🦇 Dream Girl Drama Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❓ #QOTD Can you play an instrument (if yes, which one, if no, what would you want to learn)?

🦇 When professional hockey player Sig Gauthier’s car breaks down and his phone dies, he treks into a posh private country club to call a tow truck, where he encounters the alluring Chloe Clifford, who captivates him immediately with her sense of adventure and penchant for stealing champagne.

After a moonlight kiss, the enamored pair can’t wait to see each other again, but when Sig finally arrives to meet his dad’s new girlfriend over dinner, Chloe is confusingly also there. Turns out the girlfriend is Chloe’s mother. Oh, and they’re engaged, making Sig’s dream girl his future stepsister.

Though the pair is now wary of being involved romantically, Chloe, a sheltered harp prodigy, yearns to escape her controlling mother. Sig promises to teach her the ins and outs of independence in Boston, though both know there can never be more than friendship between a famous hockey player and his high-society, soon-to-be stepsister. Can they maintain the lines they've drawn and keep their relationship platonic, even when they know they're meant for more?

💜 Love List:
💟 Chloe's rebellious natural (and how much Sig adores her for it)
💟 Constant steamy tension
💟 Swoon-worthy one-liners from Sig
💟 Insta love but with forbidden love, slow burn, pining tension that WORKS
💟 Chloe's journey of independence and growth
💟 Sig (and the entire hockey team's) protectiveness
💟 Tessa Bailey's fun, enamor-worthy narration style
💟 Fully developed characters
💟 No ick factor, despite the premise
💟 Chloe is innocent and endearing without being annoying
💟 Fast-paced
💟 Plays out like a classic romcom movie
💟 Little touches
💟 Gimme Skylar/Corrigan for the next book
💟 The impending "deadline" adding tension
💟 Buying her Poptarts as an excuse to see her

💙 Less Love:
🌙 Too quick conclusion?
🌙 Time jumps at the beginning (so we miss out on big relationship-building moments)
🌙 Awkward word choices during spicy scenes
🌙 "The Orgasm Donors"
🌙 Sig enabling some of Chloe's childish behavior
🌙 Second half stronger than the first
🌙 Lack of emotional scenes (so much sexual pining instead!)

📈 Ratings
✨ Characters - 5/5
✨ Plot and Pacing - 4/5
✨ World-Building - 4/5
✨ Romance - 5/5
✨ Mystery/Suspense - 5/5
✨ Tone/Prose - 5/5

🦇 Recommended

✨ The Vibes ✨
🏒 Contemporary Sports Romance
🎵 Hockey Player/Harpist
🏒 Insta Love
🎵 Opposites Attract
🏒 Forbidden Romance
🎵 Slow Burn
🏒 Spice
🎵 Part of a Series

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #DreamGirlDrama

💬 Quotes
❝ "I’ll let you watch me do whatever you want.” ❞
❝ Was this a date? Sure, she hadn’t exactly been on hundreds of them, but this? It was making her puny, prior experience feel like child’s play. Or perhaps a foreword. A note left and forgotten once the real story starts to unfold. ❞
❝ "You want to be told you’re pretty? ...A man who calls you pretty, Chloe, is a fucking fool. You aren’t pretty, you’re brutally goddamn beautiful. You glow with life. You’re crazy. You have heart. You have love pouring out of you. You’re brilliant and creative. So gorgeous I’ve lost thousands of hours of sleep. ...You have a body that demands someone spoil it often and fuck it twice as often. Pretty? ...I’d spit on a man for calling you pretty. You’re extraordinary. The first and last of your kind.” ❞
❝ "My dream girl gets her way with me every time.” ❞
❝ “Come take care of me, dream girl. Come get taken care of.” “I’m coming.” “Not yet. I mean it.” ❞
❝ “I love hockey pads,” she whispered. His throat hurt from holding in a laugh. “Because they make me look bigger?” The suggestion seemed to surprise her. “No, because they keep you safe.” ❞

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of *Dream Girl Drama*. Tessa Bailey once again delivers a swoon-worthy, angsty rom-com that had me hooked from the first moonlit kiss.

