I know Tessa's books can be hit or miss for some people but this one is definitely a hit! The third in a series following athletes (the first was a golfer, the next two have been hockey players), Dream Girl Drama tells the story of Sig, a rough, unpolished hockey player who meets Chloe, a wealthy country-club princess who happens to be a prodigy on the harp. Sig parks in her country club parking lot when his truck breaks down on the way to meet his father and his father's new girlfriend for dinner. The country club doesn't want to let him use the phone and Chloe intervenes. The chemistry between them is immediate and intense until Chloe realizes she's late and runs off with plans to meet him later. Imagine everyone's surprise when he shows up at dinner and his dad's new girlfriend is Chloe's mother. They quickly realize their chance was brief and fleeting but become best friends with Chloe even moving to Boston and starting a new chapter of her life. The chemistry between them is undeniable though and it's apparent to everyone and threatens both their careers because of the awkward nature of them about to become step-siblings. When I first started this, I couldn't come up with how it could possibly have a happy ending but it does and I was so delighted with Sig and Chloe's story. Definite recommend!

Reading Dream Girl Drama is a fun and unexpected ride through the dazzling world of high society and the spirited realm of professional hockey. The story kicks off with Sig Gauthier, a charming hockey player whose life takes a hilarious twist when his car decides to throw a tantrum. In desperate need of help, he stumbles into a posh private country club, where he meets the adventurous and effervescent Chloe Clifford, a girl with a flair for mischief and a knack for swiping champagne.

Their chemistry sparkles like a bottle of bubbly, especially during a magical moonlit kiss, but just when you think the romance is smooth sailing, a bombshell drops: they’re about to become stepsiblings! Talk about a plot twist! Tessa Bailey brilliantly captures the delicious tension that arises as Chloe’s mom gets engaged to Sig’s dad, throwing a curveball (maybe shouldn't use a baseball reference iykyk) into their blossoming romance.

Chloe, a talented harp prodigy with a rebellious streak, is yearning to break free from her overbearing mother. Enter Sig, who makes a charming offer to help her navigate life in Boston without crossing into romantic territory—at least, that’s the plan! Their witty banter and the emotional rollercoaster they ride make for a captivating read, filled with laugh-out-loud moments and heartfelt reflections.

The characters are relatable and their dilemmas are engaging. The push and pull between friendship and romance keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly rooting for Sig and Chloe to find their way through the tangled web of family dynamics and feelings.

A delightful rom-com that explores love, family ties, and the delightful chaos of navigating complicated emotions. Whether you adore romantic comedies or are simply in the mood for a heartfelt adventure, this novel is sure to leave you rooting for Sig and Chloe as they dance through the ups and downs of love and family. A delightful page-turner!

This book may have had insta love but it worked for me. I loved the chemistry between Chloe and Sig. the way they looked after each other was so sweet. I honestly didn’t know how the conflict would be resolved but really loved how it was after the reveal. This is probably my fav in the series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
At First Sight 🥅 🏒🎻
As always with any Tessa Bailey book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Getting to catch up a little with Burgess & Tallulah was so fun, too!
Sig + Chloe
When finally and all at once you meet someone so unbelievably meant for you only to be informed by both of your parents that you’ll soon be step-siblings. A cruel joke, for sure. For Sig and Chloe, trying to keep things in the best friend zone is taking all the self control they possess. As their parents wedding nears any hopes of them being together seem to be slipping through their fingers. Without giving up their hard-earned careers and losing the lives they love, all hope seems lost. But can they really give each other up?
Thanks so much to @Netgalley for this ARC!
Be sure to look for this one out February 4, 2025

This was my favorite recent Tessa Bailey book! I haven’t loved anything she’s written since the Bellinger sisters, but I enjoyed Dream Girl Drama!

-insta-love
-hockey/harpist romance
-future step-siblings/taboo adjacent
-sheltered FMC
-overprotective MMC

My main complaint is that I was bothered early on by Chloe’s naïveté. I just could not get over the fact that a 25-year-old had absolutely no concept of money. Girl, why are you spending someone else’s money on high-end cosmetics when you’re not even paying your own bills? Please return to planet earth for five seconds. I also didn’t love the perpetuation of the concept that cities are big, bad, and dangerous for women. People exist safely in cities every single day.

On the whole, I really liked this story and I thought the spice was much improved from other recent Tessa Bailey books. I’d definitely recommend for anyone who loves a medium-spice, fast-paced sports romance!

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this ARC!

Let's talk about tension...this was...woah. 🥵.
Sig and Chloe were the perfect match with a will they-wont that that had me devouring this book in 24 hours.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the e-ARC of Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey.

Dream Girl Drama is an instant love, forbidden romance with sports and music tropes, spiced up with some explicit moments —something Tessa Bailey does exceptionally well.

