This was a fun and quick read, but didn’t have tropes that I personally enjoy. Tessa’s books are fun if you just want to zone out and have a palate cleanser romance that isn’t super heavy or emotional and that’s great if that’s what you’re looking for. Not my favorite, but also not bad?

By far my favorite of Tessa’s new series! Go ahead and add this to your TBR pile now, trust me. Dream Girl Drama may have just overtaken Hook, Line, and Sinker as #1 for me!

Sig and Chloe are absolutely precious together and their story was such a delight. You honestly find yourself rooting for them from the beginning! The side characters are just *chef’s kiss* (PLEASE write Corrigan & Mailer’s books!!!!!). And the resolution of the book is so well balanced against the relationship of the characters Tessa created. So 👏🏻 good 👏🏻!!

THANK YOU to NetGalley for the arc!

Dream Girl Drama - ARC Review
⭐⭐/5
Despite the taboo nature, I was pumped for this book after loving Chloe and Sig as side characters in AuPair Affair. Unfortunately, this book was disappointing. Below are my reasons why:
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
-Sig's Actions Were So Confusing: Sometimes Sig would empower Chloe to be more independent and seek her dreams. Other times he kept her in the dark in purpose and allowed her to be naive so she had to depend on him… I did not understand this. Also, him leaving out info so she would need him gave me some ick.
-Insta-Love: This may be the fastest zero-to-fully-committed and rearrange-my-whole-life love I have ever read. Like maybe 2hrs?
-Lacking Development: Both of the characters and the plot were lacking development. Very little happened for the first 50% and the characters’ whole personalities were that one was a hockey player and one was a harpist.
-No Contraception Convo: They are both adults who have had sex before. Why, oh why did they not discuss protection?
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Thank you @netgalley for my eARC copy. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

As a golfer, I was OBSESSED with Fan Girl Down. Sadly, I don’t love the Au Pair Affair, but the sexual tension between the side characters (and future step siblings) Sig and Chloe was TENSE. I immediately searched for Tessa’s next book centered around that couple in the series and signed up for an ARC.

Overall, I liked this book but it still fell super flat compared to Fan Girl Down for me. There was immediately insta-lust/love that made my slow burn loving self roll my eyes; however, it did end up being a slower burn later in the book. My main issue with this one is the manufactured drama involved with these two adults who almost hook up, realize their parents are getting married, and turn into “step siblings” as adults. Personally, I didn’t find two grown, consenting adults who are about to be step siblings super taboo. I didn’t understand why they couldn’t date or simply beat their parents to the alter. Since this was the main story line, this one dragged on for me a bit. The only saving grace was the intense chemistry these two had. This part made this book better than the Au Pair Affair.

Hopefully the next few books in this series of interconnected standalones will have better storylines! Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

Wow! What a book. I loved the instant love, and then the rest of the story of the two of them trying to figure out how to be together. I thought I would struggle to like Chloe, a rich girl who has no responsibilities; however, she was crafted as such an endearing, kind, and fun person, you cannot help but fall in love with her. Then there was Sig, he was a great example of what people look for in partners; supportive, empathetic, and stable. Not to mention he had such a dirty mouth, what a turn-on, although this is par for the course for Tessa Bailey, she is a genius with the dirty talk. The secondary characters were lively and fun, adding humor and diffusing some tense plot lines. This was such a fascinating and amazing story, I feel like it really stands out. I truly enjoyed this book. Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

I cannot tell you how excited I was to get this ARC! Country club princess Chloe and hot as hell hockey star Sig have this change meeting and immediately sparks fly. They agree to meet up later after dinner with their respective parents only to find out their parents are marrying each other. Some real cruel intentions vibes going on. I enjoyed this book and as always Tessa brings the perfect amount of spice! Would definitely recommend her fans check this one out. Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and Harper Collins for the ARC!

so much fun! i loved these characters so much. the writing was fantastic. i was never bored and kept wanting to read all night until i finished

Thank you @AvonBooks and @HarperVoyager for an ARC copy of this book. I was very honored to be given one and have heard so many wonderful things about Tessa Bailey books.

This book was a fun, light and easy read. However, I am not a huge fan of the step sibling troupe. I think I would have liked the characters of Sig and Chloe better without this troupe. I did enjoy reading about Chloe’s personal growth over course of the story. I felt like Sig was a little over the top controlling. I also felt like the first half of the book was a little rushed. I did enjoy the family feel of the hockey team and would enjoy reading more of their stories!

I would recommend this book for people who enjoy Forbidden romance or Sports romance.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and to Tessa Bailey for this ARC opportunity!
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I wound up really enjoying it! I was a little bit hesitant with the step-siblings plot (I have step-siblings and I did an audible gulp when I realized that was where the plot was heading).
BUT!! And that's a big BUT, I really liked how Tessa handled the situation that they were in. Sig and Chloe meshed super well together and if they didn't have the whole potential step-siblings issue, I think their relationship would've been smooth sailing. But this book made me laugh and smile and I had a great time reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC.

