Fischer's side of the story. Otherwise read "The Nanny Murder Trial" by Don Davis for a more balanced view of this story.

I think that Ms. Egginton's book is far superior to Don Davis's book, "The Nanny Murder Trial." Ms. Egginton includes information about Olivia Riner which Mr. Davis either did not know or simply neglected to include in his book. Until I read this book, I did not know that Olivia had stolen a whole bag full of baby clothes from the Fischer family. (How do Olivia's supporters explain that?) The passage from Olivia's diary in which she wished that her previous employer, the German doctor, would die was also bizarre. Ms. Egginton builds a persuasive case against Olivia Riner. She explains why Olivia's alibi is not believable, and she rebuts the false charges that Olivia's defense team raised against John Gallagher and Leah Fischer. Ms. Egginton identifies the Fischer family member who made the infamous "barbecue" remark which was erroneously attributed to John Gallagher. Ms. Egginton explains that the remark was actually made by one of Kristie Fischer's paternal uncles, and Ms. Egginton makes it clear that the uncle was only joking and was not malicious. One of the most fascinating parts of this book was the final chapter. I thought that the similarities between Olivia's situation and the cases of the murderous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century nursemaids were both amazing and disturbing. By the time I finished this book, I was one hundred percent certain that Olivia Riner was guilty. I was also deeply moved by Ms. Egginton's account of the extended Fischer family's history and the other tragedies that they had already endured. My only complaint is that Ms. Egginton occasionally criticizes Olivia for alleged shortcomings which have nothing to do with the crime. What does it matter that Olivia didn't wear makeup when she went out to eat? I also do not agree with Ms. Egginton that Olivia's long hair "should have been either braided or cut short." I am a long-haired woman, and I resented Ms. Egginton's irrelevant beauty tips. Another portion of Ms. Egginton's book that annoyed me was a set of quotes by Linda Sawyer, an early defender of Olivia who eventually turned on her. According to Ms. Sawyer, Olivia was "screwed up about sex" because she was proud of being a virgin. Virgins are NOT "screwed up about sex," and virginity is NOT evil! I am a virgin, and I resented the connection that Ms. Egginton drew between virginity and criminality. I would have given this book five stars if Ms. Egginton had omitted the snide remarks about Olivia's hair, her failure to wear makeup, and her lack of sexual experience.

As the mother of five that relied on childcare during the many years of single parenting I think we tend to concentrate too much on the elite and their need for childcare. The notion that this childcare contributes to the foreign exchange is a little off base when in reality it contributes to an underground economy because the salaries are mostly off the books and taxes are not paid in any form. Safety issues also arise when you consider that most of the illegeal aliens caring for our children have never had childhood immunizations, and refuse the TB test. This may sound unimportant and nit picking but the reality is diseases we thought were erradicated like whooping cough can be traced to the unimmunized worker. Leaving your children behind to take care of mine is something we as a nation should give more thought about.

...Nevertheless, this book gives the reader valuable insight into the impact and opinions of women migrant workers in the service trades. All of the anthologized authors write in an accessible style free of academic jargon. I was particularly interested in the articles which did not have an American viewpoint and which presented the views of the women (and occasionally men) involved. For example, in various essays we get to meet Dominican women in the sex trade hoping to form relationships with European men; a college-educated Vietnamese women entering into an arranged marriage with an immigrant man holding an unskilled job in the U.S.; Filipina household workers laughing about the rules proposed by prospective Hong Kong employers; and a Sri Lankan man taking over the traditional woman's role to assist migrant relatives working in Saudi Arabia.

There are some gaps here, such as the lack of first-person narratives and the views of Eastern European women working in Western Europe, but no anthology can be all-inclusive. This book is a good start and will be an intersting learning experience for most readers.

Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New Economy, edited by Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Russell Hochschild, Metropolitan Books, Holt & Co, 2002.

Most of us are well aware of the patterns of illegal immigration which bring numerous undocumented workers to the US and other developed countries from less developed countries. Those who work in agriculture, lawn care, and low paying jobs like janitors are well known. This book takes a detailed look at female migrant workers. These include maids, nannies, nurses, those who care for the young and elderly and extends to those kidnaped or sold into the sex slave trade and those who seek marriageable partners in developed countries to obtain visas. A single mother can earn enough in a developed country as a nurse, a nanny or as a prostitute to leave her children behind in the care of a relative and pay for their education and daycare. This process gives her children access to a better education that can lift them out of poverty.

