Pitcher Perfect

Big Shots #4

by Tessa Bailey

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey is back with an all-new enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating sports romance about a playboy hockey rookie and the disciplined softball pitcher completely immune to his charms.

Boston Bearcats rookie Robbie Corrigan is living the dream. He’s made it to the NHL, his best friend/teammate and fellow “orgasm donor” is his roomie—and the women of Boston love them both. Life is sweet. That is, until he meets Skylar Paige, division 1 softball pitcher, girl least likely to take anyone’s bull…and the one member of the opposite sex immune to his charms. Robbie might be dazzled by the badass pitcher, but Skylar pegs him as a filthy player and wants nothing to do with him.

When he discovers she’s carrying a serious torch for her brother’s best friend, Robbie knows he should just go back to clubbing and whipped cream bikini parties, but he can’t seem to leave Skylar to flounder on her romantic quest to land another man. Nor can he miss out on the opportunity to spend time with her and hopefully redeem himself. Before Robbie knows it, he’s agreed to be Skylar’s fake boyfriend/love coach at an upcoming family wilderness competition where her crush will be in attendance. What could go wrong?

Through a series of contests that require them to trust each other, Robbie and Skylar grow closer and closer until their fake relationship starts to feel like the realest thing they’ve ever known and the sizzling lessons in sensuality burn out of control.

But it’s all just pretend…right?

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 9, 2025

About the author

New York Times Bestselling author Tessa Bailey can solve all problems except for her own, so she focuses those efforts on stubborn, fictional blue collar men and loyal, lovable heroines. She lives on Long Island avoiding the sun and social interactions, then wonders why no one has called. Dubbed the “Michelangelo of dirty talk,” by Entertainment Weekly, Tessa writes with spice, spirit, swoon and a guaranteed happily ever after. Catch her on TikTok at @authortessabailey or check out tessabailey.com for a complete list of books.

Reviews

[anh · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star

Listen, I went into this book with pretty reasonable expectations. I was just in the mood to turn my brain off and read a fun trashy romance, except this turned out to be the total opposite—it was just trash and dumb and no fun.

I need to preface by saying that I haven't touched a Tessa Bailey book in almost two years. The only one I actually enjoyed was It Happened One Summer, and after that godforsaken novella Same Time Next Year traumatised me with its arduous smut scenes, I swore off her books entirely. But when I was lucky enough to receive this arc, curiosity got the better of me. I thought maybe if I tried her newest release, I'd be able to see if she had improved. Well, she hasn't. 🤡

First off, I'm getting so tired of books slapping on labels that aren't actually in the story. Why are we calling this enemies to lovers when the mmc is literally obsessed with the fmc from the very start?? I have a better idea—it might as well have been labeled horny acquaintances to slightly hornier acquaintances ffs.

The plot follows Skylar, who's been crushing on her brother's best friend for years. She needs a teammate for some incredibly important family wilderness competition, and in comes Robbie, an NHL player who can't bear to watch her flounder on her romantic quest to land another man. How noble. 😍 So naturally, he becomes her fake boyfriend/love coach to make her crush jealous at said wilderness competition, complete with sexy lessons.

When Skylar and Robbie first meet, she overhears him spouting some peak misogynistic locker room garbage. Red flag? Nope! Instead of addressing this character flaw or having Robbie face any actual consequences for his sexist attitude, we just... move on. Suddenly, they're fake dating, and then Robbie magically transforms from misogynistic asshole to "a changed man" once he falls for Skylar.

The emotional progression makes no sense. One second, they're bickering, then they're incredibly horny, and then I blinked and suddenly they're sharing all their personal baggage. I genuinely could not keep track of any buildup or tension because there was absolutely nothing!!!

Also, the language in this was so horrendous that it made me want to scrub my eyes with bleach. I would give examples except that means I'd have to flip through the book again, and frankly, my eyes have suffered enough. All I remember is mentions of "penis power" and "squeezable buns" that made me want to gouge my eyes out. The only positive thing I can say about this book is that it was so atrociously bad I couldn't stop reading—I don't know how that logic works, but it's true.