Sig and Chloe’s story is the perfect mix of forbidden romance, family chaos, and steamy tension. When professional hockey player Sig meets harp prodigy Chloe, their chemistry is instant and electric. Their whirlwind meeting ends with a magical kiss, but fate takes a wild turn when they discover their parents are engaged, making them soon-to-be stepsiblings. The forbidden aspect of their connection is off-the-charts, with stolen glances and simmering moments that build delicious tension.

The tropes here? Absolute gold:
✨ *Forbidden Romance*
✨ *Sports Romance*
✨ *Grumpy/Sunshine*
✨ *Slow Burn with some Spice*

Chloe’s sheltered upbringing and journey toward independence make her a relatable and lovable heroine. Sig, the protective, brooding hockey player, is utterly swoon-worthy—even if his intensity occasionally tiptoes into overbearing territory.

While the angst and family drama kept me turning pages, I did wish for more resolution and tender moments in the epilogue. Still, this story left me smiling, swooning, and rooting for Sig and Chloe’s happily ever after.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you love steamy, angst-filled romances with heart, don’t miss this one!

Chloe and Sig are DOWN BAD for each other. I was wary when I first picked up this book because I'm not usually a 'step siblings' type romance reader, but Tessa Bailey got me again. The characters feel fully developed, they have legitimate reasons for all of their decisions, and they handle situations in realistic ways (while also being so freaking head over heels for each other that nothing else matters and I'm just here for the pining). If you read the prior book in this series - The Au Pair Affair - you got a few sneak peaks of this pair, and you see what the world sees in this book. I actually didn't care for The Au Pair Affair, but I appreciated the glimpses of Chloe and Sig, and this book more than makes up for the previous entry. If anything, this book brought me back in and I cannot wait for more entries in the Big Shots series!

I've truly never met a more perfect book couple in my whole life and it absolutely k*lled meeee that they couldn't be together!! Like my boy is down baaad for Chloe and I couldn't love them together more if I tried. When I read Au Pair Affair and read their little cameos I became completely FERAL for their book and I absolutely gobbled it up. No crumbs left!!! I can't wait for this to come out so I can reread with the audiobook bc I just know it's going to HIT 👏

This book is one of Tessa's best and I can't wait for more books in the Big Shots series!! She set up future books perfectly in this one lmao and you'll have to read it to find out what I mean!!

I’ll admit, the premise of this book having a pair of ‘step-siblings’ (emphasis on quotes) had me cautious to read it. But of course I immediately fell in love with the tall, gorgeous hockey player named Sig about 20 pages in- how could I not? While the previous two books of this trilogy had men who struggled to accept their feelings, Sig was all-in from the start with Chloe. While they have a hefty series of obstacles to overcome, this pair had me giggling and clutching the book to my chest in joy all the way through. This was a fun and spicy read from the get go! Highly recommend!

3.75

I think it was the last time that I reviewed a Tessa Bailey book, when I asked myself “why do I read these again?” Then that book turned out to be different than I had feared. This book, however, is your traditional Tessa Bailey with very, very explicit content.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against some graphic scenes. My main issue with this book, the previous one in this series, and at least one or two others is that the female character is really naïve or has had a very sheltered or even traumatic upbringing. When she meets the male lead character he is extremely domineering and somewhat forceful, not to mention a particularly large, strong man. It’s not rape in the way that most think of it, but there’s definitely a lot of pressure and a very uneven power dynamic where the woman is likely feeling a sense of obligation or a hero-complex situation. I really liked the Bellinger sisters and the first one in this series about the golfer and his wild fan. Still very explicit but a strong story. But I digress.

