Tessa Bailey does it again! She continues to be my favorite, go-to romcom author, delivering heart, spice, and laughter with every book. I've been anticipating her foray into Hockey romance for so long and I am so glad I wasn't disappointed! You will absolutely love this book!

Read if you like: sports romance, single dad+age gape tropes, nanny romances, steamy chemistry, character growth

📚 Dive into the world of hockey veteran Burgess and vivacious marine biology student Tallulah in "The Au Pair Affair" by Tessa Bailey. When Tallulah becomes the live-in nanny for Burgess's tween daughter Lissa, sparks fly, boundaries blur, and hearts are put to the test.

👨‍👧 Burgess is a rugged, battle-scarred single dad, struggling with the physical aches of an aging athlete on the brink of retirement. He's also grappling with understanding his ever-growing daughter, Lissa. Enter Tallulah, a quirky, adventurous 26-year-old, who brings a fresh wave of energy and support to his life. Their relationship is further complicated by Lissa's hope that her parents will reunite.

💞 The chemistry between Burgess and Tallulah is electric, and their journey from employer and nanny to something much more is filled with steamy moments and heartfelt challenges. Their love story is intense, with boundaries crossed and emotions running high.

👧 Lissa, Burgess's introverted daughter, adds depth to the story. Her desire for her parents to reconcile and her evolving bond with Tallulah add layers to the narrative. The dynamic between all three characters creates a compelling and emotionally rich storyline.

✍️ Tessa Bailey expertly handles the emotional baggage and growth of her characters, making their development feel genuine and engaging. However, some readers might find certain scenes, where the heroine manipulates the hero with sex, problematic.

🌟 "The Au Pair Affair" is a captivating read that offers a steamy romance and engaging character development. Its dynamic chemistry and the characters' growth make it a great choice for fans of nanny romances and sports-themed love stories.

📲 QOTD: What's your favorite romance trope and why?**👇

#BookReview #NannyRomance #SportsRomance #SingleDadRomance #TessaBailey #RomanceReads #SteamyBooks #CharacterGrowth #Bookstagram #BookLovers #HockeyRomance

Tallulah has agreed to be a live in nanny for famous Boston hockey star, Burgess Abraham. She has trust issues stemming from a traumatic past but feels safe with Burgess’s protective nature. However, neither of them are able to fight their growing attraction to each other. Can they put their many differences aside and make it work?

I am a sucker for a Tessa Bailey book, and her sports romance series is so much fun! This book is the follow up to Fangirl Down, which I highly recommend checking out first since the characters do reappear (although you could read each as a stand-alone).

I know that when I pick up a Tessa Bailey book, I am going to be in for a good time, quirky characters, funny moments, spice, and the best men who are completely gone for their women. Tessa knows how to write these men without making them traitors to feminism and I don’t know how she does it. I loved the single dad/nanny trope, the grumpy sunshine, and the forced proximity here. Really I am here for this series and I can’t wait for the next book! It seems like we met the characters in this book and they will be fun to read about.

Thank you to Tessa Bailey, Avon, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I love Tessa Bailey books and this did not disappoint!

This is a grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, age difference book.

Tallulah is a strong FMC who is overcoming past trauma and learning how to trust and find adventure while Burgess is the single dad, hunky hockey player who is learning to love, parent and live outside of hockey. Both characters learn and grow and are well developed. Burgess makes mistakes and has to truly earn Tallulah back. She becomes strong enough on her own to realize her worth and that was amazing.

It has the right amount of spice like any Tessa book does. It is a fantastic summer read.

Burgess Abraham is a recently divorced single father and veteran hockey defenseman. His divorce has shaken his confidence in himself, he can't seem to relate to his preteen daughter, and he's become jaded with the sport he loves. When Tallulah, a beautiful yet broke friend of a friend, needs a place to stay while attending college, he offers her a position as a live in nanny for the upcoming hockey season.
This nanny position seems too good to be true and it makes her nervous. After a traumatic incident in her past, she's not as trusting as she used to be and living with a strange man is already pushing her limits. When she sees a disturbing clip of the famous defenseman on the ice on the day she arrives, she's ready to back out. But off the ice, this intimidating man is all heart and she starts to trust him. Until a weak moment forces him to push her away, believing he'll never be good enough for her. Will he ever win back her trust?
I love this author and I was so excited to get an early copy of this book. She has a way of writing such wonderfully flawed realistic characters so that you feel their emotions like your own. Burgess is a cocky and confident hockey player but inside he has so many doubts and insecurities. Tallulah is happy and adventurous but she's recovering mentally from a trauma that changed her world. Together, they bring out the best in each other. And of course, the spice and tension this author writes is some of the best!
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

