It was love at first sight for Sig, a professional hockey player, and Chloe, a harp prodigy who comes from money. Sig was on his way to meet his nefarious father's new fiance when truck problems had him pulling into a country club parking lot. Intrigued by Sig, Chloe snuck him in to call AAA, and they had an instant connection and some steamy chemistry. Little did they know they would be seeing each other sooner than they thought when they both ended up being at the dinner and found out Sig's father would be marrying Chloe's mother. These soon to be step siblings find themselves spending lots of time together and trying to keep it platonic when Chloe moves to Boston with Sig's help. With time running out on the upcoming nuptials of their parents, Sig is desperate to find anything in his father's not so clean past to stop the wedding so he and Chloe can find their chance at love.

This was almost like a train wreck love story, and I couldn't look away! The taboo theme had me on edge for Sig and Chloe. You want to root for them, but it feels so wrong! It was just so unfair how fate could make them find each other and then push it in their face that they couldn't be together.

There was lots of character development for Chloe, learning to be independent and what it means to be a responsible adult. Sig was such an overprotective teddy bear with a big heart. There is plenty of slow burn and touch her and die vibes. I don't want to give anything away, but the plot twist at the end saved the book for me. I will be checking out more stories from Tessa Bailey as I really enjoyed her writing style.

Okay, so I finished this book so fast, I loved it so much!

Sig and Chloe had been on my mind since the moment I finished The Au Pair Affair and I’m so happy Tessa decided to give us their story with Dream Girl Drama.

This was the ultimate slow burn, but wow did it burn so much for Sig and Chloe! They met by chance when Sig was on his way to visit his father and his new girlfriend and his car had broken down by a country club where Chloe just so happened to be. The moment they met, they had an instant connection and it was fate that brought them together. However, that is instantly derailed when Sig gets to the dinner with his father and also sees Chloe there and their parents announce they are engaged.

Their choice to strictly stay friends since they were doomed to become step siblings proves to be difficult. With Chloe focusing on enhancing her reputation as a harp prodigy and working her way to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Sig in the running to become captain and finally get the salary he deserved with his hockey team, they know this kind of scandal will only get in the way.

The yearning from these two to be together hit me right in the feels and I was stressing out over how they were going to be able to be together! Plus their chemistry was off the walls hot!

The perfect book for anyone who loves slow burn, instant love, forbidden romance, mutual pining and of course, hockey romance!

Hockey girl for life!

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and Tessa Bailey for this arc in return for my honest review!

I was completely hooked by this book. The mix of friends to lovers and forbidden romance had me captivated right from the start, but it was so much more than just that. The story wasn’t focused on dramatic moments or over-the-top gestures; it was about the simple, yet profound, acts of being there for someone. The characters supported each other without hesitation, showing how deep their connection went beyond romance.

The story felt real because it didn’t rely on big, flashy moments. Instead, it was built on the quiet, meaningful ways they cared for each other. The characters didn’t need to say much to show how much they meant to one another, and that made their bond feel genuine.

As I read, I found myself really invested in their journey. The way they grew together, not just as lovers but as true companions, made their connection even more powerful. There was something so authentic about how they navigated their emotions and supported each other. It made me think about the small, often overlooked moments that shape relationships and how those are sometimes the most important.

This was a great read!

The characters were amazing and well-developed. It was easy to like them. The story was well-written, making it easy to get hooked. This is definitely a must-read book!




Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

When Sig Gauthier's car breaks down on the way to meet his dad's new girlfriend, the professional hockey player didn't expect that his dream girl, Chloe Clifford, would bail him out. But things get tricky when Sig makes it to his dad's house and realizes that his dad's new girlfriend is Chloe's mom, and their parents announce that they're getting married. Despite the fact that Chloe is going to be his step-sister, Sig vows to support Chloe in her move to Boston to attend her dream school in direct opposition to her mother's wishes. While the soon-to-be step-siblings try to behave themselves, can they fight their magnetic chemistry?

