I LOVED this book! I couldn’t put this book down and it was amazing to read. I fell in love with the characters and lived for when burgess took care of Tallulah. I loved the connection with burgesses daughter and really felt for the tender moments.

3.5 ⭐ spicy and lots of heat in this hockey romance from Tessa Bailey. I loved her golf romance, Fangirl Down, and when I saw that this had two of the characters from that book in it, I knew I wanted to read it! While I didn't love this one quite as much, it was still a fun read and if you are a sports romance fan, I think you will love it.

Think single dad + au pair + some serious sparks.

What didn't work for me... I think I didn't love how much this single dad needed Tallulah 's help with his daughter... Men can be amazing parents too and I wanted him to get more credit, or something. Obviously this was just a personal feeling about the dynamics at play.

I also wasn't a huge fan of the spice in this book but that's what's great about reading, you can always find something for everyone!

Tessa Bailey fans will love this easy to read, fireworks 🎆 of a romance. You will be rooting for our adorable main characters the whole time. ❤️

Thanks to netgalley for an ARC to review.

I enjoyed this book but not as much as the previous one in the series. There didn't seem to be a lot of chemistry between the main characters. Of course there was the signature dirty talk but I found myself skimming because it didn't come across as genuine. I was more intrigued by the side characters

Living up to its predecessor, Fangirl Down was a tall order, but one I believed Tallulah and Burgess could live up to. As I’ve come to understand, we are all wrong at some point in our life and it appears as though after years of waiting, now is my time to shine.

Tessa Bailey has always catered to the crowd that was looking for a good time. The caliber of writing was up to par with those who were craving a fun and dare I say, steamy read. That being said, the tone of this particular novel did not ring true to that statement. On the contrary, we, as readers, were introduced to a more serious plot through our female protagonist, Tallulah, that weighed with the remnants of a traumatic past. While I believe authors should be encouraged to explore outside the confines they’ve been built within, as with almost anything in life, there is a sensitivity to it that should be considered. Tallulah’s young adulthood, riddled with nightmares most of us only fear over, was permeated with grief over a life that could’ve been lived, but that she is now forced to merely exist in. Up until Tallulah’s interest in Burgess became romantic, her experiences were presented mindfully. Then, lust became the solution to years of pent up suffering. For some, intimacy becomes a coping mechanism, but in this instance, it was insinuated, whether consciously or not, that it was the last step in the bridge between her debilitating past and adventurous future. In no way do I want to invalidate Tallulah’s journey to recovery. All I’m saying is that perhaps we shouldn’t address more intense topics if we aren’t going to give them the nuance they deserve.

Burgess. I couldn’t put it more blatantly. Burgess was the bane of my existence. Truly, I’ve pondered through a million different ways of putting it, but it comes down all the same to his overbearing masculine nature. As a man, it came to no surprise to me that he was the common denominator in all my complaints. There is a difference between protectiveness and possessiveness, and Burgess completely overstepped into the latter with his ‘who did this to you’ persona. There’s a time and place and he missed them both. Needless to say, given the actions of Tallulah’s ex, it left a sour taste in my mouth and I’m surprised it didn’t do the same to her.

As for the writing, it was very millennial core, and with all due respect, while I’ve come to expect that in Bailey’s novels, it was just too much. The second Burgess was crowned Sir Savage, I was out. I never claimed to be God’s strongest soldier, yet alas.

Despite being written in the third-person, we are still getting a dual POV and while I’m always an advocate for this kind of storytelling, the timeline seems to drift so drastically in the sense that the author was grazing over some of the most important scenes, allowing us to only see their aftermath, that it took away the magic.

Given that Josephine and Wells, our previous couple, were such an influence in Burgess and Tallulah’s arrangement, I expected to see them more. If not throughout the story, than at least at the end when the group is in Costa Rica for the Whitaker-Doyle wedding. Such a missed opportunity with the epilogue in that regard…

Talking tropes, as a single-dad + nanny connoisseur, I was gravely disappointed. I’ve made my peace with tropes being falsely acquainted with books purely to appeal to a wider audience, particularly in the romance space. Yet I was still taken aback when our nanny wasn’t nannying, nor was our single dad fathering. Poor Lissa basically raised herself at this point. What’s the fun in that?!

Third act breakups, you say? Basically a given when committing to a Tessa Bailey book. But this one was very overdramatized and yet, the MMC still didn’t do enough groveling. Surprise surprise.

All in all, my advice to anyone going into this is to expect everything except the synopsis.

Thank you to Avon and Tessa Bailey for providing me with an ARC. As always, all thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.

I LOVE SINGLE DADS. Sorry but this is my favorite trope, and Tessa Bailey does it like no other. This man made me absolutely FERAL. We are lucky to live in time of literary genius like Ms. Bailey

i love the concept but the execution was really not it. i don’t really care about the smut i care about the romance developing and her relationship with his daughter. i think i need to take a break from tessa bailey for a while

Tessa Bailey + hockey romance is everything I've ever wanted. This novel is spicy, heartfelt, laugh out loud funny, and tackles real issues and trauma. If you liked Fangirl Down, you'll love the Au Pair Affair!
Tallulah is the new au pair for Sir Savage, the hockey sensation known for his aggressive play on the ice -- also known as Burgess Abraham, a single dad in desperate need of some help with his 11-year-old daughter. As Tallulah becomes more entrenched in their family unit, she also works her way into Burgess's heart. The two develop an insatiable attraction, but Tallulah's past trauma prevents their heat from turning into anything more.
This book's tropes include forced proximity, he falls first, Mean Daddy, grumpy x sunshine, age gap, single dad, and an HEA. There was also a fun cross-over with Wells and Josephine and I AM PRAYING another book in this world for Sid and Chloe (whom I already love and would sell my soul to see more of).
5⭐
4🌶️

Quick Summary: An age gap, sports romance

My Review: The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey is book #2 in the Big Shots series.

