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Meet Mara Walters, Eliza Thompson, and Jacqui Velasco, au pairs for one of New York's "better" Upper East Side families.
For Mara this job means a fast way out of Sturbridge, her go-slow Massachusetts town. Eliza knows this is a speedy way back into the posh world she wishes she never left. And for Jacqui, it's a boarding pass back into the arms of the American boyfriend who told her he'd e-mail as soon as he got home. And didn't.
In the Hamptons the au pairs will play mommy all day and play hard all night. They'll slip into scandalous bikinis, sip on star-fruit margaritas, and skip out for sultry skinny-dips on Georgica Pond. They'll brave bratty kids, deal with nasty bosses, cool those blistering sunburns, and handle some very hot boys.
Three teenage girls from different backgrounds work for a summer in the Hamptons as au pairs for a wealthy family, and in spite of many ups and downs, all three end up changing for the better.
Melissa de la Cruz is the bestselling author of The Blue Bloods series and The Witches of East End. She also wrote The Ashleys novels and Girl Stays in the Picture. Her work has been translated into several languages. She writes regularly for Marie Claire, Gotham, Hamptons, and Lifetime magazines, and has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, Allure, and McSweeney’s. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter.
Chapter Once: Port Authority, Take One: Eliza Experiences Public Transportation
Eliza Thompson had never been so uncomfortable in her entire life. She was sitting in the back of a Greyhound bus, sandwiched between the particularly fragrant bathroom and an overfriendly seatmate who was using Eliza's shoulder as a headrest. The old bag in the Stars and Stripes T-shirt had little bubbles of spit forming on her lips. Eliza took a moment to pity herself. Seriously, how hard could it have been for her parents to spring for a ticket on Jet Blue?
The nightmare had begun a year ago, when some people started looking into her dad's "accounting practices" at the bank and dug up some "misdirected funds." Several details had been leaked — the papers had a field day with the thousand-dollar umbrella stand on his expense reports. The lawyer's bills added up quickly, and soon even the maintenance on their five-bedroom, five-bath co-op was just too much.
The Thompsons sold their "cottage" in Amagansett — which was actually the size of an airplane hangar — to pay their mounting legal expenses. Next they sold their beachfront condo in Palm Beach. And then one afternoon Eliza came home from Spence, her elite all-girls private school (which counted none other than Gwynnie Paltrow as an alum), to find her maid packing her bedroom into boxes. The next thing she knew, she was living in a crappy two-bedroom in Buffalo and enrolled at Herbert Hoover High, while her parents shared a ten-year-old Honda Civic. Forget AP classes. Forget early admission to Princeton. Forget that year abroad in Paris.
Her parents had told everyone they were simply going to go recover from it all "upstate in the country," though no one had any idea how far upstate they had really gone. To Manhattanites, there's as big a difference between the Catskills and Buffalo as there is between Chanel Couture and Old Navy.
But thank God for rich brats. The call from Kevin Perry had come just yesterday — he was looking for a summer au pair and could Eliza make it to the Hamptons by sunset? Kevin Perry's law firm had been instrumental in keeping her dad out of the Big House, so he was one of the only people who really knew about their situation. The au pair job was her one-way ticket out of godforsaken Buffalo; so what if she had to work for old friends of her family? At least she wouldn't have to show up for work at the Buffalo Galleria on Monday. The girl who used to have personal shoppers at Bergdorf's had come this close to waiting on pimply classmates determined to squeeze themselves into two-sizes-too-small, cheap-ass polyester spandex. She shuddered at the thought.
The woman next to her grunted and exhaled. Eliza discreetly spritzed the air with her signature tuberose perfume to camouflage the offensive stink. She fiddled with her right earring, a diamond that was part of the pair Charlie Borshok had given her for her sixteenth birthday. Eliza wasn't sentimental, but she still wore them despite breaking up with him more than six months ago. She'd done it in self-defense, really: how do you explain Buffalo and bankruptcy to the sole heir of a multi-million-dollar pharmaceutical fortune? She'd loved Charlie as much as she knew how, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him or anyone else about exactly how much they'd lost. It was almost like if she said it out loud, it would make it true. So Eliza was determined to make sure no one ever found out. She didn't know how she was going to cover it up exactly, but she was sure she'd come up with something. She always did, after all.
