After reading the first two books last year, I was so excited when Sig's story was coming out and the book was such a disappointment. HOWEVER, Robbie and Skylar redeemed the entire series for me. I adored these two. After seeing Robbie and his "ladies man" mentality in the first two books, I loved seeing one of our Orgasm Donors changing his ways. Robbie and Skylar had the best ways of balancing the other out. She became the consistent he needed in his life and he was her support. Robbie was the sweetest with Skylar and their slow burn with her lessons was amazing.

I normally love seeing the other couples in a book series, but with my disappointment with Sig and Chloe's story, I was happy that they weren't a major part of the story. I'm ready for Madden and Eve's story in the next book coming out in the series (that's my assumption at least). I also really want to see a book for Mailer and Elton.

NHL rookie Robbie Corrigan is living the dream—until he meets Skylar Paige, a fierce D1 softball pitcher who’s immune to his charms. When he agrees to be her fake boyfriend to help her win over her brother's best friend, unexpected sparks fly during a wilderness family competition. As their connection deepens, their pretend romance begins to feel dangerously real.

I'm a total sucker for a good fake dating trope and a swoony hockey romance (even if this one was a little light on the actual hockey), and this one did not disappoint! I’d already read the second book in the series, so I was excited to get a closer look at Robbie—and I really enjoyed his character development. That said, the insta-love felt a little out of character for his established playboy persona, and I would’ve loved a bit more buildup to really sell the shift for him.

Skylar’s family dynamics added some emotional depth, and I loved seeing her confidence grow—not just in the relationship, but in herself. Robbie’s steady support was super sweet, and I appreciated how he consistently had her back. Skylar was a strong female lead (especially for a college setting), even if she had a few moments where I wanted to shake some sense into her. I’m not usually a fan of the miscommunication trope, but thankfully they worked through it in a way that felt genuine and satisfying.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!

I'll start off by saying that some of what happened is a bit farfetched. That being said... it wasn't a big deal to me. It isn't unusual for a book by Bailey to have some farfetched things. Skylar and Robbie were a cute pair. I wouldn't call them enemies-to-lovers at all. They definitely got off on the wrong foot, though. I wouldn't call it insta-love either. He was smitten from the start, she just tolerated him. I liked seeing their relationship bloom. Robbie standing up for her to her family made me so happy. Skylar was there for him too when he needed her.

I thought the epilogue was a little too much but that's also not unusual for a Bailey book. I'm not sure why this time I just didn't vibe with it. I'm guessing the next book will be about Madden and Eva and honestly, I'm just not that interested in them as of now.

Tessa Bailey knocks it out of the park again! (pun intended).
In Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey, rookie hockey player Robbie Corrigan has a reputation as a charming playboy, while Skylar Paige, a fierce Division I softball pitcher, has no time for guys like him. But when Skylar needs a fake boyfriend to impress a longtime crush during her family’s wilderness competition, Robbie steps in. Their reluctant partnership quickly ignites into something real, as banter turns to chemistry and trust begins to build. With emotions rising and reputations on the line, both must decide if their fake romance has a future off the field.
I absolutely lovedddd this book, which was no surprise considering I loved the first three books in the series. I don't usually love sports romance because the scenes where the author goes into detail about practices, warmups, etc. tend to lose my interest, but Tessa's characters are so lovable and funny that I don't even mind reading about sports.
I also love that all of the men in Tessa's books are such hopeless romantics for their women! Tessa's male characters are men who would go above and beyond and do anything to make their women happy, and wear their hearts on their sleeves. Robbie is no exception, and he would move mountains just to see Skylar smile. This book is also veryyy spicy, which is typical for this series, but I enjoyed it as usual!
If you have not yet read the first three books in this series, I highly recommend reading those before this one, because characters from the previous books are referenced in this story, and I wouldn't want you to spoil the other books for yourself. Go pick them up RIGHT. NOW.

Holly shit , sorry but seriously. Tessa killed it with this one .
Definitely enjoyed that is between two sport players. Sky is such a great character, i like how she is very confident on her beliefs. And how she literally tells off Robbie. The plot was cute. Like love that he falls first and extremely hard and that he becomes her cheerleader. How everything he does is to make her feel better and seen. Like sown big time there. I do love the way the relationship develops even if is a bit fast. But still enjoyed a lot . One of the best ones in the sport series

Pitcher Perfect is book four in the Big Shots series by Tessa Bailey and it’s available September 9, 2025

This book is a feel good, enemies to lovers, fake dating, sports romance that’s fun and fast paced!

