I enjoyed this book. I love the fact it was part of a series. The other two books in the series were good as well. This book was heartwarming, steamy, and romantic. The ending turned out better than I thought it would. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

I ended up DNF'ing this one. Sorry, Tessa! At the start, it was a love-at-first-sight scenario. Then the two main characters come to find out that their parents are marrying each other, and suddenly finding each other hot is just too awkward. We get to 20% into the book and we'll lick a girl's breasts, but doing the dirty is a step too far. Come on, we're about to be step-siblings! Continuing on, we have quotes like "I wish for this same exact birthday next year, except you'll be wearing a wedding ring." You haven't even started dating yet, chill. "Sometimes she felt as though their relationship was more intimate than sex" All that has been described between these two is sexual tension and Sig taking care of Chloe. I have not felt any connection with the two main characters and could not see the attraction these two were feeling besides the two of them being hot.

Thank you for this ARC!

I'm honestly debating between 4 and 5 stars. I think I'm at a solid/confident 4.5 stars

I have been WAITING for Sig and Chloe's story and I somehow got lucky enough to get an arc for it?? As soon as it was delivered to my kindle, I ate it up. I was FROTHING

Okay, the step sibling trope is not a genre i gravitate toward at all. Usually, it gives me the ick and it's an immediate no for me. However, this was done SO well, in my opinion! The build up to their relationship in The Au Pair Affair had me so giddy for their story.

Anyways, I love Tessa's books. As most of Tessa's readers, The Bellinger Sisters series is my favorite, followed closely with the Hot & Hammered series. I also enjoyed My Killer Vacation. Somewhere between MKV and the Big Shots series, Tessa lost me. Happenstance was a DNF for me, even though I usually love why choose and Same Time Next Year was just fine. It breaks my heart to say that because, again, I love Tessa and her books. When Fangirl Down came out, I was hesitant but I heard from other readers that it felt like Tessa's older books, so I tentatively read it and was so happy that I did! it absolutely felt like old Tessa and left me so excited to read the rest of the series. The Au Pair Affair felt a bit short for me. I found myself enjoying the brief moments we had between Sig and Chloe the most and was so excited to get their story next and Tessa did not disappoint.

I. Love. Sig. Please he's so grumpy and protective but so sweet and precious with Chloe. And I just love the way Tessa handled the step sibling situation. The build up. The tension. Prince. I loved it all.

I feel like this was a bunch of rambling but I loved every moment of it!

Tessa Bailey never misses, and Dream Girl Drama is no exception. This story follows Sig, a professional NHL player, and Chloe, a child prodigy harp player. They have a meet-cute at a country club on his way to dinner to meet his father's new fiance. The chemistry is undeniable and they agree to meet back up later. Sig arrives at the dinner and lo and behold who happens to be there? Chloe, the daughter of his father's fiance. This is forbidden romance, insta-love, hockey romance, and the tension will have you rooting for our main characters the entire time. They're opposites that attract in the best way and the evolution of their relationship is done so beautifully. I love Tessa Bailey's humor and spice, which is front and center in this book. Both of these characters were so fun to read. Sig was so protective, like would destroy anyone who looked at her wrong and Chloe was hysterical. She was so adorably helpless sometimes, but a fighter and sassy as hell. I loved this book so much and couldn't put it down. If you're a Tessa fan you're going to eat this up, and if you aren't, then you're about to be. Thank you @AvonBooks @HarperCollins @NetGalley for this copy.

This might be my new favorite Tessa Bailey book! I'm obsessed with this series and felt so lucky to receive an advanced copy. Sig and Chloe were EVERYTHING. The tension, the pining, how badly they want each other... I couldn't put it down! Their chemistry and the way the author told this story made me giggle and kick my feet the whole time. If you loved Fangirl Down, you will be just as obsessed with this one.

In Dream Girl Drama, Tessa Bailey reintroduces us to Sig Gauthier, a professional hockey player with an ambitious mind and a big heart, and Chloe Clifford, a harp prodigy with a rebellious streak and not a lick of street smarts. These two were my absolutely fave side characters from Bailey's The Au Pair Affair.

The story begins with Sig stumbling into an elite country club when his car breaks down on his way to a "big dinner" with his estranged father. At the club, he encounters Chloe for the first time. Their connection is immediate—a spark of "instalove" strikes as Chloe’s playful theft of champagne turns into a moonlit kiss--one that feels like the start of something magical. However, their budding romance takes a sharp turn when they discover--that very night!!!---that their parents are engaged, making them soon-to-be stepsiblings. The shock of their newfound family dynamic forces Sig and Chloe to suppress their feelings, turning their attraction into a fraught “friendship” filled with longing, humor, and undeniable tension.

While I would definitely label the instant chemistry between Sig and Chloe as classic "instalove", Bailey deftly navigates this trope by adding depth and realism to their connection. Their initial spark, while powerful, doesn't immediately get to transform into a relationship. Instead, they’re thrust into a complex situation where they must deny their feelings out of respect for their families (and careers). This forced separation adds layers to their relationship, as they grow closer as friends and confidants over months of platonic interaction. Chloe yearns for freedom from her overbearing mother, and Sig steps in as her guide to independence, showing her the world outside the constraints of her sheltered upbringing. Simultaneously, Sig wrestles with his career, personal insecurities, and growing love for Chloe, all while trying to maintain boundaries.

