Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for sharing this ARC with me!

I will start by saying I requested this before the jump scare that happened in book one sooooo it is what it is.

I wanted to like this book. I really really did. I keep thinking I'll get some of that fun GOOD Tessa Bailey story we had in the Bellinger Sisters series but alas, I did not and it pains me to rate her books like this.

This book started out fun. Burgess (I hate that name — you can't make it a hot guy name sorry Tessa lol) and Tallulah were funny. They had good chemistry, and were starting off strong with their communication and respect for one another. As the story unfolded, however, it seemed like TB lost the plot and didn't know what to do with either of them. On the one hand, Burgess was supposed to be this quiet stoic type but then ten seconds later he was dirty-talking Tallulah's ear off in a public setting and it was so contradictory to what we're supposed to believe about him. Tallulah had a traumatic experience that scarred her and while Burgess helped make her feel safe to start overcoming it, with the third-act breakup that happened, we didn't even get the satisfaction of watching her go through her on her own. We were just told she did things and there's no chance to really connect with her overcoming this big emotional hurdle.

The age gap thing wasn't even a big deal and shouldn't have been a point made. She's a grad student in her mid-20s, she's fine. It kept being brought up like she wasn't a consenting adult. Please.

****SPOILER ALERT HERE****

The third-act breakup was so stupid. They both overreacted but in that scene specifically, Tallulah was the one with bad timing and a poor reaction. He was literally in the hospital. Time and place, girl. And yes, he said some stupid shit but considering he spent the whole book making everything about HER feelings, she could've spared a few minutes to think "HMM MAYBE I SHOULDN'T BLURT THIS OUT WHEN HE'S LITERALLY IN A HOSPITAL BED." It was dumb and the fact that she kept going back and forth about how she felt about him yet had no problems trying to jump in his pants the second she got made it hard to be sympathetic with her.

****SPOILER ALERT DONE****

I understand that insta-love (lust) is something we can always expect from TB's books but damn, it's happening with EVERY book and there's barely any build-up for the couple (the man) to act this way and be so obsessed and overprotective. Like...I'd call the police, this behavior is not normal. Give me a build-up to it. Make it more believable. If we're reading 300 some pages about a couple that are supposed to fall in love, give me something other than they think they're both hot and want to jump each other's bones. You need a proper build-up for this kind of affection. Where is the plot?? This is a romance! Give me proper yearning where it's not just about the smut. In fact, most of the smut scenes gave me the ick lol.

At this point, none of the books she's put out in the last year and a half are any different from each other. I keep coming back because I KNOW she's written better than what's been put out lately. I gave it 2 stars simply for the banter and background characters because unfortunately, this was a disappointment.

As always, Tessa Bailey delivers spice, tenderness, and hilarity without missing a beat. The themes in this book are a little darker, but she handles them with the seriousness and care they deserve.
The age gap trope was written spectacularly, and I cannot wait to see how she interprets Chloe and Sig’s trope in her next book!

Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: July 16, 2024
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon

Tessa Bailey, you have done it again. Tessa honestly, if you write it, I’ll read it. I love Tallulah and Burgess! This is a nanny/boss, age gap romance with a sprinkle of grumpy/sunshine because wow Burgess is a grump to everyone EXCEPT Tallulah.

Tallulah is a marine biology grad student, who takes a job as Burgess’s live-in au pair (closer to a live-in nanny but splitting hairs). The au pair aspect wasn’t as big a part of the story as I expected from it being in the title. Lissa is twelve, so she was relatively independent and wasn’t present much. Lissa was there just enough to be a fully realized character but also at school or her mom's place enough to let the Tallulah and Burgess romance develop.

Tallulah has some trauma around men from her past and is understandably skiddish around a large man who happens to be good at breaking noses on the ice. Part of the charm is how they work together to navigate and respect each other’s boundaries and grow into better characters. There are constant check-ins, accommodations, and efforts to communicate, for both parties and you can tell there is a sense of comfort that doesn’t feel manufactured.

🌶️ Spice Meter 🌶️ : 3 out of 5 Peppers

TROPES:
- nanny / single father
- hockey pro athlete
- love at first sight - him
- 11 year age gap

TW: chronic pain, injury, abduction (past), ptsd

Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Feel the sizzle between these two from the first couple pages. As with most of Tessa Bailey's couples, their chemistry drew me in and had me hooked early on. This is a must read for grumpy-sunshine trope lovers with a nice splash of sporty fun. The character development for the FMC felt a bit rushed for me, but overall, I would recommend this read.

