15 Nanny Romance Books You Must Read

Nanny romance books refer to a sub-genre of romance novels. The main storyline focuses on a romance between a nanny (or au pair, child caregiver, etc.) and a household member they work for, often a single parent. These stories typically explore forbidden love, class differences, and the complexities of blending personal and professional boundaries.

The relationship between the nanny and the employer is viewed as taboo, adding an element of forbidden romance to the story. The stories explore emotional growth, healing from past wounds, and the development of trust and love in a complicated situation. Many nanny romances involve themes of healing from past traumas, personal growth, and overcoming obstacles. These themes are inspirational and uplifting for readers.

15 Nanny Romance Books (Governess/Babysitter Love Story)

As with most romance novels, nanny romance usually concludes with a satisfying and optimistic ending, resolving the complexities and obstacles faced by the characters. This genre appeals to readers who enjoy contemporary romance stories with a mix of emotional depth, domestic drama, and the excitement of a love story that breaks conventional boundaries.

The taboo nature of a relationship between an employer and their employee adds an element of tension and excitement, making the story more captivating. The domestic setting and the day-to-day interactions in a household can make these stories relatable. They include real-life issues like dealing with children, managing a household, and balancing work and personal life.

I will talk about the 15 best nanny romance books to read anytime. These books show the emotional complexities of the characters with realistic scenarios. Let’s go!

1. A Nordic King (Nordic Royals)

This book follows Aurora looking for a new job as a nanny. But she never thought she would have the opportunity to interview for the nanny position for two princesses of Denmark. They do not get along when she meets her boss, King Aksel. Aksel is used to getting what he wants. But Aurora is such a spitfire, and she does not care to put him in his place. So they are like oil and water.

They don’t mix at first, but they develop connections over time. While Aurora is starting to feel things for Aksel, she has already developed a deep love and relationship with his two daughters. Her relationship with his daughters was beautiful, and eventually, the four created this little family and their relationships.

Aksel’s so standoffish that seeing him changes Aurora and his daughters throughout this book. So Aksel’s relationship with Aurora is intense and forbidden because he is a king and she is a nanny.

Author: Karina Halle
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Family Saga Fiction, Billionaire Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD

2. Reckless (Texas Nights)

The story follows Tori and Ethan. Tori doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life. She has no direction, and she’s hit a low point with her sister. She is pregnant and asks her to come and be with her. But also, one of her sister’s friends desperately needs help with his children. So, her sister convinces Tori to come and work as a nanny for Ethan.

Ethan is a single father trying to run a horse farm. He trains horses, teaches people how to ride them, and puts them in shows. He’s very busy, and when Tori meets his children, she immediately falls in love with them. But when Tori and Ethan meet, they don’t like each other. But he ends up giving her a chance, and slowly, he starts to develop feelings for her, and their relationship is so pure. Tori and Ethan have so much passion and love for each other.

Author: Lex Martin
Average Rating: 4.7/5
Category: Multicultural & Interracial Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD

3. Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny (Loose Ends)

This one follows Sloan Copeland, a very successful surgeon and she has two twin daughters. She’s got a lot on her plate and not much help. At the beginning of this book, her nanny walks out on her, and she’s left in a tough spot. Then, one of her friends tells her about Rafe, a male nanny.

Rafe has been a nanny for quite some time. When he hears about Sloan and her situation, he knows he has to help her, so they meet and instantly attract each other. They immediately addressed that attraction and agreed they would not act on it because it would complicate things. But they couldn’t stop that attraction to each other in that pool. Also, this has some steamy sex scenes. So it is one of the hottest governess romances I have ever read.

Author: Rebekah Weatherspoon
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Multicultural Romances
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD

4. Too Wilde to Wed (The Wildes of Lindow Castle)

In this book, we have Diana and North. They were in a relationship before, so this is also a second-chance romance. Diana jolts North out of nowhere. North is pissed, and he goes off to war. Then, two years later, he returns home and finds that Diana is working as a governess for his siblings and that they will be living together.

So he is pissed about that. But he is more pissed about Diana having been spreading rumors about North. North doesn’t want anything to do with her, but he does. Diana has been spreading these rumors, not that he cares what people think about him, but he wants an explanation from her. North does not leave her alone and then is under the same roof. It makes things even harder for him to get away from her.

Author: Eloisa James
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: American Historical Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback

5. Eleanor & Grey (Chances)

Eleanor and Grey meet when they are teenagers, developing a powerful relationship. Eleanor desperately needed a friend, and Grey was that person for her. When Eleanor’s mom dies, she moves away. Over time and the distance, they grow apart. Then, many years later, Eleanor is applying for a job as a nanny, and she does not realize that it is for Grey.

