✩4

“Hey, dream girl.”

✦What to Expect✦
•Future step siblings
•Forbidden romance
•He’s a hockey player
•She’s a music prodigy
•He will do ANYTHING for her
•He calls her “dream girl”

✦Characters✦
•Sig Gauthier
•Chloe Clifford
 
✦Fav Quotes✦
She made every single day better just by being alive. Being his best friend, as well as his . . .

“You love her?”
“I exist for her.”

“I’ll be dead and buried before I stay away from you.”

✦Thoughts✦
Classic Tessa Bailey!

Definitely more of a slow burn, but the wait is so worth it with these two. I loved the buildup & tension of it all.

I loved seeing the two of them became best friends first and absolutely how down bad Sig was for Chloe. He was so perfect, and he truly would do ANYTHING for her. He was protective & possessive and I ate it up.

So excited for the next book!

I really enjoy reading Tessa Bailey’s books. This one didn’t disappoint. It is a slow burn, but then turns quite spicy. I enjoyed that we see the characters from the Au Pair Affair in this book too. Sig is pretty much the perfect book romance boyfriend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️.75/5

Dream Girl drama was as “scandalous” I thought it would be based on the teasers in the previous book. It follows Sig and Chloe two step-siblings who are *gasp* in love. Only Tessa Bailey would attempt this trope so head on.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Sig and Chloe at the beginning but it got pretty repetitive and predictable. I felt like I wanted a little more than just fixating on their forbidden romance. Also was a little too insta-love for my taste. But this book has all the banter and spice of a Tessa Bailey book and was a decently fun read.

Oh my gosh😍😍😍 I love them!! Sig and Chloe's dynamic is so good, the way he loves her and teaches her things she's never done before. Please read this!! Every single book in this series deserves way more hype!

I tried so hard to love this book, but I think I’m just not as enchanted with Tessa Bailey’s recent works. Everything seems so formulaic and false in the characters - there’s nothing gritty, raw or REAL and j just find myself bored.

✍︎︎ ⒶⓇⒸ ⒷⓄⓄⓀ ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ ✍︎︎

𝙳𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝙳𝚛𝚊𝚖𝚊 𝚋𝚢 𝚃𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊 𝙱𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚢
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

did i loose my absolute shit when i got selected to be an arc reader for TESSA BAILEY?!? absolutely i did!

Sig and Chloe meet on a whirlwind of a night when Sig's truck breaks down and Chloe sneaks him into a country club, and the immediate chemistry is palpable. They are enamored with each other and end up sharing a romantic kiss under the moonlight on the golf course (it's a steamy kiss too) and make plans to meet up after they both attend an important family event... only they don't realize it's the same event. Sig's headed to meet his distant father's new girl friend and the only problem is the new girl friend is Chloe's mother. Sig's dream girl is about to become his step sister. Can Sig convince his gold digging father to leave Chloe's mother alone?! Or will he be forced to have Chloe in his life but never be able to be with her romantically?!

This forbidden romance had SO much tension. The build up and the slow burn was crazy. I couldn't put this book down. I love Tessa Bailey's books and this was no exception. I yearned for them to find a way to make this unfortunate situation work!! I have been loving getting more into sports romance and hockey romances are very much my vibe. so this was perfection. I could already see the next couple forming in this book too, so i'm excited to see if the series continues how i predict it will.

The only reason this isn't a 5 star read for me was the beginning of the book wasn't my favorite, the time jumps of how Sig and Chloe became friends over 6 months just kind of flew by and i wish we'd had a little more context of them in those months. I also felt the 3rd act baseball scene was a little tooooo silly. but i can see why it would be in there to introduce a possible next book pairing. I also felt chloe was a little too naive about the world.. like girlie really spent $700 on eye cream when she literally has no money and rent is due?!?! overall the pining and wanting what you can't have was done so well. i loved these two together for sure.

What a great finale to this set of interconnected stand alones. I was such a huge fan of both of the first two books in the Big Shots series so I was so excited to receive this as an ARC from NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this one! As is expected of Tessa Bailey, the banter was top notch and there were several times where I actually laughed out loud. I loved the chemistry between Sig & Chloe which we’d already seen a little bit of in Burgess and Tallulah’s book.

I was initially concerned Chloe would be overly ditzy but I really loved how her character was written and developed over the story.

I did guess the “twist” pretty early on but that didn’t take away any enjoyment from the story. This was a treat from start to finish! If you’re a fan of TB you’ll enjoy this one!

4 stars!