Bottom line: I went in looking for a fun time, except I somehow found one of the dumbest and stupidest books I’ve ever read, and I'm pretty sure I lost brain cells not just reading this disaster, but trying to form coherent thoughts about it afterward.

Lesson learned: never read another Tessa Bailey book again.

Thank you to Harper Collins for the ARC.

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for the ARC via NetGalley 💌

Okay soooo Pitcher Perfect was FUN!! Like, seriously such a breezy, feel-good, fake-dating sports romcom that made me kick my feet a little bit too much.

The setup?
NHL rookie Robbie Corrigan = total flirt, all charm, not an ounce of shame. Skylar Paige = D1 softball pitcher, laser-focused, and so over men like him. When Skylar needs a fake boyfriend to make her long-time crush (aka her brother’s best friend sigh) notice her during a wild family wilderness competition… Robbie volunteers as tribute.
Let the chaos begin.

This gave fake dating + opposites attract + a sunshine golden retriever who's lowkey obsessed with her… and I ate it up. The banter?? The tension?? The way Skylar starts out thinking he’s a total lost cause, but slowly realizes he’s kinda ride-or-die underneath all the cockiness??? Yes, please.

Robbie was actually adorable. Like… down bad from the jump, but still so respectful?? Not the usual alpha-douchey MMC—he was flirty, yes, but also lowkey soft and sincere?? And omg the way he backed her up when no one else in her family seemed to?? I cheered. Loudly.

Also the whole family competition setting? Kinda genius. Gave off summer romcom movie vibes and had the perfect amount of forced proximity. One bed energy. IYKYK.

Skylar was SUCH a strong female lead—fiercely independent, a bit guarded, but you could see how much pressure she put on herself, especially being the only one in her family who didn’t go to Brown. The whole “outsider in your own fam” thing? Hit hard.

ALSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT NICKNAME???
My only real ick with this book?? Skylar calling Robbie “Redbeard.” Like. No. Absolutely not. Felt like I was reading a pirate fanfic in the middle of a romcom and not in a cute way. Please leave weird nicknames in the drafts.

Spice level? Certified Tessa Bailey. Meaning: steam, steam, steeeam And Robbie?? A+ at certain lessons. If you know, you know.

Overall, I devoured this and I’m so ready for more from this series. I’m GUESSING the next book is gonna be about Madden (Skylar’s brother’s best friend/ex-crush) and Eva (Skylar’s bestie)? If yes—inject it directly into my veins pls.

If you're into:
⚾️ Fake dating but make it flirty
💐 Golden retriever NHL rookies who fall first + fall hard
⚾️ Strong sporty girls who don’t take BS
💐 Forced proximity, summer competitions, and soft character growth

…you’re gonna have a great time with this one.

Final verdict?
Tessa Bailey really said: enemies-to-lovers-but-make-it-fake-dating-and-full-of-heart and honestly??She delivered.
Not my all-time fave of hers, but still such a solid, fun, serotonin-boosting romance read.

[Grace Quan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Were Tessa Bailey books actually good, or was I just 14?

I fell in love with TB at 14. She was my bridge from reading YA dystopian to contemporary-romance. I fell in love with the genre because of her. Looking back, were all her books this bad, or was I just a 14 years old? With the exception of Fangirl Down, I can't really remember any of her books being objectively good. Maybe it's the insta-lust, or the misogynistic mmcs, or maybe it was the cringy writing that made this book just...not work for me.

-the nicknames were horrible. He was a ginger, and she had the audacity to nickname him "Red beard." Unless you're living under a rock, you're probably watching The Summer I Turned Pretty right now; and that name reminds me too much of Red Bird. It gives me the ick.

-Her nickname was pretty bad too. He calls her "Rocket." 🚀 I'm sorry? Is that supposed to be cute or something??! I cringed every time he said it.

-The most loathsome and tiresome trope was used. And no, I'm not taking about fake dating, I don't beef with fake dating. I'm talking about 'im just so helpless around guys and in bed and you're just so experienced, can you teach me?' 🥺👉👈 I don't feel the need to explain why I hate this trope, I just hate it with my very being.