✨ARC Book Review✨
•
•
•
The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
•
•
Rating: 4⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
•
•
Tropes: 🩷
Age gap
Boss x employee
Single dad
NHL hockey player
She’s the nanny
He falls first
•
•
I’m a sucker for a hockey romance. Usually books not written in dual POV i struggle to read it get into it but this was so well written and Burgess is a big burly hockey and Tallulah is smart girl who’s studying to be a marine biologist. She’s just supposed to be taking care of his daughter but they cant deny the chemistry between them much longer oh and his daughter wants her mom and dad to get back together..

I found this book entertaining! I loved the relationships and characters in this book, I think Tallulah and Burgess had great chemistry! I really loved Tallulah, ever since we met her in Fangirl Down. I loved to see her journey as she became a confident woman, learning how to trust the world and herself again after her past. There were many tears shed!! I was so happy to see her happy ending.
After just reading Fangirl Down, I felt in comparison this one lacked some of the plot and action that Fangirl Down had. The pacing was much slower in my opinion. It would have been really great to have a bit more source of tension in the storyline. Overall, I had a good time and would recommend!

The Au Pair Affair, book 2 of the Big Shots series, by Tessa Bailey @tessabaileyisanauthor. First off, I am a fan of Tessa’s & this book was no different!

I absolutely loved this book about Tallulah & Burgess so much! If you like MF, Boss/Nanny, hockey, a FMC becoming strong & standing up for herself, an MMC groveling when he needs to, & a trip to Costa Rico with a 3rd act break up, then this book is for you!

✩4

✦What to Expect✦
•Nanny x Hockey player
•Single parent
•He calls her gorgeous
•”Massages”
•Age gap
•Revenge dresses
•Groveling

✦Characters✦
•Tallulah Aydin
•Burgess Abraham

✦Fav Quotes✦
“Yell at me all you want, gorgeous, just keep doing the thing.”

Making Tallulah laugh was like taking a shower in sunshine.

“I’m too old to play games, Tallulah.”
“I’m not,”
“I know.”

✦Thoughts✦
The instant attraction and chemistry between these two was soo good. But it also felt like a slow burn in a way, which I loved. The dirty talk on Burgess was so dang good as well. The conversations with his hockey teammates had me cracking up, I def hope there is more of that in the next book. Also, I am here for a groveling man. Loved these two together!

This had some of my absolute favorite tropes and it absolutely delivered.

I will 10000000% be reading the next book bc omg do I need more on the Sig & Chloe situation!!

THE AU PAIR AFFAIR – Tessa Bailey
Big Shots, Book 2
Avon
ISBN: 978-0063308435
July 16, 2024
Romantic Comedy

Boston – Present Day

A few months ago, Tallulah Aydin met pro hockey star Burgess Abraham through her best friend. She had hit it off with his daughter and they discussed her working for him as an au pair. Tallulah arrives in Boston for the job but meeting him again has her on edge. As she waits, she can’t help but see his last game on TV where he hits another player hard. With an aversion to overpowering men, she wonders if she has made a mistake. Sitting in the juice café trying to decide whether to go across the street to Burgess’s penthouse to meet him, she is shocked when he walks in.

Of course they connect in the juice café, but Tallulah lets Burgess know she has misgivings. He will let her out of the job and offer to help her find a place to stay in Boston as she will be attending college. One thing led to another and soon Tallulah is working for Burgess. She enjoys being around his daughter, Lyssa, even if she finds Burgess intimidating. Tallulah was frightened years ago by a stalker and it has left her afraid of men. It’s up to Burgess to convince her that he isn’t a bad person, even if his hockey nickname is Sir Savage. He tries to give her space, though the sparks fly hot and heavy between them. But getting involved with his daughter’s nanny would be a big mistake.

