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The Au Pairs #1
Un Ete Pour Tout Changer
Eliza Thomson, Mara Waters et Jacqui Velasco se retrouvent toutes les trois comme jeunes filles au pair dans les Hamptons, station balnéaire ultra chic à trois heures de route de New York. Pour chacune d'elle, coups de théâtre, coups de coeur, rencontres inattendues, intrigues et déceptions vont rythmer cet été.
329 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 2004
74 people are currently reading
6537 people want to read
About the author
Melissa de la Cruz
187 books15.8k followersMelissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
September 16, 2019
Listen, don't get me wrong, I love me some fluffy summer smut, but this just isn't it. This is one of the most underdeveloped story lines I've ever read, and the book is 300 freaking pages long!
The writing is incredibly simple and the three protagonists Eliza, Mara, and Jaqui, all have super shallow personalities. One is a rich girl, one is a small town girl, and one is an exotic, alcoholic party-girl. It doesn't get more deep than that and nothing really happens to them all summer except that Eliza gets a reality check, Mara grows up, and Jaqui stops letting older men touch her ta-tas. And of course they all become the very best of friends in the end. It's very basic and pretty boring. I only finished it because it was a super easy read and I paid for it.
I guess I probably would have liked it when I was sixteen and innocent, but also excited by all the naughty things teenagers get up to. There's some pretty strong allusions to heavy drinking and sex, but nothing is really described in graphic detail. Anyway if you're looking for something REALLY light and silly this might curb your craving, but it's definitely not that satisfying.
The writing is incredibly simple and the three protagonists Eliza, Mara, and Jaqui, all have super shallow personalities. One is a rich girl, one is a small town girl, and one is an exotic, alcoholic party-girl. It doesn't get more deep than that and nothing really happens to them all summer except that Eliza gets a reality check, Mara grows up, and Jaqui stops letting older men touch her ta-tas. And of course they all become the very best of friends in the end. It's very basic and pretty boring. I only finished it because it was a super easy read and I paid for it.
I guess I probably would have liked it when I was sixteen and innocent, but also excited by all the naughty things teenagers get up to. There's some pretty strong allusions to heavy drinking and sex, but nothing is really described in graphic detail. Anyway if you're looking for something REALLY light and silly this might curb your craving, but it's definitely not that satisfying.
February 17, 2021
And then there are times when you should judge a book by its cover and just leave it at that.
September 20, 2013
This is a real summer read book. I really enjoyed this series, honestly sometimes I want to read books for pure enjoyment and not get a lesson or another out of them, I mean come on I need to leave room to learn on my own and this book definitely delivered on the fun pleasure read part. It's a page turner, quirky characters and who doesn't love getting thrown into the rich and fabulous life? I love the 3 main characters, how all three were different but they still became close friends and experienced new boundaries. I loved the romance in here especially *spoiler* between Mara and Ryan, I love maid and boss stories.
Over all this was a good read, it maybe for a bit of an older crowd 14+ (but then again it all depend on maturity level) and it certainly reached exceptions from a book you want nothing from but good ol' entertainment.
-thank you&come again.
Over all this was a good read, it maybe for a bit of an older crowd 14+ (but then again it all depend on maturity level) and it certainly reached exceptions from a book you want nothing from but good ol' entertainment.
-thank you&come again.
March 5, 2013
**edited March 2013 New covers? New Title for the frist novel?Looks like these are going to get a new push forthe summer season. **
Three very different girls are brought together for the chance of a lifetime. A summer job as an au pair in the exclusive, luxurious Hamptons with 10,000 dollars of cash to boot for the Perry family.
Eliza - Former guest of the Perry family , but now a "poor girl " since Daddy got arrested for fraud. Wants the job so she has a place to stay in the Hamptons to get back "in".
Mara- Small town girl totally astonished by the excess of the Hamptons who wants the jo so she can save for a car & college.
Jacqui- Cool, Confident Brazilian who takes the job in order to find the boy who left her broken hearted.
We see the girls struggling to get along with each other,with their smarmy boss and his gold digger wife and with the Hamptons and its "crowd".
Don't forget the 4 "toe-rag" children they are supposed to be feeding raw tuna, teaching to read, teaching to swim and potty training. Throw in the older evil twin sisters, the older brother - that seems to be the only sane person around- and the elite of the Hamptons to finish off what is sure to be a recipe for disaster.
So .. will Eliza be outed as "the help"? Will Mara stay true to her small town roots? And will Jacqui get back together with the one who got away?
Three very different girls are brought together for the chance of a lifetime. A summer job as an au pair in the exclusive, luxurious Hamptons with 10,000 dollars of cash to boot for the Perry family.
Eliza - Former guest of the Perry family , but now a "poor girl " since Daddy got arrested for fraud. Wants the job so she has a place to stay in the Hamptons to get back "in".
Mara- Small town girl totally astonished by the excess of the Hamptons who wants the jo so she can save for a car & college.
Jacqui- Cool, Confident Brazilian who takes the job in order to find the boy who left her broken hearted.
We see the girls struggling to get along with each other,with their smarmy boss and his gold digger wife and with the Hamptons and its "crowd".
Don't forget the 4 "toe-rag" children they are supposed to be feeding raw tuna, teaching to read, teaching to swim and potty training. Throw in the older evil twin sisters, the older brother - that seems to be the only sane person around- and the elite of the Hamptons to finish off what is sure to be a recipe for disaster.
