I can't decide if I enjoyed this book more than the first because of the story or because I find hockey players to be much hotter than golfers. Burgess is a single, kurmugen, hockey dad who hires Tallulah a grad student, who he fell in love with at first sight, to be the au pair for his daughter. Tallulah has some personal issues to overcome while Burgess has to work on his urge to just fix all of her problems. Will they overcome their issues or will this cause a strain with their best friends Wells and Josephine (from previous book)? If you are looking for a weekend read with some spice, this is your book.

I simply cannot do it. I feel awful rating this so low. I'm sure that for Tessa Bailey fans, it's great. Unfortunately the first person POV comes off as cringe, and the adults act like children.

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey is a charming addition to her romance book era, though I must say, I might still prefer her golf story a little more. In this sports-themed rom-com, we follow Tallulah, a vivacious and broke marine biology student who jumps at the chance to become a live-in nanny for Burgess, a gruff hockey veteran and newly single dad. Tallulah’s quirky personality and determination to fit in with Burgess’s introverted tween daughter, Lissa, add a delightful layer to the story.

Burgess, on the other hand, is a complex character juggling his role as a father and his unexpected attraction to Tallulah. The chemistry between them is sizzling, creating an engaging tension as they navigate their growing feelings amidst family dynamics and personal struggles. While the story takes some familiar turns, it’s the heartfelt moments and Burgess’s journey to prove he’s worthy of a happily ever after that make this book enjoyable. Thanks to Avon for the book—I’m definitely here for Tessa Bailey’s romance books!

thank you avon and harper voyage for the advanced readers copy!
the au pair affair is tessa bailey’s most recent book and the first sports romance of hers that i’ve personally read. the story centers around tallulah, a college student, who to make extra money becomes the live-in nanny for hockey superstar, burgess’, daughter lissa.

a couple years ago, i was reading tessa bailey non-stop so i was excited to jump at the chance to read this one. overall, i enjoyed tallulah as a main character and enjoyed her back story. she seemed complex and i liked that she was in her late twenties unlike a lot of the college romances i read where the fmc younger and less relatable.

what i didn’t enjoy quite as much was the relationship between burgess and tallulah, while it was cute in places, i had a hard time seeing past how they were at such different places in their lives, but i’m not the biggest fan of age gap romances so take this with a pinch of salt.

i would give this a 3/5 stars, which is a usual rating for me with tessa bailey! her books are always a spicy, fun time!

This was such a sweet story that sucked me in immediately. It was a full five pepper hot spicy! I’m excited to read book three.

I completely devoured this book and am so grateful to NetGalley, Avon & Harper Voyager, and Tessa Bailey for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

Burgess and Tallulah have to be one of the sweetest couples I've read in a long time. Tallulah is a grad student who needs a job and a place to live, but comes with trauma she hasn't been able to overcome. Burgess is a brute of a player on the ice, but the most sensitive and considerate of men in life. He's a single dad struggling to connect with his teenage daughter and she's trying to find her old adventurous self. As Tallulah starts to slowly break out of her self-isolation, Burgess is right there protecting her as she embarks on all the adventures she's denied herself. He listens to Tallulah's advice and starts to strengthen his relationship with his daughter and the rookies on the team.

"I'm starting to think this au pair affair is going to be fun to watch."

I think my favorite quote of the book was near the end at Wells' and Josie's wedding when the wedding guest relates love to a snowflake to Tallulah.

Tropes/Tags: Sports romance, hockey romance, single dad, nanny, age gap, cinnamon roll MMC, forced proximity (boss/roommate), third act breakup.

This book was...fine. Enjoyable, even, if you come to it in the right frame of mind. To be clear, that mind-frame should not be "I'm looking for substance over style" or "I need a new favorite book boyfriend." No, indeed. But come at it with an "I'm here for a good time, not for a long time" or a one-and-done mindset, and you could have a really good time reading The Au Pair Affair.

As always, Bailey delivers on the steam, and quickly. But the characters in this one felt pretty cardboardy and some of the more serious themes and scenarios were poorly executed. Still, this might make a great vacation read, even if it's just a small vacation at the end of the day before getting back to the grindstone in the morning.

Love Tessa Bailey and loved The Au Pair Affair! I love the way Tessa writes. I always feel like I’m in the story. I enjoyed the chemistry between Tallulah and Burgess. Also love an older man trope.

Tessa Bailey’s The Au Pair Affair delivers everything you could want in a contemporary romance—off-the-charts chemistry, heartwarming moments, and a touching story about love, family, and second chances.

Tallulah is a fantastic heroine. As a smart and lively marine biology student, she’s relatable in her struggles—broke but full of life, willing to take on a nanny job to make ends meet. The dynamic between her and Burgess, the rugged, emotionally scarred hockey player and single dad, is magnetic from the start. Their sizzling chemistry builds at a deliciously slow burn, but what makes the story so engaging is how Tessa Bailey layers humor, heart, and real-world complications into their evolving relationship.

Burgess is a complex character. He’s not just the gruff athlete with emotional baggage; he’s a father caught between wanting the best for his daughter, Lissa, and grappling with his feelings for Tallulah. The dynamic between him and his tween daughter is heartwarming and authentic, showing his softer side and his vulnerability. Lissa herself is a lovely addition, and the bond she forms with Tallulah adds a rich, family-centered aspect to the story. Tallulah's willingness to be both a mentor and a friend to Lissa makes her even more lovable as a character.

Bailey does an excellent job of creating tension—not just romantic, but emotional tension as well. Burgess is torn between his loyalty to his daughter’s desire for her parents to reunite and his undeniable feelings for Tallulah. It’s a delicate balance, and watching him struggle to do what’s right by everyone—while Tallulah tries to keep her own emotions in check—is both heart-wrenching and incredibly satisfying to read.

