3.75 rounded up

I have to say, the overprotective/possessive alpha male act was a bit cringe due to the subject matter. Like, the whole “We can’t be together, but no one else can have you either.” Scenario was seriously getting on my last nerve. Their parents drove me crazy, and the miscommunication was making me batty. That aside, the spice was THERE and I am super invested in this universe. I love all of the sports players in this series, I am sooooooo ready for their storylines (THEY BETTER GET THEIR OWN BOOKS!!) and I loved catching up with other characters from the previous books. Despite the cringe, I really enjoyed this book. Chloe is just so sweet and you know she would be an amazing friend. Sig has so much going on, and fights hard for those he cares about. I can’t wait for the next book… hint, hint…

⭐⭐⭐ (3/5 Stars)

I’ve found that I either really love Tessa Bailey books or they really fall short for me. And future step siblings that fall in love with each other is definitely not for me. I tried reading as well as the audiobook and both were a struggle to get through. There was definite chemistry between Sig and Chloe but I wasn’t on the edge of my seat rooting for their success. Tessa Bailey is great for all the spice but this story was a definite miss for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for an eARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I am so glad the step-sibling relationship went the way it did, otherwise I don't know if I would've rated this so high. I was weary going in, because I am not a fan of the step-sibling trope. But to clarify for others, the pair meet as adults before they find out their parents are dating. The ick factor was thankfully missing.
Chloe got on my nerves quite a lot throughout the story. I understand she was sheltered, but it quickly became her personality versus a circumstance. She wanted to branch out on her own, but she was wholly dependent on Sig. He gave her rent money, and she spent it on makeup? And thought it was no big deal, even though she was constantly late on her rent payments, to the point her super had to track her down and call Sig? If it wasn't for Sig, Chloe would have been sent back to her mom's house within a week, if not a day. He was way too nice to her. She was also just oblivious to everything around her. She didn't notice guys hitting on her. And she couldn't decipher any thing that was common sense. I'm not sure just how much she grew by the end of the book, but at least she was more aware of where she was lacking.
Overall, the romance was okay and the storyline was okay. Definitely not my favorite book by Tessa Bailey.
3.5/5 stars rounded up.

Unfortunately this one was my least favorite of the Big Shots series so far. Was it steamy? Very! Was there plot? of course! But I couldn't get past the insta-love and the simping the main male character did for the main female character. It just felt like too much. A normal well adjusted person would be freaked out by that and Chloe (main female character lived for it).

I will definitely read more Tessa Bailey in the future and am still a Tessa Bailey lover!

This is both an insta love yet a development story. While I hated how Chloe never really "grew up" I feel it would have been better if she put a little more effort. Sig was an enabler the whole time. I have to say this was so much story which was shocking to me and I was really interested in it. I do wish the climax would have been different and yet it still worked.

This book was cute. I really enjoyed Sig and Chloe together. I found Chloe to be kinda clueless, but in an endearing way. There was such an emphasis on them being future step siblings, it became a little repetitive. Overall, this was a fun and quick read.

NHL bad boy and star Sig has finally met his match in harp prodigy and rich girl Chloe. They fall hard and fast in one afternoon only to realize later that night that their parents are newly engaged. This story was incredibly lame but I followed through since i enjoyed the first two books of the series. Cheesy, spicy and predictable.

I absolutely love Tessa Bailey and 8 absolutely adored this book. This story had me giggling and kicking my feet. I also enjoyed how lighthearted it was and there were parts that made me laugh. After reading about Sig anf Chloe, I can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the complimentary copy.

