Quiz The Au Pair Affair Tessa Bailey

The Au Pair Affair Quiz: 20 Questions to Test Your Knowledge

About This Quiz

Welcome to the companion quiz for The Au Pair Affair. Whether you're a first-time reader or a devoted fan, these twenty questions will challenge your recall of the story’s pivotal moments, character motivations, themes, and deeper meanings. After you finish, check the FAQ page for more discussions, or read the ending explained for a full breakdown of the final chapters.

Quiz Questions

Plot and Sequence (8 Questions)

  1. What event in Chapter One triggers Tallulah's trust issues and makes her consider backing out of the au pair job?

    • A) A phone call from her sister
    • B) A violent hockey highlight of Burgess elbowing an opponent
    • C) A text from her ex-boyfriend
    • D) A news report about hockey player scandals

  2. What does Burgess secretly arrange in Chapter Two to help Tallulah find affordable housing?

    • A) He pays the full rent for an apartment and lies about the amount
    • B) He offers her a room in his own house for free
    • C) He asks his teammate to let her stay rent‑free
    • D) He gives her a loan to cover first month’s rent

  3. In Chapter Five, what traumatic experience does Tallulah reveal to Burgess on the rooftop garden?

    • A) She was bullied in high school
    • B) She was locked in a closet by a stalker in college
    • C) She lost her parents in a car accident
    • D) She failed a major exam in graduate school

  4. What prank do Burgess and his teammate Sig pull on the rookies Corrigan and Mailer in Chapter Six?

    • A) They hide their hockey equipment
    • B) They steal their “Orgasm Donor” sweatshirts
    • C) They lock them in the equipment room
    • D) They replace their water bottles with energy drinks

  5. After Lissa catches Burgess and Tallulah kissing in Chapter Twenty‑One, what does Tallulah do to defuse the situation?

    • A) She promises Lissa she will move out permanently
    • B) She leaves in an Uber to stay at Chloe’s apartment
    • C) She apologizes to Ashleigh and walks to a hotel
    • D) She locks herself in her room for the night

  6. What career‑threatening injury does Burgess suffer during a game in Pittsburgh (Chapter Twenty‑Three)?

    • A) A broken wrist
    • B) A concussion
    • C) A slipped disc
    • D) A torn hamstring

  7. During the Costa Rica wedding weekend, what two adventure activities do Burgess and Tallulah participate in together?

    • A) Surfing and parasailing
    • B) Zip‑lining and cliff diving
    • C) Hiking and snorkeling
    • D) Kayaking and hot‑air ballooning

  8. What is the newspaper headline that captures Burgess’s proposal in the epilogue?

    • A) “Sir Savage Settles Down”
    • B) “Sir Taken”
    • C) “Hockey Star Engaged”
    • D) “Burgess Finds His Forever”

Character Motivation (5 Questions)

  1. Why does Burgess initially refuse to see a doctor for his back pain in Chapter Twelve?

    • A) He is afraid of needles
    • B) He fears appearing weak and declining as an athlete
    • C) He believes the pain will disappear on its own
    • D) He doesn’t trust the team’s medical staff

  2. What finally convinces Tallulah to accept the au pair position at the end of Chapter Five?

  • A) Burgess offers her a higher salary
  • B) Burgess listens to her trauma and promises a lock on her bedroom door
  • C) Chloe encourages her to take the job
  • D) She learns Lissa has no other caregiver
  1. Why does Burgess rip up the business cards given to him by women at the singles mixer in Chapter Fourteen?
  • A) He is angry at the organizer
  • B) He wants to show Tallulah she is the only one he wants to call
  • C) He decides he doesn’t want to date anyone
  • D) He thinks the cards are fake
  1. In Chapter Fifteen, why does Burgess stop their sexual encounter even though Tallulah is willing?
  • A) He receives an urgent phone call from Lissa
  • B) He wants emotional attachment, not casual sex
  • C) He feels guilty about his divorce
  • D) He gets a muscle spasm in his back
  1. After the breakup in Chapter Twenty‑Three, why does Tallulah start going on adventures alone (kayaking, hot‑air ballooning)?
  • A) To prove to herself she can be adventurous without Burgess
  • B) To make Burgess jealous
  • C) To prepare for a trip to Istanbul
  • D) To distract herself from graduate school

Theme and Symbol (4 Questions)

