I thought this was a fun sports rom-com! I liked the main characters and the side characters too.I liked how protective Burgess was of Tallulah. I also liked the way Tallulah bossed him around. Their interactions were sweet with lots of tension, fun banter and spicy moments. I also liked the friendship between Chloe and Tallulah and Burgess’s relationship with his teammates.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Tropes
Hockey romance
Grumpy / sunshine
Single dad / nanny
Age gap
Forced proximity
4.75⭐️ stars
3 🌶️ spicy
Tallulah is a grad student and moving to Boston. Burgess is a single dad hockey player that needs help connecting with his 12 year old daughter.. Tallulah has faced some serious trauma and is kind of men for all the right reasons after what happens to her but after getting to see Burgess and his daughter she try’s to be his au pair. These two have a connection since the first time they met but they both had different reason for not just giving in right away. I love how he helps her heal from past trauma.. and how she gets him to face a fear about an injury of course she may or may not have pursued him lol..
Wow is all I can say about Costia Rica but man does it end the right way!!
But the way this is my first Tessa Bailey and it for sure will not be my last!!
This may be a slow burner but man the snips she gives you to hold is wow 🤯..

As a golf girlie, I was beyond excited when Tessa Bailey released FANGIRL DOWN earlier this year. It was the golf romance of my dreams 🥹⛳️ and it was the perfect way to kick off this series!! We were introduced to Tallulah and Burgess in FANGIRL DOWN and I was immediately sold on their chemistry.

Tallulah is studying to be a marine biologist and needs a job. She accepts a position as Burgess’s live-in nanny for his tween daughter, Lissa. Living under the same roof means forced proximity 👏

Both characters had a lot of depth. On the ice Burgess is someone other players don’t want to mess with, but off the ice he is a caring father with a big heart.

I loved how quickly sparks began to fly between Tallulah and Burgess. Tallulah was able to open up to him and be vulnerable about her traumatic past — and he was the sweetest protector 🥹

🏒 hockey romance
🩵 single dad
🏒 age gap
🩵 grumpy / sunshine
🏒 forced proximity

Tessa Bailey is known for her spice, and this one sure delivers on that front!

FANGIRL DOWN is still my #1 book in this series, but I loved this one too and had so much fun reading it 🩵

In THE AU PAIR AFFAIR we are introduced to Chloe and Sig, who are the FMC & MMC in book three. They have a complicated dynamic and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds!

Loved the chemistry between Tallulah and Burgess. I really appreciated that we didn’t have to wait for over half of the book to find out what Tallulah’s trauma was, it was revealed in the first few chapters.

I read Fangirl Down last year and it was in my top 10 books of 2023. I was expecting this to be another shot to the net, but unfortunately it earned a spot in the penalty box. I saw this couple featured in the previous book and I was actually looking forward to their courtship. Imagine my surprise when their book made me physically cringe from the awkwardness. I'm pretty ambivalent towards age-gap romance, but the 11 year difference was palpable. Tallulah was incredibly immature and Burgess acted rather fatherly more often than not. She called him Mean Daddy and I had to keep myself from gagging.

Tessa Bailey books are always hit or miss for me. Sometimes I love them and read it in a few hours, other times I'm grimacing out of secondhand awkwardness. The Au Pair Affair is about a professional hockey player who needs an au pair to look after his preteen while he's on the ice. In retrospect, he's divorced and his daughter is old enough to stay home alone. I think it was merely an excuse to utilize the Hot Nanny trope, which never fails to give a faint ick. They had chemistry, but their peculiar dirty talk and Tallulah's refusal to start a romantic relationship made it difficult to root for them. This is unfortunately another case where I think the couple will eventually divorce. There was too much stubborn pride and miscommunication on the foundation of their relationship to last in perpetuity. Plus, their names were so strange: Tallulah and Burgess. What is this, a nickelodeon form the 19th century?

Although The Au Pair Affair didn't blow me away, I'm still interested in the sequel, Dream Girl Drama. I was concerned that Burgess's teammate made it seem that he was crushing on his married sister-in-law but it's just that their individually divorced parents are marrying each other. That's a relief because I absolutely abhor infidelity as a plot device. This book wasn't the hat trick I was expecting, but Tessa Bailey will always have me wrapped around her finger.