3.5/5 ⭐️

I have been loving Tessa Bailey’s Big Shots series! The whole step siblings falling in love trope is usually not my cup of tea, this is probably the first one I’ve actually enjoyed. I absolutely loved Chloe and Sig’s dynamic in Au Pair Affair and was so excited when I saw the author decided to do a third book with their story. Like most of the Tessa Bailey novels I’ve delved into there’s a lot of fun banter, spicy scenes, and pining. I liked the main characters and how it was all tied up at the end but the pacing of their relationship felt weird to me. They seemed to be in love/lust with each other too quickly while simultaneously their finally getting together dragged out too much. I will say I think I enjoyed their dynamic more when we were getting the perspective of an outsider in Au Pair Affair rather than Sig or Chloe’s perspective directly, though I couldn’t pinpoint why. Overall, I would still recommend this book and it kicked off a binge of reading more hockey romances so I would definitely devour another sports romcom by Tessa Bailey should she decide to put one out.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Tessa Bailey for the e-ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review.

Thank you to Avon, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for the eArc!

Here is what you need to know:
Chloe and Sig meet at a country club and it’s insta love… until they find out that their parents are marrying each other. Chloe is a harp prodigy and Sig is a professional hockey player and it’s too much DRAMA to be with his DREAM GIRL 😏. Can they just be friends as Chloe moves to Boston to pursue her music career and Sig works his tail off to receive his new contract at work? Will the marriage dissolve so they can finally be together??

I keep reading Tessa Bailey hoping to find what Hook, Line, and Sinker had and I need to just stop.

This one had a very fun start. The whole forbidden love part was fun until I thought about it too hard and thought… but why can’t they be together? Like these people are grown? It’s not like they lived under the same roof together?

And then when it came to the spice they didn’t talk about it before? They just went for it? It just didn’t sit with me right.

Maybe I’m being too critical?

But I will admit it’s like a guilty pleasure of mine to read her books and see the silly way she relates to things.

For example:
- sexy lion tamer
- miniature waterslide
- a mallet
- human form of candle wax

I need to read her books with blinders on but I can’t! Oh well overall I had a good time.

I was sure I'd love this book. So sure. I was wrong. To be honest, I didn't even really like the book much at all.

I'm bummed about it, but I guess that happens now & again. This book was just a big swing & a miss for me.

I wouldn't recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Oh boy, I didn't know what to expect with this one, knowing that Sig and Chloe were about to be step-siblings. It was fun to have Tessa dip a toe into the taboo...though this one made me a bit uncomfy - just because Sig was putting such a big emphasis on it. That said...wow was it hot. It built and built and built and no wonder it impacted them both the way it did. I also really appreciated that Chloe grew up over the course of the book and moved away from the selfish way she was. Can't wait to see what's next in this world!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced reader copy! As a huge fan of Tessa Bailey, I was so excited to see she was continuing the Big Shots series and this one was my favorite so far. I loved Chloe's character in the previous book and was so happy she was getting her own story. A++ vibes for Sig we LOVE him!!! Cant wait to continue reading more from this author and am so lucky to have been given the early copy! I cant wait to pick up the physical copy to add to my collection. I gave this book 4 stars!

✨Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dream Girl Drama is book 3 in the Big Shots series by Tessa Bailey. All of the books in this series can be read as stand alones. However, it’s more enjoyable to read them all as there are crossovers!

This book focuses on Sig (an NHL player) and Chloe (a harp prodigy). They meet and sparks fly immediately so they make plans to meet up, only to quickly find out that their parents are engaged!

Chloe is my favorite character in the entire series. She is initially made out to be a rich, selfish, airhead but there is very obviously way more than meets the eye with her and it was so fun to watch her character development throughout the story!

This was such a fun, entertaining, easy read. Tessa Bailey never fails to deliver on a steamy, silly, good time!

I would like to thank Tess Bailey and Avon and Harper Voyager for the e-ARC that was provided to me in exchange for my honest review!

This review is posted to my linked Goodreads and will be posted to my (also linked) instagram on 03/03/25!

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey offers a fun and steamy romantic journey with witty banter and compelling characters. While the chemistry between the protagonists is undeniable, the potential sibling dynamic didn't quite resonate with me, leaving the story feeling a bit awkward at times. Despite this, Bailey's signature humor and engaging writing style kept me invested, and the overall romance is still enjoyable. A solid read, but not without its flaws—3.5 stars.

