Thanks to netgalley & publisher for this arc! I was very intrigued about them from the crumbs we got in previous book but this book absolutely destroyed me!!

✔️dual third person pov
✔️instant connection
✔️strangers to more to step siblings
✔️angst and longing times a billion
✔️TENSION of all tensions holy moly
✔️slow burn
✔️heartbreak soul destroying screaming crying throwing my iPad
✔️third act soul crushing breakup


Spoilers ahead:




It annoyed me so much how they were expected not to be together though they had this insane one in a lifetime connection because his deadbeat dad was engaged to her mum? I'm sorry but they didn't grow up together and never would live together as a family so why were they acting like this such a major problem. It annoyed me to no end because I would have said F off to the parents and told media they were together & gotten married before their parents got married!! Also him taking care of her so much paying for her entire life was sweet but also ridiculous and make me angry bc she could have at least gotten some part time job to pretend to help pay for shiz. This book destroyed meeeee!! They went through hell and back and yes with them for barely any moments of happiness wtf did I just read. They both had far too much empathy for their ahole parents who proved time and time again they were selfish aholes yet they gave up each for them??? Omg I want to scream still I'm so angry at this book. And the ending I knewwww would be what was true wtffff!! We should have gotten a happy together Sig & Chloe for longer than the end few pages I'm livid. And Harvey wtfff did he kept them apart! God I hate all the parents in this story.

This book was so good, I finished it in one day. I loved the story of the characters and how it all played out. Tessa never seems to disappoint! The MMC, Sig, is everything you would want in a man!

2.75/5

this rating seems harsh but i cant find it in me to care, maybe a 3… on a good day

i haven’t read either of the first two books in this series but i applied for the arc of this one randomly. i think tessa bailey and i are no longer vibing because i just haven’t loved her newer releases. the chemistry is always pretty good between characters but there seems to be nothing else there. where is the connection? where is the romance?

sig and chloe meet and have a love at first sight thing which is whatever but then the come out they are going to be step siblings so that puts a wrench in their plans. the wrench is actually nonexistent though because they have one dinner together and sig puts up his life savings so that chloe can be spoiled and live in her own for the first time in her life. i just didn’t but that the two of them had anything more than sexual chemistry. there were basically no scenes of them forming a connection and we were told about all of these small scenes but shown none of them. sig was just overly protective over her like she was a child and she thought it was hot. their personal relationships and motivations are not present in the book so it doesn’t even feel like they are full people.

so yeah i didn’t love this. spoiler, they don’t end up being step siblings… THANK GOD. this book just felt unfinished and maybe that’s cause it’s an arc but it needs some serious revamping to be a good romance book.

*thank you NetGalley for the ARC*

Tensionnnn
Hockey romance
Forbidden love
Opposites attract
Possessive hero (personal ick but I know many romance girlies enjoy)
Third person
Open door (3-4 spice on my scale)

Rich girl Chloe wants to leave her sheltered life to create a name for herself. Sig, the guy she met by chance, wants to help her do it. The problem? Her mom and his dad are getting married. The fact that Chloe and Sig met before they knew this? Not relevant.

"Dream Girl Drama" is probably my favorite Tessa Bailey book to date. The writing is more mature than previous works with an increase in different characters/personalities and detailed development. Funny side characters, set ups for two more books in the series (fingers crossed), a twist I didn't see coming and a lot of spicing spice. The constant tension is thicker than Sir Savage's thighs.

It's always interesting to read books that take place in the city in which you live. Tessa Bailey did her research.

My main gripe: "Dream girl" as a pet name? Really?

Thank you to the publisher (via NetGalley) for the ARC! It was kismet when it got approved -- I had literally just finished "The Au Pair Affair" the night before.

2.5 Stars

This series has definitely gotten better after the … interesting… start with “Fangirl Down” but the characters in “Dream Girl Drama” are all oddly immature. The “forbidden love” trope wouldn’t make much sense if these full grown adults just acted their age and were honest with everyone from the get go? By now, we can all figure out that they’re going to figure out a way to be together.