This book was three stars for me. Tessa Bailey is a master at witty banter and the slow burn, and this book was no exception. The dual POV and the forbidden step-sibling trope was fun to read. But I did have a couple of issues with this book. I found Sig's immediate willingness to completely support someone he just met to be unbelievable, but, as with other books, I can put aside the lack of reality if the writing style keeps me engaged, which this book did. Second, and this is a bigger issue for me, I felt like Chloe's character was written to be cutesy, which to me comes off as ditzy. I can appreciate flaws and vulnerability, but I hate reading women characters written to be airheads. However, I did enjoy Tessa Bailey's writing style, which I find easy to read and often keeps me wondering what's going to happen, so all-in-all, I'm giving this one three stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Such a cute hockey rom-com from Tessa Bailey. Sig is a professional hockey played and Choloe is a harpist. Sig and Chloe meet one evening when Sig’s truck breaks down. He goes into a country club to call for a tow truck and meets Chloe. They make plans to meet up later in the evening for a hookup. They go their separate ways. When Sig gets to his father’s house, he meets his dad’s new girlfriend and he hears someone playing the harp. Yep, it’s Chloe. Chloe ends up moving to Chicago with Sig. The banter back and forth between to two of them is cute. The fall in love with each other. Their parents get married making them step siblings. In the meantime, both have their careers in jeopardy due to being in love with their sibling. Sig hires an investigator who discovers that the person Sig believes is his dad is not. Chloe's and Sig’s careers were saved and they ended up marrying. Thank you NetGalley and Avon for an advanced e-copy.

✨ARC Review ✨

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey is the third installment in her delightful "Big Shots" series, bringing us a playful hockey romance with a little spice and a dash of forbidden love!

Initially, I was a tad unsure about the main plot, but as I got into the story and got to know the characters, my doubts quickly faded away. Tessa's writing is clear and descriptive, making it super easy to get swept up in the story. I have to be honest, though—I didn’t fully connect with the main characters or the storyline, which led me to skim through a few parts.

This book definitely knows how to deliver angst and tension, specially building up to those key moments! There was a plot twist that I kind of saw coming, so it didn't catch me by surprise.

What truly stole the show for me were the supporting characters and their interactions with Sig and Chloe. Their dynamics added a fun twist that lightened up some of the heavier moments. Grace reminded me so much of Edna Mode, which made her scenes an absolute riot—just picture her getting creative with a pair of Louboutins! That thought alone made me smile!

I also really enjoyed the moments between Sig and his teammates, Burgess, Mailer, and Corrigan. Their witty banter provided some fantastic comic relief, and I caught myself chuckling quite a bit. Chapters 21 and 22 had me laughing out loud for sure and was one of my favorite book moments! By the end, I found myself more curious about Corrigan and Skylar’s storyline and can’t wait to see what’s next for them.

Overall, while this was an enjoyable and easy read in the hockey romance genre that I often like, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. However, I can see how it could be someone else’s perfect match! I’m thankful for the chance to read this ARC; it pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I genuinely appreciated the laughs along the way!

Big thanks to @Netgalley, @Avonbooks & @HarperVoyagerUS for the gifted book!

#DreamGirlDrama #NetGalley

Did someone say steamy forbidden hockey romance? Tessa Bailey delivers huge with Sig and Chloe’s story.

Sig and Chloe meet in a cute little love-at-first-sight-car-breaks-down meet cute only to learn that they are about to be step-siblings. Then, off to Boston they go trying their best to keep their relationship appropriate.

I cannot praise this book enough. I loved every second of it. It skirts the line of taboo perfectly, and the cameos from the past and future characters were fabulously done. The Big Shots series is hands down Tessa Bailey’s best work.

Thank you Net Galley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. Tessa Bailey writes entertaining characters. SIG AND Chloe doesn’t disappoint. A fun read.

If you love Tessa Bailey, you’re going to love this book. She write very light-hearted romance books that you could binge in a sitting. It’s a nice break from more serious stories. It’s not the best written story but it definitely is entertaining.

I wanted to love Dream Girl Drama, but I just didn’t. I’m a huge fan of Tessa Bailey’s so I was really surprised by my lack of interest in Dream Girl Drama. I found the story line cringy from the start, and I could not recover from my initial impression.I will read any new releases from Tessa Bailey because I have a good foundation of love for Tessa.I would recommend Tessa Bailey’s Risking It All or It Happened One Summer for those who want to try one of her books.

