I rarely meet a Tessa book I don't like and this one was no exception. The slow burn was PHENOMENAL. I absolutely LOVED the taboo-ness. The spice was impeccable as always and I genuinely liked the characters. I was seriously doubting how she was going to wrap this up with a HEA but she pulled it off.

Insta love, insta spice but actually the background storylines are really good. These two are undoubtably charming & have lovely chemistry. I’ve read the other two in this series and seeing characters come back was quite enjoyable!

When sig and Chloe meet it's love at first sight. But little do they know they are about to be step siblings.

Ok I enjoyed this but cmon they aren't related by blood and they met before their parents met. I don't get why they couldn't be together especially since they are adults.

Fans of Fangirl Down and The Au Pair Affair will LOVE Dream Girl Drama. I really enjoyed reading about Sig and Chloe's forbidden love and found Tessa Bailey's steamy writing to be satisfying as always!

I really love Tessa Bailey's books and even after just finishing DREAM GIRL DRAMA, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I did enjoy it, but not necessarily as much as I have enjoyed some of her other books.

The romance was definitely unconventional and other than forbidden or taboo, I'm not really sure I would know how to characterize the main tropes of this book. You have Sig and Chloe that have an insta-love attraction during their meet cute and have plans to see each other later that night, but when they each get to their destination, they realize that their parents are getting married and that they're going to be step-siblings. We get glimpses of their relationship in the previous two books of the series, but this was not the way I thought it would play out.

The pacing was interesting. For the first 30%, you have the background of how they met and how they got to Boston together and then the last 70% is a fast-forward into the present where you see how they fight their forbidden romance, even though they are madly in love with each other. The book is a quick read, especially with the interesting pacing.

My biggest qualm was that there was more telling and not showing of their emotional intimacy and how they were madly in love with each other for most of the book without getting together. I also wanted more growth from Chloe's character, especially as she branches out on her own in Boston. She was incredibly dependent on Sig for everything and I really wanted her to find her way sooner, instead of relying on him for everything.

Overall, it was a fun book, but not my favorite of the series. But I will also keep reading, because I loved the Easter Eggs thrown in for the next book.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Netgalley.

Dream Girl Drama is the 3rd installment of her Big Shots series. We saw Sig and Chloe in The Au Pair Affair and saw a brief glimpse of their unusual relationship, and i was so curious about them. This book can be read as a stand-alone.

Sig and Chloe meet and have an instant connection that is ruined when they learn a few hours later that their parents are getting married, making them step siblings.

The slow burn build-up and yearning these characters have for each other while trying to not act on their feelings can be felt through the pages. Their friendship is great, and I was rooting for them to get their chance the whole time. Chloe was sheltered from real world problems her whole life, and Sig needs someone to care for.

The only thing that really kept me from sitting down and devouring this book in 1-2 sittings was the fact it was written in 3rd person POV. I don't read many books written like this and it took me a bit to get into the swing of it. (I'm assuming the first 2 were written the same, but honestly, I don't recall. I'm sure in the future I will forget if this one was or not either.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Tessa Bailey for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

This was adorable! I’m having the best time with this series. So easy to binge and so fun.

Chloe is a sheltered musician living at home in her mother's mansion and not worrying about anything. Sig is a hockey star on the precipice of the next big move in his career. When the two meet in an unexpected way, their chemistry is undeniable. That is until they realize their parents are engaged and they are about to become step siblings. They don't want to stay away from each other but they absolutely need to.

I had high expectations after loving Fangirl Down and The AuPair Affair, and Dream Girl Drama lived up to every one! The passion, the heartbreak, and the drama were perfection. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how this would end. A great steamy romance to get you out of any reading slump.

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

This book had me hooked so early on—like, I couldn’t put it down! I mean, who doesn’t love a good hockey romance? The second Sig and Chloe met, you could feel their instant chemistry radiating off the page. The author did such a fantastic job setting up the conflict right away, weaving it seamlessly into the storyline. A harp prodigy and an NFL player falling for each other and then becoming step-siblings? Talk about drama that delivers!

Sig? Absolute perfection. He plays hockey, is completely driven, and bends over backward for Chloe—a total book boyfriend dream. Chloe, on the other hand, started off very needy (girl, take a breath), but her growth throughout the book really won me over.

The angst, the desire, and the slow-burn tension were all so well done, keeping me flipping pages like my life depended on it. If you’re into sports romances with a side of emotional rollercoaster, this one’s for you.

Thank you, NetGalley, for my digital reviewer copy!

I would rate it about a 3.5⭐️

Future step siblings who pretty much have love at first sight and therefore can’t be together. That is literally the premise of the whole book, and the characters are going back and forth on right and wrong. Not the worst topic, but also not my favorite.

At the beginning it was kind of giving me a Gossip Girl vibe between Dan & Serena when their parents were dating.

Their chemistry was definitely 10/10 BUT a lot of times it felt like lust or obsession / jealousy / possessiveness as opposed to love. Chloe also seemed helpless for about 95% of this book and Sig was literally doing EVERYTHING and providing EVERYTHING for her. She did get better and more tolerable towards the end.

In summary, the chemistry was great and I think that’s why I did enjoy it, and the twist at the end! But all in all, not my favorite Tessa Bailey book, but still a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so good. I love the Big Shots series and just can’t get enough! I have to say, seeing the next book set up in each one has been incredible and makes me want to giggle and kick my feet. I loved Sig and Chloe’s story and can’t wait to have a copy for my shelf!

Taboo lite? Diet taboo?

