Pitcher Perfect is the fourth book in the Big Shots universe that revolves around D1 softball pitcher, Skylar Page, and rookie NHL player Robbie Corrigan. Their paths cross during a heated competition between the local baseball team and NHL team, where a wager with Robbie ends up in an unexpected date. Skylar Page has always had a thing for her brother’s best friend, Madden, and on the date, she ends up telling Robbie about her family’s annual competition and her crush on Madden. His suggestion? He can be her partner for the competition and help make Madden jealous.

Of course, what starts as a simple scheme quickly spirals into more than either of them anticipated. Between Robbie’s relentless charm and golden retriever energy, Skylar’s competitive streak, and the sparks that fly every time they’re together, the line between fake and real blurs almost immediately. From the witty banter and over-the-top family antics to the undeniable chemistry between Skylar and Robbie, this story is a flirty, fast-paced ride. It’s not a slow burn by any means, but if you’re looking for a breezy sports romance full of humor, heat, and heart, this is an entertaining read.

On the flip side, however, the emotional progression of the story leaves a bit to be desired. Feelings surface fast between the main characters, and the pace leans into insta-love rather than the enemies-to-lovers it is marketed to be. Robbie falls quickly, going from wanting to repair Skylar’s poor first impression of him to being dead serious about her in what feels like the blink of an eye. His player lifestyle and outlook on women shift practically overnight, which makes the romance less fully developed. I found myself wishing for a little more buildup and nuance in their emotional journey before the big declarations started rolling in. The premise also leans into a setup where, while Skylar is portrayed as confident and experienced in her sport, her approach to relationships feels oddly naïve. Despite having had past sexual experiences, she’s in need of Robbie to “teach” her about dating and intimacy. This dynamic undercuts her otherwise strong, competitive character and makes parts of the romance hard to take seriously.

That said, if you’re willing to suspend disbelief and enjoy it for a flirty, fast-paced rom-com, you’ll likely have fun with it. The family hijinks, playful banter, and Robbie’s over-the-top golden retriever devotion bring plenty of charm in a classic fake-dating romance story.

3.5⭐️
The female main character is a collegiate softball player who falls in love with a professional hockey player.

She is infatuated with her brothers best friend and needs a partner for the family field day, so Mr. Hockey decides to help her get this guys attention. Along the way, he realizes that he wants her for himself.

Fun read that was a like, not a love, but I will continue to read this series!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

I have said it before and I will say it a million times more: if Tessa Bailey has zero fans, I have left this plane of existence, because I eat her books up every. single. time. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been able to put down one of her books once I’ve started—I’m pretty sure I’ve read each one in one sitting.

In Pitcher Perfect, we get more of the absolutely delicious type of MMC Tessa Bailey writes so well: men who are so wholly, completely, RIDICULOUSLY down bad for their women you almost feel a bit bad for them. I mean, they can’t even function around their FMCs, and it is actually my favorite thing in the entire world. Give me the feral, unhinged energy of a Tessa Bailey MMC all day, every day.

I was a bit hesitant going into this about how much of a playboy Robbie, our MMC, had been built up to be in the past books of this series—I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to feel for him and connect to him as much as I had with the other grumps of the series. And having Skylar, our FMC, be someone who we had only met very briefly in Dream Girl Drama, I was sad that we wouldn’t get to see the aspects of friendship between Josephine, Tallulah, and Chloe that I’d gotten used to, and that there wasn’t as much build up for who she was and what we could look forward to.

I should have known Tessa Bailey would prove me so wrong that it’s almost laughable.

I connected to Robbie and Skylar so hard and so quickly I was immediately laughing my butt off, giggling into my hands, kicking my feet and flailing all over the place, and sobbing like a mess. Their characters feel so well-developed and the backstories that we get for each of them makes them feel real and whole without drowning us in exposition. I was immediately rooting for both of them, screaming at Skylar to give Robbie a chance while also completely understanding her hesitations and siding with her on those, while also hoping with all my heart that Robbie was going to be able to get his girl and prove her assumptions about him wrong. I could write novels on how deeply I feel for every character Tessa Bailey introduces us to, but I’ll leave that up to her.

