I read this as a palate cleanser after a run of romantasy books and what a cleanser 😍😍😍 Tessa Bailey has really grown on me, and this was such a cute read. I enjoyed Tallulah & Burgess’ growth throughout the novel, both together and their individual growth, and also resonated with parts of Tallulah’s self discovery. The complications were somewhat predictable but I didn’t care, still loved the vibes.


Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review!

The Au Pair Affair
This book was so so cute. The banter and characters was amazing and I instantly fell in love with Burgess and his personality. I love the witty humor and how the story is laid out. Definitely would recommend this to my friends and followers.

I was shocked to love this even more than Fangirl Down (which I also loved)! Perfect amount of angst and slow burn with your typical Tessa Bailey spice. In some ways it's a little formulaic, but Tallulah was a well formed character with her own mind and goals. Also, I think it's important to show women in the aftermath of trauma and the ways they find to process it. It's, unfortunately, a very relatable storyline. I also enjoy when the man falls first, which Burgess did...I only wish he handled it a little better...but, we all have our own demons. Overall, a very enjoyable addition to the Tessa Bailey repertoire.

In Tessa Bailey's exhilarating novel, "The Au Pair Affair," the lives of Tallulah, a vivacious and intelligent marine biology student, and Burgess, a seasoned hockey veteran and single father, intertwine in an unexpected and passionate journey. Tallulah, driven by financial constraints, accepts a job as a live-in nanny for Burgess's introverted tween daughter, Lissa, while Burgess struggles to navigate his newfound singlehood. As Tallulah settles into her new role, she not only connects with Lissa, but also finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Burgess. However, their growing connection is complicated by Burgess's past and his hesitance to enter the dating scene again. Determined to help Burgess move forward, Tallulah embarks on a mission to revive his social life, leading to crossed boundaries and an undeniable chemistry between them. Despite the intense attraction, Tallulah, aware of Burgess's emotional baggage and his daughter's desire for her parents' reunion, makes the difficult decision to distance herself from him. However, fate intervenes when a chance encounter and Lissa's persistent efforts to reunite her family bring Tallulah and Burgess face-to-face once more. Burgess, realizing the depth of his feelings for Tallulah, must overcome his fears and insecurities to prove his worthiness of a happy ending with her. With newfound determination, he sets out to win back Tallulah's heart, promising to learn from his past mistakes and embrace a future filled with love and commitment. Tessa Bailey skillfully weaves a tale of love, redemption, and second chances in "The Au Pair Affair." With her signature wit and emotional depth, she captivates readers as Tallulah and Burgess navigate the complexities of their relationship, ultimately finding healing, happiness, and a love that defies expectations. This heartwarming and entertaining novel is a must-read for contemporary romance enthusiasts seeking a story that celebrates the transformative power of love and the resilience of the human spirit.

Tessa Bailey and Sports Romance are a match made in Heaven. We meet Tallulah and Burgess in Fangirl Down where she sets up their love story.

Tallulah is a grad student getting her masters in Marine Biology. Burgess aka Sir Savage, a professional hockey player is a beast on the ice and Tallulah’s new boss. She is his daughters new live in au pair. Burgess has been pretty much obsessed with her since the moment they met and falls in love with her fast. Tallulah is much more guarded and doesn’t want to put a label on their relationship. Things go sideways when they are caught kissing by his daughter and ex wife and then he gets injured during a hockey game. It’s a romance so of course they work it out.

For people who love hockey romance, age gap, nanny/single dad, grumpy/sunshine, touch her and die vibes and a lot of spice, you will definitely want to give this one a read. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

This was a letdown after the high of Fangirl Down. The Au Pair Affair had a lot of elements that I usually enjoy, and they should have worked, but they didn’t. The insta love that Burgess has for Tallulah means there’s not a lot of time spent developing the relationship between the two. In an au pair situation, I feel like forced proximity is the trope that works better. I didn't see them as pining and in love -- in lust for sure, it was spice-laden, but I didn't see the emotional connection.

