The Au Pair Affair
Ratings22
Average rating3.6
I really like Fangirl Down, but was disappointed by this book. There are elements that are good but others that just really missed for me.
Like Tallulah's whole backstory, still trying to get my head around it. It got really dark, really fast then kinda got glossed over from there. She promised her sister it wouldn't stop her, but her whole family went back to Turkey and haven't visited in 4 years? She hasn't spoken to them on the phone but only sent post cards? For 4 years??
It was a slow start, an ok middle and a rough end. There was a lot of baggage to get neatly parcelled up and it feels like it should have been a longer, darker novel to properly deal with the backstory. I didn't buy it, some of the lines made me physically cringe towards the end and it felt like Tallulah gave up on a lot of her hopes and ambitions for something physical.
3.75/5
“Since we're talking romance and personal relationships, I don't suppose you're willing to comment on the whole Sig Gauthier situation. You know, with his step—”
“That's their story to tell,” Burgess interrupted with a headshake. “Not mine.”
Oh, COME ON!!!
Honestly, when I started reading this book I had NO idea that I would be invested in a step-sibling romance. Come on, I've been avoiding this trope the entire time. But now?? Tessa?? Hello?? What kind of spell did you ou6t on me?? I'm so invested in Sig and Chloe, I NEED their book now!
That being said, their relationship (and Wells and Josephine cameos) were the only things I liked about this book.
Which is a shame, really. I was really excited to read about them when I read The Fangirl Down earlier this year and got to their first meeting. I was fascinated. And then I started reading this book...
When Tallulah refused the position and it looked like she would be moving in with Chloe, I put the book down for 3 days. Because that wasn't the story I was interested in. I picked it up today and it got better, and around. 15% I started annoying it... Up until the 70% when the drama with Lissa happened. And then the third act breakup pissed me off so much, that I wasn't invested in their relationship anymore.
I mean, after the shit Burgess said, I didn't even want him and Tallulah to end up together anymore. Just no. I only kept reading to get more of Chloe and Sig... And I am SO invested in those two, please, Tessa, don't have their parents marry!! I just want them to be together and happy!
hm. okay. i think i liked this one slightly less than Fangirl Down. it was a bit more unrealistic and cringy, and the spice wasn't as bad this time around or maybe i just knew what to expect now. i didn't really like Tallulah as a fmc as much as i liked Josephine, but i did like Burgess way more than Wells. Chloe was entertaining af tho, glad she's getting her own book.
Pre-Reading Updates: Did a book trade with my friend and co-worker Madelyn! I gave her Ali Hazelwood's Bride and she gave me this book, Tessa Bailey's The Au Pair Affair! I'm going to read Fangirl Down first though, since it seems to be the first in the series. Can't wait!
I love Tessa's books and this was no exception.
Wonderful banter, good characters, right amount of spice and a happy ending. What more could I want!!
Tessa Bailey absolutely kills it AGAIN!!
I loved the first book in the series and I loved this one just the same. The spice oh wow!!!!!!
- Nanny x Hockey Player
- Single Dad
- Age Gap (11 yrs)
- Forced Proximity
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Opposites Attract
- Roommates
- Dirty Talker
- He Falls First
- Boston Setting
- Past Trauma
This is a great addition to Tessa Bailey's sports romance series.
Tallulah is confident, courageous, and good at communicating her needs even when she doubts herself. Burgess is protective and possessive while still being conscious of Tallulah's independence. You get both an age gap and a boss/employee trope which can lead to some tricky power imbalances, but in this case Tallulah's emotional intelligence and her superior understanding of how to connect with a 12 year old girl helps even that out. It's not insta-love but there is an instant attraction between the two of them. I appreciated that we see Tallulah think about Burgess's protective actions critically and, with the context of her feelings, decide whether or not they cross her boundaries. It's something that mirrors my own thoughts when I'm reading and wonder if an overprotective character's actions cross the line from heartwarming to controlling.
I think it's pretty standard for a Tessa Bailey novel. It's steamy, funny, filled with charming side characters, and you get great character growth from both Tallulah and Burgess. There are phrases or lines of dialogue that toe the line of almost too cheesy or a little unhinged but, for me, that's part of why I'm a fan. It's fresh, fun, unexpected, and sometimes realistically awkward.
Although I enjoyed it overall, it felt a little incomplete to me. I expected more from the nanny plot. I was hoping to see the growth of Tallulah's relationship with Lissa and how she fits into the family. You get glimpses of that but they're sparse. It felt like Lissa as a character was only brought in when she was needed to move the plot forward or to deepen the relationship between Burgess and Tallulah, and when that wasn't happening she was just out of the picture. This gives space for the couple's relationship to progress quickly but it makes it seem like Lissa isn't not a priority to her dad and that made me like him less. I would have loved to see Tallulah and Lissa interact without Burgess. A large part of her moving in with him was to help nanny, and we see very very little of that.
I think fans of Fangirl Down will enjoy this one. It feels rewarding to watch them learn to trust each other and trust themselves, you get a look into how Wells and Josephine are progressing, and (like every other character who asked about it) I'm dying to find out what the deal is with Chloe and Sig.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchance for my honest feedback