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The Werewolf Nanny
As a struggling single mom with a babysitter emergency, I’m relieved when Finn Cauley—Irish heartthrob, my boss, and my work-friend-who-I-keep-at-a-distance—takes me by the shoulders and says the four most beautiful words a stressed-out woman can ever hear:
I will fix this.
Finn proceeds to literally drag a free babysitter into our house, for which I’m super grateful, really.
I just have just one teeny, tiny concern.
Our new nanny is a *werewolf.*
**WARNING: This book landed in the Erotica category, but this story is a *slow*-burn romantic comedy with more than 100,000 words of sweet wereshifter fun. If you're looking for sexy times to happen quickly and often, this is not the book you want today. I'm sorry!
I will fix this.
Finn proceeds to literally drag a free babysitter into our house, for which I’m super grateful, really.
I just have just one teeny, tiny concern.
Our new nanny is a *werewolf.*
**WARNING: This book landed in the Erotica category, but this story is a *slow*-burn romantic comedy with more than 100,000 words of sweet wereshifter fun. If you're looking for sexy times to happen quickly and often, this is not the book you want today. I'm sorry!
313 pages, ebook
First published November 21, 2020
197 people are currently reading
570 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
July 27, 2023
Second read. 4 stars. I need to mark it down a little because I wanted a little bit more to them getting to know each other. I feel like they need more time to gain intimacy and this missed a little something. This time around, by the time they're physically intimate, I don't feel it. I love the story but there's just a little something missing.
This is a really cute and unusual paranormal romance. We have a single mom who has two daughters, and a semi-adopted daughter (a friend of her older girl). She’s trying to make ends meet and happens to be working at a shifter-owned bar/restaurant. The owner is a handsome alpha who flirts with her (and every other woman in sight) and he just wants to make her life easier. He’s great and all… but he’s not the hero. The submissive wolf that he brings over to be the manny (male nanny) to her girls is the hero. And that’s the start to a VERY unusual story.
This book can be confusing. While it’s dual POV, we don’t get the hero’s POV until Chapter 10. Until that time, it’s easy to think that the charming and aggressively kind alpha is the hero. Don’t get me wrong, I want to read that alpha’s story, but you get the sense that he’s the traditional manwhore who sleeps around quite a bit. He has a LOT of redeeming qualities which makes it hard to get past the idea that he’s not the hero.
It's not until around the 45% mark that we know FOR CERTAIN that the sweet and nervous submissive wolf is going to be the hero. Here’s why I’m okay with this setup and don’t think of it like a love triangle.
The alpha is pursuing the heroine, but she’s told him she’s not interested in him that way. She thinks he’s attractive, but she doesn’t like how charming he is and how much he flirts with other women all the time. So, while the alpha AND the hero think that the heroine belongs with the alpha (at first), there is no confusion on her part that he’s not for her. Yes, two guys end up wanting her… but even that is more consecutive rather than concurrent. And the alpha steps away when he sees that something is happening between the hero/heroine.
The hero is such an unusual one. He’s very sweet and caretaking. He cleans, cooks, hangs out with the kids, protects… But he’s also SUPER nervous and distractable. He poofs into a wolf at the slightest provocation and he CANNOT leave a squirrel or chipmunk alone when he’s in wolf form. This adds a bit of the ridiculous to the story. He’s studious and thoughtful. He works for a church, does teaching/preaching, and is the one to do a lot of research on text and is comfortable with a variety of biblical languages, etc. Such a random job for a werewolf! Hero is around 5’7”… but has a nice body. Also, he loves dad jokes. A little bit dorky and I love it!
There are some ADORABLE descriptions of the hero as a wolf (his interactions with the littlest girl are sooo cute) and of other shifters in animal form.
Audiobook
- This is dual POV but uses a single, male narrator. He does a fine job, but I would have rather had a female narrator for the heroine's chapters cause I am not a huge fan of how the male narrator does female voices. And this book is mostly in the heroine's POV.
Safety deets
- hero is not a manwhore.
- kinda OM… the heroine was pursued by someone else AND she was married and her ex-husband is still around.
- No OW. Virginal, innocent hero who doesn't magically know exactly what to do.
- no birth control but at least they discuss.
- some off-page violence. Apparently, wolves do NOT have a problem messing up (or even killing) guys that mess with kids or do bad things to people. Multiple mentions in this book of the werewolves doing some vigilante justice.
- off-page abuse of the "adopted" daughter (by her mom's boyfriend[s])
- some scenes in a Christian church with "preaching". I felt like it was done well and the verses and thoughts discussed were on the kind and progressive side... tho if you're sensitive to religious text, you may have different opinions. There is some mention of violence in the text.
-------
First read. 5 stars. I am so impressed! Finally, we get a hero who is not over 6 feet tall and who is a submissive werewolf. Loved it so much! No huge drama. Just a lovely sweet story with great main characters and side characters! And enough of a story to keep me hooked. Amazing job, Amanda Milo!!!!
This is a really cute and unusual paranormal romance. We have a single mom who has two daughters, and a semi-adopted daughter (a friend of her older girl). She’s trying to make ends meet and happens to be working at a shifter-owned bar/restaurant. The owner is a handsome alpha who flirts with her (and every other woman in sight) and he just wants to make her life easier. He’s great and all… but he’s not the hero. The submissive wolf that he brings over to be the manny (male nanny) to her girls is the hero. And that’s the start to a VERY unusual story.
This book can be confusing. While it’s dual POV, we don’t get the hero’s POV until Chapter 10. Until that time, it’s easy to think that the charming and aggressively kind alpha is the hero. Don’t get me wrong, I want to read that alpha’s story, but you get the sense that he’s the traditional manwhore who sleeps around quite a bit. He has a LOT of redeeming qualities which makes it hard to get past the idea that he’s not the hero.
It's not until around the 45% mark that we know FOR CERTAIN that the sweet and nervous submissive wolf is going to be the hero. Here’s why I’m okay with this setup and don’t think of it like a love triangle.
The alpha is pursuing the heroine, but she’s told him she’s not interested in him that way. She thinks he’s attractive, but she doesn’t like how charming he is and how much he flirts with other women all the time. So, while the alpha AND the hero think that the heroine belongs with the alpha (at first), there is no confusion on her part that he’s not for her. Yes, two guys end up wanting her… but even that is more consecutive rather than concurrent. And the alpha steps away when he sees that something is happening between the hero/heroine.
The hero is such an unusual one. He’s very sweet and caretaking. He cleans, cooks, hangs out with the kids, protects… But he’s also SUPER nervous and distractable. He poofs into a wolf at the slightest provocation and he CANNOT leave a squirrel or chipmunk alone when he’s in wolf form. This adds a bit of the ridiculous to the story. He’s studious and thoughtful. He works for a church, does teaching/preaching, and is the one to do a lot of research on text and is comfortable with a variety of biblical languages, etc. Such a random job for a werewolf! Hero is around 5’7”… but has a nice body. Also, he loves dad jokes. A little bit dorky and I love it!
There are some ADORABLE descriptions of the hero as a wolf (his interactions with the littlest girl are sooo cute) and of other shifters in animal form.
Audiobook
- This is dual POV but uses a single, male narrator. He does a fine job, but I would have rather had a female narrator for the heroine's chapters cause I am not a huge fan of how the male narrator does female voices. And this book is mostly in the heroine's POV.
Safety deets
- hero is not a manwhore.
- kinda OM… the heroine was pursued by someone else AND she was married and her ex-husband is still around.