I won’t spill the details regarding Tallulah’s stalker but once readers hear them, they will understand why she is distrustful of not only men, but people in general. She is studying for a degree in marine biology and even spent time in Antarctica—just to get away from people. But Burgess’s offer for her to be Lyssa’s live-in nanny was a perfect way to make money while she attended college in Boston. After Burgess finally wins her trust and she moves in with him, now comes the even harder part: not giving in to the growing attraction between them. It doesn’t help that Lyssa thinks her parents are going to get back together even though her mother is engaged to another man. Besides, Burgess and Tallulah’s relationship is supposed to remain business only.

In THE AU PAIR AFFAIR, we meet Tallulah, who is more than a little jumpy as she goes toe to toe with Burgess, who is all no-nonsense and a brawny hockey player. After his divorce, he is not looking for love again. Besides, Lyssa is his top priority as is his career. Yet, Burgess takes the time to be gentle with Tallulah and not scare her. He becomes protective of her when a man comes on a little too strong for her. Readers will enjoy this protectiveness, even as Tallulah becomes more aware of her feelings for him. It is inevitable that they will soon be locking lips. But will it turn out to be a mistake? Readers will also enjoy the sexy banter and scenes between them. It’s clear they are connecting, but will it lead to nowhere? Or will readers win and see a happily ever after?

A fun, enjoyable tale that hits all the right notes, don’t miss THE AU PAIR AFFAIR.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

A gripping, sexy, sporty, romance that reignited my love of hockey and romance books! This book has several tropes: single dad, age difference, close proximity, nanny/employer, etc. This is the second book in the Big Shots series but worked very well as a stand-alone book for me.

Tallulah is studying to be a Marine Biologist. She's low on funds and in need of a job. When Burgess, a single dad and Hockey player offers her a live in job as a nanny to his daughter, Tallulah happily accepts. Both characters are likeable and dynamic. Both are strong but also have issues and vulnerabilities. I enjoyed their complex and distinct personalities.

It's all about the journey with romance books and this was a highly enjoyable one. I loved the banters, the angst, the attraction, and the writing.

This is the first book that I have read by Tessa Bailey, but it will not be my last! I can't believe that it took me so long to read one of her books. I have several on my tbr list and will be making a point to get to them soon!

Gripping, sexy, entertaining, and fun!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️😘
The Au Pair Affair
By: Tessa Bailey
Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager
Pub Date: 7/16/24
This is the second book in the Big Shots series.
This one was just spectacular as Fangirl Down was! The story starts in Fangirl and picks up again in The Au Pair Affair. Tallulah has been through it. A bad relationship has left her scared of everything. She’s a marine biologist who has just returned from a research trip when she agrees to move in with Burgess and his 12 year old daughter and be her nanny while going to grad school. Their attraction to each other is evident from the start but with Tullulah’s past trauma she’s not looking for a relationship.
Burgess is a pro hockey player known for being a beast, his nickname is Savage after all. That part alone has Tullulah questioning whether she should move in or not. Being the great guy he is, Burgess even has his teammate Sig’s soon to be step sister Chloe ask her to move in with her knowing he’s going to cover the rent she can’t afford in Boston.
When Tallulah realizes that’s what’s happening she moves in anyways and falls not only for his daughter but for Burgess as well. But when Burgess is hurt on the ice he doesn’t handle it well which has Tullulah running in the opposite direction. Will he be able to win her back?
I loved their story just as much as Will and Josephine’s but I’m just as excited to learn about Sig and his not yet step sister Chloe’s relationship! Can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager, NetGalley and Of course the ever fabulous Tessa Bailey for this galley!

Tessa Bailey is an auto-buy author for me. I adored the first book in her new sports series (she made me care about golf, which is quite a feat!) so I was excited to get my hands on her hockey romance.

What I love most about Bailey's books is that the characters always have interesting (if exaggerated) backstories that inform their current behavior. For Tallulah, it was a dramatic kidnapping. For Burgess, it was childhood daddy issues and feeling like he was getting too old to do the thing he loves most, hockey.

Themes in this book include age gap (not enough to be icky), nanny/boss, single dad, grumpy/sunshine, he falls first, forced proximity, and opposites attract. I also really liked the character of Lissa, Burgess's daughter, and thought she was written very well for a 12 year old.

Bailey is so good at writing immediate chemistry with the characters fighting it as long as they can. This was not as smutty as some of her other books although there definitely were a few things that raised my eyebrows.

It took the characters AGES to get back together after the 3rd act breakup. Waiting months until Josephine and Wells's wedding to get them back together was pure torture. Though to be fair, this was also written as a slow burn, which is not typical for Bailey, so maybe having waited so long for the characters to get together is why I felt a little cheated it took them so long to reconcile.

