This slight age gap nanny book keeps emotions high and the pages turning. Definitely a fun hockey romance book!

This was soo cute and steamy! I think this may be my favorite Tessa Bailey yet! Burgess is so sweet and yummy and the way he loved Tallulah was amazing. Both of these characters had great chemistry and I loved how the story came together! And LOTS of spice!!

I love a good sports romance, and this book definitely qualifies! Not only is it a great hockey romance, it’s written by Tessa Bailey, one of my favorite auto buy authors.

Tallulah is a grad student, which means she’s broke. She’s agreed to be a nanny for Burgess, an intimidating hockey player for the Bearcats NHL team, nicknamed Savage for the way he plays. He’s divorced with a 12 year old daughter named Lissa.
Burgess is very protective of his friends, and after an incident when Tallulah calls him for help he starts accompanying her when she goes out. Eventually their friendship turns into a more serious relationship, but how is Lissa going to react to their news when all she wants is for her parents to get back together?

I recommend this spicy romance, 4.5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was really good! I had high hopes for it after reading Fangirl Down but I knew I was going to enjoy this one a lot too. I liked how well they fit despite them thinking they shouldn't be together. How they elevated each other and they realized that they had a good thing going. They gave each other space when needed and talked to each other when they had to. Overall the story and characters were great, I am glad we got to see Wells and Josephine and now I'm excited what for book 3!

A fun, steamy, swoony read-- as expected from Tessa Bailey! I'd never read a sports romance before, and although I don't know the first thing about hockey, this was thoroughly enjoyable. Exactly what I was looking for.

There is a lot to love about this book. Fangirl Down introduced us to Tallulah, a marine biology student living in Antarctica (awesome). We also met Burgess, Wells’s grumpy best friend there too. So here they are together. Tessa Bailey’s writing of their chemistry and of course the sex scenes is fantastic. She’s one of the best spice writers out there! I also loved what a great dad Burgess is and his struggles to relate to his tween daughter are SO REAL. All that being said, there were some things I did not love. I saw the breakup coming a mile away and the way Lissa was done dirty made me sad (yes, she’s fictional but still!). The kidnapping side plot was also rough and felt stuck in there. Also I think he was too damaged. He needed therapy! Overall it was enjoyable but not one of my favorites.

This was a very fun read! I loved Fangirl Down and was so excited to read Tallulah and Burgess’ story. It was a fun escape and I love a good nanny trope. I loved Lissa's character and her relationship with Tallulah. Very fun summer read!

Bailey does it again. Obviously :)

Burgess and Tallulah’s story is adorable. Of course, all the tropes are there - grumpy/sunshine; age gap: boss/employee. Bailey is a master of tropes and this is no exception.

While there are some common tropes, the characters’ background stories are unique. Tallulah’s past traumatic events are not common topics in books and really shape her behaviors, throughout the book. Her growth is really special, given her past.

I also love that Tallulah is a skilled marine biologist, pursuing higher education, because, listen, we LOVE strong, smart, driven women. Bailey’s female characters are unique and have different strengths and weaknesses and we love to see it. Her fictional worlds are as diverse as our own.

Burgess is the hot, single, co-parenting hockey dad. I mean, can you ask for anything more? His empathy is astounding, but his ability to listen, learn, and change his behaviors…*chef’s kiss* However, he’s not without his flaws. I got to around page 225, and things were looking good….too good, so I knew something was coming. Sure enough the proverbial fan was hit, and everything spiraled. The moment/moments of weakness from Bailey’s characters are human and believable, given the disposition as of the characters she crafts. Bailey perfectly aligns her characters’ personalities to their fatal flaws.

While I absolutely loved this story, I am GEEKED for Sig and Chloe’s story….Bailey left little teasers for their story throughout and I can. not. wait.

Tessa Bailey does it again with a heart wrenching romance. This book has the classic nanny and father trope but with a he falls first add in. Add in an 11 year old daughter, an ex who is still a little bit still hung up on the MMC and some emotional scenes really made my chest hurt. This book was sweet, smutty, well paced and obviously ends in a happily ever after.

Trigger Warnings for domestic abuse (off page/deceased person)

This was my first Tessa Bailey book, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! I'm not a big sports romance fan, so I went into this one a little wary, but I actually found that the sports part of the book didn't take over the plot. The relationship between Tallulah and Burgess was a lot of fun to read about, and the books has a bunch of tropes I love: grumpy/sunshine, he falls first, forced proximity, opposites attract, etc.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I discovered Tessa Bailey this year and I really enjoy the characters she writes. They are fun and quirky and Tallulah is all of those things and more. This is one of my first hockey romances and I have to say I am starting to see the appeal. The shear size of the hockey men is enough to make me swoon.

Burgess is grumpy and Tallulah is a ray of sunshine. They compliment each other well. I do appreciate the hesitation they both felt about getting together, but can you really deny chemistry and attraction that strong. Decidedly not.

It seems they both bring out the best in each other. Tallulah helps Burgess lighten up and become a happier version of himself. He learns how to relate better to Lissa as well and I think that is a huge. Burgess in turn helps Tallulah find her strength and overcome her fears. She has sheltered herself away for so long that the idea of being around people is overwhelming to her.

