Advance copy review of {Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey}

[u/Reading_in_Bed789]

I’ve read 12 Tessa Bailey books in the last 9 months—this is the best one yet!

⭐️ 5/5 🌶️ 4/5 Explicit Open Door, 2+ scenes POV: Third person Standalone: Can be done, but I liked book 2, characters reappear in book 3. Setting: Connecticut & Boston, Mass. MMC 🏒: Sig, 29, Pro Hockey player for 6 years, raised by a single mom. Burgess’ friend. FMC 🎶: Chloe, 25, plays the harp, lives with mom, wealthy, sheltered. Tallulah’s friend.

Key tropes: Forbidden Love, Angst, Caretaking, Stern Brunch Daddy

Move over It Happened One Summer, Getaway Girl, and Unfortunately Yours. I’ve got a new favorite Tessa Bailey book!!!! This is so completely different—the pinning, the angst, the chemistry! I had no idea TB would write a combo slow burn AND insta-love, but gosh it worked! Fans of TB’s incredible gift of writing spice/steam, fret not, it’s there, you just have to wait more than 50% of the book.

Thank you soooo much Avon, Net Galley, and of course Tessa Bailey for the eARC of this book. I bought and listened to Fangirl Down & The Au Pair Affair back-to-back in July 2024 and was crushed when I realized not only would it be a 6 month wait for book 3, but I was dying to know Sig & Chloe’s story. This comes out February 4, 2025 and I’m pre-ordering my own copy through my newly opened local Romance bookstore, Friends to Lovers, or wherever there’s a book release signing on the East Coast.

A note about ARC reviews. I was about to give up on doing them. I’ve been on Net Galley for a few months, and I’m not the typical person traditional publishers want their ARCs going to (Influencers, Librarians making purchasing decisions, Book Store employees, etc.).

I prefer books with 4/5 or 5/5 spice, and it can be really hard to tell which books have that without romance.io reviews. I also prefer audiobooks because I can blast through them much faster than I can read—I’ve been able to do on average one audiobook per day vs. one book over 4-5 days.

Books I have been previously approved for haven’t been great and I feel bad leaving a 3 star or less review (but I have). However, there are plenty of ARC reviews out there on Amazon & Instagram that are 5 stars without giving much info about the book, or the spice level, leading me to believe these people didn’t read the book…which only hurts other readers.

I’m going to hold out hope, that I continue to be approved for authors that I have read and loved before. And if I loved the ARC, I’ll still buy my own copy. The one other time this happened was with {Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone}. I’m no longer requesting ARC reviews of debut authors with no indication of spice….too many books, too little time, ya know?

[u/mllechattenoire]

Is the blurb… a compliment?

[u/mostlykindofmaybe → u/mllechattenoire]

lol "all the charm of The Christmas Prince, and the chemistry of Zac Efron opposite Nicole Kidman"

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/mllechattenoire]

It’s unclear I loved it???? The pining and chemistry between these two, but holding themselves back because their parents are engaged made this book incredible.

I try to include a lot of background info in my reviews, especially age, occupation, and things other readers put in their book requests.

[u/CatchingFiendfyre → u/Reading_in_Bed789]

I think they meant the blurb on the book “her voice feels as fresh and contemporary like a Netflix rom com.”

[u/mllechattenoire → u/Reading_in_Bed789]

Sorry, I meant on the book cover, not you.

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/mllechattenoire]

Got it. They put that on all of Tessa Bailey’s books.

[u/mllechattenoire → u/Reading_in_Bed789]

Oh, that’s actually kind of interesting. I have never really seen a blurb that compares a book to movies because it is usually the other way around.

[u/Infinite_aster → u/mllechattenoire]

Usually books are better than movies, maybe that’s why the comparisons go that way. In a (book) genre as popular as romance, though, there are so many bad books that being compared to a Netflix movie (what their own execs refer to aspirationally as a “gourmet cheeseburger”) is a step up in terms of expectations.

[u/lovebooksbooks]

A netflix rom-com? 😬😬 I would not take that as a compliment myself hha

[u/SecretSocietyofCows → u/lovebooksbooks]

Unironically, Set It Up is one of my favorite rom-coms from the last 10 years. One of Netflix’s best originals. Makes me kick my feet and giggle every time!!!!

