Spoiler Free Arc Review: 4.5 ⭐️

I was nervous to start this after loving Fan Girl Down so much, but Tessa did not disappoint in her second book of the Big Shots series! Burgess is such a cinnamon roll MMC and I’m a sucker for it! For more sensitive readers, there are some trigger warnings regarding stalking and abuse in the FMCs past.

Tallulah has been offered an Au Pair position with Boston’s toughest hockey enforcer, Burgess, who desperately needs help with his daughter. Tallulah is trying to rediscover herself and live in the moment again without feeling chained down by her past. The two make an unlikely pair given their age gap and difference in opinion, but sometimes opposite is exactly what you need.

I actually loved this book more than I anticipated. The characters has significant growth in their own respective story lines as well as together. This book felt realistic, which definitely added to my enjoyment. I really loved the mutual love and respect both MCs shared for each other. If you’re looking for a sweet sports romance, definitely read this book and Fan Girl Down!!! Tropes on this book include: sports romance, single dad, age gap, he falls first, and forced proximity.

I can always count on Tessa baileys books to be fun and while this book was fun and the first half really had me hooked, I lost a bit of interest in the second half. Also didn’t like the third act conflict unfortunately. Overall a decent book and had a lot of promise but not as good as her other books in my opinion.

I loved this book SO much, cover-to-cover. It is well-written, perfectly paced, and an absolute delight. This is the first Tessa Bailey book I've read and it was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. This is an age-gap hockey romance done right!

I received this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tallulah is in Boston to finish up her graduate degree in Marine Biology. Through her friend Josephine she secured an au pair position for an elite hockey player, Burgess, but as she arrives, her doubts her the better of her and she's not sure she can live with someone she's doesn't know well. For Burgess, the sparks fly as soon as he met her and he'll stop at nothing to make sure she feels safe with him, and maybe feel a little more than safe.

I really enjoyed the first 75% of this book. I liked that in any other single dad/nanny book there would be the forbidden romance drama, but Burgess just kind of goes for it and it gets hot pretty quickly and stays there throughout. I like that he goes out of his way to make her feel safe with him and just in life. I like that he learns from her how to be a better, more present parent.

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE ENDING


But the ending. I hated it. Miscommunication, an ex who is coded as mature and reasonable through the whole book doing something jealous and awful for no reason, and I hate that Burgess ignored Tallulah for two months before trying to get her back. It just sucked.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon books, and Tessa Bailey for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

When I first met Burgess and Tallulah in Fangirl Down, it was absolute insta-love and I knew I was going to be rabid for their story. With Tessa's books, I go in not knowing quite what to expect. Despite most of her stories being four to five star reads for me, there are some that I unexpectedly did not finish; and those few shocked the absolute bejesus out of me. What has happened here <for me> pretty much follows how The Bellinger Sisters series went when I read them for the first time. I fell in love with the first story and thought to myself, "How does it get better than this?" Then the second book comes out and BOOM: knocks me flat. Somehow I end up loving book two more, but both have a special place in my heart (and shelves) forever.

The Au Pair Affair has everything I love. I laughed. I cried. I swooned! Burgess is grumpy personified, but such a teddy bear when it comes to his girls. And Tallulah becomes his girl so fast - definitely a case of he falls first. Tallulah has a troubled past and Burgess wants to help her, protect her, do all of the things to make her feel safe ... but the most important thing is he wants to empower her so that she can feel confident in herself again. The book is so much more than how these two people come together. We have an angsty tween, even angstier? rookie teammates who work their ways into our hearts. Pasts that can't be outrun and traumas that must be faced to move forward. And learning how to love when it takes you by surprise.

Lastly, we have a THIRD book (I hope) to look forward to, because Sig and Chloe better be next, and I can't wait! I love a step-sibling trope and I will wait with the utmost impatience to see how they work things out. Tessa, you've done it again!

I was kindly provided with the ARC of this book by the publishers and editorial team in exchange of an honest review ✨

5⭐️

I was giving a solid 4 stars to this book until I got to the final chapter and read one sentence of the book…

“Love doesn't always come around twice. And even if it does, it's going to be different. There are no two exact types of love, you know that? When two people love each other, they create a love snowflake, and it can never be re-created by anyone else."

