Thank you to Net galley for an ARC of this book.

Tessa Bailey has a number of fun and juicy books that make for perfect escape reads. It Happened One Summer remains my absolute favorite and i've been chasing that high ever since with diminishing returns. This book, Dream Girl Drama, follows Sig and Chloe. Sig is undeniably attracted to Chloe who is unfortunately, the daughter of his dad's new girlfriend. So, Sig deals with his all consuming crush by protecting Chloe, who was been sheltered from the world her entire life, with every fiber of his being.

I love that Tessa Bailey is willing to write messy heroines but Chloe is clueless to a degree that almost feels misogynistic. She has zero concept of the real world and for some reason it seems to repeatedly fall on Sig to shield her from the growing pains of reality. Speaking of misoginy, a problem that keeps coming up for me with Tessa Bailey's books is that she often writes protective, obsessive male leads who she also tries to make feminists. Most of the time, this just doesn't work. For example, Bailey might tack on a sentence about the male lead respecting women's autonomy right after a scene where he shows up to the female lead's location solely because he heard a male voice on the phone. A man who gets so jealous he needs to show up to your location because he heard a male voice in the background of a call does not respect women's autonomy. I don't mind a little suspension of disbelief but I'd almost rather Bailey just straight up have the male leads accept themselves as misoginists rather than try to convince the reader they're actually feminists.

I'm not against a little jealousy or possessiveness. There are some fun scenes of Chloe accidentally riling Sig up. But, I really struggled with finishing the book as Chloe seemed to have so little agency and even less common sense. Too many of Bailey's books seem to follow a formula of a grumpy man keeping a flitty, juvenile woman "in line." I appreciate the fun and whimsy of Bailey's books but I'm really starting to sour on this formula.

A solid 3 stars for the most recent Bailey. I wanted to give it more, but honestly, I really could not stand our female MC. Sig was great, but I found her way too immature and ridiculous. Now she did have some great character development once we got to the end, I still find it annoying. I loved running into characters from other books in the series, and all the humor. Oh and definitely the spice!

This was a fun, light read with some good banter and likable characters. There were definitely a few moments that made me smile, and the pace kept things moving. That said, it didn’t really stick with me. The story felt a bit surface-level, and I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted to.

Overall, it’s an easy read for when you want something simple and entertaining, but it’s not one that left a big impact.

Sig is a pro hockey player. He is a 2 time NHL all star but still lives a humble life. He drives an old pick up truck and doesn't live in a fancy mansion. He is on his way to see Harvey, his dad, and his truck has the audacity to breakdown. Sig's truck breaks down near a country club and his cell phone is out of battery. He walks to the club and is trying to use a phone when Chloe comes to the rescue saying he is her guest so he can use the phone.

Chloe is a vision according to Sig. They hit it off like love at first sight. Things get a little frisky in the club house and they know they want to somehow see each other again. What they don't expect is when they both see each other at Harvey's house. Harvey is marrying Chloe's mom. This is less than ideal for Chloe to continue forward with the man of her dreams.

There is a huge falling out and Chloe decides she is going to move to the city like Sig. He agrees to be her helper only since she has never been on her own. What she doesn't know is Sig is paying her rent and helping her make it every month. To top it off, Chloe inherits Pierre the bulldog from her harp mentor that plays for the symphony.

How long can Chloe and Sig hold out before the universe pushes them together? The path they are each sent on is funny, sad at some parts, and shows just far one thinks they should go for love.

Thank you @netgalley for my copy to read and review!

Unfortunately, I just did not love this book! I tend to really vibe with Tessa Bailey's writing, but this was the exception. I didn't love either of the characters and experienced way too much second hand embarrassment while reading this. The relationship between Sig and Chloe felt solely like lust; it really had no emotional depth to it whatsoever. I initially couldn't even get through it; however, I tried again, and ultimately, it just felt like a waste of time. Super sad and disappointed about this one, but grateful for the ARC opportunity nonetheless!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and the author for a copy of this book!

3.5 ⭐️
I lovedddddd how much Sig was obsessed with Chloe and how all he wanted to do was provide for her even if he didn’t have the means to do so. One thing Tessa Bailey knows how to do it’s write an MMC. I will say that the step sibling thing was a bit odd and not really my forte, but it was still fun.