-Side note: The eating situation made me very uncomfortable. Robbie eats literally soooo much during this book. Like on their first date at The Cheesecake Factory, he requested that the hostess seat them at a large table because he's going to be ordering like 10 entrees. I thought he was joking until he actually did it. Like sir, do you even know how big their main courses are? It just bothered me that eating a massive amount of food was Robbie's only personality trait. Well, besides being a manwhore who respects zero women, but I'm too exhausted to get into that right now.

“Jesus, I could eat another ten of these fucking sandwiches” yikes 😬

“I assure you, I will never get used to regular human portions
of food. When I was a kid, I got kicked out of summer camp for breaking into the cafeteria in the middle of the night.”
Alright bro, so if you aren't eating human sized portions, are you eating alien sized portions? I'm confused.

“What do you want?” Elton asked.
“Like, four times the amount of food I ate earlier.”
Aright buddy, we get it, you're a big boy. You can shut up now.

-The main characters are just not believable. They are over the top drama queens. Specifically the male main characters. You know what? And the female main character too. Both badly written, I felt nothing. Felt absolutely zero connection from either one of them.

Anyway, I feel like this rant could go on forever, but I'll leave you with the reason for my star rating:
I'm just too loyal to TB to give her one star, she's such a nostalgic author for me and that has to count for something.

Format: Audiobook 🎧
Date read: 9/9 🗓️
POV: Dual
Star rating: ✰✰

pre-read: 🏒🥎💙
~•~•~
TB writing is like average, but lately her plots have not been measuring up. lets see where this goes 👀

[naz · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒎 𝑰 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑺𝒌𝒚𝒍𝒂𝒓?” “𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒅 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒎𝒆..”

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

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I’m a tessa bailey stan ✨ i love this series and ya girl played softball soo 💅🏼

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡 · Rating 3 out of 5]

╰┈➤ 3 stars!

happy publishing day to pitcher perfect!!🏒🥎💙

robbie corrigan is living every rookie’s dream—he’s finally made it to the nhl, shares a place with his best friend and teammate, and has no shortage of attention from the women of boston. life couldn’t be better. that is, until he meets skylar paige, a division 1 softball pitcher who has zero tolerance for nonsense and happens to be the only woman immune to his charm. robbie may be dazzled by her, but skylar sees him as nothing more than a player and wants nothing to do with him.

when robbie learns she’s secretly in love with her brother’s best friend, he knows he should let it go. but instead of walking away, he finds himself stepping in—agreeing to be her fake boyfriend and “love coach” at a family wilderness competition in hopes of helping her win over her crush.

what starts as a harmless arrangement quickly turns into something more. with every challenge that forces them to trust and rely on each other, robbie and skylar grow closer, and the line between fake and real begins to blur. soon, the chemistry between them burns hotter than either expected—but pretending is never simple, and some feelings are impossible to ignore.

let’s talk about the book itself and characters:

౨ৎ skylar. she is truly the definition of a thought daughter through and through. constantly having to prove yourself just because you don’t live up to someone’s expectations can really take a toll, and if you’ve ever felt that way, you’ll definitely relate to her character. her journey felt so familiar, almost as if her struggles were echoing the experiences of people who’ve carried the weight of always needing to be enough.

౨ৎ robbie. a yearner in every sense of the word. and if there’s one thing i’ve learned from reading many of tessa’s books, it’s that men who yearn eventually earn. robbie was so down bad for skylar, and honestly, that’s all i really need to say about him. his devotion and persistence spoke louder than anything else.

both of their families are really precious to me! it shows that they love both of their families and that they actually look up to them! the bond between both families is great, and that’s something that made the book really good to me.

as for the story itself, it was insta-love/lust right from the start. i wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing—sometimes that immediate pull can be fun—but there were moments where i found myself wishing for a deeper connection between the two. tessa’s books often lean toward the insta-love/lust side, and i’ve enjoyed them for what they are, but i do think this one could have been even stronger if their bond had been explored in more depth.

one of my favorite aspects, though, was the family dynamic. the connection between skylar and her half-brother elton was so tight and heartwarming—it’s not something you get to read about often, and it added such a meaningful layer to the story. it’s always refreshing when sibling bonds are highlighted so beautifully.

another theme that stood out was trust. this book really emphasizes how important it is to trust your partner, because without it, cracks begin to show in the relationship. it’s simple, but it’s a lesson worth repeating—trust truly makes or breaks everything.

as for the enemies-to-lovers angle, i’d say this one leaned more toward the lovers side than the enemies. i didn’t really feel much of the “enemies” part in their dynamic, but that didn’t take away from the story for me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・

pre-read:

reading this arc because it’s publishing date is near and it’s also my first book for this month!! i haven’t read tessa bailey’s books for quite some time, so i’m starting this one with no expectations. wish me luck!! 💗

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

❥ My Thoughts ❥

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!

