This is my first Tessa Bailey novel, and I was pleasantly surprised. It took me a little bit to fall in step with the story and characters, but once I did, I enjoyed myself.
Sig is a famous hockey player in Boston who meets a mystery woman at a fancy country club he is not a member at. They share a kiss they both enjoy. When he goes to meet his semi-estranged father, it turns out the mystery woman, Chloe, is going to become his step-sister. He and Chloe are drawn to each other, despite the circumstances, and have to decide how to move forward with each other and their lives.
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure I was on board with a step-sibling romance, but Tessa proved me wrong. It's more complex than that simple reduction. This kept me engaged through the end, which was very satisfying. Based on this book, I'll be checking out more from Tessa.

I really enjoyed Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey; it was one of those books I just couldn’t put down. I even stayed up way later than planned just to finish it because I had to know how things would turn out. From the very beginning, you can feel the tension and connection between Sig and Chloe, and I found myself constantly wondering what the big surprise would be that finally brought them together. It’s a forbidden romance with that perfect mix of friends-to-lovers and slow burn, so the anticipation builds beautifully until the payoff. You just know they’re destined to work as a couple, and the journey to get there keeps you hooked.

What I loved most is how Bailey weaves in the complexities of family relationships and the tough choices that come with balancing love, loyalty, and personal goals. It’s not just a romance; it’s about the messy, real-life decisions and choices people face. Overall, Dream Girl Drama is heartfelt and definitely worth the late-night reading binge!

I love a good sports romance. When Sig and Chloe meet, there's a spark between them—then they realize their parents are about to get married. This complicates their attraction. They decide to remain friends. This causes lots of tension, longing, and angst between them. The chemistry is so hot. There is an unexpected twist at the end.

Lovvvvvveeeee these two. I was so excited when I heard they were getting their own book and it did not disappoint. This series had been like watching Tessa get her groove back after the sincerely yours series (which was not a fav).

Thank you netgalley for a free eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I did not like this book at all. Normally, Tessa Bailey pulls me right in with her characters and story line, but this story line wasn't hitting the spot for me. Not only was the relationship a little odd in terms of their parents dating, but it seemed too predictable. This was a DNF for me.

Sig and Chloe have a great first meeting until she says she is late for dinner. She leaves and a short time later Sig shows up..they parents are engaged and they will be related. Now they have to fight their feelings for their family. Sig hired a private investigator to dig up anything on his dad and he contacts him..what he found could change everything

Dream Girl Drama is a fun, steamy contemporary romance with Tessa Bailey’s signature humor and playful banter. The chemistry between the leads is engaging, and the romantic tension keeps the story entertaining and easy to read. The dialogue is witty, and Bailey’s pacing ensures the book moves briskly.

That said, the plot can feel predictable at times, and some characters are a bit one-dimensional, which keeps the story from fully resonating emotionally. While entertaining, it leans heavily on familiar romance tropes and doesn’t offer much in the way of originality.

Overall, Dream Girl Drama is an enjoyable, light romance—perfect for fans of steamy rom-coms, though it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

wellll. i was excited for this one but it fell extremely flat for me. all of the characters annoyed me which made it difficult to stay engaged within the story. maybe insta love just really isn’t for me.

professional hockey player sig’s car breaks down with a dead phone and finds himself at a posh private country club to call a tow truck. here he encounters chloe, the manic pixie dream girl who captivates his attention. sparks fly instantly and the two share a kiss. sig is then going to a dinner to meet his dad’s new girlfriend over dinner, but sees that chloe is also there. turns out their parents are dating making his dream girl his figure stepsister. chloe wants to learn how to be more independent from her controlling mother and enlists sig’s help *as friends*. can they continue to push away their feelings as they keep their relationship platonic?

tropes: hockey romance, forbidden love, insta love, future step siblings, spicy

Be prepared for insta-lust/ insta-love. I'm not a huge fan of this trope myself, but you may love it. To each their own. I found the main characters to be really frustrating. I felt like the FMC was annoying and couldn't do anything, despite being a fully grown adult. I love a good quirky character, but this wasn't it for me. And the MMC? Even worse.

This book was a struggle to get through. The conversation and character interactions felt artificial and like the only goal was to lead up to lots of spicy scenes.