This was a great and captivating read! I’ve never read any Tessa Bailey books before and it did not disappoint. This is a good summer read that is perfect for anyone who loves hockey!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

The Au Pair Affair is the perfect summer read! Tessa Bailey reminds audiences of why she remains the Queen of insta-love romances and of course, hot single dads. ;)

Burgess is a divorced, stubborn hockey captain who can’t comprehend that his daughter’s Au Pair could possibly want him. She’s a college student and he’s a seasoned hockey player whose days in the game are numbered. With self-doubt running wild throughout his mind, Burgess must find a way to believe he is worthy of her, or risk losing her for good.

Tallulah is working as an Au Pair for NFL legend, Burgess Abraham’s tween daughter. Earning a master’s degree while playing house with an attractive hockey player goes about as you’d expect… The only problem? Tallulah isn’t interested in more than a fling, while Burgess wants all of her. Will she follow the love that has found her? Or will she walk away?

One of my favorite aspects of this book is the respect and independence Burgess gives Tallulah. It may not seem like much, but the mmc not pushing the fmc’s boundaries is a welcome change from many popular romances releasing as of late.

The relationship between the two is not without some turbulence, but they consistently follow each other’s lead, letting the other in by offering themselves wholeheartedly. As the relationship between Burgess and Tallulah blossoms, they remain dedicated to one another, loving as if there were a lifeline connecting the two, and guiding the other like a moth to candlelight.

Honestly, I loved this book. There were a few plot lines I wished had been expanded upon, but that is only because of my greed and the fact that I didn’t want it to end!

Spoilers Ahead: I would have liked to see Burgess’s role as Captain expanded upon. His title is mentioned less than five times and scenes of his leadership are minimal. Truth be told, The Au Pair Affair leaned more towards romance than sports romance. The plot relies heavily on the “dilfismn” of Burgess (which is honestly top tier) but if you are a hardcore hockey fan, you may not find extensive references to the sport.

Recommended Listening: “Unworthy” by Vancouver Sleep Clinic

3.5⭐

I'm not real sure how to phrase this review. I enjoyed the book. The storyline was good, but I feel like the only way Tallulah connected with Burgess emotionally was while they were being physically intimate... Even after she realized she was in love with him. And Burgess used sex as a manipulation tactic. Like, their relationship was cute and sweet, but they didn't know how to talk about their feelings unless they were naked and sweaty.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the spice, but the spice made the story fall flat for me on this one.

I waffled between 3 and 4 stars, so 3.5 stars it is.

I enjoyed the story but it felt too heavy to be a rom-com. I didn’t connect with the characters like I have in Bailey's other novels. Sure, there are funny parts, but the characters are dealing with a lot of heavy thoughts and feelings.

Burgess is totally gone for Tallulah right from the very beginning and she’s obviously attracted to him but has some obstacles she has to overcome. Their age gap and life gap (he's towards the end of his professional hockey career and she's graduating with her master's degree) feels inconsequential but I guess Burgess needs to have some obstacles too. Lissa (Burgess' 11 year old daughter ) felt more like a plot device than a person.

If you like Tessa Bailey's previous books, you'll probably like this one too.

I received an eARC of this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! It had everything I wanted in a sports romance and more! Tessa Bailey really outdid herself with this one!

This book follows Tallulah, a broke marine biologist with a kind heart who puts others first, and Burgess, a hockey star who is tough on the ice, but a gentle hearted dad off the ice. When the two of them meet, there is instant chemistry. Burgess needs a live in nanny for his tween daughter, and Tallulah needs a job and a place to live. Even though there’s an age difference, the two of them can’t help but have intense feelings for each other.

Ahhhhhhhhh!!! I just love a Tessa Bailey book. I’m so excited she’s in her sports romance era too! She is an auto buy author for me and I cannot wait to read what’s next from her! Definitely read this gem of a book!