I am so ridiculously glad I got to snatch this up off of NetGalley, and can’t wait to hold the physical copy in my hands and add it to my Tessa Bailey shelf in a spot of honor. Hope to see you soon in Bailey’s Boston (😉) and hope you have just as much fun as I did!!

Skylar Paige is a quick-witted, all-around-badass D1 softball pitcher who was looking forward to spending her day according to the schedule she meticulously planned out. But when her brother winds up in a rivalry with the Boston Bearcats hockey players that results in Skylar pitching strikes (and comebacks) against the burly team, she finds herself going toe-to-toe with most obnoxious one of all: Robbie Corrigan, rookie, jokester, and known player. When Skylar overhears Robbie talking about his latest conquest, she calls him out on his behavior, but he manages to win a bet that has Skylar reluctantly joining him for after-game drinks. Robbie realizes that Skylar carries a torch for her brother's best friend, but her dedication to school and athletics has left her lacking confidence in the dating realm. He offers to be a fake boyfriend and join her at her family's annual outdoor games competition, where her crush will see their every interaction. But as they spend more time together, Robbie and Skylar are forced to confront the truth of who they both are, and what their relationship could be.

If you had told me before reading Pitcher Perfect that I would be charmed by one of the orgasm donor rookies from The Au Pair Affair, I would have said there was no way. And yet, here we are! I honestly found myself completely buying Robbie's transformation from skeezy womanizer to dedicated friend/boyfriend/partner. It helped that he never shied away from his past and how he acted; instead, he took ownership of it, accepted that he couldn't change the things he had one, but worked hard to change the decisions he made in the future. I'm not usually a huge fan of an instalust trope, but it made sense to me that Robbie fell so hard and so quickly for Skylar. Obviously, his first impression was based on her appearance, but everything we knew about Robbie meant it would make sense that he would be attracted to someone sarcastic and willing to dish it out as much as he is.

And Skylar was the perfect foil in that regard. She was a strong and confident person when it came to her athletic abilities, but there was a relatable vulnerability underneath the surface. Anyone who has ever been the guy's girl/best friend knows how it feels to question whether you'll ever be seen as anything else. I particularly appreciated how well Skylar's position within her own family was developed over the course of the story. I loved how the alma mater paraphernalia was a plot point because that was something I can imagine playing out in real life without question. <spoiler>And when Robbie showed up in BU gear with shirts for everyone?? I admit it, I swooned!</spoiler> I appreciated how authentic Skylar felt as a character in terms of who she wanted to be, her fears about her future, and her explanation for feeling isolated in her family and life in general.

There were a couple of things that kept this from being a 5 star read for me. The primary one was how unresolved Skylar's friendship with Eve felt while I was reading. I didn't fully understand how they were friends, who Eve was to Skylar, or why she was there other than as a possible romantic foil? Now, I will be honest - I didn't read the third book of the Big Shots series, so if she played a part in that and I missed it, that is on me. But because Skylar was well-developed in other areas, the Eve-related parts of the story stuck out to me for anyone who reads this as a standalone.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and just thank NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my review!

For this being the possible end of the series, it was really good. I finished it within two days. It was written in the same style as the other books in the series. It was as if you change career and character names and none would be the wiser. I did appreciate the different sports that the author wrote about. They changed my perspective on sports that's for sure.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Tessa Bailey for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

▹TL;DR Review:
This is my 11th(!!) Tessa Bailey book, and because of this I know to expect a warm, zany hug in romcom form. This book was over-the-top in the best way, and part of the charm is embracing the chaos. While some moments can be a little cringey, Tessa’s talent for writing loveable characters and snappy banter always wins me over. I rank this my second favorite of the series (after Dream Girl Drama) but Robbie is up there with book boyfriends!

📅 Release Date: September 9
⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

– About: Self-proclaimed “orgasm donor” and hockey rookie Robbie agrees to be a fake boyfriend to Skylar—college softball star with a wicked arm and zero tolerance for his charm—to make her unrequited crush finally see her. But in order to play this game, Robbie has to survive her crazy family’s competitive wilderness games AND his mounting feelings for her.

