Tessa Bailey can do no wrong with this series. How is it that each book is better than the last?? I read the eARC of "Dream Girl Drama" and when the audio is released you can bet your buttons I am going to listen to it too! Sig & Chloe for life <3

The seeds for this book were sown in the previous installment of this series, so I had a little bit of time to get used to the setup. Almost stepsiblings who met right before they found out that their parents were engaged and knew they couldn't be together because of it but also really wanted to be together? Sure, why not. Who else but Tessa Bailey would dive into such a wild scenario? In the end, that scenario - the will they or won't they with the overhanging taboo - dominates the book in a frustratingly circular way. Chloe and Sig have insane chemistry that I wanted to root for, but I was constantly being told that I shouldn't. I think my main qualm wasn't so much with the setup itself but with the fact that there was really nothing the main characters could do to change it. They had no agency in their own story, which really held everything back. We had to wait for some kind of miracle to befall them that would suddenly make their relationship okay.

I think in another book where Sig and Chloe had been allowed to make their own choices without being hamstrung by the narrative, I would have really enjoyed them. But in this case, the story really held them back.

3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and to Avon & Harper Voyager for the ARC of Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey.

I'm a MASSIVE Bailey fan, and have been since 2016 - all her books are must reads for me, and I read them all in one very cozy sitting almost every time.

In Dream Girl Drama we finally get the full story on the relationship between Sig and Chloe, previously introduced in book 2 of the Big Shots series, The Au Pair Affair.

Chloe and Sig are soon-to-be stepsiblings, and are fighting their attraction to each other for the sake of their parents' pending union. This is a bit further complicated by the fact that they both have struggling relationships with their individual parent, as well as potential high profile careers/upbringings that would be negatively impacted by a stepsibling romantic entanglement. Chloe's mother has essentially kept Chloe in a gilded cage through her 25th birthday, with Chloe just serving as an ornamental child harp prodigy that her mother uses for entertainment. Chloe is basically inept at surviving in a world where everything is not instantly and immediately provided for her (she doesn't drive, she doesn't have a job, didn't go to college, etc.; her mother's money provides for all, including a chauffeur, country club membership, etc.). When Chloe and Sig first meet they don't yet realize they are both headed to a dinner with their parent to meet their future stepparent, and so Sig learns a bit about how Chloe longs to attend the Berklee Conservatory, which has offered her a full-ride for tuition, and which her mother will not provide funds for her to live in Boston. In a spur of the moment decision at the dinner, Chloe decides she's going to Boston even if she is cut-off, and Sig decides he's taking her there (where he already plays professional hockey in the NHL) and he'll fund her lifestyle so she can succeed at Berklee.

From here, the tension of their mutual attraction pretty much takes hold of the story, along with Sig desperately trying to find a way to prevent the marriage so that he and Chloe will be free to be together without judgement.

It's super rare that I would remove a star from any Bailey read, but I really, really disliked Chloe. It's one thing to be a manic pixie dream girl, it's another to just be utterly clueless. I feel like throughout the entire book we see Sig trying to make things work and to care for Chloe, but Chloe just expects these things to happen to her, not to actually make any changes to her life. It just felt like she never grew as a person at all besides doing better at her music - because of this it made it really hard for me to ever like her, vs the change and growth we see in a story like It Happened One Summer where Piper works to be less shallow/helpless. Maybe it was because she sees Sig living in much lesser circumstances than how he has set her up and she still doesn't stop spending all her rent that he provides at Sephora, or, when she does make some hard choices about how their relationship needs space, none of that comes with her thinking about how she can afford rent or provide for herself - she still expects him to pay. I also was massively confused about how she could bail on her mother's house so quickly, where she has three harps, and doesn't take any with her to literally attend a music conservatory -- did she not think practice would be part of an intense program. Meanwhile, I really like Sig, I think his character was written really well - I just didn't ever feel like Chloe deserved him. I came around in the end, I just wouldn't put them very high in my overall Tessa Bailey couple rankings.

I do think Bailey did a great job writing the parents of the characters - I fervently disliked all three of them, mostly from how simply the three of the parents could have helped Sig and Chloe and opted not to. What I wish we got a bit more of -- we don't really understand why Chloe's mom wanted to keep her so contained. I grew up in Fairfield County, Connecticut - only about 30 minutes away from Darien where Chloe's mother lives, and while I understand the old money aspect, I don't understand clipping the wings of a child prodigy. I went to school with a child music prodigy - in public school - and this person was so talented they were writing symphonies in elementary school that were being performed by our high school - they then got into early Julliard at 16, and graduated high school a semester early to start their full-time at Julliard, before then going to Yale for a graduate degree in music. In Connecticut, it's also not unusual for your peers to be auditioning for Broadway, or performing on Broadway, etc. It's bragging rights, and then it's into the upper echelons of polite society to be a part of a symphony orchestra or other high-brow establishments. So, for me, having Chloe just be a prodigy and never be recruited by a conservatory doesn't feel at all standard to growing up in Connecticut. If there is a reason her mother is keeping her so contained, it would have been nice to know more about that because it really just, for me, made Chloe seem more clueless on any of her abilities.

