By the author of The Secret Life of A Slummy Mummy, I wasn't sure about this one, but my local library (Church Stretton) is quite small and I sometimes have to settle for something from a relatively small selection.
Anyway, here goes. Ali Sparrow is fleeing an unsatisfactory relationship with her University tutor (we don't find out about that for some time in the book) and lands herself a nanny's job in London, where she's never been before and which she finds confusing and troubling, looking after 4 children, one of whom (the eldest boy) is only 4 years younger than herself. The time is 2006, and the family is rich, spoilt, with father working for Lehman Brothers and mother working in press PR form the rich and famous, mainly in the financial world.
Ali falls in love with her 2 youngest charges, twins Hector and Alfi; worries about Izzy, the 14 year old daughter and eventually begins a passionate affair with Jake, the eldest son. While the parents are preoccupied with their working lives, and with the causal friendship of other nannies, Ali learns how to cope with life as the all-responsible nanny in this chaotically purposeful family.
When Lehman's goes belly up, Dad is accused of insider dealing and, at the same time, Ali's affair with Jake is discovered. Her life comes crashing down around her head, but not before she shows herself as a capable female Sherlock Holmes to prove that her employer, Bryony, is innocent even though Bryony's husband might be guilty.
Much to my surprise, a satisfying read.
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