Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ARC. I found this to read to be predictable and average. I’ve read quite a few of Bailey’s books before, but had not read Books 1 and 2 in the ‘Big Shots’ series. This book could work well as a stand-alone as well. I did not enjoy how Chloe was portrayed as someone who needed to be taken care of, otherwise, I think she could have been a stronger character. Their love story was messy from the beginning and stayed consistently like that through the end. I do wish we could have learned more about each character to really envision their connection. I do think others will enjoy this read, but was an okay read on my end.

I don’t care what they say, I know the truth. Tessa Bailey all my friends say is the epitome of toxic masculinity and awkward dirty talk.

If I can be honest she has a humor and witt that is unmatched. I almost always love her novels, and this was no exception. She toes the line with step siblings, or soon to be. This may be one of my favorites yet (my others include ones in this series, maybe they keep getting better??), as it kept me fighting for the main characters, and I never got bored or gave up.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the arc! Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed the arc of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own).

I didn't read the other 2 books in the "Big Shots" series and have only read 3 other books from Tessa Bailey.
This book was very much what I was expecting and, in other ways, not what I was expecting.

Sig and Chloe have their meet cute and fall in love at first sight - which is not a trope I enjoy. But their love mostly happens off-screen. We don't see all the little things that make them fall in love... we only know the angst and the sexual frustration.

I did enjoy Chlole's figuring out the world and her pink-coloured lenses made things a little unrealistic, but fun. I did not like Sig as much, which is a bummer.

The main thing that made this book a bit of a surprise was the level of smut from the beginning. The way they expressed themselves, especially Sig, was not something I was expecting from a book of this genre.

Thank you Avon/Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the eARC. Unfortunately this was a mess for me. I felt like the first chapter started off strong with a chance encounter between the two main characters Sig and Chloe. The connection was instant, and I did choose to overlook the insta love/lust.

The FMC Chloe is insufferable. She doesn't know how to do anything and is written in a very infantile way. The MMC has to do everything for her including pay her bills, teach her how to do laundry, and how to drive. I know she is supposed to be from a rich affluent background and not used to doing this stuff but it just seemed so strange to me.

The mystery element behind Sig's dad was the only thing keeping me invested until the end. I really thought I was going to like this more, unfortunately it just wasn't for me, but I think the book will find it's fan base.

Sig and Chloe where do I even begin? When I first read the summary and how they interacted in The Au Pair Affair I was like something isn’t adding up.

How can they be step siblings and in love? Tessa sure does know how to draw you in and keep you right at the edge of your seat to see how this relationship dynamic will play out. Of course you know I don’t write spoilers in my reviews, so you will have to find out what happens yourself. 🤗

Now let’s get into how Sig and Chloe thought and spoke about each other – their words held no bounds on how they loved each other through thick and thin. Love can be beautiful when both parties are in it together for the long haul.


Tessa never ceases to amaze me when it comes to her writing and the spice level in this one :5/5 😏

I'm usually a fan of Tessa Bailey, but this is my second book in a year from her that I did not enjoy. I'm not a fan of the insta love trope, that's on me. But I thoroughly did not enjoy either of these characters, they were both annoying in their own ways and I just did not enjoy the romance. Tessa Bailey has some really great books, this was not one of them.

Being a huge Tessa fan this one was big time disappointing. The tropes I don’t mind at all. The characters, plot, and writing were unbearable.

The FMC might easily be one of the most insufferable characters I’ve ever read. I try to give the benefit of the doubt when it comes to being a product of your environment but she’s so astronomically irresponsible and airheaded, I couldn’t get past it. Her decision and spend OTHER peoples money irresponsibly instead of paying rent, hardly having a lick of common sense. Ugh. It was too much.

The MMC was also so unenjoyable. I’m fine with insta-love if I expect it going in but his was just so illogical and all he ever talked about loving was her looks and being drawn to her physically. Bleh. Going above and beyond with absolutely zero in return. Which yes, we shouldn’t expect things in return but she barely even treated him with respect. Especially financially.

There were soooooo many time jumps in the first 30%. They had “8 months” until their parents were supposed to get married and then all of a sudden, a literal year’s worth of time jumps had taken place. They talked about cute moments that happened but we never ever got to witness any of them.

The ending was an okkkkkk solution but just meh.


Would I recommend this? Sadly no. And I was so excited about it.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for providing me a digital and physical ARC for this book.

When hot hockey player Sig’s truck breaks down outside of a swanky country club and he gets rescued by his Dream Girl, he is shocked to find out later that night that his father is engaged to her mother. Sig can’t resist Chloe’s spunky, bubbly personality, and neither of them can deny the connection, but they keep it strictly in the “friend zone.” Until they don’t… 🔥💥‼️ Obviously a romance between step-siblings would be taboo, but the stakes are raised with both of their high-profile careers, pro hockey player and orchestral harpist… once their unorthodox relationship is speculated about in the tabloids, does it mean it’s over before it even starts?