This book is a collection of essays authored with assistance of researchers from numerous third world countries. The sociological aspect is consistent with Ehrenreich's usual works--always rich with social commentary. This time she functions as editor and provides one chapter from her earlier experience at Merry Maids as told in Nickeled and Dimed. Hochschild is professor of sociology at Berkeley.

The major migratory pathways for women are described generally as from south to north. In the US, African American women accounted for 60% of domestics in the 1940s. They have now been replaced by Latinas mostly from Mexico and Central America. In Europe migrants come from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. In the oil rich Mideast, many come from Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Phillippines, and Sri Lanka. In France, they now come from Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria; in Italy, from Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Cape Verde. Generally, migrants have replaced those who once came from poor rural areas of their own countries.

Several chapters on nannies and their problems are especially informative. The hours are long, overtime is seldom paid, time off it minimal, workers are sometimes farmed out to other families, or required to travel with the family on "holiday." The children often become attached to the nanny as part of the family, but this can result in jealousy on the part of birth mothers. Many nannies leave abruptly after an argument.

Various aspects of the sex trade are explored. In the Dominican Republic, married women may voluntarily go to the larger town of Sosua to work as prostitutes in the sex tourist industry. This good money is used to pay the family bills, but husbands sometimes spend the funds on alcoholism and gambling when the wife is away. Some prostitutes hope for a marriage proposal from German tourists. In Thailand, in the less prosperous mountain districts, daughters once were sold into sex slavery when the economic survival of the family required it. Now, rapid industrialization and rising standard of living have created major growth in sex tourism. Industrial workers have more money to spend on prostitutes. Mountain Thais now are more willing to sell their daughters to fund the purchase of electronics and other consumer goods.

In Viet Nam, the war killed many males and a disproportionate number of males were able to migrate to the US after the war. This has resulted in an over abundance of females. Educated females become un-marriageable. Arranged marriages with US citizens is one solution to this problem.

This book provides perspective on another aspect of the woman's rights movement in developing countries. Apparently several previous books have issued, but this subject has received little attention in the overall scheme of immigration policy. I saw no discussion of how these problems should be addressed. Presumably better laws are needed as well as a willingness to enforce existing laws in the case of the sex slavery and sex tourism. Different solutions seem appropriate in the case of licensed nurses who are aided in getting visas to fill a real shortage. The presence of undocumented migrants working as nannies and domestics is yet another problem. Perhaps different solutions are needed for each group. Mixing all of them in a single volume confuses the issues. The book lacks the impact it could have had.

This book is nicely done and thought provoking, but the absence of proposed solutions is a major omission. A collection of charts provide details of the female migrations. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

In brief essays, the authors present generally unbiased academic discussions of the globalization of female workers. Though hardly a new phenomenon, it has dramatically increased in the last 50 years and is a topic that is deserving of this type of examination. The topics are clearly delineated between domestic workers, cheap labor and the sex trade - however, there are unfortunates whose experiences range from one to the other out of necessity, desperation or coercion. This harsh reality of the vulnerability of these women is discussed with jargon-free, scholarly precision. Excellent for libraries, research and the well-read individual.

I was very disappointed with this book. Besides being totally distracted by the misspelled words and badly placed punctuation, I did not feel this was a "comprehensive" guide to finding a nanny. The author spends too much time recalling her own woes in finding and keeping good childcare, and not enough detailing the process for others. This author needs a good editor to re-write this book - there are some helpful nuggets of information buried in this poorly written and seemingly un-edited resource.

Hi, I'm Lisa, Ms. Grecos daughter. I designed the cover.(hope you like it!) Anyway, I think the book is good, it has hard facts and great tips to help you in getting the right nanny.

I have read other books on how to find childcare help. This book totally covered every aspect of this process for me. The author discusses things in her book that I never would have even thought of, some of which are so crucial in my search for the best childcare for my children. Before reading this extremely informative book, I thought I would ask some basic questions of my perspective nanny. After reading this book, I realized that all I had to do was open this book and follow what the author said. Ms. Greco has completely covered every detail for me.

