The Au Pair Affair was another good romance from Tessa Bailey. It has all the spiciness you expect in one of her novels. It has likable main characters and a fun plot! I'd definitely recommend this for fans of Tessa Bailey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This started out so great, I thought for sure it would be 5 stars. I loved the Boston setting, the hockey scenes, the Red Sox references ("I get a little emotional talking about Pedro Martinez" - gah!). A lot of it was laugh out loud funny, especially the phone conversations between Burgess and Wells, and the singles mixer in the park. Then it turned into....something else. My complaints: if "au pair" is in the title, maybe you could have your character, I don't know, take care of the child who is under her care? There weren't many scenes with Tallulah and Lissa - I felt that was a missed opportunity - and Lissa basically took care of herself for the entire book. And I didn't buy the insta-love on the part of Tallulah. After reading about her past trauma, I thought it was rather unbelievable how she acted around Burgess within days of him becoming her boss. Once the (no spoilers) big event happens with him, I pretty much lost interest in the story. Also, she's a college student with supposedly limited funds, and makes a big deal (rightly so!) about a hockey sweatshirt costing $75, yet during the third act breakup, she goes on all these adventures that have to cost several hundred dollars each. I'm nitpicking, but yeah, that kind of turned me off. I was hoping for more of Wells and Josephine, especially once we got to the wedding since they are all best friends. I can only hope they all make appearances if there's a third book. To end on a positive note, I did love the way it ended - the last two words were perfect.

I loved this book a bunch! The writing was so easy to get into and the romance was very well written and it was so addictive!

When Tallulah Aydin travels to a golf match to meet up with her best friend, Josephine and her boyfriend Wells she is introduced to Burgess "Sir Savage" Abraham and is instantly smitten. Tallulah is starting her masters program and needs money so when Burgess offers her the job to be the Au Pair for his 12 year old daughter, Lissa she jumps at the chance. Money and a place to live sounds like a dream, except Tallulah is nervous living with a man she does not know. This is because of some terror from her past.

Everything is going well. Tallulah just adores Lissa and Burgess loves how she is able to handle his tween daughter. The hard part is trying to fight their feelings for each other while living under the same roof. It's also not easy knowing Burgess is eleven years older than Tallulah and that Lissa is hoping her parents are getting back together....which they aren't!

Life is going perfectly until Lissa finds out about Tallulah and her dad and everything blows up. Then when something happens to Burgess he shuts Tallulah and everyone else out of his life. By the time he realizes what he did, it will take an act of God to win Tallulah back but he does it in grand fashion.

I loved this steamy nanny/boss love story. Tallulah was going through life avoiding certain things and until she was ready to deal with those things she was never going to find her happy ever after. Thankfully she does a lot of soul searching and they come together in a perfect way. Burgess knew they whole time she was the one for him and I loved how he made her realize that. This was such a fun and entertaining read that me laughing. Great job!

After reading Fangirl Down and meeting Burgess and Tallulah I knew that this next book “The Au Pair Affair” was not going to be a book I was going to miss. Tallulah is in Boston in grad school earning her Masters. Back from Antarctica where she studied Penguins we found out that she was going to be looking for a job and a place to stay in “Fangirl Down”. Burgess in need of some help and having an extra room volunteered his extra room and a job watching his twelve year old daughter when she is out of school.
This was everything I wanted it to be and more. Tallulah is hestiant in the beginning of the book to move in and for good reason. She has a past that wasn’t all that great due to an expierenced she faced. Burgess is a big softie off the ice and especially with Tallulah. I loved their dynamic and could not have been happier with how their characters played out. It really was everything I needed this book to be and wanted at this current time for what I wanted to read.
I really hope that Tessa Bailey is not done with this series and we do in fact get a Chloe/Sig book! We got to see them so much in this book that I am dying for a book about them and really hope that it is in the works!

