For my summer reading assignment this year, I read The Au Pairs written by Melissa de la Cruz. This novel was the perfect summer-read. It was about three girls from very different backgrounds who came to the Hamptons to work as au pairs for the well-to-do Perry family. Each girl has different goals and a different idea of what their summer in New York will be like. This is what makes the book so interesting.
I enjoyed how it was almost as if I was reading three different books that tied into one, rather than just a single story. Each chapter focused on one of the girls and told the story from their point of view, and the girls’ points of view were very different. One of the hired nannies, Mara, was from a small town in New York. She led a simple and modest life before she met Eliza and Jaqui. Eliza was formerly known as New York City’s “It Girl” until a scandal hit her father’s business. Her family lost their money and social status and were forced to move to Buffalo. Eliza’s motive to score the job as an au pair was so that she could come back to stir up the social scene of the Hamptons with her old friends. Then there is Jacqui. She’s the South American beauty looking to vacation in America to meet a special boy and just have the time of her life this summer.
Not only was this book packed with action and drama, but the message was a good one. At first, the girls fought and were only interested in partying or shopping as soon as they received their paycheck. However, as the story progressed, the girls became less focused on the differences between them. They came together and began to realize what was really important in life. In the last few chapters, the characters came to the realization that happiness cannot always be found in expensive handbags and star studded parties. Rather than dining at tofu-serving restaurants, the girls ate breakfast at a roadside Denny’s. They decided to spend the last few days of their vacation together, rather than shopping or going out at night. This message rings true, no matter how cliché it may sound.
Another thing I liked about The Au Pairs is that not every problem was solved by the end of the book. This novel is part of a series, so the somewhat cliffhanger of an ending made me want to read more of the books. Melissa de la Cruz does a great job of hooking a reader and she definitely kept me turning pages.
Overall, I think The Au Pairs was a wonderful read and I’m glad I picked it to read this summer. Hopefully I will be reading the following books from this series in the future.

Three teenage girls from different backgrounds work for a summer in the Hamptons as au pairs for a wealthy family, and in spite of many ups and downs, all three end up changing for the better.

A guilty pleasure & good beach read. ( )

This is sort of a guilty pleasure sort of read, full of cute boys, shopping sprees, beaches, and sunshine. There is a story line and it is a bit fun to read, but really there is no value to the book. Definitely just something to flip through while on the beach. ( )

This is a really good beach read. [: It's like Gossip Girl - but the roles are reversed. Instead of the rich, it's the nannies. ( )

This is a really fun read, great for anyone who wonders about the summer lives of the rich and privileged. The characters aren’t 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. ( )