ARC review

Dream Girl Drama
By Tessa Bailey

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ( 4 out of 5)

Publishing date: 2/4/25

Starting off the year strong with this one! 😍😍

When Sig and Chloe meet, they have an instant spark- a once in a lifetime explosion of attraction that they can't explain . But when they learn their parents are ENGAGED TO EACH OTHER, they decide their only option is to remain friends.

Sig and Chloe fight their desire as long as they can...but when articles are published outting them as step siblings with an odd relationship they decide this has to stop. But can they stay away from each other?

I really really liked this! It was super relatable because my husband and I also had that "insta love" but I don't play the harp and he isn't a professional hockey player 😆 so there's that..

I enjoyed both characters. Their banter was entertaining and the spice was good! However I wish there was more. It took a while to get to the spice. So much of the book was spent trying to resist each other.

This is book #3 of the big shot series but can totally be read as a standalone. I have not ready the previous 2.

If you are a Tessa Bailey lover, I recommend this one!

Thank you @netgalley and @avonbooks ! So thankful for the chance to read this early!!

Let me start off by saying I LOVE TESSA BAILEY. I’ve even met her in person this last summer. She is an amazing woman and I love her books.

But unfortunately I just didn’t click with this one. I love this series as a whole, but this book was lacking and felt rushed.

The beginning chapters felt promising but with the massive time jumps and lack of information of what happened between those time jumps, I just kinda got lost in feeling more for the characters.

I couldn’t relate to Chloe, a rich harpist who never really did anything on her own. She came off as childish but she did have a big heart. She wanted to be independent but she moved from having her mother take care of her on to Sig.

Sig, a broody hockey player who lives his life not showing off his wealth, falls for Chloe but can’t have her because their parents announce they are marrying each other. He ends up taking care of Chloe and paying for her rent and her lifestyle because she’s his “dream girl.”

The plot was set up for something great, but it fell short. I will say Tessa kills it with the intimate scenes and building up the tension. It’s one of the reasons I love her writing because she shocks me every time.

I will read more of Tessa Bailey, but sometimes authors have hit or misses. And this one was a miss. Although I didn’t mess with this one, I will look forward to her other releases.

Tessa Bailey writes deliciously spicy romance! The ending totally made this book worth it. I love HEA epilogues.

I really enjoyed the other two Big Shots books, but this one fell short for me.
Chloe and Sig have immediate chemistry, but then the slow burn drags on for six months, and it sure felt like as long when I was reading! The resolution to the hurdle between them and a relationship is resolved satisfactorily, but not until the very end of the book, and then the story speeds up too fast.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey releasing 2/4 is the third installment in the Big Shots series and the best so far. This story focuses on Sig and Chloe’s forbidden romance. Sig is a hockey player and Chloe is a harpist. It was lust at first sight until their parents announced they were getting married, forcing Sig and Chloe to become siblings! Can they bury their feelings so they don’t ruin their careers? This was a fast paced and to the point book. It was a lot less spicy than previous Tessa Bailey books. The forbidden romance forced a slow burn so the spice is minimal and toward the end of the book. I loved Sig in the previous book and he does not disappoint as the MMC! Of course, the secondary characters are hilarious! I cannot wait until the fourth book comes out.

Of all of the books in this series so far, Dream Girl Drama is BY FAR no question my favorite! It was so fun and funny. I loved Chloe and Sig's relationship and it held my attention until the end because I had zero idea how in the world Tessa Bailey was going to resolve the issue of them being stepsiblings. I am SO glad there are more books to come!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy!

When professional hockey player Sig and society darling and harpist Chloe meet in a chance encounter at a country club after Sig's car breaks down, their connection is instant. After sharing a steamy kiss, the two agree to meet later that evening to take things further. But when the two separate to head to their dinner plans, they discover that their obligations are one and the same: Chloe's mom is marrying Sig's dad, and this was the dinner where they were all supposed to meet. With Sig's life in the spotlight and Chloe's family's reputation, there's no ignoring the inappropriateness of continuing anything romantic. But Sig still wants to help Chloe live the life she's dreamed of and get out from under her mother's thumb, so he invites her to Boston where she can perfect her already prodigal harp skills. Having her close is better than nothing, right?