I've been so excited about this book ever since we got a GLIMPSE of the couple in book 2 of the series. I love how obsessed how obsessed and how much of a simp Sig is for Chloe. I was squealing so much while reading, and just wanting them to be together! This was another hit from Tessa Bailey and one I am definitely going to need a physical copy of!

I never pass up a book by Tessa Bailey. Her romcoms provide the perfect combination of spice and banter. I was especially excited to read this book after reading The Au Pair Affair to find out all about the tension with Sig and Chloe. The chemistry in this book was delicious. I love that her books have both strong male and female characters. Another entertaining ready by Tessa Bailey.

I feel so honored to be able to read Dream Girl Down as an ARC. Tessa Bailey has been one of my auto buy authors since I started my reading journey three years ago. I had been waiting for this book since we were teased with this relationship in the Au Pair Affair. I LOVE the character development Chloe shows throughout the book. And Pierre will always have my heart! Now Sig, where to begin.... I love the way he takes care of his Mom and spoils Chloe. The possessive side of that man is absolutely drool worthy. "You love her, I exist for her" will always live in my head rent free. I can not wait to buy a book trophy for my shelf! Thank you again #NetGalley and #AvonPublishing

I don’t remember the last time I was excited to read an ARC! This series is so much fun, and this is coming from someone who hasn’t had much luck in contemporary romances lately.

I started this last night, and then woke up at 2am(thanks hormones) and finished it before the dogs got up. 4.5 stars!

If you haven’t started this series, you really should!! They’re interconnected standalones, which is the best way to have a series. I’ve only read two other Tessa books, but this series convinced me to read more. I really enjoy her writing style. The romcom parts aren’t ott, which is PERFECT for me.

I can’t wait for the next books!

I went back and forth between 3.5 stars and 4 stars as the writing is phenomenal of course like it always is for Tessa Bailey, but I couldn’t follow get into the whole story plot. I couldn’t stop reading though as I had to know what was going to happen between Chloe and Sig. The plot twist at the end is what made this a four star book! I will be recommending this to all my friends who are fans of Bailey’s work. This is definitely a must read and cannot wait for its actual release next year

I love Tessa Bailey and was so excited for an arc of hers, but this book did not hit the mark for me. While this was lighthearted, easy, and fun there is a lot that goes on that I personally felt should have more depth to the story. I had parts where I couldn't put the book down but then parts that I had to force myself to keep reading. I am not a fan of insta love but the background could have given this story an amazing plot, but it closed up way too quickly in my opinion.

This was a fun read. It’s a dual point-of-view, opposites attract romance featuring a hockey star and his soon to be step-sibling. I’ve read the 2 other books in the series so was looking forward to this one. This author always sucks you in within the first chapters and you can’t stop reading.

4.5⭐️

If there is one thing that Tessa Bailey knows how to do, it’s knowing how to grab her readers’ attention within the first few chapters of each of her books. She had me hooked within the opening scene alone.

Dream Girl Drama is about two strangers who happen across each other at an uber-rich people country club by chance, or so we are led to believe. Sig and Chloe hit it off right from the start. Sig Gauthier is a quiet, hard-working pro hockey player from Boston, and Chloe Clifford is a bubbly, rich prodigy harpist who has never had to work a day in her life. Though they come from two completely different worlds, it’s like they were made for each other. That is until a few hours later, after their romcom-worthy meet-cute, they inevitably discover that they are destined to be step-siblings and not lovers. This book follows these two and how they try to navigate their forbidden feelings for one another.

Review:

I will be completely honest and preface that I was a bit hesitant about reading this book/ finishing this series in the first place. I loved Fangirl Down; we stan Josephine and Wells in this household. I did however struggle a bit to get through The Au Pair Affair. I just didn’t connect with those two or their story, which in turn, made me question whether or not I wanted to read this book. I am glad that my toxin trait of not being able to DNF a series prevailed because I honestly loved this book so much.

Like I said before, this book had me hooked within the first few pages. The tension between Sig and Chloe was unmatched. The way that they were so different, yet they just seemed to fit together so perfectly, made me root for them. All I wanted was for their love story to work itself out.
The comedic bits had me audibly laughing. The Orgasm Donors alone were probably my favorite side characters. What can I say, I have a very specific type when it comes to fictional characters. The cute, comedic relief, sidekick energy best friends get me every time. They honestly reminded me so much of Reilly and Jonesy from Letterkenny (I highly recommend it if you have not watched it). If Corrigan and Mailer get their own books, you bet your ass that I will be there front and center on release day!