So Grey has been married. He has two daughters, and his wife died in a car accident. He is grieving over the loss of his wife, and his daughters are grieving as well. This whole family desperately needs healing, and Eleanor comes in and quickly realizes that Grey is not the person she knew. He is very cold and does not want to bring up the past.

Also, Grey is so mean to her at first, but Eleanor takes it with a smile. After some days, Grey returns to how he used to be, and their connection starts again. It will weigh on your heart.

Author: Brittainy C. Cherry
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Contemporary Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD

6. The Governess Game (Girl Meets Duke)

This one follows Alex, a professional clock setter, and Chase runs into Chase at a bookstore. Alex doesn’t realize she will become his governess to two words that have come quickly.

This book is so much fun. Alex’s never been a governess/nanny. So she has no idea what she’s doing, but she does it and is good at it. The connection that she made with the kids was so cute. Try it if you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced, lighthearted read.

Author: Tessa Dare
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Regency Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback

7. Zack (Cold Fury Hockey)

Book three is in the Cold Fury Hockey series, but they can all be read as standalone. This follows Zach, a single father, after his son’s mother dies in a car accident. He is carrying a lot of pain and guilt because he was driving the car. So, he has taken some time off from hockey to heal from everything in his life.

After a few months, he is ready to return to the game and practice. So, he hires Kate to look after his son Ben while he is away. Kate is so quirky, spunky, and very much sunshine. But Zach is so rude to her at points, as he’s grieving. He is trying to go through the motions of life. Somehow, he falls in love with Kate because she knows how to smile on her face.

Author: Sawyer Bennett
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Action & Adventure Romance
Available: Audiobook | Kindle | Audio CD

8. The Highlander (Victorian Rebels)

Our hero, Liam, is layered as the Demon Highlander. Our heroine, Mena, is an English woman. She is married to a Viscount, so she is a Viscountess. Also, she is on the run from her abusive husband, and he has put her in an asylum. At the beginning of this book, you get scenes from her being there and how she is treated, which is very hard to read.

Two heroines from another book help Mena out, and they send her a witness protection program. So they send her to Liam’s house, and she will act as a nanny for his children. This nanny romance is a slow-burn. Mena is keeping secrets from Liam; Liam knows this and is dark.

His children are in desperate need of a woman’s presence. But Mena’s never been a governess, so she’s figuring things out as she goes and develops a relationship with his kids. Liam is so protective of his kids that he becomes very protective over Mena. So, this one is also an alpha hero with possessive romance.

Author: Kerrigan Byrne
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Scottish Historical Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Mass Market Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD

9. Irresistible (Cloverleigh Farms)

This is an age gap romance, but not a taboo age gap. The story is about a girl named Frannie Sawyer, who is twenty-six years old. She is falling for the business manager of her parents, and she has been nannying his three girls for him (Mack). Mack and his wife have recently got divorced. He’s also an ex-Marine, and he is falling for Frannie.

Mack is only ten years older than her, and he doesn’t want to have any more kids. Frannie was sick when she was a kid, so she had a heart condition. But her family has always surrounded her and taken care of her. I love how these two get together and how she’s the one who’s ready to go for this.

Author: Melanie Harlow
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Romantic Comedy
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle

10. Married by Morning (The Hathaways)

This one is about Catherine Marks, who has been more of a companion to the youngest Hathaway girls. But she also taught them deportment and manners because they grew up without anyone teaching them. So Catherine has been their nanny/companion for the last few years, and we’ve been watching through these years.

You’ve been watching her sparks with Leo; he has gone through some crazy stuff in the previous novels. We watched him get over the grief and get over addiction. He and Catherine have always had a sparking relationship with each other. Catherine is holding some pretty dark secrets. We keep secrets from people that we care about. But this one’s also so fun because it is real hate to love, and they go ten rounds with each other. The chemistry is so strong, and I love this nanny romance.

Author: Lisa Kleypas
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Victorian Historical Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback

11. Rules for a Proper Governess (Mackenzies & McBrides)

This is the seventh book in the Mackenzies & McBrides series. We have Sinclair McBride, who is a Scottish barrister. He works in the court system defending people and gets picked and pocketed by a woman named Bertie. Sinclair catches her because she steals a watch that his wife had given him. Also, he has two young children. So, after their interaction with each other, Bertie ends up following him. She’s stalking him a bit because she’s in awe.

Sinclair is a sad man, and he still talks to his wife. He’s been asking her for a sign to move on. So it’s cute because then he runs into Bertie, and she tries to pickpocket him. But she ends up saving his children from an accident. The governess who is taking care of them ditches Bertie with the kids.