I could already tell which side characters the next book will involve and WOW am I excited for that one!!! Tessa Bailey continues to be one of my favorites.

Despite already agreeing to it, Tallulah is hesitant to work for Burgess given his rough-and-tumble reputation on the ice. However, she really needs a place to stay while she finishes graduate school, and Burgess eventually convinces her it's safe to stay with him. However, as the two become friendly, their undeniable chemistry lands them in some hot water with Lissa, Burgess' daughter, who was holding out hope for her parent's getting back together (despite the fact that her mom is engaged to another man). After a devastating series of heartbreaks for both Tallulah and Burgess (some of them outside of their control, some of them inflicted by the other), they part ways on bad terms. How do you find your way back after heartbreak? And is the potential for more heartbreak worth the risk of happily ever after?

This wasn't the first and it won't be the last book I'll read by Tessa Bailey. She's great at crafting an interesting story and intermingling super spicy scenes. Burgess and Tallulah had great chemistry, and I loved how protective of each other they were. If you like hockey, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, single dads. and age gap romances, this is definitely the book for you!

📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲

“𝘉𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯'𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦'𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘈𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥.“

This was my first 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲 and I had so much fun reading it! One of my favorite tropes is single dad x nanny. This book mixed that genre with a big, protective NFL player and I LOVED IT.

Tallulah is a woman trying to overcome her past trauma and fears. Her first encounter with the single dad she is going to Au Pair for doesn’t go to plan. Her fears of men can’t overcome how large and brutal Burgess is on the ice.

Burgess is a man who falls hard for the woman he met through mutual friends. She’s off limits to him in so many ways, including the fact that’s she’s 11 years younger than him. He is struggling with an injury and not knowing when his hockey career will come to an end. Tallulah fits into his and his daughter’s lives so well and he can’t seem to get her out of his mind.

The chemistry between Tallulah and Burgess was off the charts. I would consider this a slow burn, but there is a ton of delicious tension and build up. When the spice hits, it HITS. 🔥

"𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘐𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵, 𝘐 𝘧****** 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘩."

This is a book with a TON of groveling at the end. Prepare your hearts!

I can’t wait for a future book about Sig & Chloe! I am beyond curious about what is going on with them. I freaking love how attentive he is with her.

If you love single dad x nanny romances mixed with a growly NFL player and a woman with a traumatic past, go add 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲, to your TBR today!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
💫 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘥 𝘹 𝘕𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘺
🏒 𝘏𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘹 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵
🍷 𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘱 (11𝘺𝘳𝘴)
💗 𝘏𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵
👊🏼 “𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶?”
🔥 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯
🥵 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘺 (3🌶️)
🫶🏼 𝘋𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘖𝘝

This was super cute!

He definitely fell first and I loved the back and forth between his obsession and her confliction. It wasn’t until I finished the book and looked back on it that I realized there was actually very little time Burgess and Tallulah were actually together. I was so invested in their budding relationship that I didn’t even realize how long it took before it actually happened.

I absolutely devoured the first 70-80% of this book. I don’t always hate third act breakups (but usually do), but this one in particular frustrated me. (Trying to be vague to avoid spoilers) They went through all that just for a couple sentences to spell their end? They gave up so easily on each other. I was glad to see, though, that the offending party had some groveling and kissing up to do in the end. It made the resolution all the more sweet. There was something about their time in Costa Rica that just reminded me of that one FRIENDS episode in Barbados where people are sneaking around, people are meddling in relationships, dramatic irony abounds.

I loved Burgess’s character development. He evolved from a one-dimensional athlete to a well-rounded, quality man and father. Tessa Bailey included some really important and meaningful life lessons in this book and it adds to the feel-goodness and dimension of the story. Burgess and Tallulah’s pillow talk I could have done without; some of it was pretty cheesy and cringe-inducing for me.

This is one of those stories that I loved but am also eternally grateful is fiction. I couldn’t help but feel bad for Lissa and how frequently they completely disregarded her feelings or considered the pain they would be putting her through. The child’s wellbeing should ALWAYS come first, but this is fiction so screw her feelings I guess. Go get that “Mean Daddy” lol. Also, no one likes a litter bug; Tallulah, pick up your trash! I guess for fiction we can look past the littering and embrace the catharsis instead, but seriously, pick up your trash girly pop!

