Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer Book Review

Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer
(Simon Pulse, Paperback)
Rating:

Philippa has worn black for the last couple of years. She's not goth. It just makes it easier to pick out her outfit in the mornings and she doesn't have to worry about spills and stains. So when she sees an ad in the local paper that says, "Wanted: Nanny for 10-yr-old twins. MUST LOVE BLACK," it seems like a no-brainer. Philippa finds out that these twin girls are mature beyond their years and are in need of a little fun and love.

On one hand, this is a light love story about a wallflower who falls for a cute guy. On the other hand, this book is a story about loss and finding one's way back from the depression it brings. Philippa's mother died and now her dad is remarrying. When Philippa applies for the nanny job, she's trying to escape her new family and memories of her mom. When Philippa meets the twin girls, she learns that they've lost their mom, too. I thought it was touching that Philippa tries to make the over-serious girls have fun. She takes them sailing, makes them go swimming, and even talks their dad into buying them a pet. All the while, Philippa's own heart starts to heal as she realizes remembering her mother and mourning her are two different things. This is a short, cute book that deserves a read. The main fault I have with the book is the cover. This isn't a book about being goth and I think the cover belittles the subject matter.