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Big Shots #3
Dream Girl Drama: A Spicy Sports Rom-Com with an Unconventional Love Story
A steamy chance encounter between a professional hockey player and the manic pixie dream girl he just can’t seem to forget takes a turn when the pair realize that their parents are engaged—in an all-new rom-com by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey.
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, the manic pixie dream girl who captivates him immediately with her sense of adventure and penchant for stealing champagne.
Sparks fly during a moonlight kiss and 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.
Sig’s dream girl is 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—but not inside his bedroom. They both know there can never be more than friendship between a famous hockey player and his high-society, soon-to-be stepsister. But keeping their relationship platonic grows harder amid the developing family drama, especially knowing they were meant for so much more…
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, the manic pixie dream girl who captivates him immediately with her sense of adventure and penchant for stealing champagne.
Sparks fly during a moonlight kiss and 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.
Sig’s dream girl is 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—but not inside his bedroom. They both know there can never be more than friendship between a famous hockey player and his high-society, soon-to-be stepsister. But keeping their relationship platonic grows harder amid the developing family drama, especially knowing they were meant for so much more…
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2025
2599 people are currently reading
55279 people want to read
About the author
Tessa Bailey
110 books67.1k followersNew York Times Bestselling author Tessa Bailey can solve all problems except for her own, so she focuses those efforts on stubborn, fictional blue collar men and loyal, lovable heroines. She lives on Long Island avoiding the sun and social interactions, then wonders why no one has called. Dubbed the “Michelangelo of dirty talk,” by Entertainment Weekly, Tessa writes with spice, spirit, swoon and a guaranteed happily ever after. Catch her on TikTok at @authortessabailey or check out tessabailey.com for a complete list of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,382 reviews
January 31, 2025
3.75!
“You love her?” “I exist for her.”
I love how I start every tessa bailey book saying that "faith in her restored" or "never trust her" im glad that this was not the latter. It was such an enjoyable book!! It was very fun and addictive and super easy to read and it wasn't even that long which made it very bingeable. After how the au pair affair went I was skeptical picking this up but I'm glad it hit. The first half was definitely the saving grace of this because it was just very strong, the tension and chemistry was sizzling there, the last half got a little weak as compared to the first one but it wasnt enough for me to hate it. I liked how it overall shaped up. I also liked her take on this forbidden romance and I feel like she did a decent job.
Chloe was such a diva she felt like elle from legally blonde and amanda seyfried from mean girls and I absolutely loved that because she was so fun to read. There was a point where she annoyed me because of her childish tendencies but for the most part of this book she was actually very fun to read about, I liked reading about her pursuing her career in music and playing the harp and I also liked how she cling to independence, it was very fun. Sig, he was soooo good. I liked how he did everything for Chloe and I loved how he spoiled and her treated her so well, how he bought her everything and took care of her without making her feel like she was being a burden, I also liked how he was willing to sacrifice sm for her (it felt a little unrealistic but it was sweet) I also liked the lengths he was willing to go for Chloe and I also loved his family drama part.
The romance, When I see TB I see Insta lust, so I was sort of prepared but insta lust rarely works for me and this one annoyed me a bit. I liked the attraction and the tension tho, the chemistry was definitely there and I liked how the whole forbidden aspect played out. I think I liked it more because it wasnt too taboo but also the right amount of forbidden for it to be angsty. The spicy scenes were also very spicy and lmaoo idk why tessa is getting so creative with her sex scenes because wdym she fingered his ass. I liked the banter between them but I felt like at one point the step sibling drama became too much and I wanted more development and fluffy scenes for them.
The plot, I was shocked to see that there was a plot outside the romantic one, I liked how it was played out and how it intertwined with the romantic plot, who knew tessa bailey would write a good plot twist because I was shook lol she should focus on the plot more at times for her books because I was very invested in this books. I didnt like one thing tho, which is that with every book the sporty parts just disappear like I would actually like to read about them.
Overall, it was very enjoyable!
read it if you like:
-Dysfunctional family
-Forbidden romance
-Dive fmc X downbad mmc
-Angst, tension and spice
-Sports drama (contract stuff, very less sports stuff)
____
This was wayyyy better than book 2 (1 star) and not as good book 1 (4 stars) but still very enjoyable!!
___
The arcs just sitting there in my shelf looking at me and I'm in the mood for some spicy trashy Tessa baileyness 🤭 so here we go🤸🏻
_
I'm done with book 2 hated it but I need this book more than anything else 😩
_
I'm not even done with book 2 and I want their book more 🙂↕️
“You love her?” “I exist for her.”
I love how I start every tessa bailey book saying that "faith in her restored" or "never trust her" im glad that this was not the latter. It was such an enjoyable book!! It was very fun and addictive and super easy to read and it wasn't even that long which made it very bingeable. After how the au pair affair went I was skeptical picking this up but I'm glad it hit. The first half was definitely the saving grace of this because it was just very strong, the tension and chemistry was sizzling there, the last half got a little weak as compared to the first one but it wasnt enough for me to hate it. I liked how it overall shaped up. I also liked her take on this forbidden romance and I feel like she did a decent job.
Chloe was such a diva she felt like elle from legally blonde and amanda seyfried from mean girls and I absolutely loved that because she was so fun to read. There was a point where she annoyed me because of her childish tendencies but for the most part of this book she was actually very fun to read about, I liked reading about her pursuing her career in music and playing the harp and I also liked how she cling to independence, it was very fun. Sig, he was soooo good. I liked how he did everything for Chloe and I loved how he spoiled and her treated her so well, how he bought her everything and took care of her without making her feel like she was being a burden, I also liked how he was willing to sacrifice sm for her (it felt a little unrealistic but it was sweet) I also liked the lengths he was willing to go for Chloe and I also loved his family drama part.
The romance, When I see TB I see Insta lust, so I was sort of prepared but insta lust rarely works for me and this one annoyed me a bit. I liked the attraction and the tension tho, the chemistry was definitely there and I liked how the whole forbidden aspect played out. I think I liked it more because it wasnt too taboo but also the right amount of forbidden for it to be angsty. The spicy scenes were also very spicy and lmaoo idk why tessa is getting so creative with her sex scenes because wdym she fingered his ass. I liked the banter between them but I felt like at one point the step sibling drama became too much and I wanted more development and fluffy scenes for them.
The plot, I was shocked to see that there was a plot outside the romantic one, I liked how it was played out and how it intertwined with the romantic plot, who knew tessa bailey would write a good plot twist because I was shook lol she should focus on the plot more at times for her books because I was very invested in this books. I didnt like one thing tho, which is that with every book the sporty parts just disappear like I would actually like to read about them.
Overall, it was very enjoyable!
read it if you like:
-Dysfunctional family
-Forbidden romance
-Dive fmc X downbad mmc
-Angst, tension and spice
-Sports drama (contract stuff, very less sports stuff)
____
This was wayyyy better than book 2 (1 star) and not as good book 1 (4 stars) but still very enjoyable!!
___
The arcs just sitting there in my shelf looking at me and I'm in the mood for some spicy trashy Tessa baileyness 🤭 so here we go🤸🏻
_
I'm done with book 2 hated it but I need this book more than anything else 😩
_
I'm not even done with book 2 and I want their book more 🙂↕️
February 5, 2025
no because this is gonna be hot and i won’t even complain if he slobbers on her tits like all of TB’s heroes
(edit: i am complaining. i'm glad i didn't buy this. thank you for the ALC libro.fm)
(edit: i am complaining. i'm glad i didn't buy this. thank you for the ALC libro.fm)
December 4, 2025
"Wake up with me tomorrow morning. Wake up with me every morning."
"Until my last sunrise, dream girl."
I would rather not wake up after reading this boring book 🥴
"Until my last sunrise, dream girl."
I would rather not wake up after reading this boring book 🥴
September 29, 2024
Future step siblings meet and fall for each other, but they can’t be together, because it would look “weird”. The whole storyline revolved around this and this was probably why I couldn’t fully enjoy this one. This one wasn’t the worst, but it def wasn’t my favorite. For me, I just couldn’t understand why it would be weird for them to be together when they met as adults before they even knew their parents were together. All they would have to do is say that publicly and I felt like it wouldn’t be weird at all? Maybe I am not familiar with famous/rich people customs and right vs wrong?
The chemistry between them was extreme. But I don’t know that it felt like love, more like lust. And the FMC seemed so helpless at times & he was doing everything for her and getting nothing in return… idk this one just was outside of my ability to understand.
The best part about this book was definitely the chemistry between them though and that saved the book. I think some people will really enjoy this book, but it was just so-so for me.
Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The chemistry between them was extreme. But I don’t know that it felt like love, more like lust. And the FMC seemed so helpless at times & he was doing everything for her and getting nothing in return… idk this one just was outside of my ability to understand.
The best part about this book was definitely the chemistry between them though and that saved the book. I think some people will really enjoy this book, but it was just so-so for me.
Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2024
2.75 stars
I found the initial chapters of this novel quite promising, as the undeniable chemistry between the protagonists drew them together during their charming first encounter. however, the story took an unexpected turn with soap opera-like events following their realization that they were about to become step-siblings. initially, i adored the way the male character spoiled the female protagonist with a ‘princess treatment’ and took such tender care of her.
yet, as the story progressed, I began to feel disconnected from the narrative. Chloe was often depicted in a childlike manner, which became challenging to engage with at times. nonetheless, I was genuinely surprised by the significant twist revealed at the end of the book, and I appreciated how the author deftly navigated the complexities of their forbidden relationship.
overall, it was a fast-paced read featuring endearing characters and cute romantic moments.
many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
somehow got the arc !! so excited <3
”you love her?” “I exist for her.”
I found the initial chapters of this novel quite promising, as the undeniable chemistry between the protagonists drew them together during their charming first encounter. however, the story took an unexpected turn with soap opera-like events following their realization that they were about to become step-siblings. initially, i adored the way the male character spoiled the female protagonist with a ‘princess treatment’ and took such tender care of her.
yet, as the story progressed, I began to feel disconnected from the narrative. Chloe was often depicted in a childlike manner, which became challenging to engage with at times. nonetheless, I was genuinely surprised by the significant twist revealed at the end of the book, and I appreciated how the author deftly navigated the complexities of their forbidden relationship.
overall, it was a fast-paced read featuring endearing characters and cute romantic moments.
many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
somehow got the arc !! so excited <3
avoid-like-the-plague
July 21, 2024I have a bet with someone that there will be pegging in this one. Just need it on the record here for posterior, I mean posterity.
Also gonna need someone to confirm this when it gets arced as I am off this author for good.
Also gonna need someone to confirm this when it gets arced as I am off this author for good.
July 23, 2025
1 star
chloe Clifford grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth her entire life which resulted in her not knowing how to do her own laundry, how to drive, and spending $700 of her rent money on eye creams.
like, i’m pretty sure some of the TOP celebrities in the world know how to do their own fucking laundry. i really hated how tone deaf she was - if she met someone who was struggling financially, she would’ve started throwing rude ass comments at them and just degrade that person. i really, really, really, really, hated that. tone deaf people are arguably some of the worst people in the world.
because while you’re here struggling with learning what detergent is, many people are struggling to find their next meal. this was by far the worst part of this book.
sig gaunthier was also so frustrating. their first meeting, he somehow knew that she was the one and she is apparently the most stunning, beautiful, ethereal girl that she’s ever seen.
he was describing her like a GODDESS (and not in a good way). and for someone who hasn't even spoken to her yet, that’s a huge reach. dealing with her bullshit was just so annoying to read about. he took care of her every needs like he was her babysitter. she’s a goddamn ADULT. this girl seriously needs to go out into the world and see how the real world works and not stay in some picturesque fantasy she has in her empty head that everything is perfect in the world.
some other stuff that really pissed me off:
- fmc moved out with the mmc less than one day into meeting him
- lust at first sight
- 21%: “and they were all sorely out of luck. because no one got close to Chloe. no one but him.”