❥ Quick Synopsis & Rating ❥

“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 ❥

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.

❥ Release Date ❥

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

[cossette · Rating 1 out of 5]

thank you to avon for the advanced reader copy! unfortunately i hated this book so, so much 🤍

when we first meet skylar, she's been crushing on the same guy (her brother's best friend) for years. her entire personality is that she's obsessed with planners + incredibly type a, and she is the only person in her family not to go to brown + is constantly overlooked as a result. which is why this weeklong family wilderness competition is so important to her. except her best friend (who we don't actually see much of) isn't able to be her teammate this year. enter robbie, a rookie NHL player for the boston bearcats (rip boston bruins, you are now the boston bearcats) who is incredibly charmed by skylar and desperate to redeem himself. he'll be her teammate for this wilderness competition, — it just so happens that it's the week before stanley cup playoffs & he's free, aside from a few practices — he'll help make her crush jealous, and he'll teach her some lessons.

aside from the fact that it is ludicrous that any NHL player would participate in a weeklong competition in the wild the week before stanley cup playoffs (hello, injuries? exhaustion, etc?), there is something so incredibly off-putting about having your characters enemies to lovers moment (which isn't even a proper enemies-to-lovers, because robbie is in love with skylar from the get go) be because skylar overhears robbie make sexist ~ locker room culture ~ conquest-bragging remarks and to never address that. and then for robbie to pretty much be like oh i've found The One i have grown up i am changed now i will be better 🤍 with no accountability whatsoever. also very frustrating to read about how another player asked out their new (female, young) GM + seemingly confused why she would be upset/deem that inappropriate, especially while the actual nhl continues to cover up sexual assault & harassment.

also, skylar & robbie are an incredibly uncompelling couple. somehow, in the span of less than a week they go from: "enemies to lovers" (again, they're never enemies) → hooking up → robbie is in Love with her. and skylar is still harboring a crush on another guy for the first half of the week. this book felt like a bunch of tropes in a trenchcoat and i just simply did not care for it.

[Marie (hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

I think I’m going to stay away from Tessa Bailey books from now on.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.


___
Still holding out some hope for this series ✨😬✌️

[kitkat]

what is this cover??? who skipped the class on human proportions??

[Iqra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this one! Tessa Bailey’s writing feels like coming home. Idk what it is about it but it’s so comfort inducing and reliable I will guaranteed always come back for more.

The storyline was so perfect actually. I started this book actually knowing very little about the main characters (I only read the first book in the series and jumped straight into this one) so I would 100% say this can definitely be read as a standalone.

I loved the way the romance had a bit of everything, cute wholesome moments, teasing banter, heat, tension, chemistry, softness.

RobbieSkylar had their ups and downs but the third act wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. It was actually so perfect for them (even tho some parts were ridiculous but it’s Tessa so I expect a bit of ridiculous 😹)

I am soooo glad I read this.
Tessa never disappoints 💋

ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC! ♥︎

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

THANK YOU, Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon and Tessa Bailey, for sending me this ARC. I love this author and her books, so of course, I am absolutely over the moon to be able to read this before release day.

What to expect:

🥎 Enemies to lovers
🏒 Fake dating
🥎 Sport romance
🏒 Forced proximity

I truly loved everything about this book.

The characters were perfect for me, and I adored Robbie SO much. The storyline/plot was strong, and true to Tessa's writing style, she crafted and developed each character's background, making you feel like you've known them forever. All the elements worked seamlessly together, and by the end, it felt complete, yet I simultaneously never wanted it to end.

