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Cover of The Au Pair Affair

The Au Pair Affair

by Tessa Bailey

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy·Big Shots #2
3.6 on Goodreads (92,863)

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Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

Hockey dad meets marine biology nerd in peak Tessa Bailey fashion—filthy banter, real emotional stakes, and a slow-melt grump who would burn the world down for his people.

Synopsis

A 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.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Burgess Abraham is the kind of MMC who makes you want to scream into a pillow—stoic, scarred, impossibly protective, and absolutely wrecked by the sunshine nanny living under his roof. Tessa Bailey leans all the way into the tension of wanting someone you think you shouldn't have, and the spice is earned through genuine vulnerability. If you love a grumpy single dad who goes feral for one specific woman, this is your book.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

3.59 ★ (92.9k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

384 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2024

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Contemporary Romance

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

No audiobook yet

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
single parent romancenanny/guardian romanceforced proximitygrumpy sunshineage gap romanceforbidden lovesports romanceroommatesopposites attract
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

steamywittylightheartedemotionalangstyswoonyromantic

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

wittybanter-heavyconversationalemotionalwarm

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

moderate

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

page turnerbanter cityTessa Bailey at her filthiesthockey romance comfort food

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

sunshine/optimistbookworm/scholarcaretaker

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

grumpy protectorsingle dadsecretly soft

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

grumpy sunshinehe falls firstprotective love interestage gap romanceforbidden lovefound familyonly soft for them

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
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Spice Level 4

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

dirty talk heavyemotional / vulnerable intimacypassionate / intenseplayful / funnypossessive / claiming

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

praise kinksoft dom energysize difference focuslifting carrying in bedvoice kinkbegging kinkwall pinning

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

praise kinksoft dom energyrough/aggressive intimacybegging kink
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (4)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
kidnappingviolencestalkingpanic attacks
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

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World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

contemporary

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

big city / metropolis

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

humans only

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

BIPOC LI

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

romantic fulfillmentthe swoonfound family feelsthe grovel deliveredcomfort reread material

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

beach tripcozy eveninglazy Sundayvacationpalate cleanser read

Big Shots

Fangirl Down

#1 Fangirl Down

The Au Pair Affair

#2 The Au Pair Affair

Dream Girl Drama

#3 Dream Girl Drama

Catch Her If You Can

#5 Catch Her If You Can

this page is just the start

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy
PagesHow long the commitment is.384
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2024
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.3.59 ★ (92.9k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Big Shots #2
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