This was a very irritating book. The set-up in the beginning is that Tallulah is hesitating to take a job as au pair to hockey star Burgess, because she’s nervous about living with a man she barely knows. She tells him about an extremely traumatic experience she had a few years ago at the hands of a man whom she had thought was a friend. Burgess is horrified and vows that he’d never hurt a woman. Eventually, she decides to take the job because she likes his daughter. Besides it’s a free apartment along with a salary while she’s in graduate school.

And then, this supposedly sensitive guy who doesn’t want to scare her, starts flirting with her and making dirty innuendos indicating he’d like to sleep with her. Way to show his consideration of her nervousness around men. Then eventually they start sleeping together. From that point on, the whole plot almost disappears while they have lots of sex or think about having sex. I’m not a prude, but I don’t want the sex in a romantic novel to outweigh everything else in the novel. The writer skips lightly over big scenes and their aftermaths in order to have more angst about how they’re yearning for each other. And thinking about sex. It just doesn’t add up to a worthwhile book.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

This is not a hot take from me or probably a good amount of people but Tessa does the thing again with this book.

Though I think I may have liked Wells and Josephine's story a little more this one was still really good.

Tallulah was a fun main character though she had a rough past with one man she was still strong, sexy and smart. She just needed a little help to get it all back. I would have loved to have seen some more interactions with her and her family though.

Burgess was also great a big guy that was mean on the ice but a big softie underneath. I liked that he played for Syracuse that was a fun little back ground. Ilive near there so it made it feel a little.more real. He made me want a big sexy boyfriend like him.

The spice scenes were top tear as usually 🥵. I can't wait to see the last book in this little companion series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for my honest review.

I am always entertained by a Tessa Bailey novel. They are light, charming, hopeful and a little spicy. The Au Pair Affair did not disappoint.

The story of an aging hockey player, Burgess, who is smitten by his new au pair, Tallulah. The story bounces between the two main characters telling their sides of the story. You are rooting for the couple from the very beginning, and of course there are some bumps along the way, but the ending does not let you down. The age difference, his 12 y.o. daughter who still wants her parents together, his male ego & some injuries, and a past trauma in Tallulah's life. Can they get to their HEA?

I had not read the first book in the Big Shots series (but will be soon) but did not feel that I had missed too much.

Thanks again Tessa Bailey for making me smile and giving me the perfect beach read with a little spice.
4.5 stars.

Unfortunately, I don’t think Tessa Bailey is for me anymore.

All of her books are repetitive, and this could’ve easily been one of her other novels with the names changed. I just don’t think she’s giving anything funky, fun, or fresh to the romance genre anymore.

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

I especially loved Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey so I was intrigued when she wrote sports romance. I read Fangirl Down a few months ago and enjoyed it! Sadly this one just wasn’t my favorite.

I think the spice has gotten a bit much and the characters did things that bothered me and I couldn’t get behind it.

Overall I’m disappointed in this book, but thankful for the early copy!

I was not expecting to love this as much as I did, but it was delightful!!! I am so glad I gave Tessa Bailey another chance. This one was equal parts steamy and sweet. I recommend to all my romance readers!

Burgess is a burly professional hockey player and single dad to 12 year old Lissa. Tallulah is studying to be a marine biologist and as a result.. a broke college student. When Burgess offers her a job as a live in nanny, Tallulah can’t say no to a beautiful SAFE neighborhood in Boston. But sexual tension begins to soar and there’s no denying the chemistry between the young Tallulah and slightly older single dad Burgess. But eventually Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter Lissa and Tallulah. Burgess will stop at nothing to prove himself to Tallulah, but will it be enough or is he too late?

I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t read a romance in a while or if Tessa Bailey just doesn’t write a bad book but i ADORED this book. I felt each character had depth and history and pain people can relate to. Not to mention the fun playful banter between Burgess and Tallulah. For me, a book cannot be strictly sex scenes and make up/break up and this book is A LOT more than that. There’s character growth, comedic relief, some sports, family dynamics and so much more. I would definitely qualify this as a slow burn but with such good build up. Close proximity, single dad and age gap all involved for this one. I can always count on Tessa Bailey for a palette cleanse from my usual thriller! 5⭐️ from me, check this one out when it releases in less than a month! (July 16). (Side note; this is part of her Big Shots series [#2]) but i had zero problem reading this before i read the first) As always, thank you netgalley for the ARC!

