4.5⭐️

This was so much fun and much better than I anticipated; given the trope. Sig is a literal joy and Chloe was way less brainless than I expected given the other interactions in book 2. They were super fun together and I loved the tension.

As usual, the drama was high, spice was great, and I loved their relationship. Oberall, it was a fantastic time. I do think I got a little tired of the side character drama but that's just me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tessa for this ARC!

Bailey has had me hooked for Sig and Chloe's story since the first glimpse of them in The Au Pair Affair. This book delivered on both the drama and the romance. Full of forbidden love, family chaos, secret stolen moments, and so much angst! Bailey sure knows how to hit you with absolutely electric chemistry and then make you suffer in the best way.

Tropes & What to Expect:
Forbidden Romance
Instalust but Angsty AF
Sports Romance
Broody Hockey Player meets Dream Girl Harpist
Steamy Slow Burn (but spicy when it gets going)
Messy Family Drama
Opposites Attract

The forbidden tension in the book was so well done. Sig was down bad for Chloe the moment he saw her and I'm here for it. The way it shifted from instalust to the slow burn angst was everything. I love the banter between these two and TB just does it so well.

I did have to turn my brain off for this book because ultimately I never saw a problem with their relationship. They met as adults and didn't even know their parents were dating. Ultimately if that was explained, I don't think it wouldn't be a problem. Maybe that's just me compartmentalizing because I shipped these two from the start. This was such a fun read and now I immediately need to get my hands on Pitcher Perfect.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for this digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve fallen in love with another Tessa Bailey book! Dream Girl Drama is my favorite addition to the Big Shots series. Tessa writes dirty scenes like no other and has a special way of making me adore her MMCs. I was worried that the third person writing style would be hard to get into, but it was no problem at all.

This is another big success for Tessa.

4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dream Girl Drama centers around future step-siblings who meet, develop feelings for each other, but are kept apart because it would look “weird.” This plotline was the main reason I couldn’t fully get into the book. While it wasn’t terrible, it definitely wasn’t my favorite. I had a hard time understanding why their relationship would be considered weird, especially since they met as adults before knowing their parents were involved. All they’d have to do is explain that publicly, and I feel like the issue would be resolved. Maybe I’m just not familiar with the social expectations of famous or wealthy people?

The chemistry between the characters was undeniable, intense, and electrifying, but it felt more like lust than genuine love. The FMC also seemed somewhat helpless at times, with the MMC constantly doing things for her without much in return. This dynamic left me feeling disconnected from the story.

The chemistry between the two was definitely the highlight of the book and what kept me engaged. While I think some readers will enjoy it, this one was just okay for me.

I had to set this down at 25% unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I’m not a big fan of insta love, and this book was just gushing with insta love. I also just didn’t love that Chloe is 25 and still lets her mother control 100% of her life, and that she’s taking a full ride to a school she could obviously easily pay for. These details about Chloe made me not like her much as a fmc, and the only details we really get about sig is that he grew up poor and loves Chloe on sight, so there’s not much to like about him either… I didn’t feel like I wanted to route for the couple. You have to like something about the other person in a romance, not just see them and decide you should be together without knowing them literally at all. I could also tell sig was going to play this I can’t be with you even though I want to game, and that just isn’t my vibe. I will say if you don’t mind insta love I can see this book being great for someone else, it’s just not my cup of tea!

So excited that I received an ARC, definitely one of my most anticipated reads. Amazing book, this series has been so unique and fun. I love Sig and Chloe’s relationship there is so much tension. They want to be together so bad and are willing to sacrifice so much so they be together. Loved how Sig wanted to marry her asap and talked about their future. Guy falls really hard and was super excited to read since the au pair affair. The twist was great, Tessa Bailey is on a roll! I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Not my favorite Tessa Bailey book. I didn't find their relationship too believable and I didn't think the smut scenes were well-written in this book. I did think that the plot was cute; however.

2.5 stars rounded up :-/
While this book did have a few moments where I enjoyed the supporting characters like the parents and Chloe’s friend, who oddly felt more grounded than the main characters, the main characters needed more depth, that being said, it wasn’t enough to save this book for me.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sig and Chloe are the perfect almost taboo couple. This is a romance with a pending step sibling situation, and it is done so well. This is the third book in the series and each book can be read as a stand alone, as the characters reappear but do not matter much to the overall plot. I gave this book 5 stars, it is full of funny banter and spicy scenes. I can't recommend this book enough.

(3/5 stars) Not my favorite Tessa book, maybe because it's too love-at-first-sight, but I did enjoy the pining and forbidden love (albeit taboo). The tension was high and the spice was spicy. I do love Tessa's dual POV stories and that always brings them up a star for me.

I have enjoyed the Tessa Bailey books I have read so I was excited for this arc. But I was quickly disappointed the story line felt taboo, and I had trouble continuing because it just felt wrong. There was also a LOT of spice which felt wrong as well. But I enjoyed the characters so I kept on. Not my top Tessa book.

I also felt like it was hard to figure out who was talking when. I wish Sig and Chloes pieces were easier to tell apart.

