Tessa Bailey is a master of romance and no one will ever convince me otherwise! **Spicy Romance ;)**

The second book on the Big Shots series really delivered - hockey romance, single dad who needs live-in nanny, spice, and, most importantly, heart.

Tallulah is a smart FMC and was definitely the perfect match for Burgess, a hockey player girl dad who needs help. I love when the story slowly turns up the heat and the main characters cannot stay away from each other, no matter what obstacles stand in their way.

These two characters have ALL THE CHEMISTRY and I loved reading their journey so much! Bring on book 3 in this series, because I want more!

Having really enjoyed Fangirl Down, I was looking forward to Burgess and Tallulah's story. While I flew through the first half, the rest fell a bit flat for me.
The Au Pair Affair follows 37 year old hockey player Burgess and 26 year old Tallulah who is studying to become a marine biologist. When Burgess offers her the job to be a live-in-nanny, she jumps at the chance.
Since this is a single dad/nanny romance, I was hoping to see more of that but we rarely see Tallulah -or even Burgess - interacting with Lissa. I did like the scenes that were included and loved that Burgess listens to Tallulah’s advice when it comes to connecting with Lissa as well as the rookies on the team. I really hope we see more of them in the next book!

Considering Tallulah’s past, I was surprised by how quickly lust overrides all of her hesitancy to get close to another man. I expected more of a slow-burn. That being said, I did like her and Burgess together. To everyone else, Burgess is a huge grump but he's just a big teddy bear for Tallulah. They had great chemistry and I loved how respectful they were of each other's boundaries.

It was great seeing Wells and Josephine again and I’m curious about how Chloe and Sig’s story will play out!

I loved the couple in this book. The chemistry between them was off the charts. The banter was top notch. Tessa Bailey can do no wrong in my eyes.

I really enjoyed Fangirl Down and the second book in the series was even better! This is a hockey romance and it’s spicy hot. Burgess…hot ass defenseman, Sir Savage, he falls first, single dad, touch her and I’ll kill you alpha male. So many things I love in my main men. I think hockey romance is my new favorite romance era. The chemistry between Tallulah and Burgess was on point. I loved that he was willing to listen to Tallulah’s advice and be a better dad for his daughter. I read this so fast and if you enjoyed Fangirl Down, I think you will highly enjoy the second book in this series. Looking forward to Sig and Chloe next!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for my copy of this book which published 7/16.

A cute Hockey romance. Tellulah is hired as a nanny for Burgess's daughter who is a tween. I loved how Tellulah and Lissa bonded right away until Lissa saw something between Tellulah and Burgess. Lissa wants her parents to get back together and when she is told no then she hates Tellulah. Burgess and his ex are coparenting so they see each other alot. I like how they still seemed to get a long. Tellulah was a character that I also enjoyed. This is the 2nd book of the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC to review.

I absolutely loved Fangirl down and I was so excited for this book! I thought the last 30% of the book was the best. The beginning was a bit slow for me and I felt the connection between the characters weren’t as strong or as engaging compared to the FMC and MMC in fangirl downs

I still enjoyed the idea of this book and reading it but it didn’t have the same emotion and wanting to see how it goes for me.

Overall it was enjoyable and I’ll be recommending it but maybe I overhyped it after the first book. I thought the drama and romance at the end of the book did save this book overall!

There were some hockey scenes as well but it’s not super heavy compared to other hockey center romance books.

I also loved the relationship between the MMC and his daughter. The development as a single dad and having a pre teen. That was very heartwarming.

Welp. The first book of this series was the first I'd ever read of Tessa Bailey's and this just solidified why I love her. I love how wholesome her characters are, even when they're doing awfully filthy things. This book was so much of what I needed. No fantasy. No fighting wars. Just two people falling in love, screwing it up, and then fighting their way back to each other.

Burgess was a delightful MMC. He was vicious. Huge in size. Held a wicked moniker. And a huge freaking teddy bear on the inside. He struggled to connect with his daughter, but it was clear how much he wanted to. He just needed someone to show him the way.

Tallulah, meanwhile, needed the perfect combination of his gruff demeanor and protective tendencies to come out of her shell. Her history broke my heart. But the way she found reasons to be positive were so heartwarming. I also loved that I could catch glimpses of a certain Turkish drama series character within the details of Tallulah.

I liked the way Wells and Josephine played into this story. And I really liked Lissa, Burgess's daughter. Her characterization felt appropriate for her twelve years. The way she viewed her dad as both the most insufferable man on the planet, but also the hero of her whole universe. I appreciated how she at one point wanted her parents to get back together until she understood how happy Burgess had been lately and what the cause of it truly was.