Idk how I feel about this book tbh. It was so cringey, and I wasn’t a big fan of all the tropes. Usually I’m all for the smut, but it all seemed so insta-lovey for me. They literally met ONCE only hours prior to finding out they were going to be step-siblings—and mind you, they are GROWN ADULTS—and immediately had to put whatever connection they had on pause for their parents sake. The MMC doesn’t even like his dad, yet still felt the need to set aside his own happiness for him?

Honestly, the whole family dynamic between both MC’s is super odd. The FMC’s mom is a narcissist, and the MMC’s mom treated him like a job instead of her own child?

This was my least favorite book of hers so far.

The 3rd book in the Big Shots series and WILD ride! It’s not my all time favorite Tessa Bailey (that honor goes to Unfortunately Yours) but it was a blast. The slow burn was SLOW and DECADENT and LUSH. The tension alone kept me reading but I also loved the way Sig and Chloe formed a true friendship before they entered a romantic partnership. Warning: it is soon-to-be step siblings so if you’re squeamish might not be for you - I thought it was fun 🤪

When I heard that Sig and Chloe were getting their own story, I was a little unsure. This was my first step-sibling trope and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! Tessa did a fantastic job at teasing readers enough in The Au Pair Affair that it made us want to know what would happen with Sig and Chloe. The conflict between them created so much tension within me as a reader that the ending was so satisfying. I truly was trying to work out in my head how they could end up together in the end, so I was glad to see how the issue was resolved.

I really loved the banter in this book and found myself chuckling at a lot of the dialogue. While the plot maybe wasn't the strongest, these characters were really well written and I loved them together.

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Dream Girl Drama
Tessa Bailey
** Cute enjoyable story, but very predictable, will they/ won’t they, 3rd act break up and the resolution was clear as day almost immediately, while I get romance books follow a formula created by someone somewhere, when the predictable nature of the story is this obvious it is a bit of a let down especially from such a popular author.

The TENSION in this book! I have never read a step sibling romance before and I told myself I never would, but I will read anything Tessa Bailey writes. This book is definitely less taboo than the synopsis suggests but there was still a delicious amount of suspense and plot.

Yes, Tessa Bailey characters fall in love quickly but I don't view that as a negative. Her men fall hard and fast and it's lovely to watch. I really appreciated the growth we saw with Chloe though there were moments were it was frustrating to see her previous vapid and helpless persona.

I devoured this book and couldn't stop until I got to the last page. This is not my favorite Tessa Bailey book but it is a great read for sure.

This was such a sweet book. I finished it in less than a day because I could not put it down. I never knew how much I would like a hockey romance until I started reading this book.

I want to thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. This series definitely wasn’t my favorite. I was excited to get to Chloe’s story but it kind of fell flat for me. The instalove really isn’t my favorite but I did like her and Sig together. However I feel like this book just dragged on and on and it was kind of predictable. I am happy they got their happy ending though.

I absolutely loved this book and the instant soulmate connection that Sig and Chloe shared from start to finish! I loved Sig's rough around the edges persona while Chloe was prim and proper, but that she wanted to branch out and not live that country club lifestyle any longer! I also truly enjoyed his trying to give her the entire world, while she tried to grow up even though she had never had to be mature, and support herself in anyway previously. Their best friend/Soulmate relationship was truly beautiful, and I kept thinking 'okay, I'm going to get sick of this before the book ends.' but it truly never got old, and I loved the book all the way until the end. I was at the edge of my seat waiting for Sig to find the loophole to get them out of their predicament so they could really be together, and finally the opportunity presented itself at the end. The book truly had my attention from start to finish and I think I finished it in 3 days.

Dreamgirl Drama was such a fun, flirty ride! Tessa Bailey once again delivers sparkling banter, undeniable chemistry, and a swoony romance that keeps the pages turning. The heroine’s sass and the hero’s charm made for a dynamic pairing that I rooted for from the start. I especially loved the witty dialogue and heartfelt moments that gave the story extra depth.

The only reason I’m not giving it five stars is that a few plot points felt a little predictable, and I wished some side characters had been fleshed out more. Still, it was thoroughly entertaining and reminded me why Bailey is such a go-to for rom-com lovers. A perfect weekend read!

I’ll read anything Tessa Bailey writes. Love this series and I absolutely Adore these characters specifically. Taboo “step sibling romance” with a bit of insta-love thrown in. Was a fun ride.