Yasss Tessa does it again with this steamy nanny/single dad romcom. I loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

THE AU PAIR AFFAIR
By @tessabaileyisanauthor
ARC thanks to @netgalley - Book Releases July 16th

Yet another truly delightful book by Tessa Bailey. I finished this baby in less than 24 hours, despite having other responsibilities, because I could not put it down!!

The protectiveness of Sir Savage with his grumpy attitude mixed with his utter hopelessness of connecting with his tween daughter made for the most lovable MMC. I was rooting for him with every page.

Tallulah was such a strong FMC. I really felt like it was a breath of fresh air when we learned the details of her past trauma early on in the book. It helped me understand her and her actions more. I much prefer this over getting little, tiny, mysterious hints of it all throughout the book then a big reveal of it like 80% of the way through the plot.

Lissa was also written so well. True tween angst shown through and it was spot on to those big, giant 12-year-old emotions.

I feel honored to have been given this opportunity with how popular this author is and it’s for good reason! I’m a forever supporter of any words Tessa Bailey puts on paper.

FIRST OF ALL, thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tessa Bailey’s books are ones that I can never fully seem to stay away from. It Happened One Summer/Hook, Line, and Sinker are my favorite books of hers (especially HLS), and I feel like I always check out what she has coming just to see if anything will match that feeling.

I’m not a sports romance girly, but I follow her on TikTok and find her commentary very funny, so I decided to check the Big Shots series out (especially after seeing the videos related to the NEXT book starring Sig & Chloe - which taps right into the little Life with Derek/Dasey-obsessed monster that once lived inside my brain).

Anyway, with that being said, I enjoyed Fangirl Down and The Au Pair Affair… overall.

Once TAPA got to the 70% mark, I didn’t want to keep reading. I know, people have bad days and people screw up, but Burgess? Fuck that guy.

INFRACTION 1: Hugged Tallulah and made his 12 year old, rattled daughter’s heart BREAK. Like, yeah, Lissa was being a brat. SHE’S ALSO 12???? HELLO?? You went for YOUR (barely) GIRLFRIEND over your DAUGHTER?

INFRACTION 2: The way he talked to Tallulah in the hospital room was genuinely unforgivable. This girl has done nothing but support you, and he let all of his ugly colors shine RIGHT THROUGH. You don’t say the shit he said to her if he hadn’t already, even if just subconsciously, been thinking it. I didn’t feel bad for him. I no longer was rooting for him.

INFRACTION 3: The dirty talk, dude. Like, I know it’s standard for Tessa’s stuff but I just can’t do it to the extent that it’s given sometimes. It just yanks me right out of it. But that’s a me thing, and I get it.

All of this to say, I still enjoyed this book. I am ABSOLUTELY going for Sig & Chloe’s book the second I can get my grubby little hands on it.

Tessa does a wonderful job at writing comedies and writing tension. It just sometimes gets a little too caveman for me.

Thank you, again, for this ARC!

“The Au Pair Affair” by Tessa Bailey delivers sizzling chemistry and sweet romance between Tallulah, a live-in nanny, and single dad Burgess. With palpable tension and heartfelt moments, this captivating hockey romance is highly recommended for fans of Bailey’s work.

Quickly becoming my favorite Tessa Bailey series. I loved everything about it! And the spice 🌶🌶🌶🌶. So good, I cannot wait for more books in this series!!

This is a sports rom-com single dad story. It's a dad who fall for his ive-in nanny. I normally don't go for the single dad trope but this was worth the read.

Our FMC is Tallulah. She gets hired to be the live-in nanny of Lissa. Mmmmm helloooo single dad and live-in nanny!!! You know where that's going. However, the girl does want her parents back together.

The chemistry between Tallulah and Burgess is strong. The tension is there!
Tallulah ends up walking away. Burgess then goes to prove that they are worth it.

Love the spice and chemistry between these 2!

Love! I love Tessa bailey books and am a sucker for hockey romance when you throw in a single dad well let’s just say she got me hook line and sinker. I loved this book and I loved the relationship between the FMC and the MMC 💜

This second book in the "Big Shot" series has already made me a big hockey fan! I loved Will and Josephine's love story, but I can honestly say I enjoyed Tallulah and Burgess' romance even more. It includes themes of forced proximity, a single dad, an age difference, and opposites attract!

Tallulah is a quirky marine biologist and a survivor of past trauma that left her insecure. She's a free-spirited, kind-hearted heroine who always puts others' needs first. She's easy to like, with Turkish heritage (her last name is "Aydin," which is a city in Turkey), but her first name is Native American, meaning “running water”—a perfect fit for her character and her tendency not to stay in one place for long.

