fangirl down was one of my most favorite reads & ofc there would be no exception to burgess’ and tallulah’s book. i was hooked from the start, and quite literally read this in LESS than twenty four hours… AND DURING EXAM SEASON? oh i was LOCKED IN.
tessa bailey has the perfect romcom writing style and this was fast-paced, funny, and such a fun time. i was obsessed!!!! the dynamics were really great and i loved the protective sense of the mmc— it wasn’t too overbearing and i found it sweet. overall such a fun and quick read and I LOVEEEEDDD!! i’m so excited to get my hands on a physical copy so it can come home and be right next to fangirl down (which btw all the josie and wells references had me squealing and jumping for joy)

Tessa Bailey is an automatic buy for me and this did not disappoint, I love that she is getting into sports romance! I fell in love with the characters and storyline. I would absolutely recommend this book.

Thank you Tessa Bailey, NetGalley, and Avon Books for this ARC.

**gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review**

I kindly received this ARC through NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you!

The Au Pair Affair is a hockey sports romance with a fast paced plot and plenty of spice. Tallulah is in the middle of master's program and needs a job. Through her friend she obtains a job for an Au pair of a famous hockey player, Burgess Abraham. There's an instant attraction from a previous meet (in Fangirl Down) and continues as she begins her job as the Au pair. They both try to fight the attraction for various reasons but when that chemistry is as strong as ever... can they resist? There is some talk about stalking and kidnapping, so be warned that there may be some trigger warnings.

I absolutely loved this book! Tallulah and Burgess captured me with their chemistry and how they interacted. Tallulah is a bit more open minded while Burgess is complacent in his life. I love how they learned from each other and it brought them closer together.

- Age gap
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Forced proximity
- Single dad / nanny
- Third act break up

Oh how I wanted to love this with my whole heart so bad. I did in certain parts, but any scenario where a character intentionally says words they know will hurt their counterpart is a hard no for me, no matter the situation. I saw it coming, but Burgess still let me down. I had a hard time finding him redeemable after that.

I did enjoy both characters (minus that Burgess indiscretion)- though I sometimes felt like it moved incredibly fast and was lacking the detail I wanted in terms of their fall into love. We saw a lot of aftermath rather than the real time play by plays. A little too insta-lovey for me. I sometimes felt like Lissa was a forgotten character, which was interesting since I expected the premise of the novel to revolve around Tallulah being her Au Pair. I was not blown away by Burgess as a dad- however I was by Burgess as a (wannabe) boyfriend prior to the injury. The side characters were great additions to the story. Contrary to other reviews I’ve read, I’m actually intrigued by Chloe and Sig’s relationship and am looking forward to their book.

3.5/5 rounded up. I am not letting feeling a bit lackluster about this deter my excitement about being approved for my first Tessa Bailey ARC! Thank you Tessa, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager. ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.

While I found Fangirl Down, the first book in this series, to be more enjoyable, The Au Pair Affair still provided an entertaining reading experience. The story revolves around Burgess, an aging hockey player and single father, and Tallulah, the spirited nanny he hires. It embodies Tessa's signature style of wit, steaminess, and fun. It was interesting to see Burgess fall head over heels quickly, while Tallulah remained hesitant due to her own personal trauma. This dynamic created captivating tension and passion.

However, throughout most of the book, I couldn't help but feel that something was missing. Although the synopsis promised an age-gap romance involving a sports figure and his daughter's nanny, we only got a glimpse of one hockey game and very few instances where Tallulah actually acted as a nanny to Lissa. This left me wanting more, as the book had the potential to be even better than it was.

Despite these criticisms, The Au Pair Affair still provided an enjoyable experience. The romance was solid, and there was certainly enough steaminess to satisfy. I did find myself enjoying the book and eagerly look forward to book three, as the teasers about the next couple promise an exciting and wild ride.

i love tessa bailey, but this one fell flat for me. Not enough depth and character development, and lacked plot. Maybe I shouldve read the first one in this series first?

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of "The Au Pair Affair" by Tessa Bailey in exchange for an honest review.

Marine biology student Tallulah is ready to step into the world for adventure. Unfortunately, adventure, grad school, and decent apartments in in Boston all require a great deal of money that she does not have. So when a child-caretaker job offer spontaneously arrives from veteran hockey player Burgess, it's tough to pass up the opportunity.

Burgess is at a bit of a crossroads himself. He's struggling with physical issues that could end his storied professional hockey career and his relationship with awesome tween daughter is challenging. Then he meets Tallulah and he's immediately smitten. Offering her the job seems like a great idea, until he finds himself pining for his employee. And because he isn't a total creep, he tries to be respectful of that power dynamic.

However, this is a romance novel. Chemistry wins, of course.

