This one really hits you in the feels! Oh my goodness. Burgess is a grumpy hockey player, and he's known as Sir Savage for a reason. Tullulah is finishing up grad school for marine biology, and stumbles into an au pair position for none other than Burgess himself, helping out with his twelve year old daughter.

Bringing their own unique baggage into things, they can't manage to stay away from one another. Confusing feelings, hesitance to accept those feelings, and lack of timely communication lead to hurt feelings and broken hearts. Can they find their way to a happy life, with or without each other?

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶️🌶️

Single dad/nanny
Forced proximity
Hockey
Grumpy/ sunshine
Age gap

The Au Pair Affair is the second book in the Big Shots Series.

I thoroughly enjoy when the MMC is a grump and is overprotective. With Burgess and Tallulah’s story we get multiple issues to overcome, both with trauma, divorce/ separation issues and teen drama.

Burgess and Tallulah had instant chemistry and it was so incredibly distracting how they could go from incredibly sweet, and caring to such spice and dirty talk.

I loved the growth these characters had both together and apart! Tallulah was able to gain confidence and independence and Burgess opened up and became so adventurous!

Absolutely loved the interactions with Wells and Josephine and cannot wait to see where the next story goes!

I received an ARC copy of this book and am leaving an honest review.

Thank you to @NetGalley for letting me read the advanced ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This book was alright, the spicy scenes were nice, but the love connection just wasn't believable. I didn't enjoy the FMC she was just to wishy washy which got irritating. I love Tessa Baileys books but I didn't love this one. Age gap romances are not my personal favorite either.

I enjoyed reading The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

This is my first read by Tessa Bailey and I absolutely loved this one! I am also a sucker for single dad and I think she did this trope well!

Burgess is a Hockey star in Boston but at 37 he is toward the end of his career. He is looking for a nanny for his 12 year old daughter and hires his best friends fiancés best friend. (Did you follow that?! lol) Tallulah is everything Burgess is not. She loves adventure and trying new things and is sunshine to his grumpy. She is also amazing with his daughter. Tallulah can connect with her on a level that Burgess so desperately wants. Due to a past situation Tallulah has major trust issues. Burgess proves to her that she can trust him and she teaches him how to communicate with people off the ice, most importantly his daughter.

I adored this book! Burgess is grumpy and closed off to any sort of relationship and a beast on the ice. But the moment he meets Tallulah his world is flipped upside down! He gets tunnel vision and only sees Tallulah but she does not make it easy on him. She is scared and doesn't feel safe but slowly Burgess breaks down all those walls! He provides the protection and reassurance she needs and slowly falls for this huge teddy bear of a man! And the hospital part broke me! I went through so many emotions with this book. I loved the playfulness between Burgess and Tallulah. I loved the growth we see from Burgess as a father. This was my first Tessa Bailey book but it will not be my last!

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, fast-paced, steamy and I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed this book and will look for more books by this author.

💭 MY THOUGHTS: Sports romances by Tessa are an absolutely must! Both Fangirl Down (golf) and The Au Pair Affair (hockey) are 5-stars for me. Burgess had the ultimate Zaddy vibes that had me swooning. And Tallulah is adorable. The perfect sunshine to Burgess’ grump.

I loved how Tessa highlighted the sexiness of hockey. Burgess’s nickname in Boston is Sir Savage and while he can be that on the ice, he’s so much more too. Tallulah can’t get enough even when she doesn’t want to.

I also really enjoyed that Wells and Josephine had cameos in the book!

Read for:
🏒 Hockey Romance
⛅️ Grump Sunshine
🧢 Single Dad
🔢 Age Gap
🏠 Forced Proximity
🌶️ Spicy
💫 He Falls First
📍 Boston

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

3.75-4 stars. This was a good book! The Au Pair Affair is the second book in the Big Shots series. We met Tallulah in Fangirl Down. Her best friend is engaged to Burgess's best friend. Burgess is a pro hockey player and single dad. He hires Tallulah to be his au pair for his tween daughter when she moves to his city to go to grad school. They have an immediate attraction, but he is her boss and there is an age gap. Still, they soon see how much they fit together and the strong connection they have.

This book had great writing and an interesting story, along with Ms. Bailey's signature dirty talk and steam. I found it hard to put down. I really liked Tallulah and Burgess together. The story had less light moments than the previous book in the series. Still, their relationship was romantic, sexy and emotional. They each hurt each other at times and their relationship required more work than I usually prefer, but I enjoyed their relationship development and I was happy they worked it all out in the end. They both deserved their happy ever after so much. I hope this series continues and I look forward to what Ms. Bailey comes up with next!

3.5 stars rounded up. Overall, a cute read! There were a few things I didn’t love, like the MMC calling her “girl” and how he kept pitching what felt like, a tantrum, when things weren’t going his way. That detracted from the story a bit for me but overall, I loved Tellulah and I love their chemistry!

Cute, typical Tessa Bailey read. Quick and easy to read with two adorable characters. Felt the age difference was referenced too much. And always like the reference to past characters and new characters as well.