- weird ass time skips: 2 weeks to 2 months every chapter
- “her hormones were multiplying like rabbits”
- “she was in love with sig” 35% in
- spent her rent money on EYE CREAMS…
chloe Clifford grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth her entire life which resulted in her not knowing how to do her own laundry, how to drive, and spending $700 of her rent money on eye creams.
like, i’m pretty sure some of the TOP celebrities in the world know how to do their own fucking laundry. i really hated how tone deaf she was - if she met someone who was struggling financially, she would’ve started throwing rude ass comments at them and just degrade that person. i really, really, really, really, hated that. tone deaf people are arguably some of the worst people in the world.
because while you’re here struggling with learning what detergent is, many people are struggling to find their next meal. this was by far the worst part of this book.
sig gaunthier was also so frustrating. their first meeting, he somehow knew that she was the one and she is apparently the most stunning, beautiful, ethereal girl that she’s ever seen.
he was describing her like a GODDESS (and not in a good way). and for someone who hasn't even spoken to her yet, that’s a huge reach. dealing with her bullshit was just so annoying to read about. he took care of her every needs like he was her babysitter. she’s a goddamn ADULT. this girl seriously needs to go out into the world and see how the real world works and not stay in some picturesque fantasy she has in her empty head that everything is perfect in the world.
some other stuff that really pissed me off:
- fmc moved out with the mmc less than one day into meeting him
- lust at first sight
- 21%: “and they were all sorely out of luck. because no one got close to Chloe. no one but him.”
- weird ass time skips: 2 weeks to 2 months every chapter
- “her hormones were multiplying like rabbits”
- “she was in love with sig” 35% in
- spent her rent money on EYE CREAMS…
February 4, 2025
“𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑰 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍?”
Tessa Bailey took one look at us and said, "let's have some fun," and wrote us a book that had me screaming at the pages while kicking my feet (2-in-1 combo) with this sports romance 🏒❤️
𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒌𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆.”
Sig and Chloe meet, and the attraction is INSANE when they are in the same room, it's instantly obvious they have the hots for each other 🔥🔥🔥 One problem? Her mom is about to marry his dad 🙂 isn't that grand? Making it impossible for them to be together because not only would it ruin Sig's hockey image, but it might also mess up Chloe's future as a harpist 🎵
“𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰’𝒎 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚?” “𝑵𝒐, 𝑰’𝒎 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍.”
Two people forbidden to be together due to career aspirations and, well... their parents 😅 But their attraction is just too much, and temptation? WAY too strong BUAHAHAHA what do you think happens?! *cough* romance. book *cough*
“𝑰𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕?” 𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒅, 𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒅𝒍𝒚.
“𝒀𝒆𝒔.”
“𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅. 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰’𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
Anywayyyy, this book was so fun! The chapters were short, it is 3rd person but you can kind of see what POV it is at the beginning of the book and it is fast space! No dragging thank god! The flirting between them was perfection, and the banter had me giggling so hard 🤭 I loved both characters and how they were like "no we can't" to the ultimate "i want you"🔥
Sig is totally the "I can fix it" type and honestly, he would do anything to make Chloe smile. The way he takes everything on his shoulders so that Chloe has it easier? MELT MY HEART 🥺 🥺 Meanwhile, Chloe might come off as spoiled (not the bad kind, though I hope I’m making sense 😂), but she fights for Sig and herself to grow and learn to be in the real world outside her bubble.
As with any good romance, this has a HEA, so don't worry, readers just keep swimming ! I swear it's worth it. SO SO FUN TO READ!!!!! And the way Tessa sprinkled hints for the next book? AGH, I CAN'T WAIT 😭👏.
Tropes
❤️ sports romance
❤️ forbidden romance
❤️ future stepsiblings
❤️ strangers to friends to lovers
❤️ 3rd person
❤️ insta love & spicy
Thank you Avon Books & Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ i have this arc and the way IM SO EXCITED like forbidden romance? sports romance? possible step-siblings? TESSA!!! 🙂↕️
Tessa Bailey took one look at us and said, "let's have some fun," and wrote us a book that had me screaming at the pages while kicking my feet (2-in-1 combo) with this sports romance 🏒❤️
𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒌𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆.”
Sig and Chloe meet, and the attraction is INSANE when they are in the same room, it's instantly obvious they have the hots for each other 🔥🔥🔥 One problem? Her mom is about to marry his dad 🙂 isn't that grand? Making it impossible for them to be together because not only would it ruin Sig's hockey image, but it might also mess up Chloe's future as a harpist 🎵
“𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰’𝒎 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚?” “𝑵𝒐, 𝑰’𝒎 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍.”
Two people forbidden to be together due to career aspirations and, well... their parents 😅 But their attraction is just too much, and temptation? WAY too strong BUAHAHAHA what do you think happens?! *cough* romance. book *cough*
“𝑰𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕?” 𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒅, 𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒅𝒍𝒚.
“𝒀𝒆𝒔.”
“𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅. 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰’𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
Anywayyyy, this book was so fun! The chapters were short, it is 3rd person but you can kind of see what POV it is at the beginning of the book and it is fast space! No dragging thank god! The flirting between them was perfection, and the banter had me giggling so hard 🤭 I loved both characters and how they were like "no we can't" to the ultimate "i want you"🔥
Sig is totally the "I can fix it" type and honestly, he would do anything to make Chloe smile. The way he takes everything on his shoulders so that Chloe has it easier? MELT MY HEART 🥺 🥺 Meanwhile, Chloe might come off as spoiled (not the bad kind, though I hope I’m making sense 😂), but she fights for Sig and herself to grow and learn to be in the real world outside her bubble.
As with any good romance, this has a HEA, so don't worry, readers just keep swimming ! I swear it's worth it. SO SO FUN TO READ!!!!! And the way Tessa sprinkled hints for the next book? AGH, I CAN'T WAIT 😭👏.
Tropes
❤️ sports romance
❤️ forbidden romance
❤️ future stepsiblings
❤️ strangers to friends to lovers
❤️ 3rd person
❤️ insta love & spicy
Thank you Avon Books & Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ i have this arc and the way IM SO EXCITED like forbidden romance? sports romance? possible step-siblings? TESSA!!! 🙂↕️
December 15, 2024
4.25 Stars! ✨ Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager & NetGalley, for blessing me with the digital ARC of Dream Girl Drama! Sig and Chloe’s story—FINALLY! I was already obsessed after their cameo in The Au Pair Affair, and let me tell you, this book delivered the drama, romance, and spice I was craving! 📖🔥
Okay, pause for dramatic effect—this book is a MASTERPIECE of forbidden love, family chaos, and swoony moonlit kisses. The yearning, the angst, the secret stolen moments—I’m still not over it. 💋😩 Tessa Bailey knows exactly how to reel you in with sizzling chemistry and then make you suffer in the best way possible.
✧ Forbidden Romance 💗
✧ Instalove but make it angsty 😍
✧ Sports Romance 🏒
✧ Broody Hockey Player Hero 💪
✧ Manic Pixie Dream Girl Vibes 🎶
✧ Slow Burn but still spicy 🔥
✧ Messy Family Drama 😬
✧ Opposites Attract 💖
Let’s talk Chloe first: harp prodigy, over-sheltered, and maybe a teensy bit spoiled, but somehow still adorable. I was ready to roll my eyes at her, but instead, I just wanted to hug her. 🥹 Watching her try to navigate independence while staying true to herself was chef’s kiss. And then there’s Sig. Ohhhh Sig. 😍 The brooding hockey god who treats Chloe like his whole world. Sure, he was borderline possessive at times, but honestly? We’re all fine with it. 🤷♀️
The forbidden tension was EVERYTHING. 💕 Their we-can’t-do-this-but-we’re-already-in-too-deep dynamic was perfection, and the way it shifted from insta-lust to slow-burn yearning? Ugh, my heart! 🥲 Add in the step-sibling-to-be situation and the messy family drama, and you’ve got a recipe for ALL the feels.
Now, if I had one tiny complaint, it’s this: I wanted just a little more of their domestic bliss at the end. Like, give me all the soft moments of these two finally getting their happy ending without chaos looming over them. But honestly? That’s me being greedy because the book still SLAYED.
If you’re in the mood for steamy forbidden romance with all the angst and just the right amount of sweetness, Dream Girl Drama is your next binge-read. 🌶️💖 Tessa Bailey strikes again with a swoon-worthy love story that’ll leave you wanting more. Sig and Chloe forever! 🥰
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I got the ARC of Dream Girl Drama and I’m so excited to dive into this one! 🤩📖 After seeing Sig and Chloe in Tessa Bailey’s earlier books, I’m dying to read more about them! Their steamy romance, family drama, and that forbidden attraction have me hooked already. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out! 🔥
Okay, pause for dramatic effect—this book is a MASTERPIECE of forbidden love, family chaos, and swoony moonlit kisses. The yearning, the angst, the secret stolen moments—I’m still not over it. 💋😩 Tessa Bailey knows exactly how to reel you in with sizzling chemistry and then make you suffer in the best way possible.
✧ Forbidden Romance 💗
✧ Instalove but make it angsty 😍
✧ Sports Romance 🏒
✧ Broody Hockey Player Hero 💪
✧ Manic Pixie Dream Girl Vibes 🎶
✧ Slow Burn but still spicy 🔥
✧ Messy Family Drama 😬
✧ Opposites Attract 💖
Let’s talk Chloe first: harp prodigy, over-sheltered, and maybe a teensy bit spoiled, but somehow still adorable. I was ready to roll my eyes at her, but instead, I just wanted to hug her. 🥹 Watching her try to navigate independence while staying true to herself was chef’s kiss. And then there’s Sig. Ohhhh Sig. 😍 The brooding hockey god who treats Chloe like his whole world. Sure, he was borderline possessive at times, but honestly? We’re all fine with it. 🤷♀️
The forbidden tension was EVERYTHING. 💕 Their we-can’t-do-this-but-we’re-already-in-too-deep dynamic was perfection, and the way it shifted from insta-lust to slow-burn yearning? Ugh, my heart! 🥲 Add in the step-sibling-to-be situation and the messy family drama, and you’ve got a recipe for ALL the feels.
Now, if I had one tiny complaint, it’s this: I wanted just a little more of their domestic bliss at the end. Like, give me all the soft moments of these two finally getting their happy ending without chaos looming over them. But honestly? That’s me being greedy because the book still SLAYED.
If you’re in the mood for steamy forbidden romance with all the angst and just the right amount of sweetness, Dream Girl Drama is your next binge-read. 🌶️💖 Tessa Bailey strikes again with a swoon-worthy love story that’ll leave you wanting more. Sig and Chloe forever! 🥰
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I got the ARC of Dream Girl Drama and I’m so excited to dive into this one! 🤩📖 After seeing Sig and Chloe in Tessa Bailey’s earlier books, I’m dying to read more about them! Their steamy romance, family drama, and that forbidden attraction have me hooked already. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out! 🔥
February 5, 2025
2.5 ⭐ Funny enough, it was the taboo romance that ultimately put me off the story—not for the reason you might expect.
"You're a fucking star that fell out of the sky and I was lucky enough to be standing in the right place."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ contemporary romance
✨ boston setting
✨ she's a harp prodigy who comes from a wealthy family and has zero life skills
✨ he's a hockey star
✨ soon-to-be step-siblings
✨ love at first sight
✨ taboo romance (but was it really?)
✨ 2.5/5 spice
✨ "good girl"
✨ third act breakup
✨ HEA
My Thoughts:
I know with this 2-star rating, you're probably thinking, "Yikes, it must be bad." But honestly, it's not a bad book. It has everything fun about a Tessa Bailey story—a super sexy, head-over-heels-in-love man, amazing tension, and lots of spice. The writing and pacing are also fine. There was just one big problem I couldn't get past, and it completely derailed my enjoyment of the story.
The forbidden/taboo step-sibling romance felt so overly contrived that I couldn't get into the story because in real life, it would never have been a problem.
Two people in their late 20s who randomly meet and fall madly in love, only to hours later discover their parents are engaged and they will be step-siblings, is not weird. But apparently, for Sig and Chloe it is SUPER inappropriate and would mean the end of their careers (as a hockey player and a harpist). What? Why? They are adults. They didn't grow up together. They didn't even meet until their parents (who recently started dating) announced their engagement. So how on earth would this be considered inappropriate? And listen, I don’t even read a lot of taboo, so it’s not like I’m just normalizing a step-sibling dynamic. But they weren't even step-siblings!!! They weren't even related!!! And they're adults, so WHY DOES IT MATTER? I just genuinely do not see any issues with this at all. It was a forced issue, only done to create drama. And the resolution . . . don't even get me started. 🙄
Since the step-sibling drama is the main conflict, the story completely fell apart for me right from the beginning. Which is a shame because I actually really liked Chloe and Sig's dynamic and loved reading about them together. But whenever the step-sibling drama came up, it became too frustrating to read and completely pulled me out of the story.
