Honestly I don’t know how she does it but with each book made I fall more and more in love with these characters and this series!! They have continuously been so good and I’m loving them. This was such a fun read, I was excited for Robbie’s book and Skylar couldn’t be more of a perfect heroine for him! They had the greatest banter and chemistry, and I’m a sucker for the fake dating trope. Continuing to see the other couples from the series throughout the books is my favorite too!

Thank you to Tessa & netgalley for the arc!

Format - EARC (netgalley)

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶 🌶

Series- Big Shots #4

Troupes- Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake dating, mutual pinning, he is crazy for her.


Did you wonder how a manchild who wears a orgasm donor shirt un-ironically and goes by Robbie was gonna be a hero in a romance novel? Me too! I really had no idea what I was getting into as I now do not read the blurbs on Tessa’s books I just dive in knowing she’s very likely to get it right. And damned if she did it again with this one! I went from actively wanting to push Robbie into traffic to rooting for him to get the girl.

Speaking of girl I loved ever single second of Sky giving him the what for and tearing down his dude bro mask to show the golden retriever, exclamation mark on the inside. She is the hammer needed to beat some sense into Robbie and I was living for it.

The Fake dating “teach me how to get the guy” lessons is a favorite and Tessa knows how to make those fictional men do it right. The Spice is spicing and the banter was witty and bantering. We also got some great hen talk with out previous Bearcats heroes which is always fun!

This is a great addition to this series! But Wells and Josephine still hold the top spot!

Thank you Tessa Bailey, Avon and netgalley for the advanced copy, it had no bearing on my opinions on this book.

<b>Robbie was a side character who’d walked into a love story already in progress.</b>

Pitcher Perfect is the absolute perfect read if you’re looking for a hero that’s down bad from the start and a heroine who could not be less interested from the jump. Robbie and Skylar meet at a baseball/hockey throw down set on a baseball field. That’s where Skylar shines. Robbie is obsessed from first glare, but once she pitches he just knows he’s gotta know her.

Unfortunately for Robbie, Skylar is already in love. So he does what any normal person would do and offers to help her make the guy she really loves jealous and to help teach her how to do relationship things… I think we can all guess how well that works out. We’ve got tension, an angst filled family athletic competition that includes Skylar’s dream guy, and a hero that’s just trying to show the heroine that the moment he met her he changed and how he could be so much better for her than her long time crush.

The relationship absolutely builds quickly and while Skylar takes a bit to be convinced, it’s not that much longer. They have good chemistry, they connect on a level they didn’t expect, and honestly this was the first Tessa Bailey book I was truly invested in and couldn’t stop reading since Hook, Line, and Sinker. It’s horny and it has some heart behind it all.

As always, another great book from this author! It’s a fun, cute, “pretend boyfriend” troupe type of book but also has some spice! Highly recommend and can be read as a standalone but also highly recommend the other books in the series.

I’m a Tessa Bailey fan — always — and this is another classic TB book. Fast paced, witty, smutty. If you’re looking for sports, *he falls first!*, and forced proximity - look no further 😎 I loved the role reversal of the FMC being a bit of a grump and the MMC being sunshine (really more like big dopey golden retriever energy!) and I enjoyed seeing a female athlete as the center of the story (her sporting was much more of the focus than his even though he is an NHL player) Loved it!

I unfortunately need to just accept that Tessa Bailey is not for me. When I saw this available as a "Read Now" I thought sure what the heck, I'll give her another go. So it's really on me for not liking this cause I knew going into it I really wasn't going to be the target audience. If you're a fan of Tessa Bailey, you will without a doubt love this book, as it has all her signature elements, I just happen to hate all her signature elements. The dialogue often feels cringy, it certainly isn't enemies to lovers since Robbie is obsessed with her from the start, and everyone is horny just to be horny.

Tessa Bailey's Big Shot series KEEPS delivering. Pitcher Perfect reminded me of her first book I ever read, which is what made me fall in love with her: Fix Her Up. Skylar was a girl after my own heart, with her planning tendencies. And Robbie don't even get me started. This man was DOWN BAD for his girl, and I ate it up. I truly finished this book in one day because I just couldn't put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book early in exchange for my honest review!
•
Who doesn’t love hockey romance?
I. Love. Robbie. We must protect this himbo of a man. I love that he brought Skylar out of his shell and seeing him grow with her was just CUTE! I GOT SO SCARED AT THE END! Alas Tessa brought it all together and now I just want more stories with this couple. Can’t wait for the next one!

