I really enjoyed this one! I have read almost all of Tessa Bailey’s books and this one felt more refreshing than some of the others in this sports series. I liked that the MMC had more of a journey to go on in order to feel ready for a relationship. So many of Tessa’s MMC immediately go caveman and become obsessed with the girl right away, and I like that there was more hurdles for these characters to work through together. I did think the main conflict in the 3rd act felt juvenile and immature. It didn’t make for the most satisfying ending, but I really enjoyed this read overall and the characters!

I love Tessa Bailey and she always delivers a fun, quick read, spicy read!! In this book we are given NHL star Robbie and softball pitcher Skylar who start off on the wrong foot. There is strong character development and I loved to see the character growth of both Robbie and Skylar throughout the book! We are given fake dating, enemies to lovers and a sports romance. Yes, please! Such a fun read!

Thank you NetGalley and Tessa Bailey for an early eARC of this book!!!!

Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶🌶

Pitcher Perfect is a great choice if you're looking for a cheesy good time with excellent flirting. I was quickly sucked into this and giggled and kicked my feet all the way to the end.

Bailey nails the romantic elements every time. The MCs were charming and had great chemistry. They frequently had me laughing. I *adored* their meet-cute and early banter. They had such great bonding moments throughout. I enjoyed how their relationship developed. The way they listened to each other and showed it in their actions was heartwarming. I just loved that aspect of their relationship so much. Plus, the spice spiced!

I really had fun with the plot and premise of this book. It was goofy but entertaining. The family competition was a fun idea and worked to add conflict. This is definitely my favorite book in the Big Shots series since Fangirl Down.

However, there were many ridiculous elements that were difficult to look past. So many aspects were surface level. Robbie is this tremendous player and he just changes his ways on a whim? The day before he was wearing an "orgasm donor" shirt. He's problematic and its mostly swept under the rug with very little scrutiny from the other characters. The MCs are saying "I love you" in a week? The best friend is not around? The parents were just pawns. I would have loved for all of this to be expanded upon. It would have made the novel stronger, imo, and I really don't think it would have taken away from the romcom-ness of it. I just couldn't help but want more throughout this book.

This was an enjoyable read and immensely more readable than Dream Girl Drama and Au Pair Affair, however, none of these are in the same league as Fangirl Down. If you are looking for a spicy Hallmark romcom that ignores any element that would add substance to the romance, this is for you. While I personally had a great time, I clearly keep wanting more than Bailey is willing to give from this series.

If you are looking for a book where the MMC has lost his way and is finding his way back to who he wants to and was raised to be, look no further. Add in some heckin' spice, and whew, you have my attention!

This is definitely my favorite of the series, and one of my favorite fake dating tropes in a long time. I found that I really liked the story being told mainly about Robbie and how he was feeling. There are also a couple chapters that have some interesting omniscient cliffhangers that I liked, but were also a little surprising to find based on the tone of the rest of the book. Overall though, I did NOT want to put this book down.

This was the fourth book in Tessa Bailey's sports series, and I liked this one the most. I'm surprised from the earlier books that I ended up liking Robbie's story and went in with low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised (I think because he falls first, which I think was how it had to be for his story). Some of the stuff with Skylar's parents/support for their alma mater was a bit much, but overall this was a fun read.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is my favorite in the series so far. Perfect mix of spice and humor. I was laughing, swooning, etc. Tessa Bailey knows how to write the hell out of a rom com.

Tessa Bailey delivers peak romance chaos in Pitcher Perfect, where hockey player Robbie meets his kryptonite in softball pitcher Skylar—who literally tells him to fuck himself at first meeting. What follows is a masterclass in enemies-to-lovers tension wrapped in fake dating shenanigans.
The premise is pure romance crack: fake boyfriend duties at a family wilderness competition, complete with trust exercises and conveniently limited sleeping arrangements. But Bailey's real genius lies in the slow burn that somehow manages to be both tender and absolutely filthy. Watching these two athletic powerhouses go from mutual antagonism to desperate need is addictive—Skylar's immunity to Robbie's usual charm makes their eventual combustion feel earned rather than inevitable.
The emotional stakes feel surprisingly real beneath all the trope-heavy setup, and when things finally get steamy (and they do, extensively), there's no holding back. The wilderness/parent's house setting becomes the perfect pressure cooker for both romantic tension and some genuinely scorching scenes that'll have you reaching for a fan.
If you're here for the dislike each other-to-lovers pipeline with a hefty side of spice, Bailey serves it up exactly how you want it—ridiculous, addictive, and hot enough to melt your kindle.
Perfect for anyone who likes their fake dating extra steamy and their sports heroes thoroughly humbled.

Enjoy this series, getting to know and follow the characters and teammates. You won’t be disappointed picking up this author’s series even if you aren’t a sports fan!

Okay this was SO CUTE!! I can not help how much I love a good enemies to lovers (honestly it was just her hating him lol he was obsessed from the jump) I am so glad I gave this one a try because I am now obsessed with athlete couples - which is sometimes hard to find in sports romances! the banter.. the chemistry.. it was sooo good I ate it right the heck up!! i also could feel just how grateful Skylar really was for him, especially once he came flying in with BU apparel for the whole family.. LOVE!!!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ - 3.25

Another fun Tessa Bailey book! Big Shots has been one of my favorite series of hers, and Pitcher Perfect was a great addition!