Tallulah, a broke 26-year-old aspiring marine biologist, seizes the chance to be a live-in nanny for Burgess, a hardened hockey veteran and newly single dad. Living in a fancy neighbourhood and taking care of his cool but introverted tween daughter, Lissa, seems perfect. Yet Tallulah has her own reservations about moving in with someone she doesn’t know, still healing from past scars. Still, while helping Lissa fit in, Tallulah realises Burgess needs a push back into the dating scene. Sparks fly as boundaries blur, but Burgess is torn between his daughter’s wish for her parents to reunite and his growing feelings for Tallulah. When Tallulah steps away to do the “right” thing, Burgess is left heartbroken. A serendipitous encounter and a nudge from his daughter force Burgess to confront his fears, fight for love, and prove he’s worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah.

“You could be wasting your time on me.”

“Time with you could never be a waste. Only a privilege.”

Forced proximity, grumpy-sunshine vibes, and opposites attract—what more could you want from a romance? Bailey delivers another banger with The Au Pair Affair.

Tallulah is a leading lady if I ever saw one. Braiding Lissa’s hair, mitigating her undeniable attraction to Burgess, and somehow also trying to figure out where life will take her now that she’s back in the States to finish her marine biologist masters isn’t easy but she perseveres. Be warned, there is also quite some dark trauma in her past that she is still recovering from that I didn’t see coming and it might hit hard for you as well. Rest assured, Tallulah is an amazing character who shows immense strength but you can’t help but feel for her as she tries to keep her independence and her boundaries clear all while still dreaming of a happily ever after for herself and trying not to fall head over heels for Burgess.

Now Burgess. We love a man who’s down bad for the heroine from the very first moment and who worships the ground she walks on and Burgess delivered on all accounts. Nicknamed “Sir Savage” on the ice he is the actual softest cinnamon roll off it. You can’t help but root for a man who might just consider building you an entire house himself if you’re not able to find an apartment in your price range. These are the levels of utter adoration we want in romance (and in life). Also, sidenote, Burgess is an amazing dad and it’s both funny and adorable how utterly clueless he is sometimes.

Now, while I am well versed in romance novels and levels of horniness, here even I hit my limits in some early chapters. There’s instant attraction and pining and then there’s just stating on every page how horny you are for the love interest. I loved that both Tallulah and Burgess had this insane chemistry from the first time they met in Fangirl Down, but the first few chapters of this book were hard to get into since the levels of horny somewhat skewered every single interaction between the two and quickly turned repetitive instead of enticing. It took away some enjoyment for me because every time I felt like Tallulah and Burgess were getting somewhere on an emotional level, another layer of just how much they wanted to get into each other’s pants interrupted that connection.

That being said, though, the chemistry between them was incredible. Once they had some actual conversations that did not end in inner monologues about all their dirty thoughts, I could really see why they were a perfect match. There are a lot of internal and external obstacles in their way but together, they manage to overcome most of them. I really enjoyed that there was a mix between internal and external conflicts so that even when things matched up for the both of them on an emotional level, there were still other issues they had to deal with. It made for a delicious will-they-won’t-they dynamic. And the dirty talk (you know, once it actually made sense since they were acting on their attraction to each other) was as combustive as you expect from this stellar author. Tallulah and Burgess end up being able to read each other so well on the streets and between the sheets that every interaction will make you shiver.

As always, there is a third-act break-up that may not be everyone’s cup of tea (you know me, I’m a hater) and does drag quite a bit until you’re more frustrated than anything else (aka screaming in your head at these characters and their choices and just wondering where they get the audacity to behave like that), but, in true Bailey fashion, the reconciliation is hard-earned and explosive. The cameos from Wells and Josephine also made me so happy and balanced out the rougher parts of Tallulah and Burgess’s romance and showed just how important friendships are to feel fulfilled in life. All in all, this book proved to be a great summer read.

The single father/nanny romance that will melt not only the ice Burgess skates on but also your heart, The Au Pair Affair will turn up the heat this summer! Come for the unhinged possessiveness, stay for the wholesome patchwork family vibes.

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey 🩵
Big Shots, Book 2
Interconnected Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Adult • RomCom
ARC Review
384 pages
🗓️ July 16

🏒 sports romance / hockey romance
🩵 single dad + nanny
🏒 age gap
🩵 he falls first and harder
🏒 close proximity

📌“That’s just a human being a human. Sometimes we break a little.”

