I blasted right through this new Tessa Bailey book, and I really enjoyed the ride. I couldn't help but compare it to Jenny Holiday's Canadian Boyfriend, because there's a pretty similar initial setup - a professional hockey player and single dad (Burgess, known to hockey fans as Sir Savage) hires a nanny (Tallulah, a marine biology grad student) for his tween daughter (Lissa) who he is struggling to connect with and fully understand, and he happens to be very attracted to the nanny, who is a smart and accomplished woman with some big time past trauma. There are lots of differences - in this case, the female main character's trauma was even more intense, the male main character is a divorcee and not a widower, there's an age gap of 11 years, and this one is - at least in my recollection - way spicier than the Jenny Holiday. I found myself really liking Burgess and Tallulah's grumpy sunshine dynamic, and I really enjoyed the dynamic with Lissa. I also appreciated that Burgess was not only not dismissive of Tallulah's past trauma and her ongoing mistrust based on that trauma, but that he actively respected her boundaries and her instincts. I have to admit, though, that I was slightly distracted by two side characters - Burgess's teammate Sig and his not quite stepsister Chloe, who I VERY MUCH hope get their own book. I liked seeing Burgess, Tallulah, and Lissa all grow and change, and while I wasn't a huge fan of the third act breakup here, it did make sense in the context of the story. Also, again, very spicy.

The Au Pair Affair may just be this summer's hottest new book. The Au Pair Affair follows Tallulah, a graduate student who has accepted a job as an Au Pair for a professional hockey player, Burgess. Tallulah is tasked at being Burgess's“translator” for his pre-teen daughter, Lissa. Where Burgess is failing to understand and help with every teen girl related, Tallulah knows how to fill in those gaps.
Burgess quickly falls for Tallulah, but when Tallulah is haunted by her past, it makes it hard for their relationship to get off the ground. What starts as an innocent job, it quickly turns into a steamy, passionate, and somewhat forbidden love. Forbidden because Burgesses daughter believes that her mom and him will be getting back together. This conflict creates for some interesting situations.
This book is definitely spicey. If you don’t like spice, I don’t think you will enjoy this one. But, I think it is done in a tasteful way that leaves the reader wanting more. It's somewhat of a slow burn in that area. The sexual tension just keeps building and building until the reader can not put the book down because they have to see the magic Burgess and Tallulah will create once they finally give into their desires. The book is not all spice and has quite a bit of plot.
The beginning of this book was a tad slow. However, once it picked up about 15% to 20% away, I was hooked. I live for a book that gets me in trouble in the morning. I stay up wayyy past my bedtime just to see if they finally give into their feelings.
Overall, I would give this book a 4.20/5.00. I really loved the forbidden attraction between them. The only complaints I have is the beginning is just a tad slow, it didn’t capture my attention real well. And, sometimes there was too much focus on physical attraction. Almost any time the characters talked about the other, it was about sex too much. I would’ve liked to see a little more emotional attraction compared to so much physical attraction. However, I did really like the smut in this book and the way it was executed. I loved the plot and thought it was a super cute book!

This series is def my favorite by Tessa Bailey thus far, she writes a top tier sports romance. The angst and tension was def her best yet and i adored both of these characters from the very beginning.

I was laughing, crying and swooning with them both and found them both very relatable.

My only dislikes are the third act breakup. I really hate when they drag on and never end. I do understand why Tellulah left when his daughter saw them because he needed to diffuse the situation but i don’t believe it needed to be a breakup. It didn’t feel believable when they finally were in the same space again and i felt like it hurt the overall book!

Still really enjoyed the book, the characters and the story very much!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for sending me an early copy. All thoughts are my own.

Once again Tessa Bailey made me fall for another made up couple. I’m a huge hockey romance reader and when I found out Tessa was writing her own, I just knew it was going to be good.

Obviously I was right because Burgess and Tallulah were so much fun. The banter was hilarious, their story was sweet, and of course the spice was SPICY!!!

I’ve said this once and I’ll say this over and over again, Tessa could write down her grocery list and I’d be the first person in line to buy it.

5 stars!!

Tropes:
-grumpy/sunshine
-nanny
-funny banter
-trust issues
-he falls first
-Spice

This story truly had all the best tropes! Tessa Bailey knows how to write men who are so easy to fall for. I was swooning so much through this one. And the sexual tension was basically flying off the page! This book was great!

The first book in this series, Fangirl Down, really set the bar high. However, it pains me to admit that The Au Pair Affair falls flat. I just didn't believe the character development. I didn't believe they were actually in love at any point in this book. And the pacing was a mess. This book will jump ahead a few weeks at a time very randomly. One time jump was 5 weeks, and those 5 weeks--had the author shown us what was happening--would have been very critical to character development! While I adore Tessa Bailey, this book just felt forced.

This was fun & very spicy, and a great book for lovers of hockey romances. The secondary characters were very funny, and I appreciated when the story-telling was surprising (for example, the hero's ex-wife could have easily become a jealous ex, and I liked that the author didn't go that way.) The secondary couple was a bit more interesting than the main couple, though, which is why I gave it three stars. But I would recommend to romance readers looking for spicy & easy to read.

