Tessa Bailey never fails! Thank you for the opportunity to review this copy - I really enjoyed this book! The tension was fantastic and even though I don't usually love the MPDG character type in a lot of cases, this was actually really lovely and I found myself really attached to Chloe. Wonderful and can't wait to read it again with my book club when it's out!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Now that I got that out, I'd like to thank Avon, Harper Voyager, and Tessa Bailey for an eARC Netgalley of this book.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the entirety of the Big Shots series this far, and wow, did this one exceed my expectations.

Sig may have skated his way to the top of my sports romance book boyfriends. I just knew that the story between Chloe and Sig was going to be amazing, while reading Tallulah and Burgess's love story, and they did not disappoint! I don't want to say too much because I hate seeing spoilers in reviews, but just know that there were so many highlighted moments in this one!

We get some of the *best* contemporary romance tropes:
- Sports Romance
- Step-siblings?
- Forbidden Romance
- They're obsessed with each other (like really really obsessed)

𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙚𝙩, 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙤’𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢.

Chloe & Sig have an adorable meet cute, with instant high chemistry, and they agree to meet later that night to…see where things might go. 😉 But before they can meet up as planned, they end up meeting up at their parents dinner, where their parents announce their engagement! 😱

So, right off the bat…let’s get my one issue with this book out of the way first: the premise. 🫣 They’re in their mid to late 20’s. Their parents are engaged to be married, so they’re *going to be* step siblings, which is a huge problem, and too taboo for the public eye? I mean…is it?? I didn’t really see the problem, so every time the drama popped up with it, I had a hard time buying into it….

So, why did I still rate it so high? Because I still absolutely LOVED it! The chemistry, the tension, the angst, all the yearning, was all so achingly beautiful, and I was so IN to their story.

Chloe is a sheltered 25 year old (I know, I know, but I loved her “manic pixie dream girl energy”) and she was so super sweet and fun, I just loved her innocence so much.

And Sig was the sweetest, most obsessed, (borderline over?)protective MMC.

Every time I picked this book up, I was feeling all those aching, emotional moments, and was just waiting and waiting to see how their “issue” would be resolved. 🥺

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and @netgalley for providing me an early copy of this ebook. All opinions are my own.

What this book is giving:
✅ Sports Romance (Hockey)
✅ Dual POV
✅ “Lust at first sight”
✅ Future Step Siblings
✅ Forbidden
✅ Angst
✅ Tension
✅ Yearning

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

I expect nothing but the best from Tessa Bailey and as per usual, she delivered! Sig and Chloe’s relationship was raw and real and emotional, filled with tension, longing, and true, powerful love. Neither of them felt two dimensional, they had their own backstories that added life and emotion to the plot.

This book was so many things, Hot, satisfying, weird, frustrating, significant WTF moments but the backstory here for some of the other Big Shots series books made so much sense. It was classic Tessa Bailey in its finest Hockey rink meets Sephora glory.

If you think you’re the kind of reader who insta-hates insta-love, I’m going to need you to read Tessa Bailey’s Dream Girl Drama.

If the premise has you hesitating - I get it. Me too. But this was a “trust the process” read. And you can trust it.

Not many writers could navigate through insta-love AND this kind of forbidden romance (not to worry, there is more to it than meets the eye!). But I think it was brilliant to get all of that out in the first 10% so we can move on.

And the reason I was able to move on, was that Bailey somehow manages to turn insta-love into the slowest burn of any of her books. And I was here for the pining (and let’s be honest, you kind of always know they won’t actually be step siblings and can enjoy the story)

In short, Bailey gives us something completely new for the sports romance.

- She turns insta-love into a slow burn
- She turns forbidden love to feasible love
- She turns a jealous/aggressive hockey player into a golden-retriever, gentle simp of a man (seriously he is gone for her)
- She turns a five-chili pepper book into a heartfelt love story

And Pierre the bulldog? Elite.

Was this perfect? No. But it took risks and I like that. There were a few pretty cheesy lines and I didn’t care for the epilogue - but overall I enjoyed this read and think it will be really popular.