As someone new to Tessa Bailey… I'm thinking this was not the book to start with 😬. It just didn't hit like I was hoping to with trope ideas like enemies to lovers and fake dating which are usually such a win for me. I genuinely liked Skylar and Robbie as characters, but together they just weren't what I was wanting them to be. I unfortunately found myself skimming more than falling into the story. Ultimately, this book just wasn't for me. I have heard really good things about others books of T.B and I would still give them a shot 🤷‍♀️.

This book was absolute perfection. I love Tessa Bailey’s books so much and this one is no different. I was so excited that we were getting Robbie’s book. He was for sure a favorite character in the other books for me. I also love a reformed playboy trope and she did such a phenomenal job with this one. I love how quirky and headstrong Skylar is. And the banter was so fun in this book. 10/10 recommend👏🏻👏🏻

⭐ 4.5
🌶️ 2
🥵 Spicy Chapters: 15, 22, 24, 26, 33
📚 Tropes/Themes: sports romance, baseball x hockey, flirting/spicy lessons, hate to love, forced proximity, he falls first and SO MUCH harder, reformed playboy
👀 Dual POV 3rd person
🛍️ Available: 9/9

💬 This was a great read. I've had several Tessa Bailey books on my TBR for a while and I just have never gotten around to reading them so grabbing this one as an arc was a good reason to finally read some of her books. And honestly, I'm kind of mad I waited so long 😂 I really liked her writing style and I'm definitely going to be putting more effort into reading her books that have been waiting for me on my TBR.

First and foremost, this is definitely a new adult romance because the FMC is still in college. If you've been around here for a while, you know that young MCs are not my fave. Butttttt I also usually try to go into books pretty blind so it's on me for not catching that. They were young, however, it really wasn't a huge issue in this book.

I really loved the banter between the characters and Robbie is hilarious. I mean Skylar is hilarious to but it's her naivety makes her funny and an endearing way. I also don't think I can overstate how adorable and endearing I found Skylar to be and I just loved it. I definitely laughed a lot when I was reading this. Honestly Robbie was charming the pants off of me second hand. Just reading about him talking to Skylar hahahaha.

There were a few parts that felt overly cheesy though and parts of the third act drama seemed like only the kind of drama that 20-year-olds can have, but at the same time it fits with the book so while I kind of rolled my eyes, I didn't hate it.

But other than that this was a solid, engaging, sweet and adorable read. It had just the right amount of swoon (looking at you, Robbie 😂) and gave me butterflies. I had about three different books that I started at the same time as this and picture perfect ended up being the standout as the one that I focused my energy on so I definitely recommend this. 🪁

First off, to me this book was 🌶️ spicy! I loved the characters, the family, the friends, and the whole premise! Both leads are driven athletes with competitive spirits and really worked well together. The banter, the humor, and the emotional growth were all so interesting to read.

⭐️: 2/ 🌶️:2

I was hooked in the first few chapters—Tessa Bailey really knows how to open a story. Right away, the witty banter between Skylar Paige, an elite Division I softball pitcher, and Robbie Corrigan, a self-confident and charming rookie with the Boston Bearcats hockey team, pulled me in. The setup is fun: Robbie agrees to be Skylar’s “fake boyfriend” and her partner in her family’s annual wilderness competition, all so she can catch the attention of her brother’s best friend.

I was coming off the high of Dream Girl Drama when I started this, so I had high expectations for this installment. Since it picks up from a scene in that book, I anticipated the same spark and energy carrying through, but unfortunately Pitcher Perfect didn’t deliver for me. Beyond the strong opening, the story progression felt flat, and I struggled to stay engaged - took me months to finish this. Everything about the production of this felt rushed especially the romance—Robbie and Skylar spend only about a week together, yet it escalates into love in a way that didn’t quite feel believable. I understand this is fiction but at least give me something that is somewhat believable in a timeline for the story or fuel me the drama that can get me there.

The tropes are all here—enemies-to-lovers (though mostly one-sided), fake dating, forced proximity, and a touch of sports romance—but the execution just didn’t land for me this time.

Disclosure: Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Another hit for Tessa! I love how she writes her MMCs, they always feel like real genuine men and this book was no exception. I loved the arc of the main characters, but the timeline did feel a little insane. We do love an obsessed man and he was hooked from the first instant!

I interrupt your scroll to let you know that Tessa’s upcoming release is a MUST READ! This book had me giddy and swooning over Robbie the flirting, the banter, and don’t even get me started on his “is this love?” moments. And Skylar? Her vulnerability with her family and her insecurities pulled at my heart so hardddd 🥹💖.

