I tried to love it, I really tried, but for me it was just OK. Still I enjoyed it and had a great time, I read it in one sit,and can confirm that it has the typical Tessa humor and spice.
I guess it reads better if you've read the previous books.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

The Big Shot’s series just keeps getting better and better. Hands down my favorite of the four so far, I’m hoping there are more to come. This book was so fun and sweet, I always love a good friends to lovers situation! There were lots of laugh out loud moments, I mean obviously I’m here for all the funny High School Musical references and some swoony moments too.

Skylar a D1 softball pitcher who comes from the most competitive family around is confident in her game and her athletic ability but not so much in her skills with men. Harboring a long time crush on her brothers best friend she agrees to fake date Robbie, a slightly immature, womanizing rookie from the Bearcats hockey team. He is hopelessly in love with Skyler from the moment they met, and wants to help her get the other guy just so he can be around her a bit longer. When the spend a week together competing in her family competition sparks start to fly, but are they mutual? Does she have feelings for Robbie too?

I really didn’t expect to like Robbie as much as I did, but now he might be my favorite! There were so many sweet moments that came from the idea of finding the right person for you. So many things that Skyler was self conscious about were the very things that Robbie liked best about her. Seeing him cheer her on and champion for her within her own family was the best!
how/7559380573

I have absolutely loved the Big Shots series however this one just did not work for me. The chemistry between the two characters was tepid at best. I didn't like the whole "lessons" aspect of the story and overall found the plot to be lacking. It all just felt mailed in to me, which is a real shame because the other books in this series have been really good. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

Despite being a devoted Tessa Bailey fan, my reactions to the Big Shots series have been as up and down as (insert a good sports pun here). I loved "Fangirl Down," started slipping with "The Au Pair Affair," and felt pretty disappointed by "Dream Girl Drama" (still love Sig and Chloe, though), so it was nice that I was able to so enjoy "Pitcher Perfect." It's got a wonderfully unexpected couple, a great set-up (which is also a way to enjoy Skylar's tough family dynamics without getting too preachy or sad), and seriously spicy scenes. I absolutely believe that Bailey finds her couples as she goes and that romances reveal themselves to her along the way, and I love following that (can't wait for Eve and Madden!), and this story and everything it's moving toward got back in love with Big Shots.

[ARC REVIEW] I have been a long-time Tessa Bailey fan, so whenever I see she has something new, it is a no-brainer read for me. I loved the first book in this series, but was kind of disappointed by the books 2 & 3, probably because I just wasn't a fan of those tropes / the dynamics between the MCs. Pitcher Perfect, however, I LOVED.

Favorite elements:
- Robbie doing a full 180 away from his player persona and going all in on a woman the moment he sees her.
- Robbie being Skylar's #1 fan & supporter, and showing her family how they weren't supporting her in the way they should.
- Lowkey obsessed with them falling in love so quickly...? I know it's pretty unrealistic, considering this took place over just a few weeks, but I like how they were all-in on each other and there weren't any reservations on Robbie's side. I am such a sucker for men who fall first omg.
- One bed <3
- Excited to see where the Eve & Madden thing goes, their dynamic gives off amazing enemies-to-lovers & second-chance romance vibes, so very very curious!

If a contemporary romance has all of the elements I love + there aren't any big red flags within the relationship, it's a winner for me! Happy this book came through after the last two, because now I'm excited to see where the rest of the series goes :)

Thank you, NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Like all Bailey books in this series, this is a fun and silly book that intersects sports, romance, friendship, and found family in great ways. I really enjoyed continuing the stories of side characters we see in other books and really watching them develop into 3D characters that feel more human.
As always, this book was filled with many great lessons on both self and romantic growth as Robbie and Skylar grow closer. It's feel-good, sappy yet humorous, and overall a fun time.

Swoooon, this was super cute! I really liked Robbie and Skylar as main characters. I loved the easy communication between them & how much he was obsessed with her lol. I think this is being marketed as enemies to lovers but I don’t know if I’d say that. They definitely had a horrible first meet up and she correctly judged him based off his actions but that lasted like.. 15% of the book and that’s it lol.

I was a huge fan of the planner and the scheduled lessons though, I’ll be honest I loved kinda knowing where it was going and when lol.

Felt a little weird though, seeing her think she was in love with her brothers best friend when it seemed so awkward between the two of them. And she definitely had some blinders on when she’d be watching Madden and Eve interact because I could tell instantly who he liked lol.


Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion :)

I loved this story! Another successful addition to Tessa Bailey’s sports romance endeavor. I really liked both MCs, especially Robbie. My only detraction is this was a little insta lovey, despite aiming for a more fake dating focus. But didn’t detract much, I was very into the story and finished it in a day! I hope we get Madden and Eve’s story next.

Tessa books are always hilarious and PITCHER PERFECT does not disappoint. We have our typical hero, who is down bad immediately (my favorite trope) AND there's great character development with his character. Tessa's sports books really hit the spot and I can't wait for her other books (esp Mailer and Elton!!!!)

Read this one so fast!! Insta-love, fake dating, obsessed MMC (he falls first) - what more could you want! I also really loved the character development in this book.

You definitely should read dream girl drama first since this starts off at a setting in that book.

Pitcher Perfect was a fun ride from beginning to end. Robbie and Skylar’s relationship had this chaotic, competitive spark that made every scene between them full of tension and teasing. The fake dating setup gave just the right amount of forced closeness and emotional slip-ups, and I loved watching Robbie go from cocky to completely undone. He’s funny, loyal, and clearly way in over his head, and that made his softer moments land even harder.