We knew this one was coming because they started introducing Sig in the previous books, just the way they introduced Burgess and Tallulah in the first book. Somehow I thought this was a three-book series, and there’s one indication that it could be, but they have also set up an existing male character with a female character for the next book. We will have to wait and see.

This book has an interesting premise. Once in it, you wonder how Sig and Chloe can get out of that situation. The two meet and then are immediately thrust (double entendres absolutely not intended) into an impossible romantic situation. Chloe also goes out on her own for the first time and is ignorant, gullible, personally broke, and in need of help. The male character, Sig, was certainly not the only one suppressing Chloe’s personal freedom. Her mother had been doing it for Chloe’s entire life. I did guess the solution early on as an option, but there was one easy solution they could have implemented proactively rather than waiting and hoping.

Thank you to Tessa Bailey, NetGalley, and Simon and Schuster for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book for my unbiased review.

Sig and Chloe were captivating from their very swoony moonlight kiss in chapter one. Chloe, a child prodigy harpist, who despite her lavish upbringing, brings a vibrant pixie dream girl energy to the whole relationship. Where Sig the broody, hot hockey player surprises the reader with his tender, caring and a wee bit possessive touch her side energy. I absolutely melted over this insta love, slow burn romantic comedy. This forbidden love romance is part of the Big Shots series but could easily be read as a stand alone.

I love Tessa Bailey so much. However, this book did not work for me. I didn’t buy the premise which made it hard to enjoy the book. The MCS are not kids. They are grown ass adults and as such the parents relationships shouldn’t have a bearing on theirs.
The writing was still great. I just didn’t like the set up.

Thanks to Avon for an advanced copy of Drean Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey..

I love the sexy banter and chemistry in Tessa Bailey books but unfortunately this book was completely lacking in both. This was meant to be a slightly taboo romance when hours after meeting the two main characters find out their parents are getting married and so they are about to be step-siblings.

This had a weird insta-love but then forbidden but I'm obsessed with you vibes. Chloe was the absolute worst in pampered rich girl with zero life experience and Sog enabled it in some weird caveman way..

Things I liked:
▪️hockey
▪️characters from previous book

A Tessa Bailey book can always be counted on to bring the humor, heat, and a lot of lighthearted fun, and her latest features insta-love between (future) step-siblings shenanigans.

Sig and Chloe have a meet-cute I can only describe as ELECTRIC, except surprise, his (conman?) dad is marrying her extremely wealthy mom, so obviously, Sig and Chloe can't be together.

Sig is your classic gruff hockey player (though not at all grumpy), obsessed with Chloe right from the start and all about those acts of service (...financially and otherwise) when he can't allow himself to act on his feelings. The standout character for me was definitely Chloe, who is 100% a manic pixie dream girl except Tessa Bailey made her so utterly likeable. She's a bit of a ditz, a harp prodigy who's been sheltered her entire life, and now she wants to get out and explore the real world with Sig as her guide. Obviously a lot of this plot is about the two of them repressing their real feelings for one another, especially when it can have career ramifications for Sig's hockey career, and Chloe's future with the Boston Symphony . I think the resolution to this conflict felt... a bit too easy and convenient despite the build-up, but I mean, this is a romcom so I wasn't expecting anything too serious.

The sex:

As hot as always when it comes to Tessa Bailey— I do appreciate when the heroine gives just as good dirty talk as the hero, which is rare, but Chloe delivers!

There's also Classic Tessa Bailey Butt Stuff (aka a finger), and this time it goes both ways.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5
Heat Level: 3.75/5
Publication Date: February 4th

3.5 rounded up

I'm not sure how I feel about this exactly. I enjoyed it but not loved it. I'm not a big insta love fan so maybe that's it. I just didn't buy the emotional connection so much. 🤷‍♀️

This was just not it. I almost DNF'd several times but because NetGalley gave me an ARC I felt I owed it to them to tough it out.
I've loved some of Tessa's work, tolerated others and been indifferent towards a few but this particular book was, kindly, not for me.
While it slightly improved in the last 30%, had it not been an ARC I never would've made it that far.