John MacLaren and Eve Chandler had a bit of a past history --
What did he know about creating a home for a delicate child like Lissy?

Eve was selling her grandfather's ranch - she needed the money -- yet she was dressed fit to kill. MacLaren could not believe that she needed a job. As a housekeeper and nanny?? It didn't make sense.

But Eve found a way to help Lissy blossom and to melt John's icy reserve. Did she become John's warm, willing lover and what would happen if she recovered her lost riches??

Would Lissy and John become the losers all the way around?

A rich girl becomes poor and ends up working for someone that once worked for her family. The relationship between the two, could have stayed tense. Instead, Ms. Cross works on the growth of both characters. I also loved the little girl. That's not commonplace for me, in books. I look for Caroline Cross' name when buying books.

This is the story of Eve Chandler and John MacLaren. Eve was from a rich and prominent family, but is now homeless because her grandfather made some poor business decisions and she had to sell the family ranch to pay off debts. John has recently learned that he has a daughter, but has no experience raising a young girl and eventually decides that he needs a nanny/housekeeper/cook. Eve begins to work for John and she begins to draw Lissy, John's daughter, out of her shell. Eve and John become attracted to each other, but John is convinced that he doesn't know about love and caring for someone since he was raised in an orphanage. Eve's efforts to prove otherwise prove futile.

The ending was a bit quick so I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, but a pleasant book to read. Caroline Cross never disappoints.

I loved the original piece of the book that I read online at Belle Books. I bought it completely based on that piece. It turns out that the piece I read wasn't the 'beginning' of the book, as I thought. It was another chapter and, while it was great, it was not indicative of the entire books style. While the story beginning is very heartwarming and promised a great story, I felt the book wasn't living up to that promise or to the style that orginally attracted me in the way I'd hoped.

Writer Honey Newberry knows that her eight weeks of writing belongs in the trash, which is what she does to her manuscript. Besides writer's block, Honey suffers from middle age despondency as she wonders who stole her youthful body and left behind an overweight corpse. Needing to get way, she flees her Atlanta suburban home for the beaches of Florida after `talking" with her beloved deceased black nanny Creola, who encourages her "Moonbeam" to rediscover her self.

In Florida the runaway meets free spirited senior citizen Beatrice, who reminds the beleaguered Honey of her cherished Creola. Beatrice like Creola encourages Honey to ignore what others think and remain true to your self. As Beatrice mentors her on life with one adventurous caper after another, Honey reflects on her relationships with her spouse Beau, her sister Mary, and especially her beloved "Crellie" as she called Creola when she was a little girl and begins to remember what the blessing of life truly is.

CREOLA'S MOONBEAM is a deep look at an individual suffering from a middle age woman believing she has nothing left to offer to herself, her loved ones, or anyone for that matter since she seemingly lost her ability to write. Honey is a terrific protagonist as her woes and her life lessons make for a powerful insightful look at aging. With the combined teachings of Beatrice and Crellie, Moonbeam begins to learn that life is to enjoy as you only have one shot at it. Milam McGraw Probst provides a strong inspirational character study.

Harriet Klausner

A note is left for you to organize the gift bags for your boss's dinner party, but no details are left. She doesn't answer her cell and no one seems to know what color, style etc... Do you call her husband (who you have not met in the two months that you have been taking care of his child) and attempt to get and answer, or take the risk of messing up and being fired? In the realistic fiction book The Nanny Diaries by Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus, Nanny is a NYU student paying her rent by taking care of children who belong to snobby, neglecting Upper East Side families
A major idea is a comparison of a close family vs. a family that is hardly connected at all because the father works non-stop and the mother pulls and act of pretending to know everything about her son yet doesn't spend anytime with him and lets the innocent nannies have all the responsibly.
Readers who enjoy reading books so as The Devil Wears Prada and the Gossip Girl Series should enjoy the crazy nonsense that goes on in The Nanny Diaries.

