Skip to main content

Member Reviews

TESSAAAA! Okay, so I have always been a big Tessa Bailey fan, but then she started the Big Shot series and writing sports romance and she KILLS it every time.

I love love love the books in this series, they can all be read on their own, but they DESERVE to be read together. The found family and interconnected characters are everything!

In Pitcher Perfect, both main characters are serious athletes, Skylar is a kickass pitcher and Robbie is on the professional hockey player. This book has a bit of fake dating, a sprinkle of enemies to lovers, and such. great. spice. Tessa always delivers on the spice and this book is no different. Pitcher Perfect will have you laughing and rooting for the couple from the very beginning.

Was this review helpful?

Skylar has decided that Robbie is a player, and not just for his NHL team on the ice. When Robbie finds out that Skylar is pining after her brother's best friend and in need of a fake boyfriend, he is more than eager to help her out. They go on a family wilderness trip and quickly learn that they will have to trust each other to succeed both in the competitions on the trip and in Skylar's scheme.

Tessa Bailey's books are known for their humor and spice, and Pitcher Perfect is no different. The unique premise of the wilderness trip and featuring a softball player FMC adds a fresh take on the fake dating and sport romance tropes, setting itself apart from other releases coming out this year!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Tessa Bailey, NetGally and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced reader copy of Pitcher Perfect (09/09/2025). I have been a long time Tessa Bailey fan, and have been so excited for every book in the Big Shots Series, and this one did not disappoint!
Skylar is in love with her brother’s best friend, Madden, and Robbie is a NHL player for the Boston Bearcats, and he is known for being a bit of a ladies man. Skylar and Robbie meet at a pick up baseball game where things get a bit heated! Skylar and Robbie make a deal to fake date each other to make Madden jealous, along the way Skylar and Robbie start to have actual feelings for each other.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a quick read and I will always read a Tessa Bailey written book! I do think this is one of the better books in the Big Shots Series, Skylar and Robbie’s story is fun, flirty and a little messy!

Was this review helpful?

Tessa Bailey does it again! Stepping back into the world of the Boston Bearcats is always fun. The overlapping timeline of Dream Girl Drama and Pitcher Perfect was also fun. The setup for book six was present, and I’m definitely looking forward to it.

There was definitely character growth from Robbie, but I feel like we maybe could have seen more growth from Skylar. Her relationship with her parents and brother were super weird, but explored well

Was this review helpful?

She does it again!!! When i started this series i was invested but now i dont know what to call this other then obsession. These books really make me fall in love with the couples and this one continues to do this. Overall great read this should be on everyone's TBR.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for the ARC.

I have enjoyed this Tessa Bailey book the least so far out of all of hers that I've read, but in my defense, no fmc in these books has ever really frustrated me the way Skylar had. She had two problems throughout the novel:

- The first was her lack of coherent character, and what there WAS of her character was super judgmental. She starts off as a confident woman, and certainly seems that way in what I saw of her in Dream Girl Drama, but it felt like her chapters were nothing but repeated monologues of insecurity and blaming Robbie for a past he couldn't change. Her insecurities at first felt relatable, BUT Skylar was insecure about every tiny thing and ALL the time, so it felt like I was just being told that this woman was capable and tough without seeing any of it.

- The second was, and I hate to say this, but she came off SO stupid. I won't spoil it, but there was a point where she was so ignorant of something so blatantly obvious that I was baffled that she couldn't figure it out.

And this really frustrates me because the fmcs in Bailey's books are rarely a problem for me, they're usually really, really easy to like, but Skylar was so inconsistent and silly and judgy that I groaned every time she got a chapter because I knew it was just going to be endless loops of her own insecurities.

I loved everything else though, I loved Robbie so much, I can't wait for Mailer's story (I just wanted to give him a hug throughout this whole thing! (づᴗ _ᴗ)づ♡), Elton provided the only laughs so thank the gods for him, and the romance itself was pretty cute most of the time. There's a scene near the end that I particularly loved, even if the epilogue itself didn't make much sense (I had no idea what they were referring to there).

