This is my first Tessa Bailey experience and I honestly don’t know how I got here; reading an ARC of a book that’s third in an interconnected series. I didn’t even peek at the blurb or tropes before diving in and it may have worked out for the best because I had a great time.

Chloe is an FMC I don’t normally read about/gravitate towards, but her growth seemed so genuine that it’s hard not to fall in love with her. At first glance, and by her own admittance, she’s a spoiled rich girl that doesn’t think about all that’s done for her. It’s admirable to read about her trying to turn it around and become independent. It’s then easy to be annoyed at Sig for continuing to shelter and spoil her in Boston, to his own detriment seemingly, but as both of their intentions and feelings become more clear it easy to forgive. Sig is everything you want in a handsome, burly hockey player: protective, attentive, supportive, and downright devoted. It’s nice to see him eventually work on his own insecurities rather than just hide them, making him entirely too well-rounded and drool worthy 🤤

I think the chemistry between Sig and Chloe was fantastic and this was an instant connection that was actually believable for me - a feat in itself. The taboo step-sibling trope was heavily diluted with them meeting before knowing their parents were in a relationship, the majority of the story happening before their parents marriage, and the fact they were 25+ when this all happened so they didn’t grow up together. With all of that, I barely consider it taboo and I personally don’t understand why it’s made such a big deal in the book… but hey, I dabble in the dark romance so maybe I don’t count.

Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable introduction to Tessa Bailey [for me] and I am excited to backtrack and read more!

I received an ARC of this novel on NetGalley and a big thanks to the publisher and author for a chance to read and review.

⭐️ 4/5
🌶️ 2.5/5

I actually really enjoyed this, especially since it's set in Boston and the hockey team is clearly based on the Bruins. It's Tessa Bailey so you know the spice is SPICY. While that was enjoyable, the plot here was actually more captivating to me. You can actually feel the chemistry between Sig and Chloe, but I also loved their witty banter. Some of the side characters also cracked me up, especially the rookies on Sig's hockey team. This is the 3rd book in the Big Shots series - I haven't read the other ones but now I definitely want to!

5⭐️! I loved Sig and Chloe ever since we got snippets of them earlier in the series. The banter is next level. 🤗 Sig’s alpha confidence is hot. He’s the definition of “if he wanted to he would”. Sig taking care of Chloe is next level. The sexual tension is thiiiiick - the chemistry is out of this world. It was a slow burn but the payoff was hot AF 🥵🥵🥵🫠🫠🫠. I knew Sig would have a mouth on him but okaaay Chloe. 🤭 Tessa really had me heartbroken for them towards the end and thank goodness for the HEA. I would’ve screamed otherwise. Sig and Chloe really had me in a chokehold from chapter one and I loved every second of their story!

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and publisher for providing the ARC!

I loved this book even more then I thought I would. Being outside Boston I truly appreciate all the little New England references. I love the touch and die attitude of the mmc. I also appreciated that Chloe wasn't just your typical spoiled rich girl. This was my favorite of the Boston series. In my top 5 of her books.

This book was filled with tension and passion!! You could feel the intense chemistry between the main characters in the best way. The step sibling plot line got a little icky in my brain sometimes if I thought about it too much but the love between them was too pure and beautiful to not root for them!

Will always be a sucker for a man who would burn down the world for his love, and Sid is no exception, even if she might become his stepsister. The lovely city of Boston, a cute dog named Pierre, and a perfect harp definitely takes this book over the edge from where I thought it would go.

“I’d spit on a man for calling you pretty. You’re extraordinary. The first and last of your kind.” -Sig

It was so good! When we met Sig and Chloe in the Au Pair Affair, I wasn’t sure how Tessa was going to work this out. You knew the tension between these two was out of control but you weren’t sure exactly why.
This book was so good! I was nervous and anxious through most of it (okay like all of it) but it was so so so good!
Sig is a hockey player who is headed to meet up with his kind of estranged dad and his dad’s new girlfriend. On the way to his dad’s house he meets his dream girl, Chloe.
Chloe is a protege on the harp and because of that her mom has sheltered her from the world. When Chloe meet Sig at her country club she feels this spark she’s never felt before.
Unfortunately, after Chloe and Sig meet they end up at dinner together, with their parents because surprise! Their parents are getting married. The rest of the book felt like soul crushing chaos with splashes of humor and spice so that you didn’t give up hope. It was fantastic!

uhmmm
so. ick factor times 1000. i do NOT care what that paternity test says, this book was goddamn fucked. you simply can’t put two people together, say they’re gonna be related/already are and be like oh yea it’s fine they’re hooking up.
ALSO I HATE SIG WTFFFFFF
this overprotective asshole is so misogynistic, idc abt the occasional “women are powerful!!” comment, it does NOT make up for the stupid imploding ego traced all over every interaction with this idiotic man.