This book was… something. The beginning was adorable. Perfect meet cute, classic Tessa Bailey. The end ended up being cute too. My main issues with this book all happen in the middle. Despite how much time passes (I.e 4 months later, 2 months later etc), this book is insta love at its core. I loved the random meeting of Chloe and Sig but these two were IN LOVE after that one chance meeting. Ready to risk it all. He hired a private investigator to try and get them out of their situation. While they grew on me, after getting to know them, I wasn’t interested in either of them. They both annoyed me. Chloe acted way younger than she was. I understand being a sheltered, rich girl, but he had to teach her everything. That part was kind of endearing. What wasn’t endearing was Chloe continuously saying how independent she was and how she wanted to be on her own and away from her mom. Meanwhile she wasn’t independent at all. This wasn’t Rachel on Friends getting a coffee shop job. Sig was fully financially supporting Chloe. He could barely pay for himself let alone her. I think she really lost me when she said she was late on rent because she spent $700 he gave her on EYE CREAM. She’s in her mid twenties, who needs that much eye cream?! I just couldn’t fathom Sig shelling out this much money for a virtual stranger. And I couldn’t get over how independent Chloe wasn’t independent at all. Did she eventually grow? Yes. But I don’t remember any part of the story where she was financially independent. I didn’t read Burgess’s book so I wasn’t super connected to him. Also the younger guys on the team? Their nickname? I just cringed. Every time they spoke it was like a high schooler speaking. Despite all that, I find myself interested in the next book lol I was dangerously close to DNF this book many times. But I hate doing that so I stuck around. Despite not liking Chloe or Sig or feeling connected to them or their story at all, one thing was always clear to me. These two were nuts about each other. I wish we would’ve gotten to see those initial months they spent together cause maybe their relationship would’ve made more sense to me. Overall, even though most of this book drove me nuts, I found myself rooting for them by the end of it. And I’m even interested in the next book. Basically this doesn’t hold a candle to Fangirl Down. I personally couldn’t connect to these characters. The beginning and end made up for most of my feelings about the whole middle. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Let me first start off saying I love Tessa Bailey's writing. There is just something about the way she writes and it connects and I fall in love with the story and the characters. It's almost like I want to be in the world she builds
I enjoyed this book I rated it 4 stars
The tropes for this book are:
•hockey romance
•Forbidden
•Love at first sight
•3rd act breakup
•Slow burn
•”Good girl”
I used to not be a big fan of sports romances but I am getting more in tune with them, and this one had a certain quality that I loved
Slow burn isn't normally my vibe but Tessa did it right in this one and left me wanting more, but in a good way

I posted a review on my bookstagram page but wanted to make sure I left a note here as well… this was beautiful!!!! I have never read of a couple that is just so deeply in tune to one another the way Sig and Chloe are. While I loved the other two books in this series sooo much I found myself eagerly searching for small peaks of them in the au pair affair and could not wait for their story! The chemistry is off the charts insane. And getting to watch Chloe’s personal growth was absolutely beautiful. Just watching her come into her own and find this sense of purpose and inner strength was so wonderful and I felt so proud of her. Everyone deserves a love as genuine and pure and soft as this. Like Sig… what a man!!! He was in total awe of her 24/7 and loved her with such a steady gentleness that was just truly beautiful to read. this was magical. Full on lightning in a bottle type of read. I love love love love everything Tessa Bailey touches and I think this may be in my top 3 of hers haha!

This was not for me. I did not put up a review on Goodreads out of respect of the author.

The pacing just felt very off and I didn’t connect with the characters

Dream Girl Drama is everything you want in a feel good, ‘love at first sight’ story! After a first chance meet cute and hot make out session at a country club, Sig and Chloe learn that their parents are engaged and they’re about to be step-siblings. Of course, that means they can’t be together so they decide being besties is better than not seeing each other at all. Even though the chemistry is hot hot and he is clearly so possessive of her in the best way in a can’t can’t sleep reach for stars kind of love! Burgess of course makes his appearance and even he sees something changing in his old friend!

It’s so cute but so spicy. Who knew a hockey player could have a dirty mouth as dirty as his hands!

I often find that this author's books are either a hit or a miss for me. This one is eh for me. The future step-siblings plot was a bit weird for me. Overall, it was an enjoyable story but the plot was a just a bit awkward and made it less enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!!

In Dream Girl, Sig and Chloe meet when his rust bucket truck breaks down at a country club on the way to meet his father and his father’s new girlfriend. Sig meets Chloe when he is looking for a phone at the country club and they instantly hit it off. There are sparks galore and basically insta love. Then he remembers that he’s supposed to meet his dad and they part ways. Unfortunately, when he arrives at his dad’s new girlfriend’s house, Chloe is there too. The new girlfriend is Chloe’s mother. Yikes 😬 the overall story isn’t that bad but the insta love kinda ruined it for me. I could have gotten past that if it hadn’t been for Chloe and Sig themselves. Chloe was a spoiled brat that was literally dependent on her mother and didn’t know how to do a single thing for herself. Her idea of being independent is to let Sig pay for her fancy apartment in Boston and take care of literally everything for her from showing her how to do laundry to buying her groceries. Chloe can’t even remember to pay her bills and blows all her money on eye cream instead and when she can’t pay rent, Sig pays it. This might have been okay if he was loaded but apparently his hockey contract was a cheap one so he can’t afford Chloe’s lifestyle and resorts to selling signed memorabilia to fund her expenses. What the heck? Talk about living above your means to impress a girl… overall the book wasn’t terrible but I was a little bored and struggled to finish it. This was my first Tessa Bailey book and it was not for me but maybe the next one will be more my style.

