I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Avon and feel blessed by the Big Shots gods. I’ve loved this whole series and Pitcher Perfect was such a fun read! Who doesn’t love fake dating, love coaching, and a reformed playboy?

Robbie and Skylar’s story had me hooked from the beginning! The competitiveness of the two main characters was perfection. Their easy banter and teasing had me kicking my feet and giggling. I could truly feel how ‘down bad’ Robbie was for Skylar through the pages and enjoyed how their fake relationship developed into so much more. The MMC’s support of the FMC was genuine and showed a deep level of attentiveness for her needs (emotionally and physically 🔥). The Big Shots series has been such a delight! If you’ve read the previous 3 books in this series you’ll definitely enjoy this one.

Rocket & Redbeard forever! 💙

I went into this with some skepticism because I wasn’t a huge fan of Sig and Chloe’s story, but Tessa Bailey has a home run with this one! I loved that Robbie got his own story and it’s with a woman who doesn’t put up with his shenanigans but also, in the end, reminds him of the man he wants to be. I love their love story! Would highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pitcher Perfect - Big Shots Book 4
by Tessa Bailey

I was given the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I own the other 3 books in this series, but I haven't read them yet (my TBR is ginormous 🤣). The internet assured me that they did not need to be read in order, so I went with it. I'm so glad I did. This book was a good time! I started reading it around 9 pm, which wasn't my best decision. I didn't want to stop, but I tried to. My brain wouldn't let me go to sleep, so I started reading again and finished it a bit after 2 am. Who needs sleep, when you have a good book?!?!?

I absolutely ❤️ Robbie and Skylar. From the start, we get immediate banter/clashing/attraction. They are both super competitive athletes and have more in common than what they realize initially. He is a bit of a player but falls hard and fast. He realizes he may not have been living the way he wants to and decides to change in hopes of being the right man for Skylar. She's been in love with her brother's best friend for most of her life. Her parents host a super competitive set of games for the family every year for their anniversary. Skylar's best friend is usually her partner, but she can't participate this year. They devise a plan that he will be her partner for the games and also be her fake boyfriend in hopes of making her brother's best friend realize what he's been missing. We all know how that usually works out 😉. There is a minimal 3rd act break-up, which prompted me to scream out, "Don't get in that truck!" in the middle of the night. Good thing my husband isn't a light sleeper. 🤣 It all works out, though, and we get our HEA. The best part though, he SEES her and UNDERSTANDS her when no one else has ever tried, even her family and friends. 😭

This is a total 5⭐️ book for me! I laughed, I cried, I couldn't stop reading. Now I need to read the other books in this series!

We get all the good tropes, too, in this one.
⚾️ enemies(ish) to lovers
⚾️ brother's best friend
⚾️ fake dating
⚾️ forced proximity
⚾️ one bed

I received an ARC of this book, but these opinions are my own. I would like to thank the author, Tessa Bailey, the publisher, Avon/Harper Voyager/Harper Collins, and Net Galley for allowing me the privilege of reading her work. ❤️

If you like Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating, Hockey Romance, Reformed Playboy or Love Coach then you will enjoy this book!

I love Tessa Bailey books but this one was a little hard for me to read only because I am tired of the reformed playboy trope. I did like that the FMC was also an athlete and there were characters from Dream Girl Drama so that was a nice crossover. I also love that the MMC falls for the FMC right away.

I liked this story a lot. If you've followed the series, you already know several of the characters that pop up. Skylar is a star softball pitcher. One day, her brother askes her to pitch in a pickup game against a hockey team. There she meets Robbie. For him it's lust at first site. For her, it's loathing when she hears him discussing his conquests in the most locker room way. When Skylar calls him out on his behavior, Robbie realizes that he's become someone he's not that proud of. So he decides to go home with Skylar and compete in her family's annual competition to prove he's not a bad guy. Skylar also asks for flirting lessons so she can hopefully catch the eye of her crush. But then Robbie starts being there for her in the way no one has before and they both wonder if this relationship can last. A cute book, much in line with Tessa Bailey's other books.