The chemistry between Tallulah and Burgess is hot enough to melt ice, but the emotional stakes are just as intense. Their flirtations and moments of passion are as explosive as you’d expect from a Tessa Bailey novel, but what sets this book apart is how it handles the more tender aspects of love and healing. Tallulah's decision to walk away, even though it breaks her own heart, shows her strength and depth as a character, while Burgess’s eventual realization that he’s ready to fight for her makes for a deeply satisfying conclusion.

The Au Pair Affair is the perfect blend of romance, humor, and heartfelt moments. Bailey expertly weaves a story about finding love when you least expect it, healing from the past, and taking risks to claim your happily ever after. It’s a must-read for fans of steamy, character-driven romance that hits all the right emotional notes. If you love a good "forbidden romance" between a grumpy single dad and an adventurous nanny, this one’s for you!

Tessa Bailey and hockey romance, need I say more? The way I binged this book should be illegal. It was so good! If Tessa decided to only write sports romance for the rest of her career, I wouldn't be mad about it. Read this one if you like single dad + nanny, age gap, and forced proximity!

Tessa Bailey is the queen of tension and spice. And she definitely delivers in this book! I'm also a huge sucker for when the MMC falls first and BOY DOES HE. First and harder 1000%. Burgess was such an incredible character and I loved how he made an effort to empower Tallulah and show her what she was worth. Tallulah was such a fun heroine and I loved the relationship she had with Burgess' daughter!

Fangirl Down was my favorite of the two, but I'm super excited to see where this series goes next. Thank you Tessa Bailey and Avon for my gifted E-ARC!

The Au Pair Affair is exactly what you expect from a Tessa Bailey novel and it does not disappoint. There is a mix of sports, heat, interwoven stories from other books and a happily ever after. A fun read and cannot wait to read the next story about Sig and Chloe.

Oh Tessa Bailey you can do no wrong.

Just like book one in this series I was literally trapped from the first sentence and the rest of the chapter only ensnared me further.

Not only was this book on par (pun intended) with book 1, it was BETTER because it was Hockey and not golf!

Give me anything to read Bailey and I will love it

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

Once again, Tessa Bailey has me in a choke hold. After meeting Talulah and Burgess in Fangirl Down, I knew their story was going to be good, but I was not expecting their story to pull me in the way it did. Tallulah's past was definitely darker than expected, but watching the way Burgess was with her brought me such joy. And watching him realize who he was was also great - I mean, the way that she brought out the best in Burgess just made me so happy. And I obviously am sad that I have to wait so long for the next book - because what we got of the couple in this one? Oh it's gonna be fun.

I LOVE Tessa Bailey! And this book fully lived up to my expectations. The Au Pair Affair was one that warmed my heart, made me kick my feet and kept me enthralled the entire time. I can't wait to finish out this series!

This book!! Tessa does it again! The main characters had my heart from their first interaction! I love a good single dad trope and hockey romances will always get me! Tessa knocked it out of the park with this one! I am so excited for the rest of this series because these characters are just everything! The relationship building, the conflicts, the romance, the passion, all of it Tessa does in such a beautifully real way while still giving the reader all of the things you want out of a good romance book! You feel every emotion with the characters. I was fanning myself during the steamy scenes and kicking my feet giggling during the banter!

Meh ,

I didn’t love it I didn’t hate it , Tessa baileys books are hit and miss with me. She writes great however this sports series’s might be getting repetitive

If you’re familiar with Tessa Bailey’s work, you know you’re in for a romantic, hilarious, and enjoyable read. In this book, Burgess may initially come off as a tough guy, but he’s truly a big teddy bear at heart. I absolutely loved how he protected and supported Tallulah while always respecting her boundaries. His bond with his daughter added an extra layer of depth to his character, and it made me admire him even more as a dedicated single dad.However, while I enjoy Tessa Bailey’s books, this one didnt hit as much. I had a hard time connecting with the couple because Tallulah’s past issues often overshadowed their relationship. It felt to me that she wasn’t quite ready for a commitment or the responsibilities that come with being a stepmother. Additionally, the third-act breakup felt drawn out, and the resolution felt rushed. Overall, while this is a solid addition to the series, it wasn’t my favorite by her. If you enjoy age-gap romances with a single dad/nanny dynamic and a grumpy/sunshine vibe, you might still find this book worth a read!

This book was a roller coaster.
The beginning was fine, the mmc and fmc had instant attraction for one another and that was pretty much it. Towards the end there were just too many back and forth going on that turned me off.
The tropes in this book were NICE:
Single dad
Age Gap
Boss x employee
Slow burn

But by the end of the book, I just felt like both characters were immature?

This book is going to live rent free in my head for at least the next 4 months because how had i never picked up a Tessa Bailey book until now? I am obsessed. Sure there were some parts that made me cringe a little,

But nothing that scarred me for life. Tessa pulled me out of a book slump with this one. I loved the plot, to be honest the whole boss and Nanny trope is one that I tend to gravitate more towards. But it’s only because they seem more intense and lustful. But when I see that as a plot line in any book I just know it’s going to be good.

And I was right. Tallulah and Burgess were exactly what I needed these past few weeks. The flirting made me so giddy, and the fact that Burgess was so smitten by Tallulah it made me wave all the green flags. I feel like Tallulah is me because I’m so reserved and introverted because of my fears I could relate to most of the things going on with her internally and mentally. But burgess really was so supportive but it was also a mutual thing. As much as he supported her she did as well. The book was such a fun read. I am pleasantly surprised. I will be reading more of this authors books. Definitely check it out if this is your cup of tea.