  1. What do the postcards Tallulah writes to her sister throughout the book symbolize?
  • A) Her love for marine biology
  • B) Her stalled promise to live adventurously and her tendency to run away
  • C) Her secret wish to return to Istanbul
  • D) Her commitment to staying in touch with family
  1. What does the “Orgasm Donor” sweatshirt worn by the rookies represent in the story?
  • A) The team’s inside joke about Burgess’s dating life
  • B) The symbol of locker‑room banter that later becomes a token of intimacy between Burgess and Tallulah
  • C) A reference to a charity event
  • D) The team’s unofficial mascot
  1. How does the mermaid imagery relate to Tallulah’s character?
  • A) It represents her love for the ocean and her identity as a marine biologist
  • B) It symbolizes her desire to be rescued
  • C) It is a nickname Burgess gives her
  • D) It reflects her fear of water
  1. What does the Bearcats sweatshirt that Tallulah keeps after the breakup signify?
  • A) Her hope that Burgess will return to hockey
  • B) Her emotional attachment to Burgess and the comfort she finds in him
  • C) Her favorite sports team
  • D) A reminder of her graduate school

Synthesis (3 Questions)

  1. In what way does the “Romeo and Juliet” play that Lissa rehearses mirror the main conflict in the story?
  • A) Both stories involve forbidden love and family opposition
  • B) Both end in tragedy
  • C) Both feature a balcony scene
  • D) Both characters are teenagers
  1. Compare Burgess’s character arc from Chapter One to the Epilogue. What is the most significant change in him?
  • A) He becomes a better hockey player
  • B) He transforms from a closed‑off, guilt‑ridden single father into an emotionally open, committed partner who prioritizes family over hockey
  • C) He learns to cook and braid hair
  • D) He moves to Istanbul
  1. How do Tallulah’s past trauma and fears influence her decisions throughout the book?
  • A) They cause her to avoid commitment and push people away, but she gradually learns to trust through Burgess’s consistent care
  • B) They make her overly aggressive
  • C) They lead her to give up on graduate school
  • D) They have no effect on her actions

Answer Key

  1. B – Tallulah watches a violent highlight of Burgess elbowing an opponent in the smoothie shop, which triggers her deep‑seated trust issues.
  2. A – Burgess lies to Tallulah about the rent, secretly paying most of it himself through Sig Gauthier to keep the apartment affordable for her.
  3. B – On the rooftop, Tallulah confesses that she was locked in a closet by a stalker during her college years, revealing the source of her trauma.
  4. B – Burgess and Sig steal the “Orgasm Donor” sweatshirts from rookies Corrigan and Mailer as a prank during practice.
  5. B – When Lissa accuses her of stealing her dad, Tallulah orders an Uber and leaves for Chloe’s apartment to de‑escalate the situation.
  6. C – Burgess suffers a slipped disc during a game in Pittsburgh, an injury that threatens to end his hockey career.
  7. B – At the Costa Rica wedding, Burgess and Tallulah go zip‑lining and cliff diving, activities that help them reconnect.
  8. B – The newspaper headline “Sir Taken” accompanies the photo of Burgess proposing to Tallulah after her graduation.
  9. B – Burgess hides his back pain because he fears that admitting weakness would signal his decline as a professional athlete.
  10. B – After Burgess listens empathetically to her trauma and agrees to install a lock on her bedroom door, Tallulah feels safe enough to accept the job.
  11. B – Burgess rips up the cards in front of everyone to make a public declaration that Tallulah is the only woman he wants to call.
  12. B – Burgess stops because he wants an emotional attachment, not a casual hookup, and he insists on a committed relationship.
  13. A – After Burgess’s hurtful words, Tallulah takes solo adventures to reclaim her own sense of bravery and independence.
  14. B – The postcards represent Tallulah’s promise to her sister to be adventurous, but they also show her pattern of avoiding emotional commitment by “running” instead of facing problems.
  15. B – The “Orgasm Donor” sweatshirt starts as locker‑room banter but later becomes a symbol of the playful, growing intimacy between Burgess and Tallulah.
  16. A – Mermaid imagery reflects Tallulah’s connection to the ocean, her work in marine biology, and her journey toward freedom and self‑discovery.
  17. B – The sweatshirt is a tangible reminder of Burgess’s presence and comfort; she keeps it even after their breakup, signifying her lingering attachment.
  18. A – The play’s theme of lovers separated by family conflict parallels the tension between Tallulah, Burgess, and Lissa’s loyalty to her mother.
  19. B – Burgess evolves from a man burdened by guilt and fear of vulnerability (especially regarding his career and divorce) into someone who openly loves, prioritizes family, and retires from hockey to build a life with Tallulah.
  20. A – Tallulah’s history of being stalked makes her wary of intimacy and commitment, but through Burgess’s patience and acts of protection, she learns to trust and embrace a serious relationship.

Check out our questions and answers page for more discussions about the book, or read the ending explained for a deeper analysis of the final chapters.