I have been SO excited about this book ever since this pairing was teased in the previous book in this series. While I loved the premise and the banter, unfortunately there wasn’t as much tension or chemistry between the two main characters as I was hoping. It felt a bit too insta-lovey for me but overall I still enjoyed the book!

Classic Tessa Bailey.
3rd book in the Hot Shots series, following Sig and Chloe.
Instalove, Cinnamon Roll hero, Future stepsiblings
Slow burn, but man, once that fire ignites, it is HOT
Loved Chloe and Sig very much, and how the other characters were mentioned to tie it together.
Parts of the book were so suspenseful, I almost couldn't breathe until I found out what happened next, and if they would end up together.
Another amazing book by Tessa Bailey!

Dream Girl Drama was such a fun read. Tessa did a great job writing Chloe. She could have easily veered into spoiled rich girl, but she has such an innocence about her. She truly lights up the world around her. Chloe and Sig meet right before they find out their parents are in a relationship and are getting married. They try to put up boundaries but they are already crazy about each other. Which leads to a bit of a a taboo slow burn for most of the book. This book was a fun escape for anyone who likes a grumpy/sunshine romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I'm really between a 2/5 and a 3/5 rating for this one. To preface this, let me start by saying that the insta-love trope is not my favorite so that is likely reflected in my overall feelings of this book. In this book, we have Sig and Chloe who meet by chance at a country club after Sig's car breaks down. The second Sig hears her voice, he's practically in love with her. This is just so unrealistic with the extent of feelings they have for each other after meeting for 5 seconds. But again, this is my bias of the insta-love trope and some people feel differently. Sig and Chloe find out their parents are getting married to each other which then leads into the entirety of the book's plot of Sig and Chloe wanting to be with eachother but can't because of their parents. I feel like this was made to be a much bigger deal than it actually is. Sig and Chloe are adults who met as adults. They didn't grow up together as step-siblings. Their relationship has nothing to do with their parents. I guess with them being in the public eye, there would be a little hesitation, but overall I don't think it's the big deal it was made out to be in the book and could be brushed away with a quick explanation. Tessa Bailey is a great writer and I've enjoyed a few of her other books, but I just didn't enjoy this particular plotline.

I really liked this steamy, fun book! Chloe is such a cute character, and Sig is the perfect growly, overprotective MMC. I enjoyed the first in this series, Fangirl Down, but disliked the second one, The Au Pair Affair, so I was worried about how I would feel about this one. Good news, it was good! My only gripe is that sometimes the steamy scenes are a little too much and there are some weird kinks that feel gross to me, but otherwise this book was a fun escape. I love the hockey players and their camaraderie and banter. I want a book about Mailer and Corrigan next!

Another Tessa Bailey winner! The slow burn and romance was on point even if the premise for keeping these two apart was a little flimsy. Loved cameos by Burgess and Talulah and hint of upcoming main characters....softball pitcher and Corrigan, maybe?

I've been WAITING for Sig and Chloe's book, and this did not disappoint! Dream Girl Drama was such a fun, quick read that kept me hooked the entire time.

First off, the entire premise of them meeting one night & having that instant connection but later discovering they would be future step-siblings was SO intriguing. The entire story you feel the clear attraction but very strong line of "we can't go there", which it adds a whole new dynamic into the romance. Both Sig and Chloe grew so much together but also individually as they both were working towards their dream careers. I loved in particular watching Chloe branch out as she moves to Boston and starts to become more independent.

Overall this was such a fantastic read - lots of tension and forbidden romance which I loved. I was so shocked by the twist at the end!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I will never skip a Tessa Bailey- ever! This is my tenth book of hers that I have read and none of the books that I have read from her have been below a 4 star rating.
Dream Girl Drama is the third and final book in the Big Shots companion series, a sports centered romance. Following Sig, a pro hockey player who we met as a teammate of previous male lead, Burgess Abraham. From reading the previous books, we know both Sig and Chloe, his future stepsister- and love of his life...
People like me who have read the previous installments knew the basis of this story was going to be this related-by-marriage-but-we-still-want-to-fuck conflict, and unashamed to say I was all here for it. P.S. if you are someone who strays from dark romances bc of taboo topics like this, the relationship dynamic was treated very cautiously and it wasn't overly taboo in nature (except the sex scenes were doing their thing - but you can always count on this author to make spicy scenes worthwhile).
I will say that my biggest complaint was that the conflict wrapped up super fast, quite literally in the middle of the last chapter of the book, which I felt could have definitely been structured to include a little more to the ending. I would not have minded the book being 25-50 pages longer to develop more to the end of the conflict and happy ending without flash forwarding multiple years in advance for a short cute scene.
Overall this was a great smutty romcom with two adorably lovable (and fuckable) main characters, but definitely do feel like the first two books outshined this one.
4 stars

I'm a huge Tessa Bailey fan, and she did not disappoint with this one! The slow burn between Sig & Chloe was unbearable and you just felt so bad for them so many times. They wanted to love each other so hard from the beginning but had to refrain. I was rooting for them the entire book! I was so pleased with the ending and how everything played out! TB is always great with the spice factor! Loved it! I rated 4/5 stars on Goodreads!