But I know what I’m getting into when I pick up a Tessa Bailey book and from that perspective it doesn’t let you down. It’s a quick easy read that keeps you entertained even if you roll your eyes as you read. I already know I’ll pick up the next one too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC and to Book Lords for being on the “Fangirl Down” (Big Shots #1) train.

What happens when you have a serendipitous meeting with the love of your life and a mere hours later find out he is your future stepbrother?

I was rooting for Chloe and Sig from the get go and loved watching their story unfold.

You’ll enjoy this book if you like:

A touch of taboo
Love at first sight
Forced proximity
Laugh out loud moments
Slobbering bulldogs

This book felt very different than Tessa’s previous books. However I still really enjoyed it.

I was so excited for this book. The sneak peaks we had of these characters in the au pair affair were exciting and I can't say I wasn't looking forward to the "forbidden love" trope. And although I did enjoy a lot of it, there were some things that got frustrating. I am all for building tension and the whole "will they, won't they" but it got kind of annoying. I am a die hard nickname girl but I just couldn't get past "Dream girl".
Tessa Bailey will always be my girl, but this one missed the mark because it was so highly anticipated by me.

I mean… Tessa you’ve done it again. I absolutely DEVOURED this book. Had me in a chokehold the second I opened it. SIG was just…wow what a man. I’m obsessed like genuinely obsessed with him. And Chloe was hilarious, charming and so like oddly relatable? (I’m not rich like her but you’ll get it when you read it) (she’s just a girl!) I spent the whole book thinking how on earth is this going to work? What are they going to do? And somehow the solution was not one I was predicting in the slightest. Also Tessa you deserve a noble peace prize the way you write angst and yearning has healed me the depression is gone! I can’t wait for the next book and possibly Reese’s???? (I’m begging)

I promised myself I would only read this if I got an ARC, and lo and behold, ya girl got an ARC. This was better than Au Pair Affair, not as good as Fangirl Down. Parts of it felt extra out there and while I did enjoy it overall (mostly because giving commentary to my friends makes it fun), a lot of it didn’t land for me. Especially the Gen Z slang that was being incorporated by characters who were not Gen Z age.

Will I read the next book? Only if I get an ARC 🫠

Dream girl drama was as good as I hoped after being introduced to the main characters in the previous books. Lots of chemistry and built up tension followed by spice. Can’t wait for more!

Definitely a “weird” storyline with future step-siblings falling for each other. The storyline revolves around this and the fact they can’t be together. It wasn’t my favorite Tessa Bailey book, but it wasn’t the worst.

I give it three stars.

Five stars!!!!

I loved Fangirl Down so much. And while I didn’t enjoy Au Pair Affair as much, it was still a great time and an easy four stars. All in all, it made the entire series seem promising. But Tessa Bailey didn’t just give us a “good enough” book, Dream Girl Drama was the book dreams are made of!

I wouldn’t go out and say this book is insta-love, but it is insta-connection, and it was so damn believable too. That has everything to do with Tessa’s ability to craft palpable, flying off the pages chemistry between these two characters. Chloe and Sig were so memorable and unique - and I couldn’t get enough!

Was I expecting laugh out loud moments bordering on cartoonish comedy in the most delightful ways? Yes, of course. It’s practically a standard for Tessa. Was I expecting feral unhinged heat and spice? Without a doubt. Literally what would a Tessa Bailey book be without it? And was I expecting well rounded characters with a fun story that ended in a perfect epilogue that bookended everything in the most satisfying way? Absolutely, because no one does that quite like Tessa Bailey. But was I expecting angst that gripped you from the edges of your body inward, making you feel it in all of your pulse points and causing your heart to squeeze? No I truly was not, but, whoa, did we get delivered that in spades.

This was kind of a hard book to pinpoint. It was sort of forbidden love, sort of right person, wrong time, sort of taboo, but also not really any of those. But what it was, is perfect. A good time. A true “thaw the coldest heart, make you believe in love” romance. It was one of the best books I’ve read this year and I’ll be begging for scraps of Chloe and Sig’s life from Tessa Bailey until I breathe my last breath.

Oh! I would do illegal things to get Corrigan and Mailer’s books! Absolutely unspeakable things.