OMG this book! I loved it so much, from beginning to end, it was magic, I could not put it down and then stop gushing about it to my peers and begging them to read it as soon as it's published. The beginning dynamics that kicked off the story was interesting, Tallulah's back story and her ambitions plus Burgess protectiveness and his internal baggage just create such a magically perfect story. And the story is one hella of steamy slow burn let me warn you, it has the reader simmering to the point of physically blushing and turning on your seat. My goodness! I haven't read such a hot spicy book full of great sexy scenes that don't come off as a book full of smut, because the story is so well written that it just works so well into the plot, which is a good one. And it was so funny too, I mean laugh out loud funny. And the way Burgess is so smitten with her is so cute. Ugh this is my chef's kiss of romance books, my roman empire.
I highly recommend it.

This is by far my favorite book from Tessa Bailey. This may or may not be because its a Hockey Romance, but I am here for it. I cant wait for other Hockey books from Tessa! 75% the way through is a buzz kill but Burgess does redeem himself! I cant wait for the next book that FMC was a great side character in this story!

Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Nanny x Boss
Age Gap
Grumpy x Sunshine
Single Dad

Avon | Harper Voyager and NetGalley provided me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are my own.

"If Tessa Bailey wants to stay in her sports romance era forever, I am here for it. Fangirl Down was one of my top reads last year and I was extremely excited to read The Au Pair Affair after the glimpses we got of Tallulah and Burgess in the previous book. I'm a sucker for an age gap, single dad + nanny romance, so this one was such a fun read for me.

I fell in love with the Boston setting from the get-go, but I fell even harder for the couple. There were so many elements I love in a good romance, including forced proximity. There is serious sexual tension from the get-go and the pair is constantly playing with fire. It's always a good time when he falls first, and let me tell you, he fell so hard and I was here for it.

Tallulah was such a fun heroine. Even though this marine biologist student was in her early twenties, she was mature beyond her years and didn't have a problem speaking her mind and standing up for what she felt was right. The instant companionship she had with Burgess' daughter was the sweetest and I loved seeing their relationship grow throughout the book. She had a traumatic past when it comes to men and Burgess was the perfect hero to help her heal and show Tallulah her worth.

Burgess is so protective and loyal and would do anything to make sure Tallulah feels safe. He had major touch her and die energy, yet he still made it his mission to empower Tallulah to feel confident. I loved how communicative he was about what he wanted in life and in a relationship with Tallulah. Burgess is such a good father, yet he always wanted to do more to support his daughter.

While I didn't love this one as much as I loved Fangirl Down, it was a fun read and it made me fall deeper in love with this entire sports world Tessa Bailey is building. I cannot wait to see where the series goes next!"

I really wanted to like the Au Pair Affair after feeling like Fangirl missed the mark. But there's something about the male characters in both novels that is just off-putting. Bailey tries to create a character in Burgess that is both full of toxic masculinity and in touch with his feelings. But what comes off is a territorial borderline-obsessed boyfriend who "seemingly lets Tallulah make choices" but then tracks her every move. The "your mine" aggressive behavior is not admirable and makes it very hard to want Tallulah to be with him.

Everything Tessa Bailey writes is an easy five stars. You know it’s going to be laugh-out-loud funny and swoony and spicy. I loved every second of this one!

This book might be for some people, but it was unfortunately not for me.

Burgess, a professional hockey player, is in need of an au pair for his twelve year old daughter. Tallulah is a graduate student, in need of a job and a place to live. Seems like a match made in heaven right? Well you’re wrong!

Burgess is one of the most toxic characters I have ever read, and I’m sorry his relationship with Tallulah was downright creepy.

Also there should be trigger warnings for this book, and I didn’t see any so that’s not cool.

The best part about this book was Chloe and Sig, I hope we get a book about them.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Tropes
-Single Dad
-Nanny
-Insta Love
-Hockey Romance
-Age Gap

Much like Fangirl Down, The Au Pair Affair was not for me. I really am not a third person girlie, as much as I want to be.

I've been unpatiently waiting for this book since I finished Fangirl Down! I love Tessa Bailey's books. She has quickly become one of my FAVORITE romance authors. Tallulah and Burgess' story is EVERYTHING! We've got an age-gap relationship, single dad, boss/employee...something for everyone. Can't wait to read the next title in this series!

When I tell you the noise I made when The Au Pair Affair landed on my kindle? Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the chance to review Tessa Bailey's upcoming single-dad, steamy, hockey romance. It isn't a secret that I am a huge fan of Fangirl Down and that I will scream from the mountains how much I love Wells and Josephine, BUT I think I now might be screaming about how much I love Burgess and Tallulah as well. Full of romance, lessons and steam, The Au Pair Affair is not this be missed this summer.