I will say, I'm used to certain frustrating tropes with Tessa Bailey's books, I'm used to certain kinds of drama. She uses a formula in every book, but in my opinion she uses it really well. Except here, it didn't feel that way. Dream Girl Drama felt like it had legitimate reasons for the drama, but this drama just felt like it was stemming from Skylar being silly. This book also wasn't nearly as funny as her others, so there wasn't even that humor to take away from the more frustrating parts. I had a fine time reading, I had just hoped for a good excuse to buy the physical book, but I think I'm good with the ARC that I have.

Was this review helpful?

This was great! I think the last Tessa Bailey book was a miss but it was great to be able to see her redeem the series with this book.

Was this review helpful?

This book, in my opinion, was the best of the series! Reading the other books I was shocked that Robbie was going to get his own book, but now I can see we NEEDED this man's yearning. Skylar working through her family and confidence issues was sweet and heartwarming to see her let someone in. This series is my favorite of Tessa's, and I cannot wait to read the next one!

Was this review helpful?

Robbie and Skylar meet when her brother forces her out of bed to pitch at a baseball game, little did Skylar know that she would be pitching against the Bearcats hockey team! Instantly Robbie is attracted to Skylar, but the feeling was not mutual as she has been crushing on her brother's friend for many years. Robbie makes a deal with Skylar and joins her at her family's house to compete in their yearly games and to help Skylar win over her long-time crush however things take a turn, and sparks ignite between Robbie and Skylar.

I love how this series is playing out and that this one picked up from a scene from one of the other books. The characters are great and likeable plus the spiciness is always great!

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

I won’t lie I had higher hopes. Man. It’s been too long since I picked up a TB book, so I was pretty stoked to jump back in! A sports romance, fake dating, AND dating lessons?? Let’s break it down & go from there.

THE PLOT
Okay so honestly I actually ate up the zany plot- her family is low key bonkers and holds an annual, surprisingly athletic competition for a “Geller Cup”-esque prize and bragging rights. And our FMC, Skylar needs a partner, and somehow NHL playboy Robbie steps in. It’s insta hate meets insta love. But it jumps in so abruptly and moves so fast to get to the games then milks the actual week with her family that I felt a lil literary whiplash (and not in a k!nky way).

THE GOOD
It’s Tessa Bailey, the spice and the tension were fanfreakingtastic. And honestly I was very invested in the side characters subplot. The family dynamics of the preferred college had me deep in my own feels so I did feel for Skylar. It had moments that felt like peak romcom and I really enjoyed that. The banter was great, and I expect nothing less from TB on that front. And the ending was cute as hell imho.

WHERE I STRUGGLED (because saying “bad” if it’s not problematic makes me sad and is pretty subjective)
We jumped in so fast I thought it was a whistle blowing kid swim was good to resume at the local pool on a 101 degree heat day. Then throw in how quickly our mmc experiences a change of heart and his ways…. It threw me off. Like insta-love dialed up to a 10. And the third act conflict just didn’t settle well with me. Ugh.

Overall it was alright. I will say it does make me want to go back and read the Au Pair Affair and Dream Girl Drama because of the cameos. Despite a fun plot, Pitcher Perfect just fell a little short for me. Thanks to Avon for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

3.75⭐️’s. Unfortunately I feel like with the Big Shot series it is progressively becoming worse. This series definitely peaked with FanGirl Down and Au Pair Affair the last 2 have been meh for me. Thankful to get this eARC via NetGalley and Avon Books. Parts of the storyline didn’t make much sense for me. The way they met was a little odd, and overall almost would have been better as a siblings best friend trope over the fake dating. We’ll see what the next one brings.

Was this review helpful?

Not my favorite of Tessa’s but still liked it! I like this series and thought this one was better than fangirl down.

Was this review helpful?

Confession. This was both my first sports romance AND my first book by Tessa Bailey. Feel free to be both happy for me that I finally got my head out of the sand to read her work and take pity on me for taking so long to branch out and get to enjoy it.

When my sister invited my husband and me to join her and her boyfriend for a baseball game (go sports!), I was motivated to pick something up that I could read during the game in case it got boring (confession again, I am not a baseball girlie). It gelt like the perfect opportunity to give “Pitcher Perfect” a read. That plan didn’t happen as my kindle ended up in the bag check all night (whoops, didn’t know the sports bag rule) and I was able to cope with snacks instead. BUT, I was able to finish this homer of a rom-com back home as dessert.

