As always, Tessa Bailey does not disappoint. I loved the build of this romance and the way it wove into Fangirl Down, while still being its own standalone story. I found Burgess to be the best kind of gruff and grumpy, and Tallulah was a bright, bubbly light, while still feeling vulnerable and relatable. I will absolutely be singing its praises!

Tessa Bailey has done it again. The perfect amount of wit, humor, tension, and spice!

Tallulah is ready to move to a new city, start a new job, and get reacquainted with people again after living in Antarctica and studying penguins. However, when she comes face to face with her employer, a tall burly hockey player with a heart of gold, she realizes she may not be as ready as she thought.

Feelings run high in this one and you quickly find out that this book is a lot deeper than it looks on the outside. Forced proximity, single dad, and a dash of fake dating also come into play to make it a story that’s both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. A must read for any Tessa Bailey fan!

I love Tessa Bailey’s writing. Funny, witty, and entertaining from cover to cover. I definitely enjoyed reading more about Burgess and Talulah. This is only my second TB book but now I’ve decided to look at some of her older works to see if they are all just like this one. Excited for more!

I really enjoyed this single dad, opposites attract romance. It is the second book in the Big Shot series. Burgess is a hockey player who is a single father to Lissa who is 12 years old. He hires Tallulah as a live in nanny. She is studying to be a marine biologist and needs the money. He is instantly attracted to her, but she has some past trauma that she needs to work through. There are some other obstacles on their path to happiness. One of them being Lissa really wants her parents back together.

This is an amazing read. The humor and heartwarming moments had me turning the pages. The slow burn romance and tension were excellent. I loved the characters and they were so well developed that you were really able to get to know them and feel invested in the outcome. The relationship between Tallulah and Lissa was wonderful. I can’t get enough of Tessa Bailey’s books and really hope to see more in this series! I highly recommend this read. Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and leave my honest review.

The au pair affair was a book I wanted to read and had expectations for. However it fell so flat and left me feeling disappointed. I think I’m just not a fan of Tessa baileys and that’s okay. Her writing style in this book is cringeworthy and felt childish and anti climactic. The main characters didn’t seem to have chemistry in my mind and I found it really hard to connect with either of them. I usually like books with slow burn and hockey and nanny single dad but this just isn’t a book I can recommend or get behind. I think I missed some connection or build up from the first book or something . I hate giving bad reviews but this isn’t the first book that I have struggled with when it comes to this author. I DNF the first one of this series and it happened one summer. I struggled to finish secretly yours and I only liked the same time next year one but still didn’t give it more than 3.75 stars. I think I’m just not a Tessa Bailey fan . I personally wouldn’t recommend this book or this author but I think everyone should try to read at least one of her books cause she’s probably just not for me.thank you to Netgalley for the early ebook arc.

First I’d like to thank NetGalley and Tessa Bailey for allowing me to read an ARC of her upcoming book .

I enjoyed the book, it wasn’t my favorite tho. I just felt it was all very fast and they fall in love so quickly . I just didn’t see any development . I did love him and his daughter tho and I felt some parts are just * chefs kiss* . I just needed more I guess. That being said this is just my opinion and I still recommend for anyone who is looking for a cute read .

4⭐️

I really enjoyed Tallulah and Burgess story !! There is nothing more than a good nanny x single dad romance with an age gap 😉. Another thing that I loved is how down bad Burgess was for Tallulah. Only a girl came dream about a guy groveling and stopping at nothing to get her back !!! This book was very fun and also a little dark for me when it came to her history but had a great time reading this.

Tallulah is studying to be a marine biologist who decides to take a job as a live in nanny for a professional hockey player for some extra cash. Burgess is known for being vicious on the ice and hasn’t dated in years. Tallulah takes it upon herself to get Burgess back on the dating scene in addition to her nannying duties…but she doesn’t expect to have off the charts chemistry with him.

This book was typical Tessa Bailey writing - easy to read, slightly quirky, and fun. While so much of this book was entirely unrealistic, I still enjoyed it so much. The spice was spicy and I loved how Burgess fell first and hard for Tallulah.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have been frothing at the mouth for Tallulah and Burgess’s story sense I read fan girl down - and it did not disappoint. These two were so good for each other, their chemistry was perfect and the way that they complemented each other in their journeys scratched and itch in my mind. I went into this ARC pretty blind, so Tallulah’s backstory/trauma was a bit of a surprise for me. I really like that this series has taken a slightly more serious turn in that the first book dealt with living with/loving someone with health issues and this book deals with PTSD.

As much as I usually don’t like a third act break up, this one was actually pretty low angst and needed imo. The characters needed time to deal with some stuff and I felt that the groveling was in a sweet spot of being realistic, while also incredibly moving and sweet.

I do wish there was a little more hockey content. We only see him playing twice, so I wouldn’t really classify this as a hockey romance.

Tessa Bailey is so great at what she does. This is the second installment in her Big Shot series, and as much as I liked that one, I liked this one even more!