I loved this book! Thanks for the arc! This was the most caveman of the three and I loved it. It was funny, heartwarming and keeps you wanting more.

Thanks to Avon and netgalley for this advanced copy.

Ummm where do I start with this. I've been entertained by Tessa Baileys books for a few years, and I read the first two books in this series and thought they were, well, fine. But no, this was not entertaining, it was confusing. I guess this is supposed to be a taboo love story of adults who are possible, potential step siblings, but it felt like it wasn't so taboo, just awkward. And no matter how many times they say "we can't do this", I never believed they couldn't, so it all felt over the top. Chloe is such a manic pixie dream girl it defies believability and Sigs reaction to almost everything is ridiculous. It was nice to see some of the hockey players again but this book doesn't stick the Landing and just made me angry at the end. This might be the end for me.

Unfortunately, I think I've outgrown Tessa Bailey's ridiculous plots and juvenile characters. I simply could not get through this book without rolling my eyes every 2-3 paragraphs. It's disappointing, to say the least, that Tessa Bailey used to be one of my favorite romance authors and is now publishing...whatever this was.

Not only were both of the main characters dull and boring, they also read as if they were 16-year-olds stuck in a 20-something's body. I genuinely could not enjoy even a second of this book because of the glaring red flag that was their internal monologues.

The only saving grace for this lackluster novel was the fact that it broke one single stereotype in that the main characters did indeed communicate, rather than breaking up over a misunderstanding as the final act.

Another Tessa Bailey book that had me devouring it! I loved how Sig and Chloe met and couldn't get enough of their energy together. But when their world is rocked later that evening, I felt for them. As the story develops, I love how Chloe comes into her own independence and has so much growth. And even though they are told their relationship is forbidden, I really just wanted them to say screw it anyways. Overall, I read this quickly and have enjoyed this series!

Read if you enjoy: hockey romance, forbidden, future step-siblings, protective mmc, slow burn, she falls hard but he falls harder

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, NetGalley, and Tessa Bailey for letting me read/review an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved Sig and Chloe when we met them in the Au Pair Affair and was hoping to see their story come to life.

Once again Tessa Bailey does not disappoint with the chemistry, banter and tension in this fun, steamy story. Sig and Chloe are too cute and I haven’t wanted a HEA for a couple as much as did for these two.

If you're a fan of Tessa’s books, you'll definitely enjoy this one.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this advance copy!

𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★★★★

I was so excited to dive into this hockey romance featuring Chloe and Sig. Their insta love and undeniable chemistry had me hooked from the start. I loved that Chloe came to Sig’s rescue at the country club without even knowing him and right away their connection blossomed.

I wasn’t a fan of how their situation turned so quickly and the fact it turned forbidden before it really got anywhere. I did love how Sig stepped up and supported Chloe, all he did to get her on her feet in Boston and how protective he was of her.

The chemistry and the buildup between the two of them through the book was seriously soo good!! I just wish the relationship part wasn’t so weird. Especially since in the end Sig’s dad could have easily ended his suffering by telling him the truth. Once things finally panned out I adored how the book wrapped up.

mutually obsessed and possessive mc’s who border on taboo for 92% of the book???? hiiii <3 this was such a fun and easy read. i love tessa and how consistent she is in her stories, despite how different they can be. there’s just a FEELING when reading a tessa bailey book. I had a wonderful time!!

🌶️🌶️🌶️
🏒 Oh Sig and Chloe. The angst I felt while reading your love story 😩
🛍️ I love these two characters so much and they are so perfect for each other! I wanted to fight the world that tried to come between them. There were times that made me want to cry because there love was so beautiful and also because I was so sad for the angst the characters were going through.
🏒 Tessa knows how to make me laugh, cry, turn me on, and fill me with joy! Highly recommend and looks like we might get another one in this series? 👀 I hope so!
🛍️ I loved getting to see Tallulah and Burgess through the story. I would have loved to see Wells and Josephine from book one but maybe if we get more books? 👀
⚾ Pitch Perfect coming September I think 🤩

The hockey man of my dreams!!! Tessa did not miss with this one. I thought the step sibling trope was well done and the chemistry between the main characters was undeniable.