Bubbling up with Helena

• Title: The Au Pair Affair
• Author: Tessa Bailey
• Publisher:  Avon
• Release Date: 7/16/24
• Genre: Romance
• Age Range: Adult
• Rating: ★★★.5
• Publisher’s Summary: #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey returns with an all-new sports rom-com about a burly, surly, single dad who falls head-over-hockey-stick for his quirky live-in nanny…Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween. Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away. Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah. 

The main characters of The Au Pair Affair, Burgess and Tallulah, are introduced in Fangirl Down, the previous book in this new sports romance series by Tessa Bailey. I was intrigued by them from their cameo in the previous book, and their story did not let me down.

I love interconnected romance novels. Josephine and Wells from Fangirl Down not only appear in The Au Pair Affair, but their wedding is a significant part of the plot. It’s rare that readers get a glimpse into what happens beyond “happily ever after,” and it was so fun to continue to read about their story. I loved getting to read about their wedding, and I also loved reading about them helping their friends through their budding relationship.

Tallulah and Burgess have an interesting relationship dynamic. I was wary because there is clearly a power imbalance between them. Tallulah not only works for Burgess, but she is significantly younger than him. However, I appreciated that Burgess clearly respects Tallulah and is willing to learn from her. He takes her advice on interacting with his daughter, and it ends up improving their relationship significantly. The power dynamic does leave me slightly uncomfortable still, but they do seem to care about each other deeply.

I do enjoy a romance novel there two broken people fall in love and help each other through their trauma, and The Au Pair Affair is certainly one of them. Talullah is struggling with healing from being kidnapped by a man and trapped in a closet for days. Burgess is dealing with getting older and having a back injury that is impacting his hockey career. Of course, this issues are not the same at all, but they are able to help each other work through them and come out the other side better and stronger.

As someone who lived in Boston for years, it was fun to read a book set in a city I love very much. It made me chuckle that the Boston hockey team in this novel is called the “Bearcats” instead of the Bruins. Some books make the setting feel like another character, but this is not one of them. I would have loved more content about Boston itself.

This book is one of the steamiest romance novels I’ve ever read. Bailey tends to write solidly R-rated romance novels, but this one is certainly on the even raunchier side. Be warned if you find yourself reading this book on the subway or near curious children.

Bailey is the unequivocal queen of the romance novel, and I always enjoy reading her work. I look forward to reading her next book, Window Shopping.