More about the characters . . .
I really loved Sig. He fell so fast and hard that Chloe became his everything. It was a bit much, but honestly I love a simp and Sig is the definition!
Chloe was sweet but incredibly ditsy, irresponsible, and, frankly, as dumb as a bag of rocks. It was hard to take her seriously when she acted so childishly—not because of her personality, but because of her complete lack of real-world and critical thinking skills. Her cluelessness made it difficult to connect with her. What bothered me even more was how she went from being infantilized by her mother to having a similar experience with Sig. While it was sweet that he wanted to help her, he definitely overstepped and, in the process, prevented her from facing real-life challenges. I guess I just wish that even by the end she could stand on her own two feet without help.
Thank you Netgalley for providing an eARC and Avon for providing a physical ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
Favorite Quotes:
***Possible Spoilers. Read at your own risk.***
His entire life, he'd told himself you don't need it, That he didn't require nice things. But Chloe . . . she was the first nice thing he couldn't live without.
_______
"Out of everything I've ever had, you are the nicest."
_______
"You love her?"
"I exist for her."
_______
"Chloe, I would sell my fucking soul for you and smile while I signed on the dotted line."
_______
"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. . . I'd spit on a man for calling you pretty. You're extraordinary."
_______
"You're pushing it, Sig. You're really pushing it."
"I know. You can be pissed as hell - just kiss me at the same time."
_______
"Touch me."
"I'd rather taste you, honey."
_______
"Always my dream girl. Always mine."
_______
"You're a fucking star that fell out of the sky and I was lucky enough to be standing in the right place."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ contemporary romance
✨ boston setting
✨ she's a harp prodigy who comes from a wealthy family and has zero life skills
✨ he's a hockey star
✨ soon-to-be step-siblings
✨ love at first sight
✨ taboo romance (but was it really?)
✨ 2.5/5 spice
✨ "good girl"
✨ third act breakup
✨ HEA
My Thoughts:
I know with this 2-star rating, you're probably thinking, "Yikes, it must be bad." But honestly, it's not a bad book. It has everything fun about a Tessa Bailey story—a super sexy, head-over-heels-in-love man, amazing tension, and lots of spice. The writing and pacing are also fine. There was just one big problem I couldn't get past, and it completely derailed my enjoyment of the story.
The forbidden/taboo step-sibling romance felt so overly contrived that I couldn't get into the story because in real life, it would never have been a problem.
Two people in their late 20s who randomly meet and fall madly in love, only to hours later discover their parents are engaged and they will be step-siblings, is not weird. But apparently, for Sig and Chloe it is SUPER inappropriate and would mean the end of their careers (as a hockey player and a harpist). What? Why? They are adults. They didn't grow up together. They didn't even meet until their parents (who recently started dating) announced their engagement. So how on earth would this be considered inappropriate? And listen, I don’t even read a lot of taboo, so it’s not like I’m just normalizing a step-sibling dynamic. But they weren't even step-siblings!!! They weren't even related!!! And they're adults, so WHY DOES IT MATTER? I just genuinely do not see any issues with this at all. It was a forced issue, only done to create drama. And the resolution . . . don't even get me started. 🙄
Since the step-sibling drama is the main conflict, the story completely fell apart for me right from the beginning. Which is a shame because I actually really liked Chloe and Sig's dynamic and loved reading about them together. But whenever the step-sibling drama came up, it became too frustrating to read and completely pulled me out of the story.
More about the characters . . .
I really loved Sig. He fell so fast and hard that Chloe became his everything. It was a bit much, but honestly I love a simp and Sig is the definition!
Chloe was sweet but incredibly ditsy, irresponsible, and, frankly, as dumb as a bag of rocks. It was hard to take her seriously when she acted so childishly—not because of her personality, but because of her complete lack of real-world and critical thinking skills. Her cluelessness made it difficult to connect with her. What bothered me even more was how she went from being infantilized by her mother to having a similar experience with Sig. While it was sweet that he wanted to help her, he definitely overstepped and, in the process, prevented her from facing real-life challenges. I guess I just wish that even by the end she could stand on her own two feet without help.
Thank you Netgalley for providing an eARC and Avon for providing a physical ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
Favorite Quotes:
***Possible Spoilers. Read at your own risk.***
His entire life, he'd told himself you don't need it, That he didn't require nice things. But Chloe . . . she was the first nice thing he couldn't live without.
_______
"Out of everything I've ever had, you are the nicest."
_______
"You love her?"
"I exist for her."
_______
"Chloe, I would sell my fucking soul for you and smile while I signed on the dotted line."
_______
"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. . . I'd spit on a man for calling you pretty. You're extraordinary."
_______
"You're pushing it, Sig. You're really pushing it."
"I know. You can be pissed as hell - just kiss me at the same time."
_______
"Touch me."
"I'd rather taste you, honey."
_______
"Always my dream girl. Always mine."
_______
February 7, 2025
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Tessa Bailey is big time hit or miss! And Dream Girl Drama was absolutely a miss. I mean the sheer obnoxious romance and dialogue was just mind boggling. I get insta-lust but I do not get insta-love and the amount of obsession these two MCs had for each other after meeting once. The whole premise of their push and pull is that they are future step siblings, but I never understood the big hold up. They met as adults and had absolutely no clue about each other before, I just feel like the romance and story had no backbone. For a couple so obsessed and in love you would think they would've just thought to explain the situation to people and ask for understanding instead of forgiveness, but no. Not to mention the sex scenes were so cringey and straight up embarrassing. I would pass on this one, I have not enjoyed any of her books since Fan Girl Down and I am about ready to put this series down for good. What a major disservice to taboo and forbidden romance fans!
~Many thanks to Avon for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
~Many thanks to Avon for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
November 8, 2025
I think Tessa Bailey and I are breaking up. :( This was painfully bad. I don't know what's going on but this was a damn mess. Seeing her writing regress to soggy flat mush is really sad and so frustrating. It's just getting worse and worse with each new release and I've tried to hang in there but it's not getting any better. How is this the same Tessa Bailey who wrote the Bellinger Sisters books?! I'M SO CONFUSED. 😭 All her couples now lack depth and are just walking emojis who vomit cotton candy. Even the charm and signature Bailey humor was nonexistent in this. Where was the chemistry you ask? Nowhere. All we are told over and over again is how much these two are perfect for each other, meant for one another, can't stay apart, obsessed with each other from the moment they saw each other at a country club and shared a drunk kiss over champagne. The "angst" in this is so laughable and drawn out within an inch of its life.
Sig Gauthier and Chloe Clifford find out their parents are getting married the very same night they met and kissed, which means they are going to be step-siblings. Dun dun dun!
The insta-love was out of control here, it's this author's staple now unfortunately and I hate it with a fire of a thousand suns. They fall in lust-love right after meeting and the hero knows instantly that she's the one but they try to keep things platonic after finding out about their parents. (I'm not even sure if it was mutual cause it's literal crickets in that head of hers) On paper that sounds angsty but how it's handled here was like a bull in a china shop. If that kiss was supposed to be as memorable, cosmic-shifting and life-altering like we are told 5000 times then I would like to sue for false advertisement.
The heroine Chloe Clifford was the weakest link of this book for me and big part of why I struggled so much. She was an insult to Cher Horowitz. I found her pathetic to be honest with how helpless and clueless she was about pretty much everything. Her whole personality is shopping. THAT'S IT. I was waiting for the *more* part, the curtains being lifted to see what made her click, seeing what had our hero so instantly smitten with her. But it's all flat wallpaper and nothing else. There's literally nothing underneath the hood of the car. Just cobwebs...and maybe glitter.
Chloe's lived a very privileged life under her mother's controlling thumb in their sprawling mansion in Connecticut until she decides to move out and move to Boston to find her independence and pursue her dream as a Harpist and yet........ lives off the hero's money for 6 months straight in Boston and doesn't lift a finger to support herself. 😐 Why? What worked so well for me in It Happened One Summer with the flighty rich girl heroine Piper Bellinger was she learned how to stick it out on her own, she figured stuff out through trial and error and showed depth and growth. Chloe is a fucking hologram who comes off like a lost helpless child. She had zero agency for much too long. She doesn't know how to drive, how to cook, how to do laundry, how to handle money, she need's Sig's help in everything and I mean literally everything.
Your 25 year old heroine is so helpless and co-dependent that she needs the hero to explain to her what a bill looks like? Seriously? And he needs to remind her to pay her rent, the same rent which he covers for her?........
The stupidity doesn't end there and this whole scene with her landlord is what had me very nearly DNFing this:
That's right, this girl spent her rent money on eye creams, $700 worth of eye creams.
There's no reason for someone to be this helpless and oblivious for this long when they can GET A JOB and learn life skills on their own. Sig pays her rent, buys her groceries for her and gives her an allowance which made me question what was the point of her moving out to begin with? She doesn't seem to understand the meaning of responsibilities and just acted like money was a non-issue. Dog food? *Gasp* What's that? Where do people find dog food on this thing called planet earth? It can't be that thing called a pet store can it? Sig help the girl out. 🙄 This girl refused to use her brain and it physically hurt me. Just, ugh.
How is any of this cute? I knew I was in trouble from the start of this when she admitted she lacked common sense and boy did she. The whole point of her moving out of her mother's house was to find her independence and pursue her passion of playing the harp. But it takes her 6 months to realize Sig is not only supporting her oblivious jobless lifestyle but also himself and his mother when she catches him selling sports memorabilia online on the side. But he doesn't mind y'all! He wants to give her everything and spoil her rotten and it's a "privilege to provide for her". 🙄🤦🏻♀️ Sig was borderline creepy with his complete obsession over this girl. I know Tessa loves to push it with her heroes and their over the top feelings but this was cringe. How hung up and obsessed Sig was in wanting to give Chloe everything and no one else was just...weird instead of sweet. I get acts of service for your lady but Sig loved and got off on enabling her helpless codependency to extreme measures and it wasn't cute. I love fluff but this type of brainless, co-dependent, toxic, cotton candy crap just doesn't work for me. The whole eager puppy lovesick hero bending over backwards to support his uber rich girl who can't find her way out of a paper bag is not my idea of fun times or romantic.
I was already iffy with the set up of this going in since Chloe's manic pixie vibes and blank bambi eyes in the previous book made me very nervous and I'm sad to say it lived up to my fears. But even so, I swear these two showed a little more spark and weighted tension in the last book cause here.....they gave me absolutely nothing. Everything is just told and thrown at you over and over again. The first 5 chapters supposedly covers the first 5 months of these two "connecting" in Boston but it's just aimless random scenes stringed together that really didn't show readers meaningful moments between the two. It's just random scenes of Chloe sitting on her couch and doing absolutely nothing and Sig checking up on her. I was expecting fun adventures in the city where she finds her voice and figures herself out and it wasn't really that until the 3rd act. These two acted like kids--or more like the heroine did and the hero keeps enabling her cause "she's so cute". Which made me want to fight the hero.
And the step-siblings thing? Please. That is not angst. Yes it can be very weird and icky but these are two consenting adults who are not blood related, who have not grown up together or even known each other long so why would it matter to anyone else what their relationship is? They can't be together because their parents are getting married???
The only people who made this fucking weird were the hero and heroine and some naysayers who literally had no business caring. And effecting their careers? Hardly. I don't know but this wasn't as angsty or taboo as Bailey made it out to be because why would anyone care? I'm no sport aficionado, the only Hockey team I ever followed is the LA Kings (Go Kings!) but why the fuck would a 3rd draft pick hockey player's love life be a big deal to the press, management, much less the public? The papz really care about a hockey player's love life? Really? Much less why would an eccentric Harpist who wants to mentor the heroine care who the heroine is in love with? Why on earth would it matter to this woman? The same woman who gave away a whole dog to Chloe and lives like hippie is giving her an ultimatum that she can't boink her future step-brother if she wants her to mentor her? Please be serious. Bailey is not known for her well thought out plots obviously and there needs to be friction of come kind but as far as conflict and angst goes? This sucked. Sig and Chloe are supposed to be this forbidden, angst-riddled, taboo lovers who can't eat or sleep or breathe without each other but it was just giving the energy and tone of 2 kids falling in love at sleepaway camp and crying about it for months.