So .. will Eliza be outed as "the help"? Will Mara stay true to her small town roots? And will Jacqui get back together with the one who got away?
July 7, 2017
It had been my intention to read the whole series which was composed in a single collection I signed out from the library, but after finishing the first one, I know that I can't. While I had gone into this book expecting a pretty light, brainless summer read, I did not expect it to be so dull. Predictability is something that I expect from this kind of book, but it's important that it's presented in an engaging way. And for me, there was just nothing interesting about most of this book. Relationships and situations developed slowly and when secrets came out they really didn't have the impact or element scandal that would make you care that it even happened. Hell, the characters barely cared. All issues just rolled off or were easily resolved and it left the whole story feeling empty and pointless.
April 21, 2009
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 family’s 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 she’s 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 doesn’t realize until later that she’s 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 he’s 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 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.
Eliza, Mara, and Jacqui are three girls who are going to be au pairs for a rich family’s 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 she’s 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 doesn’t realize until later that she’s 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 he’s 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 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.
July 19, 2017
Rating: 3.25/5
Review to come!
Review to come!
April 3, 2021
A fun summer read. I know it's just April but this book gives you summer vibes!
Three girls go to the Hamptons to work as au pairs for a wealthy family. The three of them are really different from each other. Eliza was wealthy but her family had to leave it all behind and she can't wait to be in the Hamptons again. Mara really needs the money to pay for college next fall but she's never seen this kind of rich before. Jacqui is hoping to find an American boy she met, she knows he spends his summers in the Hamptons, she doesn't care all that much about the money or the job. The three of them have to take care of four of the children and some things around the house for the summer. It's a summer in the Hamptons, how hard can it be?
This was a fun and light read. I really enjoyed it, there are things I didn't like but overall I thought it was good.
I didn't like Jacqui all that much. I felt for her and her story about finding the guy she met but from the beginning she made decisions that were really weird. In the end I liked her better but I'm still waiting to see more development from her. Eliza was a bit annoying in the beginning but you could tell she was more than the rich posh girl she pretended to be. Mara was great! But she really needed to speak more for herself. I loved Ryan and Jeremy too!
Again, I don't agree with everything that happened in the book but that's what fiction is for.
This book is by one of my favorite authors so I wanted to read it! This contemporary book is a lot different from the fantasy books by Melissa de la Cruz that I usually read but it was good and fun.
There are three more books in the series and I can't wait to keep reading!
Three girls go to the Hamptons to work as au pairs for a wealthy family. The three of them are really different from each other. Eliza was wealthy but her family had to leave it all behind and she can't wait to be in the Hamptons again. Mara really needs the money to pay for college next fall but she's never seen this kind of rich before. Jacqui is hoping to find an American boy she met, she knows he spends his summers in the Hamptons, she doesn't care all that much about the money or the job. The three of them have to take care of four of the children and some things around the house for the summer. It's a summer in the Hamptons, how hard can it be?
This was a fun and light read. I really enjoyed it, there are things I didn't like but overall I thought it was good.
I didn't like Jacqui all that much. I felt for her and her story about finding the guy she met but from the beginning she made decisions that were really weird. In the end I liked her better but I'm still waiting to see more development from her. Eliza was a bit annoying in the beginning but you could tell she was more than the rich posh girl she pretended to be. Mara was great! But she really needed to speak more for herself. I loved Ryan and Jeremy too!
Again, I don't agree with everything that happened in the book but that's what fiction is for.
This book is by one of my favorite authors so I wanted to read it! This contemporary book is a lot different from the fantasy books by Melissa de la Cruz that I usually read but it was good and fun.
There are three more books in the series and I can't wait to keep reading!
February 17, 2021
Look, I haven't even finished this yet. I have a little left, but there's no way I would rate it more than 1 star. So might as well give it now.
2004 did not age well here.
2004 did not age well here.
March 7, 2022
Just a silly beach read - not much there
July 1, 2013
When I was a teenager I did what most girls did for extra money, I babysat the neighborhood kids. I worked weekends, weeknights, and one time I worked through my junior prom. I always had cash on me and loved the kids that I watched. I sometimes thought the kids liked me better than their parents at times. The babysitting experiences that I had were fun, but never glorified and were hard work. Beach Lane is about a group of girls that decide to take a babysitting job for the summer in the Hamptons. Each girl has their own expectations and level of experience. One girl is a ritzy glamour girl that only cares about herself, the next would be considered loose at best, and the last seems to be described as a country bumpkin. *I am not kidding with the stereotypes*
As you can imagine I did not like this book whatsoever. There are so many reasons why it will be difficult to pin down. The positives were that it was well written, a fast read, and descriptive. Throughout the story there was a constant referral to drugs, alcohol, and sex. It describes wild nights where these girls sleep with men in their 20's and up, drinking until they pass out, and not watching the kids like they are paid to do. There is a constant theme of irresponsible bratty girls that are upset due to their lack of the latest Gucci bad. How lame is that? Hollywood is described as being stoned and drunk all day and only shopping at designer this and designer that. Their is an elitist attitude toward the average citizen and the girls display a spoilt grabby lifestyle. I did not like the concept of the book, but held strong and finished it. I kept hoping that the author would show me that the girls would grow as a character and learn that their is more to life than what you purchase at a store or screw the night before. Sadly I was deeply disappointed. If you enjoy shallow lifestyles and loose girls than this book is for you. Other than that don't bother wasting your time.
