This started out cute. I love an enemies to lovers and a fake dating and a coaching situation. Him loving her so fast wasn’t believable to me and it just got a little too cheesy at the end.

While I really did have a great time reading this, as I always do with Tessa Bailey, I couldn’t help but feel like her previous works in this series had better pacing. There was basically no will they, wont they. I still plan on reading the rest of this series as it comes out though.

This is my first ever Tessa Bailey book and I absolutely loved this book! I love an enemies to lovers trope, especially with fake dating?!?! The banter was good! Robbie is a reformed playboy who falls absolutely head over heels with Skylar. He’s obsessed and he was such a good guy to her! I really related to Skylar and her insecurities, it made me really connect with her. The third act breakup wasn’t my fave but the epilogue and ending made up for this! I cannot wait to read more Tessa Bailey now! My review is posted on my insta, @paigetopagereads

This is a fantastic romance. I've already read the rest of this series so I was very excited and it did not disappoint!

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

I loved this book! talk about yearning… I usually don’t like the whole “reformed f-boy” trope, & that’s why it wasn’t a full 5 stars. But tbh, this book did it well. The MMC was willing to help her get with another man just to be around her. totally recommend this book.

I love Tessa Bailey books - all of them and this was no exception. I loved the back and forth banter between Robbie and Skylar. It was so sexy and fun and I was rooting the two of them on the entire time. Lots of steaminess and romance and of course, a great HEA. My favorite type of book!

Love love loved this one. Maybe my favorite in the Big Shots series so far?? I wish we knew a little bit more about Skylar's life outside of softball (what is her major??) and I think Tessa spent a lot of time building up the Mads book (that I assume we'll be getting) but still great. The inconsistencies with having a fake Boston hockey team but then real NY Yankees + real Oilers was also odd and took me outside the plot a few times. However I still love this! Can't wait too reread the physical book when it get's published in the fall.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to be an ARC reader!

As a longtime Tessa Bailey fan, I was really looking forward to Robbie and Skylar’s story. While there’s a lot to love—especially the chemistry and the dynamic between two high-performing athletes—the pacing didn’t quite land for me. Their relationship evolves incredibly fast: from a chance meeting at the end of book three to basically moving in together after a month. It felt a bit rushed and left me wanting more development between the characters.

That said, the charm and heat are undeniably there. Bailey knows how to write a swoony romance, and this book delivers plenty of that. Some of the steamy scenes caught me off guard with their location (her parents' house), but fans of spicy contemporary romance will likely enjoy the bold choices.

Overall, it’s a light, fun, and fast-paced read—perfect for a day at the beach or lounging poolside. I’d definitely recommend starting with the earlier books in the series for full context, as this one builds off established characters and dynamics.

Okay. So first of all, this was not enemies to lovers. It was insta-love/lust, as is to be expected at this point. Second of all, the whole story was just ridiculous.

Skylar and Robbie meet at a baseball game that her brother set up because he met one of the hockey players from Robbie’s team and kind of got into a fight with him, so in order to settle this, they must battle it out on the baseball field, I guess? Obviously the hockey player brings his team because how else is Skylar supposed to meet Robbie?! I mean, the plot has to keep moving.

So they meet, we find out that Robbie is a misogynist, the baseball thing turns into a fight, and then somehow Skylar goes on a coffee date with Robbie. At said date, keep in mind that they’ve known each other for approximately one to two hours at this point, they kiss and decide to fake date to make her crush jealous. I mean, sure, that seems like a great idea.

A week later they go to her parents’ house to fake date in front of everyone, and they are SO familiar with each other it makes no sense, like sorry, but that’s just impossible. A week ago, you didn’t even know the other person existed, and now you share your deepest insecurities with each other? We’re moving at lightning speed here, and it's not like they had some sort of instant connection or anything when they met to explain this. The story takes off from there with them competing in their weird little family competition and obviously falling in love.