📌“I guess I want to be important to you.”

📌“I would have walked around my whole life loving you.”

I don’t think you understand how the last 30% of this book is prime romcom goodness. 🤌🏼 I mean, the whole book is Tessa Bailey fun. But that last part was just top tier. So much so, I refused to go to sleep until I saw everything through.

Tallulah and Burgess - which I hope I never have to pronounce in public - were 🔥 in the first Big Shots book. But somehow they got even 🥵 *fans herself* and yet their connection was probably the best part of the whole thing. The connection that comes from acceptance. The connection that comes from wanting all the moments and secrets, all the smiles and silences.

Now, I love them. I want you so know that. Specially before you read the next sentence 👀

Chloe and Sig stole the show and I can’t wait to read their book 😱 If the little glimpse we got is any indication of what’s to come, we might get another Tessa favorite 😅

4.5 -⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

"I'm not doing this with no strings attached...I want to get attached Tallulah...I'm already more than a little obsessed with you, aren't I?"

The Au Pair Affair is the second novel in the interconnected standalone adult sports romance series, Big Shots. In this novel we follow Tallulah and Burgess. Tallulah is currently studying to become a marine biologist but internships and small time work studies have led her to struggle to make ends meet. She decides to take on an au pair gig after she meets hockey veteran Burgess, who needs help with his tween daughter during the work week. Yet there is a connection between them that is making work boundaries a little precarious...will they find a way forward or will this just be another affair?

This book was adorable.

Tallulah is a fascinating character that, as time went on, I became more obsessed with. She has trauma that has kept her holding back for so long but she is yearning to break free. I loved seeing her with Burgess and the way she was making progress and finding herself. She is a bit insecure in areas but she is transparent which made me feel so much for her as she worked through things.

Burgess is a man I am obsessed with. He is so honest with his affections and I adore how much he just laid everything out for Tallulah. He is passionate, a bit obsessive and intimidating (I mean his nickname is Sir Savage), but he also has these vulnerabilities about his looming retirement that helped flesh him out for me. There is one instance where he kind fell into the stereotype BUT he quickly redeemed himself afterwards for me.

There are a good variety of side characters that helped build up this romance up from minor appearance of last book's characters to Chloe the adorable and clueless step sister of Burgess' team member and Lissa, Burgess' daughter. I felt they opened the world up so it wasn't just Burgess and Delilah so we could really feel the story and its connections.

"Tallulah."
"Yes?"
"Look at me."
...Burgess stared her straight in the eye while ripping the business cards in half...
"The only woman I'm calling is you."

This book does contain spice. I would say 3 spicy peppers out of five spicy peppers. You start to see spicy interactions around the 50% but I will say it does take time for them to fully round out the bases. There is plenty of dirty talk and other gratuitous moments leading up with hands and mouths. What I found that worked for the romance spice was how much importance Burgess put on them taking it to the next level. He wasn't here for a hook up - he wants the real thing. Once the spice hits we get a few moments in various fun locations that I enjoyed.

The story itself is very character driven but there was this opening into their pasts that I think really opened the world up from Tallulah trying to overcome her anxiety around new people to Burgess coming to grips with the fact he's no longer the young player he used to be. I felt these storylines ran true through the story and didn't get lost in amongst the fun of banter, camaraderie, and general slices of life moments. We truly got to explore what Burgess and Tallulah were experiencing in a way that felt real to me. I totally understood where they were coming from and they supported each rather than acted as a crutch. Now, I wasn't a fan when Tallulah did the "right" thing as mentioned in the synopsis but I did feel there was a good turn around at the end. The ending really brought it all together for me.

Overall, this book had me stop reading just to smile and squeal. I could not get enough and cannot wait to see where things go next because the teasers in this one have me in their hold!

Thank you Avon for this arc!

3.5 stars

Talullah arrives in Boston, ready to turn down the au pair position (and free room) offered to her from Sir Savage himself Burgess. But when Burgess proves to be more than his gruff exterior, Talullah decides to accept the position. Burgess and Talullah proceed to dance around their attraction to each other until they can no longer deny it.

This unfortunately did not work for me and that makes me sad! Especially after loving Fangirl Down so much. There was too little hockey in this for the sports romance I wanted, and Burgess' uber protective macho attitude was a major turn-off for me.