NHL rookie, Robbie Corrigan is living the dream, he’s in the national league, lives with his best friend, and has women flocking him. Skylar Paige could not be more Robbie’s opposite. She’s a disciplined D1 softball pitcher and has no time for Robbie’s antics. The two meet one weekend at a wild pickup baseball game where Robbie wins a bet leading to the pair spending more time together. They end up forming a tenuous relationship and agree to fake date in order to get Skylar’s crush to notice her. The couple takes part in her family’s wilderness competition and suddenly their fake relationship starts to feel real.
I loved this! It’s a little unrealistic but that’s the fun! Read this if you like:
-sports romance
-fake dating
-enemies to lovers
-he falls first
-lessons
-care and comfort
-hilarious banter

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

A big thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

The fourth installment in the Big Shots series was a delightful surprise! It was a quick and enjoyable read that I really appreciated.

Scottie has a crush on her brother’s best friend, who has never noticed her. To catch his eye, she recruits NHL rookie Robbie to pretend to be her boyfriend and stir up some jealousy. She brings Robbie home for her family’s yearly wilderness competition and even schedules him—literally, in her planner—to help her gain some dating experience.

With this setup, did I think it would be relatable or realistic? Not at all. But that didn’t matter—I still adored it and loved the chemistry between these two. I enjoyed seeing them navigate their competitive and sensitive sides. I also valued that both characters were focused on personal growth in their own ways. Was the timeline for their development a bit unrealistic? Sure. But once again, that didn’t really bother me.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the advanced copy.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC! It’s been a while since I’ve read a Tessa Bailey book, and I was excited to jump back in. Her books are usually quick, spicy, and fun. Plus, as a former softball pitcher myself, I was especially looking forward to this one.

There were a few things I liked here. The couple had some fun banter, and I did enjoy their dynamic at times. It was a quick and easy read, and I was pretty invested for the first part.

Unfortunately, there were a lot of elements that I didn’t enjoy. The MMC, Robbie, is a playboy who objectifies women, which made it so hard for me to like him. The “reformed playboy” trope is already not my favorite, and it especially didn’t work for me in this book because he made gross and disrespectful comments about other women. But then, all of a sudden, he meets the FMC, Skylar, and is a changed man who has seen the error of his ways and will never sleep with another woman again. Personally, I would never be able to trust someone like that. He does give golden retriever energy, and he falls first and hard for the FMC. If you are able to look past the fact that he was a playboy and that the first time we see him, he is bragging to his teammates about sleeping with a girl the night before (in front of Skylar), then you might still enjoy this one.

Skylar wasn’t my favorite either. One of the main reasons I was excited to read this book was because she was a softball pitcher, and I was too for many years. However, she was annoying and I couldn’t connect with her. She grew up playing baseball, so she’s “one of the guys,” doesn’t have girl friends, and she doesn’t know how to flirt or date. Her attitude made her less likable, and it was difficult for me to get invested in her story.

The spicy scenes were probably some of the cringiest I’ve ever read. The way Robbie talked to Skylar was just super possessive and icky and I didn’t like it.

I also couldn’t get past the fact that he was in the NHL during the week before playoffs and only had to go to practice once. No team meetings or film sessions? As a fan of sports, it just didn’t add up, and it pulled me out of the story.

The book is marketed as an enemies-to-lovers romance, which it was not. The very first time the MMC meets the FMC, he is attracted to her and interested right away. The FMC doesn’t like him at first (understandably, since he was bragging about a one night stand), but that fades within maybe 20 pages. The entire book takes place over the course of about a week, and it just felt really rushed. If you want a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers, this is not it.

Tessa has done it again! Absolutely love this series and eah new book keeps getting better and better. The perfect series is you´re looking for a sports romance that will make you laugh! Love the mix of sports and adorable yet real character portrayals.

This is my absolute favorite book in the Big Shots series so far. Read this one if you love this series, you will be wishing for the next book before you are even done with this one. You will also be swooning over the transition from Robbie from the previous books.