I had originally thought that this was going to be a work of non-fiction in a nanny tell all. It turned out, instead, to be a mildly funny look at the rich and obnoxious and their young children through the eyes of a spineless nanny. While some of this book is amusing, it is not particularly well written. It is the kind of book you read once, and then promptly forget. It is not a bad book, as it is somewhat entertaining. What this book really represents is what happens when a book grabs the attention of the media. It becomes a best seller. Long after the dust settles, I anticipate that this book will be to the publishing world, what a one hit wonder is to the music industry.

This work of fiction provides caricatures of selfish, self-absorbed, wealthy parents and a peek into the life of their overly-structured and overly-managed offspring. The nanny in question is also a caricature, as she struggles to be appear good hearted, but in the end is just a spineless jellyfish who goes along with the program, no matter how offensive she may find her employers and their demands to be. The nanny tries to come across as an underprivileged, put upon employee, but is, in reality, part of the problem, as she is certainly not a part of the solution. She is an upper middle class young woman who attends a prestigious university. She is hardly one of the hoi polloi, no matter how much she may empathize with those who are truly at the mercy of employers such as the ones found in this book. As social satire this book falls short. Borrow it from the library. Do not bother to buy it, as it is a one note book. If you feel that you must buy it, do yourself a favor and buy the paperback, as it is not a book that you would want to keep. It is a quick, throwaway read.

I was reading this book one day at work, and one of my co-workers (who is also a nanny) said that everything in that book was true.

My thoughts? Of course some of the stuff is wildly exaggerated, but that's the beauty of it. We love to hate and mock the rich because of what they represent: what we want and what they have. Let them sit in their chaise lounge chairs and sip martinis by sunrise while we tend to their young, overindulged, often disrespectful, charges. We sneer and thumb our noses at them in silence, as the two former nannies and writers of this book have done.

I had originally thought that this was going to be a work of non-fiction in a nanny tell all. It turned out, instead, to be a mildly funny look at the rich and obnoxious and their young children through the eyes of a spineless nanny. While some of this book is amusing, it is not particularly well written. It is the kind of book you read once, and then promptly forget. It is not a bad book, as it is somewhat entertaining. What this book really represents is what happens when a book grabs the attention of the media. It becomes a best seller. Long after the dust settles, I anticipate that this book will be to the publishing world, what a one hit wonder is to the music industry.

This work of fiction provides caricatures of selfish, self-absorbed, wealthy parents and a peek into the life of their overly-structured and overly-managed offspring. The nanny in question is also a caricature, as she struggles to be appear good hearted, but in the end is just a spineless jellyfish who goes along with the program, no matter how offensive she may find her employers and their demands to be. The nanny tries to come across as an underprivileged, put upon employee, but is, in reality, part of the problem, as she is certainly not a part of the solution. She is an upper middle class young woman who attends a prestigious university. She is hardly one of the hoi polloi, no matter how much she may empathize with those who are truly at the mercy of employers such as the ones found in this book. As social satire this book falls short. Borrow it from the library. Do not bother to buy it, as it is a one note book. If you feel that you must buy it, do yourself a favor and buy the paperback, as it is not a book that you would want to keep. It is a quick, throwaway read.

This book was an informatitive guide to the nanny world until the end. The book addressed many of the issues that families hiring nannies face, However on Page 158 the author draws a direct correlation between a nanny being overweight and a nanny neglecting her charges. The author continues to feed into the overweight stereotype stating that overweight nannies "overeat the refridgerator, are most apt to watch tv constantly, do not have the energy to chase toddlers, have emotional and physical problems and prove to be poor role models for children." As a professional overweight nanny who has help raise 2 sets of twins from birth through toddlerhood..this is just not the case and I take great offense. Considering neglect is abuse I would hope that this correlation was drawn from extensive studies from accreditied sources, and not the authors personal feelings. I hope that the loving, nuturing, quality childcare I provide on a consistent basis proves to mean more then my waistline to my employers.

I have read most of the books on nannies out there. For a dose of reality, you must read this book! It is simply the best book about the nanny hiring process in print today! As an agency owner and as someone who has spoken with the author personally, this book must be read if you are hiring or placing nannies.