📘: The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey
🗓️: July 16, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Tessa Bailey, and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads.

I was absolutely OBSESSED with Josephine and Wells in Fangirl Down and loved meeting Tallulah and Burgess there, so The Au Pair Affair was a highly anticipated read for me! It definitely didn’t disappoint.

Tallulah is a broke grad student, so she jumps at the chance to be the live-in nanny for hockey player Burgess’ tween daughter. She moves in and finds herself helping Lisa with homework and tween friendship, but also helping Burgess learn to communicate with his daughter.

The chemistry between the pair is immediately apparent, and the genuine connection that forms as they spend time together felt so authentic. Burgess is a grump on the outside and a golden retriever on the inside, and when you add in some Mean Daddy vibes he is straight 🔥. The gruff way that he is constantly there for Tallulah and supporting her had me absolutely melting.

I loved it all - the premise, the characters, the father daughter relationship, the multiple open door scenes, the side characters. Look for several Wells and Josephine appearances 😍

Read if you like:
💞 Hockey romance
💞 He falls first
💞 Grumpy x sunshine
💞 Who hurt you
💞 Single dad
💞 Spice spice spice

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I was looking forward to this story ever since Talullah and Burgess were introduced in Fangirl Down. They’re both so confident and opinionated that of course sparks are going to fly when they’re together. This book has all the typical Tessa Bailey steam and dirty talk, but that’s not what I loved about it.

Tallullah has been through a trauma and her journey to regain her former confidence and joy for life is beautiful to see. Burgess helps her by being a supportive presence, but he’s not the reason, not the fixer. She needed the reminder that she’s in control of her own life and her own adventures, and she got it. I really loved that aspect of the story, and watching Burgess change to realize hockey might not be the most important thing in his life.

The side characters are great. Chloe is hilarious and chaotic, and Burgess’s daughter is a full realized tween, not some prop piece set up for the adults growth or amusement. As a hockey fan I could have used a little more hockey, but I’m willing to concede that wasn’t the most important part of this book.

Thank you so much to Tessa Bailey, Netgalley, and the publisher (Avon) for the ARC of the Au Pair Affair! This book had a little bit of a slow start for me but by about 15%, I was hooked into Tallulah and Burgess’s story.
 
The Au Pair Affair follows Tallulah (Josephine’s best friend from book 1 in the series, Fangirl Down) and Burgess (Wells’ best friend from book 1). After their first meeting, Burgess hires Tallulah to be his teenage daughter’s au pair. When we start the Au Pair Affair, Tallulah is hesitant to live and work for this man, known as Sir Savage on the ice. Tallulah has had bad experiences with violent men, which is why she’s so hesitant to start the job., However, Burgess is determined to put her at ease and make her feel safe, even if she doesn’t take the job (spoiler alert- she does). The growth between the two as Tallulah learns to trust Burgess is really cute to watch and Tessa Bailey really nails the longing between the two and the spice as she usually does. All in all, I enjoyed this book and had a fun time reading it!

5 stars

FiVE Stars ! This book was so amazing I could not put it down and Burgess is Now and will forever be one of my ultimate book boyfriends. This is the second book in Tessa Bailey's Big Shot series. It's got sports, forced proximity, hot tension, and so much fun.
I liked the plot and the relationship development and one of the biggest reasons was because of Burgess' character. He was attentive, self aware, was open to communication and understood boundaries. He accepted his own shortcomings in areas and accepted help and advice, not to mention dark and sexy. All that Paired with the smart, understanding and amazing Tallulah was magic. I loved their relationship, the development was great and did not feel rushed. This was just a fun and enjoyable read with some drama sprinkled in and I would give it a two on the spicy scale. Definitely a new favorite of the year and I am really enjoying this series.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