As always, Tessa Bailey does not disappoint. I loved the build of this romance and the way it wove into Fangirl Down, while still being its own standalone story. I found Burgess to be the best kind of gruff and grumpy, and Tallulah was a bright, bubbly light, while still feeling vulnerable and relatable. I will absolutely be singing its praises!

Tessa Bailey has done it again. The perfect amount of wit, humor, tension, and spice!

Tallulah is ready to move to a new city, start a new job, and get reacquainted with people again after living in Antarctica and studying penguins. However, when she comes face to face with her employer, a tall burly hockey player with a heart of gold, she realizes she may not be as ready as she thought.

Feelings run high in this one and you quickly find out that this book is a lot deeper than it looks on the outside. Forced proximity, single dad, and a dash of fake dating also come into play to make it a story that’s both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. A must read for any Tessa Bailey fan!

I love Tessa Bailey’s writing. Funny, witty, and entertaining from cover to cover. I definitely enjoyed reading more about Burgess and Talulah. This is only my second TB book but now I’ve decided to look at some of her older works to see if they are all just like this one. Excited for more!

I really enjoyed this single dad, opposites attract romance. It is the second book in the Big Shot series. Burgess is a hockey player who is a single father to Lissa who is 12 years old. He hires Tallulah as a live in nanny. She is studying to be a marine biologist and needs the money. He is instantly attracted to her, but she has some past trauma that she needs to work through. There are some other obstacles on their path to happiness. One of them being Lissa really wants her parents back together.

This is an amazing read. The humor and heartwarming moments had me turning the pages. The slow burn romance and tension were excellent. I loved the characters and they were so well developed that you were really able to get to know them and feel invested in the outcome. The relationship between Tallulah and Lissa was wonderful. I can’t get enough of Tessa Bailey’s books and really hope to see more in this series! I highly recommend this read. Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and leave my honest review.

The au pair affair was a book I wanted to read and had expectations for. However it fell so flat and left me feeling disappointed. I think I’m just not a fan of Tessa baileys and that’s okay. Her writing style in this book is cringeworthy and felt childish and anti climactic. The main characters didn’t seem to have chemistry in my mind and I found it really hard to connect with either of them. I usually like books with slow burn and hockey and nanny single dad but this just isn’t a book I can recommend or get behind. I think I missed some connection or build up from the first book or something . I hate giving bad reviews but this isn’t the first book that I have struggled with when it comes to this author. I DNF the first one of this series and it happened one summer. I struggled to finish secretly yours and I only liked the same time next year one but still didn’t give it more than 3.75 stars. I think I’m just not a Tessa Bailey fan . I personally wouldn’t recommend this book or this author but I think everyone should try to read at least one of her books cause she’s probably just not for me.thank you to Netgalley for the early ebook arc.

First I’d like to thank NetGalley and Tessa Bailey for allowing me to read an ARC of her upcoming book .

I enjoyed the book, it wasn’t my favorite tho. I just felt it was all very fast and they fall in love so quickly . I just didn’t see any development . I did love him and his daughter tho and I felt some parts are just * chefs kiss* . I just needed more I guess. That being said this is just my opinion and I still recommend for anyone who is looking for a cute read .

4⭐️

I really enjoyed Tallulah and Burgess story !! There is nothing more than a good nanny x single dad romance with an age gap 😉. Another thing that I loved is how down bad Burgess was for Tallulah. Only a girl came dream about a guy groveling and stopping at nothing to get her back !!! This book was very fun and also a little dark for me when it came to her history but had a great time reading this.

Tallulah is studying to be a marine biologist who decides to take a job as a live in nanny for a professional hockey player for some extra cash. Burgess is known for being vicious on the ice and hasn’t dated in years. Tallulah takes it upon herself to get Burgess back on the dating scene in addition to her nannying duties…but she doesn’t expect to have off the charts chemistry with him.