I really enjoyed Sig and Chloe's story. Sig is a highly skilled professional hockey player who has worked tirelessly to get where he is, and his love life is the last thing on his mind. Chloe, on the other hand, is a sheltered, wealthy harp prodigy with a heart of gold. Their chemistry is undeniable, and they fall hard and fast after their adorable meet-cute. But their budding romance hits a major roadblock when they discover they are about to become step-siblings. Cue the pining, sexual tension, and angst! While I found the exaggerated disapproval from others about their future step-sibling relationship a bit over-the-top, I absolutely loved Sig's "golden retriever boyfriend" personality and Chloe's character growth, especially her ability to love and care for those around her. The Bearcats players also make for great side characters, and I enjoyed whenever they were part of a scene.

This book is a fantastic conclusion to *The Big Shots* series, and I highly recommend all three books if you're a fan of Tessa Bailey’s other works. It’s a perfect choice for anyone looking for a spicy, cute, low-stakes comfort read.

Sig was on his way to meet up with his father and his new wealthy girlfriend when all of a sudden his car breaks down. Of course his phone is dead, so he is unable to call AAA for help. Instead, he walks to the closest building, an esteemed country club, to see if he can borrow a phone. Sig thought all hope was lost when the gentleman at the front desk refused to allow outsiders into the club, when the girl of his dreams appear out of nowhere and tells the man that Sig is her guest. Sig plays along with her ruse and spends a wonderful afternoon with the woman who saved him, Chloe. Sig knows instantly that she is his soulmate and future wife. Time passes and he eventually is able to get to the dinner with his dad, only to find out his dad is getting MARRIED to this new lady. The woman introduces him to her harp prodigy daughter, CHLOE!! The same girl he was just making out with and is in love with!!!

This was a cute hockey/music romance with an ALMOST forbidden love trope. This love story was just too adorable to handle. My favorite stories are the one where he falls first -- this is one of those stories. It was a quick read that made you feel warm and fuzzy inside. A solid 4/5 stars! You really can't go wrong with Tessa Bailey books!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

I was dying to read Sig and Chloe’s story since it was teased in The Au Pair Affair, and now Dream Girl Drama might be my FAVORITE (so far?) out of the Big Shots series. The chemistry between these two was off the charts from the very beginning and I think this is a record for how long Tessa Bailey has ever made us wait for two characters to get together. But, if we didn’t have all that longing, we wouldn’t have gotten to see Sig lovingly teaching Chloe how to do things for herself to become more independent after living all her life with her controlling mother, and we wouldn’t have gotten to see Chloe learn to stand on her own two feet or develop such a deep trust for Sig.

I loved this story and I flew through it in less than 24 hours because I couldn’t wait to see how it ended. I also loved that Burgess and Tallulah make appearances, as well has the hilarious rookie duo. Please let Mailer’s story be next!

This Reviewer Received an ARC of this book courtesy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins.

First of all I haven’t read any of the other novels in the “Big Shots” Series, secondly this was also my first experience reading a Tessa Bailey romance and finally also my first hockey smut. This book is like dessert and a bubble bath all wrapped into a fun and unserious package. Like discovering that really good story that you can’t wait to pick up to make you feel less stressed. Sig is a puppy dog of a male character and Chloe is an immature, yet kind of likable female character. I loved how this book involved step-siblings, but also did not give the reader any ick factor. Everything in this book was cute and playful. Sig is a hockey player who has always gotten by and meeting pampered Chloe makes him want to drop everything and reach more for a more meaningful life. He is sweet and all consumed by the girl which makes for a very fun read full of personality.

When the people said "bring back yearning" this is what they meant. The tension, the yearning, the love that these two characters feel is palpable, you can FEEL everything they feel. Tessa Bailey knocked it out of the park again. If you love men who will do anything, and i mean anything, for a woman then Mr. Sig Gauthier is the MMC for you. Watching Chloe try and figure out life on her own, and be independent was such a beautiful journey to get to experience. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to get to read this book.

Sig, a professional hockey player, and Chloe, a harp prodigy still living with her mother, have a chance meeting and instantly fall for each other. They part because they both have dinner plans, which unbeknownst to them end up being the same dinner. This is because Sig’s estranged father is marrying Chloe’s rich mother. It’s a solid classic they want to so badly but they can’t romance. Not my favorite from Tessa but it still hits as a light and fun romance. 3.75⭐️ Thanks Netgally and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc!

2.75: This is a quick read and has some very cute moments, but overall the story is an instant romance that comes crashing down when our main characters find out their parents are engaged.

The biggest issues I had were that the romance was not developed enough for me to believe it was anything but lust. This story also borders on taboo with the tenuous will they or won’t they be step siblings. Not sure I enjoyed these characters as we didn’t spend enough time getting to know them.