This book just had everything I wanted and needed it to have and I know I can expect that from Tessa Bailey. Her third act splits aren't just a collection of miscommunication tropes. Her characters are witty and funny. And she always leaves me looking forward to the next book. So the news of a Sig and Claire book on the horizon? Totally made my day.

4.5 stars

I knew from meeting these two characters, Burgess and Tallulah, in the first book in this Big Shots series (Fangirl Down), that their story was going to be good.
I five starred that book and this book was almost as good for me!

This is a single dad, age gap, nanny, hockey, opposites attract romance. Burgess is a veteran hockey player at 37 years old who needs help caring for his twelve year old daughter. He is aloof, surly with a protective streak a mile high. He has been thinking a lot of Tallulah since he first met her.

Tallulah is 26 years old and finishing up her Masters degree in Marine Biology. She needs some kind of income to live in Boston and cautiously accepts the au pair affair job.

I really loved the development of the relationship between them. The author’s books are known to be quite spicy, but it didn’t really pick up until the halfway point.

I enjoyed seeing Wells and Josephine again and meeting Sig and Chloe. I’m looking forward to their story next.

3.75 stars. I really liked this forbidden-ish, single dad, grumpy/sunshine storyline. Great chemistry and banter. I did struggle with how it’s written but after I got use to it I enjoyed it more.

🐧Age Gap
🏒Hockey Romance
🐧Single Dad
🏒Nanny/Boss
🐧Grumpy/Sunshine
🏒Instant Attraction

First of all, thank you so much to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book before its release date. I loved this one so much. It works through the flaws of both main characters to make them both stronger in the end to be a happy couple. The progression of this relationship happened quicker than I expected, but it also felt natural.

It also set it up perfectly for the next book in the series so I cannot wait to read that.

This was a great read, filled with Tessa Bailey's signature spice and banter (a lot of spice). I enjoyed this sports romance (they're growing on me more) and would recommend it to the big daddy, hockey loving girlies.

The Au Pair Affair is a steamy romcom that is cute, quirky and very predictable. Burgess, a pro hockey player hires Tallulah to be an au pair for his daughter. Steamy sexual bantering occurs which ultimately ends up in a steamy romance.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was incredibly entertaining and smoking hot! The Au Pair Affair was filled with everything I've come to know and love from Tessa Bailey. It was sweet and funny as well as emotional. I laughed, I cheered, I got teary-eyed, and I held my breath as Burgess and Tallulah got to their HEA. Fantastic read!

After meeting Burgess and Tallulah in the last book, Fangirl Down, and what had been set up, I was super excited to dive in and I was not disappointed. I loved learning about Tallulah and what happened in her past to form who she is. I felt so much for her and how she was trying to challenge herself and put herself out there. Burgess was everything! I loved how he was crushing on her right from the start and how protective he was. He had a heart of gold. I loved the development and challenges of their relationship, from the conflict of her being his au pair to the age difference plus the personal issues they were dealing with. There were all these can't-go-there moments that I could feel vibrating between them. Burgess had the best flirt ever and it just kept amping up. When the spice takes hold, watch out! Burgess is dirty and sexy. It was the build to those moments that made it so combustible.

There was a wonderful cast of characters involved. I loved seeing Wells and Josephine and the humor they brought. I liked the dynamic with Burgess’s daughter and how the au pair job created conflict. I adored what's been set up for his teammate Sig and his soon-to-be stepsister Chloe. I’m looking forward to more in the series!

There was a good amount of drama involved and it could be a little intense. There was a moment or two where I wanted to throw my Kindle and yell at them both. That, however, is what I loved. Being a part of the story and making me feel it all. I loved the build, the openness and vulnerability, the playfulness and fun.

This was so freaking good! It was filled with all these exceptional moments that filled me up and had me cheering. There was great development giving me just what I needed when I needed it. I loved the remarkable characters, the entertaining and heartfelt scenes, and the scorching hot ones too. This is not to be missed!

This was my first from Tessa Bailey, and now I’m on a mission to read her backlog. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be into the dad/nanny age gap romance, but man was I wrong! I was giggling, and feeling all kinds of hot and bothered. The romance was sweet, the tension was palpable, the characters and growth was perfection. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Ok I’m not even a fan of hockey romances but I thought “well it’s Tessa Bailey so of course I’m gonna read it”…now I’m a fan of hockey romance! This was so sweet and I couldn’t put it down.

Tallulah is a marine biologist who agrees to be an au pair for a star hockey player while she finishes college. Burgess is a veteran hockey player who knows his time in the rink is probably coming close to an end.

This book was so cute and funny while still having some serious issues addressed throughout!

This was 4/5 for me and I would highly recommend!

