The Royal Nanny

by Melody Carlson

Former teacher Meredith Cardwell thought everything was going to plan…until suddenly it wasn’t. Strapped and stranded alone in Austria on what was supposed to be a romantic trip for two, Meredith signs on for a short-term nannying gig. Unbeknownst to her, it’s for royalty. But with no money and no other options to get home, Meredith takes a leap of faith that children are children…regardless of where they grow up.

In over her head from day one, Meredith does her best to connect to and help the two children, but the transition from childcare in the jungle of the South Pacific to a royal household is anything but straightforward. Yearning for a mother-figure, the young prince of Rotslavia clings to Meredith, while his tween sister acts with the bossiness of her future role as queen.

All the while, questions abound. Where is their father? Why does he seem to neglect them? And what will she do when they return to their homeland? Of course, she gets to know the prince, and to love his children, but an everyday American girl can never really fit into the royal world…can she?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Royalty, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Contemporary

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2026

About the author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Royal Nanny by Melody Carlson was a sweet story
Not my first book by this author, but my first that wasn't a Christmas book. So I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.
The romance part was actually just a small part of the story. It was mainly about Meredith and her relationship with two royal children who she ended up becoming a nanny/governess for after being scammed and losing all her belongings on the start of her summer vacation in Europe.
I love the relationship that developed between Meredith and Kat, or Princess Katerina and Mishka, or Prince George. Kat is the heir to the throne of a small fictional European kingdom. She's also a stubborn pre-teen who of course doesn't need a nanny. So Meredith has her work cut out for her in that relationship. But Mishka took to her pretty quickly. Of course, Meredith also needed to deal with their sibling shenanigans plus doubts on whether she was up to this task. There were other issues to deal with, but I think those would be too spoilerish.
Through it all Meredith sought God's will. I love that she was sharing her faith in small ways throughout the story.
I really hope there is a sequel planned, because I'd love to see more of these characters. I would have loved more from the relationship between Spenser and Meredith.
I also loved the little nods to The Sound of Music and Cinderella.

[Leann Arave · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a charming, sweet story. I would recommend this story to anyone that loves a fairytale ending, but especially young adults. This story has a lot of of wonderful and sound learning lessons for young teenagers. Meredith is an American school teacher who finds herself abroad in Vienna, alone, robbed of all her possessions, and no way to contact anyone. When she lands a temporary nanny job with a royal family. The relationship she is able to build with the two children is very tender and inspiring.
I would say there’s similarities to the sound of music story but also Cinderella. I thought it was a beautiful story. If you’re looking for more romance, there was some, but not as swoony as I enjoy. Again, if you are a young adult reader, I think it’s perfect. There is some light Christian influence, which I thought added depth to the story. It is a clean story with no foul language, which I greatly appreciate.

[Jeanette Durkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than 5 stars for this book! It's the perfect blend of comedy with some minor drama. Meredith starts out on a fun European trip only to be robbed and stranded in Vienna. Fortunately for her she meets several "angels" who help her.

Meredith is a wonderful character! She reminds me of myself in many ways. She's kind, compassionate and a little headstrong. She often sees things that no one else does. Mishka is absolutely adorable! I love how he immediately warms up to Meredith and trusts her. Kat is a typical preteen girl. She's hurting and overwhelmed by her lot in life. Spencer isn't around much but he's a good man who loves his children.

It's so awesome how Meredith brings God and her faith in God into conversations. She doesn't shove her faith down people's throats. She lives out her faith. I've read many books by Melody Carlson and they never disappoint!

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from White Crown Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Royal Nanny by Melody Carlson is a breath of fresh air! While many young adult novels are full of angst and darkness, this novel is full of hope and light, making it perfect for young people finding their way.

Because while the story does take a few leaps into the unlikely, main character Meri is full of real-world wisdom. Though her initial story choices show her to be naïve, she soon grows past them and leans on a firm foundation of faith and solid experience. She is a fun yet realistic leading lady and really makes the story.

I liked the way that The Royal Nanny goes beyond a mere story to include valuable lessons, but at it's heart, it's sheer fun. I enjoyed the plot, vicariously exploring bits of Austria with Meri, and imagining what it would be like to hang out in a royal household. So for anyone who ever dreamed of being a princess, The Royal Nanny is the perfect book for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was super cute! A light and easy read reminiscent of a Hallmark movie, with great characters and an opening that sucked me in from the opening pages. This one was hard to put down!

