I feel like I hit the Netgalley lottery! This is the second Tessa Bailey ARC I've gotten this year, and let me tell you, she just gets better and better. The Au Pair Affair is the second in the series of sports romances Tessa Bailey is coming out with, and they are both chef's kiss! This one focuses on a hockey player, Burgess, and his au pair, Tallulah. Everything we love about her books is here - the heart, the romance, the humor. It's all perfection. This one comes out in July, and it will be the perfect summer rom com for your shelves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest reviews. 5/5 stars.

If you love Tessa Bailey you’ll love this book. It’s got ALL the spice you love from Tessa. The characters were a little less interesting than some of her others and their character growth was not emotionally satisfying. I still devoured it in one setting, so that didn’t get in the way of me enjoying Tessa!

I usually love everything Tessa ever puts out, but this fell flat for me. In general, I don't like the single dad trope, but I thought maybe my favorite romance author would make me a fan. I didn't love the characters. Burgess was almost 40, but seemed pretty incompetent. The ex-wife was a strange dynamic and I felt even the bonding between the daughter and Tallulah wasn't there. This one really disappointed me.

Honestly, who wouldn’t read the darn phone book if Tessa Bailey wrote it? You know it’d make you laugh (and tickle more than your funny bone). In this new sports romcom, aspiring marine biologist Tallulah is a flat broke grad student who takes on the job of nanny for the tween daughter of divorced professional hockey player - and hunk- Burgess.

Burgess is 11 years older than she and is her boss, to boot. Still, he needs to get back to social/romantic living and he’s sooooo attracted to Tallulah. For her part, Tallulah has had a big trauma and is trying to get back to living unafraid but she’s so attracted to Burgess. Why not come together to start that healing/living? But life, and the sport, intervene.

Burgess is hot. A 6ft 3in built hockey player. But, man, is he clued in to ways to treat a woman, especially one who has been a victim of violence. He just gets hotter the more he interacts with her and her fears. He luscious and delightfully written. Tallulah is such a real person. She comes alive on the pages. She’s afraid but she’s also unconsciously brave as she reaches to fight back her anxiety and go for Burgess and a fearless life.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Au Pair Affair was a hit with me! I love the Big Shots series with the idea of a different sports person as the love interest (hoping for a sports lady soon!). Wells in Fangirl Down was great, but Burgess the Hockey Dude…oh yeah, he’s a hit.

I actually didn’t connect with Tallulah very much, which was surprising, but I still enjoyed her voice in her chapters. I thought the relationship between T and Burgess developed organically and it was shown through interactions and events, not just “oh hey they’re in love.”

Bailey does a great job with her side characters and Chloe, Sig, and the rookies are no different. I especially loved Chloe and reeeaaaallllly hope she has a book of her own soon.

Overall, this is a 5/5 romance for me. Good plot, solid use of tropes, nice banter, and well-written. I can definitely see this being a huge hit with the hockey aspect that’s in the story! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tessa Bailey’s books never fail to make me smile and The Au Pair Affair is no exception. Her characters always have the best chemistry, hilarious banter, and the happily ever after we all crave. Another great addition to Tessa Bailey’s works, and I can’t wait to see what happens next in the series!

The most memorable part of this book for me is the dirty talk - Tessa Bailey works her words wonderfully, with just enough shock value spice to thrill a reader. This follow-up to Fangirl Down keeps the tone and tempo of the series moving, doing well to keep from the second-book-slump. This story really straddles between "New Adult" with the outlandish adventures Tallulah creates and the "Grumpy/Sunshine" with the aging sports star single dad Burgess, giving a great brain candy romance.

If you like a protective, alpha male…this is your book! 🔥 🔥 A little fast paced but honestly, didn’t matter. I cannot wait for book 2 in this series.

I received this book from the publisher & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!!!