Boston's hockey playboy Robbie isn't one that takes romance or relationships seriously. He's watched his last two teammates couple up, and along with his roommate, they swore that they would never be like those guys. However, he didn't know that on a random Saturday on a neighborhood baseball field, he would meet the woman who would change his life.

Skylar, at first wants nothing to do with the playboy. She puts him in his place from the first words she even says to him. She's been in love with her brother's best friend forever and wants to get his attention and not Robbie's. Robbie catches onto Skylar's crush pretty quickly and says he will help her try to win him over when they team up at a family event that Skylar needs Robbie's assistance with.

What no one predicted though, the more time they spent together, they realize that maybe they are meant to be together, and maybe Robbie is ready to leave his playboy ways forever.

Who knew Robbie could be so sweet.

⭐️ thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

this was okay, it felt pretty rushed in my opinion. I always appreciate Tessa Bailey’s mmc dirty talk… it just hits different lol I was however a bit bored but I’m so excited to see if Madden and his love interest get a book!

Tessa Bailey books seem to be hit or miss for me and this one was not my favorite but I will continue to come back for more. I love a sport romance but this one was a little far fetched for me. I didn't love the "insta-love." and i found it very unrealistic. I will always be a Tessa Fan. I hope whatever she writes next is amazing!

If Tessa Bailey writes it, I will read it immediately and be obsessed with it. I loved the book's whole premise, and loved how the MMC is the first to fall. I love the fake dating trope, and enjoyed this book!

I'm glad the main character had her own story line related to sports and her family, and love how she brings in other characters from the books.

This is 1000% the best in this series so far - the tension! the fake dating! the lessons! I had such a great time and only got icked out a little towards the end.

My only real complaint with this is the big third act conflict could have been solved with one sit down conversation rather than being kinda dramatic about it, but hey, who am I to judge (this is a review, i’m literally supposed to judge). Other than that, though, I had a great time and genuinely think they would end up together post-book.

Also Eve and Madden?? I need more from that plot line asap.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Pitcher Perfect 🥎🏒🌲🏞️⛸️
2⭐️
4🌶️

Thank you so much to Avon for the chance to read this advanced copy!

It takes a really special book to make you wish that you could go back in time and tell your younger self to never learn how to read- Pitcher Perfect is that book.

I was really excited going into this one. A lot of my mutuals online had enjoyed it, so I had high hopes. I was hooked by the first page, and I read this book in about 48 hours.

Unfortunately, this book was a collection of my least favorite tropes, which I did not know going in. I have rarely enjoyed books about reformed playboys (especially when they’re disrespectful to women on the page), insta-love/lust, and incredibly poorly written romantic scenes.

For starters, enemies to lovers can’t really exist outside of fantasy- the stakes just aren’t high enough for ENEMIES- maybe there’s dislike or hatred, but you are not enemies. And even if Robbie and Skylar were “enemies”, that lasted about 10 pages.

I hate the concept of a playboy being reformed by meeting “The One” and immediately changing his ways. That’s so unrealistic it hurts and I find it completely unbelievable. In addition to this, our main characters were definitely lusting after each other for the entirety of the book- you cannot love a man you just met, I’m so sorry. If you do, that’s called a crush and a lack of information, getcha head in the game (subtle Easter egg there IYKYK).

The sexy scenes in this book really didn’t do it for me- in fact, they were traumatic and triggered my PTSD. Being a romance book written by a female author, Tessa Bailey does a really great job at writing scenes in the way a man would. I hated every aspect of those scenes: the way a woman’s body is handled and described, the inherit violence (despite consent, it was consensual), and the terms that were used to describe the intimate situations.

I do think that readers who are less sensitive to certain situations and readers that are big sports romance fans, or Tessa Bailey fans, will enjoy this book even if it wasn’t for me.

This was super cute and fun just like all of Tessa Bailey's books!
I love her brand of humor because its always outrageous.
I really enjoyed the way that Skylar and Robbie grew with each other during this book; Skylar is a D1 star pitcher and highly competitive, but lacks confidence in herself and doesn't stand up for herself against her family. Once Robbie sees her dynamic with her family, he sticks up for her and makes sure that she starts to learn how special she is and he really helps her to become more confident. Robbie goes from being an immature player, and the clown of his hockey team, to a much more mature (although still goofy) version of himself by the end of the book. After Skylar calls him out during their first meeting, he realizes that he doesn't want to be a playboy for the rest of his life, and that he needs someone like her to push him to be a better version of himself.
I also loved that BOTH Skylar and Robbie were athletes, because that had a huge influence on the way they handled their relationship and being a "team" competing with each other in the Page Stakes was the foundation of their relationship, and I don't think their dynamic would've worked the same if it hadn't been for their athletic influence.