Literally I was SOBBING my eyes out and that turned this amazing and perfect and full of romance and pretty damn good lessons book a 1000000000 stars ⭐️❤️‍🩹

The story of Tallulah and Burgess will live rent free forever in my heart, I mean, they’re so perfect for each other 🥹❤️‍🩹

At first the tension was killing meeeeee! I was like, KISS ALREADY! and when the did,… my oh my, in just gonna say that Burgess’s filthy mouth got me BLUSHING ALL THE TIME 😮‍💨🙂‍↔️

Of course I suffered when all went down because of what happened with him thinking he wouldn’t be useful to her anymore, and all the things pain make him say to her (I was 5 seconds apart to throw my phone when I got to that point ngl), but then, THEN when both are in Costa Rica and he is truth h to gain her back and she isn’t sure anymore because he hurt her so much and he was willing to let her go 😭😭😭😭😭😭 and then that random guy telling her about the article and the snow flake love 😭😭❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

This is definitely my favorite book of miss Tessa this far, it’s just one of those rare times when a story calls your heart so beautifully and so deep that you know will be with you forever ❤️‍🩹✨

P. S. I NEED Sig and Chloe book 👀

The Au Pair Affair was a really cute story. Similar to Fangirl Down, so if you enjoyed that you should also enjoy this book. I was really looking forward to this story after the characters' appearances in Fangirl Down and I was not disappointed.

I really liked both main characters, Tallulah and Burgess. I'm not usually particularly drawn to a nanny or single father trope, but this story really worked for me. Tallulah is very sweet and caring. Burgess is more serious and plays hockey aggressively, but has a really protective and caring side to him. Their relationship is really sweet and very spicy. Tallulah is everything Burgess ever needed and wanted in his life. The relationship between Tallulah and his daughter is also very cute.

The side characters were also a great part of the story, including Josephine and Wells. I definitely recommend this book, especially for fans of Tessa Bailey, sports romance, grumpy/sunshine, nanny/single father.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

26 year old Tallulah is moving to Boston for her gradate program in Marine Biology and is set to nanny for Burgess, single dad and pro hockey player.
She’s got hangups (which are eventually fully explored) and ultimately decides to go through with the job. Lissa is 12 which is an interesting age/dynamic to navigate.
The chemistry between Burgess and Tallulah is off the charts but they try to resist – he’s her employer and roommate, she’s 11 years younger and Lissa is hoping her parents will get back together.
An injury causes Burgess to reevaluate his life choices and direction. A spicy & enjoyable read!

Rating: 3.5-4 star

Thoughts: Tessa Bailey fans will definitely eat this book up, especially if you read Fangirl Down. This has a lot of Tessa's signature steamy scenes. If you enjoy really steamy romance, you will probably like Tessa's books!

This also has a deeper back story for the female main character, Tallulah. While I did really enjoy the main characters, I found myself enjoying the first book in this series a little more, but I'm probably in the minority here! I was here for all of the Wells & Josephine cameos in this book!!

I’d just like to start out by saying the things I liked about this book. Tessa Bailey really nails the romantic aspect of her books and this one was no exception. I loved the relationship between Burgess and Tallulah, and I felt like their relationship seemed realistic at most points, and when it didn’t, I was willing to suspend my disbelief at some points because the rest was so strong. I also liked how Bailey acknowledged the age gap but didn’t make it super problematic (mc is in late 20s). Now with the stuff I didn’t like. This book is full of cringe moments and unrealistic descriptions (such as felt it in his Adam’s Apple) which would take me out of the book instantly and I would have to take a second before diving back in. There were so many cringey lines and this was definitely my least favorite part of this book. I also thought that the third act breakup was such a cop out- Burgess says many times throughout the book that he is mature and knows what he wants- that at his age he’s already made his mistakes… then makes a really stupid mistake that causes them to breakup. I also thought that Tallulah’s kidnapping reveal should’ve been saved for a little later in the book and it also felt a little weird the way it was referenced. Burgess’ protectiveness gets a little much at times and feels unnecessary in most instances. The hockey in this book feels like an afterthought, as well as Lissa, the daughter (which tbh I didn’t mind). Overall, I did really enjoy this book. Bailey has a way of pulling you into her universe of characters and making you eat up every word (even the cringey ones). I think this book is worth picking up!
Thanks to netgalley for the arc!

The Au Pair Affair is my first Tessa Bailey book but I am now on the hunt for more. I really enjoyed this spicy romance novel and finished it in less than 24 hours over two days. This would be a great beach/pool read this summer. You've got the 30 something NHL player and the twenty something nanny who fall fast and hard. It isn't deep...just a great spicy romance with some sports thrown in. Throw this in your beach bag for this summer!

The Au Pair Affair is the second installment of Tessa Baily's Big Shot Series. After reading Fan Girl, I was excited to read this book, but sadly, it wasn't my favorite. The story features characters introduced in Fan Girl, Burgess and Tallulah. The Au Pair Affair can definitely be read as a standalone, but there are some spoilers for Fan Girl, so be warned.

Burgess is a hockey player and single father who needs a live-in nanny. Tallulah is a broke graduate student who needs housing and happens to have a great rapport with Lissa, Burgess's daughter. Burgess is older (11 years), grumpy, and instantly smitten with Tallulah. There's trauma in Tallulah's past, and she experiences PTSD, making her skeptical about romance and commitment. Each MC is concerned with the baggage they bring to the relationship. I appreciated how the MCs discussed their issues and navigated their boundaries, but something felt off in the relationship, and the reconilation seemed to drag on a bit.