So Bertie brings the kids home, and Sinclair threatens her that she will stay and take care of his kids until he finds someone new. It is because she’s the only one who can handle them. Also, it’s not a big imposition for Bertie because she already has strong feelings.

Author: Jennifer Ashley
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Medieval Historical Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Mass Market Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD

12. Seven Minutes in Heaven (Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers)

Our heroine, Eugenia Snowe, is an orphan. She runs a nanny company. Then we have Edward Reeve, who all of the governesses she’s been sending him haven’t been working out for his wards. They haven’t been strong enough to handle them. So he demands that the company owner come and watch his kids. He’s intrigued by her, and he wants her around him. So he kidnaps her into this part of it.

They make a deal about it, but Edward wants to get it. But anyway, Snowe’s supposed to be there for seven days, and she promises to help reform his children. I love the tension that Eloisa James (author) has. This is one of her standalone that fits in with some other books.

Author: Eloisa James
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: 20th Century Historical Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback

13. Unexpected (Love in LA)

This is the first book in the series, a single mom and nanny romance. A nanny is a man, and this is about Preston and Alexis. Preston is a male college student, and he is a nanny. But the family that he normally nannies for no longer needs one. So he needs a new job fast to pay for school. On the other hand, Alexis is a single mom. She’s career-driven, and her ex-husband is a famous rock star.

She normally uses the nanny out of the country on vacation, thinking the daughter would be with the dad. So she needs a nanny so she can work. Then, she hires Preston, which she’s hesitant about because she’s attracted to him. They end up starting up a secret relationship. He’s happy to shout from the rooftops that they’re dating, but Alexis isn’t. She doesn’t want people to think poorly of her because she’s older than Preston.

This isn’t quite a closed-door romance. It does explicitly talk about foreplay. But when you get to the actual act of sex, it is a closed door. So, if that’s something that would bother you, I do want to preface that here.

Author: Jenna Hartley
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Sports Romance
Available: Paperback | Kindle

14. Park Avenue Player

This is about Hollis and Elodie, who have a fender bender. They argue because they run into each other and part ways, never expecting to see each other again. But as it turns out, Elodie has a job interview and Hollis’s employer she’s interviewing with. He’s looking for a nanny for his niece because he took custody of her when his brother went to prison.

So, he desperately needs a nanny because he is into his career and ends up hiring Elodie. There were some twists I did not see coming, and Elodie is a sassy heroine. It’s an enemy to lovers. There is a lot of chemistry steam that makes me blush a little bit.

Author: Penelope Ward
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Contemporary Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle

15. A Little Too Late

The story is about Hannah and Charlie. Hannah is an au pair. She’s from the Netherlands, and Charlie is a single father. He has two children, and Hannah needs a new job because of the Au Pair position. She had a bad experience with her father, so she needed a new job to stay in the United States. Otherwise, she’ll be returned to the Netherlands, and Charlie will hire her.

Hannah hesitates because she had such a bad experience with her previous employer. She’s very nervous about working for a man and not like a couple, but he wins her over. They have a very sweet romance, and she is into baking Dutch bakery treats. So, if you like cooking and baking nanny romance, this one is for you.

Author: Staci Hart
Average Rating: 4.2/5
Category: Contemporary Women Fiction
Available: Audiobook | MP3 CD

5 Steamy Nanny Romance Books

“The Nanny Plan” by Sarah M. Anderson: This book is a part of the Billionaires and Babies series. It revolves around a wealthy bachelor who unexpectedly becomes a guardian and the nanny he hires to care for his niece. The relationship that develops is both steamy and emotionally deep.

“Misadventures with the Nanny” by Elizabeth Hayley: Part of the Misadventures series, this book tells the story of a single dad and a young, vibrant nanny. It’s known for its passionate and adventurous romance set against the backdrop of family life.

“Nanny and the Beast” by Georgia Le Carre: This novel spins a contemporary and steamy tale of a Russian billionaire and a nanny hired to care for his niece. The intense chemistry and the ‘beast’ like the male lead’s persona add to the story’s steaminess.

“Nanny for the Billionaire’s Son” by Bella King: This book combines the elements of a billionaire romance with the nanny theme. It’s a steamy story about a single father with a complex past and the young nanny who comes into his life, sparking a passionate and complicated romance.

“The Nanny Diaries” by Christina Lauren: This one is a standalone steamy romance. It features a young woman working as a nanny for a gorgeous, aloof single dad and the hidden desires that surface between them.

