The first rule of Dream Girl Drama is to suspend all knowledge of the way the world functions regarding marriage, step-siblings, consensual funny business between hockey players and heiresses, and quality P.I. work. As long as you do that, you are probably going to have a great time reading the third installment in the Big Shots series.

The reason I suggest an active suspension of disbelief is that the premise of this book doesn’t really make much sense in modern life. Pro hockey player Sig Gauthier’s dad falls in love with sheltered harp prodigy Chloe Chandler’s insanely wealthy mom, which they do not know when they meet cute at the country club and fall Bauer skates over Louboutin heels in love. The problem with this arrangement is that if Sig’s dad and Chloe’s mom decide to make their love aisle official, technically they are now step-siblings going to bonetown.

Sure, that’s going to get tongues wagging on hockey instagram threads for a hot minute in the real world. But it’s not as if these people who never lived together, or knew each other as children, are actually doing anything taboo or even all that weird. This isn’t a Jessa Kane novel. That makes the premise of Dream Girl Drama - where Sig and Chloe decide they can’t be together and then they both almost lose their jobs over it - insane.

But…hear me out…if you pretend this is not planet earth as we know it, wow does the pining and the angst make for a really satisfying Romance. That is because, yet again, Tessa Bailey is so good at working emotions onto the page in a way that both pulls on the heartstrings and also is genuinely funny.

These two characters are obsessed with each other, which we found out in the previous book The Au Pair Affair. They do everything they can to not take the bait, and at some point I was concerned one or both of them was going to be hospitalized for horniness. Give me this vibe whenever because it’s fun and sometimes I want a book that is simply a rollicking superlusty good time. It’s okay if the external conflict doesn’t make a lick of sense.

I’ll confess to not finishing a pleasure craft full of Contemporary Romances this year, even by authors who are normally my auto-buys. The thing which will get me to do that 100% of the time is by boring me. So many writers seem afraid to give us characters who are even slightly unlikable, haven’t already gone through therapy, or give an ounce of conflict. Tessa isn’t afraid to go there and good for her.

I’m also sympathetic because how many genuine relationship barriers are there between adults these days which are believable?

So if Tessa Bailey asks me to pretend that the world actually cares these two people are technically going to be step-siblings in order to get some National Forest-level pining and therefore very hot bedroom action later, then so be it. That’s where I am in 2024 with Romance: Willing to suspend the disbelief for a good time. And Dream Girl Drama was a hot, steamy, often angsty, sometimes funny, very enjoyable good time.
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Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the Advanced Reader Copy. Expected Publication Date Feb 4th, 2025.

This was one of my most anticipated romance reads of 2025, and I was over the moon when I received the ARC. I thought I would love this, but I ended up just liking it. It isn't my favorite Tessa Bailey book (I'll read anything she writes), but I still enjoyed it.

The "manic pixie dream girl" 25-year-old FMC wasn't my favorite. She seemed extremely helpless when it came to just being an adult and doing adult things (I get it — she was coddled as a child) but like girl...come on. She just came off as extremely immature and it was hard to look past at times. 😅

The really intense, passionate feelings between the two main characters seemed a little too good to be true, but...it's a romance novel. Let's be honest, I ate up every page of it. 😂

Although I didn't love this one as much as I thought I would, I read it in two days and it was such a fun, lighthearted, spicy read to escape to. If that's what you're looking for, pick this up when it comes out on February 4!

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey introduced Chloe, a free-spirited beauty and Sig, a handsome professional hockey player. They meet by chance at a country club and have an instant chemistry and mutual affection for one another.
Later that evening at dinner, they meet again only to find out that Chloe’s mom and Sig’s dad are planning their wedding rendering them related through marriage. Both Chloe and Sig have no way of turning off the feelings they have for one another.

Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. 4 stars!

Tessa Bailey does it again! If you liked her first two books in this series, then you'll enjoy this one as well. While step siblings trope isn't for me, I really got attached to the characters and couldn't put this book down. The ending really solidified for me though. I can't wait for more in this series!