OMIGOD I FORGOT ABT HOW BAD THE PACING WAS FUCK THE PACING

In true Tessa Bailey fashion, this was hot, hilarious, and such a good time!! 🤭 I devoured this book faster than I drink my daily coffee and that’s saying something. Sig and Chloe has an instant connection, despite finding out they’re going to be step siblings soon after meeting. I absolutely loved their story. Sig was SO OBSESSED with Chloe, like would do anything and everything for her. He is easily one of my favorite Tessa Bailey MMCs to date.

Tessa Bailey always brings the heat, and while this one wasn’t my favorite, it still had its moments. The story follows two future step-siblings who meet as adults and fall for each other—only to decide they can’t be together because it would look “weird.” This conflict dominates the plot, and honestly, I struggled with it.

The chemistry between the leads was electric—easily the highlight of the book. But their connection felt more like lust than love, and the FMC came across as overly dependent, which made their dynamic feel a bit one-sided.

Overall, while this book didn’t completely click for me, I can see others loving it for the swoon-worthy moments and fiery tension. Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this advance copy!

"Always my dream girl. Always mine"💖✨
This book was such a fun and wild ride, just like all of Tessa Bailey's books!!!! I love her style so much, and the chemistry between Sig and Chloe was seriously on fire!!!
Sig was so sweet and completely head-over-heels for Chloe, which made their moments together super cute and exciting to read.
But I have to admit, the step-sibling thing didn't really work for me this time around. I love forbidden romance, but I just couldn't get into the whole "they can't be together because it's weird" situation!!! They're adults who met before their parents even started dating, so it felt a little forced. I just didn't think it needed to be that big of a deal!!!
The story was really fast-paced too, and I think it would have been even better if things slowed down a little bit. It felt like everything happened so quickly!!!! But even with that, I still loved every second of it because Tessa Bailey always delivers such fun, steamy stories that make you want to keep reading!!!!
If you're a fan of her books, you'll definitely enjoy this one too!!!! Even though the step-sibling trope wasn't my favorite, it was still a really good story overal!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Forbidden romance + Insta-love + Slow burn

The tropes in this book are not ones I would usually pick up, but as I’ve said before, if Tessa writes it, I’m going to read it! This was different though in the fact that our main characters meet before they know their parents are engaged. So much tension and pining for one another in this book

Tons of character growth on both sides and Sig was so supportive of Chloe. Chloe was a little unbearable at times but I did feel that she got better as the story went on.

Their story was a rollercoaster but I enjoyed it so much! My favorite thing might be a jealous Sig but buying out all of her favorite pop tarts from the store near her building so he has a reason to come over was also top tier. Definitely one you should pick up if you’ve enjoyed the other books in this series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC!!! 🫶🏼

Standout Quotes-
“I wish for this same exact birthday next year, except you’ll be wearing a wedding ring. Mine.”

“At least a hundred of them, maybe more. Strawberry only. They’d all been purchased in the North End at every deli and grocery store in a ten-block radius of Chloe’s apartment. She could never find them herself. The stores were always cleaned out. All because sometimes Sig needed an actual reason to show up at her place that wasn’t I needed to see you so I could breathe—and the Tarts were his ticket.”

‘“You aren’t in charge of my love life.” “I am your love life, Chloe.”’ ❤️

Dream Girl Drama is book 3 in Tessa Bailey's Big Shots series and follows Sig and Chloe, side characters that first appeared in The Au Pair Affair (TAPA). Sig and Chloe are soon-to-be step-siblings (both well into their mid to late twenties), that definitely gave off major yearning when they first appeared on page so I was very excited to see them come to life in this story!