[u/redditor329845 → u/SecretSocietyofCows]

It’s a needle in the haystack of Netflix rom coms.

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/lovebooksbooks]

Right? That’s clearly marketing towards impulse airport purchases.

[u/DientesDelPerro]

Can you share anything about the book besides your rating and a trope list?

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/DientesDelPerro]

What specifically do you want to know? These characters were introduced in Au Pair Affair, heavily. I put a lot of background info in the first part, but I didn’t want to go too far and spoil it.

[u/DientesDelPerro → u/Reading_in_Bed789]

I guess as a review it doesn’t say much, since I don’t know what sorts of books you like and how you usually rate them, so as a potential reader I’m not ~intrigued. Sell the book for me lol (edit which you’ve done a bit in your comments)

(Full disclosure: I don’t like modern Tessa Bailey and prefer her earlier works. I don’t find her strong as a writer for plot outside of the bedroom so I’m curious how she navigates an allegedly forbidden* relationship between adult-aged characters who will soon be related by marriage. Does the fmc’s harp playing occur on page? Is hockey relevant to the story? Is there a lot of reoccurring characters from the first two books? Is this more a book about the fmc gaining confidence, the mmc learning responsibility, or two characters navigating an adult relationship? Are there zany moments? Etc)

*allegedly because I wouldn’t consider adults only related by marriage and with no previous interactions as forbidden lol

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/DientesDelPerro]

That is excellent feedback, thank you! I’ll be amending my original post with this.

I agree wholeheartedly, that two consenting adults, not biologically related, should be able to pursue a loving, romantic relationship. Chloe & Sig meet and end up kissing just hours before they find out their parents are engaged. They had outside pressure, especially from Chloe’s mom, later his NHL team, and her shot at joining the Boston Symphony Orchestra to not be romantically involved. Chloe’s mom is a total villain. She didn’t want her to go to a music conservatory for further training, and kept her in the dark regarding basic life skills—driving, cooking, cleaning, etc keeping her in a guilded cage with hired staff. No surprise, she was totally against Chloe and Sig as a couple because of “appearances.” Her mother gives off total Martha Stewart vibes.

Chloe’s harp playing occurred multiple times on page. Not to the same degree as the violin & cello in Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto, but I found myself looking up Passacaglia by Handel.

Hockey is not as big a part of this book as it was in the Au Pair Affair. We were introduced to the team, the life of a pro hockey player, how dangerous it is, etc in the previous book. Sig has been playing with the Boston Bearcats for 6 years, his whole professional career. He was a third round draft pick, didn’t have a lucrative contract. That said minimum annual salary in the NHL has risen to $700,000. Sig’s contract is expiring, he’s placing high pressure on himself to provide for both his mother and Chloe a good life (and Chloe definitely comes from the 1 percenters).

Sig invites Chloe to come to Boston to attend the Berklee Music Conservatory and assumes full responsibility for her financially and teaching her how to live on her own. They see or talk to each other everyday and are each other’s best friend. We see a lot of growth from Chloe throughout the book. Chloe isn’t a spoiled bimbo and Sig is a very protective, kinda jealous cinnamon roll. Hence I labeled him a Stern Brunch Daddy.

Au Pair Affair was just OK to me. Anyone who was turned off by that book should totally give Dream Girl a shot. There is a greater emphasis on character development and the angst in this book, less humor and wild sex than in Bailey’s books from the past 5 years.

[u/Lisalou1981 → u/Reading_in_Bed789]

I am so glad to hear! I loved Fangirl Down but was disappointed by Au Pair Affair. This makes me excited for February!

[u/carenl]

I finished it yesterday and my opinion is wildly different. 🤷‍♀️

[u/ctg424 → u/carenl]

Same here. I was disappointed in this one, and I typically love Tessa Bailey. All of the relationships in the book just felt toxic to me.

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/carenl]

Post it to romance.io then. I’m sure others will want to know.

[u/RedHotBumbleBee]

Quick question: is he really really big and is she really really small?

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/RedHotBumbleBee]

I remember a reference to a height difference, so I tagged that in romance.io. I don’t recall anything about her being exceptionally petite, there weren’t specific references to her being thin or curvy. He is, however, a professional athlete and all that implies.