Then, there’s the fact that there are just too many things for them to overcome as a couple in the space allotted to the plot of book:

-Tallulah has PTSD from a survived kidnapping by a crazy ex-boyfriend
-There’s the 11-year age-gap between the FMC and MMC
-The unequal boss and employee relationship
-The father/daughter relationship issues (plus some mean girls stuff added in for the daughter)
-The daughter under the impression that her parents will be getting back together until she catches Burgess and Tallulah – her nanny – making out on the sidewalk and throws a fit.
-Burgess getting injured and being phenomenally mean to Tallulah to chase her off. Not enough groveling in the world -- especially given he uses Tallulah's trauma against her.

Unfortunately, the elements and pacing were just off. IMHO, the plot could have done with some tightening. Too many plot points, not enough time to do each justice ruins this book for me.

Fangirl Down was the first Tessa Bailey I ever read, and when I finished, I immediately picked up this one because I absolutely loved it. When it comes to sequels/series, I'm always nervous when I love the first one because...what if the next one doesn't have that same magic?
This one had the same magic.
Absolutely loved it and absolutely loved seeing Josephine and Wells again in this one! I also absolutely adored Tallulah and Burgess! One of my biggest things when it comes to romance authors is if they are able to distinguish between protagonists and make stories feel fresh and exciting beyond one book (so many fall into a pattern of having what is essentially the same main characters but with different names in all their books). This couple (together and as individuals) felt very unique and different from Josephine and Wells, which solidified that Tessa Bailey will quickly become a new fave!

This was another hot and spicy book from Tessa Bailey (the second in this sports-based series). I enjoyed the story of Tallulah and Burgess, but I didn't connect as much with them as I did with the characters in the first book in the series. Overall though, I liked grumpy Burgess and his love story with Tallulah. A solid 4-star book.

Tessa Bailey's latest novel, The Au Pair Affair, had me hooked from the very first page. This sweet rom-com had me thoroughly entertained and laughing out loud throughout the entire story. The plot revolves around Tallulah and Burgess, who meet when the he is searching for a live-in nanny. From the moment they meet, the story takes off on a rollercoaster ride of laughter and heartwarming moments that kept me hooked until the very last page.

One of the things that struck me the most about the novel was the perfect balance of humor and depth. Although the story is light-hearted and fun, it also has some poignant moments that gave the characters depth and made them relatable. The writing is witty, clever, and full of heart, and I found myself rooting for Tallulah and Burgess from the very beginning. I highly recommend The Au Pair Affair to anyone looking for a sweet, funny, and heartwarming romance novel that is sure to leave you with a smile on your face.

TB fans will love this one!! All the hockey mixed with the single dad x nanny, forced proximity and age gap tropes made for a fun read. Plus, this took place in my favorite area of Boston, Beacon Hill, and TB did a great job transporting me to the quaint and charming streets. For those who read Fangirl Down, be ready for all the Josephine and Wells cameos with a fabulous trip to Costa Rica at the end for their wedding.

I liked the first book in the series, Fangirl Down, more than I liked this one. Sometimes Tessa Bailey's books feel a little hit or miss to me and this was more of a miss than a hit. However, Bailey's novels are very popular and this book is a must-purchase for my library.

I LOVE this series!! Tessa Bailey always writes the best books with the most relatable characters. Loved this book and everything about it!

Tessa Bailey is a delightful author and this second book in her Big Shots series is not to be missed. It is a standalone title, but you should read Fangirl Down too!

Tallulah and Burgess are two characters that would not have met in their own worlds. He's a 37-year-old famous hockey player and she's a 26-year-old grad student who has spent time in Antarctica researching penguins. Thankfully their respective best friends introduced them and right away Burgess wants to hire her to be a nanny for his twelve-year-old after seeing the two of them interact. He's also smitten with her but will refrain if it means he can focus on his career while knowing that this daughter is taken care of. He'll provide a place to live and pay her while she's completing her Masters Program in Boston. Perfect, except Tallulah has a tragic backstory that she's working on overcoming and lets her anxiety get the better of her on her first day on the job. So, instead of letting it go, Burgess finds her another place to live (with the almost step-sister of one of his teammates, definitely a possibility for another book) and is going to subsidize her rent without telling her. Tallulah meets her potential roommate, figures out the plan, and decides against it. After some talking, she agrees to move in with Burgess and be his daughter's nanny. Eventually, we get a Happily Ever After, but these two go through quite a few obstacles to reach that ending.

