REVIEWS POSTED 5/31/25:

4.0/5.0 ⭐️
3.75/5.0 🌶️

Publish date: September 9, 2025

We all knows what happens when you make a bet, it turns around on you and becomes something you least expect. Well, maybe not for us, but for Skylar and Robbie, it sure as heck does. She isn’t used to people having her back, that is until Robbie enters the picture like a bull in a China shop and makes a bet with her. Everything takes off from there.

Skylar and Robbie are both competitive and goal driven, which is part of the reason they are so endearing. It is a quick and fun book with some drama and some “get away from her” but also moments of recognizing themselves when they were never given that opportunity.

I liked this book quite a bit actually! This was one of my first Tessa Bailey books, and now I need to go bulk up my TBR 🫣 have you read any of her other books? If so, what has been your favorite?

Thank you NetGalley, Avon Books, and Tessa Bailey for this eARC 💕

This book was some of Tessa Bailey’s best recent work. The description of the emotions, the longing, the passion, the friendship and kindness pull the reader in and keeps them turning page after page. I loved the honesty during the third act breakup, it felt close to reality, to how intimate relationship dynamics would play out with a bump in the road. Thank you for inviting me to read, I honestly do not find fault with this wonderful book. It was an absolute pleasure.

Tessa Bailey for the win! Gosh I love her books and SO HAPPY Robbie got a come back story to himself! Her books are an automatic read for me, love that each book build off each other and you learn more about supporting characters, past main characters. The Witt is great, so many times I found myself laughing awkwardly out loud. 100% would recommend this book and any Tessa Bailey book that’s out. I can’t thank netgalley, HarperCollins and Hachette Book Group for allowing me to read and review for my honest opinion. A thousand 5 stars from me.

(3.75 stars) Insta-love, fake-dating, sports romcom between a college softball pitcher and a professional hockey player.

This delivers on what I expect out of a Tessa Bailey book. It’s a little cheesy at parts but laugh-out-loud funny at others. Steamy but also full of tender moments. A little unhinged but in a fun way. It has an MMC who is completely head-over-heels OBSESSED with the MC.

I was skeptical about how Robbie was going to transform from an immature playboy to a viable love interest but he does. When he meets Skylar and gets called out, he quickly identifies and corrects his actions towards women, while still maintaining the goofy, confident, good-nature jokester personality we’ve seen glimpses of in previous books. This transformation happened a little too fast for me, but this story has a very quick timeline so I get why it needed to.

I found Skylar very relatable. I loved how organized and analytical she was and how she wasn’t afraid to call Robbie out when he needed it. She’s smart and clever, but still vulnerable. She’s been starved for support in her life, and Robbie very quickly shows her what she’s been missing by showing up and being 100% on her team.

All romance book are ultimately a fantasy, and in this case the fantasy is that meeting the right person can flip a switch in your brain and rearrange your entire life. With just one conversation, Skylar becomes the center that Robbie’s universe orbits around. Is it a realistic timeline for him to fall this hard, this fast? No, but it’s very satisfying to imagine someone stepping in and identifying all the parts of your life they can make better or easier for you out of sheer devotion.

I loved a lot about this book. It’s cool that they’re both high-level athletes and they can understand the demands of the lifestyle. It was so refreshing to see a male lead that embraced all these new feelings of love and openly accepted and talked about them, instead of lashing out because he didn’t understand them. I also enjoyed the enemies-to-frenemies arc between Elton and Robbie.

My only real complaint is that I wanted more depth, both from Robbie’s journey away from being a playboy and Skylar’s family’s realization of how they’ve been failing her. Both of those plots seemed like they went from point A to point B in the blink of an eye.

Ultimately, I think this could be read as a standalone but I think some parts would be a little overwhelming without already knowing the characters from the last two books. It’s fun! It’s an easy, quick read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a light, funny, but still heartfelt sports romance.

4/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️

Taking into account that insta-love is one of my least favorite tropes, I still actually found this enjoyable. Tessa Bailey continues to deliver contemporary romances with fun characters and well written spice. So how can you not have a good time? I did figure out the “twist” from the beginning but I continue to enjoy the author’s work. It was a cute book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC! 🫶🏻

What to Expect:
⚾️ Fake Dating
⚾️ He Falls First
⚾️ Dual POV
⚾️ Insta-Lust/Love
⚾️ Playboy/Good Girl

What a fun and spicy sports romance novel! This is the 4th book in the Big Shots series by Tessa Bailey. I found it to be funny, emotional and entertaining. The cover makes it seem like this is just an original sports lovers book, but nope! It is extremely spicy! This book continues on with the fake dating trope, even though the chemistry is definitely there after some of their fake dates. This is a fast paced read that keeps your attention! I found both of the main characters in this book to be lovable, in their own unique way. It is character driven, with both of the characters changing and growing throughout the book. While the main characters grow during this book, so does their love for one another. This book is about self discovery, confidence, the power of love, personal growth and redemption, and developing strong bonds! This enemies to lovers book is one of my all time favorite tropes in a book and this book really nailed it perfectly!