The prolonged "friendship phase" allows readers to forgive the initial rapid-fire romance, as it evolves into a deeper, more earned connection. Their longing and slow-burn development make the eventual resolution feel both satisfying and inevitable.

This book was horrible. The writing - cringe. The premise - so odd. I would not recommend it. Really struggled to read the whole thing. The spicy scenes were horrible too.

Thank you NetGalley & Tessa Bailey for giving me this ARC! Here is my honest review:

This started out incredibly promising. It gripped me and had me thrilled to read what was next. By that I mean the first 2-3 chapters. After that, it was a complete mess.

My first question is…. Are all of her books written this way? I’ve always wanted to read her work, and this being my first book, has convinced me not to do so.

This book is about two people, Sig & Chloe, who meet unexpectedly and it’s apparently love at first sight. I mean seriously, Sig’s grueling obsession with her was ultimately weird. It almost made no sense, because they had literally just met. When they find out (the same night) that they are about to be step siblings, it creates a huge problem (apparently). The entire book feels like a child was writing it, or at least, a super hormonal teenager. So, you’re telling me, an NHL superstar was willing to drop his entire career just to fool around with her?

Overall, nothing was exciting, because nothing happened! Literally, nothing happened. It was not very well written, has creepy spice (I hate when they refer it as “my sex” instead of what it is!!) and the storyline was unrealistic. If it was entertaining, I’d give that an excuse, but it was actual torture trying to finish this book. Am I harsh? Maybe. But I feel like I want to un-read this.

Sig and Chloe's story was not what I expected it would be based on the glimpse into their relationship/non-relationship from book 2 in the Big Shots series. I'm always about the HEA, but this one felt like quite a winding road to get there! While I enjoyed the book not containing a typical romance third-act breakup, this felt like a third-act breakup every time Sig and Chloe were together and then said they shouldn't be.

While this has been my least favorite in the Big Shots series so far, I am very much looking forward to Corrigan and Skylar's story!

This was highly anticipated after loving Au Pair Affair and being a big fan of forbidden romances. I struggled with how quickly and intensely these two fell for each other, and it made it harder to connect with the characters. Thanks for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey was an overall enjoyable and entertaining read. I'd give it a 3.75 stars. While I’m not usually a fan of the insta-love trope, I think it worked well for Sig and Chloe, the two main characters. That said, if insta-love isn’t your thing, it’s something to keep in mind going into this book.

I appreciated that the author gave us a glimpse into Sig and Chloe’s past by taking us back to when they first met. It added depth to their connection and made their story feel more grounded. Watching Chloe’s personal growth throughout the novel brought a satisfying layer to the story, though I wish this was touched on more.

As expected from Tessa Bailey, this was a light and fun read, perfect for fans of her previous works. If you’re looking for something breezy and heartfelt, this one fits the bill nicely.

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

I’ve read 12 Tessa Bailey books in the last 9 months—this is the best one yet!

⭐️ 5/5
🌶️ 4/5 Explicit Open Door, 2+ scenes
POV: Third person
Standalone: Can be done, but I liked book 2 and characters reappearing in book 3.
Setting: Connecticut & Boston, Mass.
MMC 🏒: Sig, 29, Pro Hockey player for 6 years, raised by a single mom. Burgess’ friend.
FMC 🎶: Chloe, 25, plays the harp, lives with mom, wealthy, sheltered. Tallulah’s friend.

Key tropes: Forbidden Love, Angst, Care taking, Stern Brunch Daddy

Move over It Happened One Summer, Getaway Girl, and Unfortunately Yours. I’ve got a new favorite Tessa Bailey book!!!! This is so completely different—the pinning, the angst, the chemistry! I had no idea TB would write a combo slow burn AND insta-love, but gosh it worked! Fans of TB’s incredible gift of writing spice/steam, fret not, it’s there, you just have to wait more than 50% of the book.

Thank you soooo much Avon, Net Galley, and of course Tessa Bailey for the eARC of this book. I bought and listened to Fangirl Down & The Au Pair Affair back-to-back in July 2024 and was crushed when I realized not only would it be a 6 month wait for book 3, but I was dying to know Sig & Chloe’s story. This comes out February 4, 2025 and I’m pre-ordering my own copy through my newly opened local Romance bookstore, Friends to Lovers, or wherever I can find a book signing on the East Coast.

A note to the copy editor: Darien, CT is South of Boston, MA. When Sig drives to CT, he’s driving Down (not up). When he drives back to Boston, he’s driving North. It’s also about 170 miles apart, not 300. I’d round it to 200. Thanks!!!

ugh my first Tessa Bailey ARC and it was not my fav of hers…Dream Girl Drama follows Sig and Chloe (who we are introduced to in the Au Pair Affair) as they try to navigate their tricky “forbidden” romance. Off the bat I really liked Sig - he’s down to earth, hot (duh), and pretty no-frills for a famous athlete. Chloe started strong in the first few chapters then unfortunately devolved into the cliché dumb spoiled blonde.I kept hoping that Chloe would find her footing as a character and get her act together but she just…didn’t. I am tired of reading of the helpless dumb girls that need saving by the hot manly athlete, and sadly Dream Girl Drama fit this mold to a T.

