You’ll Never Nanny in This Town Again
Author: Suzanne Hansen
ISBN: 9780307237545

I’ve always been fascinated by the world of nanny’s. I absolutely loved reading The Nanny Diaries last year which gave me a little peek into the semi-fictional world of a NYC Nanny. This book, You’ll Never Nanny in This Town Again gave me a in depth look into the life of Suzy, a nanny for a wealthy Hollywood power family.

Suzy comes from a small Oregon town and upon graduating from high school isn’t sure of her next steps. She’s always loved children, so she decides to attend a few month program to prepare her to become a nanny. Upon completion of the program, she travels to Tinsel Town to find a suitable family to nanny for.

Suzy is thrilled when she meets the Ovitzes. Michael Ovitz is in charge of a huge Hollywood agency and the kids are adorable. Suzy especially clicks with the infant Brandon. She quickly moves into their massive mansion and begins her job. After a few days, Suzy realizes that being a Nanny isn’t all baby giggles and bonding with the children’s mother Judy. Suzy never gets time off; she is forbidden from leaving the house on weeknights and works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. She isn’t making a ton of money and finds herself homesick stuck.

When she finally gathers the courage to quit, Mr. Ovitz asks her, “Will you try to find another nanny position in this town?” When Suzy says yes, Mr. Ovitz just laughs. With a bad reference from the most powerful man in town, Suzy wonders if she’ll ever find another job.

I adored this book. I started it on Saturday night and quickly finished it on Sunday afternoon by the pool. It’s just one of those books that you don’t want to put down.

I fell in love with Suzy. She was a totally normal girl from a small town with big dreams. She genuinely cared for the children she took care of and came across as extremely relatable. My only problem with Suzy was her inability to stand up for herself to her employers.

The supporting characters play a huge role in Suzy’s story. I enjoyed hearing about other nanny’s experiences through Suzy’s friendships and frequent conversations with other Hollywood Nanny’s. The other household help who became Suzy’s fast friends lent the story a bit of dimension as we got to see how Hollywood housekeepers, cooks and secretaries are treated.

I especially enjoyed the references to big Hollywood names. After her stint with the Ovitzes, Suzy finds herself nannying for two different celebrity families. I love some good gossip, so a glimpse into this world fascinated me.

This is a perfect light summer read. Enjoy!

4.5/5