- No OW. Virginal, innocent hero who doesn't magically know exactly what to do.
- no birth control but at least they discuss.
- some off-page violence. Apparently, wolves do NOT have a problem messing up (or even killing) guys that mess with kids or do bad things to people. Multiple mentions in this book of the werewolves doing some vigilante justice.
- off-page abuse of the "adopted" daughter (by her mom's boyfriend[s])
- some scenes in a Christian church with "preaching". I felt like it was done well and the verses and thoughts discussed were on the kind and progressive side... tho if you're sensitive to religious text, you may have different opinions. There is some mention of violence in the text.
-------
First read. 5 stars. I am so impressed! Finally, we get a hero who is not over 6 feet tall and who is a submissive werewolf. Loved it so much! No huge drama. Just a lovely sweet story with great main characters and side characters! And enough of a story to keep me hooked. Amazing job, Amanda Milo!!!!
January 11, 2024
TW/CW: discussed/implied sexual abuse and rape of a minor is part of the storyline
Okay. I need to have a small, "...seriously?" moment here before I dive into reviewing the story. Because looking at some of the other reviews for this, I have some real concerns.
The book is called The Werewolf Nanny. If that doesn't clue you in to who the male main character in this story actually is, and you're somehow angry or disappointed about it...I'm not sure what to tell you.
Because.
w o w.
A bait and switch, this was not.
Now. Onto the actual review for the book. I'm going to be mildly spoilery, especially if the above somehow didn't sink in. Let me "spoil" it again in case the title was too ambiguous: Charming Alpha Shifter Who Can't Take No For An Answer™ is not the mmc, even if he's desperately trying to be. That bad joke telling nanny who needs to remove himself from social situations to calm down? Yeah, that's the main. Him.
We're clear with that?
Yes?
Cool?
Cool.
It's not every day that I get to be happy because a genre writer decided to do something different. While I do not always love Milo's work, I can rarely accuse her of being a writer spewing out the same tropes and stories everyone else is. She seems to always be looking for a way to put unique twists on things.
That being said: yes, this is a werewolf story, but it is not the werewolf romance you're used to reading.
The world building in this one is a little lacking, but there are werewolves, who are actual wolves and instantly know who their soulmate is, and then there are shifters of various kinds, who apparently can be a bit confused about this and take longer to figure it out. Hint: one of these is the main character, and the other is the dude trying to be the main character, and in any other story he would be. Why this is and what is the difference? Unclear. It's never really said. But they all live together as pack with traveling delegations and exchanges and are known by humanity.
As far as shifter/were lore goes, these are some very chill ones. They're more puckish scamps than anything else. No prejudices against humans. Just very smooth and sweet all around. There is some social hierarchy, but it seems to be simplified to Alphas (dominants) and submissives (everyone else). Alphas are very self-assured, have excellent control over their animalistic impulses, and will steamroll over others if allowed to, while the subs are not in very good control over their impulses, are very family-oriented and task-driven, but they're uncomfortable with eye contact and having too much direct attention from intense people or those they do not know. If you're an awkward type who tries to blend in with the wall in social situations and can't maintain eye-contact for very long with others, they'll be very relatable. They're nervous and want to please others, but they have a very quiet subversive aspect to them and a drive to do the Right Thing, even if it will piss off someone over them. I really admired the sub characters in this story and how brave they were.
11 January 2024 edit: after having read this book multiple times, I am more convinced with each reading that the submissive wolves are intentionally written as various flavors of neurodivergency—they're autistic, adhd, audhd, etc. This, of course, makes me even more sad to see all of the opinions that Lucan is an off-putting lead. I keep returning to this book as a comfort read, because it's so rare to see myself and other "weird off-putting" types as a lead character and allowed to exist in our amazing awkwardness.
This is super low stakes and low angst. It is a longer, character-driven tale, which is totally my jam and made it difficult for me to put down, despite its length. But, oh! What a sweet little ride this story is, as Deek figures out early on who Sue is to him— he's possessive, supportive, and protective in a very quiet way that doesn't demand constant acknowledgement—but he waits for her to work her way through it. I really liked both of them, I liked the family they created, I loved how the not-actually-spurned not-actually-the-other-man friend gets behind them even though he's understandable disappointed—there was a lot to like here all around. This is light hearted, hurts a little in places, and full of terrible, punny jokes that will make you snort. The book is like a cozy, snuggly hug.
Cozy Werewolf Romance, perhaps?
Good fun all around.
Okay. I need to have a small, "...seriously?" moment here before I dive into reviewing the story. Because looking at some of the other reviews for this, I have some real concerns.
The book is called The Werewolf Nanny. If that doesn't clue you in to who the male main character in this story actually is, and you're somehow angry or disappointed about it...I'm not sure what to tell you.
Because.
w o w.
A bait and switch, this was not.
Now. Onto the actual review for the book. I'm going to be mildly spoilery, especially if the above somehow didn't sink in. Let me "spoil" it again in case the title was too ambiguous: Charming Alpha Shifter Who Can't Take No For An Answer™ is not the mmc, even if he's desperately trying to be. That bad joke telling nanny who needs to remove himself from social situations to calm down? Yeah, that's the main. Him.
We're clear with that?
Yes?
Cool?
Cool.
It's not every day that I get to be happy because a genre writer decided to do something different. While I do not always love Milo's work, I can rarely accuse her of being a writer spewing out the same tropes and stories everyone else is. She seems to always be looking for a way to put unique twists on things.
That being said: yes, this is a werewolf story, but it is not the werewolf romance you're used to reading.
The world building in this one is a little lacking, but there are werewolves, who are actual wolves and instantly know who their soulmate is, and then there are shifters of various kinds, who apparently can be a bit confused about this and take longer to figure it out. Hint: one of these is the main character, and the other is the dude trying to be the main character, and in any other story he would be. Why this is and what is the difference? Unclear. It's never really said. But they all live together as pack with traveling delegations and exchanges and are known by humanity.
As far as shifter/were lore goes, these are some very chill ones. They're more puckish scamps than anything else. No prejudices against humans. Just very smooth and sweet all around. There is some social hierarchy, but it seems to be simplified to Alphas (dominants) and submissives (everyone else). Alphas are very self-assured, have excellent control over their animalistic impulses, and will steamroll over others if allowed to, while the subs are not in very good control over their impulses, are very family-oriented and task-driven, but they're uncomfortable with eye contact and having too much direct attention from intense people or those they do not know. If you're an awkward type who tries to blend in with the wall in social situations and can't maintain eye-contact for very long with others, they'll be very relatable. They're nervous and want to please others, but they have a very quiet subversive aspect to them and a drive to do the Right Thing, even if it will piss off someone over them. I really admired the sub characters in this story and how brave they were.
11 January 2024 edit: after having read this book multiple times, I am more convinced with each reading that the submissive wolves are intentionally written as various flavors of neurodivergency—they're autistic, adhd, audhd, etc. This, of course, makes me even more sad to see all of the opinions that Lucan is an off-putting lead. I keep returning to this book as a comfort read, because it's so rare to see myself and other "weird off-putting" types as a lead character and allowed to exist in our amazing awkwardness.
This is super low stakes and low angst. It is a longer, character-driven tale, which is totally my jam and made it difficult for me to put down, despite its length. But, oh! What a sweet little ride this story is, as Deek figures out early on who Sue is to him— he's possessive, supportive, and protective in a very quiet way that doesn't demand constant acknowledgement—but he waits for her to work her way through it. I really liked both of them, I liked the family they created, I loved how the not-actually-spurned not-actually-the-other-man friend gets behind them even though he's understandable disappointed—there was a lot to like here all around. This is light hearted, hurts a little in places, and full of terrible, punny jokes that will make you snort. The book is like a cozy, snuggly hug.