The book was hovering at a 4-4.5, but the dang kite had me. 🥹 FIVE STARS, it is! ✨

Pub Date Sep 09 2025 - you bet I already have a signed special edition coming my way!! Highly recommend you do the same. 😆

As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨

[♡❀Caroline❀♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pitcher Perfect, is the fourth installment in the series. Here we meet Robbie, a rookie NHL player who’s fully embracing the bachelor lifestyle. Until he meets Skylar, a softball pitcher who isn’t impressed by his charm or flirtatious ways. She has eyes for her brother's best friend, Madden. Robbie knowing this, proposes to fake date to get Madden's attention. She agrees to fake date Robbie, only if he gives her lessons.. In the bedroom..

I enjoyed my time with this book. I know it's advertised as an enemies to lovers.
I would say this is a soft enemies to lovers and insta love. Some people love/hate the trope...I'm indifferent. The enemy's part felt too light. I wanted more rivalry, clashes, and witty fighting to build up the tension. But, I did love their comedic banter and nicknames for one another. Which gave them a charming and lovable dynamic. Also love the sneak peak into what's to come for the next book.... I'm excited!! Overall the book was a sweet, fun and enjoyable read.

I want to thank Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 / 5 Stars
This book is super fun and a quick read and works best if you just completely ignore the romantic timeline. Skylar is a D1 softball pitcher at Boston University who loves planners, schedules, and showing dumb dudes that women can be amazing pitchers. Robbie is a professional, rookie hockey player in Boston who loves hooking up, wearing his “orgasm donor” hoodie, and laughing things off. The only thing he can’t laugh off? His instant feelings for Skylar, who wants nothing to do with his philandering ass. Though, on second thought, maybe she can use him to her advantage. Skylar has had feelings for her brother’s best friend for almost a decade and maybe Robbie is the right guy to make him a little jealous so that he’ll finally notice that she is desirable, gosh darn it! A little fake dating mixed with some spicy lessons is all she needs for her plan to work as long as she doesn’t catch feelings for Robbie, who is pining over her every chance he gets. All of that is easier said than done for these two crazy kids when the fake dating doesn’t feel so fake anymore.

You will probably like this book if you like:
🏒 Fake dating
🥎 Reformed playboy
🏒 Hockey player MMC x Softball player FMC
🥎 He falls first and harder
🏒 Spicy lessons
🥎 “Good girl”

Full disclosure, I am an insta-love hater. I do not want it. I do not like it. And yet … I was (mostly) on board with it here. Robbie is instantly attracted to Skylar which, SOUND THE ALARMS, reeks of insta-lust, but I felt like Tessa Bailey did a good job of showcasing lots of other things that he liked about her, so it felt well written. He was smitten with her body AND mind (how novel 🤣). Where we start to get into murkier territory is Robbie and Skylar falling in love with each other over the course of a week. You heard me. A week (maybe two weeks if you count the times they are apart). Robbie and Skylar are faking dating while competing in her family’s yearly wilderness competition which is a Sunday to Thursday affair. And along with competing, Skylar also schedules a spicy lesson for them each day because she isn’t very experienced and wants to be prepared for when she gets down and dirty with her brother’s best friend (which honestly, A+ for bringing some project management skills to learning to make out. Let’s make it efficient and well organized. Snaps to Skylar). A lot happens in those six days but to get to love that fast is a tough sell for me. And their main conflicts occur because they don’t really trust each other … because they don’t know each other … because they have only been together for a week. A few times, it started to feel love bomb-y for me and I am glad they pumped the brakes a bit and got out of that territory. So I think that if you pay too much attention to the timeline or want a book where the two main characters have some general good sense, it may cut into your enjoyment of the book.

But, as a certified insta-love hater, I still really enjoyed the book. Robbie is so exceptionally charming that even I was like “those red flags are basically orange which is basically nothing!” He’s funny, kind, has depth, and a well written back story. Do I wish that he realized that he shouldn’t be such an asshole to women on his own and not because he started to like a woman? Of course. But men can’t perform miracles even in books, apparently 🤣. And Skylar is a girl after my own heart who likes control and doesn’t think she is good enough. I wish she had as rich of a backstory as Robbie but I still really liked her. Skylar and Robbie have great chemistry and the spicy lessons were fun. The competition aspect was a fun way for them to get to know each other though Skylar’s parents are delusional and their only personality traits are that they are Brown alumni. I also loved that they were both athletes who respected and understood each other. There were some really silly and funny moments that had me and Kelsey cackling which we really appreciated.

