No, I don’t have an obsession with nannies… but from my last two Love Inspired novels, you might think that I did.
My current novel, The Nanny’s Texas Christmas, is part of the Lone Star Cowboy League series about a ranch for troubled boys. Flint Rawlings, the ranch foreman, is having trouble keeping a babysitter for his mischievous five-year-old. So he hires his son’s first-grade teacher as a temporary nanny during the Christmas holidays.
Sounds simple enough, right? But Lana Alvarez was left at the alter, and although she adores little Logan, she’s resistant to her own feelings about Logan’s dad. As for Flint, his wife abandoned him and Logan as soon as the boy was born, leaving Flint a bitter single dad. It takes a Christmas miracle—and a dog named Cowboy—to help Flint, Lana, and Logan form a family.
The main features of The Nanny’s Texas Christmas were planned by the editors who developed the Lone Star Cowboy League novels. So it’s kind of weird that my previous book, which I planned myself, also features a nanny. And although the personalities, setting, and conflicts are quite different, there are some features in common.
Susan Hayashi is also a schoolteacher, in need of a summer job. Unlike gentle Lana, though, Susan is outspoken and blunt… 
which gets her fired from her waitressing gig (even though her offense was protecting a younger waitress from being groped by an obnoxious customer). Through her best friend’s machinations, Susan gets an interview with traditional, conservative CEO Sam Hinton, and although their personalities clash, her obvious ability to help his daughter, Mindy, makes him decide to hire her for the summer. Of course, in the end, romance ensues!
Why do nannies and romance go together? I can think of at least three answers:
- Any book with a nanny has to have a child, or several. And, especially in inspirational romance, both authors and readers love kids.
- It’s a practice family. With a single dad hero and one or more adorable kids, the nanny is a stand-in mother. As family activities take place, it only makes sense for the nanny to join in. The hero and heroine can play-act being a family. If all goes well, they discover that they’re a fantastic fit… and they decide to make the arrangement permanent. When they do, readers believe in the success of the family-to-be, because we’ve already seen the new family together.
Do you like nanny books? Why or why not? I’ll give away a copy of Small-Town Nanny to a random commenter who enjoys romances featuring nannies… please comment today, Friday, December 9, before midnight.
By the way… if you like short Christmas books, I have two novellas on sale right now. Both A Christmas Bond and A Bond for the Holidays are quick reads that can give you a boost when you only have a little bit of “me-time”–like most of us during the holidays. Check them out, and let me know if you enjoy them!
Lee Tobin McClain read Gone With The Wind in the third grade and has been an incurable romantic ever since. Lee is the author of the Sacred Bond series of contemporary inspirational romances and also writes the Rescue River books (angsty, but full of fun kids and dogs) for Harlequin Love Inspired. When she not writing emotional Christian romances, she's probably driving around a carload of snarky teen girls, playing with her rescue dog and cat, or teaching aspiring writers in Seton Hill University's MFA program. She is probably not cleaning her house.
Your post made me think of the old TV show from the 1970’s, The Nanny and the Professor. You might be too young to remember it.
I read Small Town Nanny and I loved it. I look forward to reading The Nanny’s Texas Christmas.
I like books with nannies for all the reasons you mentioned. I also think that there is something appealing about anyone who loves my kids (in a non-romantic way), so it makes storylines more believable to me when the relationship grows quickly because I know how quickly I like someone who knows and loves my kids.
I’ve done daycare in my home for 30 years,so I can relate to nanny stories. The kids antics are usually funny.
These nanny stories sound great!
I love nanny books. In fact my work in progress is a nanny book with a twist. :)
You book sounds great.
I like nanny stories! Your book sounds like a fun read.
Congrats on your new release! I enjoyed Small-Town Nanny. :)
The real life nanny story that comes to my mind is Maria VonTrapp :-) I’m not sure I’ve read fictional nanny stories, but they sound great.
I love books with nannies. Both of your books sound great. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of Small-Town Nanny.
Your nanny books sound wonderful! I enjoy stories with kids in them. Thanks for the chance to win!
Nanny books are always a hit. Yours sound wonderful.
Thank you, Jill! I appreciate your reading Small Town Nanny. I don’t remember that TV show, but it’s not because I’m young!
Melinda and Diana–I agree. Men who love kids are especially appealing.
Love the enthusiasm about nanny-focused books, and I’m also relieved to see it… I was afraid two in a row might be too much.
Ha, I was hoping someone would think of that story! Thanks for commenting.
I’m excited to see who wins the giveaway book. If I get a lot of comments, I might even give away two!
Lee–I LOVE Nanny books!! I have the DVD’s that are available from The Nanny—(Fran! and Mr. Scheffield) Ha! Nanny stories are just made for romance! :) Yours sound great. I’ll have to check them out.
I’ve never really thought about whether I like nanny stories or not. I have read my share of them and liked what I’ve read so far. Nannies have the children’s best interest in mind and have a good sense of the families dynamics.
I think of Sound of Music as I’m typing this! How Maria confronts Captian Von Trapp about his methods of raising his children and how she realizes the children just want their father to love them. She also sees the strengths in each child and helps shape and mold them. I think the tender care in which she gives the Von Trapp children begin to soften the Captains heart and we all know the happily ever after ending! :-)
I think the same is true in a book now that I think about it. Having a mother figure in the picture does help both the children and the father see what they are missing. And of course, the nanny begins to love the children as her own, then eventually (or at least in fiction) she begins to fall for the father :-) *Big happy sigh* It’s a win/win for everyone!