If hockey romance is your thing, and any of the tropes above interest you, you will like this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

Possibly my new favorite tessa bailey book?? I never read the step sibling trope because I think it’s unnecessary and too strange for me but tessa did the trope in the one way I’d be willing to look past it. Insta love is also something I’m not usually a fan of but tessa pulled it off in a way that made sense and wasn’t cringey. So cute!!

Holy moly, where do I begin 🥵🔥

First, I have to say that I’m incredibly honored to have read an advanced copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley, Tessa Bailey, Avon, and Harper Voyage!

I could not put this book down. In fact, when real life interrupted, I was not happy. Everyone who knows me knows I’m a big Tessa Bailey fan. But this book? It is one of Tessa Bailey’s best. You might be thinking, “Aren’t they step-siblings? That’s not my thing”. Let me clear some things up…I was skeptical too. But I love Tessa Bailey, so I trusted her and you should too. The female main character (FMC) & male main character (MMC) are *future* step-siblings who met before they knew about their parents. So, if the premise seemed a bit off putting, you gotta trust me on this one and read it anyways.

Dream Girl Drama is book 3 in the Big Shots series. Our MMC, Sig, is a hockey player while our FMC, Chloe, is a spoiled harpist. From the moment these two met on the page, they clicked. At the time, they didn’t know their parents were getting married. It wasn’t until later that evening they find out they’re going to be step-siblings. While they try to fight their incredible connection, their chemistry is undeniable…including to everyone around them. And this does cause some problems.

In this book, you get:
❤️ Hockey romance
❤️ Insta-love with a slow burn
❤️ Forced proximity
❤️ Forbidden romance
❤️ Spice
❤️ Dirty talk
❤️ Future step-siblings?

Ultimately, Dream Girl Drama was perfection for me from start to finish. I love a happy ending and Tessa Bailey always delivers 💕 I loved how she turned insta-love into a slow burn.

Preorder now and settle in on February 4th for a great read!

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was so excited for this book after reading the first two in the series and it did not disappoint. The twist at the end I was not expecting. The way the characters were described, it felt like I truly knew them. It is impossible to not love Sig and Chloe and feel for them. I cannot wait to see where this series goes from here. Tessa has such a way of introducing new characters and setting up new love stories. This series is one of my favorites and I will continue to come back!

The chemistry between Sig and Chloe are off the charts. I wasn’t sure how I would like reading this book because of the possibility of them being step-siblings. However, I love Tessa Bailey books, so I had to give it a try! It was pretty good, I think this is my 3rd favorite out of the series. Super fun read, so I would definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Overall, a pretty standard yet enjoyable Tessa Bailey book! I really enjoyed Sig and Chloe’s relationship and how it grow from their initial meet. It was intense in the first couple chapters with them meeting and then going into realizing they are potential step siblings! There was a lot of tension throughout the book and it kept me on my toes. It was a new spin on romance with the almost taboo situation between the two of them.

I did think the spicy scenes were described weirdly, it felt like TB didn’t want to use common sexual words and it was noticeable for me.

Either way, I’m super excited for her next book and will definitely be reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collin’s Publishers for this ARC!

A huge shout out to Tessa Bailey and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

This was my first Tessa Bailey book that I have read. I often see her name mentioned in book groups and online, so I was excited to dive in.

I am a huge fan of the love at first sight trope, and this one started out strong. She does a phenomenal job writing about the chemistry between the two characters, but I did have a hard time with the overall plot. It was a light, quick read and as a Minnesotan I loved the hockey and MN callouts!

Tropes:
*taboo/forbidden romance
*hockey romance
*He fell first
*possessive mmc

Although this is a standalone romance, if you read The Au Pair Affair you have already been introduced to Sig and Chloe. This was such an angsty, tension-filled burn! There was so much longing I could feel it and was screaming for them to just give in because they needed each other. There is obvious chemistry and connection right from the get-go but they are immediately halted by their parents’ engagement announcement. I was so frustrated with everyone making it seem so taboo went it really wasn’t, but I could also see it being blown out of proportion by the media and upper-class society in real life too.
Chloe and Sig’s “friendship” is so sweet, and they clearly not only care about each other but are constantly drawn to one another like magnets. Sig is always trying to “do the right thing” and stay away but his will power hangs by a thread. He is sexy, caring, possessive, and a good man who just wants what is best for her. He had very little through his childhood and she becomes the first thing he really wants for himself but is being forced to set aside.
Chloe finds such a beautiful strength in herself from Sig as well. She is finally getting out of the abundant but controlling life her mother provided for her and learns to finally set boundaries and stand on her own. They both deserved the love they had for each other but drama after drama continued to get in the way. My heart hurt for them! I couldn’t put it down. I needed them to finally make it through it all. And, of course, they did, and I was so incredibly happy for them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!