As you can imagine I did not like this book whatsoever. There are so many reasons why it will be difficult to pin down. The positives were that it was well written, a fast read, and descriptive. Throughout the story there was a constant referral to drugs, alcohol, and sex. It describes wild nights where these girls sleep with men in their 20's and up, drinking until they pass out, and not watching the kids like they are paid to do. There is a constant theme of irresponsible bratty girls that are upset due to their lack of the latest Gucci bad. How lame is that? Hollywood is described as being stoned and drunk all day and only shopping at designer this and designer that. Their is an elitist attitude toward the average citizen and the girls display a spoilt grabby lifestyle. I did not like the concept of the book, but held strong and finished it. I kept hoping that the author would show me that the girls would grow as a character and learn that their is more to life than what you purchase at a store or screw the night before. Sadly I was deeply disappointed. If you enjoy shallow lifestyles and loose girls than this book is for you. Other than that don't bother wasting your time.
January 6, 2013
Pure shite! I loved it
July 3, 2015
I wanted a light, beachy-type read for when I'm at the gym. This was that, but I also found it not very well written. Lots of showing-not-telling. There were frequent weird, abrupt point-of-view shifts - almost enough to call the POV omniscient, but not quite. Plus, many plot points are painfully obvious, like that Luca has a girlfriend he's not telling Jacqui about, or that Mara is going to break up with Jim and get with Ryan. Seriously predictable.
(On an unrelated note, a lot of the characters smoke, which bothers me. Especially since Good Girl Mara starts smoking socially after she gets made over and gets the guy, who smokes socially as well. One of her friends says that she thought Mara didn't smoke, and Mara kind of smirks and says that she'd thought she didn't do a lot of things. So now that she's pretty and cool and popular, smoking just comes with the package? Not cool! It's not frequent, but still! No amount of smoking is okay!)
There's another point I'd like to note. Mara's small-town boyfriend, Jim, makes a surprise visit and finds her skinny-dipping with Hamptons hottie Ryan. Jim gets mad, and then Jim becomes the bad guy. It's been clear throughout the book that Jim and Mara aren't right for each other, but I think he's allowed to be upset here. Both Mara and Ryan protest that "nothing happened" and seem to think it's ludicrous that Jim would be upset because hello, they were just playing strip poker with some other people at the party, and when they lost all their clothes they decided to jump in the pool together! (And were, by the way, holding each other and very close to kissing - while naked and alone in the pool - when Jim appeared.) Personally, I'm with Jim on this. He does overreact in the things he says to Mara, but it's not crazy that he's upset. That's especially true given that the girl he's been dating for two years is Good Girl Mara, who seems unlikely to do something like this, so there's going to be an additional shock factor there.
Eh, that's all I got at the moment. If you like drama and glitz and don't demand a lot of the writing, this could be good for you. Me, I'm not moving on to the next of the series.
(On an unrelated note, a lot of the characters smoke, which bothers me. Especially since Good Girl Mara starts smoking socially after she gets made over and gets the guy, who smokes socially as well. One of her friends says that she thought Mara didn't smoke, and Mara kind of smirks and says that she'd thought she didn't do a lot of things. So now that she's pretty and cool and popular, smoking just comes with the package? Not cool! It's not frequent, but still! No amount of smoking is okay!)
There's another point I'd like to note. Mara's small-town boyfriend, Jim, makes a surprise visit and finds her skinny-dipping with Hamptons hottie Ryan. Jim gets mad, and then Jim becomes the bad guy. It's been clear throughout the book that Jim and Mara aren't right for each other, but I think he's allowed to be upset here. Both Mara and Ryan protest that "nothing happened" and seem to think it's ludicrous that Jim would be upset because hello, they were just playing strip poker with some other people at the party, and when they lost all their clothes they decided to jump in the pool together! (And were, by the way, holding each other and very close to kissing - while naked and alone in the pool - when Jim appeared.) Personally, I'm with Jim on this. He does overreact in the things he says to Mara, but it's not crazy that he's upset. That's especially true given that the girl he's been dating for two years is Good Girl Mara, who seems unlikely to do something like this, so there's going to be an additional shock factor there.
Eh, that's all I got at the moment. If you like drama and glitz and don't demand a lot of the writing, this could be good for you. Me, I'm not moving on to the next of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2013
I chose to read this book during my summer holiday. I wanted something light and easy to read. This definitely fit that need. I've read other books by De La Cruz and enjoyed them. I did enjoy this one too although not as much as I thought. The plot and storyline were a bit obvious and one could guess where things would go with each character. Yes, the characters were quite shallow and as another reviewer said, I had to keep reminding myself that these girls were only 16/17 (with all the sleeping around, alcohol and drugs I just kept thinking they were older). I know I'm probably showing my own age by admitting that, but I am not naïve enough to think it doesn't happen.
Again, I wasn't expecting a novel, just a fun summer read which is what this book was. I will say that despite the shallow characters and obvious storyline, I still enjoyed the book... seeing what it's like to be a teenager running wild in the Hamptons. Some things I still question and wonder if that is TRULY what it's like to be a millionaire having all these people work for you and raising/ or thinking that you are raising your children. The amount of time the Au Pairs spent with the children in this books was miniscule... I kept thinking... who is watching those kids?..certainly not au pairs or the parents. Granted, it IS just a story, but it still made me wonder (especially after reading stories like The Nanny Diaries, Gossip Girls, and some other stories about the rich and elite).