There will never be a Tessa Bailey book that I don't absolutely adore - including this one!! This had all of my favorite tropes, hockey (a recent obsession I have to add), single dad (always a good choice), and a live in nanny - literally can't ask for more. I just had such a good time reading it and it was the perfect summer read. Can't recommend it enough!

I loved this follow up to Fangirl Down even more than the first! I really liked both the main male and female characters, and loved the FMCs friend as well, I hope she gets her own book!

The spice was spicing and the characters chemistry was great!

I will be recommending to my followers who enjoy:
- Sports romance
- Burly MMCs
- Age Gap and Single Dad Tropes

Note: I think an assault TW would be helpful as that was a shock to read.

I have been looking forward to reading Burgess and Tallulah's story and it didn't disappoint! The second book in the Big Shot's series was worth the wait. I really enjoyed the tension between the characters. They were so charged it jumped off the page. The tropes included forced proximity, hockey romance, nanny/boss, age gap, single dad, and opposites attract.

Tallulah is quirky and interesting. She's a marine biologist that has been floating from internships and short-term positions in the most isolated parts of the world. She has been overcoming a past trauma and learning to trust people and herself to live without fear. She is a free-spirit and has a knack for making Burgess see situations and people from a different point-of-view. She is a perfect buffer between him and his daughter so that he can relate more to her needs.

Burgess is a protective and insanely hot hockey player. He went through an amicable divorce but he also lost himself afterward. The only thing he felt in control of was his hockey career so he has held onto that with both hands. Hockey players don't last forever, and Burgess is a veteran on his team as the captain. He fell for Tallulah instantly in the first book of the series, Fangirl, when they met at a dinner with Josephine and Will. He asks her to consider being his nanny so. that she can be close while she's attending school and help him out taking care of his 12 year-old daughter. The chemistry is off the charts and he struggles with protecting her while also wanting her even though she's technically employed by him.

One of the things I found most relatable about this book was the struggle Burgess had with his confidence after his divorce. He felt defeated and old. He was scared to death of aging out of hockey and losing his career, but he also lost all confidence in himself in every other area of his life. He just felt if he wasn't a hockey player that he had nothing to give. Tallulah really helped him discover himself and force him to see that he is so much more then his career.

The groveling scenes in this book were very satisfying. The only criticism I had was the length of the third act breakup. I understood that both of them needed to be forced apart to overcome some of their insecurities and issues. I just felt some of the push and pull went on a little long and it became a little frustrating.

Overall, this was one of my most anticipated releases of the summer and I loved it! The chemistry and banter were top tier, and both of these characters were likable and relatable. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone whether you like sports romance or not! It was a thoroughly entertaining read!

Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this advanced reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest review!

EASILY my favorite Tessa Bailey book to date!!! Tessa’s writing is so engaging and entertaining! Tallulah and Burgess were absolutely ADORABLE. Star of the show is for sure Tallulah. She is so cute and quirky and the way she genuinely cares about Burgess and wants to help him in all aspects of his life with Lissa is so endearing. Understandably so, Lissa causes inadvertent rifts between her dad and Tallulah but the connection the characters is so undeniable. I loved it!! 4/5 stars!

I fell in LOVE with Tessa Bailey when I read It Happened One Summer. Her books are hilarious and the banter between her main characters is chefs kiss.

The Au Pair Affair (book# 2 in the Big Shots series) is a rom-com following Burgess, a hockey vet and newly single dad and Tallulah, his grad student live in Au Pair.  Tallulah has a lot of emotional baggage and is understandably so, standoffish... I mean to the point of me yelling at my kindle to get it together girl recognize your dang feelings! Burgess was so far gone for Tallulah from the beginning and loved how he and Tallulah grew separately while growing together. Third act breakups do not bother me I literally love the angst and groveling LOL

Read if you like:
single dad/nanny
hockey romance
age gap
grumpy/ sunshine
forced proximity

Thank you so much @netgalley and @avonbooks and @HarperVoyagerUS for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

5 Stars!
Tallulah Aydin spent a year in Antarctica researching and studying penguins. Now she's heading to Boston University where she will be working on her master's in marine biology. The only issue is money is tight, and she needs a place to stay. When she's offered a job that allows her to live in a fancy place in Beacon Hill, it's the perfect opportunity. All she has to do is be a live in nanny to a sweet tween. This job should be easy except now she's living with a hot single dad and his daughter. She barely knows him, but feels a connection that's natural. While in Boston she wants to find her sense of adventure again. She hopes to make new friends, and have new experiences. As her attraction to her boss intensifies, she begins to wonder if this beautiful man was also meant to be a part of her journey.

Burgess Abraham has lived in Boston for the last fifteen years where he's a professional hockey player for the Boston Bearcats. The NHL legend is the team captain also known as "Sir Savage" for his aggressiveness on the ice. He's a divorced single father whose love life lately has been nonexistent. The eligible bachelor is a bit grumpy, and extremely set in his ways. His top priority is his daughter Lissa. When he's suddenly in need of an au pair, nothing but the best will do. He hires a young, intelligent grad student named Tallulah. Everything is great until he develops a crush on his gorgeous nanny. With their eleven year age difference she was quickly labeled off limits. They were at different places in their lives, but he still secretly longed to be more than just her employer. He knew it would be inappropriate to pursue her romantically because of their arrangement, but their chemistry was unexpected and all consuming. Will they choose to complicate their situation, or keep things in the friend zone?