Burgess is kind-hearted and gentlemanly, although he can show some violent tendencies on the field as an occupational hazard, which makes Tallulah question whether to work at his house after his outburst during a game goes viral.

He amicably parted ways with the mother of his 12-year-old daughter Lissa (thankfully, the book doesn't involve an evil ex-wife or a love triangle). Due to his busy travel schedule as a hockey player, he needs to hire an au pair to help take care of his daughter. That's when his best friend Will's future wife, Josephine, recommends Tallulah, who needs a change of scenery. As soon as they meet, Burgess realizes he's in trouble. After a dinner together, he falls deeply for her. But isn't it unethical to pursue someone who works for him, even if the feelings are mutual? When Tallulah decides to do the honorable thing and help little Lissa, who wants to see her parents back together, by quitting her job, things get more complicated!

I don't want to spoil more, but this book contains some very satisfying and well-deserved groveling scenes that I actually enjoyed! (I believe in some books, the men easily get away when they make big mistakes, but this book is different, giving readers pure happiness with a fair conclusion.)

Overall, this is one of the highly anticipated, sweetest, high-chemistry sports romances with likable characters that I highly recommend for a thoroughly enjoyable read!

Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this adorable romance's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

3.25⭐️

This follows Burgess and Tallulah. Burgess is a single father and star hockey player in need of a nanny. Enter Tallulah, marine biologist and nanny for Burgess’s daughter.

I loved Burgess relationship with his daughter. It was hilarious to watch him try to understand pre teen drama.

He was so understanding and patient with Talllulah becoming comfortable around him.

Her being able to slowly overcome her fears on her own takes so much courage.

There were some timelines that didn’t make sense to me.


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Tessa Bailey has done it again. The Au Pair Affair follows Tallulah and Burgess as they decide if their age gap and past experiences can be put aside to embrace their attraction. Content warning, Tallulah's history includes a stalking/kidnapping situation. Overall, I loved this story of growing together, embracing change, and picking each other. Definitely worth the read!

Love love love! Hockey romance is a favorite of mine, and this one does not disappoint. Tessa Bailey is the queen of romance!

A five star masterpiece!

There is so much more substance to this book than what makes it in the blurb. Tallulah has a heart wrenching backstory and a beautiful character arc of healing and moving forward. Then we have Burgess, who seems to be the one dimensional hockey player, but he’s so much more to him as a single dad and all the weight he carries for the ones he loves. I only wished for more of the relationship of his daughter and Tallulah! Feed me some bonus chapters please!

We know Tessa for her masterclass in grand gestures, but combining that with groveling? Leaves the reader head over heels for Burgess. We all need a slice of the “beefcake” and “Mean Daddy” Burgess.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the EARC!

I cannot even express how much I love this book. The first book in the series was good, but the protective single dad vibes drew me to this one a million times more. As always, Tessa Bailey tackles HUGE topics with grace, humor, and respect. Her main characters are people you want to be friends with, and you root for the couple the whole time! Will be preordering a paperback copy and recommending to anyone who will listen!!

I finished this in one day. I couldn't put it down it was so good. It was light hearted and fun. I love a good single dad romance. I also love hockey main characters and nanny situations. It was a great mix of all my faves. It was a great novel to jumpstart my summer vacation. I can't believe I missed the first book in the series. I will be remedying that immediately.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Tessa Bailey has done it again! The Au Pair Affair was the perfect mix of fun, light hearted and romantic. I really enjoyed how although the MMC, Burgess is a hockey player, it wasn’t the main topic of conversation and the way hockey was intertwined really added to the plot and the characters developments. Tallulah is such a lovable character and fit the job perfectly.

Hoping for a Sig and Chloe book next!!!

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this e-arc.

The Au Pair Affair is the second installment in the Big Shots series. This one features Burgess , a grumpy older single dad hockey player and Tallulah and 11 year his junior grad student.

This one was definitely better than the first one and that may be partly cause I have a soft spot for single dads since I was raised by one.

Lissa was a cute addition and really enjoyed and wish there was more of her in the story.

This was a fast read and I read it in one day.
Burgess in the beginning was great but his dirty talk at times made me cringe.

To be honest I am not sure I will read the heavily hinted at next couple just because they have a rather odd relationship and not sure I will be into that. We shall see since I cannot seem to not read a Tessa Bailey book.

Thank you to Net Galley, Tessa Bailey & Avon for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.