Arc Review
Dream girl drama By Tessa Bailey
Available February 4
3.75 ⭐

First off i would like to thank Avon & Netgalley for the opportunity to read & review this book. Thank you for this gifted E-Arc.

Chole & Sig
I absolutely adore chole for just being her true self in her manic pixie way. I absolutely love sig for never being anything other then his grumpy self. These two together is very well done and they way the build this random friendship that they seem to fight for and make it hard to keep it as friends is well done. But it just seem to drag a little for me and i usually love a tessa book. This one just wasn't my favorite sadly, but i did enjoy it.

4/5 recommend this book. Tessa is one of my favorite rom com authors and her ability to write such goofy but relatable characters is so well done. This book just wasn't my favorite even though i enjoyed the plot.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ebook.
**Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
*Rating: 3.5 stars

Tessa Bailey's Dream Girl Drama is the third installment in a series that blends humor, romance, and plenty of angsty tension. While the first two books in the series really didn't grab me, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. The dynamic between Sig and Chloe, introduced in the second book, has a certain pull that hooked me into wanting to read this 3rd installment from start to finish.

Sig, a steadfast and supportive character, meets Chloe, his future stepsister, in an unexpectedly charming way—his car breaks down, and she helps him get into the bougie country club. It is an instant connection just from hearing her voice, and they share an incredible *electric* 1st kiss. From there, the drama unfolds when Sig shows up to his estranged father's (girl friend's house) announces his pending nuptials to Chloe's mother, a controlling figure who keeps Chloe confined in a "bubble." At that very dinner where the two meet again, Sig, with no hesitation, helps Chloe step out of her comfort zone and into a new life in Boston. His unwavering support of Chloe as she learns to navigate her independence is one of the highlights of this book. Bailey captures the tension between them with their chemistry sizzling and their banter delivering just the right amount of humor.

Chloe’s character evolves in this novel, much to my relief, as she was a bit one-dimensional in the second book. She seems so vapid and out of it in the 2nd novel, but she is far from the stereotypical “manic pixie dream girl." Instead, she becomes someone readers can root for as she grows stronger and more self-assured in her journey. Her heart is so warm and she charms everyone around her.

That being said, there are a few aspects of the story that didn’t quite land for me. The central conflict of Sig and Chloe’s relationship—that they are about to become stepsiblings—felt beyond exaggerated. Both characters are in their late twenties, so the “taboo” aspect of their potential relationship seemed overblown. Also, his father had nothing to do with him growing up, so why should this damage his reputation/hurt hers so badly? It was hard to take the dramatic tension seriously when the characters are so clearly adults, and the situation just didn’t feel as dire as the story made it out to be. I found myself questioning why they were so upset about it, especially when their emotional maturity was so clear throughout the novel.

If you're someone who loves spicy romance, sassy characters, and angsty tension with just the right dose of humor, this book will likely deliver. I also can acknowledge that for me, Tessa Bailey is not consistent as a writer. Some of her books are great and deserve the praise, others...I don't know, are unremarkable? This is absolutely one of her better ones and worth the read.

Sig and Chloe were instantly my favorite couple after the first chapters! How they meet is so stinking cute! I had quite a few laughs throughout this story. Pierre is the ultimate side character! Would love to write more about this book but don’t want to give any spoilers! You’ll want tot read this one right away! Great third book in this triology

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc,

I was glad to finally get Sig and Chole’s stories! We see a lot of them in book 2 of the series. I love that we went back to the beginning of their relationship and spent some time with their back story- it really helped explain their dynamic. I really enjoyed watching their relationship teeter back and forth across the blurred lines of friends:/sorta step siblings/ and two people who are obviously in love.

Let’s chat! This series has captured my heart. It is so funny. It’s truly everything that you want in a romcom sports romance. I fell head over heels in love with fan girl down. I still to this day Cannot get the au pair affair out of my head! Meeting Chloe and sig in dream girl drama took me by surprise, I cannot lie and say I was unsure about how I felt about Chloe in book 2 but learning about her backstory and learning about Sig and how they connected how their stepbrother and sisters low-key soon to be, really had me just needing to know what was going to happen next! Oh, and having drama in the title of this book was not dramatic at all ! It fits the book perfectly. I love sig and how obsessed and respectful he is I love that Chloe cannot hide her attraction . I’ve so recommended this series to all my friends and followers but this one here is a close second to my favorite in the series (the au pair affair) yes it’s a must pre order essentially if u love Tessa’s work and this series!

Ooff this was a very hard one for me to like. It is strange because I didnt even feel like I was reading a Tessa Bailey book. It missed all of the funny banter, twists and turns, dirty mouth MMC. I question if this was just a train of thought that she put down on paper.