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey is the second book in the Big Shots series. I've wanted more of Burgess and Tallulah since we met them in Fangirl Down as Wells and Josephine's best friends. This was a single dad, nanny, boss/employee, slow burn, opposites attract, forced proximity, age gap, friends to lovers, sports romance about self discovery, second chances and beautiful connections. I really loved this sweet rom com with fantastic banter and all the swoon! I adore this series, and can't wait for Sig and Chloe's book! <333

5 Taking the Ultimate Chance Stars!!

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Fangirl Down, but this book, if possible topped my love for that book. Tallulah and Burgess really aren’t supposed to happen. She’s his live-in nanny to his tween daughter and his somewhat of a grump and Tallulah is the exact opposite. So imagine Burgess’s shock when he finds himself so attracted to her that he’s just not sure what to do with himself!

So begins a story that has chemistry galore, witty banter and tension that builds and builds until they almost combust. I loved these two together so much. She brings such lightness to his life which he desperately needs especially as the story moves along and he in turn helps her grow her confidence. I loved how he cared for her and respected her. But these two definitely aren’t perfect especially when it comes to Lissa and how she feels about her parents getting back together.

I love how the relationship between Lissa and Tallulah develops. This young girl truly finds a mentor in Tallulah which helps her resolve some issues that are so prevalent in our society today. And even though she wasn’t crazy about her Dad and Tallulah being together, can she find the error of her ways before it’s too late?

There is some angst in this book thanks to Tallulah doing what she thinks is best for both Burgess and Lissa. There’s plenty of apologizing going on, but is it enough for them to get past their hesitations and accept that they’re truly meant to be no matter what? Well, I’m sure it’s a given, but along the way, this story has a wonderful slow burn, sizzling chemistry, a single-parent that will do anything for his child and woman that love can be everything she always dreamed it would be!

The Au Pair was a fun read. Though I didn’t enjoy it as much as It Happened One Summer, I was pleased by the single dad trope (which I do not see often in romance novels) with the slight age gap. I think that’s what drew me in. There is A LOT of smexy scenes and internal monologues in the book. If you read Tessa Bailey then you know what you are in for. For me, I felt like there was an excessive amount of those scenes but maybe I’m not the target audience. One of my friends would totally eat this up. Besides the spice I really liked the story. There were some serious undertones including PTSD, abduction and chronic pain that really built up the book for me. Alongside the serious issues there was humor thrown in which I always appreciate!!

Thank you NetGalley for providing an early eARC in exchange for an honest review!!

#NetGalley #tessabailey #theaupairaffair

Tessa Bailey does it again! Wow! She is making me a fan of sports romances.
The Au Pair Affair is out TODAY!!! You 101% need to pick this book up.
The second book in the Big Shots series features our favorite best friend Tallulah, and her older, single-dad boss, Burgess, who is also a hockey star. Burgess hires Tallulah to be his live in au pair and help with his young daughter and maybe fall in love with him?
This is a classic grumpy/sunshine, who hurt you, he falls first, forced proximity, nanny/boss, MEAN DADDY, and age gap.
The sexual tension and the groveling in this book was top notch. Bailey is the queen of romance and spice! 🌶️🥵

As someone who LOVED Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey, the first book in the Big Shots trilogy, to say I was excited to get the opportunity to read The Au Pair Affair early would be an understatement. Huge thanks to Tessa Bailey, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this!

This was such a fun read! I thoroughly enjoy hockey romance books, so the fact that this one followed Burgess, a professional hockey player who we met in Fangirl Down, was extremely exciting. We got the setup for this book in that one, which had me very curious as to how this was going to go. Please read Fangirl Down first before reading this! If you love it, you’re sure to feel the same about this one and will be so thrilled with Josephine and Wells’ cameos in this one!

The dynamic and tension between the main characters, Burgess and Tallulah, was so palpable and I found myself rooting for them every chance I got. The use of the grumpy/sunshine trope also had me hooked. Burgess was so incredibly grumpy and seeing exactly how Tallulah’s presence impacted his character was one of my favorite things about this novel.

I also was extremely interested in the characters’ lives and their growth throughout the book. This book kept me turning the pages and I was fully invested. I have thought about this novel so often after I finished reading it, and feel that it will stay with me for a long time! I adored it and it’s up there with my favorite Tessa Bailey novels now!

This story not only showed how Wells and Josephine were doing, but it also set up the storyline and couple for the third novel. I am now SO CURIOUS about the third novel in the Big Shots series! The upcoming couple’s backstory piqued my curiosity like no other and made them endearing already! I can’t wait to read the next book!

All in all, I loved the Au Pair Affair and can’t wait for book 3!