The Pleasing Hour

Winner of the 1999 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award, Lily King's splendid novel, The Pleasing Hour, is based on her experiences while traveling throughout France and Spain. She worked as an au pair during her four-year adventure and was inspired to begin writing. Having suffered a tremendous loss, 17-year-old Rosie decides to make a fresh start. Taking a job as a nanny on a houseboat in Paris, she fills the void of loss with a new family. Almost immediately she lets the three children and their needy father, Marc, into her heart. As their relationship becomes increasingly intimate, Rosie soon discovers the secrets of the cold and detached mother, Nicole--whose demons are eerily similar to her own. Masterfully giving voice and personality to each character, Suzanne Toren's narration does justice to Lily King's witty tale, leading the listener to both laughter and tears.