When I got an ARC of Dream Girl Drama, I was literally jumping up and down. I couldn’t wait for Sig and Chloe’s story! From their first meeting to realizing they’re about to become step-siblings, their chemistry is palpable. I also love Tessa Bailey's humor and the banter between the characters that lightens up some of the more dramatic situations. While I do think Sig’s possessiveness was a bit much at times, it did fit their dynamic. If you’ve been enjoying the rest of the Big Shots series, Dream Girl Drama absolutely delivers!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I can't wait for the release.

This book was such a fun ride!

When hockey star Sig Gauthier ends up stranded, he wanders into a fancy country club and bumps into Chloe. Sparks fly immediately!

I was blown away by how these two handled all the craziness thrown at them. I had no idea how they were going to overcome their problems, but they sure found a way. I was definitely surprised at the ending, but so happy!

Tessa Bailey nails it again—every book is a winner, and this one is no exception.

Sig and Chloe’s chemistry is off the charts. His protective instincts toward Chloe make their connection even sweeter, and the way he just wants to give her everything? So sweet.

Oh, and there’s an adorable dog that makes everything even better!

If you love feel-good stories packed with passion, family drama, and some unexpected twists, you’re going to want to grab this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for this gifted copy!

3.5 stars rounded up. I have absolutely loved this series so far and this was no exception! While it wasn't my favorite of the series, it had all the stuff I've come to love from Tessa Bailey. The banter, the spice, the humor 😘 The insta-love didn't quite work for me and the soon to be step siblings trope wasn't my favorite. Not because of anything taboo but because they are both grown adults and allow their parents to control them. There were also a few time jumps that I just wasn't a fan of. I did enjoy the ending though and was really happy with how it turned out, even though it made so much of the drama to be pointless. Overall, not my favorite but still fun and I enjoyed the continuation of previous characters I loved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved it. I have read many of Tessa’s books including the last in this series. This one was even better than the Au Pair Affair. Recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

This story is about two step siblings who meet and fall in love. They feel like they can’t be together because of how people perceive it. They met before they knew their parents were together so that makes it less weird. This wasn’t my favorite trope but I do love a fluffy romance.

Well well well. @tessabaileyisanauthor has written the yearn-iest book I think I’ve ever read.

Hockey star Sig Gauthier is on his way to meet his father’s new girlfriend when his dilapidated truck breaks down outside a ritzy country club. He’s not a member, of course, so he’s not getting any help until the girl of his dreams comes over to rescue him. She’s beautiful and funny and their chemistry is burning bright. They spend some time together talking and enjoying the hell out of one steamy kiss. But they both have places to be. Their story is to be continued.

Sig shows up at the fancy house of Sofia Clifford, Dad’s girlfriend, and who is there playing the harp like the angel she is? His dream girl, Chloe Clifford.

And their night is about to get worse. Her mom and his dad announce they’re engaged. Oh fuuuuu. That’s not going to work for these burgeoning lovers.

Chloe had told him earlier she wants to study at Berklee in Boston where he lives and plays hockey for the Boston Bearcats. During dinner he convinces Chloe he can help her set up her new life in Boston and away they go.

They also know that unless their parents break up there’s no way they can be together without major scandal. So, they’re best friends who *long* for each other. They’re both down bad, but Sig is beyond.

I loved them becoming so close and knowing everything about each other. Their intimacy and care for each other is incredibly heartwarming and you just about want to cry over their circumstances.

Tessa is an auto-read author for me and that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.

I received this eARC via #netgalley and @Avonbooks and @HarperVoyagerUS. All thoughts are mine alone.

#romance #contemporaryromance #hockeyromance #almosttaboo #dreamgirldrama #tessabailey #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram

Great book. Two people who dislike their parents meet at a country club. Turns out that their parents are about to get married. The mom is a control freak who uses money to control her daughter. The dad abandon his family when they were young to gold dig older women. The couple decides to go to boston together and grow their romance from there.

It was an OK book.

Tessa Bailey does it again! Dream Girl Drama packs her usual punch of sweet, spicy, and butterly-inducing banter. New and old fans alike will love this one!