I am obsessed with anything Tessa Bailey writes, and her new book is no exception. I read this in two days and cant wait for her next book!
My only critique is that is was very much insta-love between the two main characters which is not my favorite. But over all this was a great read and I can't wait for the next!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tessa Bailey in her sports romance era is quite literally everything I have ever wanted. LOVED Fangirl Down and the Au Pair Affair, and Dream Girl Drama fits right into the mold of the previous two. We know Sig and Chloe from the second book and I just ate this all up. I love the way that Bailey approaches what some would consider to be "difficult" topics or subject matter with grace, but there's plenty of spice to go around. Overall I really enjoyed this as I knew I would, and I am forever a TB fan.

Now PLEASE, let's get a football or WWE romance!!

Ok first and foremost, shout out to Netgalley for this Advanced Reader Copy of Dream Girl Drama. I love Tessa Bailey and was hyped when I got an early copy of this because I was NOT trying to wait until February for the next book in the ~Big Shot~ series.

With that being said, this one fell a little short for me. FanGirl down was just TOO good, so the preceding books have just been ok IMO. I found this storyline to be a tad too unrealistic! I do think Ms. Bailey set up two potential love stories to follow this one, and I will always read any new material she puts out. So here’s to hoping we get at least a couple more in this series! 🤞

Chloe and Sig have the cutest meet cute as meet cutes get. They both see a future with one another from the start. That is until they realize their parents are getting married. They agree to be friends, but that initial kiss from their first meeting is engrained in them. Will they risk a scandal to be together even with both their public careers on the line? Well you have to wait until February to find out!

⭐⭐⭐/🌶️🌶️ Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey is part of the Big Shots interconnected standalone series. Two strangers meet, Sig a rough and tumble cinnamon roll hockey player, and Chloe a rich girl with no clue how to make it on her own and a harpist prodigy. The chance meeting sent their lives into a tailspin, but when they both arrive to the same dinner hosted by Sig's dad and Chloe's mom, and their engagement is announced, they realize nothing can ever happen between them.. or does it? Chloe needs a big dose of reality, and Sig can't help himself -- he wants to take care of this girl.

I did enjoy this book, but the utter helplessness of Chloe was, at times, unreal. She is completely oblivious to the fact that people have to actually work for what they want. She does redeem herself and eventually get there, with Sig's help.

Hockey romance, forbidden romance, good girl, step-siblings, damsel in distress, and lots of tension... If these are your vibes, this book is for you.

Thank you @netgalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this was beyond fabulous. I never miss a Tessa Bailey book. She was one of my first introductions into spicy romances, all of her books are comfort reads and this one is no different! I’m obsessed with Sig and Chloe. She is such a fun character and I love all the random stuff that comes out of her mouth! Sig is perfect and obsessed with Chloe and the tension in this slow burn was so so hot. The things he does for her make my knees weak! What a man! I loved their slightly taboo and definitely forbidden romance. But at no point was I not rooting for this couple! They were everything! Immediate 5 stars!

A word of warning - don’t read Dream Girl Drama if you’re in an emotionally fragile state. Sig and Chloe absolutely wrecked me. I stayed devastated for most of the book.

It’s a forbidden love story and you can feel how much pain the main characters are in as they become best friends, knowing they can’t be together. Tessa Bailey came through with the HEA and the spice, of course, but it was an emotional journey. 😭

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyage for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon publishing for this e-ARC!

I already knew that Chloe and Sig would be my favorite couple and this book didn’t disappoint!!

I loved the forbidden love aspect of their relationship and how they tried to not cross any lines. That made the slice even hotter! 🥵

There were so many funny moments that had me cracking up. Corrigan and Mailer aka “the sperm donors” are hilarious side characters. I’m excited that we’ll be getting a Corrigan and Skylar book!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

After reading both Fangirl Down and the Au Pair Affair, I came into this one expecting a fun and spicy sports romance and I was not disappointed.

Like both of the other MMCs in this interconnected series, Sig is a big, hulking sports star who’s an overprotective softie when it comes to Chloe. For her part, Chloe starts as a very sheltered rich girl but over the course of the book grows and finds herself.

Their dynamic was very sweet, though his protectiveness veered too close to possessiveness sometimes for me. That said, the boy has a knack for saying the sweetest things, so maybe we can overlook that?

Read this if you like:
- Insta Love
- Forbidden Romance
- Friends to Lovers
- Hockey Romance

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

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

Is it weird to kiss your sister if you didn’t know she was your sister before the kiss?

I have so many mixed emotions about this book, I’m not sure where to begin. I’ll start with the fact that I love how this book plays with the idea of "taboo." It doesn’t fully cross the line, but it flirts with it just enough to add an interesting layer of spice to the story.