Cozy Werewolf Romance, perhaps?
Good fun all around.
November 24, 2020
I had a tough time connecting with this one. Some spoilers ahead.
I am an all in girl and hate love triangles. When the Hero is introduced...I fall hard, fast and am loyal to a fault. The problem was, the man first introduced throughout the first part of the book that flirts and asks out the Heroine is not the Hero of the book. The secondary man comes in and starts having feelings for the Heroine. I got mad and started to dislike him. He was pouching on his Alpha's girl. I came to terms with the secondary guy getting the girl but it took a while and I still had some hate towards him. I felt my loyalty that gets built early on in books was too betrayed to recover. Would have been a really really cute read if that didn't happen.
I am an all in girl and hate love triangles. When the Hero is introduced...I fall hard, fast and am loyal to a fault. The problem was, the man first introduced throughout the first part of the book that flirts and asks out the Heroine is not the Hero of the book. The secondary man comes in and starts having feelings for the Heroine. I got mad and started to dislike him. He was pouching on his Alpha's girl. I came to terms with the secondary guy getting the girl but it took a while and I still had some hate towards him. I felt my loyalty that gets built early on in books was too betrayed to recover. Would have been a really really cute read if that didn't happen.
August 6, 2023
I have a fun time with Amanda Milo's sense of humor and I liked Lucan/Deek (H) and Susan (h) and all the single mom goodness in this shifter/human romance. But I do understand how some readers are conflicted. Lucan is submissive and he gets overwhelmed and nervous which leads to behaviors and situations that are more uncommon. I appreciated the diversity of having a shifter hero that wasn't alpha, however I do wish some of these moments were lessened because sometimes I did feel uncomfortable for him. I also agree with the reviewers who didn't feel this was a love triangle, because it was clear Susan was attracted to Finn (H's best friend), but she wasn't romantically interested in him due to her past (she's divorced and was cheated on) and his flirty nature. Still, I liked Finn a lot and the moments of him showing his interest in Susan could have also been lessened because it was easy to love him and this is a slow burn for Lucan and Susan so you don't have the actual romance to root for while you're seeing some of those moments. Susan's kids are also very present and have some funny and sweet moments with Susan and Lucan separately and together. Most of the book focuses on day to day life and relationship building, which I love. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow drama, some readers felt there was om drama with Finn being interested in Susan at the start but I didn't feel it was actually drama. H is a virgin and h is not, so she shows him what she likes.
Due to the slow burn, there is steam but it's in the latter part of the story. While this is an overall lighter read, there are a couple of plot lines and character stories that have darkish undertones such as the best friend of one of Susan's daughters who's been abused and basically adopted by Susan. That plot line reflected the seriousness of her experience and the danger and was also resolved in an unexpected way. There are also references to the shifters "handling" humans who cross lines, including some men who get what they deserve. Religious themes are also on page at times because Lucan works for the werewolf pack's church. The pack as a whole has a great role in the story and how they accept Susan and her kids. They spend relaxed times with the pack and also attend events.
The end is a HEA and absolutely precious with an epilogue that's a year in the future. I loved the ending with the family focus. Susan, Lucan, and the kids are all together and happy. Finn was also present with a mention of him being in his own HEA by then, which made my heart happy. An excerpt is at the end showing what would be the start of Finn's story, but I don't think it's been published.
Due to the slow burn, there is steam but it's in the latter part of the story. While this is an overall lighter read, there are a couple of plot lines and character stories that have darkish undertones such as the best friend of one of Susan's daughters who's been abused and basically adopted by Susan. That plot line reflected the seriousness of her experience and the danger and was also resolved in an unexpected way. There are also references to the shifters "handling" humans who cross lines, including some men who get what they deserve. Religious themes are also on page at times because Lucan works for the werewolf pack's church. The pack as a whole has a great role in the story and how they accept Susan and her kids. They spend relaxed times with the pack and also attend events.
The end is a HEA and absolutely precious with an epilogue that's a year in the future. I loved the ending with the family focus. Susan, Lucan, and the kids are all together and happy. Finn was also present with a mention of him being in his own HEA by then, which made my heart happy. An excerpt is at the end showing what would be the start of Finn's story, but I don't think it's been published.
November 27, 2020
This one was kinda tough for me. I usually always love what Amanda Milo writes. I think this was a little long and a little too much about nothing. Just the everyday life of a single mom. There were werewolves but they were either so scaredycat that they can't look you in the eye and basically having constant panic attacks or they were rascally little kids.
I saw somebody reviewed about this being a love triangle and I don't agree with that. Sue never really had anything to do with, any feelings for, or really wanted to be with Finn. She slowly started to care for Deek until it slapped her in the face how much she loved him and couldn't be without him.
I did like Deek and Sue. They were sweet. It was pretty mild. I know everybody likes different things and Sue needed unbroken reassurance that Deek would never stray but the submissiveness was way too much for me. He can't even look her in the eye, and when he gets scared or nervous he shifts and runs away to hide in the basement. That just hard to see as super sexy. Again sorry, this is personal preference, Deek was super sweet. I'm struggling to even write this review, I feel bad, I just thought it was okay.
I saw somebody reviewed about this being a love triangle and I don't agree with that. Sue never really had anything to do with, any feelings for, or really wanted to be with Finn. She slowly started to care for Deek until it slapped her in the face how much she loved him and couldn't be without him.
I did like Deek and Sue. They were sweet. It was pretty mild. I know everybody likes different things and Sue needed unbroken reassurance that Deek would never stray but the submissiveness was way too much for me. He can't even look her in the eye, and when he gets scared or nervous he shifts and runs away to hide in the basement. That just hard to see as super sexy. Again sorry, this is personal preference, Deek was super sweet. I'm struggling to even write this review, I feel bad, I just thought it was okay.
December 15, 2021
ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ ✩
But like … is Finn gonna get his own book?
[asking for a friend]
But like … is Finn gonna get his own book?
[asking for a friend]
July 1, 2023
Dnf at 54%.
What a mess of a book...
I just can't get into the story. Having read half of the book I've yet to like something about it, so it's better I quit.
I strongly dislike Finn (everything about him, how he talks to Susan and her kids, how he talks to Lucan, how he acts with everyone). I don't understand Lucan at all, what his thoughts are and what his character is like. Susan sadly is portrayed as a bland character without spine.
The only likeable characters are the children, Maggie of course is the sweetest.
The storyline is a mess, the writing style is simple, yet confusing.
Everything concerning the werewolfs' pack and their social structure was a big mess, informations interwoven in the plot haphazardly. Every other detail about the werewolfs got added by the author like an afterthought, as if to convalidate the actions that previously had taken place.
The werewolf pack and their rules were shown as parallel to human society, but what actually took place wasn't logical. At one point it was mentioned in passing that the werewolfs had killed a human man who had earlier hurt a girl, and it was convenient that the werewolfs kept pigs (to eat the victims' remains). No further explanation, that was all we got, the story just continued.
Another thing I don't like is when authors write facts that are ridiculous and nonsensical.
The walls and the ceiling in the bar where Susan works supposedly were papered with more than one million dollar bills. For this to be true the bar needs to be at least the size of 26 rooms, each 15x15 square meters big. And obviously the value of these decorations is minimum 1 million dollars *insert eyeroll*.