I'm obsessed with this book. Fangirl Down was such a delight that I wasn't sure another book in the series could reach such heights, but this one came pretty close. It's a quintessential taboo romance but done in the best way possible. You just feel so bad for Sig and Chloe because they're so obviously meant to be together but can't because their parents happened to meet first. You might be wondering how this situation works itself out, but I'm not going to spoil it for you! The book is worth reading yourself...

Thanks to Avon for my eARC (and to Goodreads for my giveaway winner copy)! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

I read Tessa Bailey’s Bellinger Sisters duology last year and adored those books, so I was excited to read this one. I didn’t know this was the third book in a different series, but I had no trouble following along. There were moments in this book that I genuinely enjoyed, especially the scenes with the hockey team. They literally made me laugh out loud! However, at other times, this book just fell flat.

I am very picky when it comes to insta-love, and I struggled with that storyline. It seemed more like insta-lust than insta-love to me. There wasn’t enough buildup or early interactions between the main characters to make their emotional connection feel believable. That said, I do think the author improves that aspect of the book as the story progresses.

Overall, I liked this book. If you are looking for a low-stakes, fluffy hockey romance with spice. I think you’d enjoy it. For me, it was a three-star read.

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Talk about awe-inspiring!
Chloe is a prodigy child who has been sheltered her whole life in a small town when she has a chance encounter with Sig. Sig was on his way to dinner with his father when his truck broke down and he walked to the country club that was close to making a phone call to try to get his truck working so he could attend the dinner. When he is met with roadblocks by the front desk Chloe saves him saying he is her friend and is allowed entry. They spend time together and while things start to get steamy they stop because they BOTH had previous engagements.
When Sig arrives at the house of his father's fiancee he makes a terrible discovery. Chloe will be his step-sister soon and that makes everything more complicated. At the dinner, Sig offers to help Chloe move to Boston and then on top of that Chloe's mother says that if she moves to Boston she will cut her off financially. Sig knowingly aids her, helps her get an apartment, and incorporates her into his life with his team while trying to keep her at arm's length because they will soon be step-siblings. However, everyone on the outside can see the chemistry between the two and the rumor mill starts running and threatens to ruin everything they have both worked towards!
Chloe's mentor has threatened to drop her because of the step-brother scandal and eventually does when an article comes out. Sig's new team manager offers him everything he has ever wanted on a silver platter but tells him that he has to drop everything with Chloe because they cannot be connected to a scandal.
However, the two try to separate, and it hurts both of them. Can they stay away from each other to make their dreams happen, or will their love cause them to lose it all?
Check out Dream Girl Drama to find out! It will be published on February 4, 2025. Mark your calendars for this one—you won't want to miss out! Thank you, Netgalley and Avon & Harper Voyager Books, for the exciting opportunity to read and review this one!

Dream Girl Drama had me hooked, the first chapter did a great job of hooking me into the story of Chloe & Sig. The entire story Tessa Bailey wrote was spectacular, the slow burn, the yearning, the grumpy x sunshine, the hockey players, the spice....all of it was perfection.

Sig is definitely high up on the book boyfriends list.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey delivers a sizzling romance between Sig, a pro hockey player, and Chloe, a sheltered music prodigy. Their relationship begins with intense chemistry but becomes complicated when they learn that their parents are engaged, making them potential step-siblings. While the forbidden nature of their attraction adds tension, some readers may struggle with the dynamics, especially Chloe’s dependency and Sig’s possessive tendencies. Despite this, their slow-burn romance, filled with yearning and intimate moments, is engaging, and their chemistry is undeniably strong.

