The Au Pair Affair is a fun, quick read that plays heavily into the tropes it pulls from (see list below). When they met for the first time in Fangirl Down (the first book in the series), Tallulah and Burgess, a divorced single dad and professional hockey player, struck a deal. A broke grad student about to move to Boston, Tallulah agreed to be an au pair for Burgess’ tween daughter, Lissa, in exchange for free housing. The two had immediate chemistry then, and nothing has changed when Tallulah arrives in Boston at the start of the book. After a rocky start to Tallulah’s nanny job, boundaries begin to get tested and crossed… if you’ve read any of Tessa Bailey’s other books, you know where this is going.

Tropes/What to expect:
- nanny x boss
- age gap
- single dad
- forced proximity
- overprotective
- opposites attract
- grumpy x sunshine
- he falls first and harder
TW: chronic pain, injury, traumatic incident (past; flashback/retelling on page), resultant PTSD

A large part of the reason that I’m giving The Au Pair Affair three stars is because I generally wanted more. Please forgive this imperfect analogy, but if this book were likened to going out to dinner, it felt like a rushed dinner service: entrees arriving mere minutes after appetizers were dropped off, followed by the question of dessert before everyone has finished their main courses, and the check dropped off before dessert is even halfway eaten. I wanted time to enjoy each part of the meal – the book – before moving on to the next. The story and characters are compelling, but I struggled with how quickly the relationship between the protagonists progressed, given their backstories (particularly Tallulah’s). The quickly moving plot and undersupply of incremental relationship building scenes (i.e., scenes of Tallulah bonding with Lissa; scenes of the forging of an established bond and quasi-familial unit between Lissa, Tallulah, and Burgess; and scenes building up to Tallulah truly trusting Burgess before anything physical occurs between them) made the payoff feel a bit unearned.

Perhaps this means that The Au Pair Affair just wasn’t quite my cup of tea (to continue with the food metaphors). I encourage you to read it and to decide for yourself what you think! After all, this is just one review, from one reader, of many. All of that said, The Au Pair Affair does introduce two very interesting side characters whose story will be told in Bailey’s third book of the series, Dream Girl Drama. For anyone who was fascinated by Chloe and Sig, buckle up, because they’re getting their own book next year.

Those in search of a book that thoroughly embraces and sticks to the tropes it contains, look no further: I think The Au Pair Affair is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

The Au Pair Affair is the second book of the Big Shots series of interconnected standalones and follows Burgess and Tallulah. I absolutely loved this book! I loved the forbidden romance with the single dad and nanny aspect along with the age gap. Add in grumpy sunshine and hockey…yes please! After meeting these two in Fangirl Down I couldn’t wait for their story!

Tallulah is trying to get her old self back after something happens to her. She is apprehensive about being around men which is understandable. She takes a job as Burgess’s nanny while she finishes her schooling. She soon realizes that both Burgess and his tween daughter need her as much as she needs the job.

I love that Burgess is a big gruff hockey player but he is a big teddy bear for Tallulah. The sexual tension between these two were off the charts. Burgess definitely knows how to do the dirty talk. The only thing that I would change is him calling her “girl”. But I can get past that with how good this story is! I am loving this sports series and can’t wait for Sig and Chloe’s story!

I'm so serious when I say this third act breakup wrecked me. I was loving this book so much and then Tessa Bailey tore my heart out and pummelled it at 70%. Thank god for happy endings. Okay moving on I loved these characters so much and I can't even express how excited I am to read Sig and Chloe's story. Such a fun read that had me laughing out loud and then unfortunately screaming and crying until the epilogue.

I loved the first book of this series so of course I had to find this one. This set up included a lot of trauma and it was handled by most characters respectfully. There were connections made through the story that called back specific elements throughout. The call backs make the more glossed over parts come together better

#netgalley
#arc
#aupairaffair

This was my first Tessa Bailey book, and being a big hockey fan, it seemed like the perfect place to start.

Bailey’s writing is really charming, and I can see why her books are so well liked. That said, this book just was not for me. Burgess came on way too strong, way too fast, and it made the relationship seem unrealistic. The premise was a bit flimsy and Tallulah being the au pair had almost no bearing on the story other than setting up a forbidden nanny/parent relationship dynamic. Giving Burgess’s daughter more page time would have made the whole situation feel more believable, with the added bonus of her being such a delightful character.

The spice was great, the side characters were fun, and the pacing was good up until the last few chapters.

If instant attraction and he falls first is your thing, this is absolutely the book for you.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Tessa Bailey, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for an eARC of The Au Pair Affair.

So this was my first Tessa Bailey book (I know, I know!!) and as an avid rom-com reader I can say I DEFINITELY need to read more of her books!

I will say - when I first started this book, I was a bit lost. I felt like I got plopped right into the middle of a story - which, in retrospect I did because this is the second in a series. While this book can stand alone reading Fan Girl Down definitely would have helped me understand more of the plot going into this book.