... and my rating is 2 stars.
What a mess of a book...
I just can't get into the story. Having read half of the book I've yet to like something about it, so it's better I quit.
I strongly dislike Finn (everything about him, how he talks to Susan and her kids, how he talks to Lucan, how he acts with everyone). I don't understand Lucan at all, what his thoughts are and what his character is like. Susan sadly is portrayed as a bland character without spine.
The only likeable characters are the children, Maggie of course is the sweetest.
The storyline is a mess, the writing style is simple, yet confusing.
Everything concerning the werewolfs' pack and their social structure was a big mess, informations interwoven in the plot haphazardly. Every other detail about the werewolfs got added by the author like an afterthought, as if to convalidate the actions that previously had taken place.
The werewolf pack and their rules were shown as parallel to human society, but what actually took place wasn't logical. At one point it was mentioned in passing that the werewolfs had killed a human man who had earlier hurt a girl, and it was convenient that the werewolfs kept pigs (to eat the victims' remains). No further explanation, that was all we got, the story just continued.
Another thing I don't like is when authors write facts that are ridiculous and nonsensical.
The walls and the ceiling in the bar where Susan works supposedly were papered with more than one million dollar bills. For this to be true the bar needs to be at least the size of 26 rooms, each 15x15 square meters big. And obviously the value of these decorations is minimum 1 million dollars *insert eyeroll*.
... and my rating is 2 stars.
November 22, 2020
I want a werewolf nanny!
A light-hearted, thoroughly enjoyable peek at the life of a werewolf nanny! At first glance, I thought this would be about a woman who was nanny to a werewolf. Wrong. I also thought the girl would fall for a certain sexy guy we first meet. Wrong again! Ms. Milo kept tossing surprises my way throughout the book. Thank you, I loved it! The story is not just your everyday ‘girl meets take-charge guy and falls in love.’ It’s about finding the exact sort of man who is just right for you. It’s about noticing the little, everyday occurrences that make your life better, the attraction to that special person, overcoming your fears, and taking a chance for a love like no other.
It’s a well-told story; at times, poignant, yet liberally laced with laughter, joy, and newfound love. A beautiful romance: thoroughly refreshing!
A light-hearted, thoroughly enjoyable peek at the life of a werewolf nanny! At first glance, I thought this would be about a woman who was nanny to a werewolf. Wrong. I also thought the girl would fall for a certain sexy guy we first meet. Wrong again! Ms. Milo kept tossing surprises my way throughout the book. Thank you, I loved it! The story is not just your everyday ‘girl meets take-charge guy and falls in love.’ It’s about finding the exact sort of man who is just right for you. It’s about noticing the little, everyday occurrences that make your life better, the attraction to that special person, overcoming your fears, and taking a chance for a love like no other.
It’s a well-told story; at times, poignant, yet liberally laced with laughter, joy, and newfound love. A beautiful romance: thoroughly refreshing!
November 23, 2020
A little disappointed
Hard book to rate, I liked some of this read while still disliking it at the same time. It was tough when I thought Finn was the love interest and when it's shown he's not I felt a bit heartbroken about it. Now don't get me wrong I loved deek, loved that he got his happily ever! It's nice the alpha doesn't always get the girl, and I love rooting for the under dog, but yet I just didn't get the connection i really needed for him and sue. I loved all the cute and loveable moments that were all deek, but it took up the entire book, so when we get about 80% that's when we finally get the spark between them. But I felt it was more just that they got comfortable together and not a awesome love story I was hoping for. I see will be getting a story for finn, and I'm happy for that because I really loved his character, but I gotta ask, why was he interested in sue if he knew she wasn't his soulmate? Anyways, ok read
Hard book to rate, I liked some of this read while still disliking it at the same time. It was tough when I thought Finn was the love interest and when it's shown he's not I felt a bit heartbroken about it. Now don't get me wrong I loved deek, loved that he got his happily ever! It's nice the alpha doesn't always get the girl, and I love rooting for the under dog, but yet I just didn't get the connection i really needed for him and sue. I loved all the cute and loveable moments that were all deek, but it took up the entire book, so when we get about 80% that's when we finally get the spark between them. But I felt it was more just that they got comfortable together and not a awesome love story I was hoping for. I see will be getting a story for finn, and I'm happy for that because I really loved his character, but I gotta ask, why was he interested in sue if he knew she wasn't his soulmate? Anyways, ok read
September 1, 2023
Good way to kill an afternoon. It really is more an extended slice of life story than anything else.
December 24, 2020
Holy Shit! What just happened?!
I absolutely love Amanda Milo but I was not expecting that!
I wish I could leave a really nice review but that is not me, not this year.
But this book really made me question my choices. I thought I was an Alpha-male girl through and through but Holy Crap! this beta hero just blew my socks off!
I read a couple reviews below about how they didn't like this as much as Milo's other works but I adored it. I had a really goofy grin reading this. It was so feel good and comfy, like come one down, grab a pillow and a blanket and just roll out by the fire comfy. I'm definitely adding this book to my list of books to read when in distress.
November 24, 2020
In response to another reviewer (on Amazon) who just couldn't wrap his/her head around the story, that's okay. This is a day-in-the-life-style kind of romance story, one which I absolutely loved! The reader is initially set up to think that it might be about a woman and her over-the-top Irish shifter boss, only to find out that it's all about her boss setting her up with one of his submissives. (Shifter society is all about alphas and submissives. No sin to be from either camp.) She fires her children's babysitter, only to find herself in a dilemma in which she needs to find one NOW right before the school season started. (More like unicorn hunting. You won't be finding one quite that easy, trust me!) So her boss, the head of the local were clan, helps her out.
This therian-based book (therian being the scientific reference to weres of may species) is a new one from this writer for me. However, the world-building is very impressive. Well-researched in all areas, including the medical ones! (I'm pretty picky in this department.) I appreciate that all her referencing to modern Gaelic/Irish is immediately translated into something I can understand. I am impressed that Ms. Milo includes more species in the were department, including a few I hadn't read about before. I'm always open to new and exciting species.)
I also appreciate a sincere study of the alpha/submissive roles. Being a submissive isn't a sin or an embarrassment, but confusing to those from the outside looking in. I laughed at the thought that having a werewolf as a nanny was considered a status symbol! Imagine that! But submissives, be it male or female, do make great caretaker of one's young, according to Amanda Milo's were world. And they all believe in going to church. Considering the lack of dogma there at the church service, I'd be going back to church soon enough IF it was the were type of church. (Reminds me of Amish church except the weres have their own building set aside for that purpose.)
This book, I'm sure, required a lot of research and development, something I now expect from Amanda Milo. You know this is going to be a book I'll be reading and rereading soon enough because of the wealth of detail and not much film-flam talk talk. Every paragraph has something important to contribute to this novel. I only hope we get to see more from this universe.
This therian-based book (therian being the scientific reference to weres of may species) is a new one from this writer for me. However, the world-building is very impressive. Well-researched in all areas, including the medical ones! (I'm pretty picky in this department.) I appreciate that all her referencing to modern Gaelic/Irish is immediately translated into something I can understand. I am impressed that Ms. Milo includes more species in the were department, including a few I hadn't read about before. I'm always open to new and exciting species.)
I also appreciate a sincere study of the alpha/submissive roles. Being a submissive isn't a sin or an embarrassment, but confusing to those from the outside looking in. I laughed at the thought that having a werewolf as a nanny was considered a status symbol! Imagine that! But submissives, be it male or female, do make great caretaker of one's young, according to Amanda Milo's were world. And they all believe in going to church. Considering the lack of dogma there at the church service, I'd be going back to church soon enough IF it was the were type of church. (Reminds me of Amish church except the weres have their own building set aside for that purpose.)