– FMC: Skylar (aka “Rocket”): 22-year-old BU softball pitcher, tomboy to the core, raised on baseball diamonds with the boys. Think grown-up Kristy from The Baby-Sitters Club.
– MMC: Robbie (aka “Redbeard”): Boston Bearcats rookie with golden retriever energy and a diet that’s 80% Stouffer’s lasagna.
– Location: Boston, MA + Rhode Island
– POV: Dual third-person
– Spice Level: 🔥 5–7 open-door scenes
– Tropes: Fake dating, dating/sex lessons, reformed playboy, insta-love, sports romance (for both leads), forced proximity, unrequited crush, blended family dynamics, golden retriever MMC/black cat FMC
– Content Warnings: Family pressure, grief (loss of a loved one), near drowning, fear of heights

What I Loved:
➼ The banter. I loved their flirty dynamic. Skylar was NOT having it with Robbie’s charm, and he loved it.
➼ Robbie. Sigh. What is his exact formula? I need to have a chat with the person that makes men so I can get the specifications just right. 😉
➼ Callbacks to Sig and Burgess (and Chloe and Tallulah)—and a different perspective of our beloved Boston Bearcats!

What Didn’t Work (For Me):
➼ The pacing of the romance leaned heavily into insta-love, and while I’m happy to suspend belief in a romcom, this one felt especially quick. I don’t need a slow-burn, but I would have loved just a bit more time for the relationship to build.

❤️ If You Like These, Try This Book:
- FMC athletes: Icebreaker (Hannah Grace), Deep End (Ali Hazelwood), Face Off (Chelsea Curto), Fangirl Down (Tessa Bailey)
- Snarky girls + sunshine boys: Scotch on the Rocks (Elliot Fletcher), Battle of the Bookstores (Ali Brady), Well, Actually (Mazey Eddings)

Would I Recommend: 100%. I love the journey Tessa takes us on as readers in her books, and this one is the perfect amount of spice and comedy.

This was my first Tessa Bailey book. I have heard so many wonderful things about her writing that I was eager to give this one a try. While I appreciated the fake dating trope, which is one of my favorites, I am not sure this story convinced me to keep exploring her books. Without that trope, I think I would have had a much harder time finishing.

The dynamic between Skylar and Robbie did not feel believable to me. Robbie’s immediate, intense interest in her seemed rushed, especially since Skylar was portrayed as someone who struggles to open up in relationships. From my perspective, it usually takes more time for that kind of connection to grow. His dramatic shift from being a notorious player to suddenly in love with Skylar also felt unrealistic, which made their relationship seem more fabricated than genuine. Robbie’s protectiveness and jealousy so early on felt forced rather than earned. One scene in particular — the High School Musical inspired shower moment with “gotta get your head in the game” — completely pulled me out of the story and made me cringe rather than laugh. Their love for HSM in general just really was not it for me.

Skylar’s “one of the guys” persona and her awkwardness in love were highlighted so frequently that it started to feel repetitive and even a little abrasive. I also never quite understood why she was pining after Madden. Beyond their history, I did not see enough depth in their relationship to make her feelings feel meaningful, which made him come across more like a convenient option than someone truly right for her.

That being said, Robbie did have some very sweet moments, and I especially liked when he wore the Boston University shirt and even bought extras for Skylar’s family. Those little gestures showed genuine care and were a highlight for me. On top of that, the spice was genuinely enjoyable. The intimate moments were written with plenty of heat and added some much-needed spark to a story that otherwise didn’t fully work for me.

By the end, I found myself skimming because the story left me more frustrated than invested, especially with the random subplot involving Madden and Eve that felt unnecessary. Even with the sweet moments Skylar and Robbie shared, their relationship never fully felt real to me. Still, I can see why readers who enjoy messy and dramatic romantic setups might have fun with this one. For me personally, though, it missed the mark, and I think I’ll be more selective with which Tessa Bailey books I try next.

Thanks so much to Avon and Harper Voyager, as well as the author for the opportunity to read this eARC! All opinions are my own.

4 ⭐️

Thank you to Avon & NetGalley for the free e-ARC! Release date is 9/9/25!