⭐️ Rating: 3/5
🌶️ Spice: 2/5

🏒 Forbidden Love
🏒 Insta Love
🏒 (soon to be) Step Siblings
🏒 Opposites Attract
🏒 Hockey Romance

I love a Tessa Bailey book. They are the first I recommend for someone wanting to get into the romance genre. They’ve got that romcom approach. The hero is always swoony, even if they don’t mean to be, and there’s always that magnetic connection between the couple. And maybe that’s just it, this is a good intro to the taboo genre. This could very much be a me thing. Maybe I’ve read too many taboo romance books, but this one didn’t quite hit how I wanted it to. I loved the first two books in this series. By the time we got to the end of book 2, I was practically BEGGING for Dream Girl. There was just so much that didn’t feel like it needed to be so hard.

We’ve got our hockey hero with a chip on his shoulder and our upper crust harpist who has no idea how money actually works. When they meet, it's immediate magic. The chemistry is chemistry-ing. But moments later they find out their parents are getting married. Insert the literal record scratch here. It was like putting a bucking of water on a house fire. It did very little to quelch their desire. This makes it interesting for a couple who shouldn’t be together but find themselves drawn together like magnets.

While you don’t need to read the first two books in the Big Shots series to enjoy Dream Girl, I recommend it. Book one - golf bad boy. Yes you read that right. Book two - hockey single dad x nanny.

Wow, this is one of Tessa Bailey's best one's yet. I was already obbessed with Sig and Chloe after the Au Pair Affair; but Tessa completed a romance hat trick with the chemistry of the characters, the pining of the forbidden love, and of course rhe healthy dose of steam. This book was exactly what I was hoping for and so much more. Keep this series going!

I was so so excited to be an ARC reader for this book. I have loved the first two books and was excited for this one.

The story revolves around Sig and Chloe who by chance meet and have an instant attraction to each other only to find out shortly after that their parents plan to marry each other. The story takes place in Boston where Sig plays hockey and Chloe decides to study at the music conservatory. Their chemistry is palpable but will their parents’ impending marriage keep them apart?

There was a lot to love about this book. For one thing both main characters were very likable in my opinion. Chloe was a bit ditzy due to her upbringing and I did find at times Sig brought waaay more to the relationship. But I liked them both!!

My draw backs would be that the pining and slow burn felt a bit too long. There were time jumps where I’d say wait what? I wish I saw that scene. Then towards the mid end I felt it was too slow. So it was slow and fast.

I also wish we save some more interaction between Tallulah and Chloe. There was some but could’ve been more for sure. I think Chloe could’ve benefited from having a sound friendship.

But as always I love Tessa Bailey’s voice and writing. I always wanted to keep reading and find out what happened next.

Tropes:
-slow burn
-insta love
-forbidden love

I’ll be honest I was super confused by the timelines in the beginning. It was definitely a unique twist that I haven’t encountered yet. This book is insta-love on steroids. Which I typically don’t like. I do think the building of the angst then the “we can’t be together” back and forth emotions made up for it. All this to say I think the book was well balanced. I was obsessed with the hockey players vs baseball players scene. That was hilarious. I do love Tessa Baileys ability to write snarky banter and there just wasn’t a ton of that in this book.

I absolutely loved this book! Dream Girl Drama is one of my favorite Tessa Bailey books now. It was one of those books where I kept checking to see how much I had left cause I didn't want it to end and it was just what I wanted in my next read. The only thing for me was that I felt like the ending was a little bit rushed and the resolution was too simple for the major conflict of the story, but this might be because I loved the characters and the story so much, I wished it was longer. Definitely a must read, especially a Tessa Bailey fan!

This book centers around Sig and Chloe meeting in a country club. Sig is a famous hockey player and Chloe is a rich girl. Sig's truck breaks down in front of the club she is at and they hit it off immediately. I think their relationship moved way too fast and they declared love for each other way too soon. The breaks are pumped quick after they find out their parents are soon to be married. The step siblings thing was a weird plot. Even though they technically weren't related, they were about to be. While she didn't move in with him immediately, she moved to the city he lived in where he paid for her rent. Sig struggles financially to pay for everything for this girl he barely knows while also trying to pay for his mother's home and his rent. I think his priorities are very out of order.

I think my biggest problem with this book is how clueless Chloe is about the world. While I understand she came from a rich background and had a butler and didn't really have to do anything, the fact that she didn't know fabric softener from laundry detergent or that dogs ate kibble really made me cringe. Also, who spends $700 on eye creams instead of their rent?

There is a big reveal at the end regarding Sig's parents that also irked me. There was no real point in not revealing certain information and it would have saved a lot of time. This book just had too many flaws in my opinion between the characters and the story. Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Tessa Bailey for an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion.

Chloe and Sig meet by chance and soon realize how their lives are intertwined. Both have big dreams and they’re working hard to achieve them.
Dream Girl Drama is a sweet hockey love story. As a hockey mom I would point out that players don’t being their equipment him from the rink - gear stays at the rink.

I was thrilled to receive this ARC! As expected from Tessa Bailey, the novel delivers her signature style and charm. However, the romance felt a bit unrealistic to me this time, and I found that the intimate moments lacked the depth and detail I typically enjoy in her work. Overall, it’s a fun read, but it didn’t quite meet the high bar set by some of her previous books.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey! Don’t let the fact that it’s book 3 in the series hold you back—it’s just as great as the first two, if not better!

I instantly fell for Sig and Chloe. We’ve seen them before, but it was finally time to tell their story, and it was worth the wait. Their chemistry was off the charts, and I couldn’t help but root for their happy ending. I wanted to fix all their problems just to see them smile!

Definitely recommend this one!