I'm not even sure I'll continue with this series. I swear I don't know why Bailey has such a hard time with her story transitions in this series? She just plops new characters into her books willy nilly to set up the next story who have zero connection to the current story and/or couple. Once again the set up for the next book in this was so incredibly clumsy and hamfisted. The random rivalry game at the park between the baseball players and hockey players who don't even know each other was silly instead of funny. It felt forced into this book and the fighting amongst the guys just came off goofy and immature. I know it won't happen but I really need Tessa Bailey to let go of the whole insta-love, love sick, golden retriever obsessed heroes who fall for their heroines at first sight. It's getting old, especially when nothing is fought for or earned. Not everything needs to be instant gratification and I'm so tired of everyone falling on this lazy schtick now whether it be romance books, tv-shows, movies. Since when did working for shit go out of style? It's giving nothing but lazy and I'm bored.
Sig Gauthier and Chloe Clifford find out their parents are getting married the very same night they met and kissed, which means they are going to be step-siblings. Dun dun dun!
The insta-love was out of control here, it's this author's staple now unfortunately and I hate it with a fire of a thousand suns. They fall in lust-love right after meeting and the hero knows instantly that she's the one but they try to keep things platonic after finding out about their parents. (I'm not even sure if it was mutual cause it's literal crickets in that head of hers) On paper that sounds angsty but how it's handled here was like a bull in a china shop. If that kiss was supposed to be as memorable, cosmic-shifting and life-altering like we are told 5000 times then I would like to sue for false advertisement.
The heroine Chloe Clifford was the weakest link of this book for me and big part of why I struggled so much. She was an insult to Cher Horowitz. I found her pathetic to be honest with how helpless and clueless she was about pretty much everything. Her whole personality is shopping. THAT'S IT. I was waiting for the *more* part, the curtains being lifted to see what made her click, seeing what had our hero so instantly smitten with her. But it's all flat wallpaper and nothing else. There's literally nothing underneath the hood of the car. Just cobwebs...and maybe glitter.
Chloe's lived a very privileged life under her mother's controlling thumb in their sprawling mansion in Connecticut until she decides to move out and move to Boston to find her independence and pursue her dream as a Harpist and yet........ lives off the hero's money for 6 months straight in Boston and doesn't lift a finger to support herself. 😐 Why? What worked so well for me in It Happened One Summer with the flighty rich girl heroine Piper Bellinger was she learned how to stick it out on her own, she figured stuff out through trial and error and showed depth and growth. Chloe is a fucking hologram who comes off like a lost helpless child. She had zero agency for much too long. She doesn't know how to drive, how to cook, how to do laundry, how to handle money, she need's Sig's help in everything and I mean literally everything.
A stack of envelopes and a Free People catalog dropped into her hand and she quickly stuffed the mail into her purse, making a mental note to show them to Sig later. Just to make sure there wasn’t anything important, like a bill. He was always complaining about bills being paid late, but nothing ever really happened when they were late, as far as she could tell.
Except for the rent.
Your 25 year old heroine is so helpless and co-dependent that she needs the hero to explain to her what a bill looks like? Seriously? And he needs to remind her to pay her rent, the same rent which he covers for her?........
The stupidity doesn't end there and this whole scene with her landlord is what had me very nearly DNFing this:
“Ms. Clifford—”
“I know. I know. I’ll drop it off tomorrow!”
“It was due last week.”
Chloe gasped. “It was?”
His withering sigh was mightier than the North Wind. “Why don't you give me Mr. Sig's number. I'll figure it out with him.”
Chloe knew the exact look Sig would give her if he found out the rent was overdue. She’d seen it before. Three times to be precise, which didn’t seem like a lot until you considered she’d only lived in Boston for six months.
“You wouldn't really squeal on me would you, Raymond?” Chloe didn’t even have to force a hitch into her voice. “I just used a teeny tiny bit of my rent money to buy eye creams—”
He threw up his hands. “Eye creams? More than one?”
“Yes! You must test them out to know which one is right for you.”
That's right, this girl spent her rent money on eye creams, $700 worth of eye creams.
The last thing she wanted was to bother Sig about her late rent. After all, he was already depositing enough money into her account every month to cover the payment. Expecting him to shell out even more cash wouldn’t be cute. Unfortunately, she was about as good with time management as she was with money management. In other words: stone-cold rotten.
There's no reason for someone to be this helpless and oblivious for this long when they can GET A JOB and learn life skills on their own. Sig pays her rent, buys her groceries for her and gives her an allowance which made me question what was the point of her moving out to begin with? She doesn't seem to understand the meaning of responsibilities and just acted like money was a non-issue. Dog food? *Gasp* What's that? Where do people find dog food on this thing called planet earth? It can't be that thing called a pet store can it? Sig help the girl out. 🙄 This girl refused to use her brain and it physically hurt me. Just, ugh.
How is any of this cute? I knew I was in trouble from the start of this when she admitted she lacked common sense and boy did she. The whole point of her moving out of her mother's house was to find her independence and pursue her passion of playing the harp. But it takes her 6 months to realize Sig is not only supporting her oblivious jobless lifestyle but also himself and his mother when she catches him selling sports memorabilia online on the side. But he doesn't mind y'all! He wants to give her everything and spoil her rotten and it's a "privilege to provide for her". 🙄🤦🏻♀️ Sig was borderline creepy with his complete obsession over this girl. I know Tessa loves to push it with her heroes and their over the top feelings but this was cringe. How hung up and obsessed Sig was in wanting to give Chloe everything and no one else was just...weird instead of sweet. I get acts of service for your lady but Sig loved and got off on enabling her helpless codependency to extreme measures and it wasn't cute. I love fluff but this type of brainless, co-dependent, toxic, cotton candy crap just doesn't work for me. The whole eager puppy lovesick hero bending over backwards to support his uber rich girl who can't find her way out of a paper bag is not my idea of fun times or romantic.
I was already iffy with the set up of this going in since Chloe's manic pixie vibes and blank bambi eyes in the previous book made me very nervous and I'm sad to say it lived up to my fears. But even so, I swear these two showed a little more spark and weighted tension in the last book cause here.....they gave me absolutely nothing. Everything is just told and thrown at you over and over again. The first 5 chapters supposedly covers the first 5 months of these two "connecting" in Boston but it's just aimless random scenes stringed together that really didn't show readers meaningful moments between the two. It's just random scenes of Chloe sitting on her couch and doing absolutely nothing and Sig checking up on her. I was expecting fun adventures in the city where she finds her voice and figures herself out and it wasn't really that until the 3rd act. These two acted like kids--or more like the heroine did and the hero keeps enabling her cause "she's so cute". Which made me want to fight the hero.
And the step-siblings thing? Please. That is not angst. Yes it can be very weird and icky but these are two consenting adults who are not blood related, who have not grown up together or even known each other long so why would it matter to anyone else what their relationship is? They can't be together because their parents are getting married???
The only people who made this fucking weird were the hero and heroine and some naysayers who literally had no business caring. And effecting their careers? Hardly. I don't know but this wasn't as angsty or taboo as Bailey made it out to be because why would anyone care? I'm no sport aficionado, the only Hockey team I ever followed is the LA Kings (Go Kings!) but why the fuck would a 3rd draft pick hockey player's love life be a big deal to the press, management, much less the public? The papz really care about a hockey player's love life? Really? Much less why would an eccentric Harpist who wants to mentor the heroine care who the heroine is in love with? Why on earth would it matter to this woman? The same woman who gave away a whole dog to Chloe and lives like hippie is giving her an ultimatum that she can't boink her future step-brother if she wants her to mentor her? Please be serious. Bailey is not known for her well thought out plots obviously and there needs to be friction of come kind but as far as conflict and angst goes? This sucked. Sig and Chloe are supposed to be this forbidden, angst-riddled, taboo lovers who can't eat or sleep or breathe without each other but it was just giving the energy and tone of 2 kids falling in love at sleepaway camp and crying about it for months.
I'm not even sure I'll continue with this series. I swear I don't know why Bailey has such a hard time with her story transitions in this series? She just plops new characters into her books willy nilly to set up the next story who have zero connection to the current story and/or couple. Once again the set up for the next book in this was so incredibly clumsy and hamfisted. The random rivalry game at the park between the baseball players and hockey players who don't even know each other was silly instead of funny. It felt forced into this book and the fighting amongst the guys just came off goofy and immature. I know it won't happen but I really need Tessa Bailey to let go of the whole insta-love, love sick, golden retriever obsessed heroes who fall for their heroines at first sight. It's getting old, especially when nothing is fought for or earned. Not everything needs to be instant gratification and I'm so tired of everyone falling on this lazy schtick now whether it be romance books, tv-shows, movies. Since when did working for shit go out of style? It's giving nothing but lazy and I'm bored.
February 28, 2025
Okay my dear bookworms, raise your hand if you were dying to read Chloe and Sig’s story since their introduction in the previous book! I’m definitely raising both hands! Honestly, I barely skimmed the blurb before diving right in—I was too excited to see what would unfold between these two.
Can you imagine? You meet your dream girl in a whirlwind of moonlit kisses and shared secrets, only to discover that she’s about to become your stepsister. That’s exactly the wild, heart-wrenching dilemma Sig finds himself in, thanks to his estranged, grifter father deciding to marry Chloe’s wealthy mother, Sofia. What starts as a picture-perfect romantic connection quickly spirals into a forbidden love that seems impossible to pursue. Yet, the chemistry between Sig and Chloe is undeniable, and no matter how much they try to resist, the sparks between them only grow hotter.
Sig can’t just let his dream girl slip away, and Chloe, with her sheltered harp-playing background, finds herself falling deeper for him with every encounter. While they both hope their parents' whirlwind romance will somehow fall apart, it seems unlikely, leaving Sig and Chloe in a complicated emotional bind. Watching them navigate this tricky situation while still building an undeniable bond is equal parts sweet and sizzling.
I already adored these characters from their previous appearances, and seeing them fully take the stage in Dream Girl Drama was so satisfying. Sig’s protective nature and Chloe’s quiet strength create a perfect match, and the way their relationship balances tenderness with tension kept me hooked. The playful banter, steamy moments, and heartfelt exchanges made me root for their happily-ever-after from page one. It’s the perfect blend of spice and sweetness, and let’s just say, I didn’t want to see them separated for even a second!
Tessa Bailey strikes gold with this one, giving us a love story that’s forbidden, electric, and full of heart. If you’ve been eagerly waiting for Sig and Chloe to get their moment, this book delivers in every way. Keep your fingers crossed for them, because you’ll be just as invested in their love story as they are!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for providing me this spicy sports romance' digital reviewer copy in exchange of my honest review.
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Can you imagine? You meet your dream girl in a whirlwind of moonlit kisses and shared secrets, only to discover that she’s about to become your stepsister. That’s exactly the wild, heart-wrenching dilemma Sig finds himself in, thanks to his estranged, grifter father deciding to marry Chloe’s wealthy mother, Sofia. What starts as a picture-perfect romantic connection quickly spirals into a forbidden love that seems impossible to pursue. Yet, the chemistry between Sig and Chloe is undeniable, and no matter how much they try to resist, the sparks between them only grow hotter.
Sig can’t just let his dream girl slip away, and Chloe, with her sheltered harp-playing background, finds herself falling deeper for him with every encounter. While they both hope their parents' whirlwind romance will somehow fall apart, it seems unlikely, leaving Sig and Chloe in a complicated emotional bind. Watching them navigate this tricky situation while still building an undeniable bond is equal parts sweet and sizzling.
I already adored these characters from their previous appearances, and seeing them fully take the stage in Dream Girl Drama was so satisfying. Sig’s protective nature and Chloe’s quiet strength create a perfect match, and the way their relationship balances tenderness with tension kept me hooked. The playful banter, steamy moments, and heartfelt exchanges made me root for their happily-ever-after from page one. It’s the perfect blend of spice and sweetness, and let’s just say, I didn’t want to see them separated for even a second!
Tessa Bailey strikes gold with this one, giving us a love story that’s forbidden, electric, and full of heart. If you’ve been eagerly waiting for Sig and Chloe to get their moment, this book delivers in every way. Keep your fingers crossed for them, because you’ll be just as invested in their love story as they are!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for providing me this spicy sports romance' digital reviewer copy in exchange of my honest review.