I was excited to read my first Tessa Bailey book, having seen her name all over bookstagram, I just don’t think this was the best first book of hers to start with.

The soon to be step sibling love story didn’t sit well with me, and the FMC seemed more helpless than naive. I’m all about a strong MMC in romance books, but it seemed like the author gave him control issues instead of making us fall in love with him. (Didn’t like that he bought all the poptarts out of the stores around her so he was the only way to get them…)

I just love a hockey romance, and this one just didn’t float my boat.

I've been excited for this book since their cameo in the Au Pair Affair even though I don't typically like the step-sibling trope. I have to say I was presently surprised with how much I loved Sig and Chloe despite the trope.

I was waiting for this book. Sig and Chloe had such tension/chemistry in the last book, I was excited to see how it worked out for these two crazy kids. It was even messier than anticipated, but I loved that we got closure for not only Sig and Chloe, but several other side characters. I also loved Pierre - giant grumpy man plus dog he didn't want is always a winning combo.

A true privilege to receive a Tessa Bailey ARC.

In terms of leaving an honest review….sigh. Tessa I love you but this book was unhinged insanity. I don’t think step sibling tropes are for me. I didn’t even know they were a thing to be honest. Spice was great but a little weird, and the plot was just wild.

It also read a little like a novella? I don’t know if it was the time jumping the first 30-40% until getting to present day? But it made it read a little weird to me.

This was not a good time but it was a wild fun time.

Tessa Bailey really said, "I'm gonna make them PINE for each other this entire book." The angst was god-tier.

A steamy chance encounter between a professional hockey player and harpist takes a turn when the pair realize that their parents are engaged. They both know there can never be more than friendship between the future stepsiblings, but keeping their relationship platonic grows harder amid the developing family drama and their growing attraction.

If you've read The Au Pair Affair then you've already met Sig and Chloe. They were compelling side characters and I was eager to learn their story. Unfortunately this fell flat for me. The conflict was too contrived and the characters were too one-dimensional. Everything was from the forced humor to the family drama was over-the top. I did a lot of eye rolling.

Personally, this felt like a three star read. As an objective review I'm giving it four stars, since many readers will appreciate the style and ridiculousness of this rom-com even if it wasn't my thing.

I loved Chloe and Sig! Sig plays hockey and is on the way to meet his dad’s latest mark, Sophia when his truck breaks down. He meets by chance Chloe who is Sophia’s daughter unbeknownst to either of them. Sparks fly. When he finally finds out Chloe is going to be his future stepsister it is too late! Can their love survive this test?

Dream Girl Drama starts with hockey player Sig in need of a phone to call for backup for his truck. Sig's truck breaks down near a country club, where he meets chole. It is an istant conncection between the two characters. Just as things are about to heat for the characters, they find out that they parents are getting married in two months. There some little twists and turns throughout the book. The ending was great.

✨2.5/5✨
I don’t normally go into great detail with book plots but my review does have some spoilers but a lot of it is assumed if you read the first 2 books.

I really really REALLY wanted to like this. I enjoyed Fan Girl Down and The Au Pair Affair but this one was so off. I get the “forbidden romance” part of it but it was just weird. It was instant love for the 2 main characters (who are introduced in the previous books in the series) and after a steamy first kiss they find out later that they are soon to be step siblings… the female main character has lived in a plush high class town her entire life and has had everything done for her. The male main character is instantly in love and will do anything and everything for his soon to be stepsister.. they run away together and he supports her financially with a new apartment, groceries, spending allowances and is at her beck and call. All of it was very annoying and cringe. She’d constantly spend the rent money he gave her on Sephora trips (why was Sephora mentioned SO much) and couldn’t do anything for herself. I’d like to love the male main character but his overprotectiveness was not attractive.. he didn’t let her do ANYTHING on her own. Again.. annoying . There were a small handful of steamy scenes but it was mostly just sexual tension because they “shouldn’t be together” . It just wasn’t believable and their hyper focus on being “future step siblings” was more cringe than it was forbidden. This book really dragged for me and I was at like 20% when I wish I could DNF but I pushed through and finished. The premise was just really forced. Of course they find a way to be together but by then I had lost interest. Disappointed this wasn’t better.


Thank you to Tessa Bailey and Avon for this ARC in exchange for a honest review

Eh this was not my favorite Tessa Bailey book. Definitely a little ick factor throughout. I thought the storyline was pretty boring. Was hoping for more.

Um, can I give a book more than 5 stars because this would be a great example! | LOVED this soooo much. I can't wait to get a shelf trophy. The rollercoaster of emotions was no joke.
The twists and turns. The secrets. The sexual tension. The dirty talk!!! The romance was top tier. The epilogue?? YES!
Even if you haven't read the first 2 books in the series, you'll love this one!