This was my first Tessa Bailey book and was looking forward to it. There was funny banter and great chemistry throughout but it was just so angsty the whole book, I couldn't love it entirely. The stuff with the tester one/ego fights just made me laugh. I also just got mad at the mom, like seriously what kind of parent does this, but I know there are sucky parents in the world. I knew there was something weird with the dad and I don't know why, it felt a bit anticlimactic. It was spicier than I was expecting, but I guess this is the Tessa style, now I know!

thank you so much atria for this ARC!!!! my first Tessa Bailey ARC and I’m so thankful!

I simply adored Sig & Chloe!!!! I absolutely love how these two love each other so much. from their very first meeting, through several months of living so closely, they develop an overflowing well of love, trust, appreciation, and protectiveness. they take such care of their unfortunate circumstances to be right by each other, even though it becomes an ignited powder keg of lust & attraction.

Tessa Bailey had a way of writing couples that I believe wholly in my heart will last forever. this beautiful story is no exception. throughout the whole story, I am in awe of the love, tenderness, raw passion, and care shown between the characters, not just Sig & Chloe. seeing the characters from the previous stories in this series was so special. I absolutely adored every single part of this story, it had me captivated, heartbroken, tension-filled, giddy, and just so happy, especially as Sig and Chloe do get their oh so deserved happily ever after.

I am disappointed to say I did not enjoy this as much as I have enjoyed Tessa’s other romances.

At first I thought the step sibling thing was just like a small trope, not the MAIN trope and the main thing keeping them apart. They don’t grow independent of each other but become so close that it’s nearly toxic and even pointed out as so by Chloe, the FMC. While I enjoy a good taboo romance, ones where they can be related walk a fine line of being good and being not good at all. This one is leaning towards not good. The tension is heavy and their chemistry is blazing on fire, but so easily doused when they both remember they’re going to be related shortly.

I do love a spicy romance but the spice in the novel was not as well written as Tessa’s previous books. Sig’s over protectiveness and possessiveness was insane and completely derived Chloe any development from the elite 1% learning to be on her own. Like why did he buy all the pop tarts within her apartment? That was insane behavior and not attractive to me for a fictional bf.

I’m also disappointed with how their individual character development was made. Yes Chloe is a prodigy but being dumped by Grace so soon so she could go get her gf back and that Chloe was so “formidable” wasn’t enough for me. I wanted her to work hard for her passion for more than a chapter and only bc she had left the man behind.

Sig left his whole team behind because he was running away from his feelings and the love of his life and I just think that’s a total waste of his off page development as an athlete.

Now the big plot twist. Harvey isn’t Sig’s biological father. What the heck. Thats so great for him and Chloe but I feel like that could’ve been resolved way sooner. His mom was ashamed I get it, but lying his whole life ??? And Harvey wasn’t much better by knowing and then GUILTIING Sig into thinking he was fucking around with his soon to be step sister who actually isn’t. Ugh. No I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I wished.


Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tessa Bailey is one of my auto-buy authors, so being approved for an e-galley is such an honor.

I will say that this book does not disappoint! It lives up to all my expectations from The Au Pair. I was swooning, gasping, biting my nails, giggling, kicking my feet!! I can't wait for my physical copy to come in so I can live it all over and read it again!

oh my god…this was a messy, sexy, jaw dropping read. like oh my godddd the title is so perfect because there is DRAMAAA and i was here for it.

the tension that was created because of the situation they are in was described so well i was sweatinggggg

THE DIRTY TALK brooooooo i can’t even. the things they said BEFORE they were even having sex had me shook. these one liners that had me gasping.

if you want to read about a sexy, mutually pining, instantly obsessed couple…THIS is the book.

yes, i was a little worried about the future step-sibling aspect but trust me it’s TESSA. BAILEY. she made golf sexy. i think she can handle anything.

guys. read this series! Fan Girl Down is still my favorite but this is my second fave in the series now because wow i had a great time.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey is another amazing read! I loved Sig and Chloe's story! They are so adorable together too! I like how Tessa gives the read a glimpse of the previous characters too! Totally loved this book!

I love the rom-com genre. It's not the only genre I read, but it's my rebound to the "capital L" literature and fantasy novels I read inbetween. I think Tessa Bailey's writing is witty and fun, her storylines are engaging and her characters have a bit of emotional depth and learning. I just REALLY wish that Bailey would write some of her male protagonists with a little less "caveman" obsession tendencies. They are all extra possessive, deeply invested early on, and downright controlling to the female protagonist. Bailey makes attempts to curb some of the more possessive behavior with the "see what a good guy I am, I "let" her go on her little adventures. I encourage her career" but the whole time he's all in all stalking her whereabouts and showing up to "help her out of every damsel in distress situation." Like, please, he needs to hire someone to watch her walk her dog? No thank you.