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August 17, 2025
⋆˙⟡ — 1 star
i need to stop torturing myself 🧍♀️
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i saw this was available on libby so i downloaded it 😛 hopefully it’s at least a decent read 😼
i need to stop torturing myself 🧍♀️
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i saw this was available on libby so i downloaded it 😛 hopefully it’s at least a decent read 😼
April 6, 2025
✩ 2 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Forbidden Love
➼ Friends-to-Lovers
➼ Mutual Pining
➼ Hockey Player x Harp Prodigy
➼ Insta Love
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Future Step Siblings
➼ Opposites Attract
➼ He Falls First
➼ Sports Romance
➼ Dual Narration
➼ Third Person POV
Maybe I read too much romance, but I really don’t understand why this relationship would be so taboo. They met when they were both adults and before they even knew their parents were together. I feel like they would have been able to control the narrative if they would have just come clean about it up front. I’m sure they would have received some backlash, but surely that would still be better than the approach they chose.
As an independent woman, Chloe is precisely the kind of character I hate. It’s one thing to be pampered, but it’s another thing entirely to be too stupid to figure out how to do your own laundry. I mean… google exists, so there’s really no excuse. I was already bothered that she was so quick to accept his offer to foot the bill for her life in Boston, but her blowing her rent money on expensive face creams from Sephora knowing he would have to bail her out was so gross. Sig was a complete simp for her from day one and while there’s something romantic about it in theory, I didn’t see enough evidence that she deserved that kind of devotion from him.
There was at least some plot to this one, but as usual, Tessa eventually circled back to the smut. I can handle a little dirty talk, but TB always crosses my threshold. When I say that the writing was cringe I mean it literally. I was physically cringing through half this book and the entirety of the explicit scenes. I actually just downloaded a clean romance as a palate cleanser… I’ll probably regret that. 😅🫠
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Hated book two, but some part of me still hopes this will be good. Worst case scenario, at least Teddy Hamilton will read it to me.
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
What to Expect:
➼ Forbidden Love
➼ Friends-to-Lovers
➼ Mutual Pining
➼ Hockey Player x Harp Prodigy
➼ Insta Love
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Future Step Siblings
➼ Opposites Attract
➼ He Falls First
➼ Sports Romance
➼ Dual Narration
➼ Third Person POV
Maybe I read too much romance, but I really don’t understand why this relationship would be so taboo. They met when they were both adults and before they even knew their parents were together. I feel like they would have been able to control the narrative if they would have just come clean about it up front. I’m sure they would have received some backlash, but surely that would still be better than the approach they chose.
As an independent woman, Chloe is precisely the kind of character I hate. It’s one thing to be pampered, but it’s another thing entirely to be too stupid to figure out how to do your own laundry. I mean… google exists, so there’s really no excuse. I was already bothered that she was so quick to accept his offer to foot the bill for her life in Boston, but her blowing her rent money on expensive face creams from Sephora knowing he would have to bail her out was so gross. Sig was a complete simp for her from day one and while there’s something romantic about it in theory, I didn’t see enough evidence that she deserved that kind of devotion from him.
There was at least some plot to this one, but as usual, Tessa eventually circled back to the smut. I can handle a little dirty talk, but TB always crosses my threshold. When I say that the writing was cringe I mean it literally. I was physically cringing through half this book and the entirety of the explicit scenes. I actually just downloaded a clean romance as a palate cleanser… I’ll probably regret that. 😅🫠
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Hated book two, but some part of me still hopes this will be good. Worst case scenario, at least Teddy Hamilton will read it to me.
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
February 4, 2025
momma, let me fix that title for you ~ Manic Pixie Girl (self-imposed) Drama 😑✋🏼 DNF @40% because I was just not going to do that to myself!
I’m a huge fan of Tessa’s and have read all her previous books but the last 2 releases were just a miss for me. Dream Girl Drama was infuriating starting Chapter 2 but I hoped it would get better. I had to dnf this one as I truly disliked both characters!
✋🏼 manic pixie girl aura which I typically don’t mind but GIRL!!! Spoiled, lacks self awareness and is full of false positivity but I guess that is all wrapped up under the guise of being ‘too sheltered and not knowing how the real world works’
✋🏼 maybe I’m just not into friends-to-lovers?
✋🏼 mmc arguably too obsessed?! I know CRAZY! But this irrational infatuation based on arguably….annoying traits was mind boggling.
✋🏼 she doesn’t know the difference between renting/buying an apartment *not even going to waste my breath on this*
✋🏼 mmc is so pathetic! Sig just didn’t feel like a well rounded character since his one and only trait was ‘being in love with Chloe’. This man was spending ALL his money to maintain Chloe’s ‘standards of living’ to his own detriment….but I guess he is hot so we are supposed to be impressed.
✋🏼 this girl couldn’t take care of herself even if she was locked in a fully stocked Walmart overnight
✋🏼 the fact that the story had me dnf-ing BEFORE I even got to the smutty scenes is actually a crime against the human race
End of Rant.
I’m a huge fan of Tessa’s and have read all her previous books but the last 2 releases were just a miss for me. Dream Girl Drama was infuriating starting Chapter 2 but I hoped it would get better. I had to dnf this one as I truly disliked both characters!
✋🏼 manic pixie girl aura which I typically don’t mind but GIRL!!! Spoiled, lacks self awareness and is full of false positivity but I guess that is all wrapped up under the guise of being ‘too sheltered and not knowing how the real world works’
✋🏼 maybe I’m just not into friends-to-lovers?
✋🏼 mmc arguably too obsessed?! I know CRAZY! But this irrational infatuation based on arguably….annoying traits was mind boggling.
✋🏼 she doesn’t know the difference between renting/buying an apartment *not even going to waste my breath on this*
✋🏼 mmc is so pathetic! Sig just didn’t feel like a well rounded character since his one and only trait was ‘being in love with Chloe’. This man was spending ALL his money to maintain Chloe’s ‘standards of living’ to his own detriment….but I guess he is hot so we are supposed to be impressed.
✋🏼 this girl couldn’t take care of herself even if she was locked in a fully stocked Walmart overnight
✋🏼 the fact that the story had me dnf-ing BEFORE I even got to the smutty scenes is actually a crime against the human race
End of Rant.
December 2, 2024
4.25 ⭐️!
❣️“You love her?” “I exist for her.”❣️
Dream Girl Drama is the highly anticipated story of Sig and Chloe, who were first mentioned in the Au Pair Affair. Ever since I got a whiff of these two I’ve been dying to read their story, and I’m pleased to say this was a hit for me. I was a little worried because these tropes are hard to do right (step-siblings in particular), but I actually did enjoy this one.
Chloe is a child music prodigy who was sheltered and spoiled, but her character really comes into her own throughout the book. The spoiled princess character is usually hard for me to connect to, but Chloe somehow made it charming instead of infuriating for the most part. There were definitely times when I wanted her to stand on her own, but that just isn’t how these tropes work. 😅 I personally would never let a man I just met control my finances, but I also didn’t grow up with her lifestyle. 🤷♀️
Sig is a pro hockey player who grew up poor but works hard to support his mom. I have a lot of feelings about Sig. He absolutely spoils Chloe and treats her like a princess and works so hard to be there for her in every way. I loved that! On the other hand, a few times he went over the border of ‘possessive’ and veered into ‘controlling’ land. But in classic Tessa Bailey fashion it somehow still ended up being okay with me.
Sig and Chloe meet in a whirlwind of attraction and moonlit kisses, only to find out hours later that their parents are engaged. I honestly wasn’t expecting the level of angst that Tessa gave us in this one, but I LOVED it. The forbidden aspect of the relationship really worked for me, especially when it wasn’t explicitly talked about, just kind of danced around. There are lots of yearning looks and casual intimacies that really add to the overall relationship. It starts very insta-lovey, but since they are soon-to-be-kinda-related the slow burn is tension filled and delightful. The buildup of their relationship minded me a lot of the 2015 movie ‘Sleeping With Other People’ (which is criminally underrated and everyone should go watch it).
Overall this was a very enjoyable read. I know Tessa Bailey can be hit or miss for a lot of people, but I always have fun with her stuff. ❤️ Special thanks to Avon | Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the Advance Copy
*Pre Read*
Screaming because I GOT THE ARC 🙏🎉 Can’t wait to dive into this one asap 🩷
❣️“You love her?” “I exist for her.”❣️
Dream Girl Drama is the highly anticipated story of Sig and Chloe, who were first mentioned in the Au Pair Affair. Ever since I got a whiff of these two I’ve been dying to read their story, and I’m pleased to say this was a hit for me. I was a little worried because these tropes are hard to do right (step-siblings in particular), but I actually did enjoy this one.
Chloe is a child music prodigy who was sheltered and spoiled, but her character really comes into her own throughout the book. The spoiled princess character is usually hard for me to connect to, but Chloe somehow made it charming instead of infuriating for the most part. There were definitely times when I wanted her to stand on her own, but that just isn’t how these tropes work. 😅 I personally would never let a man I just met control my finances, but I also didn’t grow up with her lifestyle. 🤷♀️
Sig is a pro hockey player who grew up poor but works hard to support his mom. I have a lot of feelings about Sig. He absolutely spoils Chloe and treats her like a princess and works so hard to be there for her in every way. I loved that! On the other hand, a few times he went over the border of ‘possessive’ and veered into ‘controlling’ land. But in classic Tessa Bailey fashion it somehow still ended up being okay with me.
Sig and Chloe meet in a whirlwind of attraction and moonlit kisses, only to find out hours later that their parents are engaged. I honestly wasn’t expecting the level of angst that Tessa gave us in this one, but I LOVED it. The forbidden aspect of the relationship really worked for me, especially when it wasn’t explicitly talked about, just kind of danced around. There are lots of yearning looks and casual intimacies that really add to the overall relationship. It starts very insta-lovey, but since they are soon-to-be-kinda-related the slow burn is tension filled and delightful. The buildup of their relationship minded me a lot of the 2015 movie ‘Sleeping With Other People’ (which is criminally underrated and everyone should go watch it).
Overall this was a very enjoyable read. I know Tessa Bailey can be hit or miss for a lot of people, but I always have fun with her stuff. ❤️ Special thanks to Avon | Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the Advance Copy
*Pre Read*
Screaming because I GOT THE ARC 🙏🎉 Can’t wait to dive into this one asap 🩷
October 22, 2024
sigh i dont know why i decided to put myself through another TB book, i swore her off after fangirl down but i am too much of a slut for a forbidden romance with this kind of premise.
in typical fashion it is extremely insta love and in the worst way. these two are well into their 20s, maybe even early 30s and they act like two 14 year olds that fear the world will end if mommy and daddy dont approve of them.
i had to dnf at 47% bc i just couldnt listen to one more word out of any characters mouth 💀
in typical fashion it is extremely insta love and in the worst way. these two are well into their 20s, maybe even early 30s and they act like two 14 year olds that fear the world will end if mommy and daddy dont approve of them.
i had to dnf at 47% bc i just couldnt listen to one more word out of any characters mouth 💀
November 23, 2024
I went into this hoping for an interesting take on the stepsibling trope, expecting tension, cute banter, and chemistry. Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed with both the romance and the characters themselves, though there were a few redeeming aspects that saved this from a one-star rating.
The premise had potential: two strangers meet, sparks fly, only for them to reunite later at a dinner hosted by their parents, who announce they’re engaged, making them soon-to-be stepsiblings. There were so many directions this could have gone, but the immediate, overwhelming attraction between Chloe and Sig felt rushed. I wanted tension, flirting, cute banter and mutual pining for one another, where was undeniable chemistry I was promised? Its only CHAPTER TWO and it’s been what? Almost an hour tops since they met and he’s already begging to F**K her. WHAT IS THIS INSANITY!!!?
The MFC Chloe has led a very sheltered, rich and privileged life. She’s very naïve and inexperienced to basically anything in the real world to the point that I find it very hard to believe people like this could exist in real life. So, you’re expecting me to believe that a 25-year-old rich girl has never been to a Sephora?
Let me quote a phrase from Chloe’s POV, “She’d only been in Boston for two weeks-long enough to know everything cost money” - For someone who says this you would think she would be smart about her spending. Nope! She later spends her rent money on eye creams! FYI not her money since she’s cut off from mommy’s bank, and its Sig’s money that he set aside for her to pay rent to just reckless spend on useless things. I honestly couldn’t tell if she’s just clueless, or just entirely detached from reality cause why on earth would a person do that?!