I liked the ending and the way De La Cruz wrapped up the story, while still allowing room for sequels later on. That being said there was an excerpt of the next book and frankly I was a little surprised and what was coming. Something about that except turned me off. Now, I am going to read the next book because I am very curious, but I was truly hoping the girls learned their lessons from their summer adventures, but apparently not.
Overall, I'd give this book 2 1/2 to 3 stars. It was a nice easy read, but this is not a book that would be one I'd read again.
Again, I wasn't expecting a novel, just a fun summer read which is what this book was. I will say that despite the shallow characters and obvious storyline, I still enjoyed the book... seeing what it's like to be a teenager running wild in the Hamptons. Some things I still question and wonder if that is TRULY what it's like to be a millionaire having all these people work for you and raising/ or thinking that you are raising your children. The amount of time the Au Pairs spent with the children in this books was miniscule... I kept thinking... who is watching those kids?..certainly not au pairs or the parents. Granted, it IS just a story, but it still made me wonder (especially after reading stories like The Nanny Diaries, Gossip Girls, and some other stories about the rich and elite).
I liked the ending and the way De La Cruz wrapped up the story, while still allowing room for sequels later on. That being said there was an excerpt of the next book and frankly I was a little surprised and what was coming. Something about that except turned me off. Now, I am going to read the next book because I am very curious, but I was truly hoping the girls learned their lessons from their summer adventures, but apparently not.
Overall, I'd give this book 2 1/2 to 3 stars. It was a nice easy read, but this is not a book that would be one I'd read again.
April 20, 2010
I read the fiction novel "The Au Pairs" by Melissa De La Cruz. I chose this book because I had previously read a different book by this author before and I really liked how she seemed to relate to the young teens my age and modern lifestyle of many people today.
This book is about three young teenage girls (Mara, Eliza, and Jacqui)who all get hired for a summer job as Au Pairs by the Perry family who live in the Hamptons. During the summer all three of the girls' stories are told. The story goes on to tell about their adventures as well as their hardships during their stay in the Hamptons, as they manage to take care of bratty kids, sneak out, as well as deal with their other issues on the side.
The main conflicts in this book are man vs. man as well as man vs. society. In the beginning the girls aren't exactly on the best of terms with each other but throughout the summer they realize that they need one another other in order for them to all get the job done successfully. It's also man vs. society because they all come from different backrounds and lifestyles and jumping into the light of the crazy Hampton summer life isn't the easiest thing to do. They deal with social status issues as well as realizing who their real friends are. The theme of the book is to learn that everything is not always as it seems to be and that looks can be deceiving.
The authors writing style is simple yet unique and fresh. I really enjoyed reading this book. It really kept me interested the whole time. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read fiction stories about a fun and interesting adventures in the summer sun.
This book is about three young teenage girls (Mara, Eliza, and Jacqui)who all get hired for a summer job as Au Pairs by the Perry family who live in the Hamptons. During the summer all three of the girls' stories are told. The story goes on to tell about their adventures as well as their hardships during their stay in the Hamptons, as they manage to take care of bratty kids, sneak out, as well as deal with their other issues on the side.
The main conflicts in this book are man vs. man as well as man vs. society. In the beginning the girls aren't exactly on the best of terms with each other but throughout the summer they realize that they need one another other in order for them to all get the job done successfully. It's also man vs. society because they all come from different backrounds and lifestyles and jumping into the light of the crazy Hampton summer life isn't the easiest thing to do. They deal with social status issues as well as realizing who their real friends are. The theme of the book is to learn that everything is not always as it seems to be and that looks can be deceiving.
The authors writing style is simple yet unique and fresh. I really enjoyed reading this book. It really kept me interested the whole time. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read fiction stories about a fun and interesting adventures in the summer sun.
October 14, 2016
This was an okay book. The book reminded me of the Gossip Girl series, but I thought it was a lot better than that one for sure. I didn't like how shallow and reckless the girls were and couldn't believe how clueless the parents were about how the girls were taking care of their children. Still, I thought it was a somewhat fun read and I'll probably read the next book in the series, the next time I want a book that doesn't require a lot of thinking.
February 24, 2019
If V. C. Andrews and Kate Morton had a literary love child, Emma Rous' The Au Pair would be it.
National Bestseller!
One of the most anticipated books of 2019 from Pop Sugar, Bustle, Cosmo, Parade, and Goodreads!
Seraphine Mayes and her twin brother, Danny, were born in the middle of summer at their family's estate on the Norfolk coast. Within hours of their birth, their mother threw herself from the cliffs, the au pair fled, and the village thrilled with whispers of dark cloaks, changelings, and the aloof couple who drew a young nanny into their inner circle.
Now an adult, Seraphine mourns the recent death of her father. While going through his belongings, she uncovers a family photograph that raises dangerous questions. It was taken on the day the twins were born, and in the photo, their mother, surrounded by her husband and her young son, is smiling serenely and holding just one baby.
Who is the child, and what really happened that day?
National Bestseller!
One of the most anticipated books of 2019 from Pop Sugar, Bustle, Cosmo, Parade, and Goodreads!
