Bad Nanny

The Badden Brothers #1

by Maya Nicole

He's a grumpy single dad. I’m his new nanny. And my life is an absolute toaster fire.

My day started with my breakfast going up in flames and ended with me using a sock puppet during a job interview with the CEO of a billion-dollar company.

He’s in desperate need of a nanny, and I need the job to keep my identity as the viral puppet sensation, Sarah Swoon, a secret from my family.

His life is as structured as a corporate spreadsheet, but as our professional boundaries blur into something more, he’s willing to throw out the rulebook and let me knock down the walls he’s built.

Until an unexpected package addressed to Sarah Swoon shows up at his door.

When he finds out that I’ve been moonlighting as a romance and sex guru under the guise of my puppets, everything changes. After all, he hired me to care for his daughter, not to throw his well-ordered world into disarray.

Keeping his daughter happy and sticking to the routine is easy. But falling for Gabriel Badden? Definitely not in the job description.


*Bad Nanny is a spicy rom-com featuring a sunshiny puppeteer with a penchant for glitter, a meticulous CEO who's never late for a meeting, an adorable five-year-old with a heart of gold, and puppets… lots and lots of puppets. This book is the first standalone in The Badden Brothers series and has a happily ever after—no strings attached.

Genres: Romance, Rom Com, Forced Proximity, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

Kindle Edition

First published April 3, 2024

About the author

For an updated list of books visit my Amazon author page or my website.

https://www.mayanicole.com

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Reviews

[astarion's bhaal babe (wingspan matters)]

I quit.
Mine may be the first unpopular opinion I see on this book, but I'm not enjoying this and I can't stand the fmc, so I see no reason to stick to this when I'm 110% sure I won't end up changing my mind if I read it til the end.

[Valarie Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute!!

This book was an excellent read!! There were times I couldn't stop giggling! This story captivated me from the first page!

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

Action-packed

Easy-to-read

Entertaining

Funny

Great world building

Original

Page-turner

Romantic

Steamy

Tear-jerker

Unpredictable

Whimsical

Witty

Wonderful characters

Happily Ever After

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wasn’t sure about this one at first. I ended up really liking it though. It was a refreshingly different kind of romcom.

Gabriel is a single dad but he’s new at it and still trying to figure out what he’s doing. He only saw his daughter some weekends and then all at once he was forced to become a full time single dad. I honestly loved that so much though. I loved that he wasn’t perfect. Raising a kid is hard and we all need help sometimes. He wasn’t good at that part but I loved his journey in fatherhood.

Josie was also really great and refreshing in the sense that her career was completely unique. I loved that she was doing her very niche thing and was super successful at it. She was a great counterpart to Gabriel.

If you like a really spicy and quirky romcom then this is for you! I thought it was really great.
Thank you to Candi Kane pr and Maya Nicole for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmmm idk what to say I liked this?
the puppets I don’t even want to talk about it…. so cringe…. BUT take them out and I actually really liked this book…. But again the puppets…. I just can’t it would have been a 4 if the author left that out

[Dreia Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm and heartfelt, absolutely brilliant story. Maya never disappoints. I love the Badd Brother's and the first book of the series is a banger. Gabriel is the complete package. His relationship with his daughter makes me weepy. Josie is a brilliant FMC and her love of puppetry....Hello Sarah Swoon is the perfect combination for the hilarious nature of this book. I loved every minute of this story and I can wait for Bad Neighbor. Get ready for a fun ride. Gabriel wasn't ready when he met Josie, but they get their HEA in the end. Amazing read.

[Daphnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved.this!

This book was funny and emotional and sweet and made me cry. I loved everything about it and Josie, Gabriel and Delaney were great characters you can't help.but fall in love with. I am looking forward to the other Badden brothers stories.

[Ashley Piach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally Nanny tropes aren't my thing but I got an ARC and decided why not? And I'm so glad I did! This book was funny, hopeful, and sexy. That movie scene oof (is it hot in here or is it just me?) I also really enjoyed the parenting aspect from the father and his daughter showing their relationship. It got me in all the feels. I can't wait for the brothers to have their books, I feel like a wild ride is in store.

[MsRHReviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josie is a puppeteer. She went to school for puppetry (who even knew there was a college degree for that?), much to her dad's apparent disappointment. What hardly anyone knows about her, however, is that she's the creator of Sarah Swoon - an adult puppet show that talks about love, dating and sex. It very quickly goes viral, but only her sister knows it's her behind the scenes. Since her dad isn't aware, he assumes she's not working and pushes her into a job as a live in nanny for CEO Gabriel Badden for his five year old daughter. She has her own studio to live in at the house, so she's still able to make her puppet content in secret. From what little Gabriel has heard about it from his brothers, he is not impressed by whoever would make such a show and finds it perverse, making Josie more determined to keep it a secret.