I saw the resolution 100 miles a way but that aside I ate this book up. Tessa Bailey and her alphahole possessive male characters never cease to amaze. I thought Sir Savage was bad but he can take a back seat to Sig’s absolutely unhinged behavior. No man acts like this and normally I’d roll my
Eyes and ditch it but for some reason Bailey just does it for me. Can’t wait for hockey/baseball rivalry romance next maybe? Thank you Avon and Netgalley for the eARC!

Ever since Sig walked into the bar to get Chloe in The Au Pair Affair, I KNEW that I needed their story... and Bailey does not disappoint. What do you do when you find the love of your life, but it turns out your parents met first and are getting married? This is what Sig and Chloe must navigate as they get closer to becoming official step-siblings. Dream Girl Drama kept me on my toes until the last page. Tessa found a way to keep the reader on her character's side throughout their journey and truly see why they should be together. I am so so excited for the next book in this series!

Every book in the big shots series is better than the last. I could not wait for Sig and Chloe’s story after meeting them in The Au Pair Affair and I was NOT disappointed. These two are in a forbidden situation and there was so much yearning and tension I could feel it radiating off the page. I’m a huge fan of the forbidden romance sub genre and Dreamgirl Drama did it so well. Apart from the love story, I also really enjoyed getting to know the MC and seeing them grow as individuals. I also think the side characters are so much fun and hopefully we’ll be seeing more from the orgasam donors. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the eARC.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey is such a fun contemporary romance read! A hockey player with a heart of gold meets a sweet and sassy harp player.

Sig, our MMC is so thoughtful, a true gem of a human being. Just happened to meet his dream girl at the wrong time. He meets the FMC, Chloe by chance, and they have an instant connection, but soon find out their parents are about to get married, yikes! The book takes you on a journey with the two characters as they attempt to deny their connection and love and try to just be “best friends.”

I really loved the main characters’ connection as they tried to navigate through this sticky situation. Their chemistry is so evident, and it’s not just physical, it’s also emotional. I adored the way these two characters always showed up for each other whether for work or in their personal lives, it is so beautiful. It’s so clear and evident that these two need to be end game. I was rooting so hard for these characters as I read.

Overall, this book was so well written. I loved the romance(and the spice too) and found the pacing to be just right.

This book was filled with such fun banter, a swoon worthy MMC, a FMC you want to root for, and a romance that was just meant to be no matter the obstacles.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Love at first sight. Leave it to family to complicate it.
Sig, an up and coming hockey player and Chloe, a child prodigy on the harp, meet by chance and immediately hit it off only to find out their parents are engaged.
A story of growth and hunger for love (leading to good and bad decisions.)
Will Sig and Chloe get their happy ending?

Quick read, love Tessa Bailey. Complicated context for a love story and some definitely cringe worthy moments. All in all it was enjoyable!

Sig meets Chloe when his truck breaks down on his way to meet his father’s new girlfriend and they have an instant connection. The problem is that his new girlfriend is Chloe’s mother. Tension and forbidden feelings ensue.

Love Tessa Bailey’s books and I really enjoy this series. I’m not usually a taboo romance person so it was a bit stressful, but I made it through because I know they had to end up together somehow (not a spoiler because that’s just the type of book this is).

I liked the characters and how much they felt for each other. I also liked watching the development of Chloe’s character especially; she needed to grow up and it seems like she did.

I’m looking forward to the next books in the series. I like that each book sets up the next (and potentially the next two in this case).