I received a copy of this from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

[Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Royal Nanny is more than a cute Christian fiction story! I loved how the author wove an intriguing story with so much depth to it. Poor Meredith had it all planned until it all went wrong! Single, stranded, and alone in a foreign country, Meredith follows an unexpected path laid before her. Interwoven throughout the book is a deeper theme of God’s unexpected blessings and learning to follow more than what your mind or heart says to. With surprise twists and turns, we see Meredith learn some lessons of her own, while teaching the young prince and princess more about love, faith, and the God she serves. I loved watching the child + guardian dynamic played out. I loved Meredith’s heart, patience, and responsibility in dealing with the children. You will have to read to see if this “everyday American girl can [ever] fit into the royal world”! You will NOT be disappointed, and you will be cheering Meri on the whole time! This would make a wonderful, and different, made for TV movie!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers. I was NOT required to provide a positive review. All opinions and thoughts that are expressed are completely mine alone.*

[Talita Adendorff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read that didn't follow the normal pattern. In fact, there was a point where I wondered whether any romance was going to happen at all. (Don't worry, it does have a HEA.)

What this story really highlights to me is the relationship between siblings and guardians and how we sometimes just need to dig a little deeper and really care about people who might seem a bit prickly. I really cared about the characters and wanted to know what happened next. I also loved the references to The Sound of Music and the setting of Austria.

If you want something sweet, but with a bit of depth that is different from the norm, then I highly recommend reading The Royal Nanny.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, but the views and opinions are completely my own.

[Heather Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melody Carlson has a gift for writing heroines you root for! Meri is pretty, smart, and athletic, but she is also someone who’s had a lot of hardship in her life and you really want her to have love and a family. Mishka is my favorite character, such a precious little boy! I liked Kat too, but he stole my heart. I wish we had gotten a little more romance between the couple and that we the readers could have known Spencer better. He seems like a good dad who is trying hard, but I wanted to know more about him. That’s the only part of this story I feel could be improved. Overall, this was a fun, sweet read, full of heart, and I greatly enjoyed it! I was given an advance copy of the book, but all opinions are my own.

[Margaret Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this story of an American teacher stranded in Austria who gets hired as a nanny for royal children from a tiny fictional European country. The characters are great, the interactions are very realistic, and the characters grow and develop during the story. I stayed up late to finish it and find out how everything worked out.

I received a complimentary copy this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Chosengirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meredith is traveling to Vienna. When she gets there a series of misfortunate events happens. Which leads her to taking a job as a nanny. She knows very little about the family or how many children she will be caring for.. Upon arrival she quickly finds out that there are two children and they are on holiday. I could not put this book down. It was so enjoyable to see how the characters develop. I.was given a copy of this book by the publisher all thoughts are my own. I have read many books by Melody Carlson and am looking forward to reading more.

[Halee N · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful book by Melody Carlson! A great story that introduces Merideth, a traveling educator who ends up becoming a nanny to a family struggling with grief and fear. Through persistent compassion, courage and understanding from the new nanny, Merideth, a family is given a new opportunity to live in hope, with courage and strength. Melody did a great job providing the reader with a wonderful and unique story of all-things royalty and love!

I received a complimentary copy of the book. This review is solely a reflection of my own opinion.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melody Carlson’s The Royal Nanny is a well-developed, realistic light romance. The main character kept her eyes on her goal, yet was willing to consider new ideas and directions as the story unfolded. I liked that Meri was brave enough to talk with the queen. The novel’s engaging, strong characters navigated opposition to a satisfying ending. Highly recommend this enjoyable read. I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

[꣑ৎ sue (hatter-pendragon version) ꣑ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’ll be honest: i did not go into this book knowing that it was a christian fiction. i have a fondness for that christmas prince series on netflix, and thought that the plot was similar. anyway, i enjoyed this book. at the core of it is the love for children—as someone who adores them, i had fun.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick read. I was immediately drawn into the story. I loved the characters and the children were adorable. Faith content was good. I wish there had been a bit more interaction and development of the romance, but overall was an enjoyable read.

[Sherralynne Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story

I really loved this story and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good romantic story (with a few twists thrown in).

Thanks Melody, from a New Zealand fan.

[Lana Spelliscy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and charming story filled with comedy, learning, romance, and finding yourself where you least expect to. With Vienna as the setting for this light hearted story, the reader is taken on a wonderful trip to a beautiful city. Melody Carlson transports the reader with amazing details of both scenery and architecture. You can almost taste the delicious food described. The characters are so easy to relate to. They feel like friends sending letters home to share what's going on. Their interactions with each other are realistic and relatable. Watching them learn and grow is so fun as the the reader. Adding crowns to this story makes it even more fun.
I wanted to both rush and savor this story. Always wondering what was going to happen and how it would be resolved. I wanted the answers, now! But also enjoying it all and not wanting to finish the journey just yet. This is a wonderful and light hearted read, with just enough romance to pull out a sigh now and then. A great addition to your TBR pile. Grab a copy and get comfy to enjoy every step. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Candide Weekes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Royal Nanny by Melody Carlson was an amazing read !
I really enjoyed reading this book! It was light and deep at the same time.
I was a little scared at first because of what happens to Meri at the start of the book, but Melody did a great job at showing us what Meri felt and how she calmed herself.
I really enjoy royal themed books and this one was sweet and funny and the characters were well developped and easy to get attached to 😉
— I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. —