I also was a bit put off by the reporter approaching Chloe at the hockey game. Again, from the same county as Chloe's character, and it is put into your brain early and often that we do not talk to reporters. For her to not have that built in as an old money family and then to not have the wherewithal to also realize talking to the media isn't right to do to Sig, who is in the spotlight, also just made Chloe seem more clueless than anything - like nothing at all from life has ever impacted her. Her failure to recognize how her actions affect others in this way, when she should know better, just really turned me off from her.

I recognize my criticisms of Chloe here are really just based on my upbringing relative to her character's upbringing, and the way it doesn't match with my lived experience because I certainly don't have old money. I think that just took me out of the story a bit, when really I absolutely loved the rest of it, with it being a classic Bailey romance.

I do recommend this for any Bailey fans, and it can be read as a standalone.

For sports fans, the hockey focus is pretty minimal in this one until the latter half of the book - but the time we get to spend with Sig's teammates, including the orgasm donor twins, were light and fun. I'm interested to see where Bailey goes with telling each of their stories (hopefully) next.

Yes, this is Sig and Chloe from the Au Pair. This is their story. Sig and Cloe meet up when his truck breaks down by the country club. When hours later, they find out that they're soon to be step-siblings. They have an insta love meeting.

Sig is a hockey player, and Chloe, who is a harp prodigy and extremely dependent upon her mother. Sig helps Chloe become more independent when she moves to Boston. Chloe is determined to make the first chair with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

This book was okay. I really couldn't stand note infantilized Chloe was. Look, I get it happens in real life, but it drove me crazy. I would've right that Tessa Bailey would have a more accurate account of the New England area.


Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Publish Date February 4, 2025

Pre-read:I loved this cover and can't wait to read this ARC after my Christmas reads!

I was SO excited to receive the eARC for this but it really let me down.

I did like the MMC but the FMC was just too disconnected from reality for me. I really did not like the whole premise that they couldn’t be together because they were going to be step siblings but they are like 20. I feel like at that point it doesn’t really seem like an obstacle it’s not like they would live together or anything. I think this book could have had such good potential if there was a better reason for them to not be together I just couldn’t get over it. So I had to DNF. I think if you can get past that then the book does seem like it would be good since the writing is nice and the characters weren’t horrible.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me this eARC :)

Such a G O O D he falls first, Tessa Bailey read. I loved so much of the banter and the trouble making Chloe gets into. Sig is so down bad & is so protective it’s a swoon worthy combo.

The parents drama at first was a little eye roll-y and over exaggerated; but I thought the rest of the plot was so playful and fun. I loved the growth their relationship had throughout the book.

Thank you so much Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eARC

the sexual tension was extremely palpable, literally had me blushing and sweating! chloe and sig’s chemistry was amazing from start to finish and i love how down bad sig was. seriously the yearning was impeccable. my only real qualm with this book is how the fmc sometimes comes across very child-like and it was hard for my brain to correct itself once i noticed that because it seemed so unrealistic, but i do love tessa bailey no matter what.

thank you to netgalley for giving me this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I love Tessa Bailey so I was so excited to read this book despite the supposed step sibling factor. I love seeing the instant love between Sig and Chloe and how much he always wanted to take care of her and those he loves. This book has everything I was looking for: hockey romance, insta-love, manic pixie dream girl and the guy who will do everything for her.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sig Gauthier may be a professional hockey player, but you’d never know it seeing his old truck break down nearby a private country club— where he coincidentally meets Chloe, who may be the girl of his dreams. Well, except for the fact she turns out to be his soon to be his step-sister due to his estranged father’s upcoming wedding to Chloe’s wealthy and overbearing mother.

Sig attempts to help Chloe become more independent while she leaves her mother’s for the first time but finds himself struggling to fight the attraction that is brewing in their stolen moments.

The chemistry and tension between Sig and Chloe was so palpable. Sig was so protective over Chloe despite her need for both reality and growth. Sig also working through his own emotions regarding his father and his own self-esteem was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book.

This book was everything I needed it to be! I didn’t think Tessa Bailey could make me love the Big Shots series more, but it just keeps getting better. Dream Girl Drama was entertaining and steamy! I rooted the whole time for Sig and Chloe’s relationship. I don’t enjoy insta-love but this made me change my mind!