Singer is the story of a young girl who has been held captive by her powerful witch mother for 12 years. She finally escapes, and is then passed to an abbey and finally the home of several smart, talented women who are a center of trust in her shaky world. The first half or so of the book rushes by quickly, developing neither characters, settings nor even the plot. However, the book then begins to pick up, gaining maturity and depth, with the introduction of several interesting characters (like King Harry, the Fair Folk outcast guised as a cat). The meat of the book, however, is supposed to be her involvement with the children of Lir, centered around the folk story. Jean Thesman, however, tries to rush most of the plot into the last sixty or so pages of the book, leaving gaping plot holes, one dimensional characters, and confusion.
But the worst part is the ending. Singer's final confrontation with her all-powerful mother, besides being badly explained and hurriedly done, is so pathetic as to be almost laughable. Singer's supposed powers, her supposed sacrifice, do not even come into play, and her mother dies instead when her husband chases her and she falls out of a castle. A page later, the book is over, leaving the reader (me, at least) so unsatisfied I wondered if a chunk of the pages had been ripped out, or if I could get my money back from the library.
To me, there is nothing worse than when a writer writes an interesting and involving book and then is too cowardly or lazy to work out an ending, instead setting down something stupid and quick just to finish the book.
I don't recommend this book to anyone unless they don't plan to finish it. In that case, stop around page 130. It all goes down hill from there.

Ever since she was born, Gwenore of Wales has been regarded as a curse by her mother, a truly evil witch named Rhiamon. Gwenore knows that she is different from the blood drop-shaped birthmark that she bears on her left wrist, but she doesn't understand her mother's motives towards her. Just when things couldn't get any worse, Gwenore is accused of murder and locked away in a cellar. Then in the dark of night, Gwenore is rescued by her longtime nursemaid Brennan and a priest-enchanter named Father Caddaric. She is taken to stay at an abbey, uncertain if she will ever see her allies again.

At the abbey, Gwenore is renamed Mary Blondine and is looked after by a nun, Sister Mark. Gwenore is worried by the news of an "aunt" traveling to collect her from the abbey and the crows that seem to know her real name. Despite her anxiety, she gradually begins to learn how to read and write and play music. This skill opens up a whole new world for the girl, who finds herself never wanting to leave. However, Gwenore's journey is just beginning and she is forced to flee once again.

She is then taken by a kindly physician named Margarite to the healing community of Blessingwood in England. There, she is welcomed by her aunt Hildegard and the other women of Blessingwood. Gwenore meets two other refugees named Elaine and Simon; she discovers that she is not the only one with special abilities and is given the chance of having a safe life. She also meets King Harry, a brazen, magical cat, who updates Gwenore of her allies and the enemies she left behind in Wales as well as hints of her true self.

Two years go by, and Gwenore's life --- and her appearance --- has changed. She is now working as Margarite's apprentice and has developed her skills as a musician. Things seem to be going well, until a courageous friend named Tom arrives in Blessingwood with news of her mother and an evil physician rival accusing Margarite of witchcraft. Gwenore and her friends flee to Ireland, but Gwenore ends up on the Island of Lir, where she must protect its kingdom from the evil witch and finally discover who she really is.

SINGER is a great story based on the classic Irish folktale "Children of the Lir." It is a fast-paced, dramatic fantasy that readers will want to read to the very last page.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle[...]

For the first time I've felt the need to write a review. I felt inclined to do so because I am so appalled by the spiteful reviews that have come before me. I just finished this book and thought it was wonderful. In fact upon finishing it I called my friend (who recommended the book) thanking her.

Some of the other reviewers seemed to not realize that this is a light read for the purpose of enjoyment. It is not a spectacular work of literature that is going to change our worlds and leaving us reeling in deep thought.

Essentially, this book is about a woman that doesn't love her life (and just because someone is rich doesn't mean they should love their life, to clear that up for that reviewer that seems to believe so) that encounters some unique challenges during this particular time in her life. In my opinion it is a quick read that is great to bring to the beach or as a little escape from your own reality.

For someone that is looking for something light that is not particularly earth-shattering this is a great choice!

This was a fun book and I did enjoy it. We get a slice of rich New Yorkers' lives. They have so much money, it actually harms them and the people they should love and care for the most...their families. Got money? You can get a manny. So the manny is supposed to fix it all and help out the stressed Momma
Thank goodness I do not need a manny

This book was soooo bad, I don't even know where to begin. Since I had to give it a rating, it gets 1 star. But in reality it would be a zero star.

