Tessa Bailey is a hands down, no questions asked, immediate add to cart author for me and this book did not disappoint! I LOVE her MMCs and when you throw in a hockey player?! I die. This book had everything you could ask for and I honestly wasn’t sure where this one was going to end. Dream Girl Drama but with big Dream Guy Vibes. A must read and a top rec from me in 2025!

**| received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**


I was so excited to get this Tessa Bailey book. I loved the color and went into the book blind because I have loved Tessa Bailey as an author so I trusted the process.

This book starts off strong with installation which how it is written I didn’t mind it. It made sense for the meeting of the two main characters. After that though- I get like their connection was very lust based rather than true connection. I also don’t care for the sibling plot line. This book read fast though and was mostly enjoyable. If you are looking for a quick read with instalove and drama this is your book.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this early. The cover is beautiful and would make a very pretty shelf trophy. This was a cute rom com, I'd recommend reading it if you like rom coms and enjoy Tessa's writing style.

Move over Sir Savage, Sig Gauthier is down bad...hard. The chemistry between Sig and Chloe is absolutely electric as soon as they meet. Unfortunately, they're immediately doused in a giant bucket of ice water when they learn their parents are engaged to be married and they'll be stepsiblings in eight short months. But if you think that stops them from growing closer, you'd be wrong. They become the best of friends and every daily interaction is laced with longing that they both know they shouldn't act on. This entire book is the definition of tension. Sig is classic Tessa Bailey overprotective, grouchy MMC, but he is absolute putty in the palm of Chloe's hand.

The camaraderie between Sig and the rest of his hockey team is a small, but bright spot of this story. I love the relationships between all the guys and Chloe. The beef with the baseball players is fantastic and sets up the next book in the series perfectly.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the advance digital copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I had high hopes going into this book but was left just feeling rather indifferent towards it. It was not the worst thing I’ve read, nor was it the greatest, but I don’t know if I would pick it up to reread. I found the characters to have likable moments but really struggled with the insta-love of the relationship. I mean Sig had only heard Chloe’s voice and was already in love. I think I could have at least tolerated the insta love a little more if they had had at least spoken first.

I found our FMC (Chloe) to be a little too naive, especially when it came to money. She was so used to having a life where she didn’t have to do much for herself, which I understand, but I felt like some of the questions she would ask just made her look too naive as a grown adult

I felt like the ending to the whole step siblings issue was a little rushed, and would have liked just a little more time spent on it. Overall, the book was a fun read and was a wild time at moments, but it just a left a little more to me desired

Sig Gauther, professional hockey player, meets the girl of his dreams when his truck breaks down outside a country club. The moment he heard harp prodigy Chloe Clifford's voice, it was love at first sound. After stolen champagne (and kisses) the pair decide to meet up for more only to find out that Chloe's mother's boyfriend is in fact Sig's father. And surprise! They are engaged! Which leaves Sig and Chloe in a tangled web of possible scandal as future step-sibilings who want to be much more.

Goodness was this novel a roller coaster of emotions for me. I can't remember the last time I was so protective of a set of MCs and wanted their HEA at any cost. I jokingly mentioned to my reading buddy Meghan that I would gladly fictionally end the parents for Sig and Chloe to have their HEA. And anyone who knows me knows death in books breaks my heart. But only Tessa Bailey could have me up in arms to protect a couple.

Chloe is the manic pixie girl of my dreams (as well as Sig's obliviously- its in the title) I loved her in The Au Pair Affair & watching her work towards her dreams in her own novel made my heart happy. She really grew as a character & I loved Sig unconditional support of her (& slight Sephora enabling). Chloe is one of those FMCs that I would love to be friends with.
Oh sweet, sweet, gone for her Sig! This man fell hard & fast. His need to protect Chloe in whatever way he could while nurturing her desire for independence brought me to tears. I loved how much he loved her & how he was doing everything within his control to be figure out a way to make them endgame.

I have already pre-ordered the audiobook for a reread/listen as well as the physical copy with the sprayed edges from Indigo. Truly Chloe & Sig's story had me in its clutches since The Au Pair Affair! Them getting their HEA wins the HEA award for 2025 for me!

I would first like to thank Harper-Collins and Tessa Bailey for this ARC!!

Sig and Chloe’s chemistry is undeniable from the moment they meet, and Tessa Bailey does a fantastic job of building tension between the two as they navigate the tricky waters of being drawn to each other while also dealing with family drama.

Sig is the kind of hero you can’t help but root for—charming, protective, and surprisingly vulnerable once you get to know him. Chloe, the quirky, adventurous harpist with a bit of a rebellious streak, was a fun and refreshing heroine. I loved seeing her grow throughout the book as she steps out from her mother’s shadow, and Sig is the perfect guide to help her find her independence.