In general, it's a fun, sexy book, if not terribly surprising. Apart from some of Tallulah's backstory, it plays out pretty much like you'd expect. But it's full of Bailey's trademarks: dirty talk from an emotionally intense MMC. So if you enjoy that, chances are you'll like The Au Pair Affair. Recommended for fans of sports romances and big gruff dudes pining for their lady love.

4.5 ⭐️

I couldn’t believe I received an ARC from NetGalley and Avon books, but I am so thankful!

I loved fangirl down and was so excited to get my hands on the single dad hockey player romance!

Burgess is the gruff and grumpy hockey player who is down BAD for his au pair. Tallulah is a grad student with some baggage. She takes the gig to take care of Burgess’ 12 year old but ends up falling for her protective boss!

Burgess is so patient and obsessed with Tallulah. He’s possessive and says “Mine” a lot! I can’t wait for everyone to pick this one up!

The first 75% was typical Tessa Bailey yummy spicy romance! The age gap, nanny x single dad, hockey player, forced proximity were *chefs kiss*

The last quarter had me asking: is the au pair in the room with us? The plot switched up and the groveling/realizations felt repetitive.

Maybe I read it too soon after Fangirl Down (loved)! Maybe I just prefer golf to hockey (duh)! Either way I’ll continue to pick up any and all of Tessa Bailey’s books.

P.S. I cannot wait to read Sig and Chloe’s book. I’m a sucker for a materialistic girl and a financially responsible man (art imitating life, ya know)!

✨The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey✨

When single dad and professional hockey star Burgess hires grad student Talullah to be the live-in nanny for his tween daughter Lissa, he tells himself that Talullah is off limits. But the more time Burgess spends with Talullah, the more attracted he is to her and the more trouble he has keeping his hands off her. Talullah is too busy enjoying life to be tied down to a man. But the way Burgess is so protective of her is a major turn on and it’s not long before she throws caution to the wind and decides to jump in with Burgess. That is until she finds out that Lissa is hoping for a reconciliation between her parents. Now Burgess and Talullah will have to decide if happily ever after could actually exist between the two of them and if so, at what cost.

This book was so much fun! I hadn’t yet read the first in the series when I started it, but a few chapters in, I put it on hold at my library because I knew I needed to read the love story of Josephine and Wells too. I loved how protective Burgess was of Talullah, and I loved that Talullah finally brought out the adventurous side of Burgess and made him realize that there is more to life than just hockey. This book also made me excited to read Sig and Chloe’s love story!

🏒 Marine biology grad student x professional hockey player
🏒 Live-in nanny for a tween girl
🏒 Single dad
🏒 Forced proximity
🏒 Age gap romance
🏒 He falls first
🏒 Blood orange & basil
🏒 Boston & Costa Rica

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

75% DNF. I couldn't make it past the 3rd act break up.

I was so excited for Tallulah and Burgess' book after devouring Fangirl Down! Plus I'm a fangirl for all of the romance tropes The Au Pair Affair has in it; single dad, sports, nanny, and age gap. I stan a heroine working on a STEM degree and thoughtfully communicative yet protective hero. The banter is typical Tessa Bailey, i.e. perfect and sometimes spicy. Readers will not be let down with the amount of spice in this novel. BUT the 3rd act break up just made me set it down and I never wanted to pick it back up. This is atypical for me, but I'm hopeful once it's released I'll want to pick it back up to finish it. Despite this I will continue to recommend all Tessa Bailey, but specifically this book to everyone interested in reading a fun romance with the above tropes.

I'm hopeful the two new side characters will be the stars of the next installment in the Big Shot series.

The Au Pair Affair is about Tallulah who is au pair for a grumpy hockey player. There is an age gap between the two love interests. I loved the plot of the novel. The story seemed a little rush at times. The characters seem to fall for each other very fast. I hope there is more in the series.

thank you netgalley and tessa for the e-arc
as a long time tessa girlie, i am obsessed with this book
single hockey dad x au pair has become my favourite trope of the year!
SILENT SCREAMING CUZ TESSA HAS OUTDONE HERSELF AGAIN WITH THIS ONE

The ending was so beautiful I was misting up 🥲🥲🥲

I loved these two so much. Tallulah and Burgess really helped each other in big and special ways. I loved their story so much that I just wanted more.

I think this may have been Tessa’s best third act break up ever 🤔 hard to say because I just love so many of her books, but I really loved this one.

And I fully soaked up every ounce of getting to see Wells and Josephine. Ugh this series is so good. I can’t wait to re-read and for the next books.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Steamy right of the bat (or hockey stick), THE AU PAIR AFFAIR is for lovers of he-falls-first, age differences, opposites attract, employee/boss, and single father romances.