Audience: Adult
Plot: 4 out of 5
Characters: 4 out of 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5
Keywords: Romance, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy, Hockey, Sports, Forbidden Romance, Boston
Tea Pairing: Chocolate Cinnamint by Harney & Sons

I received copies of this book through NetGalley from HarperCollins Publishers. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

The third book in the Big Shots series, Dream Girl Drama follows the story of Sig Gauthier, a Bearcats hockey player, and Chloe Clifford, a wealthy harpist, as they navigate their new found relationship after a chance meeting at a country club. But drama is just around the corner when it’s announced that their parents are engaged. Sparks fly when Sig offers to help Chloe move to Boston, and the two become inseparable. With only a few short months before their parents’ wedding, can the two keep their relationship platonic?

I really enjoyed this book! Tessa Bailey did a phenomenal job at crafting a verging-on-taboo romance between Sig and Chloe. Readers will remember Sig and Chloe from the Au Pair Affair, and I’m so glad that the two got their own story. The tension throughout the book was perfect – which was represented by the “will they won’t they” vibe. The pacing was also on point. I felt that there was a sense of urgency, which drove the story forward.

I had many favorite scenes in this book, but my top two were 1) Elton at the dog park, and 2) the baseball game. Anytime Sig and the hockey players were present they just brought a sense of mischief, joy, and protectiveness to the story.

I would recommend this novel to fans of Elle Kennedy and Ali Hazelwood, or to anyone who might enjoy a steamy sports or hockey themed romance.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy. This is the third book in this series and was just as good as the others. It had highs and lows and some spice as well. I can’t wait to read the next in this series!

This has all the classic Tessa Bailey character chemistry, banter, and spice!! Sig is the ultimate book boyfriend, and I love Chloe! Bailey's ability to make me love her FMC's is never a letdown. I adored the sexual tension and love at first sight vibes of this book....the slow burn as they fought their attraction for eachother. I couldn't wait to find out what happened at the end, which btw who doesn't LOVE that happy ending. And the Bearcats teammates!?! The orgasm donors had me laughing out loud! The camaraderie and love of sport, team and eachother was so well done. Also who doesn't love a book with a doggo!?!?!?!

“Chloe, I would sell my f***ing soul for you and smile while I signed on the dotted line.” -Sig

I've read all the books in the Tessa Bailey's Big Shots series, this one is coming in ranked second. Book 2 in the series, The Au Pair Affair is currently my favorite and did a great job of setting up for Dream Girl Drama. I was hoping to get more depth from Sig and Chole's characters but I ended up feeling like I didn't get much more out of them that was featured in The Au Pair Affair. I do love a forbidden romance trope and Dream Girl Drama was satisfying in that for me. Also love hockey romance, so this book had that for me to enjoy. Chole had a very Elle Woods feel to her character, learning how to take care of herself for truly the first time and navigating a new life away from her controlling mother. Sig, well he is the type of golden retriever energy I love from a leading male character in a romance, will do anything for the person he loves and people he cares about. Spicy scenes were top notch like in most of Tessa Bailey's books. I am certainly looking forward to book 4 in this series, I was very excited to see that setup in the baseball game featured in Dream Girl Drama, can't wait to read Corrigan and Skylar book!

Dream Girl Drama is a sizzling, trope-filled delight that delivers on both humor and chemistry. Sig and Chloe’s instant attraction is electric, and their complicated family entanglement only adds to the tension. Tessa Bailey’s signature banter and steamy moments shine, making this a fast-paced, engaging read. Chloe’s journey toward independence is compelling, though the “forbidden” aspect of their romance felt a bit more frustrating than thrilling at times. Still, their undeniable connection makes it impossible to stop rooting for them.

Verdict: A fun, flirty romance with plenty of heart and heat—perfect for fans of forbidden love and sports romance!

Thank you Tessa Bailey, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!