A sweet (and steamy!!) sports romance! We have our FMC, a college softball pitcher who feels insecure about her romantic life (and is hung up on her brother’s best friend). We have our MMC, a funny, outspoken pro hockey rookie (who has a reputation as a womanizer). Their first interaction ended in a brawl, need I say more?

These characters were a very good time & I genuinely enjoyed myself a lot more than I thought I would, as someone who hasn’t historically been the biggest sports romance girly (listen, I don’t dislike them exactly, I just tend to lean towards cowboys or fae a bit more lol). We have a fake dating trope, instalove, and “lessons” and woooo boy, I REALLY enjoyed how these tropes played out.

The spice was really good. I think the writing style of this author is a bit hit or miss for me, but this one hit!

I’d recommend this for my romance lovers, especially if you enjoy sports/college romances and some of the tropes listed above!

I was kindly provided with the arc of this book by NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and the author in exchange for an honest review, thank you ✨

5⭐️

Only Tessa Bailey can make me cry, and swoon at the same time reading her books 😭❤️💙

I was very patiently waiting for this book since the moment I read Robbie and Skylar’s first interaction in the last book and I knew from that moment that this book would be so so great and perfect and I want t wrong! Because this book ate! 😮‍💨💙 I loved how Skylar was making Robbie sweat and actually work for her without even noticing it! Robbie was so into her from the moment she mouthed “f you” and oh boy, he played the long game to win her heart 💙

He was a total playboy before Skylar and his past almost cost his chance to fight for her heart, and he was so mesmerized by her that he even accepted being her fake boyfriend and teaching her how to date so she can have her shot with another guy 😭💙 I just love Robbie so much, he’s so sweet and caring and protective with her, he stood by her and for her, he didn’t know what love was like until he met her and Skylar didn’t know what love and being truly loved was until Robbie, so I really loved this book and it’s amazing because every book gets better than the one before but I love every single one of them at the same time and honestly? I CANT WAIT, for Madden and Eve story 🙂‍↔️ I’m not going to spoil anything, but the tropes on that one are my absolute favorites and I’m craving to read their story because I know it’s going to be as perfect as each one of the stories I read from this series ✨

Oh and I didn’t forget about Mailer and Reese! I want their story too 🙈✨

I do not even remember this character from Dream Girl Drama because that book was not my favorite of Tessa Bailyey's book. However, I really like this one! the relationship between Redbeard and Rocket was off to a rocky start but I loved the fact that they talked, they were vulnerable with each other and most importantly, no third act break up!

What a fun sports romance! This book had a little bit of everything and definitely kept me turning the pages. It was heartwarming, funny, and HOT! I read this as a standalone and it made me want to go back and read the other books in the series. If you like a sports rom-com then definitely give this one a shot!

Pitcher Perfect was exactly what I wanted from a Tessa Bailey novel; she always delivers with lush writing, witty banter, tension, swoon-worthy MMCs, and the kind of FMCs that make you proud. I adored this story and breezed through it; the chemistry between Skylar and Robbie is off the charts, and it was nice to see such personal growth for both characters. While heavy on the insta-love and obsessed hero tropes (as all of Tessa's books are), there was still a natural progression to their relationship that felt real and relatable. We're also introduced to 2 new characters who will be the main characters in the next book in the Hot Shots series, which I can't wait to read. Pitcher Perfect, and this entire series, was a huge hit with me. I laughed throughout the entire story and generally had a blast reading it.

Thank you so much Avon for this eARC! This is my first Tessa Bailey book & I’ve been completely missing out. I will shout this one from the rooftops at how much I enjoyed it. The character development, interaction & banter was my favorite part of this one. I throughly enjoyed that it was deeper than some surface level attraction between characters & that they got to know each other on a more meaningful level.

I’LL BE THINKING OF THIS ONE FOR FOREVER <3

Tessa Bailey is one of my favorite romance authors & her Big Shots series is top tier- Fangirl Down and Dream Girl Drama some of my all time favorites. Pitcher Perfect is no exception.