The main character is so whiny and obnoxious that I didn't like her at all. She's suppose to be someone with values and integrity but I thought she was just as bad as her "supposed" Park Avenue friends if not worse. Yes these rich bitches are snobby and condescending but at least you know where you stand with them. The main character whines throughout the whole book about her life. She lives in a posh apartment in Manhattan, her husband makes over $1 million each year, she has 2 full-time staff, and can afford the luxury of working part-time not for the money but to "make her a better mommy". Give me a break! She should live in the real world like the rest of us who have to work for a living and do everything ourselves (cooking, cleaning, laundry) and who, heaven forbid, have to send our kids to public school. The scenario with the manny was so unbelievable, I just couldn't imagine why he would be interested in her. As well, she didn't start getting interested in him until he was rich. What a hypocritical gold digger.

This book was a total waste of time. Thank God I borrowed it from the library and didn't waste any of my hard earned cash on it. The premise was utterly stupid and the writing was incredibly bad. I can't believe this rubbish got published. It goes to show you that any no talent person can get a book deal if they know the right people.

Don't know much I can add to what people have already said, but I love chick lit and can enjoy almost any book, but I found this book painful to finish. The writing wasn't great, the characters were cardboard, and the story was so drawn out. It was a cute idea, but it wasn't well executed. So please just trust me and save your money. This book and Trading Up by Candace Bushnell are the only two chick lit books I have ever not enjoyed.

It was only a matter of time. Once The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin came out, and Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding became popular, chick lit was in full swing. It was only natural that The Manny by Holly Peterson would be written. For those who enjoyed the shoes in Beth Harbison's Shoe Addicts Anonymous, or designer clothes in Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada, one might enjoy this VERY light beach read. Although it is a somewhat weaker copycat, it might bring a smile or two to moms who find the summer months their biggest dread as schools close!
Jamie Whitfield is a part-time working mother of three children ranging from two to nine years old. Her job as a busy news producer as well as being part of the Manhattan Mom's scene, with a successful attorney husband who is absent a great deal and let's just say, not a "hands-on helper", has Jamie at the end of her rope. Jamie, who is a transplanted Midwesterner, finds the adjustment to the New York scene a constant battle. With her eldest, nine-year-old Dylan, showing more and more signs of withdrawal to the point of being motionless at times, Jamie thinks a male role model would do him some good. Husband Phillip, concerned with supporting his family in the style he thinks they need and are accustomed to where his income of more than a million dollars annually just gets them by, CERTAINLY can't give up his time to sit with Dylan and see what makes him tick. As a workaholic himself, Phillip can't imagine someone, especially his own son, having problems that would result in anything not productive. Phillip does give us a glimpse of the man Jamie fell in love with and who deep down loves his children every once in a while, but the times are too few and far between.
It is at this point, as things with Dylan get worse, that Jamie decides that a male role model, rather than a nanny, would be the answer. So she seeks out a "manny". Being in this class of privileged people where buying something can surely solve anyone's problems, Jamie is optimistic that finding the right manny will solve her problems.
And so, we meet Peter Bailey. He is 29 years old and looking for funding for his software business. Peter seems to like children and is kind and very intelligent. It also doesn't hurt that he is very good looking! The fact that Peter is attentive to Jamie as well as he appreciates and respects her, are all things in Peter's favor. So, Jamie hires Peter and the "nanny of the male persuasion" starts his job!
One doesn't have to be a genius to anticipate that Jamie and Peter will become attracted to each other. That along with subplots concerning Jamie's hot news report she is working on involving an affair of a prominent congressman, and the way the rich are living their superficial lives, moves the story line along as would be expected. Some complications can only help add to the rather predictable plot. The story of course is fictional and rather cliché as it talks about how people in these situations can get into trouble when letting the wrong priorities take over their lives.
So will the manny be Jamie's answer to not only Dylan, but also her unfulfilling marriage? Will we find that Jamie can find happiness with a real man whether he has money or not? That is something you do have to read to find out about!
Submitted: copyright by Karen Haney, 2008, published for Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)