This was a nice read I think my issue was that I wasn’t very in love with the characters. I also think the 3rd act break up was way too long. It lasted the whole end of the book! But I enjoyed reading this during the beginning. I definitely love Fangirl down more but this will definitely be loved by a lot of people I can tell!

Ahhhhhhhhh as soon as I read "Fangirl Down" I KNEW we were getting a hockey romance!!!!!!!!

This book was fabulous, I read it all in one day. I loved the character development of both the FMC and MMC.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review:


Tessa motherfuckin Bailey does a hockey romance!!! Oh my goodness this book was so good!! I ATE it up! I love a grumpy alpha male. The TENSION between these two 🤤 Tallulah is a grad student that agrees to be an au pair for a hockey player single dad but she’s distrustful of men and wants to back out. Burgess wants to earn her trust and is willing to do anything to protect her. This third act break up did destroy me tho so keep that in mind 😭


🖤Age gap (11 years)
🖤Fake dating
🖤Hockey romance
🖤Boss x Nanny

Rating: 5⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Another fun read from Tessa Bailey 🤩 this time we got a hockey player and a nanny. A fun and spicy combo 🌶️ I can’t wait to see what Tessa Bailey writes next.

Tessa Bailey can do no wrong when it comes to romance. The Big Shots series was AMAZING. I loved everything about it.

Spoilers✨️
I LOVED Burgess aka Mean Daddy, an overprotective hockey player? Say no more. The third act breakup broke my heart into a million pieces, but it was really well done.
Overall it was a fantastic book!

I wished I loved this book because Tessa Bailey is one of my favorite authors but I only liked it. The insta-love was way over the top. They went from be my child's au pair to I can't live without you, in about two pages. Both characters felt very immature. The most mature character in the book was the child.

I really enjoy a lot of Tessa Bailey’s books and this was one of them! Her books are just a fun, spicy and entertaining time and perfect for when I need like a breather from reading a lot of fantasy. Tallulah and Burgess had such an entertaining dynamic and it was truly a really funny book. They had great banter and chemistry and that is really all I look for in these types of books! I will say the plot sometimes didn’t grab me but the characters made up for it. Will be purchasing for our library and I do recommend!

Bailey's second foray into the sports romance arena is more successful then her first, but relies too much on tropes to be anything worth picking up.

Tessa Bailey's The Au Pair Affair navigates the tumultuous world of love and laughter as Burgess, a tough yet sweet hockey veteran turned single dad, hires Tallulah, a quirky marine biology student, as his live-in nanny. The chemistry between them sizzles, but past traumas and the complexities of love create a rollercoaster of emotions. While the story may delve into heavier themes compared to Bailey's previous work, it maintains its heartwarming charm, balancing humor and steamy romance. The seamless continuation of the world introduced in Fangirl Down, coupled with cameos from beloved characters, adds depth to the narrative. The book, a solid follow-up and possibly a new favorite in hockey romance, showcases Bailey's mastery of the genre, making it a must-read for fans seeking a delightful blend of wit, emotion, and love.

OMG I just finished this book (at work) and it was smokin' hot. I can't wait for the next one cause I know who it's gonna be about! I loved the story of Tallulah and how she conquered her fears. I loved the story of how Tallulah conquered Burgess! (Not a spoiler, but come on, it IS a HEA...) The journey to get there was super hot, super funny, and poignant at the same time. Lissa is a great character and the supporting characters of the group just make the story...even the rookies. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hate I have to wait so long for another one!

I adore anything Tessa Bailey writes but this may be my favorite book by her. It was laugh out loud funny but had me crying by the end. I loved Tallulah and Burgess. The chemistry was off the charts. The protectiveness he had over her was what every woman dreams of having. I will definitely be rereading The Au Pair Affair.

Tessa Bailey is a little hit or miss for me, and this installment in her series was really only fine. Bailey at her best has a truly zany spark, and this was missing here, and the turn towards realism just made the whole thing fall flat. It's still a decent romance, because Bailey knows her business, but The Au Pair Affair lacks an exciting energy.