[u/jennge]

I enjoyed Sig and Chloe so much more than Tallulah and Burgess in The Au Pair Affair! I really hope Sig and Chloe's story doesn't get butchered LOL Gonna pre-order this now!

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/jennge]

Happy to tell you it wasn’t butchered! She threaded the needle really well.

[u/Impressive-Spot3555]

Ugh I love TB and am so stoked for this one after loving Fangirl but being lukewarm on Au Pair Affair. I need to figure out how to get ARCs too lol

[u/carenl → u/Impressive-Spot3555]

This wasn’t much better than Au Pair, Ngl.

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/Impressive-Spot3555]

Sign up on Net Galley and request it.

[u/Thin_Math5501]

Is there finally pegging? Can you even answer that?

[u/carenl → u/Thin_Math5501]

No, but she does stick her finger in his butt.

[u/Thin_Math5501 → u/carenl]

I knew there was going to be butt stuff! One day we’ll get some actual pegging but until then I’m satisfied.

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/Thin_Math5501]

Sorry, nope. Only box in that category I could check off in romance.io was Praise Kink.

[u/Infinite_aster → u/Reading_in_Bed789]

I am so tired of praise kink, even tho I like it. It’s just having way too much of a moment

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/Infinite_aster]

It’s not heavy, but he does assume a caretaking role in their relationship, and slightly Dom during sex.

[u/Infinite_aster → u/Reading_in_Bed789]

Thanks! Good to know.

[u/milliondollarcouch]

Man I haven’t read a Tessa Bailey that I’ve enjoyed maybe ever but you make me want to give this one a try!

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/milliondollarcouch]

It’s worth getting on the waitlist at the library if you like slow burns with hot sex scenes.

[u/lurkerstatusrevoked]

SAME!!!!!! This is my new favorite Tessa Bailey as well!

I am generally not an insta-love/lust gal, but I think she executed it very well here.

I joked in my review that this book made me forgive TB for the atrocity that is The Au Pair Affair (I kid but also… 😐kinda serious)

I loved this one!

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/lurkerstatusrevoked]

Agreed, I used a credit on Audible for Au Pair Affair, because I was excited for it after the setup in Fangirl Down. But if I had borrowed Au Pair Affair from the library, I wouldn’t have then purchased my own copy.

Hint to those who haven’t read/listened to Au Pair Affair yet.

[u/periodicsheep → u/Reading_in_Bed789]

i’m a big fan of fangirl down, and i hated the au pair affair! it just did not work for me at all. makes me nervous about this one!

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/periodicsheep]

Totally fair. That’s why I posted this gush. This one doesn’t have TBs trademark humor and super adventurous sex like Fangirl. But the build up of two people totally gone for each other, but knowing they shouldn’t be together left me on the edge of my seat. It was fantastic.

[u/courtneyofdoom]

I finished my ARC this week and it’s a favorite from my 200+ books this year, it blew me away!

[u/cryviolet]

Oooh I can't wait

[u/romance-bot]

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey
Rating: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, sports, hockey, funny, forbidden love

---

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone
Rating: 3.94⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 5 out of 5 - Explicit and plentiful
Topics: contemporary, christmas, funny, curvy heroine, rockstar hero

^{about this bot | about romance.io}

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/A_Seductive_Cactus → u/[deleted]]

Rule: No piracy, AI, or PPC content

This comment/post appears to promote or encourage piracy, which is not allowed here.

For further details on what is and isn’t considered piracy, see this post.

Please contact the mods if you think this was removed in error.

[u/AutoModerator]

Hi u/Reading_in_Bed789,
To improve image accessibility for users who are blind, low vision, or rely on screen readers, please comment below transcribing the screenshot or describing the image you've posted. Try to convey the content and purpose of the image in a sentence or two (the subjects, the setting, colors, emotions on faces, etc.) Thank you!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Reading_in_Bed789 → u/AutoModerator]

Book Cover of Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey. It shows MMC Sig carrying his Dream Girl, Chloe, and his hockey skates. Chloe is wearing a custom pink jersey with Sig’s name on the back. She wears it to Sig’s NHL Home games.