This book, I'm sure, required a lot of research and development, something I now expect from Amanda Milo. You know this is going to be a book I'll be reading and rereading soon enough because of the wealth of detail and not much film-flam talk talk. Every paragraph has something important to contribute to this novel. I only hope we get to see more from this universe.
November 29, 2020
Slowest Milo I've read
While I liked the concept of the male sub, It just didn't work, the intimate scenes were stilted and way to wordy, as if every single emotion had to be torn apart and analyzed , too many unnecessary scenes ,trying to fill gaps /add words... I don't know, But what could have been a great plot...just plodded along. My Milo fav is the Quarry master, clever ,funny ,sexy, but this one didn't work. And PS, the Hooters in my area is Definitely not a family restaurant, why the uniform change to bimbette was a viable part of the story, I still haven't figured out..just to get the sub Interested enough to speak up ...WTF..
While I liked the concept of the male sub, It just didn't work, the intimate scenes were stilted and way to wordy, as if every single emotion had to be torn apart and analyzed , too many unnecessary scenes ,trying to fill gaps /add words... I don't know, But what could have been a great plot...just plodded along. My Milo fav is the Quarry master, clever ,funny ,sexy, but this one didn't work. And PS, the Hooters in my area is Definitely not a family restaurant, why the uniform change to bimbette was a viable part of the story, I still haven't figured out..just to get the sub Interested enough to speak up ...WTF..
May 3, 2021
This is so friggin cute and adorable. We don't often get a book where the main guy isn't the alpha. He's more submissive, not leading, so it felt refreshing and lovely to read. I'd totally read more books in this world!
December 13, 2020
2 major duds in one day. I'm on a roll.
Amanda Milo is a hit or miss for me, and this was a major miss.
Amanda Milo is a hit or miss for me, and this was a major miss.
July 14, 2024
Perhaps this would have worked better as a novella.
And what the hell was that uniform thing? I am all for: everybody should dress however the fuck they want and empowering yourself with pretty things - but the way this went down here made me so uncomfortable.
(And as a Why Choose reader I guess, I personally would have preferred to see this go a different route :D )
Definitely could have done without the religious stuff.
And what the hell was that uniform thing? I am all for: everybody should dress however the fuck they want and empowering yourself with pretty things - but the way this went down here made me so uncomfortable.
(And as a Why Choose reader I guess, I personally would have preferred to see this go a different route :D )
Definitely could have done without the religious stuff.
November 25, 2020
Reading Amanda Milo is always a treat! This isn't your typical werewolf story. Susan is a (divorced) single mom of 2 girls. She cannot find a safe and reliable babysitter to save her life! So her boss, Finn, who happens to be an Alpha wolf, takes it upon himself to provide her with one. Finn lends her Deek as a live-in werewolf "nanny." The thing I love about this story is that Deek (given name is Lucan) is a submissive werewolf. It made for a lot of hilarious circumstances. Milo's writing is SO entertaining and sassy. I was laughing through this book and explaining parts of it to my family members. The school "incident" is foremost in my mind. I just loved everything about The Werewolf Nanny! It is the perfect release right at the holidays because it is truly about family. I'm stealing Lucan as my book boyfriend this week! He is so sweet, thoughtful, and hot - I need more of that in my life. :::wink::: The Werewolf Nanny is a holiday treat you don't want to miss! Thanks, Amanda! 5 stars
December 20, 2020
I am ABSOLUTELY smitten with this book. Deek/Lucan is 100% a submissive wolf, but that doesn't make him a doormat by any stretch of the imagination. He's pulled out of his comfort zone to help Susan and it takes a while for him to acclimate to this new place and way of life, but he does exactly what he's brought in to do and he does it well. He takes care of Susan's daughters and helps keep her house in order. Full stop.
Sure, sure, he makes a few mistakes along the way. Like the chipmunk incident. But, really, who can blame a wolf for going on the hunt when those little things are darting here and there practically taunting a wolf to chase them? And then there's the whole spontaneously turning into a wolf when things get stressful, but that's sort of the nature of a submissive, so, AGAIN, you can't hold that against him.
Once all is said and done, he's a great nanny to the kids. He gains confidence as he grows more comfortable being away from the den and Susan's protective instinct helps him settle in more quickly than maybe he would have under someone else.
As Susan gets to know him, she sees more and more things she likes about the man. He's good with kids. He's 100% devoted to the job at hand. He's beloved by his pack. Heck, even when he knows it's going to cause problems for him, he does what needs to be done because if he doesn't, who will? *heart eyes* Susan might have a hard time trusting men after her husband cheated on her constantly, but Deek's unwavering loyalty to both herself and her children (and the tagalong kiddo who needs them something fierce) has her lowering her walls before she even realizes it.
Like I said, I am SMITTEN with this book. It was sweet and funny and I liked the dynamic between Finn and Deek (which I wasn't sure I would when Finn brings Deek to the house) A LOT. Dominant shifters looking hard on the outside, but being absolutely willing to stand behind their BFF and/or packmates make me smile. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Sure, sure, he makes a few mistakes along the way. Like the chipmunk incident. But, really, who can blame a wolf for going on the hunt when those little things are darting here and there practically taunting a wolf to chase them? And then there's the whole spontaneously turning into a wolf when things get stressful, but that's sort of the nature of a submissive, so, AGAIN, you can't hold that against him.
Once all is said and done, he's a great nanny to the kids. He gains confidence as he grows more comfortable being away from the den and Susan's protective instinct helps him settle in more quickly than maybe he would have under someone else.
As Susan gets to know him, she sees more and more things she likes about the man. He's good with kids. He's 100% devoted to the job at hand. He's beloved by his pack. Heck, even when he knows it's going to cause problems for him, he does what needs to be done because if he doesn't, who will? *heart eyes* Susan might have a hard time trusting men after her husband cheated on her constantly, but Deek's unwavering loyalty to both herself and her children (and the tagalong kiddo who needs them something fierce) has her lowering her walls before she even realizes it.
Like I said, I am SMITTEN with this book. It was sweet and funny and I liked the dynamic between Finn and Deek (which I wasn't sure I would when Finn brings Deek to the house) A LOT. Dominant shifters looking hard on the outside, but being absolutely willing to stand behind their BFF and/or packmates make me smile. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
March 12, 2021
I'm 60 something percent into it. So far, the world building of werewolves living out in the open in society has been interesting. I noticed that the author put in a rant about the Affordable Care Act, that was not factually correct. The main character complains to her boss, that she was forced to pay for health insurance and could have afforded surgery for her carpal tunnel if she didn't have health insurance. He's her employer, who gives her a free nanny, but can't get a co-op or health insurance? Also, catastrophic care is better than nothing and she has kids. If she couldn't afford health insurance, she can get subsidies. Anyway, I thought that was disingenuous. Also, the bar owner makes the waitresses wear Hooters style uniforms to make the nanny jealous. She doesn't want to wear it, but then when she does, she figures out that the low self esteem she developed from her ex husband's cheating, wasn't about her, because she is hot. She is cured of low self esteem and apparently her carpal tunnel (it hasn't come up again), because she is now half naked in front of strangers. Gross.
Okay, so at 70% they finally kiss and talk about their attraction to each other. Then it goes from 0 to 100. Hot sex and love confessions. The sex scenes are hot. No lie. It is a nice fantasy to imagine an honest, loyal cinnamon roll ready to commit forever. She gets the carpal tunnel surgery in the epilogue. No insurance is mentioned. Ha.