Also note that this is being marketed as an enemies to lovers book and I think they are enemies for maybe a morning? Robbie likes her immediately and she pretty quickly starts to realize that while he is a womanizer, he has a little bit more depth. So if you are looking for enemies to lovers, you won’t really find it here, folks.

Thank you to Kelsey for the fun buddy ready. It was my first Tessa Bailey read and Kelsey was the perfect teammate (sports pun intended) for this book!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
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Pre-Read Thoughts: Excited for this buddy read with Kelsey! This is my first Tessa Bailey book so I am excited and also ready for a man who is a self-described "orgasm donor." Pray for us 😂😂😂

[Susan Ha · Rating 4 out of 5]

TESSA BAILEY IS BACK!

What to expect:
⚾️ (heavy) insta love
🏒 fake dating
⚾️ "teach me"
🏒 golden retriever mmc
⚾️ bachelor pro hockey player x softball player
🏒 he falls first
⚾️ complicated family dynamic
🏒 reformed fuck boy
⚾️ third act conflict
🏒 forced proximity
⚾️ only one bed

Summary:
Pitcher Perfect is the fourth installment in the spicy Big Shots series. It follows Skylar, collegiate pitcher meeting cocky pro hockey player, Robbie, at a not so friendly competition between the local baseball and NHL team. Their first interaction consists of Skylar overhearing the rookie's boast of his prior one night stand and wagering a date between them if he wins. Her response? "Fuck you." Surprise, surprise, Skylar loses and confides to Robbie about how her childhood crush, whom doesn't pay her any attention, is coming to her family's yearly competition. His suggestion? Enter a fake relationship in hopes of making her crush jealous. Can Robbie make Skylar forget her old crush to consider him instead? Can Robbie give up his bachelor lifestyle for her?

My thoughts:
I can't help but think skeptically when picking up a new TB book because I've been consistently let down with her last releases. Truthfully, I didn't get the same excitement when I read It Happened One Summer, but I didn't get the same strong dislike like I did with The Au Pair Affair (Big Shots #3). I usually despise the boring trope of insta love, but this fit the plot line. However, I can totally see readers dnf-ing TB's new release because of it (along with the minimal usage of corny spicy lines).

If readers can throw away their realistic expectations, I think this new release could become one of their TB favorites because Skylar and Robbie were adorable. Robbie depicted "to be seen is to be loved.” If you can forgive Robbie for his disgusting treatment with the former women in his life, he ended up being surprisingly loyal, sweet, romantic, protective, and supportive of Skylar. He just "got" her and her planner.

Here are some of my favorite moments/quotes. Please stop reading as they can possibly be spoilers.
"The screen door of the house open and in walked Robbie. In a Boston University T-shirt."

"You didn't answer me before. Did you miss me?" "Yes." "Good. Now ask me the same question." "Did you?" "I got a speeding ticket on my way back to you."

"If there is anyone else in the world who'd work harder to make her happy. As long as the answer to that is no, you're the right man."

"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 ass I'm going to say something about it. That's my girl."

"You have a ball and a couple of gloves in that bag?" "Why?" "You told me the first pitch is the hardest. That once you throw the first one, you settle into your game. Why don't you throw it to me before you go in? Get the nerves out of your system."

“Still crazy, but I’ll make a pro-con list in my planner.” “Great. Let’s do it right now.”

BRB, gonna go purchase a Boston U shirt now 🥺

Huge thanks to Tessa Bailey, Avon and Harper Voyager Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this e-ARC!

Publishing date: Sep 09 2025

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fear Tessa Bailey never misses ( .⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)⁠っ⋆⭒˚｡⋆⚾

I'm quite sad I read this so fast because is Tessa releasing another book this year aside from this one? I HAVE NO CLUE. I DON'T HAVE ANY TESSA BOOK TO WAIT FOR NOW!!! But tbh I don't regret a thing because this was just what I needed - I knew Tessa was going to deliver with Pitcher Perfect and I just absolutely loved every second I spent reading this book.