The perfect meet-cute moment that can never be replicated! More than meets the eye is Tessa’s specialty. To take a clown of a character who wears Orgasm Donor shirt (great cover art!) and give him depth and substance. Well done! Really enjoyed the strong FMC as well and liked how the forbidden love/brother’s best friend trope was turned on its head. My only issue was how quickly the conflict was resolved. Opportunity for more poignant (and justifiable) tension with regard to trust.

I loved all the books in this series so far and this one is no different! I finished it in less then 24hrs. There were so many laugh out loud moments that made me love this book more . Robbie and Skyler are great together and I loved them so much. I found myself really rooting for Robbie and loving his development. I loved the familiar names that popped up through out the book! So happy I got to read this thank you Tessa and Avon for the opportunity to read this book!!

I went into this with fairly low expectations considering the MMC is a “presumptions dickwad” and “womanizing asshole” in the previous books. I was not excited that this was going to be his story. Then, I find it hard to believe that one conversation in the first couple of chapters is a wake up call to all of his failures and misdeed in life and brings him back to his family roots and values. Like there are plot holes aplenty here and later in the book.

And yet.

None of that really bothered me as I devoured this in two sittings. I liked Skylar and her spunk. The hockey vs baseball rivalry cracks me up. Tessa Bailey has this je ne sais quoie in her writing that makes it addictive and hard to put down (even if you roll your eyes sometimes).

I struggled between a 3 and a 4 star rating because of some of the issues I had with the plot, but ultimately gave it a 4 because I really enjoyed this. It was a fun and light read and would recommend it if you liked the others in this series.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC!

This one had me giggling literally every page!! Robbie is so hilarious and the banter was just too good!! Such a fun addition to the series!!

This was my first Tessa Bailey book — I know, jumping in at a random time, right? But I found myself unable to put the book down once I got into it! It was so cute and I’m a sucker for a fake dating trope.

The banter between the two main characters was so fun and played on that line of steamy and sarcastic really well.

Robbie was down BAD for Skylar so fast, and I enjoyed watching her slowly fall for him through the book rather than both having insta-love. The way he stood up to her family for her and fought FOR her was so refreshing to read.

My favorite part of fake dating is the “will they won’t they” anticipation throughout the book, and I think Tessa Bailey did that really well here. Experiencing Skylar’s inner monologue slowly turn from Madden to Robbie was so cute as she learned what she deserved in life and love (with a huge help from Robbie’s encouragement).

The multi POV style threw me off at first, but I assume most long-time Tessa Bailey fans already expect that with her books, so that’s a me thing!

Overall, it’s cute and competitive with great banter and steamier scenes (we love a good lesson moment 👀 iykyk)

✨ ARC Review – 4 Stars ✨
I was lucky enough to get my hands on an early copy of Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey, and WOW—I couldn’t put it down! This book hit all the right notes for me: it’s funny, flirty, and full of heart. 💕

With 4/5 for spice, this one definitely brings the heat 🔥, but it’s also packed with charm and emotion. The fake dating and he-falls-first tropes? Two of my all-time favorites—and Tessa absolutely nails them here.

Robbie completely stole my heart. He’s the cocky hockey player with a soft spot only for Skylar, and watching him fall (hard!) was so satisfying. 😍 Skylar was strong, grounded, and the perfect match for him.

This was such a feel-good read, full of laughs, swoons, and all the reasons we fall in love with romance books in the first place. Add Pitcher Perfect to your TBR ASAP—this one’s a September must-read! 🥎🏒📖

Hockey x Softball Romance
Fake Dating
Force Proximity

This is a feel-good, fake dating sports rom com that made me laugh. Robbie is such a flirt with all the charm, except he can’t charm Skylar. Skylar is a very independent softball pitcher, who is over all men, except one. Robbie and Skylar don’t start off as friends, even though Robbie is very attracted to and gone for Skylar from the start. In the end she gives in to Robbie, as he volunteered to help her. She wants to make her brother’s best friend notice her (her long-time crush) during a family trip. I wouldn’t call this enemies to lovers, since Robbie is attracted to her from the beginning, even if Skylar didn’t reciprocate it. The banter and tension between these two throughout made it an enjoyable read. It was the perfect rom com, lighthearted book I needed to read right now.