Despite this, The Au Pair Affair is still fun, flirty, and a little bit spicy. I enjoyed Talullah and Burgess's banter and the book moves quickly. I felt like I was finished before I even started!

Bailey does a great job illustrating how deeply Talullah and Burgess care about each other and Lissa. It really makes the reader connect with the characters and root for their happy ending. I was even emotional during any falling outs they had - that's how bad I wanted everyone to get their happily ever after.

I can't wait to read more from Tessa Bailey and read the rest of the series!

The scream I scrumt when I got word that I had received this arc! I loved Fangirl Down so much, so I was so excited to read this, book 2 in the Big Shots series.

Tessa Bailey spice meets broody hockey player who is also a single dad? It’s like a romcom trifecta. Tallulah was such a fun FMC – witty, smart and strong. Burgess was the best kind of grump – big, soft teddy bear masquerading as a jerk. Also, the cameos by Josephine and Wells were everything!

It wasn’t a full five stars for me because I didn’t love it near as much as Fangirl Down. The first 25% was kind of a sludge to get through, with not a lot of comedy, but once the romcom vibes really hit, it was a smooth sail, binge read from there.

hockey romance | sports romance | single dad x nanny | witty banter | opposites attract | grumpy sunshine | age gap | forced proximity | roommates | groveling | dual pov

TW: trauma involving abduction (explained briefly on page in past tense)

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Collins, Avon Books and Tessa Bailey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am so sick of needless third act breakups in romance novels. I have tolerated them just fine when there is personal trauma or character mental health issues or some big adult issue in the way. In those cases, it makes sense for the couple to spend some time apart. In this book, it was conflict for the same of conflict. I also do not cognitively do well with age gaps, and I could not take the names of the characters seriously

I do not think Tessa Bailey is an author for me.

Tallulah agrees to take care of Burgess' preteen daughter, Lissa. Tallulah had doubts of working for "Sir Savage" after seeing him in action on the ice. She takes the job as au pair despite her doubts, but she manages to make their house a home. She's great with Lissa and helps Burgess be a better dad. Although they fight their attraction, it's a losing battle with their feelings. Despite some battles and hurt feelings, they work it out and get their HEA.

*ARC courtesy of the author and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. I want to thank the valued author, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing a copy.*

Tessa Bailey never fails to deliver a delightful romcom!

After Fangirl Down, I was so excited to pick this one up. I absolutely adored the characters. I knew I would love Tallulah. She's resilient and inspiring. Burgess is a man down bad for her the moment they meet and I was definitely a fan of that. Who doesn't love it when he falls first & hard? He worships her and I loved reading every moment of it. The romance is built upon a good foundation since the characters have great communication. This was so refreshing to read and made the romance believable and romantic.

Speaking of the romance, this book was so romantic! I was swooning so much while reading. My heart certainly fluttered during some of Burgess's dialogue. These two had an insane amount of chemistry. The angst and slow build-up of the steamier scenes made them better in my opinion. And let me say, the steamy scenes were definitely worth the wait!! As usual Bailey shows she is the Queen of Dirty Talk!

This was a fun romcom with a mix of humor, serious topics and spice. 1,000 % would recommend. Cannot wait for the next one!

This book was tons of fun and kept me on the edge of my seat. Forced proximity, age-gap, grumpy meets sunshine for the win! I really loved how they helped each other grow as people. A must read for any Rom-Com lover.

5⭐️
3🌶️

I loved this book just as much as I loved fan girl down. Tallulah and Burgess had the most explosive chemistry and I genuinely loved reading their story.

Burgess has the dirtiest mouth and I was here for it 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 and I adored how he took care of Tallulah. From the beginning he was just trying to protect her and then he goes and falls for her first? I couldn’t handle it. It was so good 🥹 the smut was FANTASTIC too, but it’s definitely a slow burn until it’s not 🥵I also really enjoyed Tallulahs character and how fantastic she was with Lissa and how she was actively working to overcome her past traumas.

This book was so good and I cannot recommend it enough! Please tell me the next book is about Sig and Chloe??!

4.25 stars! ! I really enjoyed this and read it in 2 days (i can’t remember the last time i read a book that fast). i really felt invested and connected to tallulah and burgess story and wanted to see that happened next. i feel like it was the perfect continuation to the series after Wells and Josephine’s story and can’t wait to read what’s next!

The Au Pair Affair builds on the chemistry between two side characters in the book Fangirl Down. You have the grumpy single dad hockey player who is struggling with the reality that hie is getting older in a young man’s sport who falls for the younger nanny who has a traumatic past that she’s trying to heal from.

Things I enjoyed:
The spice
The reality that the daughter isn’t always gonna be stoked that dad is dating the nanny
She’s an academic

Things that I found less successful:
The FMC’s trauma-I think this could have been better dealt with
The build up to them dating

Tessa Bailey books are at their best when they are a little silly and this book missed the mark by trying to tackle a subject with little finesse. That said, it’s still a good book just not one of my favorites. Also if I don’t get a book about Chloe and Sig I will riot!