I love age gap romances, something about age gaps just gets me and Tessa does a really good job with these kinds of romances. I love that Burgess was slightly out of touch with some of the things that Tallulah would say or do but would eventually catch on. I loved learning about his internal struggles and his road to deeming himself worthy of Tallulah. Tallulah's story is slightly more complicated, where Fangirl Down was a light fluffy read, The Au Pair Affair does confront some heavier topics (Nothing that I will spoil for you) but Tessa detailed and wrote these scenes in such a kind way that gave me the depth I was looking for in these characters.

I can talk for hours and hours about this book, but Instagram only lets me write so much so I am trying to get the important bits out. I loved the romance and the steam. Again, Tessa has a way of writing dirty talking men that just lands differently for me. Though this isn't what I would consider a slow burn romance, Tessa does make us wait a little while for the full steam and when I say, that wait was worth it.

Overall, this is a book not to be missed this summer. Tessa is certainly not going to let her readers down and I think everyone is going to love Burgess just as much, if not more, than they do Wells. Also, we are introduced to some new characters that make me wonder if there are going to be more books set in this world. Only time will tell!

This review physically hurts me.

I couldn’t get my hands on this book fast enough. The glimpse of the chemistry between these two we got in “Fangirl Down” had me hyped. AND he’s a stoic beast of a hockey star with a protective streak?! Helllllo my type.

This started off so strong and I was eating up the pages with the spoon. But as the book progressed it literally felt like we lost all aspects of Tallulah except for the fact that Burgess was obsessed with her. We love a “he falls first” but YEESH!

All of the things that made the first 25% great — the sexual tension, the great relationship she had with his daughter, her schoolwork, her desire to get out of her comfort zone more — like, all disappeared into the black hole of sex scenes that honestly made me cringe at points. Like okay hockey d is good but is it “cure a traumatic past” good?! Usually Tessa’s books are 🌶️🌶️ but I could not get into some of the scenes between these two. And the third act breakup was so brutal (from both of them honestly).

I think the first book in the series was so good that I set the bar too high. There were a lot of things in here I liked, but I just didn’t get enough of them. I would have loved to see more adventures, more scenes in the apartment as a family with Lissa, more about Tallulah’s marine biology studies. Those elements of the plot is where this book sparkled and there weren’t nearly enough.

And I cannot get over the fact that this cover art looks like Mutt fan fic (Schitts Creek fans, you can’t unsee it — sorry!)

A solid 3.5 read from an author I love and will continue to stan — I think I just hold her to a higher standard as one of my favorite authors in the genre!

Tessa Bailey is the queen of romance.

The Au Pair Affair carries similar themes from Fangirl Down and explore female strength and independence, while simultaneously being supported by their love interest. Tallulah is learning how to find her footing as an independent, strong, brave woman going through graduate school. Burgess, aka Sir Savage, is a defenseman through and through. He’s always ready to protect and defend the ones he loves, and boy is he a goner for Tallulah. The two of them learning their own boundaries and how to mingle them together is delightful to watch.

The third act breakup was really hard to read, but it was necessary for the full character development. It was hard to stomach, but people can be mean in real life, and it’s something you either work through or move on from. I’m glad that Tessa gives us our HEAs. I can’t wait for everyone to read this, and I’m even more excited for Chloe and Sig to figure their situation out because it’s SOOO obvious and I’m ready.

Tallulah and Burgess were first introduced in Bailey’s Fangirl Down. I loved them instantly, and The Au Pair Affair did not disappoint. Tallulah is a broke graduate student and Burgess is a single dad veteran hockey star. When he offers her the chance to be his tween’s au pair, she takes the chance. Their instant chemistry with each other leads to feelings, all while Tallulah makes it her mission to get Burgess back into the social scene.

I loved this novel. Burgess was a catch; I adored how he was enamored with Tallulah from the beginning. And that his interactions with Tallulah were so sincere; nothing was too unrealistic. The side characters were also on point. (Sig and Chloe!)

I can’t wait for the next novel - I just really need to know what is going on with Sig and Chloe.

4 ⭐️ Burgess is THE definition of 'he falls first'


"You could be wasting your time on me."
"Time with you could never be a waste. Only a privilege."


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ hockey romance
✨ nanny x boss
✨ roommates
✨ grumpy x sunshine
✨ opposites attract
✨ he falls first and hard
✨ forced proximity
✨ age gap (11 years)
✨ single dad
✨ 3/5 🌶️ spice
✨ third act breakup
✨ GROVELING
✨ TW: chronic pain, injury, abduction (past) and ptsd, family drama (his daughter wants her dad and mom to be together)


My Thoughts:

Some of the best sexual tension written by Tessa Bailey! Every interaction between Tallulah and Burgess was *chefs kiss*!

This story had me feral for the first 75% and then the third act breakup happened and sort of brought down the vibe. I didn’t mind the actual breakup, but it took them so long to reconcile timeline wise but then once they were together in the same place and forced to deal with this, they kept going back and forth. Idk if I found this part to be believable or even enjoyable.

Sig and Chloe NEED to be the MCs for the next book!