I wanted to like this more than I did but sadly it felt very similar to The Nanny by Lana Ferguson. The plot line at times felt predictable and if it weren’t for the main characters charming banter I wouldn’t have continued on.

Their relationship at times felt extremely rushed and unrealistic based on Tallulah’s past. I haven’t read any of Tessa’s books before and sadly this isn’t making me want to run out and pick up another.

Thank you Tessa Bailey, Avon, and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

At this point, it is a known fact that I am a Tessa Bailey girlie. If she writes it, I'm reading it. Earlier this year I devoured the Fangirl Down and basically started drafting my review copy request the minute I finished (thank you past me for doing that).

Tessa Bailey + sports romances are a match made in heaven - further cemented by how I could not put this book down. I'm not a hockey watcher but damn was I invested in not only Tallulah and Burgess's love story, but also Burgess's experience as an aging player in professional hockey. This story also hit the sweet spot for the amount of angst I like in my romcoms - enough to keep me engaged but not enough to make me doubt the main couple.

It's not a Tessa Bailey book if the spice isn't spicing and the banter isn't bantering - and this book had both in spades! I think I say this every time I read a new TB book, but Burgess and Tallulah are one of my favorite book couples she's written. They had all the elements going for them - insane chemistry, excellent banter, A+ sexual tension, and they just worked together so well from their first interactions. I also liked how these two evolved - both characters had some serious growing to do, and they did it together.

Having both Burgess' and Tallulah's POVs really helped build their overall tension - between their age gap and her being his employee there were plenty of factors working against their inevitable romance. However, getting to read about their mutual pining from each of their POVs was so fun! Also, I am a sucker for a single dad in a romance book, and Burgess and Lissa brought such a fun dynamic to this story.

As much as I loved Fangirl Down, The Au Pair Affair has officially become my favorite of this series - Tallulah and Burgess were too good together - and their story was unputdownable. I'll definitely be rereading this one in the near future as I wait for Sig and Chloe's story next year!

One of my favorite authors!!! Tessa has the most amazing way of sucking me in with her words! I always have a fun time reading her books and the spice is always chefs kiss!

This was my first hockey romance and man did it deliver! It had the perfect amount of humor, heart and heat. Burgess was a likeable guy and obviously down bad for Tallulah which was adorable and attractive. The way that the characters all seem to better one another is very endearing as well. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to any rom-com or romance fan!

I absolutely loved Burgess and Tallulah's story. I enjoy a good hockey romance and the grumpy overprotective male interest trope is a favorite and was so well done here. Tallulah was fun and interesting, and both characters had interesting backstories and good development. Can't wait for Sig and Chloe's story next!

Bailey always delivers on a fun, steamy book. I did love the grumpy meets sunshine and the important message of trauma in this read.
Overall it was fun, steamy and swoony.

Intense and broody hockey player Burgess is in need of a nanny for his daughter and when he first met Tallulah they actually hit it off and she agreed to help him out, but when they day arrives she backs out. Tallulah was an interesting character that is so smart and sweet, but her past traumas haunt her and even though she states how safe Burgess made her feel she can’t get over how violent his career can be. Eventually things kick off for them and she agrees to help him out and Burgess feels this chemistry with her that makes him determined to figure it out, but they have a lot of things that lay between them that could break it before it ever begins. While Burgess could come across as not only gruff, there were times he would seem a tad controlling, but his patience and kindness towards Tallulah is what made him endearing to me and while Tallulah was intelligent that were moments I found her to be too naive for me. I understood her traumas of her past because that was extremely traumatizing, but she felt safe with Burgess and fell into this relationship with him somewhat fast only when it came to Burgess and his moment of struggling and high emotion situation she felt the need to hassle him with questions and statements that were not right in the moment. I found myself saying “girl time and place and this isn’t it” when she leaves him in this moment and compares him to her ex which to me was the epitome of horrendous and I didn’t like that. Overall, this was a great read with fun banter and emotional moments that I know people will love.

DNF at 38%. This was just not for me. I enjoyed some of Tessa Bailey’s other books, but this one was just a bit too cringey for me. A bit all over the place, risqué comments out of nowhere. Just a tad uncomfortable reading. I’m sure it’s someone else’s cup of tea, but just not mine.