I'm not going to mention a lot about this book because it's still far away, but let me just say that if you loved the previous books in this series, you're going to love this one. It has insta-love, an obsessed hero who is down bad for the heroine, a softball-playing heroine, annoyance to love, a cool competition, and FAKE DATING!!!

[Kelsey S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy pub day to Skyler and Robbie!!

▹TL;DR Review: Tessa has a way with characters that makes them both redeemable and charming. This fourth book in the Big Shots series offers comedy, romance, and family antics (and a vignette of past characters Burgess/Tallulah and Sig/Chloe!). But also a hefty dose of insta-love.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and the spicy romcom queen herself, miss Tessa Bailey for this eARC. These are my honest opinions. Comes out September 9!
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
▹Format: 📱 eReader (buddy read with my pal Lina—Check out her review now!!)
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○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○

– About: Self-proclaimed “orgasm donor” and hockey rookie Robbie agrees to be a fake boyfriend to Skylar—college softball star with a wicked arm and zero tolerance for his charm—to make her unrequited crush finally see her. But in order to play this game, Robbie has to survive her crazy family’s competitive wilderness games AND his mounting feelings for her.
– FMC: Skylar (aka “Rocket”). 22-year-old Boston University senior softball pitcher. Type A, loves to plan. “Tom boy” who grew up the only girl in a team of boys. I think of her as an adult Kristi from The Baby-Sitters Club.
– MMC: Robbie (aka “Redbeard”). Rookie hockey player for the Boston Bearcats. The bulk of his paycheck goes directly to Stouffer’s lasagnas.
– Location: Boston, MA (briefly) and Rhode Island
– POV: Dual third-person
– Spice: 5-7 open-door spicy scenes
– Tropes: fake dating, dating/sex lessons, reformed playboy, insta-love, sports romance (for both MCs), blended family dynamics, unrequited crush, forced proximity, golden retriever MMC/black cat FMC
– Triggers: family legacy pressure and competitiveness, grief (loss of close relative), near drowning, fear of heights

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↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12

Now Playing: Centerfield by John Fogerty

╰┈➤ ❝A-roundin' third and headed for home; It's a brown-eyed handsome man; Anyone can understand the way I feel; Oh, put me in, coach, I'm ready to play today.❞

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★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★

➼ Sports romances, specifically where the FMC also plays sports, like Face Off by Chelsea Curto, Deep End by Ali Hazelwood, Icebreaker by Hannah Grace, and Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (which is book 1 of this series!)
➼ Stories where the FMC is a bit mean to the MMC, but he’s ALL IN for it, like Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher, Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings, and Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady

─────────────────────────

⍟»This or That«⍟

Character Driven—✧——————————Plot Driven
Insta Love/Lust—✧——————————Slow Burn
Sweet————————✧———Spicy
Light/Fluffy———✧————————Heavy/Emotional

─────────────────────────

🎯 My Thoughts:

This is my 11th(!!) Tessa Bailey book, and because of this I know to expect a warm, zany hug in romcom form. This book was over-the-top in the best way, and part of the charm is embracing the chaos. While some moments can be a little cringey, Tessa’s talent for writing loveable characters and snappy banter always wins me over. I rank this my second favorite of the series (after Dream Girl Drama) but Robbie is up there with book boyfriends!

What I Loved:
➼ The banter. I loved their flirty dynamic. Skylar was NOT having it with Robbie’s charm, and he loved it.
➼ Robbie. Sigh. What is his exact formula? I need to have a chat with the person that makes men so I can get the specifications just right. 😉
➼ Callbacks to Sig and Burgess (and Chloe and Tallulah)—and a different perspective of our beloved Boston Bearcats!

What Didn’t Work (For Me):
➼ The pacing of the romance leaned heavily into insta-love, and while I’m happy to suspend belief in a romcom, this one felt especially quick. I don’t need a slow-burn, but I would have loved just a bit more time for the relationship to build.

Would I Recommend: 100%. I love the journey Tessa takes us on as readers in her books, and this one is the perfect amount of spice and comedy. I also recommend reading this with a buddy like Lina because it was so much fun to roll our eyes together at parts, cackle at other parts, and swoon over Robbie together. Thanks for giving me my first buddy read experience, Lina!! I can’t wait to do more.