Robbie Corrigan is a hot shot, rookie hockey player on the Boston Bearcats who can have basically any woman that he wants, until he is swept away by a badass, division 1 softball pitcher that wants nothing to do with him. Well she wants nothing to do with him until she realizes that he would be the perfect fake boyfriend to make her brother's best friend, and long time crush fall for her. What could possibly go wrong with this plan?

I loved how these two became the perfect complement to one another, challenging and encouraging each other in the best ways, striving to make the other the best that they can be. Pitcher Perfect was a mix of swoon worthy moments and hilarious banter that made it a perfect installment to the Big Shots series.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was pretty good; I enjoyed a lot of the banter.

I love the fake dating and teach me moments - I go feral for them.

I love how obsessed the MMC is for the FMC.

I feel like pacing could have been a little better but overall it was a very enjoyable read

I try so hard to love Tessa Bailey but unfortunately she just doesn’t click for me. As far as romance goes I just find her writing to not be my thing and this one sadly was the same.

✩4

✦What to Expect✦
•Enemies to lovers
•Opposites attract
•Playboy hockey mmc
•Softball badass fmc
•Ginger daddy
•Fake dating

✦Characters✦
•Robbie Corrigan
•Skylar Page
 
✦Fav Quotes✦
“I can’t fucking leave without knowing what it’s like to kiss you . . .” he said through his teeth. “When it’s just for us. Not for anyone else. Not for show.”

“That’s how it is, Skylar. I talk f - cking dirty.”

“Maybe I’m shaking a little because I’ve never had someone see me as clearly as you do. Thank you, Robbie. For that.”

“Consider me, Skylar.”

✦Thoughts✦
This may be one of my new favs from Tessa Bailey & in this series !!!!

These two immediately had me giggling!!!

Robbie!!!! I fell for this man hard & fast!!!!
He’s was so endearing and I loved how he handled the situation with her family. Also a down bad man is always fav of mine!

Skylar is a softball baddie who just wants someone to see her and Robbie was that man. She also had me cracking up, she was taking none of his sh-t at first.

Tessa knows how to make you giggle and always deliver on the spice and these two were no exception, they were HOT!!! Robbie’s dirty talk was A+++!

Also her family and the week long competition actually had me cracking up so hard. Her parents are wild.

I really hope Madden & Eve get their own book!

•ARC Read•

I am somewhat conflicted about my rating because I think it should be a little lower but it was better than the last book in the series. The spice in this book is the highlight of the story because I am huge fan of the "teach me" trope. Everything else was blah. I almost always hate on unnecessary nicknames and this book is no exception. Not every couple needs a nickname and both people don't need one either. Rocket and Redbeard is super cringe, especially when redbeard is a longer name than his actual name and just feels so boring. This is 100% not enemies to lovers in any way, it is possibly hate to lovers. I could keep going on everything I had issues with but I would honestly rather move on. Fangirl Down was the highlight of this series and remains unmatched.

I really wish Tessa Bailey would slow down and not publish so much because she has really great romance books but her last few releases have left a lot to be desired.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for this gifted arc!

The day that Pitcher Perfect became Read Now on Netgalley I absolutely pounced on it. I have absolutely devoured this entire series and number 4 is no different! I finished in a weekend, which is pretty rare considering how busy life can be. There is almost nothing I love more than the "he falls first" trope which Bailey absolutely nails with Robbie. He is just wonderful and what so many MMC should be! I loved that he didn't mess around and made his feelings so clear. He was so soft without being weak and strong without being a gross alpha male. And Skylar, I cannot say enough about Skylar because I adored her. It can be so hard to write a strong, emotionally guarded FMC, while still keeping her real and not a caricature of a tough woman. Her vulnerability got me so bad and I could totally understand why Robbie falls for her.

Sure you have to suspend your disbelief a little around some of the plot but this is sports romance! I am here for the well executed characters and steam and that's what Tessa Bailey delivered!

While Pitcher Perfect had a fun setup and plenty of swoony romance moments but it wasn’t quite the right fit for me. I tend to struggle with fast-burn romances, and the quick timeline (just about a week) made it hard for me to connect with the emotional depth of the relationship. The characters had cute chemistry, but I personally prefer more time for things to unfold.

Thank you for the advance copy!