The PINING, ANGST, and Sig’s unwavering devotion to Chloe MADE this book. I always love a book where the FMC finds her own way in the world, and Chloe definitely sparkled. This book gave me ‘It Happened One Summer’ vibes in the best way, but even though Sig is protective and would do anything for his love, he’s definitely not grumpy. Also, the spice was spicing. 😏

FIVE ⭐️ and 3.5 🌶️

This is my first Tessa Bailey novel & I really enjoyed it! Sig & Chloe's story was an endearing tearjerker with the right amount of slow burn & spice. My heart broke so many times for them!

I will explore more of Tessa Bailey's work and recommend Dream Girl Drama to others.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey is a very spicy romance with a forbidden love angle. Some plot points felt predictable, and the pacing was uneven in parts. I definitely loved the other two books more. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read for fans of Tessa Bailey or lighthearted rom-coms. Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Dream Girl Drama. 3.5 stars

When hockey star Sig Gauthier’s chance encounter with sheltered and free-spirited Chloe Clifford sets off a whirlwind of sparks, it seems like the start of an epic love story—until the shocking revelation that Chloe is about to become his stepsister. What follows is a bittersweet tango of restraint and longing, as the pair navigates their parents’ engagement, Chloe’s struggle for independence, and the undeniable pull between them.

Chloe’s vibrant personality and Sig’s steadfast support make them a captivating duo, even as they try to keep their relationship strictly friendly. The tension is palpable, the emotional stakes are high, and the journey is as much about self-discovery as it is about love.

I love Tessa Bailey, but I am not the biggest fan of the insta-love trope. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, and this book was still very enjoyable!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!

Thank you Net Galley and Tessa Bailey for allowing me the pleasure of reading a free copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own honest opinions.

Sig Gauthier is a pro hockey player on his way to meet his estranged (and conman) Dad’s new rich fiance when his beloved old truck breaks down by a country club. When attempting to use a phone to call a tow, he meets the beautiful and bubbly Chloe- a child prodigy harpist whose personality and beauty have him immediately obsessed. They agree to see each other again, but that happens much sooner than they both anticipated when upon arrival at dinner with his soon-to-be stepmom, there is Chloe…. His soon to be stepsister! Will Sig and Chloe be able to be friends or will the chemistry between them win out?

Character development: I feel that the author did a good job of giving us back stories and personalities of each main character, and did very well at keeping a certain dynamic between the two that was consistent throughout the book. I also love how she didn’t just make Chloe a spoiled rich girl, and was able to give her an arc that showed her develop in emotional maturity and responsibility. The chemistry between the characters was also *chefs kiss*, and their treatment of each other and dynamic made it easy to root for them. The side characters were also entertaining and easy to remember.

Plot: I loved the idea behind this story, with the difference in social status between the two (that didn’t end up being cliche), the future sibling trope mixed with the secrets/forbidden love, and also loved that the story wasn’t just about the two of them and the relationship, but also kept the reader wanting to hope and dream for each character individually. The pacing was perfect, giving a perfectly written slow burn.

This book was different than my usual romance choices, as I don’t usually reach for sports romance, but I really loved it. I grew attached to both FMC and MMC, and was continuously hopefully that they would make it work. The slow burn 🔥 was incredible, and the character development was superb.

5⭐️

This has been the first Tessa book that I’ve really loved in a while. I wasn’t super into Fan Girl Down and The Au Pair Affair was just ok. When we met Sig and Chloe in that book I was instantly hooked and had to know more. The forbidden love premise really drew me in.

I didn’t have very high expectations for Chloe’s character TBH. She seemed like your typical spoiled rich girl in the previous book. I enjoyed diving deeper into her story and finding out she has a lot of substance and drive. Sig is basically a dream MMC. It was such a mystery not knowing exactly why Sig was taking such care of Chloe, letting her go on Sephora shopping sprees and dropping everything for her when they were first introduced. His protective nature turned out to be so heartwarming. Their relationship, as complicated as it was, was so enjoyable to read. The slow burn as annoying as it can tend to be really worked for me here. Tessa really does know how to write amazing characters with banter, humor and chemistry. And it’s not a Tessa book without the steamy moments (I had to take a break a couple times!). I was really curious as to how they were going to end up together - there were only a couple options that would still make the book realistic. I do wish that the ending wasn’t so rushed and that we could have gotten a further glimpse into their future. I really did love this book and wish I could say the whole series so far has been a hat trick but sadly not the case. Onto Skylar and Robbie’s story!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Is there anything I love more than some good pining? Nope. I definitely love it and I loved it here too.

