PROMO & REVIEW - LOVE, NINA BY NINA STIBBE

There seem's to be two versions of this book, I requested and was accepted to download both version, I decided to read the one released on 22nd April 2014, but I have featured both books with their information below as well as my review.

Title: Love, Nina - Despatches from Family Life

Author: Nina Stibbe
ISBN: 9780670922765
Publisher: Viking, Penguin Books UK
Release Date: 7th November 2013

BLURB from Netgalley:
'I adored this book, and I could quote from it forever. It's real, odd, life-affirming, sharp, loving, and contains more than one reference to Arsenal FC' Nick Hornby,The Believer'Adrian Mole meets Mary Poppins mashed up in literary north London . . . Enormous fun' Bookseller'What a beady eye she has for domestic life, and how deliciously fresh and funny she is'Deborah Moggach, author of The Best Exotic Marigold HotelNina Stibbe'sLove, Nina: Despatches from Family Life is the laugh-out-loud story of the trials and tribulations of a very particular family.In the 1980s Nina Stibbe wrote letters home to her sister in Leicester describing her trials and triumphs as a nanny to a London family. There's a cat nobody likes, a visiting dog called Ted Hughes (Ted for short) and suppertime visits from a local playwright. Not to mention the two boys, their favourite football teams,and rude words, a very broad-minded mother and assorted nice chairs.From the mystery of the unpaid milk bill and the avoidance of nuclear war to mealtime discussions on pie filler, the greats of English literature, swearing in German and sexually transmitted diseases, Love, Nina is a wonderful celebration of bad food, good company and the relative merits of Thomas Hardy and Enid Blyton.'Breezy, sophisticated, hilarious, rude and aching with sweetness: Love, Nina might be the most charming book I've ever read' Maria Semple, author of 'Where'd You Go, Bernadette''Nina Stibbe is the funniest new writer to arrive in years. Love, Nina is her first book - a memoir so warm, so witty and so wise, it's like finding the friend you always deserved' Andrew O'HaganAt the age of 20 Nina Stibbe moved from Leicestershire to London to become a nanny. Later she studied at Thames Polytechnic and worked in publishing. She now lives in Cornwall with her partner and children.

And below is the version that I chose to read and review....

Title: Love, Nina - A Nanny Writes Home
Author: Nina Stibbe
ISBN: 9780316243391
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Release Date: 22nd April 2014

BLURB from Netgalley:
"Breezy, sophisticated, hilarious, rude and aching with sweetness: LOVE, NINA might be the most charming book I've ever read." --Maria Semple, author of Where'd You Go, BernadetteIn 1982, 20-year-old Nina Stibbe moved to London to work as a nanny to two opinionated and lively young boys. In frequent letters home to her sister, Nina described her trials and triumphs: there's a cat nobody likes, suppertime visits from a famous local playwright, a mysteriously unpaid milk bill, and repeated misadventures parking the family car. Dinner table discussions cover the gamut, from the greats of English literature, to swearing in German, to sexually transmitted diseases. There's no end to what Nina can learn from these boys (rude words) and their broad-minded mother (the who's who of literary London).

A charming, hilarious, sweetly inspiring celebration of bad food and good company, Love, Nina makes a young woman's adventures in a new world come alive.

INITIAL THOUGHTS
As I have read things like Confessions Of A Hostie, Confessions Of a Teacher etc I expected this to an insider view of being a nanny.

MY REVIEW
I noticed this one on Netgalley and requested it, and was accepted to receive an e-arc.
So the cover shows a house on a rather well to do looking street, with a woman (presumably nanny) holding hands with two children as they approach the house. The effect on the cover of it appearing like lined paper is good as the book is meant to be a record of the letters the Nanny sends home to her sister.
Would the book cover make me pick it up in a book store? I think so yes. I have to say I prefer this cover to the other one which is more like a flash to the past in photographs that show the now looking back dodgy 80's clothes and hairstyles. Presumably the woman and child on the cover playing snooker are the nanny nd one of her charges (that's the correct term isn't it?)
Hmm being totally I've found something I don't like already and I'm only 9% in! I don't like the list of people at the beginning and who they are. I suppose it would work in a hard copy of the book as you can flick back to that page quickly and fairly effortlessly but on a kindle? I'm now wondering if I need to write the list down so I remember who is who and who does what! I've decided not to! I feel like the book should be self explanatory on the way through. So what are my first impressions? . . . dare I say a tad mediocre?