It was definitely more slow-burn, which I liked. Tallulah and Burgess were really interesting characters to get to know, each dealing with their own past and trauma and helping each other through. I really enjoyed the hockey aspect of it as well, but would have liked more.

Definitely recommend this one when it publishes July 16th!

Thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC!

This was a fantastic single-dad story. Burgess was a wonderful father who was so supportive of his daughter and was trying his best to understand and connect with her now that she was getting older. Tallulah was quirky, smart, funny, and so full of joy. I really liked how she helped Burgess form a better understanding and deeper connection with his daughter. I also adored her relationship with his daughter. I loved how Burgess has had a crush on Tallulah since their very first meeting. You could feel the attraction and tension between them right away. They were a perfect match. There was a little bit of angst after they got together that caused them to break up. But the end was incredibly sweet, with Burgess showing Tallulah how much she meant to him, and they got their happy ending.

𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺? perfection 💖

This sports romance between Tallulah, who is in need of a job and housing while she studies marine biology in Boston, and Burgess a hockey player/single dad who offers her a job as the nanny of his tween daughter, is absolutely delicious 🏒💕

Burgess, the hockey player, definitely wants to get to know Tallulah (and totally date her) from the moment he sees her. The only problem is that Tallulah doesn't date. What better way to convince her by.. well convincing her 😏

Tallulah isn't your typical nanny with an extroverted personality. She is complex, has a past she's itching to get over, and wants to start living life without feeling scared. It made my heart swoon to see how she grew 🌱 as a person throughout the book. 💖

Burgess understands he's nearing the end of his hockey career but is in denial. Even back pains won't make him give up everything he has. It isn't until someone shows up that he begins to understand what life is like outside of hockey... and he wants MORE ‼️‼️

I adored this book 💕 because of the depth the characters were presented with. Every person has many layers, and until you fully love yourself, you won't be able to love another person completely. ❤️✨

FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS, I hope we get a third book! 📚

Fav quote:
“So this is . . . a result of the high-protein diet. Good to know. Good. To. Know.”
“Tallulah?”
“Yes?” Slowly, he leaned in. And oh-so-casually flexed his arm. “I’m like this all over.”
“Oh.”

Tropes:
💙Hockey Romance
💙Age Gap
💙Single Dad x Nanny (AuPair)
💙He Falls First and Hard
💙Found Family
💙Third POV

Thank you Avon, HarperCollins, Netgalley and Tessa Bailey for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review ꪆৎ

I truly can’t decide which story I likes more- Fangirl Down or the Au Pair Affair. They both are master pieces in their own way and imma need the third book STAT.

Tallulah is a marine biologist who is offered a job as an au pair for a friend of a friend, but given her past she’s resistant to take it. Burgess is a grumpy hockey star with a daughter he loves but doesn’t understand. Burgess also has a crush on Tallulah and as much as he needs her for the au pair position, he also secretly wants him for himself … or maybe not so secret.

Tallulah and Burgess. Where can I begin? Lord the tension. The sweet parts to the spicy parts. The pining. Loved all of it.

Love love love Tessa Bailey and her ability to character build which also adding in very aptly positioned spice and romance. Absolutely loved the Au Pair affair and Tessa will continue to be an auto buy author for me.

This was a good book. Definitely had the spice factor. I enjoyed the main characters and their relationship. Some of it was cheesy but it was a quick read that I enjoyed.

Is it hot in here?! The spice was spicing in this one yall!

I could NOT put this book down!! I love me an overprotective MMC but good LAWD, when you make him a single dad who plays hockey… I was absolutely gone for this man.

This one is a rollercoaster though you guys. My heart broke a little bit at one point when I wasn’t sweating or smiling during this book. Books that can elicit so many different emotions from me leave a lasting impression and this one did just that.

Loved it. Love this series. Tessa is hitting all the right spots with this series!

Everything I expect from a TB book! Spicy but sweet and a cute story. I liked Lissa and thought she was a realistic reminder in the midst of a whirlwind romance. I didn't totally love how Burgess messed things up so bad when he was in the hospital / he seemed a little too old (I mean he’s dad aged!) to be communicating so poorly.

I absolutely loved reading, The Au Pair Affair. This is the second book of this series. Both were equally fantastic.
Tallulah started out as a scared of men and new situations person. She made herself engage with people and do things out of her comfort zone. Truly I think that is what drew Burgess to Tallulah in the first place.
This will definitely be a book that I will reread.

such a cute and fun read. hockey romance is always a yes for me and I was so excited to read this one by Tessa!! the nanny trope is one that I low-key love and look forward to in a book if it has it and Lissa made this one so fun and really added a important aspect to the book. I'm not the biggest fan of third act breakups but this one was worth it for the make up at the end!!

I received an advanced copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

This is a really cute romance with a single dad and the au pair to his tween daughter. I enjoyed this story. The author does a great job with sports-themed romances. Her male characters are thoughtful and evolved, Her female characters are beautiful, smart, and witty, and they have lives outside of what a man might have to offer them. Great book. I truly enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for an e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review.