It was over the top, cringy, completely unrealistic, I still can’t believe I managed to finish it. Also, no build up, no tension, and definitely no chemistry between them. It kind of felt like the author just chose some tropes at random and then tried to write a story around them.

Maybe this could be fun for someone who’s not me, idk. Fingers crossed for you guys.

When the bad boy Hockey player, Robbie Corrigan, meets the one woman immune to his charm sparks ignite. Skylar Paige is a Division I softball pitcher and a highly competitive organized person that has also been in love with her brother’s best friend for years. When her best friend cancels on the annual Paige Family Wilderness Competition it leaves Skylar without a teammate. That is until list-making Skylar devises a plan to enlist the help of Robbie as her fake boyfriend while teaching her the ways of seduction so she can finally nab the man of her dreams. But as Robbie and her compete together new feelings emerge.
I wanted to really like this because it has a lot of tropes I enjoy. But I do feel it was too short to really get into the connection between Robbie and Skylar. For Robbie to make such a change in his ways I feel the story could have gone deeper into his background. It felt too instantaneous. It felt too much like a filler and build up for the Madden story should that happen. I think the characters, specifically, Robbie would have benefited from more depth and the interactions of our two star players would have benefited from more in depth conversation.

ARC Review ⚾ Pitcher Perfect 🏒 By Tessa Bailey

This sports romcom gave me everything I've come to expect and love about a Tessa Bailey book. Naturally, it's a spicy, witty love story with an instant love/attraction that takes place in a super short timeframe. Would it be a Tessa Bailey book if it didn't?

⚾ Unrequited love
🏒 An MMC obsessed
⚾ Heaps of wit and banter
🏒 Soul-deep longing and yearning
⚾ An FMC who wants to 'learn'
🏒 An MMC who can't wait to 'teach' her
⚾ Fake-dating scheme
🏒 Reform(ing) Playboy
⚾ Professional Athlete FMC
🏒 Profession Athlete MMC

The MMC, Robbie Corrigan (aka Orga$m Doner #1), is first featured in previous books in the Big Shots series as part of a (dynamic?) rookie duo. Leave it to Tessa to take an outrageous side character and turn him into a fiercely protective, determined, dirty-talking leading man. Pity he has such a messy (but fun) history keeping his new obsession, Skylar, from taking him seriously.

The FMC, Skylar Page, was an absolute joy. She is up there as one of my favorite Tessa Bailey FMCs...and I've read +40 T.B. books. So....
She is a pro athlete, driven, organized, and competitive. But you also see her vulnerable side, her well-hidden insecurities, and her desire to belong. Oh, and she has a lifelong and unrequited love for her brother's best friend. Not the MMC. No, she hates Robbie. However, he may just be the key to getting her unattainable crush to notice her and teach her some 'helpful' tricks on the way.

There were beautiful emotional moments in this book (that damn kite), cameos from Sig and Sir Savage (+ their ladies) and I swear T.B. always delivers MMC's who are down bad. Like "would crawl to her' down bad. I think that may be literal in this book. Overall, just a cosy, spicy and enjoyable read!

I enjoyed this book! Great conclusion to a fun series and so happy to see Robbie’s full transformation from playboy to boyfriend material.

⭐️ARC Read⭐️
Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey was so freaking cute! As a die-hard hockey romance girl, I couldn’t wait to head back to Boston and the Bearcats hockey team—this time, for rookie Robbie Corrigan’s story.

We’re also introduced to D1 softball pitcher Skylar Paige, and let me tell you, the rivals-to-lovers and fake dating combo did not disappoint. Tessa Bailey delivers her signature witty banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and plenty of steam. 🔥

Robbie is fun, free-spirited, and impossible not to love, while Skylar brings a more serious, closed-off vibe. Watching their dynamic evolve from fake to something real was the best kind of slow burn.