I couldn't wait to hear Sig's story, and I can happily say that I am in love with this story!
Sig meets his dream girl after experiencing truck trouble, and Chloe comes to his rescue. It was instant attraction, chemistry and dare I say insta love. Only to have their romantic feelings plagued by the realization that they would soon be step-siblings thanks to their parents announcing their engagement.
They couldn't stay away from each other, and people noticed, including their family, friends, and the media. His NHL career and her chance at being more than a harp child prodigy are on the line if they can't cool their feelings for one another.
Sig's protectiveness over Chloe, his willingness to throw away his career for her.. ahhhh, my heart was so full and aching at the same time.
Chloe's character was a breath of fresh air... though she was sheltered, she was wise and such a fun, freespirit.
Their relationship was so pure, full of raw emotion, and so sweet to read. Sig hired a private investigator to try and fix things so he could be with Chloe... prime example of, if he wanted to, he would.
The obvious distress pressing down on their relationship was heartbreaking, but the surprise twist at the end was perfection!
Having Tallulah and Berg in the story made me happy. I love them!
Sidenote: In the last book, I found the "Orgasm Donor" brothers to be childish and annoying, but somewhat funny. Update: they are growing on me. Their dedication to the team and their friends is the best. They cracked me up.
Love, love, loved this book!
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books, and Harper Voyager US for providing me this ARC Read in exchange for my review.

I have patiently been waiting for this book since we were introduced to Sig and Chloe in Tessa Bailey's book 2 Big Shots The Au Pair Affair. I was so happy to receive an advanced copy from NetGalley. Tessa Bailey is one of my top 10 favorite authors and always and auto buy!
Sig and Chloe's story was absolute perfection! Picture this: you meet your dream girl in a whirlwind of moonlit kisses and stolen moments, only to discover she’s about to become your stepsister. That’s exactly the predicament Sig finds himself in when his estranged, con artist father announces plans to marry Chloe’s wealthy mother, Sofia. What begins as a magical romantic connection quickly transforms into a forbidden love tangled in family drama. Despite their efforts to resist, the chemistry between Sig and Chloe is electric, and every encounter only intensifies the sparks flying between them. Sig isn’t ready to let the girl of his dreams slip away, and Chloe, with her sheltered, harp-playing upbringing, finds herself drawn to him in ways she never expected. While they both hope their parents’ whirlwind romance might somehow fall apart, the odds seem slim, leaving them to navigate a complicated and emotional maze. I already loved these two from their previous appearances, so seeing them take center stage in Dream Girl Drama was an absolute treat. Sig’s protective instincts and Chloe’s quiet resilience make them a perfect match, and the way their relationship balances tenderness and tension had me hooked from start to finish. Between the playful banter, steamy moments, and heartfelt exchanges, I couldn’t stop rooting for their happily-ever-after. This story is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy, and I didn’t want to put it down for a second!

3.75

I came into this read with some conflicted feelings towards Sig and Chloe’s relationship. I wasn’t sure if I could get behind them together knowing they were soon to be step-siblings after reading The Au Pair Affair.

I don’t know why I thought this but I did think that they had actually gotten together prior to finding out they were going to be step-siblings. I wouldn’t necessarily say them making out and spending maybe an hour or so together the same night as the announcement.

I understand it is a romance and a Tessa Bailey book at that so I know they are going to get together and we are going to have some explicit scenes but I didn’t love that they still went forward with their plans the day the article comes out and they were about to go to a hotel and not have it leaked. That seems really surprising if it was a big enough deal for Chloe to get dropped and Sig to be told he might not get the contract he was waiting on.

I am thankfully that the way they got together in the end came to be. I don’t think I would have been able to enjoy the book if they just said f it we are being together regardless of being step siblings. The ending was the only possible way for them to be together that makes it okay.

