The Nannies

Ill be honest here. From what Id heard about this book, I was expecting another vapid novel about empty-headed girls latching onto the nanny gig in order to party, party, party. While there are definitely some parties going on and lots of money being tossed around, these arent your average girls and they arent there just to party. This is a story that actually has some depth to it.

Kiley is a Wisconsin girl who dreams of one day attending the prestigious Scripps Institution of Oceanography and being around her true love: the ocean. Her problem is lack of funds the only way she can see of even possibly attending Scripps is to be a California resident and theres no way thats going to happen. Or is there? When she hears about a reality TV contest to nanny for Platinum (a slightly has-been drugged-out music star), she takes a chance and applies to be on the show. Amazingly, she even makes it on to discover that the shows producers want to use her (and her mother as chaperone, since Kiley is under 18) as a little comic relief.

Then theres Lydia. Eight years ago, Lydia was a bubble headed rich girl but now, after 8 years living in the Amazon with her do-good parents and a bunch of naked tribesmen, shes a little&shall we say&different? Shes also a little obsessed with fashion and sex and all the things she thinks shes missed out on, but even that aside, shes got a good heart and will do anything for her friends (up to and including poisoning people). When her famous tennis playing aunt invites her to come nanny, Lydia jumps at the chance.

Esme was already a California girl, but not even remotely a beach babe. Shes lived in the ghetto/barrio all her life and her parents work for a rich family. Shes a smart girl, but shes made some mistakes in the past. Some of her friends think her current boyfriend, Junior, is also a mistake. When her parents employers adopt two twin girls from Columbia, they hire Esme to nanny for them so they can take advantage of her Spanish skills. The only big problem? The Goldhagens really hot son who seems to want to get to know Esme, even though she keeps telling herself that it would never work out between them.

Soon, all three girls meet and form an unlikely friendship. They help each other out and stick up for each other, even in some dangerous situations. Like I said, this is a book set in Beverly Hills, but theres more going on than in some similar books. The characters are likable (perhaps, even especially crazy Lydia, who says the oddest things) and have a lot of emotional baggage.

But dont go thinking this is all serious stuff theres a lot of fun to be had as well and a good share of way-too-sexy boys. Recommended for girls aged 14 and up.