Tessa Bailey does it again in the“The Au Pair Affair.” This book sucks you in on the first page. The characters and story draw you in and keep you hooked.
Tallulah needs a place to stay and has agreed to help out Burgess as an au pair for his daughter. Burgress needs someone to help with his daughter when he is out on the road. Burgess helps Tallulah with her past issues and finding herself again. Tallulah helps Burgress related to his daughter and his team. As they spend more time with each other sparks start to fly.
Highly recommend this book.

This book was fine. It was that fun, spicy Tessa Bailey story that I've enjoyed, but as compared to its other book in the series, Fangirl Down, it didn't do as much for me. I love a good single dad and nanny story but this one felt so slow. There wasn't much build up and really it was just a forbidden, but not really romance with a hockey player who is infatuated with his au pair. Enjoyed the spice, less so the story.

I always love stories by this author!

They are easy to read and connect with the characters. I loved how easily Tallulah stepped into Burgess and Lissa’s life - even if she was hesitant at first. (When you know the reason for her reluctance, it becomes quite understandable.) The banter and chemistry between these two kept the pages flipping! So good. She has what they need, and they have what she needs. Such great chemistry between these two! Until someone says something they shouldn’t, and feelings get hurt.

It was quite impossible to stop reading once I began. I enjoyed the relationship Burgess had with his teammates, even if he was a super grumpy guy! This has all the features of a good hockey romance read, and I recommend it highly.

The characters had a rollercoaster of emotions before reaching their HEA, but I loved reading it! The combination of humor and tension in the dynamic between Burgess and Tallulah made for a highly entertaining experience. I am excited about what’s coming next in the series. I thank Netgalley and HarperCollins for my complimentary book, am happy to leave my review.

Tallulah and Berguss were a great read. The tension was palpable, the forced proximity was well done. Loved the age gap aand grumpy sunshine as well. It felt like the perfect amount of Angst not too much but enough for you to just root for them to get together! I will state I did not read the first book in this series, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything. Great book, as alwasy from Tessa it's great writing and you be glad you read this one

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey is an absolutely wonderful novel about a divorced single dad who is a famous hockey player but is having trouble emphasizing and understanding his pre teen daughter.

He has hired an au pair to help with her but suddenly because of a previous bad experience with a man he knows nothing about she doesn’t want to take the job.

Burgess, who’s also known on the ice as Sir Savage, and his daughter, Lissa, convince Tessa to become the au pair and she teaches them how to get along and Lissa how to better get along with her classmates and helps her with her homework.

Meanwhile there’s a definite attraction between Burgess and Tessa that they try to avoid because of an 11-year age difference and the employer employee relationship. But it doesn’t work too well and they start to fall for each other.

This incredible romance has lots of other interesting and amazing details you’ll just love when you read it and you’ll be really glad you did!

This is the second book in the “Big Shot” series from Tessa Bailey. I was immediately obsessed with this series after Fangirl Down, and The Au Pair Affair did not disappoint! This story follows Tallulah and Burgess. Tallulah is moving to Boston to finish up her schooling to become a marine biologist, and she has agreed to nanny for Burgess, an older single father who plays professional hockey in Boston. Tallulah is initially hesitant to take the job because of some past trauma, but finds it hard not to be drawn to Burgess (and his adorable daughter, Lissa). Burgess is very kind and protective, but has a violent streak when it comes to hockey which does not help with Tallulah’s hesitation…

These characters were so well developed and had immediate chemistry! I loved how protective Burgess was of Tallulah, but still gave her the space she needed to navigate things herself. They both helped each other grow and supported each other, and even though there was a bit of “instant love” they still took things slow and the ending felt well developed and deserved. It also doesn’t hurt that this book included several of my favorite tropes:

Age Gap
He Falls First
Grumpy Meets Sunshine
Boss x Employee
Forced Proximity
Hockey Romance

I highly recommend adding this book to your TBR and reading it ASAP when it releases this summer. Thank you to Net Galley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this ARC!

I have been not so patiently waiting for this book since we saw the incredible attraction between Burgess and Tallulah in Fangirl Down.