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey (ARC) 2025

I had the pleasure of receiving an ARC for this. I absolutely loved Fan Girl Down and The Au Pair Affair (books 1 and 2 in this series). This was a highly anticipated read for me, especially after getting a taste of their story in Au Pair Affair. At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of Chloe, the FMC. She came off as spoiled and annoying. HOWEVER, once I got more of her backstory, I was a lot more forgiving. I still struggled to like her because she blew all of Sig’s money. I wanted to scream at one point when she didn’t have her rent on time because she ‘bought eye creams”. How annoying. Poor Sig was literally selling memorabilia to support her and living in a crappy apartment. The good news is, once she found this out, she got it together. I honestly think this is the highest stakes I’ve ever witnessed in Tessa’s books. It was seriously a big problem for them to be together and they absolutely faced some serious consequences if they acted on their feelings. The resolution was amazing, though. While this wasn’t my favorite of the series, I still had a good time. We also met some love interests for future books in this series. Overall, this is a really fun time in typical Tessa Bailey fashion.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for this ARC! The book we’ve all been eagerly waiting for as we read the first two novels in the Big Shots series. The palpable tension between Sig and Chloe in the background of the previous books made me ready for the fiery spice that was Dream Girl Drama. Siblings or not, their heartfelt care for each other as best friends made me root for everything to work out! Tessa is the absolute queen of passion and hilarity for her characters and I loved every minute.

Thank you to Harper Collins for the arc of this book!! Review below:

Tessa, you certainly know how to write a book full of men who are literally so down bad for the women they love that they would call their landlord every morning to make sure they made it back from walking their English bull dog. IYKYK. Point is, I feel like more and more your books are becoming these really fun and I will admit slightly unrealistic in a fun way reads that really just give romance readers all the typical things we want if we want to just escape. Here are my loves and not so much loves in this book:

Loves:
♥️HOCKEY PLAYERS
♥️I love that Chloe played the harp - that just felt so right for how her character was described
♥️English bulldogs or really any dogs in any book
♥️Corrigan and Mailer (I just know their books are gonna be gooooood)
♥️ I felt like I was reading a historical romance with the kind of poetry that Sig was dropping left and right anytime he described Chloe
♥️ I like that you let Chloe be on her own, as much as she loved Sig, she didn't need him to be awesome and make it on her own (tho I was confused how she continued to find her Sephora addiction after they stopped talking for a bit??)
♥️ I did not see the twist of Harvey not being Sigs real dad, that was good

Not so much loved:
🖤 I just felt like I could have done with a little more dialogue that wasn't so intense and emotional and pining. Don't get me wrong I love some pining, but I think we could've gotten to know Sig and Chloe better if they just slowed down and took a breath for a second
🖤 I think that the third act breakup or in their case avoid each other so that people don't think you're dating your step sibling (LMFAO) wasn't built up enough so I didn't feel the despair as much as I wanted to

Overall this book was a fun one! Always love reading anything Tessa writes ♥️

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchance for a review.

Listen, I love Tessa Bailey. You know exactly what you're going to get when you sit down with her books, and I'm not opposed to that. I enjoyed seeing snippets of Sig and Chloe from previous books and I was excited to read this one. It just didn't do it for me. Chloe felt like a completely different character than what she was portrayed as in other books, which is fine, except she felt like a generic Tessa Bailey character I've seen multiple times instead of something fresh. Sig gave me the icks a few time, especially when he took the alpha male and possessiveness to like a thousand (she doesn't belong to you, Sig; she's a human being for crying out loud, not a prized hockey stick).

My biggest issue about this book was the characters' biggest issue: that they, for some reason, couldn't be in a relationship because their parents were getting married. I mean, I get that if they were teenagers or grew up living in the same household, but for the life of me, I don't get why adult children of two people who are marrying later in life can't have a relationship because they're technically step-siblings and have only known each other for a few months. I really don't understand why that is so taboo for these people (again, totally different and gross if the kids grew up together). All the characters made such a big deal out of what I felt was nothing, and that really ruined it for me.

I cried more than once which means this is a five-star read!