Sig, the male lead, is supposed to be a nice guy helping Chloe gain independence, but his actions often come across as controlling rather than protective. His obsessive focus on Chloe, constantly thinking of her and not even seeming to remember his own hockey career, made him feel one-dimensional and more of a walking “red flag” than a romantic lead. There’s an underlying ick factor to his generosity, like he’s buying her time and attention rather than forming a genuine connection. I almost forgot he was a hockey player because his personality revolved solely around Chloe.
The MMC takes out MFC away to Boston, away from her overbearing mother and sheltered life so she can study music the way she has always wanted, spends money to buy her an apartment and even gives her spending money. Like damn! All this happens in the span of a few days to a week! All the while his constant thoughts about wanting to get into her pants made it seem like his actions wasn’t that noble at all!
The story's solution to their “stepsibling” issue was weak, bordering on laughable. Chloe and Sig’s attitude seemed to be, “We’re about to be siblings, but let’s throw caution to the wind and see where it goes.” This casual disregard for their situation felt irresponsible.
Also WHY DID SHE HAVE TO FINGER HIS ASS – LMAOOO THIS TOOK ME OUT AHAHAHAAHA😭😭
Ultimately, Chloe and Sig needed to work on themselves before diving into this chaotic relationship. They kept running from the real issues by jumping into bed rather than actually communicating. And if we’re guessing whether they’ll still be together after the epilogue? Realistically, it’s unlikely. Without growth or development as individuals, I can’t see this couple surviving long-term.
While this book did have a few moments where I enjoyed the supporting characters like the parents and Chloe’s friend, who oddly felt more grounded than the main characters, the main characters needed more depth, that being said, it wasn’t enough to save this book for me.
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The premise had potential: two strangers meet, sparks fly, only for them to reunite later at a dinner hosted by their parents, who announce they’re engaged, making them soon-to-be stepsiblings. There were so many directions this could have gone, but the immediate, overwhelming attraction between Chloe and Sig felt rushed. I wanted tension, flirting, cute banter and mutual pining for one another, where was undeniable chemistry I was promised? Its only CHAPTER TWO and it’s been what? Almost an hour tops since they met and he’s already begging to F**K her. WHAT IS THIS INSANITY!!!?
The MFC Chloe has led a very sheltered, rich and privileged life. She’s very naïve and inexperienced to basically anything in the real world to the point that I find it very hard to believe people like this could exist in real life. So, you’re expecting me to believe that a 25-year-old rich girl has never been to a Sephora?
Let me quote a phrase from Chloe’s POV, “She’d only been in Boston for two weeks-long enough to know everything cost money” - For someone who says this you would think she would be smart about her spending. Nope! She later spends her rent money on eye creams! FYI not her money since she’s cut off from mommy’s bank, and its Sig’s money that he set aside for her to pay rent to just reckless spend on useless things. I honestly couldn’t tell if she’s just clueless, or just entirely detached from reality cause why on earth would a person do that?!
Sig, the male lead, is supposed to be a nice guy helping Chloe gain independence, but his actions often come across as controlling rather than protective. His obsessive focus on Chloe, constantly thinking of her and not even seeming to remember his own hockey career, made him feel one-dimensional and more of a walking “red flag” than a romantic lead. There’s an underlying ick factor to his generosity, like he’s buying her time and attention rather than forming a genuine connection. I almost forgot he was a hockey player because his personality revolved solely around Chloe.
The MMC takes out MFC away to Boston, away from her overbearing mother and sheltered life so she can study music the way she has always wanted, spends money to buy her an apartment and even gives her spending money. Like damn! All this happens in the span of a few days to a week! All the while his constant thoughts about wanting to get into her pants made it seem like his actions wasn’t that noble at all!
The story's solution to their “stepsibling” issue was weak, bordering on laughable. Chloe and Sig’s attitude seemed to be, “We’re about to be siblings, but let’s throw caution to the wind and see where it goes.” This casual disregard for their situation felt irresponsible.
Also WHY DID SHE HAVE TO FINGER HIS ASS – LMAOOO THIS TOOK ME OUT AHAHAHAAHA😭😭
Ultimately, Chloe and Sig needed to work on themselves before diving into this chaotic relationship. They kept running from the real issues by jumping into bed rather than actually communicating. And if we’re guessing whether they’ll still be together after the epilogue? Realistically, it’s unlikely. Without growth or development as individuals, I can’t see this couple surviving long-term.
While this book did have a few moments where I enjoyed the supporting characters like the parents and Chloe’s friend, who oddly felt more grounded than the main characters, the main characters needed more depth, that being said, it wasn’t enough to save this book for me.
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 28, 2025
Tessa Bailey has another pleasing book in her sexy and steamy Big Shots series. Fans of sport romances will no doubt enjoy this series. I enjoyed the last book in the series, The Au Pair Affair and was excited to read Dream Girl Drama. It's full of longing, angst, lust, talent, drama, and dreams.
Sig Gauthier, a hunky hot-t0-trot professional hockey player meets Chloe Clifford, his gorgeous dream girl by chance when they are both at a ritzy private country club. The attraction is instant and after tasting some bubbly, they share a moonlight kiss. Oh, la la, the kiss is bliss, and they hope to engage in more kissing. Unfortunately, their plans falter when they shocked beyond belief when over a dinner they learn that Sig's father is marrying Chloe's mother. Holy Moly!
Chloe is a harp playing prodigy and wants to live on her own, and Sig helps her find a place and settle in. They fight their attraction as they both continue with their lives each pursuing their dreams. But how do they stop dreaming of each other??????
The characters are presented with a dilemma. They are going to be step siblings. But, as other reviewers have mentioned, they are adults and not related at all. I wanted to tell them, who cares, you do not share DNA and are consenting adults. But it appears those in their professional lives might just not share my opinion.
For me it's all about the journey with romance books. I enjoyed the journey that both characters went on. Both had things that they needed to learn and experience. Chloe needs to learn independence. She has never had to budget and struggles with her impulse purchases. Sig wants to protect Chloe and be helpful but is he being too helpful? Sig also has family issues that may stand in his way of happiness.
The characters were likeable and facing some real-life issues. I enjoyed how they worked them out while reaching for their dreams. As I mentioned, this book has some steamy scenes so if those are not for you, you may want to skip those. This book had a nice amount of longing, tension, desire, and forbidden love.
Another fun, dramatic, and engaging read by Tessa Bailey.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Sig Gauthier, a hunky hot-t0-trot professional hockey player meets Chloe Clifford, his gorgeous dream girl by chance when they are both at a ritzy private country club. The attraction is instant and after tasting some bubbly, they share a moonlight kiss. Oh, la la, the kiss is bliss, and they hope to engage in more kissing. Unfortunately, their plans falter when they shocked beyond belief when over a dinner they learn that Sig's father is marrying Chloe's mother. Holy Moly!
Chloe is a harp playing prodigy and wants to live on her own, and Sig helps her find a place and settle in. They fight their attraction as they both continue with their lives each pursuing their dreams. But how do they stop dreaming of each other??????
The characters are presented with a dilemma. They are going to be step siblings. But, as other reviewers have mentioned, they are adults and not related at all. I wanted to tell them, who cares, you do not share DNA and are consenting adults. But it appears those in their professional lives might just not share my opinion.
For me it's all about the journey with romance books. I enjoyed the journey that both characters went on. Both had things that they needed to learn and experience. Chloe needs to learn independence. She has never had to budget and struggles with her impulse purchases. Sig wants to protect Chloe and be helpful but is he being too helpful? Sig also has family issues that may stand in his way of happiness.
The characters were likeable and facing some real-life issues. I enjoyed how they worked them out while reaching for their dreams. As I mentioned, this book has some steamy scenes so if those are not for you, you may want to skip those. This book had a nice amount of longing, tension, desire, and forbidden love.
Another fun, dramatic, and engaging read by Tessa Bailey.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
March 16, 2025
2.5 or 3 it could go either way Stars
This is single-handedly the hardest book I’ve tried to rate in YEARS. I’m legitimately conflicted. I need to go calm down some, that’s step one. Then, maybe, I can speak on this with a clear, rational mind, and perhaps come at it with less of the unhinged ranty mindset I’m currently in. Stay tuned…
2 weeks later…
With some time and distance, I feel way calmer and clearer about my experience with this story, but I’m sure once I get going, that ranty mindset with kick back in as I start recalling all my issues.
Firstly, I need to stress how much I enjoyed MMC Sig and his absolute adoration of FMC Chloe. He was the exact amount of possessive/obsessive and dirty mouthed lover that I’ve come to expect from a lot of Bailey’s heroes, but he also had such a sweet side, with the kindness and attention he demonstrated time and again towards Chloe and those he cared for. He was a worthy hockey playing hero and I enjoyed getting to spend an entire book following his story.
I had a bit more of a complicated relationship with Chloe. She was very likable, with her sunshiney, innocent outlook on the world, but the flipside was she came across as incredibly naïve and shallow, not having a solid grasp on adult reality a lot of the time, due to her sheltered rich girl upbringing, that left her embarrassingly inept when it came to mundane everyday tasks and behaviours. Her attitude towards money, especially, spending it frivolously when she no longer really had it, drove me INSANE. I couldn’t believe how short-sighted she appeared, nor could I believe she didn’t have the common sense to be aware of her impact on Sig’s financial state (once he was supporting her fully).
As a couple, I got it. The chemistry between Sig and Chloe was incendiary, in a love-at-first-sight kind of way (if you can handle that kind of thing straight off the bat). They just clicked the moment they met, and it was really lovely seeing how deeply they cared for one another and the lengths they were willing to go to make the other happy, even during the majority of the story when they were “just friends” thinking a romantic relationship was impossible due to external circumstances.
What I didn’t like about this story was the crux of the conflict: the whole “our parents are getting married so we can’t be together” nonsense. I’ve read a lot of step-sibling romances in my time, but this was the weakest way I’ve ever seen this trope used to build an entire plot, and that is saying something.
I guess my issue is pretty basic, in that, I personally could not see the problem here.
1) They are both adults when they meet—not children who have been raised together as siblings.
2) They are not related by blood and therefore, to me at least, what they shared is NOT incestuous.
3) They met BEFORE they knew of their pending connection, already forming an intense attraction, with side thoughts of “this is the person I’m going to marry/spend my life with”—meaning, what they shared wasn’t fleeting.
4) The parents in question were f*cking horrible, so who f*cking cares what they thought?!?
Honestly, I didn’t understand the conflict to the level it was drummed on about, ad nauseum, for the entirety of the story, by basically everyone in the story. I could not fathom how all (well, most of) the secondary characters were telling them they couldn’t be together and that it was, essentially, wrong for them to do so. WHY? Why was it wrong exactly? Call me morally grey but I couldn’t fathom the problem. As I said, they are NOT related, they did not grow up together, they didn’t even like their parents, so I just didn’t get what all the hubbub was about.
Sure, there wouldn’t have been a story at all without all the drama and pining—and the pining was great btw—but I just found the entire impetus of the plot so damn weak and contrived, constantly frustrating me with every turn of the page. And don’t even get me started on the resolution of the story. It was an ending that did my head in and made everything they went through feel so pointless—an easy solution to an already over-inflated scenario.
At the end of the day, I can say that I still loved Sig and I thought the tension he shared with Chloe was top notch. I also like Bailey’s easy, morish writing style and her ability to hook me in even when I was raging about one thing or another. Honestly, a lesser author would have had me DNFing early on, but I knew if I stuck it out it would be at least worth it for the hunky hero action and the panty-burning explicit scenes, which the devil made us work for.
I still find myself desperate to relive the joy and obsession I felt reading book one in this series, Fangirl Down, to which this third instalment did not live up to, IMO. But, in saying that, I still enjoyed this sequel more than the second book, which left me feeling pretty much nothing for the two MCs involved. So, there is that! And I’m taking it as a win, of sorts.
Although I’m intrigued by the two highly amusing man-child MCs of the forthcoming sequels, I’m now officially nervous to have my hopes up, as that hasn’t worked for me thus far. I’m a bit worried that this series just isn’t for me, at least from the point it started with a golfer MC and then jumped over to solely hockey playing MCs. But never say never, as there may be another contemporary sports romance gem in there yet!