“Pitcher Perfect” is about a NHL player named Robbie and a woman named Skylar, who is a great softball pitcher. Robbie agrees to become Skylar’s fake boyfriend at a family wilderness competition, where Skylar’s ex boyfriend is there. She does this to make her ex jealous! As feelings develop, they quickly question each other if all of this fake dating is real or not? Overall, I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Tessa Bailey and Avon and Harper Voyager for this electronic ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and feedback. All thoughts opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on September 9, 2025!

BATTER UP!!! This book made me a liar because I said Dream Girl Drama was my favorite book in the Big Shots series. I have never been so happy to be proved wrong. This story had me absolutely giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. My husband asked what was wrong with me.

I consider it an honor to read Tessa Bailey ARCs and this was no exception. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

College softball pitcher Skylar falls for NHL rookie Robbie. Like all other current sport books plots, many holes are evident (like him participating in this during his hockey season?!), but if you like spice and cringe and all the rim-com feels, this book is for you. Also the cover and edges of the deluxe edition are gorgeous.

Read if you like:
🥎Cringy New Adult Romance (c’mon-orgasm donors?!)
🥎Hockey Romance
🥎Typical Tessa Bailey Plots with 🌶️ 🌶️
🥎Fake Romances

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager, Tessa Bailey and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

The perfect mix of flirty banter, fake dating, and full on competitive chaos.

Robbie’s an NHL rookie living the dream. Skylar’s a softball star with no patience for playboys. When she needs help winning over her longtime crush, he volunteers to be her fake boyfriend.

Fake dating and sports romance? Yes please.

This was such a quick, easy read with the kind of chemistry that keeps you grinning. I loved how fast the MMC fell, and the tension between them was so fun.

The competition added the best kind of chaos, and the romance was just plain cute.

If you’re into athletic rivals and hockey boys, this one’s for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

2 ⭐️⭐️

I was not a fan of this book. I have enjoyed the other books I. The big short series but not this one. I wanted a baseball romance. It is not.

Thanks so much to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for this ARC!

Tessa "hits it outta the park" once again, I dont know sports but after this read I feel confident enough to say use that expression. Pitcher Perfect is so fun and goofy and such a good redemption story for a character who felt like a lost cause in his previous cameos.

If you've read the others in this series im sure you've met the "orgasm donor" pair of hockey players that seemed too douchey to even try to be a love interests but Tessa managed to make me feel like Robbie really worked on himself and deserved to get the girl. He's more self aware that I gave him credit for and while he isnt my fav man in the Tessa-verse (its just the frat-ish vibe) he really grew on me!

While the story might move a little fast (why is Skylar inviting a stranger to her family trip) being confident in life but immediately falling back on old insecurities when you're back in the old family dynamic is so relatable and her ability to grow and find her way past that makes her story sweet,

All this to say, I feel like we got so much exposition about her childhood crush that I NEED that book... like yesterday! I have to know more about that quiet and brooding man, Madden and Skylar's best friend's side story had so much tension!!

Thanks so much Tessa, kisses!

I went into this book a little hesitant. I had my doubts about Robbie “orgasm Donor” being the lead in a romance book. I also really love baseball and I was worried that softball would be too different and I wouldn’t hold the same interest. But I’m really glad I didn’t let my reservations hold me back from requesting this book.

In the rest of the series Robbie is just comic relief so I didn’t have a lot of faith that he’d be good but boy was I wrong! And I love a reformed slutty man to be honest. Skylar was a great character and I feel like her structured life wasn’t too overdone. She felt believable and her type A personality was kinda in line with most baseball/softball players. Robbie really surprised me, he was sweet, funny, kind, and really hot! They paired well together and balanced each other out.

I went into this book blind so I didn’t know about any tropes or specifics ahead of time which I thought was great; I’m not gonna list out specifics for that reason.