Thanks so much to Avon and Harper Publishing, Tessa Bailey, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I absolutely love Tessa Bailey. This book was a beautiful love story and the spice was definitely spicing. Thank you so much for giving me this ARC. I loved Tallulah and burgess so much. I felt all their pain when he had surgery and broke her heart and I also fell in love with him in the process

3.75⭐️; 5🌶️ (there were quite a few spicy and steamy scenes and the scenes were very graphic. They also mention things that happened in the spicy scenes which makes it harder to read this with no mention of spice)

I read the first book in this series, Fangirl Down, and loved the concept and the writing but ended up rating it 3.5 stars because I felt the relationship was more physical than emotional and that’s just not for me. But the characters for this book got introduced at the end and it made me so excited for this one.

I really loved reading about these characters and following a professional hockey player was so cool! Tessa Bailey did a really good job writing Burgess as a single father and she wrote the girl, Lissa, really well. I loved seeing her and Tallulah interact.

I was really enjoying this book until near the end. I really didn’t like the 3rd act conflict. I felt it was not realistic and the ending felt really physical and corny to me. If I could read this book without the graphic spice I would’ve liked it better.

“There will never be an adventure that lives up to you.”

This has been a highly anticipated read for me since I devoured the first book of Tessa’s Big Shots sports romance series with Fangirl Down. But while that one was about golf—something I never thought I’d enjoy reading about, but did, thanks to Tessa Bailey—this book is a hockey romance that will grip our hearts tightly before we even know what’s happening.

This romcom is fun, spirited, and most definitely made me laugh—but it also had its heavier moments, and I love how Tessa managed to balance these two so well together.

Tallulah doesn’t trust her own gut when it comes to people anymore—not after what happened the last time she thought she knew someone. But when she gets hired to be Burgess’ nanny to his tween daughter, she says yes instantly…at least, until she sees a video of him violently slamming into someone’s nose on the ice.

Hesitant to trust, Tallulah struggles between her desire to be there for Lissa, help Burgess through tween parenting, and also protect herself as much as possible. But she can’t deny the pull between herself and Burgess that they’ve shared since the moment they met…and it only seems to be getting stronger once she moves in to take care of his daughter.

“Love doesn’t always come around twice. And even if it does, it’s going to be different. There are no two exact types of love…When two people love each other, they create a love snowflake, and it can never be re-created by anyone else.”

I couldn’t put this book down. I devoured every page, every honest reaction and funny fumble. I loved the rawness they shared as well as the hidden moments, and I couldn’t get enough. And to know that we will be getting Sig and Chloe’s story next makes me GIDDY. I can’t wait.

“It’s not a home without you.”

Read if you like:
- Single dad/nanny
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Forced proximity
- Sports romance: hockey
- Age gap
- Working through past trauma
- Massages

If you are looking for a fun and lighthearted series than this is it! I was a fan of Wells and Josephine’s story in FANGIRL DOWN and this was a lovely sequel. The pacing/romance happened quickly in this but I was able to overlook it since both MCs were so in need of love. This one is full of character and has a wonderful father-daughter relationship that will make your heart swell.

I’m in love with everything about this book. Already when I read book one I was excited about this couple.

The dynamic between the hero and heroine was amazing to read, but I loved the friendship between the heroine and the hero’s daughter so much. The way Tallulah talked to Burgess’s daughter brought tears to my eyes.

I can’t fricking wait for Chloe and Sig’s book!
4,5⭐️

Tessa Bailey is a master of romance and no one will ever convince me otherwise! **Spicy Romance ;)**

The second book on the Big Shots series really delivered - hockey romance, single dad who needs live-in nanny, spice, and, most importantly, heart.

Tallulah is a smart FMC and was definitely the perfect match for Burgess, a hockey player girl dad who needs help. I love when the story slowly turns up the heat and the main characters cannot stay away from each other, no matter what obstacles stand in their way.

These two characters have ALL THE CHEMISTRY and I loved reading their journey so much! Bring on book 3 in this series, because I want more!