Take today, for example. So, fine, she was on the Manhattan-bound Greyhound, but she'd already found a way to get out of taking the Jitney to the Hamptons. She was relying on Kit to take her, just like he'd always done before. Sure, she could spend four hours in a glorified bus (and hello, the Jitney was a bus even with its exclusive name) — but why should she, when Kit drove his sweet little Mercedes CLK convertible out of the city every summer Friday just like clockwork? All she needed to do was hitch a ride. She and Kit had grown up across the hall from each other — they were practically siblings. Good old Kit. She was looking forward to seeing him again — she was looking forward to seeing everyone who was anyone again.
The bus pulled into the yawning chasm of the Port Authority and discharged its passengers under a grimy concrete slab. Eliza shouldered her Vuitton carryall (the only one her mom let her keep from her formerly extensive collection) and walked as fast as she could to get away from the awful place.
She looked around at the sprawling bus station, wrinkling her nose at the blinding fluorescent lights, the holiday rush of the crowd on their way to the 34th Street piers for the fireworks, the pockets of pasty-faced tourists holding American flags and scanning LIRR timetables. Was this how the other half lived? Pushing and pulling and running and catching trains? Ugh. She'd never had to take public transportation in her life. She'd almost missed the bus that morning before she realized it might actually have the temerity to leave without her.
Life had always waited for and waited on Eliza. She never even wore a wristwatch. Why bother? The party never started till she arrived. Eliza was dimpled, gorgeous, and blond, blessed with the kind of cover girl looks that paradise resort brochures were made of. All she needed to complete the picture was a dark tan and a gold lavaliere necklace. The tan would happen — she'd hit Flying Point and slather on the Ombrelle, and, well, the lavaliere was tacky anyway.
She wandered for a while in a bit of a daze, looking for exit signs, annoyed at all the plebian commotion. A harried soccer mom with a fully loaded stroller elbowed her aside, throwing her onto a brunette girl who was standing in the middle of the station, holding a map.
"Oh, gee, I'm so sorry," the girl said, helping Eliza back to her feet.
Eliza scowled but mumbled a reluctant, "It's okay," even though it hadn't been the girl's fault that she had fallen.
"Excuse me — do you know where the...?" the girl asked, but Eliza had already dashed off to the nearest exit.
On 42nd Street, horns honked in futile protest at the usual gridlock. A long, serpentine line for the few yellow cabs snaked down the block, but Eliza felt exultant. She was back in New York! Her city! She savored the smog-filled air. She hoped idly that she would make it in time. She didn't really have a back-up plan in mind. But one of the things she loved about Kit was how predictable he was.
She walked a block away from the taxi line and put two fingers in her mouth to blow an earsplitting whistle.
A cab materialized in front of her turquoise Jack Rogers flip-flops. Eliza smiled and stowed her bags in the trunk.
"Park Avenue and Sixty-third, please," she told the driver. God, it was good to be home.
Copyright © 2004 by 17th Street Productions, an Alloy Company, and Melissa de la Cruz.
Did you spend a lot of time in the Hamptons as "research" in order to write your book?
MC: Yes. My husband and I shared a house on Shelter Island for a couple of years with several friends. We spent every weekend of the past several summers there. It was an amazing retreat from the city -- and we loved the slower pace, the country, and of course, the beach. When I wrote the book, I wanted to capture all the wonderful places we loved, like the Snowflake ice-cream shop, the secluded Two Mile Hollow beach, and the lobster rolls at "Lunch." Also, I wanted to capture the crazy New York social-climbing world that was out there -- the huge palatial homes, the jockeying for the best beach spot with your Hermes towel, the scene at Citarella, and the beautiful people with their gorgeous vintage cars. It's another world out there; the Great Gatsby come to life. Also, P. Diddy's white parties -- which are insane. Pretty girls, sexy clothes, good cars...it's a summer playland.
Are any of the characters in the book based on real people?
MC: I think each of the characters have a little bit of me in them. Eliza's background is closest to mine, as my family lost our fortune when we moved to America from the Philippines. (My dad didn't embezzle though!) So I know what it's like to go from the Queen Bee popular girl to someone who has to work and count her pennies. Eliza's compulsive shopping is also a lot like mine! I definitely had a problem with credit cards when I was a teenager. I also find her so likable and funny. I always like characters with a bit of an edge to them. Mara is also a lot like me. She is me when we moved to the States: this self-conscious, small-town girl who doesn't feel she deserves good things. She has a big heart, and she doesn't know how great she is. I loved it in Skinny-Dipping when she has a little fun and gets caught up in the celebrity lifestyle. As a lifestyle and fashion journalist in New York, I've covered that scene and I've seen that happen to so many people. Jacqui is based on my best friend in high school, who was this gorgeous Italian girl who had the body to die for and who was always trying to prove she was more than just her great looks. Several of my friends have actually told me they were a little like Jacqui when they were in high school -- very precocious and knew their way around men. Jacqui is also really fun to write, she gets in the most scandalous scrapes! I love that about her.