Long story short Skylar has a huge crush on her brother’s best friend. And what better way to get on his radar than by having a fake boyfriend for the upcoming family wilderness competition to make him jealous? AGHHH THE PLOT IS PERFECT OKAY!!

From the moment Skylar and Robbie meet, you just know it’s going to be a fun story. The attraction is THERE immediately, and the fake dating mixed with his whole “I’ll teach you” vibe?? Omg Tessa, stop making me melt into a puddle, thanks 🫠🔥 The scenes were SO good.

Robbie saw her and basically said, “I want her.” What he didn’t expect was for her not to be easy to win over and that only made him fall harder. The way he stands up for her and does little gestures to make her smile?? My heart couldn’t take it! 💓 Like remembering she likes her orange juice without pulp and buying it for her on his grocery run. STOP. 😭🍊

And then there’s Skylar, she’s focused on getting her best friend’s brother to notice her, but slowly she realizes she might actually like Robbie instead. Letting him into her world and showing him who she truly is only makes her more confused. (OBVIOUSLY TEAM ROBBIE, DUH! 😤)

I loved how this book not only gave me the swoons 💕 but also showed glimpses of both their current struggles and see how they want to grow from them. I really enjoyed the character development!

My 4 star rating is honestly just because it didn’t top Dream Girl Drama for me, but since I read it in 2 days… take my rating with a grain of salt lol 😅

You can read this book as a standalone, but I definitely suggest starting this series if you haven't. Each book is filled with spice, rom-com vibes and so much flirty vibes. I loved them!!!

tropes:
💙 sports romance
💙 fake dating
💙 enemies to lovers
💙 3rd person POV
💙 opposites attract
💙 hockey playboy mmc x softball badass fmc

Thank you Avon & Tessa Bailey for my eARC

A witty rom com with delightful characters! Skylar is everything you want in a heroine, smart, sassy and full of spunk. While the plot is slightly predictable, the steamy scenes are red hot and the relationship between the main characters grows in a wonderfully delicious way! Definitely one of my favorite reads this year!

Tessa Bailey's Pitcher Perfect delivers a delightful blend of sports, romance, and humor in this fourth installment of the Big Shots series. The story centers on Skylar Paige, a disciplined Division I softball pitcher, and Robbie Corrigan, a charismatic rookie hockey player for the Boston Bearcats. Their paths cross when Skylar enlists Robbie to be her fake boyfriend for a family competition, aiming to impress her childhood crush. What begins as a strategic arrangement soon evolves into genuine affection as they navigate the challenges of their faux relationship.
Bailey excels in crafting a narrative filled with engaging banter, sizzling chemistry, and endearing characters. The enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes are executed with finesse, providing readers with a heartwarming and steamy romance. The setting of the family wilderness competition adds a unique backdrop, enhancing the story's charm.
While the pacing is brisk, some readers may find the rapid progression of the relationship a bit overwhelming. However, Bailey's signature humor and emotional depth shine through, making Pitcher Perfect a captivating read for fans of contemporary romance.

The character I least expected to get. his own book, ended up being my favorite one in the series so far! I was honestly a little surprised when I saw that the MMC was going to be Robbie. I was not sure there was going to be enough character development for me to get into the story, but boy was I wrong. Some of the dialogue and scenes were a little cringe, but overall the story was just so funny and honest that it just felt real.

4.5 stars

Classic Tessa Bailey, queen of RomCom vibes. I love a golden retriever boyfriend and the family competition is hilarious.

I’m not qualified to be anyone’s spokesperson, but I’ll tell you this. When I notice something making her sad, you can bet your a$$ I’m going to say something about it.
~
Listen, I know August and Wells have been sucking it out for my too Tessa book boyfriend, but Robbie Corrigan might’ve just blown them both out of the water. This book was everything I knew it would be since she teased the Pitcher Perfect title. I saw so much of myself in Skylar, from her insecurities and strength all the way down to her planner, lists, and sticky notes (seriously, my desk is COVERED in them). And Robbie? Robbie is both hilarious and the most sweet and tender men ever and I love all of him. And the tears! Did I expect the tears? Absolutely not but there I was with them suddenly streaming down my face. Not only was this adventure of Skylar and Robbie going from essentially hate to love fabulous and endearing, but seeing Sig and Burgess? Elton? Madden? Mailer?! All of them were just the icing on the cake. And the HSM references absolutely had my heart. I already know this is a book I’ll find myself going back to again and again because I felt that much joy reading it and my heart nearly burst at the love. Another hit, Tessa! Not that anything ever isn’t 😜