The chemistry between the characters was undeniable and intense—definitely instalove, but surprisingly it didn’t feel off-putting to me. In fact, it actually worked in the context of the story.

Chloe is a character I’m torn about. I really adored her, but I found it hard to relate to her at times. She was funny, light-hearted, and lovable, but also naive, selfish, and somewhat underdeveloped in life experiences. That said, her desire for change made her more relatable.

Honestly, don't settle for a man who won't go out of his way to buy you all the Poptarts in every store nearby. Sig is the definition of a good man—he’s kind-hearted, selfless, and incredibly attractive in how he takes care of Chloe.

That said, the relationship dynamic felt a little one-sided, with much of it focused on what Sig could do for Chloe—from protecting her to making big gestures for her. I would’ve liked to see Chloe step up in some way to balance things out. It’s okay for a partner to take care of you, but these two took it to an extreme, and I felt like Chloe didn’t contribute enough to the relationship in that sense. I won't underplay her actions though, how fiercely she cheered him on and how much she loved him. The love between them really was deep and it went both ways.

Overall, it was a fun read, though I enjoyed the previous books in the series a little more. I initially considered giving it 3 stars (with a "Tessa Bailey" curve—because I’m a fan of her work), but ultimately I bumped it up (Okay I bumped it back down to three but it's a 3.5). Also, we definitely needed more Tallulah!

Get ready for a sweltering hot insta-love that will rip out your heart and, in true Tessa Bailey fashion, glue it back together.

🌶🌶🌶🌶/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Their parent's are getting married, but he fell for her anyway. Like, he's down bad crying at the skating rink. There is no way that they can be together. Even so, they both know it's only a matter of time before one of them gives in.

Sig (yeah, that's his name) and Chloe are complete opposites. He's a professional athlete that comes from humble beginnings. She's a child prodigy classical musician who is filthy rich. Sid and Chloe hear each other's voices and instantly fall in love--and you know what? I'm here for it! Despite being an insta love story, these two characters had such depth and their relationship, with all of its ugly complications, will make you buckle at the knees. Tessa Bailey writes these two characters with such maturity. They communicate. They are honest with their feelings, to a fault! Tessa's characters brought this story to life and it wasn't just entertaining, it was heart wrenching, and it was so frustrating. What I love about them is that they aren't ashamed of loving one another, even if the world tries to make them feel that they should.

It's adorable. It's sexy. It's perfection! *chef's kiss* 🤌🤌

Tessa Bailey knows how to frame stories that are captivating, heartbreaking, healing, and scorching hot. Dream Girl Drama was no different! Queen T delivered with this one, y'all!

🏒 friends to lovers
💗 stepbrother stuff (you'll just have to see)
🏒 hockey players being buff and bossy
💗 top tier dirty talk
🏒 "good girl" kink 🌶
💗 classical musician fmc
🏒 side character banter
💗 s****y parents
🏒 he's possessive and she's here for it
💗 "You're mine"
🏒 she's not allowed to date
💗 forbidden romance
🏒 HEA
💗 an epilogue that will make you melt
🏒 his friends claim her as theirs
💗 look at her and die vibes
🏒 he falls first and harder
💗 no miscommunication 🙌
🏒 slow burn
💗 pregnancy kink...sort of?


Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for an e-arc of this book on NetGalley!

I have to give Tessa Bailey all the credit because the “twist” hit me out of nowhere and changed the whole book. I didn’t read the description before going into this book which clearly says they find out their step siblings. I loved “Fangirl down” and the “Au Pair Affair” so I saw another book in this series and I was like I’m sold, no more information needed. I had no idea it was coming until Sig got to his Father’s and commented on the music being played. And then I was like OH MY GOD SHE DID NOT! For three and half chapters I was just reading along like ok insta-love. Just okay. The BAM. The whole books sudden has a forbidden romance trope (my favorite) and I can’t put it down. I kind of wished the description didn’t tell you that they be step siblings because the reveal for me was so amazing.
I thought there was no way I would like “Dream girl drama” as much as I did “Fangirl down”. “Fangirl down” is my favorite book of 2024 and I thought nothing would top it. This. This topped it. Sig talked so dirty about what he wanted to do to Chloe but then on the flipside he said things so loving that I was hooked. I loved his protectiveness toward her. That he do anything to see her happy. I loved Chloe’s excitement at things like doing laundry or going into a basement but also I loved her building rebellion against her controlling narcissistic mother. Sig and Chloe have this crackling tension between them as they have been intimate before and it was fire. And now are closer together than before, as Chloe moves to Chicago with Sig to follow her dreams, but now they can’t be together romantically. Just the way they stand when they talk to each other is laced with passion neither of them can act on and they agree to be best friends.
Thank you Tessa Bailey and Avon and Harper Voyager for accepting me for this ARC.