This third book in Bailey's Big Shots series was a hilarious, heartfelt, and steamy romance. Sig and Chloe have instant attraction and fiery chemistry from their very first accidental meeting. They planned to meet later, to continue what they started, only to discover they were soon to be step-siblings. They were both shocked and crestfallen that they couldn't act on their connection. They tried to be friends, but everyone saw what they tried to hide. These Star-crossed lovers couldn't stay away from each other as Sig helped her settle into her new life, and Chloe cheered for him on the ice. When they couldn't hold off any longer, they were explosive together. But soon their careers are in jeopardy, forcing them to choose between their dreams and each other. I loved the sexual tension between Sig and Chloe. Sig is so sweet, thoughtful, and protective and Chloe is brave, and her confidence is growing, making them so perfect for each other. I enjoyed Sigs teammates who cause more hilarity, complications, and drama that had me laughing out loud, swooning, and cheering for Sig and Chloe's HEA. I really enjoyed this charming, heartfelt and steamy romance.

Loved this book. Such a fun and spicy read. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Pros
- Loved how gone for her he was when he first saw her
- Fun banter
- Really fun to read
- Hot spicy scenes
- Great chemistry
- Just the right amount of drama

Cons
- They call their parents by their first names
- Would have liked to see more of their HEA

I know several other reviewers said they didn’t understand why it was such a big deal that they are step siblings since they were adults when they met. But as somebody who got step siblings in her late 20s, I can see how there would be a taboo/forbidden factor. The drama did not feel manufactured to me.

3.75 rounded to 4.

This is a forbidden, insta love, sports romance between future step siblings, Chloe and Sig.
First, absolutely read The Au Pair Affair before this. While not required, the backstory of Sig and Chloe has great lead up in it. Now, onto Dream Girl Drama. This was enjoyable, fast paced and a lot of fun. I flew through the first 50%, but parts after that dragged a bit for me. There's nothing specifically I can pinpoint as to why. Sig and Chloe are adorable and, as always, Tessa Bailey does insta love the best out of anyone.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC of this delightful book.

Dream Girl Drama proves that Tessa Bailey isn’t just the Michelangelo of dirty talk, she’s the Picasso of pining and the Bernini of broodiness. The third interconnected standalone in Bailey’s Big Shots series, this novel delivers all of the above and more.

Fans of the series will recognize the characters of Sig and Chloe, and I, for one, was thrilled to finally read their story. Make no mistake, even though this book is more of a slow burn, it’s still piping hot. Bailey adeptly ratchets up the sexual tension between the two until readers are also begging for relief. And what a relief it is.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of classes and professional disciplines, and appreciated the way that Bailey subverts the stepsiblings trope. And my goodness, is Sig a whole vibe. He ticks all of the boxes of a classic Bailey hero, whilst also being a wholly unique protagonist. Chloe, similarly, is a delight. Their chemistry is INCENDIARY. My. Goodness. All of the fire emojis for this book.

Will this be one of my favorite 2025 reads? Absolutely. I already can’t wait for the next one.

I was so excited to find out that Sig and Chloe were getting their own book and was even more excited to be able to get the opportunity to review it! Tessa once again kills it! The banter between Sig and Chloe was so wonderful. I loved every moment of it!

You meet someone and hit it off then you find out you’re gonna be step siblings so you decide not to pursue them. This story was okay the chemistry between them was good vey insta. Our FMC I felt needed saving and our mmc was willing to give more than he got. The story was fine moved along nice, good chemistry.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much, @NetGalley and @AvonBooks, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was thrilled when I saw this book on NetGalley, and even more excited when I found out I was approved for it 🥰

This story follows Sig, a professional hockey player, and Chloe, a music prodigy. They meet abruptly at a private country club, and to say they had chemistry is an understatement.
Long story short, they discover they are step-siblings, and the tension between them throughout the book is off the charts! I enjoyed this rom-com and loved the way Sig was head over heels for Chloe and how he went out of his way to help her at every turn. My heart was rooting for them and hoping for the best.
The only thing I wished is that there was more character growth instead of running from the issues they faced. I also felt like some parts dragged on a little, while other parts felt short-lived, which impacted the overall pacing.
Without giving too much away, I loved the ending and am excited to see if something is on the horizon between Skylar and Corrigan 🤭 That would be fun!


If you love insta-love, hockey romance reads, future step-sibling turned forbidden love, rom-coms, and mutual pining, this 📚 is for you 🤗

If you’re looking for a new romance, try Dream Girl Drama!

Sig and Chloe meet and instantly share an insane chemistry, but later that night they learn they’re about to be step-siblings?! Putting the brakes on what could’ve been, they become best friends. But the chemistry never fizzles out.. and I adored these two!

What to know:
Forbidden romance
Future step-siblings
Hockey player x music prodigy
He calls her dream girl
Slow burn
3rd person POV

Thank you so much Netgalley for this book in exchange for my honest review!