What does working as an au pair really entail?
MC: I worked at a day care center at my really exclusive high school, so I know about rich kids and their parents. A friend of mine in college worked as an au pair in Westchester, and she basically was a full-time babysitter; you do whatever the family asks, but you're treated as a "friend of the family" and not like the help, which is what Anna tells them in the first book -- they want the girls to have fun too. The term "au pair" technically only means the foreign girls who work as nannies for a year in the States. You get the "au pair" visa. I'm using the term loosely in the book, but then "The Babysitters" doesn't quite have such a fab ring to it, right? On a funny side note, my friend the au pair, actually did date the rich, cute older brother of her charge, and they ended up getting married! They have a kid now. But that's not what I was thinking about when I was writing about Mara. But it goes to show, it definitely happens!
Do you have any advice for people who would like to get an au pair job?
MC: I know there's a website, www.au-pair.com, where you can sign up. I met some au pairs while I was on book tour in the Hamptons, and they were telling me that they got their jobs so easily-they just sent their resumes to the family, and without even an interview, they got the gig. (I don't think it pays as much as we say in the book though.) One of the au pairs was a girl from Utah, who said she had five younger brothers, and that's what got her the job. She mostly liked the work, she said the family was really nice, and really, it's just watching the kids and making sure they are entertained. Her employers heard about my book and they told her to go to the reading since "it's about people like you." Which is SO Hamptons!! I can just imagine it!
What is your favorite and least favorite thing about the Hamptons?
MC: My favorite thing about the Hamptons is how beautiful it is out there -- it's really this stark, New England landscape, and the beaches aren't even that nice (I live in LA now, and the beaches here put the Hamptons to shame). But there's something really cool about the Atlantic Ocean, and I really like the New York-on-the-beach vibe. I love New Yorkers; I love how neurotic they are, and how everything has to be just-so, like the BEST sushi, the BEST clambake, the BEST flip-flops. There's nothing casual about New Yorkers. And I love that -- I love people who picnic with champagne and caviar. I think life should be more like Absolutely Fabulous all the time! Now that I live in the suburbs (which is what I call LA -- NY's suburb), I really miss it. I think my least favorite thing is the traffic. Sometimes it takes five hours to get there. Terrible. And part of what is making New York not so fun anymore is also seeping into the Hamptons: the whole attitude-y, PR-blitz, where there's always a list, always some VIP bull. That's all fun but sometimes it gets out of hand. When I moved to New York in 1989, you got in the nightclub door because you looked cool -- it was all about how you put your clubbing "outfit" together. You could be nobody but there you would be dancing next to Madonna at a club. It's just not that easy anymore. Because now New York is all about those damn velvet ropes, and $500 vodka bottles for a table. Ridiculous. But then maybe I'm just getting old. I used to be the girl dancing on the table, out until 10 a.m., going to the diner for breakfast with glitter in my hair but now I'm in my thirties and I'm home by midnight.
What's up next for Eliza, Mara, and Jacqui? Is there a sequel?
MC: I just did the deal for the sequel, so yes, their story will continue! I'm so excited to see what happens next. Right now, I can't tell you more details, but I know there will be more romantic entanglements, more cute boys, more girl-bonding and lots and lots of shopping!
If your into books such as "The A-List; Gossip Girl; Private; It Girl & the Clique<BR/>Then you'll be sure to enjoy this book because it is filled with lots of drama and it has that whole popular theme. Also the chapters switch off with different points of views of the characters. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series!!<BR/><BR/>I hope this helps you choose this book because I really liked it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Au Pairs or Blue Bloods, one of these two would have to be the first time I ever read Melissa De La Cruz. I have to say that she never fails to impress. I love her writing, love the constant stream of romance and high society. It is great to have such an extraordinary woman around to write such edgy catches like Au Pairs. To everyone- Read this book! Seriously, go out there and buy yourself a copy. You will not regret making that descision.