I really enjoyed books one and two in this series (Fangirl Down and the Au Pair Affair), so I was jumping up and down with excitement when this approval hit my inbox. I knew that I was going to struggle with the step-siblings aspect because it gives me the ick, so my review is maybe a bit biased. Overall, I was not a huge fan of this one. I felt weird 90% of the book and it was a bit too insta lovey for me. I struggled to feel an actual, real connection between Chloe and Sig.

3 1/2 stars. I thought this book was good. It was not my favorite but the tension within the book was great. I enjoyed how they twisted the ending for them to be together but I do think it would have been better if they actually were together more during the time leading up to their parent's wedding.

I truly think Big Shots is Tessa's best series yet! I have been loving the interconnected sports romance more than I ever thought I would. Dream Girl Drama fits right in and had me on the edge of my seat for the entirety. Chloe and Sig's "will they, won't they" as they try to navigate their future of becoming step siblings is way more fun than it has any right to be! Sig is SMITTEN and would do anything for Chloe as she learns how to live independent of her mother. Chloe learns there is more to life and love and they both try to figure out what to do when that love might destroy them both....

Hmmm I wasn’t a huge fan of this book until the last 25% of it. 😅

This book is a love at first sight, forbidden love and slow burn. And quite spicy once our couple finally gets to the point. 😂 I give it a 4 🌶️ out of 5.

I really enjoyed the banter of the teammates which kept me very entertained. Also Pierre the bulldog? My favorite character. I even enjoyed the plot line because it added some depth that lacked in character development.

I really could not stand either one of the main characters. Sig annoyed me with how he was doing everything for Chloe. The fact he had just met her and was moving her to Boston and paying for everything? WTF. And Chloe I feel never learned to be on her own, EVER. The fact she never took anything seriously was so annoying.

Overall, it kept me entertained but I wouldn’t read it again. Thank you NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

"Dream Girl Drama" had me hooked from the first page to the last. Hockey player, Sig, is in for a life altering journey when he meets Chloe. An emotional rollercoaster for Sig, Chloe, and the reader from start to finish.

I am loving this series and DREAM GIRL was a great edition to it! Rarely have I felt such instant connection and chemistry between two leads during their Meet Cute. Like, INSANE chemistry. I'm not one for Insta-Love, but I am all in with Sig and Chloe.

And their story takes a super-sweet turn when, after that Meet Cute, they cannot be in a romantic relationship and instead become best friends. I was dying at the best friend cuteness with the constant undercurrent of sexual chemistry.

Even their kisses are just insanely hot.

The reason I removed a star from my rating of DREAM GIRL is because the thing keeping these two apart seemed really, really, insignificant. The entire issue could have been resolved with a three sentence explanation to the press. I just didn't buy that this thing was so unfixable that it was set to destroy everyone's lives and careers.

Despite that pretty weak conflict devise (which is the center of the entire story) this book is still a fantastic steamy, sweet, and feelsy read that you will fall in love with. And Tessa Bailey retains her title of Queen Of Dirty Talk because HOLY HELLLLLL the dirty talk in this book is insane.

SPICE LEVEL: Rated NC-17 / 5+ sex scenes, harsh language. *MIGHT* include props/kink.
CONTENT WARNING: childhood poverty, controlling parent, past parent abandonment
FEELS: 3/5 - You will definitely feel some feels.
POV: Dual - M/F - 1st Person

Tessa Bailey’s Dream Girl Drama has all the makings of a fun rom-com, but it didn’t fully deliver for me. While the premise was promising, and Bailey’s trademark wit and steamy scenes are present, the story felt uneven at times.

The chemistry between the main characters started strong, with some delightful banter and a few swoon-worthy moments. However, the relationship progression felt rushed, and the emotional connection wasn’t as developed as I’d hoped. The drama, while entertaining, occasionally veered into over-the-top territory, making it hard to stay invested in the characters’ journey.

That said, there were some standout moments. Bailey’s humor shines in certain scenes, and her ability to craft tension-filled, spicy interactions remains unmatched. The supporting cast also added some charm, even if they didn’t get much depth.

Overall, Dream Girl Drama is a decent read for fans of Tessa Bailey’s style, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. If you’re looking for light escapism with plenty of steam, this might still be worth picking up.

Now listen when I say I couldnt put this book down, I physically could not set my kindle down. I was hooked from start to finish on Sig & Chloes relationship and I adore them so much. I didnt think I would be a fan of the instantly in love attraction but honestly for this book it really was perfect. I loved the dynamic of chloes character and I loved that no matter what Sig just wanted her to be happy & his (of course). The only thing I wasn’t super crazy about was the random plotlines from all over while reading it (Grace & Easton). But I am excited to see who is next in the series. Thank you so much for the ARC I throughly enjoyed this book!

One thing that Tessa Bailey does really well is delivering a funny, movie-like story that moves quickly and is easy to read!

I loved Chloe and Sig's story - and their run-in, and the twist of how they were soon-to-be step-siblings. It felt like a twist on the step-sibling trope, and it was very tongue-in-cheek. It was a really funny story, and I could totally see this adapted into a film at some point.

It was so fun to root for them with an off-limits trope and a spin on what we usually see, wrapped up in a rich girl/hockey player romance that kind of hit all the necessary things for a cute, funny romance novel!

Thank you so much to Netgalley/Avon for an ARC! Will post more once it's published.