Tallulah and Berguss were a great read. The tension was palpable, the forced proximity was well done. Loved the age gap aand grumpy sunshine as well. It felt like the perfect amount of Angst not too much but enough for you to just root for them to get together! I will state I did not read the first book in this series, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything. Great book, as alwasy from Tessa it's great writing and you be glad you read this one

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey is an absolutely wonderful novel about a divorced single dad who is a famous hockey player but is having trouble emphasizing and understanding his pre teen daughter.

He has hired an au pair to help with her but suddenly because of a previous bad experience with a man he knows nothing about she doesn’t want to take the job.

Burgess, who’s also known on the ice as Sir Savage, and his daughter, Lissa, convince Tessa to become the au pair and she teaches them how to get along and Lissa how to better get along with her classmates and helps her with her homework.

Meanwhile there’s a definite attraction between Burgess and Tessa that they try to avoid because of an 11-year age difference and the employer employee relationship. But it doesn’t work too well and they start to fall for each other.

This incredible romance has lots of other interesting and amazing details you’ll just love when you read it and you’ll be really glad you did!

This is the second book in the “Big Shot” series from Tessa Bailey. I was immediately obsessed with this series after Fangirl Down, and The Au Pair Affair did not disappoint! This story follows Tallulah and Burgess. Tallulah is moving to Boston to finish up her schooling to become a marine biologist, and she has agreed to nanny for Burgess, an older single father who plays professional hockey in Boston. Tallulah is initially hesitant to take the job because of some past trauma, but finds it hard not to be drawn to Burgess (and his adorable daughter, Lissa). Burgess is very kind and protective, but has a violent streak when it comes to hockey which does not help with Tallulah’s hesitation…

These characters were so well developed and had immediate chemistry! I loved how protective Burgess was of Tallulah, but still gave her the space she needed to navigate things herself. They both helped each other grow and supported each other, and even though there was a bit of “instant love” they still took things slow and the ending felt well developed and deserved. It also doesn’t hurt that this book included several of my favorite tropes:

Age Gap
He Falls First
Grumpy Meets Sunshine
Boss x Employee
Forced Proximity
Hockey Romance

I highly recommend adding this book to your TBR and reading it ASAP when it releases this summer. Thank you to Net Galley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this ARC!

I have been not so patiently waiting for this book since we saw the incredible attraction between Burgess and Tallulah in Fangirl Down.

From their chemistry in the first book I knew this was going to be amazing but I was not expecting/ready for all the layers in this book. Both our main characters start out with their guards up for different reasons and it was so beautiful to watch them navigate opening up and becoming safe havens for each other. I really liked how Tessa addressed Tallulah’s journey to healing after the trauma she had been through and I love seeing mental health representation in books.

My biggest issue with this story was the third act breakup/conflict. I wish we could have seen more of their time apart versus the time jump. I also feel like things with Burgess’ daughter could have been fleshed out a little more.

Overall this book was fun and I’d definitely recommend if you like sports romance, age gap, single dad/nanny or if you’re just a fan of Tessa Bailey’s humor and spicy storytelling.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon and Tessa Bailey for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In Tessa Bailey's latest sports rom-com, a rugged hockey vet turned single dad, Burgess, finds himself drawn to his quirky live-in nanny, Tallulah. As they navigate boundaries and chemistry, Burgess must reconcile his past and prove himself worthy of a future with Tallulah. With vibrant characters and heartfelt moments, Bailey crafts a tale that's equal parts charming and swoon-worthy. A delightful blend of romance and family dynamics, this novel earns its five-star status with its witty dialogue and irresistible storyline.

I love love love the Au Pair Affair! Burgess is my favorite kind of Tessa Bailey hero, He's protective, possessive and desperate for Tallulah. He does everything he can to make her feel independent and safe and it melted me so hard. The single parent hockey player and his nanny is such a delicious trope and for Tessa Bailey's first full length hockey romance is a stunner of a book. Burgess is so grumpy towards the world and such a cinnamon roll for Tallulah! And he has the mouth of a TB hero, dirty talking was off the charts! Tallulah goes through some great character development, and seeing them as a couple is just the best! We get some cameos from the characters in Fangirl Down and a really good tease for Book 3 which I can't wait for.

I absolutely loved this book and can't recommend it enough!!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and voluntarily give my honest review.

Whew, was that steamy. A great story, great characters, a respectful hero, and some angst and past baggage thrown in.. Just how I like it.

DNF

I’m up and down with Tessa Bailey books but even so I tend to enjoy them for the most part. But something about The Au Pair Affair is just off. Clunky, awkward, and heavy handed. I need to set it aside and pursue other books.

Tessa Bailey does it again! She excels at writing books where the characters pine for one another until the explosion that brings them together. This was a quick, steamy read. I only wish it were longer so we could see more of Burgess' and Tallulah's relationship!