Okay, so at 70% they finally kiss and talk about their attraction to each other. Then it goes from 0 to 100. Hot sex and love confessions. The sex scenes are hot. No lie. It is a nice fantasy to imagine an honest, loyal cinnamon roll ready to commit forever. She gets the carpal tunnel surgery in the epilogue. No insurance is mentioned. Ha.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2021
Things to like about this book:
* H is submissive, including in the bedroom - Amanda Milo commits to the submissiveness of the H all the way through and it's wonderful
* Maggie is pretty cute, reminds me of my own daughter so that's fun
* lots of wish fulfilment
* goodness gracious Amanda Milo did her research on religion quite well, I was impressed
Things to dislike:
* talk about vigilante justice, yikes
* I'm uncomfortable with Finn's role. He was often reduced to being the comic relief, which is awkwardly stereotypical with the Irish accent. Also, getting a leg up is getting ahead, isn't it?? Not shagging. There were some other slang mentions that were iffy, but he did sound pretty authentically stereotypically Irish. Definitely no "Top of the mornin to ya" BS lol.
* Ginny and her mum. And all the other characters. Oh boy. Where do I start. Here's a 14 year old who has been literally sexually assaulted by her mum's boyfriends, and then yelled at by said mum afterwards. I do not for a second believe that would be a well-adjusted kind girl like Ginny. No matter what. Maybe after decades of therapy. Not literally a week after. Nope.
* too much wish fulfilment
* Finn hitting on the heroine all the time in the beginning
* H is submissive, including in the bedroom - Amanda Milo commits to the submissiveness of the H all the way through and it's wonderful
* Maggie is pretty cute, reminds me of my own daughter so that's fun
* lots of wish fulfilment
* goodness gracious Amanda Milo did her research on religion quite well, I was impressed
Things to dislike:
* talk about vigilante justice, yikes
* I'm uncomfortable with Finn's role. He was often reduced to being the comic relief, which is awkwardly stereotypical with the Irish accent. Also, getting a leg up is getting ahead, isn't it?? Not shagging. There were some other slang mentions that were iffy, but he did sound pretty authentically stereotypically Irish. Definitely no "Top of the mornin to ya" BS lol.
* Ginny and her mum. And all the other characters. Oh boy. Where do I start. Here's a 14 year old who has been literally sexually assaulted by her mum's boyfriends, and then yelled at by said mum afterwards. I do not for a second believe that would be a well-adjusted kind girl like Ginny. No matter what. Maybe after decades of therapy. Not literally a week after. Nope.
* too much wish fulfilment
* Finn hitting on the heroine all the time in the beginning
March 2, 2021
3.5 stars. You know, that was a ton of fun! I hope there's a sequel. It looked like it from the epilogue, but I'm not seeing it on Amazon.
This was a case (I love this type) of an author who seemingly geeks out researching all kinds of odd things, then throwing them into a book together. I tend to be all over that kind of thing myself, so this was right down my alley. AM took a ton of disparate info and tropes and threw them all together in her cauldron, stirred them up, poured them out, and made them into this delightful chunky funky werewolf fudge.
I've read a lot of lycanthrope romances over the years,but--delightfully--have never come across one quite like this! I totally didn't know what was going on, where it was heading, or how it'd end...I was just along for the ride! So fun.
I particularly loved the parts Lots to enjoy here!
This was a case (I love this type) of an author who seemingly geeks out researching all kinds of odd things, then throwing them into a book together. I tend to be all over that kind of thing myself, so this was right down my alley. AM took a ton of disparate info and tropes and threw them all together in her cauldron, stirred them up, poured them out, and made them into this delightful chunky funky werewolf fudge.
I've read a lot of lycanthrope romances over the years,but--delightfully--have never come across one quite like this! I totally didn't know what was going on, where it was heading, or how it'd end...I was just along for the ride! So fun.
I particularly loved the parts Lots to enjoy here!
December 5, 2020
Rating: 4 stars
When a friend lent me this book, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. Deek was a bit too submissive for me. I glad to say that he grew on me throughout the book and I came to really love his and Susan’s relationship. I loved Susan’s children and all of the wolf shifters but my favorite character by far was Finn. I just loved him and would really like to read his love story. My only criticism was the uniform that Finn ultimately forces Susan to wear at work. It made me extremely uncomfortable and I kept waiting for her to refuse to wear it and was a bit disappointed that she seemed fine with it. Still, I did enjoy the story and would read more from this author in the future.
When a friend lent me this book, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. Deek was a bit too submissive for me. I glad to say that he grew on me throughout the book and I came to really love his and Susan’s relationship. I loved Susan’s children and all of the wolf shifters but my favorite character by far was Finn. I just loved him and would really like to read his love story. My only criticism was the uniform that Finn ultimately forces Susan to wear at work. It made me extremely uncomfortable and I kept waiting for her to refuse to wear it and was a bit disappointed that she seemed fine with it. Still, I did enjoy the story and would read more from this author in the future.
September 21, 2021
3.5
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I liked the concept, the characters and the set up, it all worked out well. Deek was so cute and wholesome, especially his relationship with Maggie. I’d say that my only real complaint would be that the actual romance should have been developed more. This was a bit of a slow burn, they on,y got together in the very end and that was that. I would have liked to see some more domesticity now that they were in an actual relationship.
(I also thought the epilogue was lacklustre and could have been far, far better)
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I liked the concept, the characters and the set up, it all worked out well. Deek was so cute and wholesome, especially his relationship with Maggie. I’d say that my only real complaint would be that the actual romance should have been developed more. This was a bit of a slow burn, they on,y got together in the very end and that was that. I would have liked to see some more domesticity now that they were in an actual relationship.
(I also thought the epilogue was lacklustre and could have been far, far better)
June 29, 2023
3.5/5*
This was a super sweet and fluffy book that really sold the nice guy persona. It was wonderfully balanced in that there were developed side characters that didn’t detract from the main characters and nothing was chaotic or poorly paced. I did struggle with the MMCs lack of eye contact even with loved ones but I guess as a human I’m just programmed to view that as someone being uncomfortable. Some words during the sex scenes I found off putting but mostly the anatomically correct terms were refreshingly good.
This was a super sweet and fluffy book that really sold the nice guy persona. It was wonderfully balanced in that there were developed side characters that didn’t detract from the main characters and nothing was chaotic or poorly paced. I did struggle with the MMCs lack of eye contact even with loved ones but I guess as a human I’m just programmed to view that as someone being uncomfortable. Some words during the sex scenes I found off putting but mostly the anatomically correct terms were refreshingly good.
November 23, 2020
I love this author
I can’t recommend her books enough! A refreshingly different spin on werewolf romance. A submissive male wolf that never comes across as weak and a strong female that isn’t bitchy. Just a really sweet couple. The only bad part is wondering how long I’m going to have to wait for Finns book!
I can’t recommend her books enough! A refreshingly different spin on werewolf romance. A submissive male wolf that never comes across as weak and a strong female that isn’t bitchy. Just a really sweet couple. The only bad part is wondering how long I’m going to have to wait for Finns book!
July 9, 2021
Such a different take...gave me the feels
There are so many books on alpha wolves but not the submissive ones and wow what a great story I fell in love with Deek and Susan. Can not wait for the Alpha to get his story. This would just be a great series because Amanda Milo is so great with creating characters (and side characters) and you just want to know their stories...would also love to see Rooke get his hea.