What I like about this book is that while Gabriel is considered a "grump," he isn't that bad at all! In other books, the guy tends to remain a grump for quite a bit of the book and digs his heels in if he starts to feel anything for the female lead. For Gabriel, he starts feeling something for Josie early on, and it doesn't take too long for him to make a move on her. He's just so used to being in control of everything, obsessively so, that he comes across as stern and hard to deal with. He's got a definite soft spot for his little girl, Delaney, but he built a wall around his heart and doesn't show his emotions well (besides anxiety), which is why he acts the way he does. He's actually a very emotional guy, and I love seeing his moments of vulnerability, even if he doesn't let others see it.

There's many reasons to love this rom-com, but for fun, here's a list of totally random things that should make you love this book even more:
- Pit bull love!! Any advocating for them is a win, and it made me extra happy that it was talked about in Bad Nanny! Pitties are adorable and so loving and deserve every chance and rights that other dogs do!
- The fact Delaney, the five year old, loves Bluey. I have a six year old who is also in love with Bluey, so it makes it all the more relatable. If you're a parent of a child around this age... you get it.
- The MC trying new things. You read books all the time where the female main character is encouraged to try new things by the male, but I don't think I've read a scene where the FMC is encouraging the MC to try a new thing quite like in this book! I won't spoil the surprise, though. If you read it, you'll know what I'm talking about! It's definitely hot!

If you want a somewhat quick, sweet, no other woman drama, no cheating, funny romance that has a precious little girl thrown in the mix, this is a definite read for you!

[Carissa Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

💋🧸REVIEW🧸💋

📖 Bad Nanny by Maya Nicole

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

“I think we sometimes get so caught up in what we’re supposed to do that we forget about what we want to do.”

What to expect?
💋SPICY ROMCOM
🧸PUPPETS
💋BROTHERLY BANTER
🧸GRUMPY X SUNSHINE
💋CEO
🧸SINGLE DAD X NANNY

This book is amazing! 🤩 I’d say that my first time reading a Maya Nicole book was a hit and will definitely be looking into more of her books in the future.

Anywho, on to the review! 😊

Josie and Gabriel have chemistry from the very beginning when the happen to run into each other at the coffee shop. Who knew carrying around a puppet in your purse could get a small, shy little girl to open up? So of course Gabriel thinks Josie’s beautiful upon this first encounter, but the icing on the cake of weirdness is that this woman just pulled a puppet out of purse…

Since he’s running late to a meeting and so is Josie they say their pleasantries and move on…only to find out they’re going to the same meeting. Ha.

So insert Josie who is looking for a job to help keep her identity as Sarah Swoon, smut puppet extraordinaire, under lock and hidden from her dad. Gabriel needs a nanny and Josie’s dad thinks that this is the perfect job opportunity for Josie…even better it’s a live-in position so she can get out of his house.

Little do they know that the sparks are going to continue to fly, but also that his little girl is going to absolutely fall in love with Josie. Along the way they cross the line and decide that being a couple is okay, however, Josie has to figure out how to tell Gabriel that she is the voice behind Sarah Swoon. Too bad, a big drum of lube breaks the news for her. 😆

There’s a little third act drama, but beyond that just enjoy the craziness and sweetness that occurs with these two and the banter that goes on between Gabriel and his brothers. It’s delightful.

Overall, a great read and you will absolutely fall in love with this little found family. You’ll have the feels for Gabriel and his situation with his daughter, but you’ll absolutely fall in love with the banter and chemistry between Josie and Gabriel. Can’t wait to read more of this series. 😍

#romancereads #badnanny #mayanicoleauthor #singledadnanny #grumpysunshine #puppetry #smutpuppets #puppetonlyfans #closetgoldenretriever #ceoromance #newrelease #arcreads #arcreviews #spicyromcom #bibliophile #romancereader #booktok

[Danes_booksta · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

From start to finish this book was so good. I loved the banter, the sexual tension, and the heartfelt moments. The text messages between Gabe and his brothers were laugh out loud funny. The subtle innuendos that Josie would toss out and then smirk like she’s innocent were the best.

Josie’s connection with Delaney was instant, because of Penelope the puppet. She had such a way with Delaney and realizing what she needed when she needed it. Gabe was strung tight, but once Josie walked into his life, i swear it was like a flip switched and he let loose a little bit. I loved watching him loosen the reigns on the tight ship he ran.