The book was a fun read with great banter between the MCs. I would recommend it to fans of Tessa Bailey and the genre, and I will check out the next book in the series.

I have a new book Boyfriend and his name is Sir Savage. This single father hockey player is a gentle giant with a heart of gold who falls for the broken girl who is putting herself back together.

The good: chemistry that leaps off the page without being too much. Real life problems that don’t feel like excuses as obstacles to their romance. A whip-smart heroine with grit and determination who charms from the very moment you meet her. Found family, blended families, friends you want to know in real life. Purely charming.

The bad: nothing. Seriously.

Tessa Bailey really knows how to write a story that often keeps me up reading at night - they're SO good. The Au Pair Affair is no different. This is an Age Gap romance that doesn't feel icky (there are some that do, but that's just my opinion!) with two characters (Tallulah and Burgess) who have their own hangups on relationships in different ways.

I appreciate getting the back story, though at one point this does take a *dark* turn. I was not prepared, but Tessa handled it well and explained what happened in a way that was compassionate. I would add more, but I don't want to give any spoilers.

Overall, I am reminded why I go back to Tessa Bailey's books, and will read more in this series. This is the second in the series, so I'd recommend reading the first book (Fangirl Down), as there are quite a few references to this book in The Au Pair Affair. However, if you don't mind getting details about that one, it could be easily a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an opportunity to review this book.

I had read book 1 and was excited to read book 2. This one was just as good! A single father finds romance with his new nanny. This book was pretty smutty but a good read.

I’ve read a lot of Tessa Bailey. A lot. And liked a lot of what I’ve read, several of my go to rereads are hers. Enter Fangirl Down - it made this golf know-nothing devour a story that it firmly at the top of my favorites list. So when an Au Pair Affair e-ARC was generously sent my way, I was a tiny bit afraid of a Sophomore Slump after having loved the first book in this series so much. WELL. Burgess and Tullulah are everything I want in a romance - witty, smart, down bad for one another and not afraid to show it. I loved getting to see this new sporty side of TB and cannot wait for the rest of this series!

3.5 This book was very well written and kept me in their story the whole way through. I loved the characters and their journey of growth, both individually and together. It was very spicy, more than I was expecting, and the MMC was extremely bold in the things he said to her! I did feel the book synopsis gave away too much of the storyline as wish I hadn't read that beforehand. Overall, if you like super spicy books I would say this is a winner!

I loved this book so much!
It was such a great single dad/ Nanny book!
And if you love sports romances this is basically the jackpot!

Steamy and oh so good! Great follow up to the first in the series. Loved the "nanny" aspect and the forbidden love troupe. Definitely recommend to fans of this author!

Synopsis:
In "Au Pair Affair," Tallulah Aydin, a spirited marine biologist striving to fund her master's degree, finds herself entangled in a whirlwind of romance and chaos when she agrees to become the au pair for Burgess Abraham, the handsome captain of the Boston hockey team. Despite their different stages in life – Tallulah immersed in the world of academia, Burgess navigating the complexities of fatherhood post-divorce – their shared journey under the same roof ignites an unexpected spark between them. As they navigate the highs and lows of their burgeoning relationship, from heartwarming moments with Burgess's daughter to confrontations with their own insecurities, "Au Pair Affair" is a tale of love, laughter, and (obviously) spice.

Thoughts:
I read this entire book in two sittings which usually automatically earns a book a 4-5 star rating if I can’t seem to put it down.
- This was the hockey romance I didn’t know I needed - As someone who usually passes on sports romances (seriously, I could only get through one of the Maple Hills books), I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It is the perfect blend of romance without drowning you in hockey jargon. Tallulah and Burgess’ love story takes center stage which lead me to like this book more than I initially thought I did. 

- Easy breezy palette cleanser - This is not exactly the book you’re grabbing if you’re looking to dissent the intricacies of a hockey romance for your AP English Class. The characters were very lovable (bonus points from me for Tallulah being Turkish), the plot, albeit predictable still kept me engaged to figure out how Tallulah and Burgess’ story would end. The back half of the book maybe got a bit more steamy than normal - I mean can’t Tallulah and Burgess just have a normal conversation without it turning into a steamy encounter?

- You probably want to read Fangirl Down first - While this book can totally be enjoyed as a standalone (as I did), reading Fangirl Down first might give you some extra insight. Burgess fell a little too quickly (seriously in first 10% of the book) but I think this has to do with some back story which I missed out on in Fangirl down. The “third act breakup” which is very typical in any romance book is spoiled if you read this first, but I’ll still be checking out Fangirl Down to read (seriously, on hold at the library now). 

- Burgess looks like Luke from Gilmore Girls merged with Sam Hartman - Extra points for the cover art