Thanks so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for the e-arc. It was the highlight of my 2024.

Tessa Bailey’s Dream Girl Drama delivers a delightful mix of humor, steam, and heartfelt moments, making it a strong addition to her popular series. The story's chemistry crackles as Sig and Chloe navigate their romantic and personal conflicts with charm and wit. Bailey’s signature banter and well-paced plot keep the pages turning, even if a few twists feel predictable. The supporting cast adds depth, making the world feel vibrant and alive without overshadowing the main couple. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read that balances drama and romance perfectly—definitely worth picking up for fans of the series!

*Spoilers!*)
2 Stars, and I feel like I am being generous here.
The good:
-Pierre
-The Orgasm Donors/the Bearcats team
- Sig's truck
I think that is it.
The not so good:
-The setting is supposed to be in Boston/Connecticut, but as a New England native, I was really disappointed by how inaccurate it felt. Darien was mentioned as being famously wealthy, but that’s about where the authenticity ends. At one point, Boston is even described as being south of Connecticut—uh, no, it’s north!
- The FMC comes off as incredibly childish throughout the book, even when trying to be independent. It became uncomfortable, especially during any romantic or "spicy" scenes, because she was written like a child for the majority of the book and then suddenly she is hypersexual. On top of that, her intelligence is barely mentioned beyond her harp-playing skills. While I understand that someone sheltered might struggle with the real world, her immaturity was overwhelming.
The neutrals:
- All of the adults (read: parents) in this book suck. None of them are redeemable.
Overall:
I do not think I will be reading the rest of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley/Avon for the chance to read this ARC.

Chloe is a sheltered, somewhat spoiled harp prodigy who dreams of independence. Meanwhile, Sig is a pro hockey player who has worked all his life to achieve success.
Sig and Chloe meet by chance and can’t deny their chemistry. What they don’t know is that they are soon-to-be step-siblings.

Chloe was charming, but I didn’t like that Chloe was infantilized a lot throughout the book, which made it hard for me to connect with their romance. I also found it somewhat unrealistic that Sig would financially support someone he just met simply because he likes her. It was difficult to believe and made me feel their relationship was more lust-driven than rooted in real love. However, I did enjoy Sig and Chloe’s personal growth over the course of the book, as well as the cute moments they shared. Overall, I liked the book—it was charming and offered an interesting take on the forbidden romance trope.

Thank you, Avon or Harper Voyager Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! I love a good hockey romance and the threat of becoming step siblings was kind of weird in the beginning but it didn’t bother me like I worried it would! I would definitely recommend!!

This was precisely what I expect from a Tessa Bailey novel: entertaining banter, lots of sexual tension, and lovely characters. I have adored every book of this series so far, so I was beyond excited to be confirmed for an ARC of this novel. Each novel in the Big Shots series sets up the next couple in a way that makes it unbearable to wait for the next one to release, so it was so nice getting this one ahead of time.

I read half of this novel in one sitting, then finished it within 2 days overall.

This novel follows Sig, a hockey player for the fictional Boston hockey team in the series, and Chloe, a professional harp player and his (unfortunately) soon-to-be stepsister. They have a love-at-first-sight run-in just to find out hours later that their parents are engaged. They obviously can't pursue a relationship with their parents' upcoming nuptials, but they find it challenging to stay away from each other.

I found the novel stressful due to the possibly becoming stepsiblings plot, but I love the character development that occurred for both Sig and Chloe. Additionally, I enjoyed her being a professional harp musician, and I loved the dog that she cared for in the novel.

Once again, it didn't hit five stars for me, but it was a lot of fun, and I will continue to read just about everything Tessa Bailey publishes. If you have enjoyed her books in the past or you love a good sports romance, I think you would enjoy this novel.

Seasons may change, friendships may end but if there’s one thing that will always stay constant, it’s that Tessa Bailey will always serve the most down bad (like literally sobbing over how much he loves his woman down bad), filthy-mouthed love interest in literature and we will thank her for it. We got a peek at Sig and Chloe’s dynamic in The Au Pair Affair and seeing the full picture of their relationship and how it began was both heartache- and tension headache-inducing because not going to lie, the stakes in this book had me stressed. Going into Dream Girl Drama, I wondered what made being stepsiblings so taboo for Sig and Chloe (when so many other Romances seem to relish in the thrill of it) so I appreciated that there actual external consequences beyond just the ethics of it that made it seem impossible for them to be together.