My one real grievance with this book was that Sig could come off as a little too possessive, alpha male type at times for my liking. But even then, it’s such a minor grievance because this character trait didn’t completely take away from all the other traits that I did like about him and the overall story.
If you’re a fan of Tessa Bailey’s romcoms, hockey romances, and even Dan Humphrey and Serena van der Woodson shippers, this is most definitely worth the read.

Thank you, Avon and NetGalley for providing me with the eARC! I loved every second of this read!

I had read the two other books in this series - Fangirl Down and Au Pair Affair. Sig and Chloe make a brief appearance in Au Pair Affair. Their relationship seems silly and unserious so I didn't expect much from Dream Girl Drama. Maybe something lighthearted and breezy?

However, this book really surprised me. Sig and Chloe have a strong connection from the start and it never dies. It's almost heartbreaking how much they love each other but can't be with one another. Their passion kept me intrigued and I read this book much faster than I expected I would.

My only qualm with the story is that it wrapped up VERY fast. The issues keeping them apart didn't get resolved until about 90% in and then POOF! the book is over. I'm glad there was a nice epilogue at the end to extend the HEA. Overall, this was a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for an advanced copy of this book!

As a Tessa Bailey fan, I know what I can expect when reading her books. Likable characters, a somewhat predictable plot with a few twists & some definite 🌶️ moments…I’m a fan. However, I’ve noticed recently in her series…book 1 starts out strong and the rest fizzle. This book fizzled. I’m Not a fan of instant love, the characters “loved each other so much” but didn’t seem to have chemistry? The main female character started the book off by desperately wanting her independence-only to rely on her step-brother/love interest to “be on her own”. It had weird sugar daddy vibes thrown in. And to top it off-the twist at the end just made me angry. If it wouldn’t happened-would they have ended up fighting for their relationship? I never found myself rooting for this relationship. Recommend Tessa Bailey, but not this book.

Sig and Chloe….so freaking cute!!

The way these two meet is hilarious and way out of pocket. Even more than that is the fact that they are polar opposite and yet they have a pull to each other that will not be denied. The way Sig loves Chloe…OMG is everything a girl could ever hope for.

Sig and Chloe had one issue though, they are about to be in each others lives for the foreseeable future and not the way either of them wants!

Can their love find a way to survive?

I have been waiting for Sig and Chloe’s story!! Sig and Chloe meet and have an instant connection. Yet to their horror, they realize that they are soon to be step-siblings. Pursuing a relationship could lead to career problems, social stigma, and upsetting their parents. Sig and Chloe instead form a friendship, which some might call too close. As their connection builds, Chloe and Sig must decide how far they will take their relationship and what it might cost them.

Sig and Chloe’s relationship is filled with tension and epic pining. I absolutely love how protective Sig is of Chloe, while also encouraging her independence in ways that no one ever has before. He is down bad for Chloe and I adored it. They have a classic grump/sunshine and opposites-attract dynamic and it works so well for them. I love the setting of Boston, especially as Chloe experiences the challenges of fending for herself (and becoming a dog mom!). The chemistry between Sig and Chloe is off the charts, especially when the tension between them finally snaps. The extended cast of the hockey team, cameos of Tallulah and Burgess, and even the complicated relationships with their families are all excellent.

Dream Girl Drama is perfect for readers who love a forbidden relationship, protective grump/sunshine, and romance filled with pining. I hope this series continues!

Thank you to Tessa Bailey, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Sig is a hockey player with daddy issues. As the story starts, he has no intention of finding romantic love. After one make-out session on a golf course with a sheltered country club girl he’s on board to trample his ideals for someone whom he ultimately does not know.

Chloe’s character went from a small rebellion in the first chapter to moving to a new city cut off from her familial wealth less than a full chapter later. For someone who can not drive, cook, or do seemingly anything herself, she runs to a man who is, by all intents and purposes, a stranger.

Moving together upon hours of meeting, coupled with finding out you’re going to be step siblings in a few months, has to be classified as clinical insanity. I don’t enjoy instant love on a good day, but at least they usually have to decency to find some semblance of pace or restraint. Even though it was under the guise of being “friends”, there is no plausible way to distend your belief enough for this to seem possible.

Their relationship read more like a parent child relationship than an adult one. Sig taught her how to do all the things in the real world and seemingly let her out of the house for the first time, which was very infantile. Additionally, Chloe often read as more of a petulant child than a woman finding her way in the world.

Sig thinks he loves her because she gives him purpose (get a dog like a normal person). Chloe thinks she loves him because he broke her out of rich “jail”(get therapy).

The whole book just told us they were in love but couldn’t be together since it would be taboo, only to resolve that four pages before the epilogue.

Overall, the book lacked substance and any sort of pace. Please get therapy.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!