There are so many books on alpha wolves but not the submissive ones and wow what a great story I fell in love with Deek and Susan. Can not wait for the Alpha to get his story. This would just be a great series because Amanda Milo is so great with creating characters (and side characters) and you just want to know their stories...would also love to see Rooke get his hea.
dnf
December 4, 2024DNF @ 8%
Literally spent the first 2 chapters thinking the one guy was the H and he was not so
Literally spent the first 2 chapters thinking the one guy was the H and he was not so
November 28, 2020
Ok read. Thought book was too long and I was bored at times. No action. Verrrrry slow burn. I look forward to Finn's book
September 22, 2023
The book begins with a forceful Irish werewolf constantly attempting to bed the FMC. Did I mention he's Irish? Because he's Irish. Very, very Irish. The author reminds the reader at least once per page with lines like "He's really, really Irish" and cringeworthy phonetic slang like "swayt hart", "jaysus" and "howeyeh"
The very tall Irish man that every woman and child cannot help but drool over (because he is just so Irish) turns out to be the best friend of the love interest, so all the cringey forced moments with a traumatised woman who doesn't reciprocate his advances in any way whatsoever are thrown in there for reasons unknown. No, the MMC love interest is a different werewolf.
At least this werewolf isn't Irish, so there is a reprieve from the overabundance of Irishisms from an author who is definitely not Irish.
According to the foreword, Amanda Milo worked with several Irish people for research purposes, so I'm not sure how such a cringeworthy and stereotypical character came to be.
If the lowkey racism wasn't enough to turn my stomach, then I'm afraid the sudden onslaught of preaching and religion definitely did it. It turns out the werewolves are all God-fearing Christians, and our main man is nothing less than a deacon at the werewolf church. We are treated to several pages worth of direct bible quotations and descriptions of the incredibly dull service.
The author tends to overexplain everything, like describing the legal requirements for learner drivers in their state and how the FMC has fulfilled her civic duty by not breaking the law when teaching her teenage daughter to drive. None of it is necessary and bloats chapters with useless information.
There are also inconsistencies about places and things, like the chairs screeching across the linoleum flooring. A few pages later, the author describes the kitchen floor as tiled instead.
Nothing gave me more pause, however than the following introduction to an abused and traumatised minor. "Ginny is a watchful-eyed fourteen-year-old with a face and curves so pretty, her biggest problem in life should be having to beat modelling agencies away from her with a stick. In reality, it's child-preying monsters she needs the stick for."
Nothing screams inappropriate like sexualising a minor, and insinuating that it's her "curves so pretty" that makes her the target of predators.
For the life of me, I cannot see why this book is so highly rated.
The very tall Irish man that every woman and child cannot help but drool over (because he is just so Irish) turns out to be the best friend of the love interest, so all the cringey forced moments with a traumatised woman who doesn't reciprocate his advances in any way whatsoever are thrown in there for reasons unknown. No, the MMC love interest is a different werewolf.
At least this werewolf isn't Irish, so there is a reprieve from the overabundance of Irishisms from an author who is definitely not Irish.
According to the foreword, Amanda Milo worked with several Irish people for research purposes, so I'm not sure how such a cringeworthy and stereotypical character came to be.
If the lowkey racism wasn't enough to turn my stomach, then I'm afraid the sudden onslaught of preaching and religion definitely did it. It turns out the werewolves are all God-fearing Christians, and our main man is nothing less than a deacon at the werewolf church. We are treated to several pages worth of direct bible quotations and descriptions of the incredibly dull service.
The author tends to overexplain everything, like describing the legal requirements for learner drivers in their state and how the FMC has fulfilled her civic duty by not breaking the law when teaching her teenage daughter to drive. None of it is necessary and bloats chapters with useless information.
There are also inconsistencies about places and things, like the chairs screeching across the linoleum flooring. A few pages later, the author describes the kitchen floor as tiled instead.
Nothing gave me more pause, however than the following introduction to an abused and traumatised minor. "Ginny is a watchful-eyed fourteen-year-old with a face and curves so pretty, her biggest problem in life should be having to beat modelling agencies away from her with a stick. In reality, it's child-preying monsters she needs the stick for."
Nothing screams inappropriate like sexualising a minor, and insinuating that it's her "curves so pretty" that makes her the target of predators.
For the life of me, I cannot see why this book is so highly rated.
October 16, 2023
Half grounded slice of life, half wish fulfillment religious fantasyland, 100% unfuckably boring.
Let the record show that I'm a massive fan of slowburn romance stories. They are, by volume, the thing I spend reading the most, especially when it comes to fanfiction, and I love them to death. I also love it when an author messes around with romance fiction's typically conservative gender roles in some way. This story, with its moderately compelling setting premises and shy male lead, absolutely should have been a slam dunk for me, but no.
This is another 'slow burn' story that has little to nothing going on under the hood. It's not that there's some seemingly insurmountable problem the couple must navigate before they can be together, or because they seem incompatible yet are drawn together into a fiery tryst before their personalities bounce them back apart. They don't even lack for romantic tension, just that in between those moments, nothing compelling happens.
Others have called it a slice of life romance, but it has nothing to ground it in a particular time or place - what's there is somewhere in America, vaguely modern, and in the vicinity of an Irish bar. Bearing in mind that one of my favorite novels is literally just about a writer going on holiday and getting sick, it's safe to say I don't hate slice of life. It's more that the characters are one long, ambulatory wholesome moment with little in the way of drive or interests, so I don't really have any reason to care about them. I'd liken it to one of those saccharine Hallmark Christmas movies where everyone is religious and hypercompetent and nothing bad ever happens, but with werewolves.
It kinda boggles me that, in a book titled 'the werewolf nanny', there were people who got confused that the typical male lead character, Finn, wasn't endgame. Like, guys, Finn isn't a nanny. He's signposted so clearly to be attractive but not what Sue wants/needs, and... just... reading comprehension. Jesus.
Anyway, speaking of Finn, I didn't like him. Is it possible to be a magical negro while being an enormous, white, absolutely perfect (to the point of pure wish fulfilment) Irishman? Because whatever the magic negro trope is doing for American racism, Finn is doing that for Irish people, and it's real cringe, like he's some pseudo-mystical alien witch doctor. When you peek behind the curtain of Irishness, which he mentions constantly, there's nothing going on. He exists to be thirst-trap daddy for an endless parade of side characters, effortlessly solve problems that the couple would be agonizing over in a story that had narrative tension (e.g. what to do about Ginny's mom), and just generally annoy me.
The book would be 100% improved if he just didn't exist to make life unrealistically easy for those around him. If the point of him was that a sense of community is an antidote to our society's current ills... good lord did that message get lost in the weeds. Also, mentioning that said community can and does murder people and feed them to the pigs, sort of offhandedly in the middle of this saccharine family story, kind of makes our werewolves seem like trigger-happy cops dispensing street 'justice' to anyone who looks at them funny. Ew lmao.
That said, I liked Lucan. He's shy but capable of putting his anxiety aside for things he really cares about. He's a bit of a mess, which is a trait that I feel male leads often don't get to be, because they need to be seen as 'in control of the situation' at all times lest we stop finding them hot, and it was nice to see something different. Probably the only thing I disliked about him as a character was the attachment to the 'submissive' worldbuilding. Look, I'm hardly an experienced kinkster, but can we stop tying BDSM terminology to authors' made up biological caste systems? This is yet another story that ties submissiveness in the bedroom to being psychologically meek, almost like a man needs to be meek as some kind of explanation for why he's submissive, and fuck me, I'm so tired of that.