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager & NetGalley for this e-arc.

With a fantastic storyline twist at the start, the story is highly enjoyable. Sig and Chloe are instantly attracted to each other and have a scorching kiss. I like how Sig looks after her and helps her become independent. This series is great. The book has you pulling for this couple the whole time and is sweet and spicy. Tessa Bailey does an excellent job of demonstrating the depth of growth in character.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 STARS

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey, unfortunately, didn’t live up to the captivation of the first two books in the Big Shot series. While Bailey’s writing is as engaging as ever, the plot felt far-fetched and hard to believe—Sig and Chloe meeting and discovering that their parents were engaged just didn’t feel authentic or convincing. The chemistry between the leads was decent, but the awkwardness of their situation overshadowed their connection. As someone who usually devours Bailey’s books, I was left disappointed by this third installment, as it didn’t have the same irresistible pull. Though there were moments of humor and sweetness, the storyline didn’t hit the mark for me. Here’s hoping book #4 falls back in line with the first two and is impossible to put down!

Wow, what a disappointment and let down. I normally love Tessa Bailey but this story line was just too much. How did we go from Fan Girl Down to this? I felt like I cringed the entire time and had second-hand embarrassment for both characters the whole time. First, their meet-cute was so bad, made no sense, and was based on nothing other than straight lust. Chloe is the most pathetic and embarrassing character I've read in a long time. What grown woman is truly this clueless and delusional and helpless? Then add Sig the enabler into it and I'm just as embarrassed for him. Getting to the point where he is selling his own memorabilia to be able to pay for her Sephora trips is just so stupid, not love. Neither acted like adults for the entirety of the book, there was no growth, and in the end they just get rewarded for their weird, awkward, and immature behavior.
Please let Pitcher Perfect swing the pendulum back the other direction!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

I LOVE THIS BIG SHOTS SERIES!!

There have never been two people who need to be together more than Sig and Chloe!

I absolutely felt the agony and passion and torment these two were going through, trying to stay away while at the same time pushing the limits. I don’t know how they made it as long as they did! Also, I couldn’t decide if I was just mad that they were grown adults, never having lived together, their parents on marriage number who knows, and people were giving them such a hard time. Come on people! And the bombshell with his mom & dad -- nope, you’re done!

Sig and Chloe were awesome together but there were just enough nonsensical aspects of the story like the grown adults being given such a hard time, Chloe’s absolute inability to take care of herself, etc to knock it down one star.

Bring on book 4! We see you!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title for review.

Book Review

Dream Girl Drama
Author✍🏽: Tessa Bailey

About the book:

Dream Girl Drama follows the lives of both profesional hockey player Sig Gauthier and harp prodigy Chloe Clifford. One evening Sig drives to the haughtiest section of Connecticut to have dinner with his father and his latest love affair when his 1998 Chevy pickup’s engine gives a good rattle and breaks down. Sig reaches for his cell phone and realizes the battery is dead! He is then forced to walk into an upscale country club to call for a tow truck.

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

It is here where he stumbles upon the tantalizing Chloe Clifford. Sparks fly and before these two know it they are head over heals for each other. Not only have they fallen in love but the sexual chemistry between them is libidinous. This all takes a turn when Sig finds out Chloe is his soon to be step sister. This family drama and societal expectations force them to choose between what is morally right and what their hearts yearn for.

My thoughts 💭:

Wow! Tessa Bailey never disappoints. I absolutely fell for this forbidden love story. The connection between Sig and Chloe and dirty talk was super intense and hot. I literally could not put this book down. It felt like a slow burn at the beginning but when those sparks flew I was in.

If you haven’t yet and love sports romance books please dive into Dream Girl Drama! You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you so much @netgalley , @tessabaileyisanauthor , @avonbooks for this ARC!

I struggled with this one, primarily due to the heroine. I need independent, strong women in my romance, and Chloe wasn't it. She had very little growth throughout the book and was just incredibly difficult to like. Also, the build up of the forbidden aspect just felt forced and stupid. These weren't "step siblings" who grew up together and had that sibling type relationship - they're grown adults who met without even knowing their parents were dating. It just didn't make sense for that to be the whole conflict here. Overall, I love Tessa, but this was miss.

Unfortunately, I DNF’d this book halfway through. I am not a fan of the step-sibling trope. I know Tessa Bailey likes to push the envelope a bit and I can appreciate that, but this one was just not for me.