This was super cute. Not my favorite of Tessa Bailey’s stories. However, how far gone Robbie becomes for Skylar is *chefs kiss* and absolutely sucked me into the story. I love the family competition for Skylar, so stinking fun and creative & new. I think the fake dating in this was very well done compared to some where you ‘eye roll’ at the scenario put forth as the ‘excuse’ for fake dating.

I love the self love that pours out of this book by the end & I can’t wait to read the next installment!

Thank you so much Avon and Harper Voyager for the chance to read this early!

ARC REVIEW|

tropes: Fake dating, reformed playboy, hockey player x softball player, forced proximity, brother’s rival, spice lessons


I never miss a Tessa Bailey release because I know I’m in for a fun time, every time.
Robbie & Skylar were were such a blast in this hilarious & sexy faking dating moment. I also cried?? which was incredibly unexpected but I love the emotional roller coaster!!

The chemistry between Skylar & Robbie was AMAZING!!! hot, hot, hot. I love the banter, the tension, and the teamwork!!!!! Also, a Tessa man is a man OBSESSED, no doubt about that & Robbie was no exception.
Skylar was amazing!!! I loved her competitive, logical brain. I was honestly a little worried how the reformed playboy aspect would play out with her obsessively logical mind but I loved how the story unfolded!! I thought it played out just how it needed to. & The family competition was SO fun!! The plot carried through the teams and the games so well, in my opinion.

Overall, I thought this was so very fun & so very hot & so very sweet!! A light and playful angst that kept me hanging onto their story. If you love brothers rival & fake dating, I highly recommend giving this a read!!! Guaranteed good time!!!

This book was so so good and so fun! I haven’t read any of the others in this series but I do love Tessa Bailey so I just knew I’d like this one. The banter between Robbie and Skylar was perfect and kept me truly entertained. I loved watching her realize that she was better than what she had been putting up with and how he helped her realize that. Such a good story and I cannot wait to tell everyone about it. Also apparently I have a thing for baseball players! Now I’m off to read every baseball romance I can find hahaha.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

In this story, we follow Skylar and Robbie, two competitive athletes with undeniable tension from the start. So when they agree to fake date to help Skylar win over her longtime crush, it’s not exactly a surprise when lines start to blur. Between the challenges, the flirty lessons, and the forced proximity, their fake relationship quickly starts to feel very real.

Sky is a total badass and I loved reading about a strong female athlete taking the lead. Robbie, the rookie hockey player for the Bearcats, is instantly infatuated with her and is trying so hard to change her (very valid) impression of him.

This all takes place over the span of like 1-2 weeks. We go from “you’re annoying” to “I love you” real fast. It’s definitely a wild timeline, and normally I’m not a fan of the insta love trope, but it totally worked for me here. They opened up to each other in ways that felt genuine, and it made their connection so much stronger. Their chemistry was instant, but it never felt forced or unbelievable.

Sky’s trust issues where understandable, but also a little frustrating. She kept hyper-fixating on their physical connection, no matter how many times Robbie tried to show (and literally tell her) he was serious about her. I’m not going to judge her too hard though, because even I had a hard time shifting the way I saw Robbie. I literally pictured him as a child, especially after the way him and Mailer acted in books #2 and #3. So yeah, imagine my shock when I started to warm up to him??? Reading about his character growth was so refreshing and now I now have a soft spot for him.

I’m honestly so glad I decided to continue with this series. Tessa really brough back the magic from book one. The fake dating setup, the dating lessons, and the soft emotional moments were super fun to read. I highlighted so many things in the book, I was laughing and kicking my feet a lot.

Read if you like:
🥎 insta love
🥎 faking dating
🥎 reformed playboy
🥎 competitive athletes
🥎 dating lessons

Final rating:
4 ⭐️
3 🌶️ (steamy with several descriptive scenes and explicit language)