This book is fast-paced and the dialogue is witty and effervescent which makes it a quick read. Bailey handles the tough topics in a sensitive manner which is appreciated. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this title in advance.

This was totally a 4.5 star read for me. I LOVED IT!!!! The big shots series has been my fav so far, I'm 12/10 obsessed (please give me Sig and Chole asap).

Tallulah has had a traumatic past and it immediately has her questioning her sanity to move in with a man she only met once to become his Au Pair. Especially after seeing the brutal videos coming out of him on the ice. Sir Savage aka mean daddy Burgess has it BAD for Tallulah and when he senses her discomfort he will stop at nothing to ensure she feels safe again.

I cannot wait to immediately devour the rest of this series or honestly anything Tessa Bailey ever writes. If you're in the market for a BIG mean daddy with low key Sam Hartman vibes (look at the cover I mean come on) look no further cuz here it is.

Tessa Bailey never fails to deliver an emotional, SPICY, enjoyable read! I’m not a huge sports romance fan, but I AM a big fan of this hero!

I have quite a few thoughts on this book, and to be honest, not many of them are good.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first third of the book. It was fun and spicy and the characters were intriguing. But after that, the story felt like it got really boring to me. Additionally, the male main character made a comment implying that young people using the term "partner" instead of "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" had to do with lack of commitment and not moving away from heteronormative practices. As someone with a partner myself, this really bothered me, and it threw my whole reading vibe off for the rest of the novel. Especially because Tessa Bailey has been accused of transphobic language before--though I have not read any of her other works outside of this duology, and therefore cannot make an accurate decision regarding those works.

I also felt like the book started dragging after the second third. When the daughter discovered Tallulah and Burgess were dating, I think that should have been the big conflict they had to work out. But then he got injured and was super mean and it kept going from there. By the time the book was over, I was ready for it to be done. The sex scenes also felt weird. They were dirty talking but it didn't really make sense?

Clearly, I was not the right audience for this novel, and that's okay. I hope the potentially harmful comment is changed, though I have no idea whether anyone will even look at this review close enough to read about that. I hope the right readers find this book, though!

Yes, this book is spicy and I think that is all it is meant to be - but it just didn't do it for me. The writing was not good. But let's be real - people don't read Tessa Bailey for the writing quality.

After falling so hard for Wells Whitaker in book one, I thought jumping into this book right after would keep the good times rolling. Not so much.

A few tropes to note:
- single dad x nanny
- age gap (11 years)
- roommates

There wasn't really a plot to this book which was odd considering the one in Fangirl Down. Tallulah worked for Burgess as his daughter's nanny and there was mention of them helping each other conquer the problems in their lives, but we don't really see it on page. Which leads me to what we were seeing on page...

This might be an unpopular opinion, but there was too much sex in this book. I mean that in the sense that nothing really happened except them getting it on. Seriously, it felt like every other page they were grabbing for each other which became annoying. I wanted them to talk and get to know each other and do more than rip each other's clothes off.

This is one I could have skipped, but it introduced characters for book 3 and was suspiciously absent of a very important chapter (I assume she'll release it as a bonus chapter incentive somewhere else). Maybe I'll be alone in my thoughts on this one, but it was a let down after loving Fangirl Down. I'll be back for book 3 though!

I have so many thoughts on this book. I just love Tessa Bailey books. There has not been one that I haven't just adored. In saying that, this was one I struggled a little bit on. Sometimes authors want to you like or not like characters and I couldn't tell how I was supposed to feel about Tallulah. I just felt her whiney and it drove me crazy. I know there are some issues with her, and I wanted to like her character, but I just couldn't. It was a good companion book and I was glad to see that my other favorite characters were doing great. It wasn't a bad read, I liked the book, just not my favorite by her.

3.5/5 stars! I loved the little snippets we got of Burgess and Tallulah in Fangirl Down so I was so excited for this! I love Tessa Baileys writing and this one had the best humor I've read from her lately! The first 70% of the book was so good. I loved the grumpy sunshine and bumbling single father tropes. I didnt though love the trope that was done after 70% and the third act breakup wasn't my favorite. I am though so so excited to see Sig and Chloe I loved them and I really hope they get a book!