Happy Tuesday, all! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Au Pair by Emma Rous, publishing today, and thank you to Berkley for the invitation! I am super excited to share my review of this book I group read, and we unanimously endorsed with so much love! Make sure to read all the way to the bottom to find out where I’m giving a copy away!
About the Book:
A grand estate, terrible secrets, and a young woman who bears witness to it all. If V. C. Andrews and Kate Morton had a literary love child, Emma Rous’ The Au Pair would be it.
Seraphine Mayes and her twin brother Danny were born in the middle of summer at their family’s estate on the Norfolk coast. Within hours of their birth, their mother threw herself from the cliffs, the au pair fled, and the village thrilled with whispers of dark cloaks, changelings, and the aloof couple who drew a young nanny into their inner circle.
Now an adult, Seraphine mourns the recent death of her father. While going through his belongings, she uncovers a family photograph that raises dangerous questions. It was taken on the day the twins were born, and in the photo, their mother, surrounded by her husband and her young son, is beautifully dressed, smiling serenely, and holding just one baby.
Who is the child and what really happened that day?
One person knows the truth, if only Seraphine can find her.
My Thoughts:
Seraphine and Danny, twins, are born on the coast of Norfolk, England. Not long after their births, their mother commits suicide, and their au pair flees.
After that, the village goes wild with rumors about dark things that may have happened within the grand estate.
Seraphine is now an adult grieving the loss of her father when she finds a mysterious family photograph. The photo is from the day she was born, and in it, her mother appears happy, but she’s only holding one baby. What happened that day and where is the other baby?
The Au Pair is a solid page-turner with a gripping premise and a haunting mystery at its heart. The narrators’ voices are fascinating, and I was absolutely riveted by this story. Consumed, really! An intricate web of lies is exposed, the atmosphere is perfectly drawn, and finally, that ending: it blew my mind! Overall, The Au Pair is a remarkable literary thriller, and Emma Rous is an author I’ll be keeping on my radar.
Thanks to Berkley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
About the Author:
Emma Rous grew up in England, Indonesia, Kuwait, Portugal and Fiji, and from a young age she had two ambitions: to write stories, and to look after animals. She studied veterinary medicine and zoology at the University of Cambridge, and worked as a veterinary surgeon for eighteen years before starting to write fiction. Emma lives in Cambridgeshire, England, with her husband and three sons.
The Au Pair is her first novel. It will be published in ten countries, in nine languages. She is currently writing her second book.
She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EmmaRousAuthor/
and on instagram as emmarousauthor.
Check out these reviews by the other Book Besties:
Berit at Audio Killed the Bookmark
Holly at Dressed to Read
Kendall at Goodreads
Mackenzie at PhDiva
***Book Giveaway***
For a chance to win a paperback copy of The Au Pair, please visit my instagram page! Giveaway generously sponsored by the publisher.
Have you read The Au Pair, or is it on your TBR? Do you have any favorite fall reads? Happy Reading! ~ Jenni THR
There you go again, giving me a book I was rejected for. You are hot and scorching me with curiosity and jealousy 😂😂😍😍❤️❤️
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😂 🔥 🔥 ♥️ I hope you get a chance to read this one, Shalini! There’s so much to love about it!
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I love literary thrillers, I’ll be picking this one up soon, I love your love for it, great review!
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Thanks, Janel! Me, too, about literary thrillers! We need more! I will be watching for your thoughts.
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This sounds like one to add, Jen! Lovely pic of the book and glad you liked it! ♥️
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Thanks, favorite M! It’s a terrific one to add! Such a thrill ride! 💕
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I have read this book and it just was a bit too convoluted at the end for me. Your review is wonderful and I am so glad you enjoyed this book.
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Thanks, Marialyce! I can understand- the ending was definitely a complex one!
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Sounds like a weird book. However, I did like VC Andrews so this should be good.
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Thanks, Jen! Yes, VC Andrews was a touch eccentric too!
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Woo hoo! Glad you enjoyed this one, Jennifer. Love your review. I did get this for audio review.