The ending of The Au Pair Affair left me salivating for Sig and Chloe’s story, and ever since then, I have been champing at the bit to get my hands on this bad boy.

I’m not going to lie, the beginning of this one had me a little worried. I’m not normally a fan of insta-love, and then immediately after Sig and Chloe’s insta-love connection, the story was a little slow-going until about 35%. However, I appreciate the beginning half of this book so much now after finishing it. The slow-down period between Sig and Chloe where they don’t allow themselves to act on their feelings is so important to their relationship, and it really allowed their story to go from insta-love to more of a friends-to-lovers vibe. The pining on Sig’s end was absolutely top tier, and I am once again reminded that Tessa Bailey knows how to write a man who is a complete simp for his girl.

The third act “breakup” here was also much more satisfying and plot-serving than in the previous book. I was truly heartbroken for Sig and Chloe — so much so that the solution, which seems so obvious in hindsight, completely caught me off guard. I loved the way the ending came together and the angsty ride that got us there.

I’m also incredibly intrigued at the hints that the Orgasm Donors, Mailer and Corrigan, might get their own installment(s)??? I love them as side characters with their goofy antics and hilarious one-liners, and I definitely see how their antics can bring main character energy. However, for a series that started out with golf as the sport for the “sports romance,” I would like to see more than just hockey from here on out.

What a fun ride and so happy I got to read it early!!

I'd been interested in Sig and Chloe's story since they appeared in the Au Pair Affair, and I thought this delivered on the intrigue from that book. I wasn't a huge fan of the focus on the taboo of it all - Sig (independent loner hockey star) and Chloe (rich, sheltered harpist and manic pixie dream girl) meet before they realize that their parents are engaged, are grown adults, and have no actual family connection between them - but then I am not a publicist for a hockey team so I don't really know how this would go. I do like Tessa Bailey a lot, but I have to be in the right mood for her heroes, who I find to be pretty overbearing alpha male types. But every time I read one of her books and think "this was good but not quite for me," she drops a hint of the next one and I'm like "oh now THAT one I want to read!" This was no exception - I'm fully intrigued to see if there's going to be a follow-up with two side characters mentioned in the epilogue. For readers who like Tessa Bailey, they is not going to disappoint. Also - there's a really good dog!

Sparks fly when Sig and Chloe have a chance encounter only to learn hours later that their parents are engaged to be married.

The premise of this book wasn’t my favorite by Tessa Bailey, and Chloe certainly wasn’t her most likable FMC (naive, spoiled, etc) but I found myself rooting hard for these two. Sig is a lovable enough MMC to make up for Chloe and the characters’ chemistry is fantastic. This was a quick, spicy, and overall sweet read. A perfect release just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this fun ARC provided in exchange for my honest review!

In the third book of Tessa Bailey’s Big Shots series, we get the full story of Chloe and Sig, characters that are introduced previously in this interconnected series. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Fangirl Down, but it seems that Fangirl has a different tone than its sequels.
Fans of Tessa Bailey’s books will likely enjoy this one, but the insta-lust of the male main character, combined with the infantilizing of the female main character was too cringey for me. I think the forbidden aspects of their relationship could have been achievable without giving Chloe such a childlike persona. Sig was undeveloped, and felt very similar to his friend, Burgess, from the previous book. Because I struggled to connect to the characters, I was never really fully invested in their relationship. It was a quick read that delivers on the steamy scenes and banter that Tessa Bailey is known for, but the story lacked an anchor in dynamic and interesting characters and ultimately fell a bit flat for me.

I don’t care how outlandish or “taboo” this story might seem, it was SO fun. The tension, the spice, the love between Sig and Chloe. Perfection. It’s the perfect escape. Also, it’s hockey romance… how could you NOT love it!? Thank you to Tessa Bailey, Avon Books, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for this ARC.