There were moments that had me laughing out loud, and others that had me on the edge of my seat, hoping they’d make it past all the obstacles that stand in their way.

Overall, Dream Girl Drama was a classic Tessa. Ailey spicy rom-com. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a romance that’ll keep you smiling long after the last page!! ♥️♥️

Very cute story! This whole series of Tessa Bailey's has been a lot of fun. Sig and Chloe have a fun meet-cute, and I love all of the "coincidences" that finally bring the two of them together.

Slow burn
Forbidden
Sports romance

I already knew Sig and Chloe had a weird relationship dynamic from an earlier book in this series. This book leads into how that came about. Chloe’s mom and Sig’s “father” were set to be married. For most of the book it is all about the tension building romance but they have to try to be just friends. That made the book a little harder to keep my interest. The ending was a little rushed after all the build up.

Overall I enjoyed reading this.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey
Rating: 3.5 stars
Steam: 3 chilis
Pub date: 2/4

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon for my advanced copy!

This is a forbidden love story between a broody hockey player, Sig, and a whimsical harp prodigy, Chloe, who find themselves in a wildly unexpected situation, falling for each other while they’re about to become future step-siblings.

From their first stolen encounter, Sig and Chloe’s chemistry is undeniable. Their moonlit kiss sets the stage for a romance full of tension and family drama. Chloe comes across as spoiled, but she’s eager to break free from her overbearing mother’s control. While I wanted her to take charge of her own life more, her journey of self-discovery was satisfying.

Sig, the fiercely protective hockey player, is a total dreamboat. He’s a little possessive, but Bailey makes his actions seem passionate rather than overbearing, making it impossible not to root for him. Their relationship is a mix of insta-love and slow burn, with stolen glances and lingering touches heightening the tension. The angst is absolutely delicious.

Unfortunately, something about this one felt a little icky to me. It’s not the step-sibling trope, which I’ve read before and enjoyed. Chloe’s complete dependency on Sig and their obsession with their parents’ impending marriage didn’t do it for me. I had a hard time understanding why it was such a big deal for them to be together. They met and connected as adults before they knew their parents were dating. This seems like a non-issue and made it difficult for me to really connect with the story.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend for fans of sports romance and forbidden love that’s equal parts fun, steamy, and emotional.

ARC Review- Although a big hotshot professional hockey player, Sig Gauthier refuses to spend money on things that don’t need to be replaced. His belief comes back to bite him in the back when his car breaks down outside a country club on the way to meet his dad and his new girlfriend. One good thing came from his car breaking down: he met Chloe Clifford, who he’s immediately enamored with. However, their meeting is cut short as they both have a commitment they’re late to with a promise to see each other later. As Sig heads to meet his dad and his new girlfriend (surprise, his new fiance!), he also meets his dad’s new fiance’s daughter: Chloe Clifford. Now he has to be the best future stepbrother to the girl he fell in love with. Chloe mentioned to him that she wanted to take classes at a conservatory in the city, but her mother wouldn’t support her. So step one of being the best stepbrother? Take her to the city so she can follow her dreams.

I was excited about this book of the Big Shots series. Who doesn’t love a forbidden aspect while also being a sports romance? There were some cute parts of Sig teaching Chloe how to navigate the real world such as them doing laundry. I love the fact that he’s willing to support her financially and emotionally without expecting anything in return. Another part that I really loved was their friendship and how they’re partners in crime. Then to the parts I disliked… we do have a child as a fmc. This was not my favorite out of the Big Shots series, but I would still like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. If you want a story of where the mmc falls HARD, Sig Gauthier is waiting for you.

I want to start off my prefacing that there is nothing wrong with this book, but for me, personally, it fell a bit flat in comparison to the others in the series. I found that I was more interested in Sig and Chloe’s story before their book — Bailey built up the mystery surrounding their connection in the series’ previous installment and everyone was enamored (some people even claimed they were more fascinated by their story than the one playing out between Tallulah and Burgess).

The issue I had with this book was the fact that I think I had built it up too much in my head out of anticipation, and this the real thing couldn’t live up to that expectation. I wasn’t particularly invested in Sig and Chloe’s relationship anymore, especially when it took so long for them to finally decide to be together and have it all ruined before anything even happened between them. From there, I felt like the author was just pulling at strings because almost the entire story had been told and now we needed a last minute saving grace.

I actually started to suspect that Sig and Chloe weren’t going to have their happy ending because I had ten pages left and they still weren’t together. This is also why I felt the ending was particularly rushed; the whole sequence of events leading up to the finale in the last two chapters didn’t fit the pacing of the rest of the story and I was no longer immersed, but rather I became entirely aware that I was reading a piece of fiction.