From their chemistry in the first book I knew this was going to be amazing but I was not expecting/ready for all the layers in this book. Both our main characters start out with their guards up for different reasons and it was so beautiful to watch them navigate opening up and becoming safe havens for each other. I really liked how Tessa addressed Tallulah’s journey to healing after the trauma she had been through and I love seeing mental health representation in books.

My biggest issue with this story was the third act breakup/conflict. I wish we could have seen more of their time apart versus the time jump. I also feel like things with Burgess’ daughter could have been fleshed out a little more.

Overall this book was fun and I’d definitely recommend if you like sports romance, age gap, single dad/nanny or if you’re just a fan of Tessa Bailey’s humor and spicy storytelling.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon and Tessa Bailey for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In Tessa Bailey's latest sports rom-com, a rugged hockey vet turned single dad, Burgess, finds himself drawn to his quirky live-in nanny, Tallulah. As they navigate boundaries and chemistry, Burgess must reconcile his past and prove himself worthy of a future with Tallulah. With vibrant characters and heartfelt moments, Bailey crafts a tale that's equal parts charming and swoon-worthy. A delightful blend of romance and family dynamics, this novel earns its five-star status with its witty dialogue and irresistible storyline.

I love love love the Au Pair Affair! Burgess is my favorite kind of Tessa Bailey hero, He's protective, possessive and desperate for Tallulah. He does everything he can to make her feel independent and safe and it melted me so hard. The single parent hockey player and his nanny is such a delicious trope and for Tessa Bailey's first full length hockey romance is a stunner of a book. Burgess is so grumpy towards the world and such a cinnamon roll for Tallulah! And he has the mouth of a TB hero, dirty talking was off the charts! Tallulah goes through some great character development, and seeing them as a couple is just the best! We get some cameos from the characters in Fangirl Down and a really good tease for Book 3 which I can't wait for.

I absolutely loved this book and can't recommend it enough!!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and voluntarily give my honest review.

Whew, was that steamy. A great story, great characters, a respectful hero, and some angst and past baggage thrown in.. Just how I like it.

DNF

I’m up and down with Tessa Bailey books but even so I tend to enjoy them for the most part. But something about The Au Pair Affair is just off. Clunky, awkward, and heavy handed. I need to set it aside and pursue other books.

Tessa Bailey does it again! She excels at writing books where the characters pine for one another until the explosion that brings them together. This was a quick, steamy read. I only wish it were longer so we could see more of Burgess' and Tallulah's relationship!

Tessa does it again, she takes us on a world wind of emotions with Tallulah and Burgess story. The build up to will they won’t they has us ravishing and inhaling the pages to see the story unfold. In Tessa’s universe she can’t bear to let us being happy among her spicy and happy love pages. She has to throw in a last minute curve ball (sorry no hockey pun) to the love story that keeps us at the edge of our seat toying with couple’s faith ending in HEA. I loved all the side banters, cameos and the spoiler spinoff story built in for her next book.

This was a fun new sequel to the Big Shot series. I enjoyed Tallulah and Burgess's romance perhaps more than Will and Josephine's from the first book. I don't tend to like the MMC's that Tessa Bailey writes, I often find them too aggressive and cold hearted, but with Burgess being a single father, he had a sweet side to him that was undeniable. Their chemistry was palpable and the groveling was much enjoyed. This steamy sports romance made me want to actually watch hockey!

The Au Pair Affair
(Big Shots, #2)
Tessa Bailey
Pub: 7/16/24
4⭐️

I think… no I know, I will forever be in my hockey romance era and Tessa Bailey hit the mark head on with book two for the Big Shots series!

Burgess and Tallulah’s story was so much fun to read and had me full on swooning. There is just something about single dad romances. Add in hockey, forced proximity, and some of that top notch TB steam we know and love and it’s no wonder I devoured this one.

What I loved;
🏒 Hockey Romance
🏒 Age Gap
🏒 Single Dad
🏒 Forced Proximity
🏒 The Groveling
🏒 Wells & Josephine

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I cannot wait for more Big Shots!