This is single-handedly the hardest book I’ve tried to rate in YEARS. I’m legitimately conflicted. I need to go calm down some, that’s step one. Then, maybe, I can speak on this with a clear, rational mind, and perhaps come at it with less of the unhinged ranty mindset I’m currently in. Stay tuned…
2 weeks later…
With some time and distance, I feel way calmer and clearer about my experience with this story, but I’m sure once I get going, that ranty mindset with kick back in as I start recalling all my issues.
Firstly, I need to stress how much I enjoyed MMC Sig and his absolute adoration of FMC Chloe. He was the exact amount of possessive/obsessive and dirty mouthed lover that I’ve come to expect from a lot of Bailey’s heroes, but he also had such a sweet side, with the kindness and attention he demonstrated time and again towards Chloe and those he cared for. He was a worthy hockey playing hero and I enjoyed getting to spend an entire book following his story.
I had a bit more of a complicated relationship with Chloe. She was very likable, with her sunshiney, innocent outlook on the world, but the flipside was she came across as incredibly naïve and shallow, not having a solid grasp on adult reality a lot of the time, due to her sheltered rich girl upbringing, that left her embarrassingly inept when it came to mundane everyday tasks and behaviours. Her attitude towards money, especially, spending it frivolously when she no longer really had it, drove me INSANE. I couldn’t believe how short-sighted she appeared, nor could I believe she didn’t have the common sense to be aware of her impact on Sig’s financial state (once he was supporting her fully).
As a couple, I got it. The chemistry between Sig and Chloe was incendiary, in a love-at-first-sight kind of way (if you can handle that kind of thing straight off the bat). They just clicked the moment they met, and it was really lovely seeing how deeply they cared for one another and the lengths they were willing to go to make the other happy, even during the majority of the story when they were “just friends” thinking a romantic relationship was impossible due to external circumstances.
What I didn’t like about this story was the crux of the conflict: the whole “our parents are getting married so we can’t be together” nonsense. I’ve read a lot of step-sibling romances in my time, but this was the weakest way I’ve ever seen this trope used to build an entire plot, and that is saying something.
I guess my issue is pretty basic, in that, I personally could not see the problem here.
1) They are both adults when they meet—not children who have been raised together as siblings.
2) They are not related by blood and therefore, to me at least, what they shared is NOT incestuous.
3) They met BEFORE they knew of their pending connection, already forming an intense attraction, with side thoughts of “this is the person I’m going to marry/spend my life with”—meaning, what they shared wasn’t fleeting.
4) The parents in question were f*cking horrible, so who f*cking cares what they thought?!?
Honestly, I didn’t understand the conflict to the level it was drummed on about, ad nauseum, for the entirety of the story, by basically everyone in the story. I could not fathom how all (well, most of) the secondary characters were telling them they couldn’t be together and that it was, essentially, wrong for them to do so. WHY? Why was it wrong exactly? Call me morally grey but I couldn’t fathom the problem. As I said, they are NOT related, they did not grow up together, they didn’t even like their parents, so I just didn’t get what all the hubbub was about.
Sure, there wouldn’t have been a story at all without all the drama and pining—and the pining was great btw—but I just found the entire impetus of the plot so damn weak and contrived, constantly frustrating me with every turn of the page. And don’t even get me started on the resolution of the story. It was an ending that did my head in and made everything they went through feel so pointless—an easy solution to an already over-inflated scenario.
At the end of the day, I can say that I still loved Sig and I thought the tension he shared with Chloe was top notch. I also like Bailey’s easy, morish writing style and her ability to hook me in even when I was raging about one thing or another. Honestly, a lesser author would have had me DNFing early on, but I knew if I stuck it out it would be at least worth it for the hunky hero action and the panty-burning explicit scenes, which the devil made us work for.
I still find myself desperate to relive the joy and obsession I felt reading book one in this series, Fangirl Down, to which this third instalment did not live up to, IMO. But, in saying that, I still enjoyed this sequel more than the second book, which left me feeling pretty much nothing for the two MCs involved. So, there is that! And I’m taking it as a win, of sorts.
Although I’m intrigued by the two highly amusing man-child MCs of the forthcoming sequels, I’m now officially nervous to have my hopes up, as that hasn’t worked for me thus far. I’m a bit worried that this series just isn’t for me, at least from the point it started with a golfer MC and then jumped over to solely hockey playing MCs. But never say never, as there may be another contemporary sports romance gem in there yet!
January 13, 2025
um... okay. i didn't like this. like, at all.
i've heard mixed reviews on literally all of tessa bailey's books, so i feel like i went into this with really low expectations just in case, and whew am i glad i did. because otherwise i would've been severely disappointed.
this started out really well. like for the first maybe 20% or so i was reallyyyy into it, and the chemistry was very much there, and the characters were eating, and even the questionable plot had potential. but then it just kinda went downhill. the drama of the step-sibling thing was just so... weird? like, i feel like it could've been an entertaining storyline but maybe the way it was written just didn't work? and then i started losing my interest in the story, and the characters started to bother me, and i just stopped caring about them.
i will say, the spice was certainly... something. so many people warned me about how cringey tessa's spice scenes tend to be, and yet i still wasn't prepared. it literally felt like a robot writing about the most mundane sex but trying to spice it up. no.
will i read the rest of this series or other tessa bailey books? admittedly, probably. i have always said that my curiosity will make me insane one day. but like really, i didn't like this.
thank you to netgalley & avon and harper voyager for the arc! all opinions are my own <3
i've heard mixed reviews on literally all of tessa bailey's books, so i feel like i went into this with really low expectations just in case, and whew am i glad i did. because otherwise i would've been severely disappointed.
this started out really well. like for the first maybe 20% or so i was reallyyyy into it, and the chemistry was very much there, and the characters were eating, and even the questionable plot had potential. but then it just kinda went downhill. the drama of the step-sibling thing was just so... weird? like, i feel like it could've been an entertaining storyline but maybe the way it was written just didn't work? and then i started losing my interest in the story, and the characters started to bother me, and i just stopped caring about them.
i will say, the spice was certainly... something. so many people warned me about how cringey tessa's spice scenes tend to be, and yet i still wasn't prepared. it literally felt like a robot writing about the most mundane sex but trying to spice it up. no.
will i read the rest of this series or other tessa bailey books? admittedly, probably. i have always said that my curiosity will make me insane one day. but like really, i didn't like this.
thank you to netgalley & avon and harper voyager for the arc! all opinions are my own <3
January 14, 2025
Thank you so much, Avon and Harper Voyager. The publication date is February 04, 2025.
Tessa has a remarkable talent for capturing tension, longing, and heartbreak in her writing, and this book is no exception. Her well-crafted banter draws you in and makes you feel as though you’re falling in love right alongside the main characters.
“‘You love her?’ ‘I exist for her.’”
However, despite these strengths, there was an aspect of the storyline that just didn’t resonate with me.
Initially, the central plotline/trope felt quite icky. Fortunately, the story doesn’t delve into anything too extreme, and the premise is actually not as bad as I anticipated - it actually involves adults whose parents unexpectedly fall in love, which is different from the more traditional “we grew up together” scenario that often accompanies this type of plot. This particular detail offered some relief, allowing me to push past that “hiccup,” but unfortunately, so much of the storyline revolves around this concept, making it feel both repetitive and exhausting. Then the heavy emphasis on the significance of a marriage certificate became a point of frustration for me. The characters act as if the label of "married" fundamentally changes their relationship. It raises the question—was what they were doing before the official "I do" really any different? What makes it "ok" then vs after...the dynamic is literally the same. This focus on formalization detracted from the more authentic moments they shared, leading to a sense of redundancy throughout the narrative. And the twist, although well welcomed towards the end, made the entire book seem pointless - a complete wash.
Oh, well - I loved the first book in the series, but each one after goes downhill.
3 stars. I really didn't love or hate it.
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
Tessa has a remarkable talent for capturing tension, longing, and heartbreak in her writing, and this book is no exception. Her well-crafted banter draws you in and makes you feel as though you’re falling in love right alongside the main characters.
“‘You love her?’ ‘I exist for her.’”
However, despite these strengths, there was an aspect of the storyline that just didn’t resonate with me.
Initially, the central plotline/trope felt quite icky. Fortunately, the story doesn’t delve into anything too extreme, and the premise is actually not as bad as I anticipated - it actually involves adults whose parents unexpectedly fall in love, which is different from the more traditional “we grew up together” scenario that often accompanies this type of plot. This particular detail offered some relief, allowing me to push past that “hiccup,” but unfortunately, so much of the storyline revolves around this concept, making it feel both repetitive and exhausting. Then the heavy emphasis on the significance of a marriage certificate became a point of frustration for me. The characters act as if the label of "married" fundamentally changes their relationship. It raises the question—was what they were doing before the official "I do" really any different? What makes it "ok" then vs after...the dynamic is literally the same. This focus on formalization detracted from the more authentic moments they shared, leading to a sense of redundancy throughout the narrative. And the twist, although well welcomed towards the end, made the entire book seem pointless - a complete wash.
Oh, well - I loved the first book in the series, but each one after goes downhill.
3 stars. I really didn't love or hate it.
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
dnf
June 18, 2025I tried, I really did.
This whole story only works if you consider their romance forbidden. And I didn’t.
Like what do you mean they can’t be together?! They are consenting adults, their parents only just announced their engagement, neither of them had ever even met their future stepdad/mom or each other before the night of the announcement and so most importantly, they were never stepsiblings. What’s forbidden about that??
And if there’s nothing forbidden about it then there’s also nothing stopping them from being together?! But they kept going on and on about it.
Sorry but that was just stupid to me.
Also Chloe doesn’t even know how to crack a fucking egg. It’s like she’s a child, and that’s not cute, it’s weird.
____
Going by the reviews, this should be interesting ✨✌️😂
This whole story only works if you consider their romance forbidden. And I didn’t.
Like what do you mean they can’t be together?! They are consenting adults, their parents only just announced their engagement, neither of them had ever even met their future stepdad/mom or each other before the night of the announcement and so most importantly, they were never stepsiblings. What’s forbidden about that??
And if there’s nothing forbidden about it then there’s also nothing stopping them from being together?! But they kept going on and on about it.
Sorry but that was just stupid to me.
Also Chloe doesn’t even know how to crack a fucking egg. It’s like she’s a child, and that’s not cute, it’s weird.
____
Going by the reviews, this should be interesting ✨✌️😂
January 1, 2025
“𝒊 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒊 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆.”
𝟑.𝟓 ★
dream girl drama is the third installment in the “big shots” interconnected standalone series. after being introduced to chloe and sig in the au pair affair, we are FINALLY given all of the details of their mysterious, complex relationship. when sig is on the way to dinner at his dads house, his car breaks down on the side of the road leading him to a steam, chance meeting with chloe who happens to be the woman of his dreams. it isn’t until he finally he arrives at his dads house for the dinner, that he finds out that his dad is getting remarried to chloe’s mom and she’s going to be his step sister in a matter of months. sig and chloe have to navigate the complicated, forbidden relationship that they’ve created as chloe breaks away from her controlling mother and learning how to navigate the world on her own for the first time.
if there’s one thing that you can guarantee with this book, it is that the chemistry is undeniable and the tension will have you literally gnawing at the bars of your enclosure because it feels like a cruel edging for a good chunk of the book. 😭
the book start outed incredibly strong for but started to be more “meh” towards the middle, their relationship kind of becoming the same thing over and over for a good while. i found the ending of the book quite clever and truly think that it was the only way to end the book without the ending being silly or incredibly unrealistic.
despite the characters chemistry, the characters as individual people i honestly did not care for that much. chloe, despite striving to be this independent person who can do things on her own just transfers her dependence from her mom onto sig. other people have described her as childlike and i don’t know if i would say that but more of she prefers to live in blissful ignorance because part of her knows she could never *truly* fail. sig literally agreeing to support her and get her to move to boston within hours of meeting her was absolutely wild to me but he does have a pretty dirty mouth that made me overlook most of his flaws?? 👀
OKAY AND SIDE NOTE - WHAT IS WITH TB AND 🍑 PLAY? i honestly don’t mind it at all but girly really has been putting it in a lot of her books lately.