The sexual tension between Gabe and Josie was top notch. The looks, the slight touches, the talking. Once they went for it, it was 🔥 the date that Noah plans was 🌶️.

One of my favorite quotes said by Josie to Gabe, “I think we sometimes get so caught up in what we’re supposed to do that we forget about what we want to do.”

It just hit me right in the feels.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone!

✨i was given an arc for an honest review

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed and I cried! The hallmark of any good book is being able to feel emotion while reading it. I loved this book for that reason (also because it was well-written, the characters were enjoyable, and I couldn't help rooting for them). I've been a long time Maya fan for years now. This book was a bit of a departure from what I am used to from her, but it was still amazing. I loved that we dealt with some serious topics but it didn't feel like it weighed the book down and made it "too much". I also love that there was some character growth from everyone, especially Gabriel, and his realization that he needed to talk to someone and deal with some things because it was affecting not only his daughter, but himself. I was a little disappointed in him with the way he handles the "reveal" but he quickly realized how stupid he had been and apologized.

I will admit to doing some ugly crying near the end at two specific scenes (IYKYK). You'll have to read the book yourself to figure out which parts :)

[Tara-Lynn Dugas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved Mayas writing for several years, and every new genre she does just gets better than the last. This book does not disappoint! What starts out as a job primarily used as a cover up quickly turns into more. I love Gabriel's evolution through this book, and not only shows empathy for others with possible me tal health struggles but finally accepts maybe he has his own struggles that deserve that grace and respect as well. Josie is an amazing woman, who honestly knows who she is, and isn't afraid to be it. I mean you'd have to go to go university for puppetry! ( which after a quick Google search shows me that it is in fact taught at university! ) and then there's Delaney ! What a cute little firecracker that really demonstrates how resilient kids are with just a little support and allowing them to set the pace, and don't hold them back !!! I can see myself re reading this book just to get all of the good ( and tingly ) feels !!! Hahaha

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
This book had me at single dad and nanny romance. I could tell from the blurb this book was going to be my jam. I loved the sense of humor in this book. It really was one of my favorite things. This book also delivers on the steam. Gabriel and Josie burn up the pages. Delaney is so adorable and I loved the bond she creates with Josie right away. I can so relate to Gabriel with the anxiety because I live with that myself every day. I knew where he was coming from. This book was a great grumpy/sunshine romance. Josie brings such light and joy to the Badden household. Though Josie is keeping her true career from Gabriel. It's not good to keep secrets because they always have a way of coming out. This book also has plenty of heart and feels. This is my first book by Maya Nicole, but I can tell you it won't be my last. I'm already looking forward to Gabriel's brothers stories. I can already can tell I'm gonna love Noah's story.

[Vallene Boddington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection! Perfectly written romance between a single dad and a hand puppeteer. Yes, a hand puppeteer, you read that correctly.
Josie finds fame with her "Susan Swoon" puppet and her sexcapades but Josie keeps it all a secret. She's convinced by her father to take a nanny job with the CEO of Badden Apparel
Gabriel Badden, a grumpy set in his way billionaire, is suddenly a full-time dad to sweet little Delaney and need of a nanny. So far, 4 unsuccessful nannies down, Gabriel agrees to allow Josie the position.
The chemistry between these two characters is scorching hot. The intensity of falling in love, creating a family is almost instant, and I found it heartwarming, charming, and absolutely swoony. All I want is to reread this book and experience its charm all over again. The side characters are wonderfully engaging and funny, and I look forward to the Badden Brothers finding their significant others.

Tropes:
Single Dad. Puppeteer. Found family. Swoonworthy. Close proximity. Billionaire. Opposite attract. Grumpy-sunshine. Age gap.

Quotes:
“Rules are meant to be broken.”“Is that a challenge, Mr. Badden?” Her tone was light, but the spark in her eye suggested she was up for it. “It might be, Ms. Hastings.”

“You make me feel like an awkward teenager noticing a girl for the first time.”

“Spread your legs for me. Let me see what’s mine.”