Tessa added some new spicy elements to this one which I appreciated but since I couldn’t connect with the characters it felt a bit distant for me. Pierre the bulldog was SO CUTE though, I loved Grace’s attitude, and I feel like we’re definitely in for a treat with Skylar and Corrigan’s love story (eventually).

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the book, great character development and will highly recommend to friends! I found this enjoyable and fun to read.

Tessa Bailey always knows how to write for her audience. Her voice is so consistent and clear. This jump into a more “taboo” romance was new for me. I don’t think the set up is my favorite, however reading Tessa’s writing style is like a warm comforting hug. Is predictable in the best way possible, as in you feel a safe sense of familiarity.

LOVE!! OBSESSED!!

I am a Tessa stan and have yet to meet a Tessa book that I don't have a fun time with. However, this one stood out as especially good. Probably her best since It Happened One Summer.

I just loved how Sig was such a simp and SO down bad for Chloe. Chloe somehow gave dingy but also smart and I don't know if I want to be her or with her. Their chemistry was there from the second they met, and the longing felt organic, not forced. Overall, this was a major slay and I'll be screaming about it comes out (& and tbh long after that too)

tessa bailey and a step sibling romance is the best thing to ever happen to me… i’m being so serious

Thank you endlessly to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and to Tessa for letting me have the privilege of reviewing this ARC.

Tessa Bailey is my comfort author. She has been ever since I turned the first page of It Happened One Summer. Every time she publishes a new book now, I cross my fingers and pray that I’ll get to review an early copy, because I’m always waiting on the edge of my seat to see what her wonderfully chaotic and imaginative brain has come up with this time. Last February I flew to Georgia to get to meet her, and to have her sign a copy of Fangirl Down, and she laughed about this scene that she had written about hockey players rivaling baseball players over a girl, and I’ve been patiently waiting ever since to get to read that scene. The time has finally come!!

Sig and Chloe are everything. Their chemistry, their trust, their undying devotion to each other. From start to finish the sizzle of attraction between the two characters was like a spark threatening to light my kindle on fire. Also, the added humor from the “Orgasm Donors” never ceases to bring a goofy smile to my face. I hope we get to see those two idiots fall in love in future books. (Please.) No notes, 10/10, Tessa hit it out of the park, again.

Oh Tessa! I love everything you do.
This book had some major positives for me and a few negatives, which is abnormal for a TB book (and especially a Big Shots book).
I thought the story was unique- two high profile people with a genuinely niche problem (but not unheard of), whose social/business lives were not going to tolerate this kind of controversy- it made sense. Jobs and contracts have been cancelled for much smaller things. The crisis felt real. What I loved about this is that Tessa did such a great job of making their love feel really real to me and they certainly struggled against it. At no point did it feel fake or exaggerated, which is such a hard thing to do in a romance novel, obviously. It needs to be just right. Especially if you have a gruff, aggressive man. He tends to be written as lustful over in love, and I don't feel he was written that way.

I didn't care for the FMC at first- this 2010s era manic pixie thing is a bit stale, but I think she was written that way on purpose. I was feeling the ick. But then, lo and behold, a character arc. A reckoning. I was very happy to get to the chapter when she was smacked in the face with realization that Sig had been working his butt off to provide for her, and she had no sense of what was going on. Although- to be fair- he doesn't seem to have a lot of marbles either. Where is his communication? Where are his limits? I guess being in love really does make you an idiot, lol.

Something about this type of guy character irks me but that is just an opinion. I know there are plenty of women out there who love a guy who checks up on women constantly and doesn't trust them to walk alone in a city but that is NOT me. That is the only reason I would be inclined to lower the rating a star- I just kept rolling my eyes and being like "shut up Sig," or "go away, she's fine." in my head. I guess I don't get off on that level of supervision. He's either teaching her independence, or he's not? But, I can't begrudge the girls who love that, and I loved everything else about the book, especially and particularly its bedroom scenes (as always), so it can keep its fifth star. Thank you so much for letting me read this early!

Future step siblings meet and fall for each other, but they can’t be together, because it would look “weird”. The whole storyline revolved around this and this was probably why I couldn’t fully enjoy this one. This one wasn’t the worst, but it def wasn’t my favorite. For me, I just couldn’t understand why it would be weird for them to be together when they met as adults before they even knew their parents were together. All they would have to do is say that publicly and I felt like it wouldn’t be weird at all? Maybe I am not familiar with famous/rich people customs and right vs wrong?

Honestly, the stakes are weird, and the plot is light. Mostly, there's the impending deadline of their parent's marriage hanging over them which (apparently) threatens to ruin both Sig's desire to become hockey captain and Chloe's pursuit of a first harpist position. The interactions between the two are more than flirtatious, but they remain just friends until, well, they don't anymore because this a romance novel.