5 Single Dad Nanny Romance Books

“Room for Two” by Sydney Landon: This novel tells the story of a single dad who hires a live-in nanny to help with his two children. Their evolving relationship is filled with emotional depth, humor, and romantic tension.

“The Sexy One” by Lauren Blakely: This story revolves around a single dad and his son’s nanny. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, and the book is praised for its witty dialogue and engaging narrative.

“Forever My Girl” by Heidi McLaughlin: This book, which inspired a film of the same name, focuses on a former football player who returns to his hometown and reconnects with his first love, who is now a single mother working as a nanny. It’s a story of second chances and rediscovering lost love.

“The Daddy Coach” by Karen Muir: Here, a single dad hires a nanny to help with his daughter. The book explores themes of family, love, and the challenges of blending personal and professional lives in a heartwarming and engaging way.

“Irresistible” by Melanie Harlow: This novel features a single dad of three who falls for his children’s nanny. It’s a story filled with humor, steamy moments, and the complexities of navigating a romance when children are involved.

5 Billionaire Single Dad Romance Novels

“Tempting the Billionaire” by Jessica Lemmon: This novel features a wealthy, work-focused single dad who falls for his son’s sharp and independent nanny. The story is a classic blend of luxury and emotional depth, showcasing the complexities of balancing a high-powered career with personal life.

“The Billionaire’s Unexpected Baby” by Kira Archer: In this engaging tale, a billionaire single dad discovers he has a baby and must face the complexities of fatherhood. The arrival of a strong-willed woman who helps him care for his child adds romantic and comedic elements to the story.

“Billionaire’s Baby Bind” by Katherine Garbera: This novel revolves around a billionaire who unexpectedly becomes a single father. The story follows his journey as he hires a nanny to help with his child, leading to an evolving romantic relationship filled with challenges and heartwarming moments.

“The Billionaire’s Baby Arrangement” by Charlene Sands: This book tells the story of a powerful businessman who enters a marriage of convenience to gain custody of his child, only to find himself falling for his bride. It combines the elements of arranged marriage, single fatherhood, and the glamour of billionaire life.

“The Nanny Proposal” by Joss Wood: Set in the luxurious world of a billionaire single dad, this novel explores the relationship between a successful businessman and the nanny he hires for his child. The story covers love, trust, and blending professional and personal worlds.

5 Age Gap Nanny Romance Books

“Scandalous” by L.J. Shen: This novel features a young nanny who starts working for a much older, successful businessman. The age gap between them and the forbidden aspect of their relationship adds to the story’s tension and allure.

“Torn” by Carian Cole: This book tells the story of a young woman who falls in love with a significantly older man, who happens to be her father’s best friend and her former babysitter. The novel covers the complexities and societal judgments of their age-gap relationship.

“Birthday Girl” by Penelope Douglas: This story revolves around a young woman who finds herself attracted to her boyfriend’s father, highlighting the challenges and emotional depth of an age-gap relationship. The narrative explores forbidden love and personal growth.

“Unteachable” by Leah Raeder: This novel is a bit of a twist on the nanny theme, as it involves a young woman who enters into a relationship with an older man, only to discover he’s her teacher. The book shows the taboo and complexities of their relationship, exploring the emotional and ethical boundaries they navigate.

“Luna and the Lie” by Mariana Zapata: This story features a young woman working in a garage who develops feelings for her much older boss. The characters’ slow-burn romance and significant age difference add complexity and emotional depth to their relationship.

5 Mafia Nanny Romance Books

“Nero” by Sarah Brianne: Part of the “Made Men” series, this novel introduces a college student who becomes a nanny for a mafia family. The story weaves together the elements of forbidden love, loyalty, and the dangerous allure of the mafia lifestyle.

“Bound by Duty” by Cora Reilly: This book is part of the “Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles.” It features a young woman who becomes entangled with a powerful mafia boss. The story explores duty, passion, and the complex world of organized crime.

“Carter Reed” by Tijan: In this novel, the protagonist seeks protection from the mafia and finds herself in a relationship with a powerful mob boss. The book combines elements of danger, romance, and the complexities of love within the mafia world.

“Ruthless People” by J.J. McAvoy: This story centers around a marriage of convenience between two powerful mafia heirs. The novel is popular for its strong characters, intense romance, and the intricate workings of a mafia empire.

“Crow” by A. Zavarelli: Part of the “Boston Underworld” series, this book introduces a woman who goes undercover as a nanny for a notorious mobster. The relationship that develops is filled with tension, secrets, and the dangerous backdrop of the mafia underworld.

If you enjoy romance novels and are intrigued by the dynamics and themes mentioned, this sub-genre is a delightful new avenue to explore.

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