Tessa does it again, she takes us on a world wind of emotions with Tallulah and Burgess story. The build up to will they won’t they has us ravishing and inhaling the pages to see the story unfold. In Tessa’s universe she can’t bear to let us being happy among her spicy and happy love pages. She has to throw in a last minute curve ball (sorry no hockey pun) to the love story that keeps us at the edge of our seat toying with couple’s faith ending in HEA. I loved all the side banters, cameos and the spoiler spinoff story built in for her next book.

This was a fun new sequel to the Big Shot series. I enjoyed Tallulah and Burgess's romance perhaps more than Will and Josephine's from the first book. I don't tend to like the MMC's that Tessa Bailey writes, I often find them too aggressive and cold hearted, but with Burgess being a single father, he had a sweet side to him that was undeniable. Their chemistry was palpable and the groveling was much enjoyed. This steamy sports romance made me want to actually watch hockey!

The Au Pair Affair
(Big Shots, #2)
Tessa Bailey
Pub: 7/16/24
4⭐️

I think… no I know, I will forever be in my hockey romance era and Tessa Bailey hit the mark head on with book two for the Big Shots series!

Burgess and Tallulah’s story was so much fun to read and had me full on swooning. There is just something about single dad romances. Add in hockey, forced proximity, and some of that top notch TB steam we know and love and it’s no wonder I devoured this one.

What I loved;
🏒 Hockey Romance
🏒 Age Gap
🏒 Single Dad
🏒 Forced Proximity
🏒 The Groveling
🏒 Wells & Josephine

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I cannot wait for more Big Shots!

So, I struggle believing a man falls so hopelessly in love with a woman who is summarily super hot and kind - like, that’s it?? He falls fast and hard for his new au pair, 11 years younger, and his thoughts are consumed by her. Not a desire to simply sleep with her - he wants “all of her” and “needs her love”, etc.
he’s a hot, grumpy single dad hockey player. She’s a hot, young foreign au pair.
Maybe too easy to write this romance?
I was confused by the Sig/sister in law piece as well… I must’ve missed a plot point in their line.
The over the top emotional, love and lust driven dialog of Sir Savage is just not believable or relatable to me.
“She ruled my dick and didn’t know it”
The obsessive discourse about her basil and blood orange scent.
“I don’t want you to see me weak so I’m pushing you away, despite being desperately in love with you”
I’m sure I’m being tough.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

DNF’d at 35%

I’m so sorry, Tessa, but this ain’t it. I was sooooo looking forward to this since their encounter in Fangirl Down, but I could not get past the toxic vibes Burgess was giving. (also it’s a single dad trope and that is my 2nd least favorite trope of all time)

I enjoyed the first half of this book, it was cute a quirky and a fun easy read.
But at about halfway the character's personalities kept changing and they did not feel well flushed out. The spicy scenes were cringy and hars to read because it felt like all character development went out the window for the spice.
I normally love Tessa Bailey, but this felt rushed and improperly developed.
I'm giving three stars soley because I really enjoyed the first half.

Whew! What a roller coaster of emotions! In The Au Pair Affair, Tallulah and Burgess are a sizzling couple battling all kinds of doubt and pain that try to keep them apart. They are endearing and fascinating characters, their passion lighting up the page! But it was the hurdles they had to climb that really drew me to their story, giving it depth and substance, along with the humor and steam. Do I dare hope to read Sig and Chloe’s story next?! I was given an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher.

Tessa Bailey has done it again. I always love a live in nanny but this is the best one yet. Pairing it with hockey makes it perfection.

4.25 stars

Burgess is a burly single dad & hockey player who falls for his live-in nanny Tallulah, a grad student and the best friend of his best friend. Sparks fly and they have to decide if they can put everything on the line to find their happily ever after.

I loved this! Burgess and Tallulah are great main characters. They both have very realistic strengths and flaws, and they had a lot to overcome before they could be together. I liked that there was a such a strong conflict; at times, it felt like there was no possible resolution and I was on the edge of my seat wondering "how can they make this work!?". I also like that Burgess's daughter and ex-wife were presented as real people and not overly-stereotyped caricatures. Burgess and Tallulah also had individual problems to solve before they could even begin to work on their relationship issues, so it was nice to see them grow personally.

As much as I loved the characters, there was a short point in the last third where I started to lose interest. I think this book could've been a bit shorter and still have the same emotional impact.

I'm really enjoying the Big Shots universe and I hope we get a book for Sig and Chloe.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is honestly Tessa Bailey's redemption arc in my eyes. I first read her books when her smash hit It Happened One Summer released, and I thought she would continue to release bangers...but it's been a smattering of mid to downright terrible books since then.

HOWEVER, I feel like she's gotten her magic touch back with The Au Pair Affair. The tension built fantastically, and I actually really loved both of our main characters. I wanted both to be able to overcome their challenges, and be able to help each other heal. I think what she does beautifully in this book that has been lacking in a few of her previous ones, is the delay of gratification. I was literally punching my sheets waiting for them to finally give in!!!

All in all, I am so happy with this book.

i didn't love this one, but it was still an entertaining read! i am very grateful to be granted the chance to read this book prior to release, thank you to the author and publishers!