Some of the emotional beats felt a little rushed, and I wouldn’t have minded more time for Skylar to process things on her own. But the balance between steam and story was solid, and their connection felt genuine despite the speed. The family wilderness competition added a great backdrop and gave the romance space to breathe without losing momentum.

What stood out most was how much heart this story had beneath all the banter and heat. It’s not just about fake dating and flirtation- it's about showing up for someone, proving you're more than a first impression, and figuring out what real love looks like when it catches you completely off guard. Check this one out if you have the chance!

Ummmmm. I had told myself I would stop reading Tessa Bailey books because this whole series has been flop city for me. At first I thought this would be different, but I was wrong. It's the same. They're all the same. The smut is now completely cringe because it's ALL THE SAME. And what's his face kept referring to Skylar as "the girl" and "this girl" during the scenes and I hated it.

Tessa Bailey challenge: write a different man from any of the other men she's written, level: impossible.

Just to give some background, I am a huge Tessa Bailey fan. I find her characters to be vulnerable and likable.
Although this was a really fun book to read, it was not my favorite book of hers. I found the romance to be too instant. There wasn't much of a build-up. I also felt like so much of the book was building an Eva/Madden storyline. That being said, I love the Hot Shots series, and would still recommend that fans of the series read Pitcher Perfect.

Pitcher Perfect is a fun, fast-paced romance that unexpectedly packs a lot of heart in the story. Even though I'm not a big fan of insta-love, I found Robbie's feelings especially endearing, and given what we uncover about Skylar's background throughout the story, it's really not surprising at all that she fell so fast and hard for Robbie when he showed up for her in the ways that he did.

My one real gripe with the book is that there are a few instances where she writes as if the story is being told from the future and not as if we're going through things with them ("But it wouldn't be long before she found a weak spot. She never expected to be responsible for it.") This happens at least three times and it's jarring as hell because the rest of the book isn't written this way. It just feels sloppy. There's also a line in one of the earlier sex scenes where Robbie says "college girl pussy" which feels gross in a way that also seems to conflict with all this sudden growth Robbie's got going on.

Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes he falls first. Not sure if there's enough sports for it to feel like a sports romance to me, and even though this is literally fake dating, it didn't hit the spot for that trope for me.

This was a “read now” title I clicked on and unfortunately it is a DNF - this book is absolutely insufferable. 😭

My favorite Tessa Bailey to date!!!

This book had me squealing in ALL the ways and as someone with a weakness for gingers, thank you!! And then you add my favorite sport (baseball/softball) with my favorite sports romance (hockey) AND the fake dating / teaching tropes????? My kryptonite. Binge read this book in four hours. My poor friends will be sick of me talking about this book and the "lessons" Redbeard teaches Rocket long before the books release in September.

I REALLY hate to say it, but I think it's time Tessa Bailey and I take a break. Her books have been super hit or miss for me. The ones I enjoyed, I LOVED, and the ones I didn't enjoy, I REALLY didn't enjoy. I adored Fangirl Down, the first in this series, but since that book, this series has been a miss for me. I can totally get down with cringy scenes with the right romance, but this one just didn't do it for me.

I might take a Tessa Bailey break, let her crank out some books, and try my luck with the ones that rise to the top. Again, I am SO sad these haven't been working for me because I ADORE Tessa Bailey as a human, the books just haven't been working for me!

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the eARC!

WOW. oh my god WOW - this is now one of my favorite books in the series. robbie and skylar's chemistry in this book was absolutely amazing, she's a take-no-bullshitter, and he's just in love with everything about her. "who could have guessed the girl whose first words to him were 'fuck you' would end up becoming his everything?"

i loved robbie and skylar's story so much, especially how he's willing to change everything about his infamous reputation he has with mailer just to be with her. (which btw, will be sat for mailer's story when he finally realizes what his best friend & teammates have found.) something about robbie determined to prove to skylar how much he loves her followed by her wanting to reciprocate those exact same feelings even when she's nervous it's not enough really showed how much of a great match they were.

tessa bailey ate with this book ... what an amazing pairing. the storyline, their relationship, the setting, the CONTENT and SPICE?? astounding. astronomical. amazing. this was my very first arc that i've read ever, and i am extremely happy. i loved the writing and how the two first have a rocky start that leads to robbie offering her his help in securing "the guy," but in the end HE becomes THE guy and wins her over (he already had her in the first place.)

Thank you so much for the advanced copy of Pitcher Perfect. I absolutely loved this book. I didn't think that it could get better than Sig & Chloe in this series, but this one was an instant page turner. The chemistry and banter that started from their first meeting throughout the entire book was sensational. I loved the reformed rake turned swooning male lead, Robbie. It also showed how well people like Skylar and mask their insecurities and anxieties by outwardly showing their Type-A qualities. This book also took a little bit of the role reversal and didn't show Skylar distraught and eating ice cream out of the container, sad about their fight, it showed a grown man on his couch with his friends, his face in a lasagna.. and I liked that. It captured how much he felt for her and the toll that their fight took on him. I truly believe that this is the best book Tessa has written since "It Happened One Summer" and cannot wait for this one to be on the shelves of my store!

Tessa Bailey did it again! I loved this addition to the Big Shots series. Robbie didn’t stick out to me in the Dream Girl Drama but he sure made himself known in this novel. He is the sweetest, dirty talking golden retriever that I’ve encountered and I’m obsessed. Skylar is a girl after my own heart with her love for softball and awkwardness around men. 5/5 stars for Pitcher Perfect and it’s rom com, awkward, fake dating vibes. Thank you for allowing me to read early with an ARC!