I'll spell it out: being dominant in the bedroom has nothing to do with who can physically or socially overpower the other. Dick ownership, and size, has nothing to do with who is dominant in the bedroom - just ask the female doms. Wanting to get stepped on has nothing to do with your ability to assert boundaries. I could go on, but I doubt it will make a difference at this point. Is it wrong of me to find it gross and mildly offensive how every romance author under the sun has started turning kinks they don't understand into their own fantasy gender system now that it's no longer in vogue to be sexist?
Like, just... give him an anxiety disorder. Make Lucan a hot werewolf man who has separation anxiety, and also happens to be submissive in bed. He looks up to and defers to Finn because he's basically Finn's adoptive little brother, and that's how wolf families work. There. Done. No need for him to be biologically hardwired to act like he's in a 24/7 BDSM dynamic with everyone in the room. If I wanted that, I'd be reading omegaverse.
Others have mentioned Ginny's plot cul-de-sac being uncomfortable, and I agree. The thing where it mentions her curves in the same breath as her abuse, from Sue's point of view no less, is purest ick. Romance stories by teen boys often have this plot point where their love interest is being abused by an evil dad (or whatever) and Ginny is 100% that trope, just from a parental point of view. She exists to provide wish fulfilment and catharsis for parents, and it doesn't really come across like Amanda Milo knows what she's talking about when it comes to abuse victims. Again, much like Finn, she's a sugar-coated stereotype of an abuse victim - a beautiful, brilliant girl hiding her bruises under a tattered hoodie, who was secretly special all along.
All in all, despite lining up to be exactly what I'd want from a romance book, The Werewolf Nanny took one look at my already low expectations and limbo danced under that bar. The result reminds me a lot of His Secret Illuminations, another book trying hard to do something less stereotypical with the roles of its protagonists while also falling back into other forms of stereotyping and drowning any semblance of plot or character in kitschy, artificial 'wholesome' moments. Ditto for the gratuitous 'foreignness' of some of its characters, with Spanish culture being used in HSI, and Irish here, with the result feeling more like a gimmick than any attempt at understanding the culture.
It's not a bad book, just overly long, and overly average about it. 5/10.
Let the record show that I'm a massive fan of slowburn romance stories. They are, by volume, the thing I spend reading the most, especially when it comes to fanfiction, and I love them to death. I also love it when an author messes around with romance fiction's typically conservative gender roles in some way. This story, with its moderately compelling setting premises and shy male lead, absolutely should have been a slam dunk for me, but no.
This is another 'slow burn' story that has little to nothing going on under the hood. It's not that there's some seemingly insurmountable problem the couple must navigate before they can be together, or because they seem incompatible yet are drawn together into a fiery tryst before their personalities bounce them back apart. They don't even lack for romantic tension, just that in between those moments, nothing compelling happens.
Others have called it a slice of life romance, but it has nothing to ground it in a particular time or place - what's there is somewhere in America, vaguely modern, and in the vicinity of an Irish bar. Bearing in mind that one of my favorite novels is literally just about a writer going on holiday and getting sick, it's safe to say I don't hate slice of life. It's more that the characters are one long, ambulatory wholesome moment with little in the way of drive or interests, so I don't really have any reason to care about them. I'd liken it to one of those saccharine Hallmark Christmas movies where everyone is religious and hypercompetent and nothing bad ever happens, but with werewolves.
It kinda boggles me that, in a book titled 'the werewolf nanny', there were people who got confused that the typical male lead character, Finn, wasn't endgame. Like, guys, Finn isn't a nanny. He's signposted so clearly to be attractive but not what Sue wants/needs, and... just... reading comprehension. Jesus.
Anyway, speaking of Finn, I didn't like him. Is it possible to be a magical negro while being an enormous, white, absolutely perfect (to the point of pure wish fulfilment) Irishman? Because whatever the magic negro trope is doing for American racism, Finn is doing that for Irish people, and it's real cringe, like he's some pseudo-mystical alien witch doctor. When you peek behind the curtain of Irishness, which he mentions constantly, there's nothing going on. He exists to be thirst-trap daddy for an endless parade of side characters, effortlessly solve problems that the couple would be agonizing over in a story that had narrative tension (e.g. what to do about Ginny's mom), and just generally annoy me.
The book would be 100% improved if he just didn't exist to make life unrealistically easy for those around him. If the point of him was that a sense of community is an antidote to our society's current ills... good lord did that message get lost in the weeds. Also, mentioning that said community can and does murder people and feed them to the pigs, sort of offhandedly in the middle of this saccharine family story, kind of makes our werewolves seem like trigger-happy cops dispensing street 'justice' to anyone who looks at them funny. Ew lmao.
That said, I liked Lucan. He's shy but capable of putting his anxiety aside for things he really cares about. He's a bit of a mess, which is a trait that I feel male leads often don't get to be, because they need to be seen as 'in control of the situation' at all times lest we stop finding them hot, and it was nice to see something different. Probably the only thing I disliked about him as a character was the attachment to the 'submissive' worldbuilding. Look, I'm hardly an experienced kinkster, but can we stop tying BDSM terminology to authors' made up biological caste systems? This is yet another story that ties submissiveness in the bedroom to being psychologically meek, almost like a man needs to be meek as some kind of explanation for why he's submissive, and fuck me, I'm so tired of that.
I'll spell it out: being dominant in the bedroom has nothing to do with who can physically or socially overpower the other. Dick ownership, and size, has nothing to do with who is dominant in the bedroom - just ask the female doms. Wanting to get stepped on has nothing to do with your ability to assert boundaries. I could go on, but I doubt it will make a difference at this point. Is it wrong of me to find it gross and mildly offensive how every romance author under the sun has started turning kinks they don't understand into their own fantasy gender system now that it's no longer in vogue to be sexist?
Like, just... give him an anxiety disorder. Make Lucan a hot werewolf man who has separation anxiety, and also happens to be submissive in bed. He looks up to and defers to Finn because he's basically Finn's adoptive little brother, and that's how wolf families work. There. Done. No need for him to be biologically hardwired to act like he's in a 24/7 BDSM dynamic with everyone in the room. If I wanted that, I'd be reading omegaverse.
Others have mentioned Ginny's plot cul-de-sac being uncomfortable, and I agree. The thing where it mentions her curves in the same breath as her abuse, from Sue's point of view no less, is purest ick. Romance stories by teen boys often have this plot point where their love interest is being abused by an evil dad (or whatever) and Ginny is 100% that trope, just from a parental point of view. She exists to provide wish fulfilment and catharsis for parents, and it doesn't really come across like Amanda Milo knows what she's talking about when it comes to abuse victims. Again, much like Finn, she's a sugar-coated stereotype of an abuse victim - a beautiful, brilliant girl hiding her bruises under a tattered hoodie, who was secretly special all along.
All in all, despite lining up to be exactly what I'd want from a romance book, The Werewolf Nanny took one look at my already low expectations and limbo danced under that bar. The result reminds me a lot of His Secret Illuminations, another book trying hard to do something less stereotypical with the roles of its protagonists while also falling back into other forms of stereotyping and drowning any semblance of plot or character in kitschy, artificial 'wholesome' moments. Ditto for the gratuitous 'foreignness' of some of its characters, with Spanish culture being used in HSI, and Irish here, with the result feeling more like a gimmick than any attempt at understanding the culture.
It's not a bad book, just overly long, and overly average about it. 5/10.
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