Honestly the thing I really liked about this one is that the situation and the characters felt very genuine. It’s believable that a pitcher is type A, it’s believable that a single guy who is a rookie in a professional sport has a lot of one night stands. And it’s understandable that Skylar would be doubtful of a guy she met like a week ago. Normally I don’t love a 3rd act breakup but this made total sense. I loved both their character development and how they grew together. I’m glad we got closure on every part of this story (Madden, Skylar’s family, the hockey team respect, the kite), it all came together really well.

It’s obvious that the next book is going to be about Madden and Eve. I was kinda surprised that the next book takes such a thematic turn (given Eve’s background and job) but by the end of this book I could see the vision and I’m excited for the next one :)

I’m glad I didn’t let my initial hesitation stop me from picking this book up because I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected.

4/5 stars

Book 4 in Tessa Bailey’s Big Shots series, this installment follows Robbie Corrigan, the playful and flirtatious NHL Boston Bearcats rookie—one half of the infamous “orgasm donors”—as the main lead. We’ve seen Robbie as the unserious, obnoxious jokester in The Au Pair Affair and Dream Girl Drama, but in this book, he finally meets his match in the fiercely competitive, no-nonsense Skylar Paige. He is completely smitten, but she only has eyes for her brother’s bestfriend.

With his reputation as a notorious heartbreaker and ladies’ man, he doesn’t stand a chance with the serious and takes-no-bullshit Skylar. What choice does he have but to fake-date the girl he’s half in love with—and teach her the art of sex and seduction to help her win over her childhood crush? Totally altruistic, of course. What could possibly go wrong?

This book had me kicking my feet nonstop. I absolutely loved the sharp banter and the slow-building tension that kept me hooked from start to finish.

I loved the cameos from past characters, popping in just to drop some much-needed love advice for our guy.

Tropes:
🔥 Slow burn
🗣️ Witty banter
💔 Fake dating
💪 No-nonsense heroine
🏒 NHL rookie hero
❤️ Opposites attract

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Pitcher Perfect was my introduction to Tessa Bailey’s work, and as someone relatively new to the world of sports romances, I’m still sorting through my thoughts on this one. Set in Boston, the story follows pro-NHL player Robbie Corrigan and Division I college softball star Skylar Paige. It’s packed with familiar but fun tropes—forced proximity (yes, there’s only one bed), rivals to lovers, and fake dating.

Their initial meeting and first date were especially charming, and I really enjoyed the spirited family dynamics throughout, particularly the competitive energy between Skylar and her family. Skylar’s family plays a big role in the story, which gave it a cozy, rooted feel that I appreciated.

The central premise—Skylar asking Robbie to be her “love coach” to help her land her longtime crush (and her brother’s best friend), Madden—was a fun setup. The spice level is definitely high; I’d give it a solid 4.5 to 5 out of 5. While some of the language used in the steamier scenes wasn’t exactly to my taste, it didn’t cross into cringe territory either.

My main critique lies in the pacing of the romance. The transition from haters to lovers happens over the course of just one week, which felt a bit rushed—especially considering that Skylar has apparently nursed a deep, long-standing crush on Madden for years. That she’s able to both move on from that and overcome her dislike of Robbie in such a short time felt a little too convenient. While I can easily believe in instant chemistry, the emotional shift could have used a bit more breathing room to feel fully earned.

That said, I genuinely enjoyed the book overall. I rated it 3 out of 5 stars and think it would make a fun, fast-paced read for fans of sports romance and trope-filled rom-coms.

Release date: September 9, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Avon and Harper Voyager) for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this book completely blind—like, didn’t even read the synopsis blind—and somehow that made the ride even better. I saw a baseball on the cover and said, “Say less.” And listen… I’m so glad I did.

Tessa Bailey’s acknowledgments always help me feel the heart of the story, and this one? It’s beating out of its chest. Robbie is impossible not to fall for—from red beard swoon to fake boyfriend chaos to the man practically bleeding yearning on the page. His vulnerability, self-awareness, and smexy little lessons had me giggling, blushing, and bawling all at once. I wanted to wrap him in a blanket and tell him it’s okay to not be okay.

Skylar is smart and stubborn and sweet and clearly trying her best to protect her heart. Their connection is messy, intense, spicy, and—yep—poignant. That shower scene? I was emotionally unwell in the best way. The slow reveal of who Robbie really is beneath the persona, and how much he sees Skylar as worthy and incredible, was everything.

Bonus points for the cameos (Mailer, Sig, and Burgess forever in my heart), and for making me love a story I thought would go one way and instead went ten times deeper. This isn’t just a sports romance—it’s a love story about choosing vulnerability, risking again, and loving big.