She's a newly hired au pair to a famous single dad hockey player, and despite living her life scared of opening her heart up he is determined to show her that he's the one for her. Tallulah has gone through a lot and when a well paying job opens up with a guy thats trusted and vetted by her friends in a gorgeous house with a sweet kid, Tallulah wants to say yes, technically she can't afford to say no... and when she finally meets the guy he doesn't make her want to flee. After a lifetime of doubting herself, meeting Burgess, the handsome slightly gruff hockey player and newly single father, Tallulah feels like she can trust him. When Burgess meets Tallulah he feels like he's met the one... if only he can prove to her that he is the one for her as well. Burgess is still dealing with a tween who he's learning to parent, the fall out of his divorce, his career on its last legs, and navigating a very very strong crush on someone who is definitely off limits. Burgess and Tallulah have insane chemistry... but their lives are so different, can they really make it work? This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone. I did enjoy this one and I liked Tallulah, she dealt with a very traumatic past experience but was working on her fears and working through her trauma. She held her ground and continued to try and work on herself and grow. I liked that Burgess supported Tallulah so much and worked hard to prove to her that he loves her. It's a fun easy contemporary romance read and I definitely can't wait for the next one!

Release Date: July 16,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I’ve read a lot of Tessa Bailey books by now, and I have to say I’m really enjoying her stepping into the Sports Romance genre with both feet! I love a good Sports Romance, and so far, this series has been entertaining.

Burgess is the type of male character you can expect from Tessa; Alpha, protective, fully committed, and able to spike up the steam at a moment’s notice. She did a nice job of fleshing him out in this novel. I enjoyed seeing him willing to do anything to make Tallulah feel safe and cared for, while at the same time being willing to do whatever it took to have a better relationship with Lissa.

Tallulah had some past trauma that made her skittish with Burgess, and she was the main one that held their chemistry and connection at arms-length. I enjoyed Burgess’ slow wooing of her through their quiet moments when they really got to know each other. It helped her trust her instincts again and see past the Sir Savage persona he had on the ice.

This was an entertaining read and the characters had some nice self-discovery along the way. I will note that I am excitedly looking forward to reading about Chloe and Sig. Their dynamic was so fun to read about and left me with so many questions lol. It’s also fun to know that this series will cover different sports and not just stick to one team. Can’t wait for the next installment!

This was a delightful age gap, single dad romance. Burgess hired Tallulah to be his live-in nanny for his tween daughter, Lissa. Tallulah was excited to work for him until she saw him get into a fight during his hockey game. Tallulah has a traumatic past that makes her second guess taking the job. Burgess and Lissa convince her to stay but Tallulah is very cautious. Tallulah is great with Lissa, and she helps both Lissa and Burgess which helps their father daughter relationship. The more time Tallulah spends with Burgess, she realizes he is a caring man and more gentle than his hockey persona. The sparks fly between Burgess and Tallulah even though they try to draw boundaries between them, but they are unable to fight their attraction. But what happens when his daughter wants her mom and dad to reunite and she feels betrayed by her dad and Tallulah. Will Burgess have to make a choice between his beloved daughter and the woman who owns his heart? I loved Burgess and Tallulah together. These two headstrong people butt heads, challenge each other, and make each other stronger, and their chemistry was explosive! This is what Bailey does best, fun and quirky characters, intelligent humor, and lots of steamy sexual tension in a heartwarming stories that I really enjoy.

Love love everything about this book, the character development, plot, everything! Now I need the third book!!

We got a little introduction to Talullah and Burgess at the end of Fangirl Down and I was excited for their story. Talullah agrees to be Burgees' tween daughter's Au pair and they both have an instant attraction to each other. Talullah is looking to be more "brave" and social while Burgess has only been focused on being a dad. They sort of agree to help each other out and of course their attraction develops. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop and their scenes were hot! The 3rd act breakup totally could've been avoided but both were so hard headed and didn't talk it out which frustrated me.

I enjoyed seeing Wells and Josephine having a big role in this story and leaning about Chloe and Sig and can't wait for their story.

Thank you @avonbooks @netgalley for a copy of this book.

It's time for Tallulah and Burgess to get their story! He was dumbstruck by her at their first meeting in Fangirl Down, so I couldn't wait to see how he handled having her live in his apartment. That was very funny, but he was always respectful of her space. Tallulah is great with Burgess's daughter, Lissa, and that part was entertaining. The banter is excellent and kept me turning pages. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series.