Thanks to Avon for the free e-arc of this book! Here are my thoughts!

Based on interactions between Chloe and Sig from the previous books in the Big Shots Series, I was a little concerned about Chloe’s characterization. She felt very childish and immature, and I worried she would be infantilized to an uncomfortable point. However, I think Tessa managed to make it less uncomfortable when it was within their own points of view. I still felt like their dynamic was odd, having just met each other and deciding to go to Boston together the same day they met, but it didn’t feel like a power dynamic that was inappropriate.

I definitely enjoyed my time reading this book. Tessa Bailey always writes books that hook me, no matter how different the plot. I appreciate her consistency in her writing, with every book feeling very similar to the others while also maintaining some individuality. Her MMCs are always basically the same though, which makes me laugh.

I did get a little bored once the third act conflict hit. Once their parents got married, it took a little too long for them to figure out their way to get out of it. I like the way Tessa wrote the resolution, but it felt like it took too long to get there, especially since it was resolved the way it was. This book is the shortest of the series, coming in at sixty pages less than the other two. I think because Chloe and Sig’s relationship being pretty well established from the first two books helped make this book feel the same length as the other two, though.

I loved Chloe’s growth through this book. I was really invested in her story and growth into who she wanted to be. I loved watching her stand up for herself and set boundaries with her mother. Sig is definitely supportive, and I never felt like he was parenting Chloe the way I was worried it might.

I hope that they set up for the side characters relationships will be explored in their own books because I really want to see more of them!

Read this if you like:
•forbidden love
•found family
•insta love
•hockey romance

I love how both of them are dealing with their careers and what needs to happen there. I love the growth Chloe had. I don’t usually love the insta love trope but it worked well here. So much tension in this book but the slow burn is worth the wait. Thank you Avon for earc!

Not my favorite showing from Tessa Bailey. When reading the Au Pair Affair, any time Chloe and Sig came up I was so excited and hoped that Tessa would write their story and how their dynamic came to be but this was just a big let down. Maybe my expectations were too hight, but in the end Chloe lost so much of her charm from Talullah's story and Sig lost so much of his silly, goofy attitude he had from the previous book. It wasn't fun to read the back and forth and there was absolutely NO tension between them. So many monologues included just how badly they wanted to act on their feelings, but they couldn't--but then they would act on it in the next page? It was just not what I was hoping for really at all.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I loved the main characters! They had great chemistry and worked so well together. I loved how the book just flowed. My first by this author but will not be my last!!!

I was so excited to read this after being introduced to these characters in The Au Pair Affair.

Whether you are new to reading Tessa Bailey or a devoted reader this series this book explored a trope that many readers pass on...the future step-sibling. I hope that you give this book a read because there is so much packed into this story.

A star athlete who is hopeful his contract will be renewed so he can finally take care of those he loves. A musician who is so passionate, talented, and ready to finally challenge her over protective mother. Will she find the strength to take a leap and pursue her dreams.

Nothing could have prepared Sig Gauthier and Chloe Clifford that something would be more explosive than their first kiss after a chance
encounter. What would you do if realized that the one person you desired turned out to be your future step-sibling? Is it possible to compartmentalize feelings and keep things strictly platonic to avoid jeopardizing their careers, or reputations?

If you love spicy sports romance, witty dialogue, sexy banter, h-o-t tension and sizzling chemistry read this. I really enjoyed the character and plot arc. I hope there are more adventures with secondary characters we've met along the way.

So thankful to read this early and can't wait to share across my platforms closer to publication date.

In book two of this series, my curiosity was fully piqued, and Sig and Chloe did not disappoint. They were just as fraught with tension as I suspected they would be and while I've been around the romance block a few times, so I didn't quite see the scandal of them being together, I quite enjoyed it nonetheless. I enjoyed learning more about Chloe and how much more depth she had, since she'd seemed a little shallow when we first met her in book 2. I enjoyed learning about Sig and his huge heart and secret insecurities. It was nice to read about genuinely kind characters who cared so much about each other that they'd sacrifice being together to make sure the other one was okay. Sounds convoluted, and completely messed up, but somehow that's what they felt they needed to do, and yet it all ended up being okay. Romance crisis averted.

I don't know what it is about sports romances that get me every single time, but they do. I guess I love the idea of it--the idea of this big jock falling hard and being helpless to stop it? It just works, or it does in this series, and I seem to be a sucker for it, so sign me up for the next one.