💘 Pitcher Perfect knocked it out of the park. Tessa’s done it again. Another fave. Another story I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

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

Tessa Bailey writes it, and I love it. That's not being biased, that's just how it always goes. Pitcher Perfect is a sports romance, meets fake dating, and meets enemies-to-lovers featuring a strong, sporty heroine, Skylar (a D1 softball player), and a flirty NHL rookie, Robbie, who begin a fake relationship to make Skylar's crush/brother's best friend jealous. It is charming, sexy, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartfelt.

Skylar is a badass softball pitcher in college who is surrounded by athletes in her family. To say they are competitive would be an understatement. When her brother asks her to pitch at a pickup baseball game, she is shocked and a bit repelled when she overhears an NHL player, Robbie, talking about his female conquests. Ugh men. But they have chemistry, so I was here for it. Robbie learns about Skylar's crush on Madden, her brother's best friend, and agrees to fake date her to make Madden jealous and hopefully realize that they could be more. Sure, Robbie is being nice, but any other girl, and he would not sign up for possible feelings.

While Skylar and Robbie attend her family's annual competition, they learn more than just lessons from each other. Skylar makes Robbie feel like he can be a better man and continuously shows his support and loyalty to Skylar. Skylar learns that she is enough and doesn't have to always be ready to prove her worth.

I ate this up. Tessa Bailey is just one of those authors who always gets it right. She brings readers along for the roller coaster ride and makes the characters so relatable. And she brings the HEAT! Let me just say that Robbie's 'orgasm donor' sweatshirt is no lie...just ask Skylar ;). I can't wait for release day so I can chat with all my book besties about Robbie and Skylar!

I would first like to say thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Collins for sending me the ARC for this book. The following is my honest review.

Overall I loved this book and would consider it one of my favorites of this series. I don’t think this book is for everyone but if you like hockey romance and Tessa Bailey’s other books then you should enjoy this. Also with a book like this you can’t go in with the mindset of finding a literary masterpiece but if you want a cute and easy read this book is for you!

Possible Spoiler Warning *********************

Pros
- I love the banter between the two during the initial baseball scene and enjoyed the overall humor
- You can never go wrong with a well written fake dating trope
- Robbie’s golden retriever energy is everything
- Easy fast paced read with one of the best MMC that I have read about in a while
- Feel good book that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is surprisingly funny

Cons
- I don’t know how I feel about the nicknames in this book (Rocket and Redbeard), they are kinda weird
- I thought it was strange that Robbie would take a week off before the first round of the NHL playoffs to go hang out with her family, that doesn’t seem very realistic
- I hate third act conflicts and this one seemed avoidable
- I don’t like when books will throw in something negative at the end of a chapter to foreshadow something bad in the future and this book does this a few times

All that being said I really did like this book and if you like fake dating and sports romance you will most likely enjoy this story!

I cannot help myself, I read this series prepared to roll my eyes and cringe through the majority of the love story.
I didn’t think I would even be interested in a whole book about minor character Robbie Corrigan who seemed, honestly, pretty icky in the last two books of this series.
Welp, I stand corrected and I now have a book crush on this doofy hockey player! His story with Skylar, the superstar softball pitcher introduced in the final chapters of Dream Girl Drama was everything I didn’t know I was looking for.
All of my favorites
Enemies-ish to lovers
Fake dating
Sports romance
Love lessons
I feel like this is going to be a lot of readers favorite installment in the series! Or maybe it’s just me and I have heart eyes for Robbie😍

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve loved this interconnected series so far! The Au Pair Affair is still my favorite in the series. I didn’t care for Robbie at first, but I think his character was just misunderstood. Like, how can you not like someone who’s favorite food is Stouffers lasagna?! He also had a way with words, especially when it came to making Skylar blush. That scene in Chapter 15 had me blushing at the gym.

I was able to grab an ARC of Tessa Bailey’s newest book in the Hot Shots series, Pitcher Perfect. I was expecting a lot more baseball/ softball in this book. The main sport in this book is an annual family competition. When Skylar’s usually partner isn’t available so she rounds up Robbie the NHL rookie as her teammate. When I say this boy falls fast I mean he practically trips over his tongue the first time he sees her. He puts all his playboy ways to the side and is all in for Skylar. I love the way these two bring out the best versions of each other all while supporting that competitive instinct. Fan Girl down is still my favorite book in this series, and this book is hopefully setting up a book for Eve and Madden. Parts of this storyline overlap with Dream Girl Drama so I recommend reading the series in order. Now let’s go heat up a pan of Stoffers Lasagna and find out if I can catch myself a hockey boy!