I adored the growing trust and understanding coming from a place of shared experience between Robbie and Skylar. Although it was bit on the insta love/lust side, I thought it aligned with their competitive natures and the striking difference Robbie poses against most of the people in Skylar’s life. Seeing the change and growth of each character was so enjoyable and their open communication (and teasing) had me feeling both tender and punchy. Even though both are fiercely competitive, the balance they brought each other was so sweet.

If you like fake dating, forced proximity, competitors/enemies to lovers, and snarky banter pick this one up when it releases September 9!

I received an eARC from Avon and Harper Voyager and Tessa Bailey, but opinions are my own!

Was this review helpful?

I've never read a Tessa Bailey book before. I requested the book thinking the premise was cute. Instead, I got 300 pages of insta-love, insecure characters, and an unrealistic cringey "love story".

The opening scene was messy and difficult to follow. Very little room for character building other than explaining the main character (Skylar) is type A. Robbie is painted to be this womanizer with a conscience that unrealistically erupts to the surface after a 5 minute encounter with the main character. Skylar is initially written as an independent strong sporty woman who thinks for herself but is transposed to be immature and naive when faced with the male gender.

The fake dating, forced proximity, and competitors to lovers are just a few tropes among many others that were awkwardly inserted throughout the book.

The spice was initially written to be well thought and character driven. However, it became cringe worthy and repetitive.

I kept reading because I do not DNF books. The ending conflict could have been resolved with a mature 10 minute conversation and even allowed for deeper character building. However, the continued overdramatic and unrealistic story continued into a near proposal after a week of getting to know each other.

This was not the romance for me.

Was this review helpful?

What can I say? I didn't think anyone could top Sig, but Robbie absolutely did.

This is exactly the classic Tessa Bailey romance, a fast burn with a man obsessed, and I ate it all up with a spoon. I loved everything about it and I can't wait for the next one!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this arc in exchange for my honest review!
I lovedddd this!!! Love a fake dating, enemies to lovers sports romance! Loved the combination of their two sports ( him playing hockey, she’s a star softball pitcher) and more importantly loved how they were able to open up to each other! This book was significantly better than the last one in the series, and I can’t want to see if there is another in the future! ( hint: Madden and Eve, or Mailer and Reese)👀

Was this review helpful?

Tropes:
*Fake Dating
*A little enemies-to-lovers (she is annoyed with him)
*Sports Romance
*Forced Proximity

I never thought we would get a romance book about one of the donor twins, but I have to say, I thought Robbie was pretty sweet. It was definitely insta-love for Robbie, but Skylar wasn't on the same page so there was lots of fun, playful banter throughout the story. Skylar may have thought she had a crush on her brother's best friend, but Robbie took the time to get to know who she was now, and that connection, support, and honesty made her question everything. Robbie knew how to make her feel understood and desired in a way she never had before. I loved how this picked up with the other teammates as well. This book has the perfect Tessa Bailey mix of spice, banter, and a happily ever after!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-sports romance
-fake dating
-forced proximity
-only one bed
-family competition

This was so much fun. I love watching two people not at all looking for relationships falling for each other. He falls first and hard. The fun of the family competition, the banter between them. An absolutely great time.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely ADORED this book! It's my favorite in the series, so far.

Something about it felt very reminiscent of the Hot & Hammered series, specifically Fix Her Up, which I also loved.

Robbie is just the most precious, lovable character. He had me giggling, kicking my feet throughout the book. It was just so much fun to read!

Also, this book is an insta-love story, which I usually absolutely hate but it felt so well done here that I didn't even realize it was insta-love until maybe 75% into the story when it just hit me lol.

Thank you to Avon, NetGalley, and Tessa Bailey for providing me with this advanced reader copy!

Was this review helpful?

Overall, this is a fun read that you'll be able to quickly devour. Robbie and Skylar have such fun banter and I loved the family competition. It was a fun way to introduce forced proximity that gave strong rom-com vibes.

Robbie is a total flirt and has thoroughly enjoyed his singleness, but his clown doesn't even realize how down bad he is when he meets Skylar. And within a week, Skylar is equally in love with Robbie. I’m not a fan of insta-love so I didn’t buy their immediate emotional connection but Tessa Bailey has a way of getting you to root for her characters.

On a serious note, my heart broke for Skylar. She's such an impressive person, but she doesn't get the recognition or support she craves from her family. I’m glad that she finally got someone in her corner.

Was this review helpful?