Nanny Returns

October 5, 2009
Nan revisits 721 Park, home of the moneyed but morally bankrupt Xs, and the boy she guiltily left behind in their inept care in this smart and sassy sequel to The Nanny Diaries
. And though Nan has grown up a bit, married “Harvard Hottie” Ryan and traveled the world, the plight of the rich and stupid continues, as does Nan’s new crusade to save former charge Grayer and his younger brother Stilton, renovate a crumbling East Harlem mansion and stick it out at a soulless Manhattan private school. Outcomes are deeply uncertain, though Nan is nothing if not a natural-born cheerleader: “I know what I’m worth. Because I care for these kids, I do, right down to my toes,” she says of her young charges in and out of school. There’s still one fear, however—whether she’ll ever be able to make the leap from nanny to mommy. McLaughlin and Kraus leave no dry eyes as they once again wield a razor-sharp wit that cuts down the most uppity mortals even as it lifts up their vulnerable children. You could safely bet your first born that this’ll be another smash hit.

October 1, 2009
In this sequel to The Nanny Diaries (2002), Nan Hutchinson moves back to Manhattan and finds herself once more ensnared in the dysfunctional,über-rich world of her former charge.

Ten years older and happily nesting in a Harlem fixer-upper with"Harvard Hottie" hubby Ryan, Nan thinks she's left behind those surreal days of catering to the offspring of the wealthy. Now she's occupied with building her fledging management-consulting business and struggling with the idea of starting a family of her own. But late one night, who should arrive at her door but little Grayer X, all grown up into a strapping—and drunk—16-year-old. He's still smarting over what he saw as her abandonment back when he was only four, he reveals; Nan is stunned and feels a little guilty, even though Grayer is unaware of the extenuating circumstances. Despite being sophisticated beyond his years, the boy is not dealing well with the fact that his long-absent Dad, hedge-fund titan Mr. X, has finally moved out altogether to be with a movie-star mistress. In response, self-absorbed Mrs. X has taken to her bed in a haze of prescription drugs, leaving Grayer responsible for the care of his seven-year-old brother Stilton. Being who she is, Nan cannot help but step in to help the adorable Stilton get into boarding school. This prompts the unnerving gratitude of Mrs. X, who confides that she is suffering from breast cancer. Yikes. In addition to the X family drama, Nan takes a too-good-to-be true gig at a fancy private school full of entitled brats and obsequious staffers somehow involved with the increasingly shady Mr. X's business. It all winds up with a weekend in the Hamptons, where Nan acts as de facto guardian of both boys, wondering if she really has what it takes to bring kids into the world.

Never delivers the juicy satisfaction of its precursor.

(COPYRIGHT (2009) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

October 15, 2009
Yes, the Nanny returns! Is she as captivating as she was in "The Nanny Diaries"? Yes, she isafter a bit of a slow start. The authors devote some pages to getting the reader back into the world of Nan, who worked as a nanny to the überwealthy Mrs. X, a negligent mother to little Grayer and a miserable boss to Nan. Fast-forward ten years: Nan married her "Harvard Hottie," Ryan, and traveled the world with him. Now back in New York City, Nan crosses paths by chance with Grayer, 16, drunk, and in trouble. He's trying to take care of his younger brother, Stilton, with no help (and plenty of hindrance) from his mess of a mother. There's a vicious divorce, a possible life-threatening illness, and an abundance of simple neglect. Nan again is tossed into an emotional situation with Grayer's family. The 33-year-old Nan can be more than a nanny to the X boys. But should she? VERDICT Once again, the wealthy New York crowd serves as an addictive backdrop, and the story's contrast between shallowness and compassion is fascinating. "Nanny Diaries" fans will snap up this sequel. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 9/15/09.]Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2009
The follow-up to the best-selling The Nanny Diaries (2002) takes up the story a decade after the conclusion of its predecessor. Nan is now married to Harvard Hottie (whose real name is Ryan) and has just returned to New York after traveling the world with him. Nan is seeking work as a consultant, and she soon receives a call from prestigious Jarndyce Prep School offering her a job as liaison between the administration and the faculty. Happy to have the work, Nan also busies herself with renovating the new house she and Ryan have just purchasedand trying to avoid the question he keeps bringing up: When will they start a family? Nan is home alone one night when her former charge, Grayer Xnow 16 and deeply troubledshows up on her doorstep to ask for her help. His younger brother, Stilton, wants to go to a prestigious prep school and their mother, the formidable Mrs. X, is in no condition to attend the interview. Nan agrees to go in her stead and finds herself drawn back into the world of the Xs. The many readers who loved the first entry will be thrilled to revisit Nan, Grayer, and the Xs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)