If you love your sports romances light, flirty, and full of heart, this one’s a must-read. Mark your calendars—Pitcher Perfect hits shelves on September 9, 2025!
🌶️🌶️

Tropes you’ll love:
🏒 Reformed playboy
🥎 Rivals to lovers
🏒 Fake dating
🥎 Grumpy x sunshine
🏒 Sports romance
🥎 Slow burn that pays off

First off, thank you to NetGalley and AvonBooks for this ARC copy to read and give my honest review.
Wow, WOW! I loved this book! This is probably my second favorite in Tessa’s Hot Shots series (Wells and Josephine still have my heart). A fake dating enemies to lovers romance that brought the heat and the comedy?! I loved Robbie “Redbeard” Corrigan and Skylar “Rocket” Page together, they had great banter, Robbie had some memorable hilarious quips, and the two of them were heating up the pages quick.

I loved the setting of the Page family’s house and crazy games in Rhode Island, it gave this book the perfect summer camp style vibes even if Skylar’s family was a little crazy. Robbie fell hard and first for Skylar and I enjoyed seeing his character growth from his casual side character boyish qualities from earlier in the series to this man who was willing to grow up and change for the better on his own terms to prove his affections for Skylar. Meanwhile, Skylar’s growth was more subtle, she held her own but inside was hurting and had some serious self doubts, she needed a confidence boost and to have someone show her how amazing she really is and Robbie gave her that.

The spice was hot and heavy per usual with a Tessa Bailey book and yet also had some serious heart in it as well, this felt like a good build up of a relationship between our two lovers and felt natural. I was rooting for these two from the start and loved watching their relationship grow and blossom, I mean that man saved her from drowning and did ridiculous things with her family for her, if that’s not love, I don’t know what is! Overall, if you enjoy Tessa Bailey books and have enjoyed the Hot Shot Series, this book is a must read.

Big thanks to the universe (and Tessa’s publisher) for putting Pitcher Perfect up for Read Now, and to Ash for having lightning-fast fingers 😉

“He wore himself out. He wants a bath and a lasagna.”
Same, Robbie. So much same.

Redbeard and Rocket for the win. This book was so sweet and so hot. Ugh. I think what I loved most was seeing a different (or maybe the real) side of Robbie. He was kind, honest, and an absolute dream. Who knew all that was hiding under an orgasm donor # 1 hoodie? I will never look at OJ’s or speedo bathing suits the same again. I was also genuinely proud of him as a main character. And the scenes around 80 percent? My heart.

Skylar is basically me. Not in the sports sense, but I did stare at my journal supplies halfway through and decide I needed more. Her family dynamic? Owe. Right in the feels. She is so strong and I’m glad she got the love she deserves in the end.

This book gave me all the giggles, all the swoons, all the feelings. It was easy, hot, and full of heart, and now I’m sad it’s over. I highly recommend it and the books before.

xx

Definitely a 5 ⭐ read for me!! This book was so damn good!! Ugh probably my favorite Tessa Bailey book so far!! The humor and the spicy were perfection!! This is one of the more rare books I've read where I adored both of the main characters too.

When Tessa Bailey announced this was available one NetGalley. I ran over here and snagged up so fast. I loved all her books so far. Thanks to Tessa Bailey, her publisher and NetGalley. This one was so cute. Robbie is big hot shot hockey player in NHL. Skylar Page is pitcher. She loves it.
It has some fake dating into lovers. He falls first but too scared to admit it to her. It was a fun sports romance book. I high recommend to move forward in the series.

My favorite book so far in the series! The banter between Robbie and Skylar is top tier and so fun! This book had everything I’ve come to expect and love from a Tessa Bailey book: a spicy and witty love story where you can’t help but fall in love with the characters.

This series continues to be great and this book delivers for fans of the existing books. Really enjoyed it and I know my romance book club will too!

The writing style of this book makes you want to keep reading but the main characters were a bit meh. The story was predictable, which most romances are, but there wasn’t anything super special about either of the characters.

It was a good book but only an average rating for me.