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 4 out of 5]

*MF
*Contemporary
*Dual-PoV
*Age-Gap
*Single-Dad
*Puppeter
*Grumpy Boss
*Peppy college grad
*Low Angst
*Mid Burn
*Standalone
High Heat
A solid read from this author! It has the usual quirky rom-com moments that can be found within her works that genuinely make you giggle out loud. As well as the sexual tension and chemistry burning high 🥵
The story follows Josie who has find herself as a nanny despite having no experience but is a whizz with puppets 😅 and has a raunchy sideline job she’s desperate to keep quiet! She becomes the employee of one Gabriel and his daughter who is an absolute sweetheart 🥰 Gabriel is the grumpy every but g must be down in order no messing kinda guy 😳 this has lots of fighting that attraction but in the end it’s undeniable! There are some heartfelt moments woven throughout as well. Took me a while to get going with this but a nice homey read. (3.5 rounded up)

[Stacey Foss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Maya Nicole, and it won't be the last. I loved these characters. Josie is just out of Puppet school and is achieving her goals with her alternate ego Sarah Swoon, but she doesn't know how her family will react. When her father wants her to get a job she applies for a nanny position. Gabriel is struggling as a single father; he can't keep a nanny as he scares them all away. When he sees Josie for the first time, he is intrigued along with being annoyed and it was fun watching him struggle with his attraction to her. The banter between him and his brothers was downright hilarious. This book was intoxicatingly sweet and steamy with just the right amount of angst. I can't wait for the downfall of his brothers it will be laugh out loud fun I can already see it. I was given this book as an ARC for my honest review.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was oh-kay

I don’t know what it is about this that just didn’t make me squeal with adoration for it. It just kind of fell flat at some parts for me.

Laney didn’t feel like a five year old. And the thing the therapist said about her being taken by a stranger didn’t make sense. was she kidnapped? What?

Josie and Gabriel… idk Gabriel didn’t FEEL like a Gabriel, honestly. I also wish there was a part where Josie and Laney could have bonded over their shared trauma of losing their mom. It was like the reason Josie’s mom was gone was just mentioned then swept under the rug. Did Nora actually have her own novel before this and it was mentioned there? It’s weird. My brain is weird. I liked this story but it’s not really great for me. I wasn’t too happy with the character development and I ended up skipping a bumch of parts.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a new series, and this is Gabriel and Josie’s story.
Gabriel is a grumpy single dad, who is used to having his adorable 5-years old weekends, and now she is with his full time, he is desperate for a nanny. Josie is a recent graduate puppeteer, whose alternate ego is Sarah Swoon, and she is determined to keep her job a secret from her family.
This is a well written story which has family, friendships, secrets, humor, witty banter, grumpy / sunshine, opposites attract, angst, romance, engaging and relatable characters, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, fun, quirky, and steamy addictive family.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Nikki Costello ***Crazy Cajun Book Addicts Blog*** · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute and quirky romcom from Maya Nicole. This is the first book in the Badden Brothers series and is Josie and Gabriel's story.

When Gabriel needs a new nanny for his very adorable little girl, Delaney he hires puppetier Josie, she wouldn't be his first choice, but Delaney seems smitten from their first meeting and soon so is Gabriel.
Josie has a degree in puppetiering, which may seem strange to some, but Josie's puppets are making her a living in the adult online world only no one knows Josie is behind 'Sarah Swoon'.
Has she and Gabriel become closer, and their relationship heats up how Gabriel will react when the truth comes to light. Will it all be over before it's really had a chance to begin.

A story that I really enjoyed and would definitely recommend.

[BookExpression · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever cried from reading or watching something so sweet and cute? Have you ever met someone who you knew was going to turn your world upside down? In Bad Nanny you get both of those. I was bawling my eyes out at the last page because I never wanted it to end!

Bad Nanny follows Josie, an outgoing lady who carries a puppet in her bag, and Gabe, this headstrong business man who has every detail of his life planned out. And let's not forget Delaney, Gabe's adorable little girl who made me want to hold her and never let go.

This book will make you bawl your eyes out on one page and bust out laughing on the next. I highly recommend this book for anybody who is looking for a spicy, funny, emotional ride. You will not be disappointed!

[Haileigh Nonte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this whole story line, Delaney just is so sweet and wants love but Gabriel is suffocating her with his own anxiety. It takes the puppeteer Josie to show him that life doesn’t have to be all schedules and rules. Rules are meant to be broken.

I don’t think I could’ve turned the pages fast enough when he found out the secret she has been hiding from him. The whole scene with Sarah Swoon and Gabriel had me cracking up.

I’m so glad that it ended with a HEA. No OW drama, sweet, spicyyyyy🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️, new kinks unlocked for MMC and FMC.

Ps will totally be using thumb promises in my everyday life now.