I was extremely excited about book two of the Big Shots series by Tessa Bailey. Thank you so much to Avon books for sending me a copy to add to my collection!


We got a glimpse of the main characters in book one, Fangirl Down. Tallulah is a marine biologist who has been traveling all over and is ready to settle down and go to grad school. She receives the perfect opportunity to be a nanny for one of the most famous hockey players in the nation, so she will not have to worry about housing and will be able to make a little money on the side as well.

Burgess is excited to have Tallulah as his nanny. His daughter really connected with her when they met and she seems like a great person. Sure, he is physically attracted to her, but he wouldn’t let that get in the way of his arrangement. He is a hardcore hockey player with a good head on his shoulders, nothing can rattle him. Although his fear of his retirement is weighing heavily on him.

Review
I had a lot of feelings about this book. Although this book felt very insta-loveish, the spice was a great speed for me. Everything else felt very slow. The plot dragged on a bit even though it was a short window of time and I did not love the third act break-up, which I usually do not mind.

Burgess was a great MMC with golden retriever energy, which I loved. I just wish it had been over a longer period of time and that there was more build up. By the time we got to the relationship portion, they were breaking up a few chapters later.

You should definitely check out this series and let me know YOUR thoughts! I would love to know!

Will post review on Pubdate

“I want to be important to you.”

SWOON ALERT!!! The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey – the second book in the Big Shots Series – is sure to melt your heart (and maybe make you look for Au Pair positions for hot dad’s if you are single!). Tallulah is in Boston for her master’s degree and takes an Au Pair job for Boston’s finest professional hockey player, Sir Savage himself, Burgess. While Tallulah has a scary past, she at first is worried about Burgess’s mean, hockey persona. Burgess, who is recently divorced, has a pre-teen that he can’t quite communicate properly with, and prefers staying inside. Together, both decide to help each other get out of their comfort zones and go on adventures - and as a live-in nanny, what happens when Lissa goes and spends the weekends with her mother?

Bailey is a top-notch romance writer, and while you can predict the ending, the anticipation of how the story will play out is well done. There were some good lessons along the way too – for instance, I loved the Dickinson quote: “Forever is composed of nows” which I have never heard before. Yes, there are tropes here (Boss / Nanny, Older / Younger, Man feeling the need to protect the young Female) but they all work in this novel making it a very enjoyable read.

This is the second book in this series, but you do not have to read the first one to read this one – there are enough hints about the first novel to tie in perfectly here, with Burgess and Tallulah fully being their own story. And warning - you WILL blush while reading this!

This is a novel about love, self-worth, and getting out of your own head to experience life. With the underlying sports theme, it made it that much more enjoyable for me (I started reading this prior to game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals rooting for the Panthers!). I did like that the man fell first, and that Tallulah makes him grovel (I’m not necessarily sure everything is believable – but it makes for a great story that you can easily get lost in). 4 stars!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this delicious arc; all opinions are my own!

“Happiness didn’t just appear out of thin air, a man had to search for it, cultivate it, and guard it with their life.”

I am obsessed with anything Tessa Bailey writes, but her recent series is just so good! He’s a single dad, she’s the live in nanny. Both characters are fighting off their chemistry to no avail. I love the tropes of him falling first and the grumpy/sunshine dynamic. The perfect summer read!

I unfortunately did not vibe with this book, and I love a good Tessa Bailey book and even love hockey romances more than any other trope. I felt that the MMC (Burgess) was so controlling and toxic. The insta-love he had for Tallulah (FMC) was an instant turn off for me. I didn't absolutely hate this book, I did really like Tallulah, Chloe and Sig (hoping they get a book, pretty please), Wes and Josephine's life after Fan Girl Down, and Lissa (the daughter). It was just Burgess's actions and words that I didn't like, but I think other people would find this book really good especially if they love Tessa Bailey's writing style. People have different tastes in books but this will be one I could recommend to people.

Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC!

Thanks to HarperCollins for sharing the ARC with me.

The Au Pair Affairs is the 2nd book in Tessa Bailey's Big Shots series. In this book, the MC is a famous Boston Hockey player who is a divorced dad with a pre-teen daughter. The FC is a grad student who needs a safe place to live when she moves to Boston. Sparks flew when these two briefly met in the Fangirl Down (they are each best friends with the main characters in the 1st Big Shots book). So the MC hires FC to be his daughter's live-in nanny. And the sparks continue to fly once they move in together. If you enjoy Bailey's books, this one will not disappoint.

As much as I love all things Tessa Bailey, this book felt a little… stale. Maybe because I feel like I know her writing so well after reading so many of her books, but there was nothing new in Burgess and Tallulah’s story. Even the alpha male/baby girl spice left me feeling… okay. I still enjoyed the story and can’t wait for more in the series. Hopefully this was a singular occurrence for me.