There was more tension in this than I had expected and it definitely lives up to the “drama” in its drama, but the vibes, the cute and silly moments, and the signature Tessa Bailey romance balanced out the heavier parts of the book. The story was equally fun and frustrating which had me turning the pages more and more to see how things would end. While I did enjoy the story, I was not particularly attached to either character, don’t get me wrong, I was all for how down bad these two were for each other but it felt like there was not much growth on either end and while codependency was cute at the beginning, it felt too repetitive by the end. I did like seeing Chloe bloom towards the end and slowly find her own way to stand proud but I wish we had seen more of it (there’s a scene where she goes on this spiel in the latter part of the book that was both awe-inspiring and heartbreaking).

Tessa Bailey always delivers a fun reading experience and I’m excited to see where she’ll take us next with the Big Shots series. We do get some hints for the next couples (featuring the famous Orgasm Donors) and I already know it’s going to be another great time. Sig and Chloe are, so far, my second favorite couple in the series (the first being Mr. I-will-spit-on-you Burgess and Tallulah) and I hope we’ll get to see more of them in the following books as well.

“I’ll love you enough for this whole city.”

Tessa Bailey’s books are always comfort reads for me because I always know what I’m getting, though the dynamic between the couples is always different. I’ve been enjoying the Big Shots series and I was so excited to read this!

I’ve been anticipating this book since seeing Sig and Chloe in the previous book. Their chemistry was always obvious in the background and their situation so precarious that I couldn’t wait to see how it was handled. From their first meeting, it’s clear that there isn’t an intense attraction. The crash is swift when they find out their parents are getting married. But I love what comes out of this initially, let alone how it all unfolds.

For Chloe specifically, I loved seeing her arc. She’s always been so dependent on her mother and her money, never gaining any real independence. As a harp prodigy, she’s always been touted around and told how great she is without feeling like she has to work for anything. When she moves from her small town in Connecticut to Boston with Sig, she learns so much about herself and how to be independent. Her determination to be first chair for the Boston Symphony Orchestra is so satisfying to see. I think that her arc is really meaningful and shows so much growth. She's such a fun character and her personality flies off the page.

While Sig is clearly a bit on the overprotective side, it comes from how quickly he falls in love with Chloe and the dread of his father’s marriage to Chloe’s mother. He’s worked so hard to become the hockey player he is and I really loved that Chloe saw that and encouraged him. I liked his arc, but I think Chloe’s outshined his just a bit. This isn't to say that I didn't really like Sig. The way he protects and helps Chloe is so sweet, especially when she initially moves to Boston. He wholeheartedly believes that she can make it on her own in a new city. He constantly boosts her confidence, which is something I really loved.

I also loved the set up for the next book in this series and I think that one will also be fun to read. I've truly enjoyed this series so far and this is perfect for anyone who loves sports romances!

First, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for the next book in a series I have been greatly enjoying!

We all know that Tessa is gonna give us a good story, and obviously that holds true with this next installment in Big Shots.

I was nervous going in, knowing from Au Pair Affair that Sig and Chloe are step siblings to be....not my vibe. No shade to anyone else, just not something I tend to go for. But this was done really well. I like that we get the introduction of the two characters before their time in APA.

She wrote their story in a way that you felt the hopelessness of their situation and the yearning. It was heartwrenching and hopeful at the same time.

I look forward to the next installments of the series and what the rest of the Bearcats get up to.

I really love Tessa Bailey's writing! I was on the fence about if I would like the story with the characters about to be connected. But I loved the twist that really made me relieved that I thoroughly enjoyed Sig and Chloe's love story .

Another great spicy romance by Tessa Bailey! This can definitely be read as a stand alone book. I read the Au Pair Affair but not Fangirl Down. I was rooting for Chloe and Sig. I thought I’d figured out where the plot was going but I was wrong.

Dream Girl Drama featured the usual over-the-top Tessa Bailey characters and honestly I was into it in the beginning.

Chloe and Sig have a "meet cute" encounter at a country club and boom insta-lust/love. They part ways with plans to meet later, only to find out they are headed to the same dinner where their parents announce that they're engaged.

Chloe and Sig - and everyone else for some reason - act as though their parents' impending marriage means they're related, even though they have literally just met. Stubbornly, they agree to ignore their attraction and to keep their relationship platonic.

Sig even helps Chloe break away from her mother's overbearing control and move to Boston to find the independence she so desperately seeks. In Boston, Chloe and Sig grow even closer - best friends basically - but the underlying attraction is always there.

I found Chloe and Sig's relationship to be a bit ridiculous yet absolutely adorable, but the "obstacle" keeping them apart made little to no sense. The resolution was also odd because again, I did not see the conflict as an obstacle to their relationship.

Dream Girl Drama was a classic Tessa Bailey novel and fans of her work will surely enjoy it, even if they become a bit frustrated with the main characters at times.