The Bearcats/baseball scene was even better from Robbie and Skylar’s POVs. I’m a sucker for a good ‘he falls first’ trope, and Robbie fell HARD. While I could never get behind the nicknames they had for each other, their banter and the support they had for each other was enjoyable and so sweet.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollinsPublishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

(Reviewed on Goodreads and Fable)

Pitcher Perfect is such a great example of fake-dating / close proximity done right! I could not put this book down and it is definitely my favorite in the series.

In Pitcher Perfect you meet Skylar, who is an A-1 baseball pitcher and someone who definitely doesn't take any sh*t from others. During a match up against the Bearcats hockey team she meets Robbie who does NOT make a good impression (and for good reason). Through a series of events they end up deciding to fake date to catch the eye of the boy Skylar has been in love with for years - her brothers best friend. And on top of that, it just so happens that she needs a partner for her families annual competition in the wilderness so we are straight into a close proximity situation.

One of the things I really loved was seeing the changes in Robbie - in the beginning he is (what seems to be) a complete misogynist and a player. But through his POV especially you see so many changes that Skylar brings out of him and the way he thinks about women and relationships. He really went above and beyond for her multiple times in the book and I loved seeing that growth.

The main thing that I didn't love was the very insta-lust/love vibes which is why this was just a 4 star for me. I wish it was a bit more realistic with the timeline and growth of feelings they had together, since a lot of it seemed more physical than emotionally tied.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

An absolute stand-out addition to this ongoing sports romance series. You root for this couple instantly & their relationship problems felt so realistic. It was so refreshing to read as someone who can't handle a bad 3rd act breakup! I was glued to this for an entire 24 hours. I can only hope we get to see more from this world.

As a Division 1 all-American pitcher, Skylar is accustomed to competition. Now, if only Skylar could translate the confidence she feels on the mound to real life. Skylar has been pining for her brother's best friend for as long as she can remember, but he's only ever looked at her like family. When Skylar meets hockey playboy Robbie, he's quick to offer help in teaching Skylar how to woo the opposite sex.

Robbie is the first to admit he has no trouble with the ladies, so he's caught off guard when Skylar doesn't immediately fall for his charms. After a rocky meeting, Robbie knows he should forget about this gorgeous girl who's way out of his league and who's head over heels for another man, but he's a glutton for punishment. Desperate to spend time with Skylar, Robbie offers to pretend to be her boyfriend during her family's annual wilderness competition and give her seduction lessons. But the more time the pair spends together, the more they can't deny their attraction, and soon, their fake relationship starts feeling anything but.

Did this feel like a sporty version of Hook, Line, and Sinker? Yes. But did I eat it up anyway? Also, yes. Bailey has this signature formula when it comes to romances where her MMCs always fall into one of two categories: the bad boy with a vulnerable side or the frat boy with a vulnerable side, and Robbie was snugly in the latter. He comes across as cocky, but then he's met with the one woman who doesn't fall for his tricks and instead pushes him to be better. He and Skylar both grew from their relationship, which was satisfying to watch. As per any book written by Bailey, the spicy scenes were a little ridiculous but still fun, but the one thing that kept making my eye twitch was the nickname. Don't get me wrong, I love when the MMC has a nickname for the FMC, but Robbie was overdoing it hard, and it went from cute to cringey fast. Other than that, I thought this was super binge-able and another entertaining installment to the series.

Robbie Corrigan. What a freaking surprise. An absolute delight. Robbie did his duty as punchy side character in previous books and I had zero desire to learn more about him. Man oh man oh man how wrong was I?! The character growth of this man! I loved Robbie and Skylar’s story. I think being able to pull off quick/insta-love is a really difficult thing to do and Tessa Bailey does it so well. I loved watching both Robbie and Skylar grow as people and as a couple. Pitcher Perfect was such a fun, enjoyable read!

What another banger from Tessa Bailey!! Loved the dynamics between rocket & redbeard! The ole pretend to date me to make the guy I like notice me ultimate fail! Tessa Bailey, girl your dirty talk *insert chef kiss*
I will be buying this book in sept!!!

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read this book in advance.

You will love this book if you enjoy sports, romance and spice!

I love ssinf how competitive the main characters. Skylar and Robbie are both at the tops of their prospective sports. Watching them work and come together was fun to read. Many ups and downs in their courtship and plenty of growth and learning. ❤️

I honestly thought halfway through this one that it might be a 5-star read. I was hooked. However, the love-bombing after knowing the girl for a week was just too over the top for me. Also, once the conflict came along, I was proud that Robbie was not letting Skylar off so easy…. Until he couldn’t stop beating himself up over it. Like, bro, have a little self-respect. He unapologetically did not. Either way, I still ate this one up and am still questioning if it deserves another star because of how unputdownable it was for me in the first half. Let’s go 3.5 and call it fair. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

This series has been such a good time, and Pitcher Perfect is no exception. The banter in this one is hilarious. I found myself laughing throughout the whole book. Skylar is sassy and doesn’t take any crap from most people. She has a hard time telling her family how she feels, though. Robbie was a playboy, but he falls first and harder (which is one of my favorite tropes). I loved how Robbie wasn’t afraid to stick up for Skylar to her family. They weren’t mean to her, but they weren’t as supportive as they could’ve been. I also liked how Sky helped Robbie learn to say how he feels to his teammates. The way Robbie tried so hard to prove himself to Skylar was so sweet 🥹 I really enjoyed this one! Loving this series!

I adored this book. Robbie and Skylar were adorable together.... once they got together. The enemies to lovers aspect and all the banter were great!

honestly could’ve been worse for my first sports romance. still not the biggest fan but i am now more interested to read more !