I loved Fangirl Down and after The Au Pair Affair, I had huge exceptions for this book. Well, I was not let down in the slightest. I rated 4 stars because Fangirl Down still holds the number one spot in the Big Shots series for me, but Dream Girl Drama was a close second. Sig is a dream, and the banter between him and Chloe was unmatched. Their chemistry was on fire. I was rooting for them the entire time and Im so glad they got their happy ever after.

Im too excited for the next book (which was set up to be between one of the orgasm donors (iykyk) and the sister of the dog park boyfriend!)

I am struggling with rating this book 😮‍💨 Tessa Bailey is one of my favorite authors. Her books are always quick, fun, easy reads. But, this book fell flat, for me.

It gets a 3 star rating because the storyline was good enough to keep me interested. I wanted to know how the conflict would be resolved. Which I ended up guessing 😬

The FMC was way too childish. She had zero life experience and wanted independence, only to be spend the whole book still depending on someone else. The MMC was clingy to the point of being stalker-ish and creepy.

I think I have come to realize that I do not like the insta-love trope. The MCs instantly falling for each other within 5 seconds of meeting feels fake, weird, and way too over the top.

A chance meeting between a professional hockey player and the manic pixie dream girl gets turned upside down when they realize that their parents are engaged... and they definitely can't give into their feelings for each other... right? Sig Gauthier is a professional hockey player who visits a private country club when his car breaks down and there he meets Chloe Clifford, right in the middle of stealing a bottle of champagne. Chloe is his manic pixie dream girl, she's a stunning harpist... and after a kiss they both agree to meet each other again... only the next time they meet is at a family dinner because both of their parents are dating and plan on getting married. Chloe and Sig might have a fiery chemistry... but they definitely can't give into their feelings for each other if they are going to be potential step siblings... unless.... the marriage doesn't go through.... and it's definitely going to be easy to just be "friends" right? Too bad the more time they spend together it's harder and harder to keep their hands off one another. This is the third book in the sports romance series by Tessa Bailey and follows another hockey player. While I absolutely adored the last book I just didn't vibe with this book as much. I love a step-sibling trope... but this one just felt lackluster at best because they aren't step siblings, in fact they're just two people who'se parents are dating, like nothing is stopping yall from getting together, especially since neither of you actually care all that much about your perspective parent. The whole "will they won't they" just felt so nonsensical and low stakes because they obviously COULD. It just felt so dragged on and ridiculous to read. I loved the last book so I was just kind of thrown by how much I just didn't vibe all that much with this one, especially considering it had such a fun potential romance. While this one didn't work for me, if you like a slightly taboo romance with a slow SLOW burn, definitely give this one a go!

Release Date: February 4, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I was so happy to hear that Chloe and Sig were next in the series since I loved them so much in The Au Pair Affair. The *going to be* step siblings, even as adults, can be taboo but I think that Tessa did it so well. We got the spice that we’ve seen in the other books thus far, but we got so much more than that. We saw completely different sides to both Chloe and Sig that really allowed us to see them develop throughout the story and will each other. I will read anything Tessa Bailey writes so I hope they’re all as good as this one!

I absolutely loved it! Tessa Bailey always scores—there’s so much passion, humor, and just the right amount of slow burn.
Sig, the dreamy hockey player, and Chloe, the quirky, free-spirited love interest, had me hooked from their first moonlit make out. Their chemistry is off the charts, and Sig’s pining? Total swoon material.

The twist with their parents being engaged was so frustrating and added so much tension to the story. It made me root for them even harder. Plus, the spicy scenes? Let’s just say Bailey does not disappoint! If you’re into steamy rom-coms with big twists and even bigger spice, you’ve got to read this one. I couldn’t put it down!

I was kindly provided with the arc of this book by NetGalley and the editors in exchange of an honest review, thank you ✨

4⭐️

This was soooo cute to read!! I loved Chloe and Sig since I met them in The Au Pair Affair and I was craving for their story… and my oh my, I wasn’t disappointed 🙂‍↔️ I mean, Sig? The man’s greatest wish was provide her with anything she’ll ever need and wants and making her happy no matter the cost 😭❤️ I need one of those please

Chloe my girl, I just loved her, she reminded me of Rachel in friend’s season 1, she was so innocent and happy, and not knowing anything about the real world, but also she was so determined to prove herself and everyone she could be independent and the greatest harpist in the world, and you bet she did with Sig alongside her 🥹❤️‍🩹

Now, I NEED, Skylar and Corrigan’s story, please and thank you 🙂‍↔️