Though I found the storyline a bit difficult to grasp, especially the "step-sibling" element, the character development of Chloe and Sig adds depth to the plot. Chloe, usually hard to connect with due to her spoiled princess persona, becomes more likable as the story progresses. Sig’s devotion to Chloe is endearing, even if it sometimes crosses into controlling behavior. The book successfully mixes angst, forbidden attraction, and romantic tension, making it an enjoyable read for those who love a steamy, emotional romance.

Thanks to NetGalley & Avon & Harper Voyager for providing me an e-ARC!

**1 star** This was such a disappointing read! I only read a couple of Tessa Bailey’s works, specifically the Bellinger Sisters duology and enjoyed them. I was super excited to receive an ARC for one of Bailey’s interconnected standalone series, “Big Shots” but was incredibly let down.

The story follows Chloe Clifford, a trust-fund heiress aspiring to be a professional harpist, and Sig Gauthier, a professional hockey player, who find themselves unexpectedly thrown together when their parents become engaged. Chloe is presented an opportunity to live in Boston to further her harp playing skills with Sig basically being her guarantor for everything. While trying to navigate her new life in Boston, Chloe and Sig fight to keep their attraction at bay.

This was very cringy. A lot of the living situation with Sig paying for everything makes absolute no sense. As a 27 year old individual, living in a major city, I can tell you this is incredibly unrealistic. These characters are in their mid 20s but they act like teenagers. Going as far as Chloe having a Sephora shopping addiction–something that teens today have a problem with. Having Sid pay for basically her whole well being after she was using her mom’s wealth like no tomorrow, was a missed opportunity for Chloe to actually face life struggles and essentially grow up.

Now onto the romance. It was horrendous. Their initial attraction brought me in as a reader but as I read more on their “friendship”, the more I hated it. It was a very lusty kind of connection, not to mention VERY instalovey. Absolutely ZERO emotional connection. The alpha-disguised-as-misogyny act gets old real fast and honestly, I should have dnf’d this. If the target audience for this series are young single women, this book presents unrealistic, toxic relationship standards. If you enjoyed Hannah Grace’s, “Icebreakers”, you MIGHT enjoy this. The writing is not much better and honestly is worse than “Icebreakers”. Don’t even get me started on the way Chloe treated her new puppy.

If you’re thinking of reading this one, maybe skip it. Read her Bellinger sisters duology instead because that has more emotional substance.

Another fantastic addition to this series by Tessa Bailey! I loved the slow burn quality of this romance. I’m not usually into the forbidden romance trope, but she tied it all up in a neat little bow by the end.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ARC. I found this to read to be predictable and average. I’ve read quite a few of Bailey’s books before, but had not read Books 1 and 2 in the ‘Big Shots’ series. This book could work well as a stand-alone as well. I did not enjoy how Chloe was portrayed as someone who needed to be taken care of, otherwise, I think she could have been a stronger character. Their love story was messy from the beginning and stayed consistently like that through the end. I do wish we could have learned more about each character to really envision their connection. I do think others will enjoy this read, but was an okay read on my end.

I don’t care what they say, I know the truth. Tessa Bailey all my friends say is the epitome of toxic masculinity and awkward dirty talk.

If I can be honest she has a humor and witt that is unmatched. I almost always love her novels, and this was no exception. She toes the line with step siblings, or soon to be. This may be one of my favorites yet (my others include ones in this series, maybe they keep getting better??), as it kept me fighting for the main characters, and I never got bored or gave up.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the arc! Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed the arc of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own).

I didn't read the other 2 books in the "Big Shots" series and have only read 3 other books from Tessa Bailey.
This book was very much what I was expecting and, in other ways, not what I was expecting.

Sig and Chloe have their meet cute and fall in love at first sight - which is not a trope I enjoy. But their love mostly happens off-screen. We don't see all the little things that make them fall in love... we only know the angst and the sexual frustration.

I did enjoy Chlole's figuring out the world and her pink-coloured lenses made things a little unrealistic, but fun. I did not like Sig as much, which is a bummer.