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Thanks, Jonetta! I’m so excited for your thoughts on the audio. I’m predicting some amazing British accents!
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Awesome review and picture, Jennifer. I cannot wait to read this thriller. Happy Tuesday! 😍💕📚🕵️♀️
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Thanks, Virginia! I hope you enjoy it too! ♥️
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I love how you described the atmosphere of this book—that was my favorite part too!!! Great review, Jennifer!!! 💕
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Thanks, Mack! Those treacherous but beautiful cliffs! ♥️
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I was consumed too! So happy you loved it too! Can’t believe this is a debut ❤
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Thanks, Holls! I know – so smooth and easy to read for a debut! Loved it! ♥️
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This sounds very suspenseful! So glad you loved it😁
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Thanks, Tammy! It was definitely a page turner!
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Wow! You really loved this one! Awesome review Jen! Have a wonderful Tuesday!🌞😀💕
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Thanks, Sus! It was an engaging read for sure! Hope you had a great Tuesday! 💗
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Wonderful review! Love this book so much as well and loved reading with you!💕💕
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Thanks, Berit! It was a delicious read! 💗
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Yay, another we both loved!! ❤❤ I just loved the atmosphere so much in this one…very gothic, which you know I love! It was an outstanding debut! Fab review, Jennifer! 😘
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Thanks, Steph! Absolutely – another one! ♥️ Such a wonderful read, and yes, that atmosphere was something else! ♥️ xoxo
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Great review! Glad you enjoyed it!
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Thanks, Darinda! It was so much fun!
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Wonderful review!
I can’t wait to read it as well. ❤ Nice to see all these positive reviews!
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Thank you, Norrie! I’m interested in what you will think of this one. It has a great atmosphere, and I know you enjoy that. ♥️
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Yes, it’s on my TBR list. Sounds, and from what I’ve read, it’s very good!
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It’s so good, David! I hope you get a chance to read it!
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Great review Jennifer. I love your description of this book, I’m checking this one out.
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Thanks, Rose! It’s one I definitely enjoyed. ♥️
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Looks like I will too😊
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This does sound like an excellent read. 🙂
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I loved it, Chrissi! ♥️
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Sounds great – I do like thrillers that have a literary feel to them! I do wish you’d stop tempting me though!! 😉
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I’m sorry, FF! You know I can’t help it! 😂
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This book sounds so intriguing – lol added this to my mile long list!
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It’s definitely suspenseful and well-done, LP! ♥️
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Impressive review Jennifer!! loved reading this one with you ladies <3.
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Thanks, Kendall! It was so much fun to read together!
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Second really good review I’ve read of this one. Glad you enjoyed it!
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Thanks, Nina! This was a page-turner! 🌺
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Beautiful review Jenni! I’m picking this up hopefully at the end of the month and really looking forward to it! 😁🤗
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Thanks, Beth! I can’t wait to see what you think of this one. It’s quite different, and I thought it was terrific! ♥️
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Wow! Another great review and great thriller! Now I really gotta ask you, which is your fav thriller you’ve read so far? You can only pick ONE! hahaha
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Out of the ones in 2019, it would be An Anonymous Girl that I reviewed on Monday, but they’ve all been great! ♥️ Thanks, Jee! Xoxo
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I am so glad to hear you loved this one! I’ve been looking forward to it for awhile now. So twisty and I’m happy to hear the ending delivered! That’s so important to me in a thriller.
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Thanks, Angela! Me, too. The ending has been controversial but it worked for me, and I really ope it does for you, too!
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Wonderful review Jennifer. Another great Bestie pick. I am really looking forward to this one. If I wasn’t already planning on reading this one, that last paragraph in your review hooked me tight. Just moved this one way up my TBR.
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Thanks, Carla! I cannot wait to see what you think of this one. It’s so different, and it completely hooked me!
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You had me at “consumed”! I think I just read another review about this book that was less favorable and now you’ve got me excited about it again. Excellent review!
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Thanks, Myndi! It seems to be love or hate because of the ending, but it worked great for me!
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