Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

There is more than enough name-dropping in THE AU PAIRS to satisfy the cravings of any reader. However, this series by Melissa de la Cruz stands out from other, similar series because of its character development.

Eliza, Mara, and Jacqui are three girls who are going to be au pairs for a rich familys four young children during their summer stay in the Hamptons. Eliza was once the NYC It girl, before her family lost their fortune and they had to relocate to (bleeech!) Buffalo. Therefore, this summer is her glorious return&only made not-so-glorious as she realizes shes working class and struggles to hide her financial status from her old friends.

Mara is the small-town girl with big-town looks. She came to the Hamptons to actually work to save money for college and doesnt realize until later that shes totally Hamptons material. In the meantime, Mara struggles to figure out her relationship with her boyfriend, Jim, as well as deal with her feelings for her bosses son, the hot and nice Ryan.

Jacqui is a Brazilian bombshell who only came to the States to search for her true love, Luca, whom she met when he spent his spring break backpacking in South America. Jacqui finds him, all right, but hes not the sweetheart he had been over spring break, and Jacqui seems to lose her purpose for being an au pair at all.

This is a really fun read, great for anyone who wonders about the summer lives of the rich and privileged. The characters arent exactly lovable, and even sweet, kind Mara becomes corrupted after ten weeks, but there are more than enough hot, sweet guys and shopping sprees to get lost in.