[Mari C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute

It was a cute, fun romcom with just enough fluff. It was definitely a unique storyline with the type of alter ego she had with the puppets and how much puppets were incorporated. I liked how there was friction and fights, but they didn’t become out of control and were resolved very maturely in a short period of time. It’s something you don’t see much since it makes a more dramatic plot, but not every person has the same level of communication and I liked seeing a better level of communication displayed for once. Intrigued for the brother’s book especially since there is the inevitable crossover with the her and Josie sort of having a connection.

[Lake B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josie and Gabriel meet when they attend the same meeting, which is a form of bring your daughter to work day. Josie introduces Gabriel’s daughter Delaney to her puppet, and Josie’s dad asks Gabriel to hire his daughter for his live in nanny position. Gabriel and his daughter both experience anxiety about their recent life changes, but Josie provides a little levity for them. However, she has another puppet job that she has a rough time telling people about in fear of how they would react. I love how unique her profession is, but she thrives in it with joy. Gabriel’s brothers have a hilarious group chat, and it seems like we will be seeing more of them.

[Biggs_bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the details of this story are so unique. I honestly don’t know if I have ever read a story quite like this one and I loved every single moment of it. don’t want to spoil any of it because it’s a fun to watch this story unfold. There’s so much emotion and depth to this story and it’s laced with some serious humor. One line completely tickled my funny bone I busted out laughing at work. This story has heart breaking moments, melt your heart moments and some serious spice. Some of that spice comes in some unexpected ways. The narrators nailed it. This will be one I have to listen to again.

[Little Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Nanny Trope is normally not my style, but I really enjoyed other books I have read by Maya Nicole so I was excited to get the opportunity to read this one.

First, let me start out that I LOVE Josie. She is such a breath of fresh air as an FMC. I also love that she is into puppetry. That whole element really made the story that much more enjoyable if I am honest. Seeing Delaney grow and how Gabriel changed over time was also nice. I do enjoy a good grumpy/sunshine in a contemporary romance.

I don't really have anything negative to say about this book. It is very well written. There is not really a third act break up, but definitely a third act kerfuffle, but it works itself out incredibly quickly. Due to Gabriel's anxiety, he is quick to react without thinking, and that does not really get better until the end of the book. I wont go into why he has anxiety, as it will discuss it throughout the book, but there is a lot of trauma him and Delaney have to overcome. I think that is why I like Josie even more. I am a social worker in my career, and I have worked in and with the foster care system, Josie is a gem of a human in this story to not have given up and ran. Part of trauma and felt safety is that push to see if you will leave them too, and she stuck around. I really enjoyed just watching everyone grow and come together.

There are also a lot of funny moments, and stolen sweet moments. If you want something that will hit all the feels, and includes some spicy scenes, this is a great book to pick up! I can't wait to read the other brothers' stories!! They were great side characters and this book makes you want to know them more also.

[United Indie Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Josie, Gabriel and Delaney. These three were just meant to be a family.
Josie finds herself graduated from college, living with her father and keeping a few secrets. Gabriel is in need of a nanny and Josie seems to fall into that job even though she isn’t who he would normally pick. Josie is amazing with Delaney, these two hit it off right from the start. And Josie can’t help but fall for the little girl and her father. I laughed out loud and had my heart hurt at times. I’m excited for the next in the series.

Review by Raychel

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can you say after reading g this book other than that i could of went on reading more. I really enjoyed this read and found it funny in certain areas.

I loved how Gabriel's character progressed through the book he really was a grump when you first meet him. Josie crlertainly Brough out his character mote on the pages loved these two together and little delaeny. Such a good read ypu don't want to miss out on.

[Angie Kossina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. This author is branching out into new genres with her writing and whatever genre she writes she seems to nail. This has a lot of great humor, adorable characters and emotional gut punches in the best ways. Who would have thought a puppeteer would make for such an amazing character and I really wish that was a youtube video because that would be amazing to watch from what bits we were able to see in the book.

[Gladys · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book and it left me very excited to continue this series. The author does a great job of constructing a quirky and funny story that also manages to give your heartstrings some rock-solid tugs. Josie, Gabriel and little Delaney were all wonderfully complex and genuinely relatable characters. The story pulls you quickly into this world and has you happy to linger as you ardently wish for a HEA for everyone.

[Amanda O'Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTLEY LOVED this book!!!!

I cannot say enough about Maya Nicole’s writing this book was absolutely amazing from start to finish I devoured it in less than a day the story line and characters are amazing and you are sucked in so deeply you experience everything with them! The banter and humor as well as the story are incredible I can not reccomend this book enough it’s a 5 star read for sure ! You will fall in love with it from the get go !❤️