Seraphine Mayes and her twin brother, Danny, were born in the middle of summer at their family's estate on the Norfolk coast. Within hours of their birth, their mother threw herself from the cliffs, the au pair fled, and the village thrilled with whispers of dark cloaks, changelings, and the aloof couple who drew a young nanny into their inner circle.
Now an adult, Seraphine mourns the recent death of her father. While going through his belongings, she uncovers a family photograph that raises dangerous questions. It was taken on the day the twins were born, and in the photo, their mother, surrounded by her husband and her young son, is smiling serenely and holding just one baby.
Who is the child, and what really happened that day?
April 23, 2025
J’ai trouvé ce livre dans sa boîte à lecture et le titre me disait quelque chose. J’ai l’impression de l’avoir lu lorsque j’étais au primaire. Sincèrement, l’histoire est parfaite pour une lecture d’été. Ça t’emporte dans un autre monde et te donne envie d’aller passer l’été à travailler dans les Hamptons. J’ai aimé comment l’histoire s’est déroulée, comment la relation entre les filles s’est développée. Recommande fortement.
August 21, 2018
The kind of book you read when you have a few minutes and you’re sitting on the beach. Not the kind you stay up late reading because you just gotta know what happens. But there’s a place for those books too!
March 29, 2022
perfect summer read.. its spring & theres snow outside, but this book made it feel like summer 🙂 i love all the characters, its like a teen drama tv show. the sneak peek at the next book in the series has my smile slidinggg off my face. poor mara 😢
May 24, 2017
3.5 stars. I had a great time reading Beach Lane and will be picking up the second book very soon. The three Au Pairs are all likable characters and I'm enjoying watching them grow and mature.
June 2, 2016
*prepare for a raw, bare-bones review of this book from a girl who just finished it not half an hour ago*
Beach Lane by Melissa de la Cruz features three sixteen-year-old girls working as au pairs (aka well-paid babysitters) for a family vacationing in the Hamptons. At first glance, the story blurb paints Beach Lane as a fun, quick, summery read with potential for a great story. After reading this book I can say three things: yes, it was quick. Yes, it was summery. But fun? I believe Melissa de la Cruz and I have vastly different definitions of that word.
Right off the bat we are introduced to our three protagonists: Eliza, New York's former It Girl. Mara, small-town country bumpkin. And Jacqui, the beautiful and exotic Brazilian with men falling at her feet. I must admit I liked Mara best. Of the three she was the only one who wasn't remotely shallow. From the start it was clear that Eliza had intentions to climb her way back up the social ladder, with no regard to who was in her way. And Jacqui, though searching for her "true love," had no qualms about manipulating anyone in her path in order to get what she wanted. Mara seemed to be a bit of a blank page, thrown into this glamorous world with no real ulterior motive.
Melissa de la Cruz set up a wonderful story. Four kids, each with their own individual issues and predetermined goals to reach by the end of the summer. If the author played her cards right, that alone would be enough to fill up the 294 pages of this book. Unfortunately, Melissa de la Cruz preferred to throw her cards out the window and break out the booze instead.
If this book was a pie chart, at least 43% of it would be taken up with drinking. Add another 37% for partying, 22% for sex, and that leaves only 8% for actual babysitting. That adds up to 110% of bad examples for the projected audience. I mean, these girls are sixteen for crying out loud! As much as they drink in this book, their livers will be destroyed by the time they're thirty. They also show no guilt about abandoning their responsibilities as au pairs for more than half the book at least.
I won't deny I came into this book with expectations. I expected there to be more interaction with the kids. I expected them to be spoiled brats (which they were), and I expected the au pairs to be naive when it came to handling the kids (which they were), but I also expected, through trials and tribulations, for both parties to come out of it with a renewed sense of humility and responsibility, respectively (which they did not. Not in the slightest).
There was absolutely no positive message in this story. And I understand the author probably meant it to be a mindless summer read. If that's the kind of book you enjoy, then by all means, you go ahead, girlfriend. But, unlike Sex and the City and Gilmore Girls (as it has been compared to), Beach Lane had no clear/progressive character development, nor any real relationship development between the au pairs, the kids, or the love interests. There was a touch of romantic development toward the end, but it felt more like an afterthought to me, like the author was tying up all the loose ends, and not as well as she could have. If you couldn't tell, I, for one, will not be continuing this series.
I hope this review was helpful in your decision to read this book, and I apologize for any offense anyone may have taken at my review. A positive alternative to this book would be the Carter House Girls series by Melody Carlson (Book #1: Mixed Bags).
Beach Lane by Melissa de la Cruz features three sixteen-year-old girls working as au pairs (aka well-paid babysitters) for a family vacationing in the Hamptons. At first glance, the story blurb paints Beach Lane as a fun, quick, summery read with potential for a great story. After reading this book I can say three things: yes, it was quick. Yes, it was summery. But fun? I believe Melissa de la Cruz and I have vastly different definitions of that word.
Right off the bat we are introduced to our three protagonists: Eliza, New York's former It Girl. Mara, small-town country bumpkin. And Jacqui, the beautiful and exotic Brazilian with men falling at her feet. I must admit I liked Mara best. Of the three she was the only one who wasn't remotely shallow. From the start it was clear that Eliza had intentions to climb her way back up the social ladder, with no regard to who was in her way. And Jacqui, though searching for her "true love," had no qualms about manipulating anyone in her path in order to get what she wanted. Mara seemed to be a bit of a blank page, thrown into this glamorous world with no real ulterior motive.
