05/13/2024
Bestseller Bailey brings her signature blend of heat and sweet to her delightful second Big Shots romance (after Fangirl Down). Graduate student Tallulah Aydin is having second thoughts about agreeing to be a live-in nanny for the tween daughter of Boston Bearcats hockey player Burgess Abraham, aka Sir Savage, after seeing some scary YouTube clips of him facing off against opponents on the ice. Tallulah, 11 years Burgess’s junior and traumatized by a past relationship, is trying to hide away from the world and, despite having accepted the job, feels a frisson of fear about living under the same roof as the formidable hockey player. She soon learns, however, that, underneath his intimidating appearance, Burgess is as gentle as a kitten with the people he cares about. Through bonding with him and his daughter, Lissa, she finds the courage to face the world. But when Burgess lashes out after a devastating injury, his outbursts cut Tallulah to the core—and may doom their relationship. Bailey creates flawed but endearing characters that readers will fall head over heels for. Her nimble plotting captivates from the first page, and a strong supporting cast—especially precocious Lissa and Tallulah’s friend Chloe, who seems poised to be the heroine of book three—add dimension to the romance. This is another winner from Bailey. (July)
Tessa Bailey is the queen of rom-coms. Long may she reign!" — Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Merry Little Meet Cute
“Nothing makes my heart catch fire like a Tessa Bailey book. She is all things magic and dirty talk.” — Elena Armas, New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception
“Tessa Bailey’s writing stands out in all the right sexy ways.” — Buzzfeed
“Bailey writes banter and rom-com scenarios with aplomb, but for those who like their romance on the spicier side, she’s also the Michelangelo of dirty talk. She wields filth like Da Vinci does a paintbrush, and there’s a lot to be said for an author who can fill such exchanges with all the requisite heat, enthusiastic consent, and yes, even humor, of such a scenario without veering into corny territory.” — Entertainment Weekly
“Vintage Bailey with heady notes of earthy sensuality and smoldering sexual chemistry neatly balanced by deliciously dry hints of sassy humor.” — Booklist on Unfortunately Yours
"Tessa Bailey writes pure magic! It Happened One Summer has everything you could want in a rom-com—heartwarming romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and scorching hot chemistry between the lovable socialite and sexy ship captain. I absolutely loved it!" — Alexis Daria, bestselling author of You Had Me at Hola
04/01/2024
Bailey offers a compelling addition to her "Big Shots" series (following the series opener, Fangirl Down). The plot of this second installment revolves around the unlikely relationship between 26-yearold marine biology grad student, Tallulah Aydin, and a seasoned hockey player and newly single dad, Burgess "Sir Savage" Abraham, who is 11 years Tallulah's senior. They meet when a broke Tallulah takes a side gig as live-in nanny at Burgess's house, caring for his tween daughter (who wants her parents back together). Tallulah tries to help Burgess start dating again, but they start to develop feelings for one another. Then an injury tangles them in a web of emotions, causing heartbreak and misunderstandings. Burgess decides to win over the love he never knew he needed. One of the novel's strengths is its sensitive portrayal of Tallulah's traumatic past after moving from Istanbul at a young age. Bailey addresses this aspect with grace, adding depth to Tallulah's character and making her journey towards healing a significant part of the narrative. The steamy novel also emphasizes the importance of respect and consent in relationships. VERDICT Bailey wonderfully portrays the chemistry between Tallulah and Burgess, creating a tension-filled narrative that keeps readers captivated from beginning to end.—Michelle Mistalski
2024-05-17
A professional hockey player falls in love with his tween daughter’s nanny.
Burgess Abraham is 37 and can feel himself aging out of hockey—everything hurts. He refuses to let the team doctors know the extent of his pain, worried it will force him into early retirement. Complicating his life, he’s recently divorced and has shared custody of his daughter, Lissa. Burgess’ punishing travel schedule means he needs help at home, so he hires 26-year-old graduate student Tallulah Aydin to be his daughter’s nanny. Tallulah just moved to Boston for a graduate program in marine biology. She’s flat broke and landing this gig is a financial lifesaver, but she worries that her incendiary chemistry with Burgess will make it hard to keep things professional. Burgess’ feelings of protectiveness toward Tallulah are amplified after she tells him about a traumatic incident from her past. Her move to Boston showed her that she’s been letting fear rule her life, that she’s reluctant to trust people and afraid to live. Burgess offers to help Tallulah check items off her bucket list of adventures, promising to accompany her and keep her safe. In return, Burgess wants to be her boyfriend, not just a casual fling. Unfortunately, Lissa is convinced her parents will get back together and sees Tallulah as an interloper. Bailey fans will find all the classic hallmarks of her style: a plucky heroine matched with a possessive, dirty-talking hero in a high-heat romance. Although the novel engages with deeper themes, its exploration of these difficult topics feels simplistic and superficial. Huge problems are introduced late in the story and then fixed offstage, without readers seeing the work and effort involved.
Engaging characters with thorny problems have a pat, easy love story.
Narrator Callie Dalton brings the steam to the second Big Shots title. Tallulah accepts a live-in nanny job for Boston hockey star Burgess's daughter even though a traumatic past experience makes cohabitating difficult for her. The audio starts off a little stiffly, and Tallulah and Burgess are difficult to differentiate in conversation during the introductory chapters. Once Tallulah and Burgess start surrendering to their feelings, Dalton's strengths become apparent, and the audio is worth the listen. Her husky voice and comedic timing anchor the principals' bedroom attraction as she digs into the defense mechanisms that threaten to derail it. Burgess's daughter and Tallulah's friend, Chloe, have appropriately differentiated voices. Overall, Dalton creates an emotionally moving, sensual listening experience. C.A. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