I am on the fence about the age difference in this book, it seems to have worked out for them but in general I don't know how I would feel about it IRL. But the beauty of fiction is that we can live in all kinds of different situations outside of our comfort zone.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

I really enjoyed this book! It wasn't as "binge-able" as Fangirl Down, but had a similar giddy feeling!

This is top-shelf Tessa Bailey! I swear her men are deeper in therapy with each book!

The final act is when it really fell apart for me, but as it was an unedited arc, maybe that was all tidied up before publishing.

Would recommend if you're looking for a 0-100 steamy hockey/nanny/age gap/forced proximity/opposites attract/boy obsessed/he falls first romance set in Boston!!!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the free arc in exchange for an honest review.

This one was fun! I liked seeing the characters from Fangirl Down and enjoyed the humor, spice, and heart.

The FMC's backstory was a bit outrageous, and felt out of place for a romcom. The breakup at the end also lasted too long, and I found it hard to want to pick the book back up toward the end

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tessa Bailey has done it again with The Au Pair Affair! This book is an absolute gem, blending romance, humor, and heart in a way that only Bailey can. The characters are incredibly well-developed and relatable, making it easy to get lost in their world. The chemistry between the leads is sizzling and the plot keeps you hooked from start to finish. Bailey’s writing is sharp and engaging, making it impossible to put the book down. If you’re looking for a perfect summer read that’s both fun and emotional, The Au Pair Affair is the one to pick up. Highly recommended!

TESSA BAILEY DOESN'T MISS. And her first foray into hockey romance was no different. I knew I'd love her sports romances because I love everything she writes, but after Fangirl Down, which I absolutely adored, I was wholly unprepared for how much I would adore burly Burgess and quirky Tallulah in this sexy single dad x nanny romance with a side of my favorite sport---hockey.

The spice was spicing in this one, I love the push and pull of the opposites attract and age gap, and I especially loved the forced proximity. All of it was a recipe for success, and I can't wait to see what TB does next!

I’ve been a fan of Tessa Bailey’s romances for a few years now, and it seems like each one is getting better! In this story we follow grumpy, single dad, hockey player, Burgess who is trying to balance hockey and parenting. He hires Tallulah, who is a grad student studying Marine Biology as his Au Pair to live with him and help with his daughter, Lisa’s during her grad school program. While Burgess thought he was just hiring someone to help him out, he realizes that Tallulah means so much more to him. They bring out the best in each other. Each of them are working through their own battles and it’s nice to see the support each of them has to offer. Character growth is one of my favorite things to read about and I loved seeing Tallulah progress and overcome her trauma.

This book is addicting! Full of high chemistry, groveling, and so much more, it’s hard to put down. A huge thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy. I can’t wait to buy the physical edition to add to my never ending Tessa Bailey collection!!

I thought this book started off great and then there was a point after their break-up where i felt like it went downhill for me. There were definitely more things that i liked than didnt like, but the ending just kind of didn't roll with the rest of the book for me. I did love our characters; from Burgess to Talluah, to Chloe and Sig, and even seeing Wells and Jacqueline again. I really liked how Burgess and Talluah came together and the pace of their relationship. Mainly too, how they came together as a little family with his daughter. I thought that everything was tied together pretty nicely but i had a hard time understanding his lashing out on her when he was injured. i mean i kind of got it, but it just felt very off character to me for Burgess. And then the whole them coming back together felt a little rushed. But overall, i did like this book and i am still very excited for the next one in the big shots series!

I love a sports romance book. This one is even better than many are this year because of the banter and the sexy times as well as the fact that I was rooting for both characters from the start. I love when the main character is so determined and really lets the female male character know how much that they want them. I also love seeing how the kid was story but didn’t overwhelmed the love story aspect. This book is entertaining from start to finish.

Took a little bit to get into but it was overall a good quick read with the right amount of spice. Definitely not like her bellinger sister series which I love and could not put down.

The Au Pair Affair is an absolute gem of a sports rom-com! Tallulah, our smart and vivacious heroine, dives headfirst into the world of nannying for the grumpy yet irresistible hockey veteran, Burgess. Their chemistry is off the charts, and watching Tallulah navigate life with Burgess and his introverted tween, Lissa, is both heartwarming and hilarious.
Tallulah's quirky charm and Burgess's rough-around-the-edges persona make for a dynamic duo that’s impossible not to root for. As she helps him re-enter the dating scene, sparks fly, boundaries blur, and the heat turns up higher than a Stanley Cup final. The emotional rollercoaster they ride, especially with Tallulah trying to do the "right" thing and stepping back, adds a layer of depth that keeps you hooked.
The author's knack for blending humor, heart, and steamy romance shines through in this delightful story. The supporting cast, especially Lissa, adds richness to the narrative, and the eventual push from Burgess's daughter to bring Tallulah back into their lives is the cherry on top.
The Au Pair Affair is a must-read for anyone who loves a good laugh, a swoon-worthy romance, and a story that leaves you with a big, satisfied smile. Grab this book and get ready to fall head-over-hockey-stick for the author's latest hit!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!