I’m not exactly sure what I wanted going into this story, but I do know that I didn’t get it. I wasn’t satisfied like I was with the previous two books. In the past, Bailey has made me yearn for the two characters to be together in the same way they yearn for each other on the page, but Sig and Chloe’s emotions and declarations felt very surface level and lackluster.

Thank you, netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc. All opinions are my own.

Tessa Bailey is such fun to read and this book is no exception. Definitely a lighthearted insta-love story with heaps of trademark Tessa Bailey spice and a lot of heart. Sig is obsessed with Chloe and Chloe is initially clueless about how to adult but both grow immensely throughout the book and the pay off is worth it.

This was a a fun read. As always Tessa Bailey brings us a mai make character (Sig) besotted with his leading lady (Chloe) and lots of heat mixed with the romance. Chloe was a wee bit naive especially about money and I feel more could have been done to resolve the relationship with her mother. The ending was also a little rushed but overall I enjoyed it. 3 🌟

🏒Hockey
🏒Forbidden
🏒Insta Love
🏒Slow Burn

Dream Girl Drama is the third book of the Big Shots series of interconnected standalone. This was such a fun read! Sig and Chloe’s story is insta love and it usually isn’t my thing but I didn’t mind it. You could tell right away that these two were infatuated with each other. After sharing a passionate kiss Sig and Chloe find out they are soon to be step siblings.

Chloe has lived a privileged life and has no clue how the world works. I did find her to be a bit naive in certain situations. She is a child prodigy on the harp and is trying to learn to live independently. Sig is a pro hockey player and has his own struggles. He is a complete golden retriever and will do anything to help Chloe. I love these two together and seeing them grow their friendship that grew into more. I do wish we had gotten a little more of their relationship at the end after they worked so hard to be together. Overall, this was fun and entertaining. If you like hockey, forbidden love, and slow burn then I recommend you pick this one up!

“As long as Sig had a single breath in his lungs, if she wanted something, he’d go get it for her.”

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for this ARC! I went into this read apprehensive because step-siblings is not normally a trope I enjoy. However, I really enjoyed the way this was done and that Sig and Chloe try to resist their attraction. I enjoyed Chloe’s character growth throughout the book and liked seeing her grow into her own person. While I found the ending predictable, it was still cute and I enjoyed it.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. The instant chemistry between Sig and Chloe had me begging for more. The burn was slow, but in the best way, building the sexual tension and frustration between the two. The pages were filled with want and need. Their want for each other was forbidden, but they would ride that find line. Although there was a sense of insta love, it continued to develop into something completely selfless and unconditional. It formed into a true, deep rooted, and believable type of love. A love that made me feel gooey inside. A good portion of the book left me on pins and needles needing to know what was going to happen next and how this could ever work. I found myself desperately wanting this to work out. Sig and Chloe loved each other to the point of being willing to sacrifice the love they had for each other so that the other would have the future they deserved. I hurt for them. They were in what felt like a hopeless situation that threatened their entire future and a once in a lifetime kind of love. In the end it all came together in a way that gave me everything I had hoped for and needed.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Dream Girl Drama

The Big Shots series delivered once again. I knew from The Au Pair Affair that I was going to love Sig and Chloe. Even though their situation makes you want to cringe at times, you still find yourself rooting for them and hoping they find a way. I had my suspicions about the way it would work out and I am happy I was right.

Sig and Chloe try so hard to be friends!

Hockey player Sig Gauthier wasn’t sure why he had agreed to have supper with his estranged father Harvey Lerner after the last time they saw each other. Sig was surprised when his pickup died right outside the local country club because he never thought a gorgeous blonde stealing champagne from the bar would attract his interest especially when they planned to see each other again.

But Sig’s plan to see the gorgeous blonde ended when he found out that Chloe Clifford would soon be his step-sister and she wanted to move to Boston to study the harp with a goal to be the first chair harpist with the BSO. Dating his soon to be step-sister would be frowned upon.

Sig and Chloe try so hard to be friends but they can’t resist falling in love with somebody that truly understands them.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ooh a stepbrother/stepsister taboo from Tessa Bailey! In a funny scenario, Sig and Chloe connect romantically and only later that day learn from their parents that they are destined to become step siblings. Since Sig is a famous hockey player and Chloe's reputation is important to become a harpist in a symphony, their relationship is dead in the water. Except... the pining and yearning will not let up!

This was a fun one. I could really feel Sig and Chloe's love for each other even as they tried to do the right thing and stay away. The ending was nicely done!

Thanks to Avon for the early reader copy.