This book was typical Tessa Bailey writing - easy to read, slightly quirky, and fun. While so much of this book was entirely unrealistic, I still enjoyed it so much. The spice was spicy and I loved how Burgess fell first and hard for Tallulah.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have been frothing at the mouth for Tallulah and Burgess’s story sense I read fan girl down - and it did not disappoint. These two were so good for each other, their chemistry was perfect and the way that they complemented each other in their journeys scratched and itch in my mind. I went into this ARC pretty blind, so Tallulah’s backstory/trauma was a bit of a surprise for me. I really like that this series has taken a slightly more serious turn in that the first book dealt with living with/loving someone with health issues and this book deals with PTSD.

As much as I usually don’t like a third act break up, this one was actually pretty low angst and needed imo. The characters needed time to deal with some stuff and I felt that the groveling was in a sweet spot of being realistic, while also incredibly moving and sweet.

I do wish there was a little more hockey content. We only see him playing twice, so I wouldn’t really classify this as a hockey romance.

Tessa Bailey is so great at what she does. This is the second installment in her Big Shot series, and as much as I liked that one, I liked this one even more!

It was definitely more slow-burn, which I liked. Tallulah and Burgess were really interesting characters to get to know, each dealing with their own past and trauma and helping each other through. I really enjoyed the hockey aspect of it as well, but would have liked more.

Definitely recommend this one when it publishes July 16th!

Thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC!

This was a fantastic single-dad story. Burgess was a wonderful father who was so supportive of his daughter and was trying his best to understand and connect with her now that she was getting older. Tallulah was quirky, smart, funny, and so full of joy. I really liked how she helped Burgess form a better understanding and deeper connection with his daughter. I also adored her relationship with his daughter. I loved how Burgess has had a crush on Tallulah since their very first meeting. You could feel the attraction and tension between them right away. They were a perfect match. There was a little bit of angst after they got together that caused them to break up. But the end was incredibly sweet, with Burgess showing Tallulah how much she meant to him, and they got their happy ending.

𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺? perfection 💖

This sports romance between Tallulah, who is in need of a job and housing while she studies marine biology in Boston, and Burgess a hockey player/single dad who offers her a job as the nanny of his tween daughter, is absolutely delicious 🏒💕

Burgess, the hockey player, definitely wants to get to know Tallulah (and totally date her) from the moment he sees her. The only problem is that Tallulah doesn't date. What better way to convince her by.. well convincing her 😏

Tallulah isn't your typical nanny with an extroverted personality. She is complex, has a past she's itching to get over, and wants to start living life without feeling scared. It made my heart swoon to see how she grew 🌱 as a person throughout the book. 💖

Burgess understands he's nearing the end of his hockey career but is in denial. Even back pains won't make him give up everything he has. It isn't until someone shows up that he begins to understand what life is like outside of hockey... and he wants MORE ‼️‼️

I adored this book 💕 because of the depth the characters were presented with. Every person has many layers, and until you fully love yourself, you won't be able to love another person completely. ❤️✨

FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS, I hope we get a third book! 📚

Fav quote:
“So this is . . . a result of the high-protein diet. Good to know. Good. To. Know.”
“Tallulah?”
“Yes?” Slowly, he leaned in. And oh-so-casually flexed his arm. “I’m like this all over.”
“Oh.”

Tropes:
💙Hockey Romance
💙Age Gap
💙Single Dad x Nanny (AuPair)
💙He Falls First and Hard
💙Found Family
💙Third POV

Thank you Avon, HarperCollins, Netgalley and Tessa Bailey for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review ꪆৎ

I truly can’t decide which story I likes more- Fangirl Down or the Au Pair Affair. They both are master pieces in their own way and imma need the third book STAT.

Tallulah is a marine biologist who is offered a job as an au pair for a friend of a friend, but given her past she’s resistant to take it. Burgess is a grumpy hockey star with a daughter he loves but doesn’t understand. Burgess also has a crush on Tallulah and as much as he needs her for the au pair position, he also secretly wants him for himself … or maybe not so secret.

Tallulah and Burgess. Where can I begin? Lord the tension. The sweet parts to the spicy parts. The pining. Loved all of it.