Tallulah can’t believe her luck when she lands the prime job as hockey star Sir Burgess’ nanny. The single dad is definitely out of his depth with his rapidly maturing twelve-year old daughter, and Tallulah not only loves the girl but also the luxurious accommodations while she finishes grad school. However, neither adult can deny the immediate magnetic attraction between them, and it won’t be long before sparks fly.

As far as the romance goes, let’s just say the tension is off the charts with <i>no</i> break. While there is a third act break up, these two characters are so in love (and lust) with each other it’s hardly believable they won’t end up together. Tessa Bailey has once again created a romance I enjoyed from cliches I typically avoid– and to that I have to tip my proverbial hat.

While it did feel like she created these characters from a generator (a Turkish marine biologist ends up with a divorced pro hockey player– that’s quite the combo), the story was still fun and spicy.

Though I’ve hear Tessa Bailey’s name before, surprisingly, this was my first book of hers to ever read. It moves quickly and is engaging. If you’re a fan of insta-love and spicy scenes, this is the book for you. It was a bit too spicy for me. I didn’t love the big age gap between the two love interests (11 years), especially when the male main character, Burgess, had a 12 year old daughter. This book really wanted you to know that Burgess is a HUGE, muscular hockey guy and that Tallulah smells like blood oranges & basil, which has to be the weirdest scent combo I’ve ever heard of. Burgess leans a bit too hard into the overprotective male stereotype, almost to the point of being controlling/creepy. There were a few typos (wrong word/misspellings), so I’m hoping the copy editors catch those before publishing. I read an early copy through Net Galley.

The Au Pair Affair - ARC Review
⭐⭐⭐/5
.
WHAT I LIKED:
-Both Characters were well-developed
-The Best Friends: Loved both Sig and Chloe - honestly they kind of stole the show
-The Intervention Scene: Both heartwarming and funny
-Cute Epilogue
.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
-No Content Warning: There should have been a content warning for discussions of past stalking and kidnapping
-Conflict Involving a Child: I hated that one of the conflicts was Burgess’ 12yr old girl getting hurt. Her parents should have been way more clear with her that they were not getting back together - way before any of this happened.
-No Contraception Convo: They are both adults who have had sex before. Why, oh why did they not discuss protection?
-The Spitting: Him offering to spit on her? Not hot. Him actually spitting on her. Also, not hot.
-3rd Act BreakUp was too mean: I know Burgess was hurting, but the way he lashed out At Tallulah and the things he said were just too mean. I wasn’t sure I could forgive him.
.
Thank you @netgalley for my eARC copy. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

My favorite Tessa Bailey book so far! Also my first hockey romance, and it definitely makes me want to pick up some more. Excellent tension and spice. Burgess is fantastically hot and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy for the protective, big, mature grizzly bear Dad character. Single father who needs help. Grumpy sunshine. He falls first. She grows and overcomes trauma. I’m not usually into an age gap romance, but it’s not too big of a gap. She isn’t too young, and it definitely works in my opinion. Loved this quirky pair and could not put the book down!

Grin on my face from start to finish! Burly Burgess has it bad for Tallulah from day one and I am here for it. Tessa Bailey had me hooked from their first scene in the smoothie shop. She has such a way with words, the best descriptions of everything - attraction, friendship, romance. It was so easy to feel what the characters felt each moment. I laughed out loud at how quickly Burgess lost himself during their first kiss. Loved the way the characters explored the idea of “strength” - emotional strength, physical strength... Side characters were excellent as well. Chloe is a hoot and I cannot wait for her and Sig’s book.

Overall, Bailey’s Big Shots series has been a favorite! I definitely think it will appeal to the fans of her Bellinger Sisters books.

This might be my favorite Tessa Bailey book yet! She is always such a master at telling an emotional story with such hilarious moments and plenty of spice and steam. This book did not disappoint! I was really excited about Burgess and Tallulah's story after getting glimpses of them in <i>Fangirl Down</i> and just knew their story would be amazing. I loved Tallulah's backstory, and gaining an understanding of why she struggled and her issues with men. Burgess was so incredibly patient with her and is the ideal book boyfriend! He was perfection and not like your typical hockey romance MMCs. If you're a fan of single dad/nanny, age gap, hockey romance, then this book is for you, but for me, it was so much more than that. There's unexpected angst, heartache and some real world struggles that I really connected with and loved to read from this author. The banter in this is so good, and I was completely immersed in the story and couldn't put it down. Of course, we know Tessa Bailey is the queen of the spicy scenes and wow, did she deliver with this one. I was blushing and giggling and kicking my feet over several scenes in this book! I truly loved this one SO MUCH and I really hope that we get Sig and Chloe's story because we were teased too much not to!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tessa Bailey, and Avon for the eARC of this book.