The obstacle between the MMC and FMC getting together was a bit ridiculous and EASILY could've been managed if they all acted like adults. I mean, I'm all about suspending reality when reading, but even this was too ridiculous. It felt like reading a telenovela-- forced drama when there shouldn't be any.

I don't know if I'm just not a fan of this series. I like Fangirl Down but the past two books have been duds. Will I read the next one? yes- mainly because I'm stubborn and hope Tessa's magic comes back.

Thank you #NetGalley for providing me with eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s true love with one little problem: they are about to be step-siblings!

Dream Girl Drama (Big Shots #3) by Tessa Bailey gives you the steam, and the drama! From the first time they met, debutante and prodigy musician Chloe Clifford and professional hockey player Sig Gauthier have it bad for each other. Unfortunately, their parents are going to be married soon – which would create a scandal in both the hockey world and the rich society Chloe is from. Becoming more independent (and away from her mother), Chloe moves to Boston to pursue her musical talents and tries to navigate her life, with Sig close by. But It looks like the choice will come down to Sig: “Hockey. Or her.”

With Bailey’s writing, you can literally feel the tension and the chemistry between Sig and Chloe burning through the pages. The characters come to life, and you get lost in the story. At times I thought Chloe was to childish, and Sig too mature, but Bailey perfectly leads us down her created path and to the destination with a smile.

My favorite in this series was book 2: The Au Pair Affair, but I was waiting to read Sig and Chloe’s story and glad I did. The actual “steam” took awhile to come to fruition in this novel (chapter 1 doesn’t count!!!) but the buildup was well worth the wait. My main thing with this novel that irked me was as an attorney that has done a lot of family law, step-siblings who are not related by blood can legally be married (they are not blood relatives so there is no law preventing this). I wish Bailey focused a little more on the “social-stigma” aspect than the “we can’t sleep together because we will be related soon” aspect. I get it was just a story, however, and it was a great take on a forbidden love romance!

I thoroughly found myself rooting for Sig and Chloe, and I think others will too! While this can be a standalone novel, I was glad I read the other two first to see a glimpse of their story prior. While this isn’t my favorite Bailey book, it perfectly blends a lot of the characteristics of a good romance novel and I would recommend it! 3.6 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc; all opinions are my own!

Thank you NetGalley, Tessa Bailey, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

I really liked this book! Chloe is a privileged harp prodigy who meets Sig a professional hockey player after his truck breaks down outside of her country club. Before their romance can even begin, they are shocked to learn that they are soon to be step siblings. Chloe lives a sheltered life and Sig offers to help her experience life outside her high society life by helping her move to Boston. Forced to remain friends, Sig helps Chloe learn how to live independently and they both fight their growing feelings for each other. This book was full of angst and longing, and I was so happy for the HEA. I was worried Chloe's naivete was going to drive me crazy but she was so sincere I was able to look past it. Sig is the ultimate book boyfriend who would do anything for the person he loves.

It was good to see glimpses of Tallulah and Burgess, and I hope we get to see more stories for the other characters in the series!

This arc was provided by @netgalley @harpercollins @avonbooks

Dream Girl Drama comes out February 4, 2025. It is the third book in the Big Shots series by Tessa Bailey

When you’re reading a @tessabaileyisanauthor book, you’re always guaranteed for a good time. I absolutely loved the FMC, Chloe as she was so entertaining to read about. I also loved how Sig was just down bad the moment he met her. But things start to stir when they both find out they’re about to be step siblings 😅 This is a hilarious but also swoon worthy hockey romance book that I absolutely loved and is a must read if you’re looking for a fun romance book! 💕

For the first time in my time reading Tessa Bailey’s books, I considered the fact that she had maybe lost her mind. Step-siblings?! No way. I bow down now, before the tension driving, dirty talking, big beefy hero writing Goddess herself apologizing for ever doubting her and pledging unquestioned allegiance from here forward. You are absolute MAGIC and I never should have doubted you!
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I was absolutely, completely blown away by Sig and Chloe. By not only their love story, but by the story-telling surrounding them that allowed for this absolutely gem of a book to come together and blow my mind. HOLY COW. I was actually vibrating for 90% of the book from the tension filled moments; from this story of two people so helplessly, openly and fully engulfed with each other. Sig and Chloe make insta-love believable, make desire a physical presence in the room and make anyone with a heart ache for even a fraction of the deep, intense love they have for each other.
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@tessabaileyisanauthor , never stop writing, please I beg you. Keep bringing these incredible personalities to life on paper so we can all bask in the glow that is your writing.

This is my eighth or ninth Tessa Bailey book and unfortunately wasn't one of my favorites.