The main thing that made this book a bit of a surprise was the level of smut from the beginning. The way they expressed themselves, especially Sig, was not something I was expecting from a book of this genre.

Thank you Avon/Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the eARC. Unfortunately this was a mess for me. I felt like the first chapter started off strong with a chance encounter between the two main characters Sig and Chloe. The connection was instant, and I did choose to overlook the insta love/lust.

The FMC Chloe is insufferable. She doesn't know how to do anything and is written in a very infantile way. The MMC has to do everything for her including pay her bills, teach her how to do laundry, and how to drive. I know she is supposed to be from a rich affluent background and not used to doing this stuff but it just seemed so strange to me.

The mystery element behind Sig's dad was the only thing keeping me invested until the end. I really thought I was going to like this more, unfortunately it just wasn't for me, but I think the book will find it's fan base.

Sig and Chloe where do I even begin? When I first read the summary and how they interacted in The Au Pair Affair I was like something isn’t adding up.

How can they be step siblings and in love? Tessa sure does know how to draw you in and keep you right at the edge of your seat to see how this relationship dynamic will play out. Of course you know I don’t write spoilers in my reviews, so you will have to find out what happens yourself. 🤗

Now let’s get into how Sig and Chloe thought and spoke about each other – their words held no bounds on how they loved each other through thick and thin. Love can be beautiful when both parties are in it together for the long haul.


Tessa never ceases to amaze me when it comes to her writing and the spice level in this one :5/5 😏

I'm usually a fan of Tessa Bailey, but this is my second book in a year from her that I did not enjoy. I'm not a fan of the insta love trope, that's on me. But I thoroughly did not enjoy either of these characters, they were both annoying in their own ways and I just did not enjoy the romance. Tessa Bailey has some really great books, this was not one of them.

Being a huge Tessa fan this one was big time disappointing. The tropes I don’t mind at all. The characters, plot, and writing were unbearable.

The FMC might easily be one of the most insufferable characters I’ve ever read. I try to give the benefit of the doubt when it comes to being a product of your environment but she’s so astronomically irresponsible and airheaded, I couldn’t get past it. Her decision and spend OTHER peoples money irresponsibly instead of paying rent, hardly having a lick of common sense. Ugh. It was too much.

The MMC was also so unenjoyable. I’m fine with insta-love if I expect it going in but his was just so illogical and all he ever talked about loving was her looks and being drawn to her physically. Bleh. Going above and beyond with absolutely zero in return. Which yes, we shouldn’t expect things in return but she barely even treated him with respect. Especially financially.

There were soooooo many time jumps in the first 30%. They had “8 months” until their parents were supposed to get married and then all of a sudden, a literal year’s worth of time jumps had taken place. They talked about cute moments that happened but we never ever got to witness any of them.

The ending was an okkkkkk solution but just meh.


Would I recommend this? Sadly no. And I was so excited about it.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for providing me a digital and physical ARC for this book.

When hot hockey player Sig’s truck breaks down outside of a swanky country club and he gets rescued by his Dream Girl, he is shocked to find out later that night that his father is engaged to her mother. Sig can’t resist Chloe’s spunky, bubbly personality, and neither of them can deny the connection, but they keep it strictly in the “friend zone.” Until they don’t… 🔥💥‼️ Obviously a romance between step-siblings would be taboo, but the stakes are raised with both of their high-profile careers, pro hockey player and orchestral harpist… once their unorthodox relationship is speculated about in the tabloids, does it mean it’s over before it even starts?

The PINING, ANGST, and Sig’s unwavering devotion to Chloe MADE this book. I always love a book where the FMC finds her own way in the world, and Chloe definitely sparkled. This book gave me ‘It Happened One Summer’ vibes in the best way, but even though Sig is protective and would do anything for his love, he’s definitely not grumpy. Also, the spice was spicing. 😏

FIVE ⭐️ and 3.5 🌶️