Melissa de la Cruz set up a wonderful story. Four kids, each with their own individual issues and predetermined goals to reach by the end of the summer. If the author played her cards right, that alone would be enough to fill up the 294 pages of this book. Unfortunately, Melissa de la Cruz preferred to throw her cards out the window and break out the booze instead.
If this book was a pie chart, at least 43% of it would be taken up with drinking. Add another 37% for partying, 22% for sex, and that leaves only 8% for actual babysitting. That adds up to 110% of bad examples for the projected audience. I mean, these girls are sixteen for crying out loud! As much as they drink in this book, their livers will be destroyed by the time they're thirty. They also show no guilt about abandoning their responsibilities as au pairs for more than half the book at least.
I won't deny I came into this book with expectations. I expected there to be more interaction with the kids. I expected them to be spoiled brats (which they were), and I expected the au pairs to be naive when it came to handling the kids (which they were), but I also expected, through trials and tribulations, for both parties to come out of it with a renewed sense of humility and responsibility, respectively (which they did not. Not in the slightest).
There was absolutely no positive message in this story. And I understand the author probably meant it to be a mindless summer read. If that's the kind of book you enjoy, then by all means, you go ahead, girlfriend. But, unlike Sex and the City and Gilmore Girls (as it has been compared to), Beach Lane had no clear/progressive character development, nor any real relationship development between the au pairs, the kids, or the love interests. There was a touch of romantic development toward the end, but it felt more like an afterthought to me, like the author was tying up all the loose ends, and not as well as she could have. If you couldn't tell, I, for one, will not be continuing this series.
I hope this review was helpful in your decision to read this book, and I apologize for any offense anyone may have taken at my review. A positive alternative to this book would be the Carter House Girls series by Melody Carlson (Book #1: Mixed Bags).
October 8, 2017
The Au Pairs series was my very first series that I ever read from Melissa De La Cruz. I remember back in high school, my friend and I, we had to find a book in the school library and presented to the class for our French class. We both picked the first book from the series (Un été pour tout changer/ The Au Pairs) and read the back cover that seamed interesting. After reading it, we totally loved it that we decided to borrow the other rest of the series from the school library to read it as we passed it to each other :) And then a few years ago, I bought the series in English and still love it and now I still do!! It’s my favorite summer series to read! It’s very light, fun and fast read!
Sixteen-year-old Eliza Thompson, Mara Waters and Jacarei or a.k.a. Jacqui Velasco are three different girls from different places that are chosen to become Au Pairs at The Hamptons NYC for the Perry family to watch four young children during the summer (for 2 months). Each girl has a different to go to Hamptons. First off, there is Eliza was once the NYC it girl before the financial scandal that plunged her family into poverty and she had to move to Buffalo. She wouldn’t let no one know what really happen to her and her family. The Perry’s are the only family friend that knows what her and her family went through this nightmare. Working in the Hamptons was her ticket out of Buffalo and to try be close to her friends and to regain what she had before the scandal. Eliza will realise that she can keep up with the imagine she once had (to hide her financial status) from her old ‘’friends’’ and who will stand next to her no matter the status she has. Then, there is Mara is the small-town good girl girl who comes to the Hamptons to work and save money for college and a car but doesn’t realize until later that she is a Hamptons material. Mara struggles to figure out her relationship with her boyfriend Jim since freshman year and deal with her feelings for her bosses’ son, Ryan. Finally, there is Jacqui, a very pretty Brazilian who comes to the states to search for Luca, her true love that she met when he spent his spring break backpacking in South America. But when Jacqui finds him, she realises that Luca isn’t the same person as he was in South America and Jacqui seems to lose her purpose for being an Au Pair. But the three girls will learn a lot of stuff during the summer such as love, friendship and money and will be the best summer of their lives!
I love the three main characters. There are so different from each other and had their own reasons to work at the Hamptons. I love the character development that De La Cruz portraits each girl. I like how each chapter jump to a different P.O.V from Eliza, to Mara to Jacqui but at the same time the story follows.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I do recommend for teens up to 14 due to the sex and drugs mentioned in the book but other than that, it’s really a great summer book to read. Now, I’m off to read the next one, Skinny Dipping!
Sixteen-year-old Eliza Thompson, Mara Waters and Jacarei or a.k.a. Jacqui Velasco are three different girls from different places that are chosen to become Au Pairs at The Hamptons NYC for the Perry family to watch four young children during the summer (for 2 months). Each girl has a different to go to Hamptons. First off, there is Eliza was once the NYC it girl before the financial scandal that plunged her family into poverty and she had to move to Buffalo. She wouldn’t let no one know what really happen to her and her family. The Perry’s are the only family friend that knows what her and her family went through this nightmare. Working in the Hamptons was her ticket out of Buffalo and to try be close to her friends and to regain what she had before the scandal. Eliza will realise that she can keep up with the imagine she once had (to hide her financial status) from her old ‘’friends’’ and who will stand next to her no matter the status she has. Then, there is Mara is the small-town good girl girl who comes to the Hamptons to work and save money for college and a car but doesn’t realize until later that she is a Hamptons material. Mara struggles to figure out her relationship with her boyfriend Jim since freshman year and deal with her feelings for her bosses’ son, Ryan. Finally, there is Jacqui, a very pretty Brazilian who comes to the states to search for Luca, her true love that she met when he spent his spring break backpacking in South America. But when Jacqui finds him, she realises that Luca isn’t the same person as he was in South America and Jacqui seems to lose her purpose for being an Au Pair. But the three girls will learn a lot of stuff during the summer such as love, friendship and money and will be the best summer of their lives!