Burgess, a single dad who is a hockey player, is in need of a live-in nanny when he meets Tallulah who happens to be friends with Josephine who is engaged to his best friend, Wells. Tallulah is in school to be a marine biologist but is looking for extra work and living in a super nice neighborhood and taking care of Burgess’ tween daughter, Lissa, is right up her alley. Burgess and Tallulah are both very attracted to each other and this living together arrangement is only adding fuel to their fire. Lissa loves Tallulah but is dead set on her parents getting back together even though her mother is engaged. It puts Tallulah in a weird position and she ends up walking away even though it hurts her heart. Burgess struggles when she leaves, but eventually his daughter pushes him to go after what he really wants.

This may be my favorite Tessa Bailey book to date. I looooove a hockey romance and Burgess and Tallulah were perfect for each other. The forced proximity was great and the age gap added an interesting storyline as well. The bond she helped him build with his daughter was great and how Lissa looked up to Tallulah and came around to the idea of her being with her dad was well done. This story has plenty of spice and I thought their romance was perfect.

“I’m starting to think this au pair affair is going to be fun to watch.”

And it was!

As I mentioned in my Fangirl Down review, Tessa Bailey writes “man obsessed” like no other. After loving Fangirl Down, and meeting Tallulah and Burgess, I was so excited for their story.

Boston Bearcats team captain, Burgess Abraham, also known as Sir Savage, has been quietly FERAL for Tallulah since day one. He feels a connection to her and wants to take care of her immediately in any way he can. This includes providing her with a sweatshirt during his hockey game when he realizes to his horror that she is cold.

Aspiring Marine Biologist Tallulah Aydin recognizes the defenseman’s DILF status, but she is not looking for love. Tallulah has experienced some major trauma (stalking and domestic violence), which has significantly altered the trajectory of her life and faith in others. She needs to focus on healing and graduating. She does NOT want to settle down with this handsome “Mean Daddy” even if the sex is great, he’s protective and makes her feel strong. So what?

The overall energy in this one had a more serious undertone then some of Tessa’s other books, which was balanced well with more humor and interactions from Burgess teammates. I loved every interaction; the conversations provided lightness and introductions to future MMC’s. I am going to need Sig’s story tomorrow and I hope one of the rookies gets paired with an older FMC. Please please please

It was refreshing to see the father/ daughter/ new GF dynamic where there are more complicated feelings. As a stepparent, I think it is more common than some of the other single parent books I’ve read suggest.

While I did enjoy most aspects of this book, I was not a fan of the spice. Burgess could take some lessons from Fox and Wells in dirty talk- “I’ll keep my hips bucking for the next thirty-six hours.” He also called her “girl” during intimate scenes and that just wasn’t for me. And despite all the steamy scenes, there was no mention of contraception.

What to expect:
• DILF/ Nanny
• Sports romance
• Grumpy/ sunshine
• Age gap (He’s 37, she’s 26)
• Right person, wrong time
• Epic level horniness
• Man obsessed
• Boston setting
• Interactions with Sig (need his story asap) and Wells and other team mates
• An intervention that reminded me of my beloved Bergman interventions

Thank you so much to Avon Books for an early digital copy; all thoughts are my own.

after loving Fangirl Down I was disappointed with this one. I think Tessa is an author that is hit or miss for me and unfortunately this felt more like a miss. I didn’t believe how willing Burgess was to help Tallulah for seemingly no reason. I thought some moments were soft and meaningful but overall I wanted a bit more from this

I accidentally read this before Fangirl Down… oops! But this was cute? Steamy? Made me feel a little uncomfy?

Like Fangirl Down, this book follows two characters who have an employee and employer relationship, which, again, makes me feel weird. And it gets weirder because the employee, the FMC, is actually the MMC’s live-in nanny. So already, boundaries are blurred.

But looking past that and the potential for coercion, Tallulah and Burgess were hot! You had so many tropes with this one: single dad, age gap, nanny, sports romance, and forced proximity. All of which made with lots of angst and tension!!

The spice was consistent and came fast (it began real close to the beginning), which I appreciated. I’d give it like 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

(Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

If I could only use one word for this book, perhaps I’d use “incomplete.” There is a strong focus on the attraction and chemistry between Burgess and Tallulah, jumping directly to a very high level of spice, and everything else falls by the wayside. I think this 100% should have been written without a child involved - because that child is basically ignored for the majority of the time. Working as his assistant or some other forced proximity would have worked just fine. There is so little backstory on either of the main characters, and their personalities don’t really shine through in present actions. The third act break up is terrible, awful, toxic and unforgivable. And beyond that, it was so out of character. He could have pushed her away without being vile. There are small complaints, like very repetitive and sometimes very off putting language (Tallulah smelling of oranges and basil at least 5 times), or “her thighs like a big box store on the opening on Black Friday.” Overall this was not for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to provide my honest review.