Can I just say that Sig and Chloe’s chemistry was EXPLOSIVE? It was practically dripping off the page. I think I was definitely more invested since I had seen them so often in Tallulah and Burgess’ book. I really appreciate that you got to know them both outside of their relationship with each other.

And their story was heartbreaking. The whole time my heart hurt for them. (Did I mention how much I love pining?!?)

That being said… I had a hard time believing that the public perception of their relationship would be all that bad. Step siblings that met as adults hardly seems the scandal of the century.

I also am really sad that we didn’t get to see Josephine and Wells at all. Considering they’re part of this series, I feel like they’re really not.

I’m so happy I got to read this book though, and I’m even happier that I don’t as given and ARC of it. I really, REALLY hope we see more in this series (like the Org*sm twins.)

Thank you for the arc opportunity with this book! Unfortunately this is a book I will not be able to finish. I was super excited for it but am finding it very strange and taboo in regards to the writing and story. The MFC and MMC are also not easy to follow and enjoy reading about.

Again, I am very grateful for the opportunity to have reviewed this one, this book just isn’t for me but I know others will love it so much!

Dream Girl Drama is a dual-POV forbidden romance. Sig and Chloe meet by chance, or date, and fall hard and fast for each other. Unfortunately, that same night they learn that their parents are engaged, making them future step-siblings and a relationship off-limits. They can’t stay out of each other’s lives though, quickly becoming best friends and forever toeing the line. Sig won’t stop until he finds a solution and a way to make his dream girl his wife!

I really loved this one, this series just keeps getting better and better! I was wary of the taboo nature of their future relationship but liked the way it was handled. I loved Chloe’s chaotic energy and how she grew into herself, and I adored Sig. This was a fantastic first read for 2025!


Read dates: 12/31/2024- 01/02/2025
Goodreads review: 01/02/2025
Instagram review: 01/03/2025
Blog review: 02/04/2025

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I don’t think that affected my reading it at all.

We have a professional hockey player and prodigy harpist that meet and fireworks fly 🎆

I really enjoyed Sig and Chloe’s story. Of course they run into some obstacles along the way, making it so they can’t be together, but there’s a lot of angst and steam along the way! I don’t want to give too much away.

The spicy scenes were well done and well built up to. Character development was also pretty good. I was personally annoyed with the whole step siblings storyline butttttttt the development and reasons behind it made it more tolerable - or at least I understood it.

Overall a good story with some good spice!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for sending me this ARC!

I’m obsessed with this! I’ve loved the Big Shots series from the beginning and this might be my favorite one yet. If I’d had time to read it in one sitting I surely would have.

I did have a hard time believing that lives and careers would be ruined by two adult step-siblings dating, but I can’t complain too much because the resulting tension was TENSIONING. The ‘touch her and die’ vibes were IMMACULATE. Sig and Chloe will live rent free in my head for a long time to come.

I really enjoy books by Tessa Bailey and was sure I was going to like this book after reading the blurb. Sig (H) is a wonderful swoon-y hero, but unfortunately Chloe just didn't work for me. She is supposed to be 25, and I know a sheltered 25, but she acted like an entitled 14 year old. I always finish my books, butcouldn't do it anymore at the 60% mark and skipped to just read the HEA (because I cannot just stop a book in the middle), but by this point I didn't care how they got to the HEA. This book gets 2.5 stars from me, rounded to 3. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I absolutely loved this book! As someone who devours hockey romance, I couldn’t resist falling for the newest hockey hottie from Tessa Bailey. Sig is possessive, caring, and knows exactly who he wants—*and that’s Chloe*.

I’m a sucker for insta-love, and the moment Sig meets Chloe, I was hooked. Chloe comes from a world of extreme wealth and doesn’t know the first thing about taking care of herself. When she runs away to Boston, I’ll admit her childlike personality was a bit much at times. But as the story progressed, I loved seeing her grow, and by the end, I was fully on board with her character.

The angst once they discover their impending fate of becoming step-siblings? *Everything*. The tension, the forbidden romance—it was the kind of slow-burn that had me aching for more without ever feeling drawn out. Honestly, I enjoyed the pining *way* more than the usual enemies-to-lovers trope. This book nailed it.

That said, it wasn’t a perfect five-star read for me. The main characters gave up on their love story too easily when they hit a roadblock. I felt like better communication—especially about the whole step-sibling drama—could’ve made their struggle feel more authentic. Plus, the ‘found family’ aspect I typically crave in sports romances was missing. Sig never really opened up to his friends, which left me longing for that deeper connection.

I can’t wait to dive into Skylar and Corrigan’s story next!

A huge thank you to @NetGalley, Tessa Bailey, Avon, and Harper Voyager Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.