I love the three main characters. There are so different from each other and had their own reasons to work at the Hamptons. I love the character development that De La Cruz portraits each girl. I like how each chapter jump to a different P.O.V from Eliza, to Mara to Jacqui but at the same time the story follows.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I do recommend for teens up to 14 due to the sex and drugs mentioned in the book but other than that, it’s really a great summer book to read. Now, I’m off to read the next one, Skinny Dipping!
June 1, 2016
3.5 stars
Beach Lane was a surprisingly enjoyable read. I say surprisingly because there were so many things that annoyed the hell out of me, yet I couldn't stop reading. I just had this uncontrollable need to keep reading until I reached the end. The story is simplistic, the premise of the book literally tells you everything that happens. It's a quick, fluffy read, perfect for when you're in the mood to read something undemanding. It's a total brain vacation.
As always, Melissa de la Cruz lays it on thick about just how rich people in the Hamptons and NYC are. Endless lists of expensive restaurants, clothing stores, shoe stores, that have absolutely no role in the story. If the characters aren't eating in it, is it really necessary to talk about a particular restaurant? The author really goes overboard on that point. I mean, it would be interesting to read about if I were a rich woman intent on spending all my fortune during a vacation in New York, but I am not.
I didn't much care about the main character Jacqui. She brings absolutely nothing to the story. She considers herself worldly and experienced, but she came across very naive. But not a lot happens to her so she was easily ignored. Eliza is one of the most horrible characters I've ever read about. She wasn't written badly, she's just a bad person. She's shallow and vapid. Only considers people who are rich and beautiful, and is unbearably rude to those who aren't. She's has some seriously unhealthy views on life in general and love in particular. She could clearly benefit from hours of intense psychotherapy. Mara was great. She's a smart girl from a small time, has a firm grasp on reality and on what in life really counts. Though she does give in to peer pressure a couple of times, but that's not surprising considering she likes to keep the peace and avoids conflict at all costs.
After my initial disgust at how Eliza and in smaller dose also Jacqui behaved and thought about things, I started to really get into the story. It was like watching the movie Mean Girls, where I was just waiting for someone to give the girls this big speech about the important things in life, pointing out their serious personality flaws and laughing in their faces about their stupidity, making them reconsider everything they stood for. Unfortunately the moment they get a reality check never came, but nevertheless toward the end Eliza and Jacqui do make some strides toward becoming half decent people, though they still have a long way to go. I'm quite looking forward to reading about them again and seeing more of their personal growth. And Mara too, though she's already pretty great, she still needs to learn no to always be such a pushover.
Beach Lane was a surprisingly enjoyable read. I say surprisingly because there were so many things that annoyed the hell out of me, yet I couldn't stop reading. I just had this uncontrollable need to keep reading until I reached the end. The story is simplistic, the premise of the book literally tells you everything that happens. It's a quick, fluffy read, perfect for when you're in the mood to read something undemanding. It's a total brain vacation.
As always, Melissa de la Cruz lays it on thick about just how rich people in the Hamptons and NYC are. Endless lists of expensive restaurants, clothing stores, shoe stores, that have absolutely no role in the story. If the characters aren't eating in it, is it really necessary to talk about a particular restaurant? The author really goes overboard on that point. I mean, it would be interesting to read about if I were a rich woman intent on spending all my fortune during a vacation in New York, but I am not.
I didn't much care about the main character Jacqui. She brings absolutely nothing to the story. She considers herself worldly and experienced, but she came across very naive. But not a lot happens to her so she was easily ignored. Eliza is one of the most horrible characters I've ever read about. She wasn't written badly, she's just a bad person. She's shallow and vapid. Only considers people who are rich and beautiful, and is unbearably rude to those who aren't. She's has some seriously unhealthy views on life in general and love in particular. She could clearly benefit from hours of intense psychotherapy. Mara was great. She's a smart girl from a small time, has a firm grasp on reality and on what in life really counts. Though she does give in to peer pressure a couple of times, but that's not surprising considering she likes to keep the peace and avoids conflict at all costs.
After my initial disgust at how Eliza and in smaller dose also Jacqui behaved and thought about things, I started to really get into the story. It was like watching the movie Mean Girls, where I was just waiting for someone to give the girls this big speech about the important things in life, pointing out their serious personality flaws and laughing in their faces about their stupidity, making them reconsider everything they stood for. Unfortunately the moment they get a reality check never came, but nevertheless toward the end Eliza and Jacqui do make some strides toward becoming half decent people, though they still have a long way to go. I'm quite looking forward to reading about them again and seeing more of their personal growth. And Mara too, though she's already pretty great, she still needs to learn no to always be such a pushover.
June 15, 2014
I REALLY wanted to find a book to read for the summer time. Something that'd be a generally easy to read, purely mindless enjoyable fluff kind of book. I only picked this up because it appeared on several lists for summer reads, and also because I actually really like the Blue Bloods series by Melissa. It also has generally good reviews on this website.
Before I continue, I am going to admit that I didn't make it through the entire book. I read the majority, and skimmed the rest. However, I don't think if I had thoroughly finished it, my review would be much different.