🌟ARC Review🌟
Pitcher Perfect
By Tessa Bailey
Releasing 09.09.25
Thanks to Net Galley for the Advanced Reader Copy

When my book bestie informed me that the fourth book in Tessa Bailey’s Big Shots Series was on Net Galley as a ‘read now,’ I didn’t waste any time logging on. When we met Robbie and Skylar towards the end of Dream Girl Drama, I knew they were going to make an entertaining couple.

Robbie may have been a bit of a playboy professional hockey player but who couldn’t love the big red haired, kind hearted man. Under his flashy exterior really was a man just trying to find his place in the world and somehow that was discovered at the annual Page Family Wilderness Competition! Shall we mention that they were also fake dating so that Skylar could make her brother’s best friend jealous?

It was nice to see Robbie really learn that the lifestyle he was currently living, wasn’t sustainable. Skylar helped him to open up and see that love really isn’t a bad thing. Even when there’s a 6 foot something, professional baseball playing, hunk of an Irishman standing in his way.

These two definitely took awhile to realize they were the perfect match for one another. It did take Skylar quite some time to finally accept that Robbie was truly a changed man. But ultimately, I think they are exactly what one another needed. And don’t get me started on how he stood up to her family after all the years they made her feel like she wasn’t good enough 🥹

I definitely have a few ideas on who might be the MCs in the next book. I am praying that we learn more about Madden and Eve because there’s so much going on between them. I wouldn’t mind Mailer getting his own book considering we’ve seen him pop up quite a few times. Either way, if Tessa Bailey writes it, I will read it!

Huge thank you to Avon for an arc in exchange for an honest review! :)

As a woman, you ever want to be seen, heard, understood? You want your man to come in and sweep you away! OMG I don’t know how Tessa does it, but Pitcher Perfect is just that!

Funny, loving and heart warming! Robbie, a major hockey playboy and Skylar, a no nonsense pitcher are the sweetest!

I never thought hockey and baseball could ever mix but they make it work. Fake dating, great banter and swoony moments makes Pitcher Perfect… well perfect.

Witty and full of fun. I loved seeing Robbie mature and fall so quickly for Skylar who was a perfect match for him.

I DNF’d at 15%. The initial dynamic of Skylar and Robbie is not scratching the itch on my brain. Having Robbie introduced when she’s so obviously pining for her brothers best friend just wasn’t my idea writing.

I also thought this was a standalone so I definitely do not know enough about these characters to understand what the author was trying to do.

Thank you to net galley and Avon & Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the instant chemistry between the characters and it was off the charts from the start. The hockey vs baseball banter had me grinning so much, and the tension? SO good.

He falls for her so fast, and it’s honestly the sweetest thing. I loved how she challenged him, pushed him to be better, and reminded him of who he really wants to be. And the way he’d hurt his own heart just to make sure she was happy? Total swoon.

This one had all the fun, flirty vibes with just the right amount of emotion. Definitely a feel-good romance that hit the spot!

Thank you Avon, NetGalley and Tessa Bailey for the arc!

Book #4 in the Big Shots series, Skylar needs a fake boyfriend to make her crush jealous. Enter Robbie.

Read if you enjoy:
***Sports romance
***Fake dating
***He falls first
***Witty banter
***New Adult

From the first few pages, I enjoyed the idea of Robbie and Skylar together. I love enemies to lovers, so the witty banter from the beginning sucked me in. This was a fun sports romance and what I would consider New Adult. It was a little too Insta Love for my taste, but still a fun read.