I’m usually not a fan of insta love, but Ms. Bailely did a remarkable job of making me feel and understand these characters feelings and chemistry.
I do enjoy forbidden love, and I don’t agree that grown step-siblings are taboo, but I went with it and I didn’t regret it. The ending was a complete surprise that I didn’t see coming.
Sig
Swoon...could he be any more perfect? Sig was an alpha hockey player who, rightfully, worried about Chloe. BUT he didn’t ram rod her into doing anything and taught her how to do it for herself. Everyone should be so lucky to have someone that only wants what is best for them, even at the cost of themselves.
Chloe
Chloe was not your stereotypical spoiled, rich girl. She was spoiled and rich, but she still had empathy and human decency even though she was very sheltered. Ms. Bailey made me understand why Chloe was so innocent and couldn’t do a number of every day tasks. I was rooting for her the entire story!

I usually give me favorite quote from the book, but I couldn’t pick just one. Here are three:

Sometimes she could tell that Sig was recording and cataloging things inside of his head, but she never knew when, where, or how he would unearth them for future use.

Why did he continue to give her reasons to be in love with him when it hurt so badly?

“I can feel myself wanting to lie to you, Chloe-and I don’t do that. So I’m just going to ask you to drop it.”


Amazon: I will review after the release date.

UGH I absolutely LOVED and DEVOURED this series! Dream Girl Drama gave everything it was supposed to give. I absolutely adored these characters when we first met them in The Au Pair Affair and this book did nothing but make me love Sig even MORE!!

Chloe and Sig meet and have wonderful couple of hours knowing they’ve found the one theyre meant to spend forever with. Only to both be so late for a dinner finding out… THEYRE GOING TO BE NEW STEP SIBLINGS?!….. Sig spends the whole book fighting the pull he has for her and staying “FRIENDS”.

This forbidden love story was so perfectly done. They were sparks to each other while trying to keep that line. It also shows the friendship to lovers / someone who will do anything for the one they love in a realistic way.

When Chloe has her “come too” moment I absolutely loved how Tessa chose to take her character. She gave me Pairs Hilton in the 2000 vibes ( QUEEN) and when that moment came I loved the maturity she gave her character.

You spend the whole book keeping your fingers crossed they have found something, some way they can be together. You love the relationship and friendship you read about these two characters!

The MMC is yearning personified. I enjoyed every second of it! Tessa bailey is the best. She’s great at balancing personal growth with quirky and fun personalities. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and I can’t wait for the next one!

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey is a fun book, as all Tessa books are, but I'm knocking half a star off because the big drama in the book is that they are (or are about to be step-siblings) if they grew up as brother and sister it would be one thing, but they met as adults and their parents aren't even married to each other as of yet. It is not a familial relationship, so I didn't get that, at all.

When Sig and Chloe were first introduced in the first of this series, The Au Pair Affair, sparks flew and I knew (hoped) that they would eventually get their own book. Hockey player Sig and harpist Chloe fell for each other immediately and have to get over the whole step-sibling thing before they can get their happily ever after. I'm not going to spoil this, but it's fun, Tessa knows how to make you laugh, sigh, and want more and more and she doesn't let us down with this one.

I'm still mad over the whole brother/sister plot, but it wouldn't keep me from recommending or re-reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Hello new book boyfriend, Sig! I loved reading the less grumpy MMC, Sig genuinely has a heart of gold and we love to see him fall and fall hard for our precious FMC Chloe. These two were so cute and I totally dig the insta-love here.

Tessa Bailey is always a fun time. Turn off your brain and enjoy another Big Shots.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the arc.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I have devoured every book in this series so far and I cannot wait for more!! When I tell you Sig is top notch boyfriend material I am not kidding.

They met by chance and it was kinda of love at first sight, the problem was things were about to get a whole lot more interesting! I highlighted so many passages in this book, because the banter was perfect in true Bailey fashion. There was also some heartfelt moments. Let's not forget the spicy!!!

Also, the Orgasm Donors and Sir Savage made a hilarious cameo! Let me just say I didn't know there was such hostility between baseballs players and hockey player... IYKYK! :) Overall, I loved this book. I cannot wait for it to come out in audio.