thank you avon, harper voyager and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. 🫶🏻
———————————————
AHHH I JUST GOT APPROVED FOR THIS ARC 🙂↔️🙂↔️ my Monday just got a million times better
𝟑.𝟓 ★
dream girl drama is the third installment in the “big shots” interconnected standalone series. after being introduced to chloe and sig in the au pair affair, we are FINALLY given all of the details of their mysterious, complex relationship. when sig is on the way to dinner at his dads house, his car breaks down on the side of the road leading him to a steam, chance meeting with chloe who happens to be the woman of his dreams. it isn’t until he finally he arrives at his dads house for the dinner, that he finds out that his dad is getting remarried to chloe’s mom and she’s going to be his step sister in a matter of months. sig and chloe have to navigate the complicated, forbidden relationship that they’ve created as chloe breaks away from her controlling mother and learning how to navigate the world on her own for the first time.
if there’s one thing that you can guarantee with this book, it is that the chemistry is undeniable and the tension will have you literally gnawing at the bars of your enclosure because it feels like a cruel edging for a good chunk of the book. 😭
the book start outed incredibly strong for but started to be more “meh” towards the middle, their relationship kind of becoming the same thing over and over for a good while. i found the ending of the book quite clever and truly think that it was the only way to end the book without the ending being silly or incredibly unrealistic.
despite the characters chemistry, the characters as individual people i honestly did not care for that much. chloe, despite striving to be this independent person who can do things on her own just transfers her dependence from her mom onto sig. other people have described her as childlike and i don’t know if i would say that but more of she prefers to live in blissful ignorance because part of her knows she could never *truly* fail. sig literally agreeing to support her and get her to move to boston within hours of meeting her was absolutely wild to me but he does have a pretty dirty mouth that made me overlook most of his flaws?? 👀
OKAY AND SIDE NOTE - WHAT IS WITH TB AND 🍑 PLAY? i honestly don’t mind it at all but girly really has been putting it in a lot of her books lately.
thank you avon, harper voyager and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. 🫶🏻
———————————————
AHHH I JUST GOT APPROVED FOR THIS ARC 🙂↔️🙂↔️ my Monday just got a million times better
February 3, 2025
I ate this up too fast to call it anything other than 5 stars. No, it's not Bailey's best work, but I love a hero who is so gone for his girl, and we get page after page of this man being smitten. It’s spicy, unhinged fun with lots of forbidden tension, and I think the story will be best enjoyed by those who have been following the series. This couple falls in undeniable love at first sight, so their journey to happily ever after follows such a unique path. I liked the unpredictability of it, as well as the refreshingly different pacing. They have fantastic chemistry and I loved our hero’s determination to find a way to be together. He never wavers in his adoration of his girl, and that made for a swoony, sexy, and bingeable read. I devoured it.
The story follows Chloe and Sig, two people who take one look at each other and just know that they’re meant to be. They have the kind of instant connection that’s rare and special, which makes it even more devastating when they discover that they can never be together. Their parents are getting married to each other, and neither Chloe nor Sig’s career will allow them to enter into a romantic relationship with their step-sibling. They haven’t known each other long and the connection should be easy to ignore, but that is simply not the case. As Sig and Chloe navigate their complex relationship, they do their best to avoid crossing any forbidden lines.
This book is getting some mixed responses, and I will acknowledge that I can see why. We really don’t see Chloe and Sig fall in love, they simply are. It’s instantaneous. So it’s much more a story about them trying to stay apart, despite knowing without a doubt that they’re soulmates. Sure, I would’ve enjoyed more time focused on their early days, but I also really liked what we got. Sig is the most smitten of smitten men, absolutely down bad for his girl. Chloe has him wrapped around her little finger, and she’s not even trying. He loves her chaotic side and treats her like a princess, while also holding back his caveman instincts around her. We get some of Bailey’s signature spice once they start crossing lines, and the forbidden element ratchets up the tension. All that combines into the type of story that is incredibly easy to binge, which is exactly what I did. I’m looking forward to the future love stories that were teased in this, and I had fun the whole way through.
Audio note: The audio was good! I really wasn’t expecting much, because Callie Dalton usually narrates Bailey’s books and she’s not a personal favorite of mine. She does voice Chloe’s chapters, but we also get Teddy Hamilton narrating Sig’s chapters, which was such a treat. Sig is highlighted so much that we got a lot of Teddy, and that made for a great listen. I also didn’t mind Dalton’s voice as much as usual - not sure if she was doing something different or if only having her voice some of the chapters was enough of a difference. Either way, I enjoyed the audio a lot more than I anticipated. The runtime (9 hours) was ideal for bingeing, just like the vibe of the story. Bailey’s books are too spicy for the office, but the lighthearted feel is perfect for the format. I’m glad I got to experience the story that way.
The story follows Chloe and Sig, two people who take one look at each other and just know that they’re meant to be. They have the kind of instant connection that’s rare and special, which makes it even more devastating when they discover that they can never be together. Their parents are getting married to each other, and neither Chloe nor Sig’s career will allow them to enter into a romantic relationship with their step-sibling. They haven’t known each other long and the connection should be easy to ignore, but that is simply not the case. As Sig and Chloe navigate their complex relationship, they do their best to avoid crossing any forbidden lines.
This book is getting some mixed responses, and I will acknowledge that I can see why. We really don’t see Chloe and Sig fall in love, they simply are. It’s instantaneous. So it’s much more a story about them trying to stay apart, despite knowing without a doubt that they’re soulmates. Sure, I would’ve enjoyed more time focused on their early days, but I also really liked what we got. Sig is the most smitten of smitten men, absolutely down bad for his girl. Chloe has him wrapped around her little finger, and she’s not even trying. He loves her chaotic side and treats her like a princess, while also holding back his caveman instincts around her. We get some of Bailey’s signature spice once they start crossing lines, and the forbidden element ratchets up the tension. All that combines into the type of story that is incredibly easy to binge, which is exactly what I did. I’m looking forward to the future love stories that were teased in this, and I had fun the whole way through.
Audio note: The audio was good! I really wasn’t expecting much, because Callie Dalton usually narrates Bailey’s books and she’s not a personal favorite of mine. She does voice Chloe’s chapters, but we also get Teddy Hamilton narrating Sig’s chapters, which was such a treat. Sig is highlighted so much that we got a lot of Teddy, and that made for a great listen. I also didn’t mind Dalton’s voice as much as usual - not sure if she was doing something different or if only having her voice some of the chapters was enough of a difference. Either way, I enjoyed the audio a lot more than I anticipated. The runtime (9 hours) was ideal for bingeing, just like the vibe of the story. Bailey’s books are too spicy for the office, but the lighthearted feel is perfect for the format. I’m glad I got to experience the story that way.
September 18, 2025
An entertaining MMC brought down by a bland FMC.
This is my first Tessa Bailey that I really didn't enjoy. And I can't really say I was disappointed because I knew from the previous book that I wasn't really a fan of Chloe.
I think Chloe was an attempt at a Piper 2.0 from It Happened One Summer, and I loved that story. Piper was a spoiled, flighty FMC but she had a lot of depth and was putting in a lot of effort in her life. Chloe did not have that imo. She had the personality of a paper bag, and she went from living off her mother's money to just living off Sig's money, all the while saying she was doing it to be more independent. She was just oblivious, clueless, even lazy at times. I didn't really see her put in any kind of effort into her life until way over half way through, and that's where she finally starts to become an actual person.
Sig was a great MMC without an equal match. I feel like Chloe's character actually dampened his character. He had the potential to be much more dynamic, but he was hamstringed by constantly having to big brother her (ironic I know). He was either aggressively protective or aggressively horny, neither of which are bad things in moderation, but that's ALL he was. He had the ability to be so much more. And then you're also left wondering what he's actually seeing in her. She gives off staring into space and having absolutely zero thoughts vibes. Attractive? Not so much.
This was also my first step sibling romance, and this was probably not the best one to start with. It definitely didn't do anything for me in general so I'll be reluctant to pick up another one for awhile.
BUT this is still Tessa Bailey we're talking about. Even with all of the above, her books are just so easy to read and still enjoyable. So I will forever buy whatever she writes, but this one just wasn't for me personally.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
This is my first Tessa Bailey that I really didn't enjoy. And I can't really say I was disappointed because I knew from the previous book that I wasn't really a fan of Chloe.
I think Chloe was an attempt at a Piper 2.0 from It Happened One Summer, and I loved that story. Piper was a spoiled, flighty FMC but she had a lot of depth and was putting in a lot of effort in her life. Chloe did not have that imo. She had the personality of a paper bag, and she went from living off her mother's money to just living off Sig's money, all the while saying she was doing it to be more independent. She was just oblivious, clueless, even lazy at times. I didn't really see her put in any kind of effort into her life until way over half way through, and that's where she finally starts to become an actual person.
Sig was a great MMC without an equal match. I feel like Chloe's character actually dampened his character. He had the potential to be much more dynamic, but he was hamstringed by constantly having to big brother her (ironic I know). He was either aggressively protective or aggressively horny, neither of which are bad things in moderation, but that's ALL he was. He had the ability to be so much more. And then you're also left wondering what he's actually seeing in her. She gives off staring into space and having absolutely zero thoughts vibes. Attractive? Not so much.
This was also my first step sibling romance, and this was probably not the best one to start with. It definitely didn't do anything for me in general so I'll be reluctant to pick up another one for awhile.
BUT this is still Tessa Bailey we're talking about. Even with all of the above, her books are just so easy to read and still enjoyable. So I will forever buy whatever she writes, but this one just wasn't for me personally.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
January 20, 2025
Thank you so much to Tessa Bailey and NetGalley for providing me a gifted copy of this eARC.
Full review can be found posted on my Instagram @tab.talks.books in 5-7 days.
Full review can be found posted on my Instagram @tab.talks.books in 5-7 days.
November 7, 2024
2.75/5
this rating seems harsh but i cant find it in me to care, maybe a 3… on a good day
i haven’t read either of the first two books in this series but i applied for the arc of this one randomly. i think tessa bailey and i are no longer vibing because i just haven’t loved her newer releases. the chemistry is always pretty good between characters but there seems to be nothing else there. where is the connection? where is the romance?
sig and chloe meet and have a love at first sight thing which is whatever but then they find out they are going to be step siblings so that puts a wrench in their plans of an immediate happy ever after. the wrench is actually nonexistent though because they have one dinner together and sig puts up his life savings so that chloe can be spoiled and live on her own for the first time in her life. i just didn’t buy that the two of them had anything more than sexual chemistry. there were basically no scenes of them forming a connection and we were told about all of these small scenes but shown none of them. sig was just overly protective over her like she was a child and she thought it was hot. their personal relationships and motivations are not present in the book so it doesn’t even feel like they are full people.
so yeah i didn’t love this. spoiler, they don’t end up being step siblings… THANK GOD. this book just felt unfinished and maybe that’s cause it’s an arc but it needs some serious revamping to be a good romance book.
*thank you NetGalley for the ARC*
this rating seems harsh but i cant find it in me to care, maybe a 3… on a good day
i haven’t read either of the first two books in this series but i applied for the arc of this one randomly. i think tessa bailey and i are no longer vibing because i just haven’t loved her newer releases. the chemistry is always pretty good between characters but there seems to be nothing else there. where is the connection? where is the romance?
sig and chloe meet and have a love at first sight thing which is whatever but then they find out they are going to be step siblings so that puts a wrench in their plans of an immediate happy ever after. the wrench is actually nonexistent though because they have one dinner together and sig puts up his life savings so that chloe can be spoiled and live on her own for the first time in her life. i just didn’t buy that the two of them had anything more than sexual chemistry. there were basically no scenes of them forming a connection and we were told about all of these small scenes but shown none of them. sig was just overly protective over her like she was a child and she thought it was hot. their personal relationships and motivations are not present in the book so it doesn’t even feel like they are full people.
so yeah i didn’t love this. spoiler, they don’t end up being step siblings… THANK GOD. this book just felt unfinished and maybe that’s cause it’s an arc but it needs some serious revamping to be a good romance book.
*thank you NetGalley for the ARC*
September 14, 2024
Full review coming soon!
The step-sibling romance that I did not know I needed and am officially craving after reading the EXCLUSIVE TARGET EXCERPT from The Au Pair Affair...
ARC kindly provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review coming soon...
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The step-sibling romance that I did not know I needed and am officially craving after reading the EXCLUSIVE TARGET EXCERPT from The Au Pair Affair...
ARC kindly provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review coming soon...
Follow Me On:
Instagram ❀ Twitter ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook
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