I am interested to read Madden’s novel next though!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC.

This was a quick, easy, and mostly fun read.

What's that line: "You had me at hello"? Well, Skylar Page had Robbie Corrigan at a mouthed "F- you" during an early morning baseball game her older brother dragged her to against a bunch of hockey dudes. Skylar overhears Robbie recounting his nighttime activities in a less than gentlemanly way and she instantly has a sour taste in her mouth. He manages to engage her in a friendly wager which leads to a coffee shop date, where she gets a pulp-free OJ and he walks away having agreed to be her fake boyfriend for the week while they're back in her hometown competing in her family's wilderness games, all the while trying to catch the eye of her brother's BFF and her longtime crush.

It doesn't take long for Robbie to fall head of heels for Skylar aka Rocket, so if instalove is your thing this may be right up your alley. Skylar's a little slower with getting with the whole "maybe this doesn't have to be pretend after all" thing, and rightfully so given Robbie's playboy ways. He reforms super quickly, having found the one with Skylar, taking her through lessons in how to flirt, date, and do all sorts of physical things.

I did enjoy seeing Robbie explore his vulnerable side and some of the confidence (outside of the bedroom) that Skylar gave him. His standing up for her with her family was also really great.

There was plenty of spice in here if that's something you're needing, though the switch in how they interacted when their clothes came off did throw me for a loop at first. Robbie definitely is a dirty talk and that's not the only good thing he can do with his mouth.

I haven't read any of the other books in the Big Shots series, but the glimpses of the veteran players and their love interests had me intrigued to learn more, as did the appearance of Mailer, though the GM may be right about him.

The tropes were aplenty in here and included:

- "enemies" to lovers
- fake dating
- he falls first, and hard
- instalove
- hockey player x softball pitcher
- reformed playboy/straight-laced good girl
- one bed

Tessa at her BEST.

Thank you so much to Avon for the eARC via NetGalley! These are my honest thoughts!

HONESTLY. This might be the best book in this series thus far, and I've loved every single Big Shot. Robbie Corrigan is THEE MAN, until he becomes the only man for Skylar. Robbie is a playboy, enjoying all the things that come with being a rookie in the NHL, including the partying and women who flock to professional athletes.

The first time Robbie and Skylar meet, she mouths "fuck you" to him for talking about banging multiple women, and he's instantly taken to her. When the hockey professionals and the baseball players start brawling (in part because Robbie throws the first punch at Skylar's stepbrother, Elton), Robbie whisks Skylar away from the testosterone-filled mayhem, and away to a cafe that serves pulp-free orange juice (because he won a bet for a date with Skylar). From there, this book becomes so much more.

Skylar's a softball pitcher at Boston University, and she's gone the mindset of a level-headed athlete. Robbie takes to her sorta tomboy personality immediately, and she calls to him in a way no other female has.

AND THEN, they start FAKE DATING. And they compete it Skylar's annual family competition, and he SHOWS UP for her in a way that no one has. AND THEN, SHE USES HER CUTE LITTLE PLANNER TO ASK ROBBIE TO *TEACH* HER THINGS, while also trying to make another guy jealous.

Robbie's chapters are THE BEST. At first, he's just teaching her because he's attracted to her. And then, he's "teaching her" because he's so attracted to her, he just can't help it. But the whole time, he's "teaching her" that her way IS the RIGHT WAY for THE RIGHT GUY, and Robbie's decided he has to become THAT MAN for her.

Read if you love:
- Sports romance
- Professional hockey player x college softball player
- Fake dating
- Teach me
- Spicy lessons
- He falls first
- Chemistry and banter for DAYS
- Found family
- Family drama
- MMCs who SEE the FMC + love them for exactly who they are
- Meet-cutes
- Food
- Rhode Island/Boston
- Competition
- Karaoke
- High School Musical
- Finding someone who will stick up for you and stick with you

Five perfect stars. Big fan.