Let’s start with the positives; Tessa Bailey can build sexual tension like no one’s business! I enjoyed the insta love, enjoyed hearing about a sexy hockey player, and I love a story of someone being pined after. That being said there is so much shame and I don’t know if the main plot issue preventing the couple would really be that big of an issue…,,.,,and it’s another case of if everyone would just talk to each other the book would be about 3 chapters long. It was still a fun and fast paced read.

4.5 ⭐️
I was really excited to learn the background between Sig and Chloe after reading The Au Pair Affair. Sig is of course a possessive (and obsessed!) hockey player who has fallen for Chloe (from their first meeting), but they're set to become step-siblings. Due to that inconvenient detail, the first half of the book is tension building and edging of their chemistry while they both fight their attraction to each other. I loved their storyline and the challenges they overcome. If you're on the fence due to the step-sibling drama, it's worth the read because Tessa Bailey is a master with her fun writing and the characters are full of heart.
I was also wondering how the flow of the book would work with that much of a peak into the characters... Needless to say, Tessa did not disappoint! I love that the pacing and story flows without the reader feeling lost in the time jumps to get to where The Au Pair Affair leaves off.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the eARC of this book!


Also I did want to just note one typo I saw - I believe it should be couch rather than coach in Chapter 5 (about 26% through on Kindle and it states Location 1223 of 4764). No biggie but just wanted to pass along
Happy to review on Amazon when publishing time comes.

Dream Girl Drama is absolutely electric. Tessa Bailey never disappoints. Sig and Chloe’s insane chemistry was undeniable in The Au Pair Affair so I’ve been on the edge of my seat waiting to read their book.

Sparks fly between Sig and Chloe when they first meet, but that same night they discover they’re about to become stepsiblings. They decide on being just friends but their relationship is so much more than that. While they both want to be together, the bad press that comes around the nature of their relationship could affect both of their careers. Sig could lose his shot at renewing his contract with (and becoming the captain of) his pro hockey team and Chloe could lose her shot at becoming harp first chair in the orchestra.

I love Sig and Chloe together. They both are able to give each other what the other needs. Sig will bend over backwards to make sure that Chloe is safe and has everything she needs. Chloe is Sig’s biggest cheerleader and provides the unwavering support that he needs. I really enjoyed seeing Sig and Chloe both being down bad for each other.

Thank you so much to Tessa Bailey, Avon Books, and NetGalley for the eARC. Dream Girl Drama comes out February 4th, 2025.

Oh this books! I have been waiting for Dream Girl Drama after all the sneak peaks of Sig and Chloe in The Au Pair Affair! A chance encounter with beautiful Chloe has hockey star Sig Gauthier thinking he’s found the love of his life—that is until he meets his father for dinner later to find out his father is marrying Chloe’s mom, but nothing will stop Sig on his quest to find a way to spend the rest of his life with Chloe. Insta love usually doesn’t do it for me, but I think because I saw them as friends and saw that connection prior, I was already rooting for them too. I’ve always loved Tessa Bailey, but I think this Big Shots series is her best to date. I loved this. I loved the angst and the friendship and the banter. Sig is just so protective and possessive and sexy, and Chloe is just so sweet and is such a gem. They both fight and show up for each other so intensely, it’s beautiful, and I just swooned at how Sig loved Chloe. Their chemistry is so good, and it’s so spicy! Really enjoyed this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager Publishing for an advanced readers copy of this book.

I was really looking forward to seeing where Sig and Chloe's relationship went after finishing The Au Pair Affair. Their story is cute, but it's not my favorite out of the trilogy. After dealing with the "old man" of the last book, the "oh no our parents are getting married, what do we do?!" just felt like it was struggling. Overall, there were obstacles that just felt... unnecessary. I realize you've gotta make tension somewhere, but I just felt that there were a lot of things that were blown waaaaaaay out of proportion. In true Tessa Bailey fashion, everyone gets their HEA, but don't get too comfortable along the way.

Was it a cute and fairly steamy hockey romance? Yes. Would I recommend it? Probably. Did it have me locked in from the beginning? No. Do I need to take a break from Tessa Bailey? Also yes.

📚Trope(s): Protective MMC/touch her and die, Insta-love, step-siblings (sorta, but not really)
What you get: 🏒🛍️💄🐶💪
⭐️Plot: 3/5
🔥Chemistry: 4/5
🌶️Spice: 4/5

I had been anticipating this story for so long, it was pretty good just a bit slow to start.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this eARC.

I couldn't wait to read all about Sig & Chloe's story, I was so intrigued with their roles in the last book, and their book did not disappoint! I am so happy to report that their story will be stamped as an epic love story of blurred lines and triumph. I laughed so hard, cried, and screamed, and their slow burn and angst almost killed me, but it was all so worth it. What amazingly great love story.