Overall, it took a long time to get into which I found surprising given its short length and I felt exasperated by the number of times the future step sibling dilemma was mentioned. It seemed the real focus of the issue should have been the media's portrayal rather than the fact that they would be related by marriage. I also had a hard time reconciling the sexual experience and dirty thoughts of Chloe given that she was described as very sheltered prior to moving out of her mother's house.

The intimate scenes did not disappoint and the resolution at the end was a total surprise. As always, I appreciated the final chapter being a look into the future.

I was so excited to read this after Sig and Chloe’s cameos in The Au Pair Affair. I loved how angsty it was and all the will they and won’t they. I loved Chloe trying to figure out how to be on her own and of course spending rent money on Sephora instead because we’ve all done that. I also loved how much Sig just wanted to take care of Chloe in anyway and every way that he could! Can’t wait to see whose story gets featured next!

4 ⭐ 3 🌶️

I was pretty close to giving this one 5 stars simply because the epilogue made me swoooonnn. But overall this one was a solid 4 star for me. It's been a long time since I felt like step siblings was truly taboo, but Tessa makes you FEEL it in this one. Absolutely everyone is against Sig and Chloe from their parents, to their jobs... But they persevere and have the cutest happily ever after.

The step siblings storyline is interesting in this one because I'm so used to the couple hiding their relationship and then it turning out the people in their lives are like, so what? Where in this one they are getting hate from every angle and it just gets worse and worse until it gets better. It was certainly an interesting take.

I continue to love the side characters in this series. The Big O Donors are absolutely hilarious and I'm so freaking excited that one of them will be getting their own book next and with exactly the lady I was hoping for. So excited for what's to come for Big Shots in 2025.

This love is heavy in a way that feels different from Tessa’s normal books, but not in a bad way. It feels mature and the newness keeps you guessing.

As I was thinking about this book, the song “Hopelessly Devoted” from Grease came to mind because it feels like it was written about Sig, and I mean that in the most complimentary down-bad mmc way.

Imagine a man feeling as sure about you as Sig feels about Chloe 😭

Overall, so beautiful and emotional.

This is my first book by Tessa Bailey--I know, starting at book 3 of a series... thankfully the series appears to be mostly standalones with some recurring characters. I really enjoyed the book and found myself rooting for the couple even when there seemed to be less and less hope for them.

so this is my second tessa bailey book and i have to say, im happy i stuck with her. this book flew by and was so cute!

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of this book!

I was really excited for Sig and Chloe's book.

Things I really enjoyed: him wanting to take care of; financially, emotionally, etc. I loved how he had a whole cabinet of her favorite Poptarts, I loved that he drove all the way to just pick up her favorite shirt. I loved their meet-cute. It was intense and magnetic.

I loved their friendship. It was a slow burn, and I loved the build up. I think it was perfect.

Things I didn't really enjoy: some moments I think Chloe came across as dumb, when instead she was not sheltered. And the reason I didn't like that, is I don't think Chloe is dumb at all.

I knew going into it it had the stepbrother / stepsister trope / taboo trope. And I was excited for it. However, I don't like how the issue of this trope played out. I won't act like I know much about how things work behind the scenes in the NHL, but idk that whole thing seemed so inappropriate with the new GM. It made me furious, but maybe that was the whole point?

Again, she set up the next two books in this sports series very well and makes me super excited. This one was probably my least favorite so far, but of course I will absolutely get the next two.

I would like to give a big Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey.

Tessa B does it again!! Chloe and Sig are just adorable in this book I’m obsessed with the big shots series and the trops were amazing. Forbidden romance insta attraction! I love the best friend relationship they had when they couldn’t be together. Sig is just a lovable book boyfriend!! Definitely getting the physical copy

Chloe and Sig are longing personified. This book has you rooting for them every step of the way.

I had been impatiently waiting for their story since very early on in "The Au Pair Affair." It was worth the wait. The tension continuously building was top notch and drove me crazy as a reader.

What to do when your newfound crush is also your soon to be stepbrother? For Chloe, it causes upheaval in amazing ways and the most dramatic encounters with a man she's ever faced.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for gifting me this ARC. I can't wait to see what is in store next for Tessa Bailey and this wonderfully entertaining world she has created.

I loved it!!! Thank you net galley and the publishing company for allowing me to read a ARC of the book!!!


Now that I’m officially hooked on tessa… it’s time to read her other books!! I was a lil iffy on the feel of the book, BUT then the proverbial rug was tugged out from under me, and I ended up loving it!!! Their struggle was completely worth it in the end! They got their happy ending!!

Ps… blood doesn’t always make someone family!

Definitely gonna be buying the physical copy once it’s released!!!