-Great Book. (:
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 29, 2008
i love this book. its almost as good as summer boys and thats saying alot since those are my favorite summer books. but it is really good i could totally picture everything she was describing i really suggest you read this book!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 15, 2007
This book was one of the best I have ever read!! I am one of those types of people that really don¿t like to read, but when I picked up this book and read the first chapter I couldn¿t put it down!! This book is the perfect summer-on-the-beach-book I have ever read. It was super easy to relate too and sp easy-to-read. I am currently on the third book in this series and I can¿t wait for the forth and fifth to come out. There wasn¿t really anything I didn¿t like about this book. The only thing I would change would be the rate in which everyone gets together. I would have had certain people get together sooner. I really hope you get a copy of this book and read it a.s.a.p. You won¿t regret it!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 1, 2012
Best summer beach read!!! This book has me glued to the pages. Can't wait to start on the next one!
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Posted June 15, 2010
I Also Recommend:
I read this book in 2 days and immediatly went and bought the other books in the series! I have read these books atlest twice over the last couple years. This is a great book for the summertime.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.readergirl21
Posted April 20, 2009
This is a fun book to read, I loved the series and I hope that she writes more books for the series. I totally fell in love with Ryan and I like Mara a lot!
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Posted March 24, 2008
omg!!!!! i love this book i couldnt put it down and payed for it monday. i love it i caqnt wait for the next book!! i so want to go to the hamptons now!! this book inspiered me to write my own books!! love it thats all i can say! LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!! :-)
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Posted March 28, 2008
this is the best book ever! i couldn't put it down and just wanted to read it. it seems so realistic and RYAN PERRY seems so hot! and Mara and him make such a good couple i cant wait till i read skinny dipping!
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Posted December 10, 2007
Have you ever read a book that you just couldn¿t put down? In this book, there are three very different girls that answer an ad for the summer of their lives. They hated each other at first, but by the end their best friends. There are lies, hook-ups, backstabbing, and DRAMA. It¿s the perfect book, if you just want something fun to read. This is one of the best books I¿ve ever read. I loved how you can relate to the book, and how you can put yourself, and your friends in their shoes. Everything you wanted to happen, happens in this book. I thought it was very realistic how Melissa de la Cruz used real language, not watered down, too intelligent language like most book. It¿s a great book to read over the Christmas holidays.
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Posted June 16, 2007
I read this book in less than a week. I really enjoyed reading about the three different characters. I thought it was a quick read and that was what I was looking for. I can't wait to read the next couple of books by this author. I also can't wait to read what happens to each character.
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Posted June 8, 2007
This book is perfect for relaxing on the beach. The characters are very well developed by de la cruz. She is a genius for writing this book.I thought that I wouldnt like this book, but it proved me wrong. I'm so gald I read, looking foward to te other books.
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Posted August 3, 2007
i absolutely LOVED this book! i read it in about 2 days! i cant wait to read the next ones! Melissa captures the minds of the girls PERFECTLY! =]
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Posted March 9, 2007
this is the best book i have ever read i am so glad there is a new one coming to the series
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Posted February 26, 2007
I loved this book. I got sooo hooked onto the plot and the characters. I read this in only 5 days!! It is one of my favorite books! I just started the sequel Skinny Dipping today. I think Melissa de cruz did a wonderful job writing this book!!!!!!!
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Posted March 3, 2007
This book is the best beach read out there. It's perfect for sunning on the boat and just relaxing all day it it's sure to keep you entertained for hours!!! Defintly want to check out the 2nd and 3rd books!
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Posted February 10, 2007
this book kept me hooked the whole timee ! when the day was threw so was the end to my book . i realy cant wait to read the other books to the au pairs ! my mind had a blast picturing all the places,hotfaces, and dont forget drama !
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Posted January 21, 2007
This book is about 3 totally different girls spending their summer in the Hamptons as nannies. It is a page turner. BEST MELISSA DE LA CRUZ BOOK YET!
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Posted January 21, 2007
this book was good that i couldn't stop reading it and i love the charascters and with their boy problems and how they become best friends. its just really good and that all you feel is like getting the next book and the next book. this book is defientley is a thumbs up LUV IT LUV IT!!
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Posted October 25, 2006
this book is just great. there's just so much drama, and so many surprises in the story, you won't want to put this book down. you seriously need to grab yourself a copy. :]
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Overview
Meet Mara Walters, Eliza Thompson, and Jacqui Velasco, au pairs for one of New York's "better" Upper East Side families.
For Mara this job means a fast way out of Sturbridge, her go-slow Massachusetts town. Eliza knows this is a speedy way back into the posh world she wishes she never left. And for Jacqui, ...