I am a huge Gossip Girl fan, so when it comes to that sort of mindless book about the glamour of (insert specific elite social group), I can enjoy it as long as the satirizing is well done and recognizable (if it's serious... no). I'm half tempted to ditch this review and just write my reviews for the GG novels. Anyway, with a combination of enjoyable characters, satirizing social groups, with a touch of romance and adventure, I will definitely take the bait.
This book disappointed me on pretty much all of those fronts.
The writing tools she uses to set the scene once the girls get to their au pair job consists of name-dropping celebs and designer brands, and... not a whole lot else. I'd be totally up for reading about the exclusive lives of imaginary rich people on their vacation in the Hamptons if it were actually written well, and somewhat interesting. However, her description skills really disappointed me.
Two of the main characters are complete bitches, and hard for me to like. I ended up liking Mara because she was the only character with any tact. The other two were basically lacking personality. Jacqui seemed to have a lot of potential but then she ended up being obsessed with Luca.
I didn't find any of their bonding moments believeable at all. Same with basically all of the romance interests.
So I ended up, as I was reading, being annoyed by the most of the characters, unimpressed by her writing and descriptive skills, and barely interested in the "plot" if it can be called that much.
I really hope I don't anger anyone by dissing the book. I am going to say that a big part of my disappointment is that I read at a higher level and I believe this book was written for people a LOT younger than me, I suppose. However I am going to stick to my one star because that is what I personally believe it deserves, because it definitely failed to impress me.
Before I continue, I am going to admit that I didn't make it through the entire book. I read the majority, and skimmed the rest. However, I don't think if I had thoroughly finished it, my review would be much different.
I am a huge Gossip Girl fan, so when it comes to that sort of mindless book about the glamour of (insert specific elite social group), I can enjoy it as long as the satirizing is well done and recognizable (if it's serious... no). I'm half tempted to ditch this review and just write my reviews for the GG novels. Anyway, with a combination of enjoyable characters, satirizing social groups, with a touch of romance and adventure, I will definitely take the bait.
This book disappointed me on pretty much all of those fronts.
The writing tools she uses to set the scene once the girls get to their au pair job consists of name-dropping celebs and designer brands, and... not a whole lot else. I'd be totally up for reading about the exclusive lives of imaginary rich people on their vacation in the Hamptons if it were actually written well, and somewhat interesting. However, her description skills really disappointed me.
Two of the main characters are complete bitches, and hard for me to like. I ended up liking Mara because she was the only character with any tact. The other two were basically lacking personality. Jacqui seemed to have a lot of potential but then she ended up being obsessed with Luca.
I didn't find any of their bonding moments believeable at all. Same with basically all of the romance interests.
So I ended up, as I was reading, being annoyed by the most of the characters, unimpressed by her writing and descriptive skills, and barely interested in the "plot" if it can be called that much.
I really hope I don't anger anyone by dissing the book. I am going to say that a big part of my disappointment is that I read at a higher level and I believe this book was written for people a LOT younger than me, I suppose. However I am going to stick to my one star because that is what I personally believe it deserves, because it definitely failed to impress me.
April 29, 2012
With spring break time approaching very soon, it's not too early to be thinking of beach reads. The Au Pairs is the first in a series that seems poised to become a great beach read. To me, there are several key factors that make a great beach read. First, it has to be light. Second, it needs to be fun. Third, I like a little romance with my fruity umbrella drinks so it has to have a good love match. Fourth, it needs to be engaging. The Au Pairs has all of this. Are you going to have a major revelation? No, probably not. Is this book going to make you think deep thoughts? Nope. But beach reads are not supposed to do that so it's all good.
Eliza and Jacqui really annoyed me at first. They leave Mara to actually do the work that they were hired to do. By the end of the book, they became a lot more tolerable though. They just needed to be taken down a notch (and they are definitely during the book, which is utterly satisfying).
This is definitely a fun book and I'm looking forward to reading the other books in the series when I need a little bit of a mental break.
Bottom line: A fun, frothy read.
Eliza and Jacqui really annoyed me at first. They leave Mara to actually do the work that they were hired to do. By the end of the book, they became a lot more tolerable though. They just needed to be taken down a notch (and they are definitely during the book, which is utterly satisfying).
This is definitely a fun book and I'm looking forward to reading the other books in the series when I need a little bit of a mental break.
Bottom line: A fun, frothy read.
March 22, 2012
So at first I hated the book. I hated all the characters besides Mara. I thought it was a good plot but executed poorly. But at the end, Melissa de la Cruz redeemed herself. Absolutely loved how she put Mara and Ryan together and i loved Eliza and Jeremy. I thought Jacqui was a naive whore from the beginning but she's less of a whore now and I like that lol. And it's great that even though the girls are so different they became friends in the end. What can I say, I am gonna read the next one, The Au Pairs: Skinny-dipping.
February 10, 2018
Although superficial and vain it was a light read that can distract from everyday life.
June 19, 2012
I read this way back when I was a 16 year old teen.. or younger. I enjoyed the series very much. There are 3 books that follow this one.
The story is about a young girl who becomes au pair to a wealthy, affluent family in the Hamptons. I do not remember much of the story. But I remember enjoying it very much and rapidly buying the whole series to finish.
The story is about a young girl who becomes au pair to a wealthy, affluent family in the Hamptons. I do not remember much of the story. But I remember enjoying it very much and rapidly buying the whole series to finish.
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