First Impression | Synopsis | Book Review | Book Details
Star Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 - 3.5 stars (see my rating system)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Genre: Romance
For someone who doesn't watch sports, there is still a certain appeal to a sports romance.
Professional hockey player Sig Gauthier’s life takes a complicated turn when he meets Chloe Clifford, a free-spirited harp prodigy, during a chance encounter at a country club after his car breaks down. Sparks fly instantly, but their budding romance is cut short when they discover their parents are engaged to be married, making them soon-to-be stepsiblings. Determined to keep things platonic, Sig supports Chloe’s quest for independence by helping her escape her controlling mother and move to Boston. However, their undeniable chemistry and the pressures of their new family dynamic make it increasingly difficult to ignore their feelings. As family drama unfolds and Sig’s hockey career hangs in the balance, they must navigate their forbidden attraction and decide if love is worth the risk.
Sometimes, you pick up a book knowing full well that reality is about to take a backseat, and that is exactly what you get. Dream Girl Drama is Tessa Bailey at her best—delivering a fast-paced, forbidden romance between a broody professional hockey player and his soon-to-be stepsister. If that sentence alone made you raise an eyebrow, welcome to the fun and maybe consider reading this one away from the family.
Let’s be clear: the forbidden romance trope is a tricky one, but Bailey leans into it with full force. Sig and Chloe’s connection is immediate and electric—instalove on steroids. One moonlit kiss in a country club parking lot, and these two are all in, even if family drama threatens to keep them apart. Watching them navigate their “we can only be friends” dynamic is like watching a slow-burn romance unfold while the room is on fire. Spoiler: it’s hot.
Does the premise require a suspension of disbelief? Sure. But this is Tessa Bailey, and she knows how to sell the fantasy. The tension stems from a taboo setup—Sig’s dad is marrying Chloe’s mom—but it’s less about family politics and more about will they or won’t they give in to their undeniable attraction. Sig, ever the golden retriever in hockey pads, offers Chloe an escape from her controlling mother by bringing her to Boston. And while they’re just friends, the simmering chemistry between them builds until it can’t be ignored.
Is this a deep, philosophical exploration of love and family dynamics? No. But does it deliver a steamy, fun, romance with just a bit of questioning of morals? Absolutely. If you’re into instalove, forbidden romance, and hockey players who fall first and fall hard, Dream Girl Drama is for you! Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ability to read this ARC!
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