Because, readers have technically already seen parts of Sig & Chloe's story in TAPA, I was really curious how Tessa would get their story started in this one. I think that was handled very well! Starting with their first meeting, many months before the events in TAPA, the reader sees the relationship start and the progression/reasoning to the Ultimate Yearn that was seen previously. I absolutely had so much fun with this story though! Chloe is learning to step outside of the carefully crafted box her mother had put her in, and although she definitely has a silver spoon in her mouth, she really becomes independent and much more knowledgable about how the world really works. I feel like I've repeated this word so many times already but Sig is the Definition of "Yearn"... He absolutely adores Chloe with all of his heart and is doing absolutely anything to try and figure out a way they can be together.

Although the reason Sig and Chloe can't be together technically makes sense, I also definitely wanted to smack someone because its really not a taboo relationship at all. But the pining is so good and I loved the tension that they had leading up to their intimate moments. I highly recommend reading The Au Pair Affair before this one, just so you have more knowledge on their back and forth, but you definitely don't need to.

Tessa also leaves the readers with a few name drops for the next couple books in the Big Shots series and I'm extremely excited to see how the next one plays out! It's going to also be a Home Run!

I love this series sooooo much and Tessa Bailey never fails to deliver. Sig and Chloe have you rooting for them the whole book. I have never wanted a couple to get there happily ever after as much as I did for there two. The banter was amazing and the plot twist at the end 😘.

𝑮𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 😂😂😂
𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆 🔥🔥🔥
𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Admittedly, I wasn’t super intrigued by Sig and Chloe after reading The Au Pair Affair but I will read basically anything Tessa Bailey writes & I love hockey, so I wanted to read this. I am so, so glad I did because there are two of my new favourite characters of hers. Chloe especially totally surprised me, I loved reading about her and learning more about her.

There is surprisingly little about hockey in this book. Which is a bit of a bummer, but it was so focused on the romance and the romance is just so good. This is SO romantic, they are so clearly just made for each other and the way Sig speaks to/about Chloe made me swoon constantly.

I’m giving this a 4 instead of a 5 because I just didn’t think the ‘complication’ was really all that dramatic. And it lasts the entire book, which I do get, I guess I just didn’t love that. I think they just let the whole ‘almost step sibling’ thing go on for too long and it wouldn’t have been an issue if it was handled differently earlier on. Even if it wasn’t at first, just… earlier.

Loved seeing more about the rookies, and of course I’m going to continue the series to read about Corrigan’s story next. Honestly Tessa Bailey can do no wrong, this was another fun read by her that I just couldn’t put down.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wasn't sure if anything could be better than Sir Savage in the second book, but this was a pleasant read. While it didn't hold a candle light to Sir Savage, I did enjoy the banter between Chloe and Sig. This teetered on the edge of taboo since they are step-siblings to be. There is some mystery to their family drama and you also get a glimpse of their dynamics with their respective parents, which I thought was cool. I am a sucker for a meet cute and theirs was perfectly written! This was a great read that fits perfectly with the other Tessa Bailey books and there is a reason she is one of my auto read authors. Thank you to the author and publisher for the free eARC and gifted ARC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram review will be live before or on release day.

While I loved the first book in this series, the second and third installments haven’t quite lived up to the hype—especially the third. After the heavy hints dropped in the second book, I had a feeling this was coming, but I was still disappointed by how it all played out.

The book relies heavily on the “step-sibling forbidden love” trope, but here’s the thing—it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The characters aren’t actually step-siblings in any meaningful way, especially not the kind that grew up together, so the drama felt unnecessarily forced. There were definitely other ways they could’ve resolved their feelings without hinging everything on their parents’ marriage.

It’s a shame because there was potential here, but overall, this book just didn’t deliver the same magic as the first one.

Oh - there are some hockey games/players and harps. The end.

*ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and truthful review.

I have never read a Tessa Bailey that I didn’t love . This book was just as amazing as the rest of them .

TURN ME UPPPPPPP i loved this book so much. sig and chloe are IT. i have never seen a man so obsessed with his woman as sig gauthier and chloe nearly matched his freak with how much she adored him. their love could probably set a forest on fire. i did not want to put this book down, i can’t remember the last time i was so sat. classic tessa bailey and im so so so here for it. UGH im just so happy this was so fun and hot and good.

I love Tessa Bailey and her trademark dirty talk is in full force here!!! Throw in hockey and a little forbidden love and you have a fantastic book that I just ate up!