Having really enjoyed Fangirl Down, I was looking forward to Burgess and Tallulah's story. While I flew through the first half, the rest fell a bit flat for me.
The Au Pair Affair follows 37 year old hockey player Burgess and 26 year old Tallulah who is studying to become a marine biologist. When Burgess offers her the job to be a live-in-nanny, she jumps at the chance.
Since this is a single dad/nanny romance, I was hoping to see more of that but we rarely see Tallulah -or even Burgess - interacting with Lissa. I did like the scenes that were included and loved that Burgess listens to Tallulah’s advice when it comes to connecting with Lissa as well as the rookies on the team. I really hope we see more of them in the next book!

Considering Tallulah’s past, I was surprised by how quickly lust overrides all of her hesitancy to get close to another man. I expected more of a slow-burn. That being said, I did like her and Burgess together. To everyone else, Burgess is a huge grump but he's just a big teddy bear for Tallulah. They had great chemistry and I loved how respectful they were of each other's boundaries.

It was great seeing Wells and Josephine again and I’m curious about how Chloe and Sig’s story will play out!

I loved the couple in this book. The chemistry between them was off the charts. The banter was top notch. Tessa Bailey can do no wrong in my eyes.

I really enjoyed Fangirl Down and the second book in the series was even better! This is a hockey romance and it’s spicy hot. Burgess…hot ass defenseman, Sir Savage, he falls first, single dad, touch her and I’ll kill you alpha male. So many things I love in my main men. I think hockey romance is my new favorite romance era. The chemistry between Tallulah and Burgess was on point. I loved that he was willing to listen to Tallulah’s advice and be a better dad for his daughter. I read this so fast and if you enjoyed Fangirl Down, I think you will highly enjoy the second book in this series. Looking forward to Sig and Chloe next!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for my copy of this book which published 7/16.

A cute Hockey romance. Tellulah is hired as a nanny for Burgess's daughter who is a tween. I loved how Tellulah and Lissa bonded right away until Lissa saw something between Tellulah and Burgess. Lissa wants her parents to get back together and when she is told no then she hates Tellulah. Burgess and his ex are coparenting so they see each other alot. I like how they still seemed to get a long. Tellulah was a character that I also enjoyed. This is the 2nd book of the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC to review.

I absolutely loved Fangirl down and I was so excited for this book! I thought the last 30% of the book was the best. The beginning was a bit slow for me and I felt the connection between the characters weren’t as strong or as engaging compared to the FMC and MMC in fangirl downs

I still enjoyed the idea of this book and reading it but it didn’t have the same emotion and wanting to see how it goes for me.

Overall it was enjoyable and I’ll be recommending it but maybe I overhyped it after the first book. I thought the drama and romance at the end of the book did save this book overall!

There were some hockey scenes as well but it’s not super heavy compared to other hockey center romance books.

I also loved the relationship between the MMC and his daughter. The development as a single dad and having a pre teen. That was very heartwarming.

Welp. The first book of this series was the first I'd ever read of Tessa Bailey's and this just solidified why I love her. I love how wholesome her characters are, even when they're doing awfully filthy things. This book was so much of what I needed. No fantasy. No fighting wars. Just two people falling in love, screwing it up, and then fighting their way back to each other.

Burgess was a delightful MMC. He was vicious. Huge in size. Held a wicked moniker. And a huge freaking teddy bear on the inside. He struggled to connect with his daughter, but it was clear how much he wanted to. He just needed someone to show him the way.

Tallulah, meanwhile, needed the perfect combination of his gruff demeanor and protective tendencies to come out of her shell. Her history broke my heart. But the way she found reasons to be positive were so heartwarming. I also loved that I could catch glimpses of a certain Turkish drama series character within the details of Tallulah.

I liked the way Wells and Josephine played into this story. And I really liked Lissa, Burgess's daughter. Her characterization felt appropriate for her twelve years. The way she viewed her dad as both the most insufferable man on the planet, but also the hero of her whole universe. I appreciated how she at one point wanted her parents to get back together until she understood how happy Burgess had been lately and what the cause of it truly was.

This book just had everything I wanted and needed it to have and I know I can expect that from Tessa Bailey. Her third act splits aren't just a collection of miscommunication tropes. Her characters are witty and funny. And she always leaves me looking forward to the next book. So the news of a Sig and Claire book on the horizon? Totally made my day.