About the Book: Hockey player and single parent dad, Burgess, employs graduate student, Tallulah, as his daughter's au pair. While living together under a new and unfamiliar arrangement, the three learn how to become more to each other.

My Final Say: There were quite a few serious issues associated with this contemporary story. With that said, there was also humor, loyalty, spice, friendship, and love. Burgess and Tallulah had an interesting dynamic between them. I liked how they helped each other to see beyond their experiences.

Other: I'm looking forward to reading the next story in this series. I really liked the team members.

Rating: 3.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 💛🌶
Triggers: Assault/kidnapping, fear/trauma, divorce
Series: Yes

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon), and to NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to review a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have voluntarily shared are my own.

My favorite things about this book were the hockey and the Boston setting. The author actually did her research and featured a lot of real places/people in a way that felt authentic and was only sometimes cheesy.

A feel good romcom with some harder background storylines but an overall HEA that will leave you satisfied.

Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have to say there was something incredibly beautiful about reading a book where the man is the definition of this alpha male, incredibly aggressive hockey player yet he falls first head over heels for the nanny and he becomes just this big old teddy bear.

Tallulah is studying to become a marine biologist when she takes the job to become the nanny for a hockey player's tween daughter. She brings to their household a lot of light, sunshine and a new perspective on life.

Burgess is a very jaded professional hockey player. He has some things in his past and doesn't really seem to want to move on from them in any sort of happy way.

When the two of them really start connecting, he becomes absolutely smitten with her and it was adorable. I freaking loved the relationship.

I think Tessa Bailey is turning me into a sports romance fan and I am 100% on board with this new journey.

Tessa does it again this is the perfect sequel to fangirl down I absolutely loved seeing the characters grow! 10/10 recommend this story I loved the MMC so much more than the fmc simply because at times she seemed just soo childish and her choices made me more angry than I would've liked. I was not prepared for the trauma share in this book so I really wish there would have been a warning however the story itself and would read it again and again.

Tessa Bailey does it again! Another top read I just want to shake in everyone’s face to read asap! Like here you go please buy and read asap, thank you! She’s such a fave and never disappoints.

As always, Tessa Bailey manages to create lovable characters that jump off the page with witty banter and depth. This addition to her repertoire is no different. With a guaranteed happily ever after for the couples and an endearing story along the way, you can't go wrong with any of her titles. I'm a long-standing fan of Bailey's, and this novel did not disappoint! For those following the hockey craze and lovers of Ted Lasso's Roy Kent, this is the summer romance for you!

Tessa Bailey has done it again! A great follow up to Fangirl Down. I usually am not a fan of single parent romances, but this wasn't over done and didn't have that "savior of the family" trope (which I appreciate). I will agree with some other reviewers that the 3rd act break up/resolution felt a little late in the book. I would have liked a little more story after the resolution, but I have a feeling we will see glimpses of them in book 3. Burgess was the perfect "love at first sight" MMC. The perfect blend of gruff and tender, always wanting to protect our FMC. Tallulah I liked for the most part. I did feel that at times she acted a bit younger than her age, but that could be because of some things in her backstory. She was wise beyond her years in some aspects as well, giving great insight and advice to Burgess.
Overall, I enjoyed this installment in the series. Tessa has struck gold with the Big Shots series!

This book hooked me in from the first chapter. I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

Loved this book! I’m always a suck for a book where he falls first. The banter in this book had me blushing and giggling. I’m usually not a fan of books where the main character has a kid but this one was very well written! Loved the Grumpy x sunshine elements. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good sports romance!

“𝙃𝙚’𝙙 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙮 𝙠𝙣𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙘 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚.”

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC and the opportunity. This might be my favorite Tessa Bailey book yet. It was so so good I ate it up. The TENSION?! Yes please. I love hockey and I love hockey romances, so this was obviously amazing. Throw in an older overprotective man and I am all in.

“𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙.”

Burgess and Tallulah have such an interesting relationship, and it was so fun to watch it play out. I loved the bickering, and the new adventures, the opening up and all of the in between.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨, 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙. 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙜𝙤.” 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙧, 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝. “𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.”

Please read this either way, but especially if you like:

💙 ”hey we just made this idea to live together and didn’t really think about it”

💙 hockey players who are very overprotective

💙 insane tension 🌶

💙 found family

💙 peanut butter and espresso smoothies 😉

“𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙝 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚.”

I could not connect with Tallulah or Burgess. She was just a little to much for me and Burgess was just so bland and awkward. Some of their interactions were just so cringey to me. I could not get over it to enjoy it. I really enjoyed the first book in the series but unfortunately this one just did not do it.

This was cute! I didn't love the Burgess being a jerk story line...that was a dark turn and a really horrible thing to say given who readers learn he is over the course of the book.

We were introduced to the characters of Tallulah and Burgess in the first book in this series, Fangirl Down (which was a solid 5 stars in my book!). I knew I was going to need to get my hands on the sequel ASAP.

I love that Burgess is older and a single dad. His life up to this point really plays into his character and you can tell there was a lot of thought and development that went into them both. Tallulah is hired to be Burgesses Au Pair and there, conflicts and passion arise.

The romance on the page is smoking hot (wow-we the dirty talk!) and makes for a quick page-turner and keeps you begging for more!