Some of my favorite quotes:

╰┈➤ ❝Besides pitch like a Hall of Famer, what are you into?❞ ❝Cannibalism.❞ LOL SKYLAR.

╰┈➤ ❝I got a speeding ticket on my way back to you.❞

╰┈➤ ❝Upon waking up every morning, she opened her eyes and though, What would Robbie say if he was waking up beside me right now? ‘I’m starving’ was usually the front-runner.❞

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Pre-read thoughts: So excited for my first buddy read with Lina! Bring on the saucy sports in this fourth book of the Big Shots series by Tessa Bailey. Here's hoping that Robbie lives up to his predecessors, or at the very least his "orgasm donor" hype.

Wish Lina and me luck 🤣

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Tessa Bailey books I’ve read and arguably the best in the Big Shots series, this fake-dating sports romance is as steamy as it is creative and witty. 💙

She threw her glove down and ran to him. And it was a singular kind of euphoria knowing that even though things weren’t perfect or back on track by any means, he’d still catch her. He’d still show up. Halfway to his open arms, she knew she could trust this man with her heart. Trust him, period. It was right there in the unwavering dedication in his eyes, in the way he didn’t budge an inch when she landed against him, his arms catching and holding her there. Squeezing her tight and rocking her, neither one of them seeming to breathe.

[ Contains some spoilers ]

PLOT SUMMARY
22-year-old Skylar “Sky” Page is a division 1 softball pitcher who aspires to become a pitching coach. She has been harbouring a crush for her brother’s best friend, Irishman and catcher Madden Donahue, and hopes this will be the year he finally sees her for the woman she is, not as her brother Elton’s little sister.

The Boston Bearcats hockey team says baseball was a boring sport, so Elton challenges them to a game and asks Skylar to pitch for his match against them. There, she overhears Bearcats rookie Robbie Corrigan bragging about his one-night stand and she immediately dislikes him – which isn’t helped by his objectification of her. Robbie makes a deal that if he makes it to first base, he will take her out to coffee. Thinking he won’t, Skylar agrees – only to lose.

Wishing to make amends for his behaviour despite her being the sister of Elton, with whom he has been feuding, Robbie offers to help her in her endeavours to get Madden. They decide to fake date to make Madden jealous and Robbie can be a love coach for Skylar (who better to teach than the man with so many conquests?). They will also compete as a team in her family’s home Olympics called the Page Stakes, which features three wilderness competitions: blindfolded blitz (one person collects flags blindfolded while the other directs them), rock climbing and swimming.

Both the lessons and competition require teamwork, trust and proximity. A lot of sizzling proximity. When the Page Stakes become dangerously high, the lines between pretend and real blur, and Robbie’s playboy past comes back to haunt them both, Skylar and Robbie must decide if their relationship is a swing for the fences or a walk-off.

But even in his replete—and frankly, love-drunk—state, the irony wasn’t lost on him. He’d set out to teach her how to attract and keep a man, but she’d ended up teaching him about himself, instead. What he valued most. Who he wanted to be.
Where he wanted to be and with whom.
The answer to that had been obvious this morning, but now?
Now he had hope. A potential chance.
He wasn’t going to squander it.

This is told from the third-person past-tense POV of Skylar and Robbie.

OVERALL OPINIONS
ㅤ🏒⚾ hit (not miss) this time ⚾🏒
Tessa Bailey is always, always, a hit or miss for me. This is usually to do with either the depth of the characterisation, the plot itself, or the spice scenes featured something about it that really gave me the ick (be it the location, something that was said that was meant to be sexy, or the actual act being performed).

Indeed, my star ratings range between 2 (Too Hot to Handle) to 5 (Love Her or Lose Her) – that’s how unpredictable my enjoyment is going to be so when I say I loved this and this was a hit for me, you best believe it! I might change my rating for The Au Pair Affair to 4, because I feel this surpasses it.

ㅤ🏒⚾ the heart of the matter ⚾🏒
Humour and heart will always get some stars from me and this had the perfect balance of both. The witty banter between Skylar and Robbie is just as sharp as the hilarious moments shared among Robbie and his teammates, and I found myself chuckling throughout. I love how similar Sig and Burgess are in this moment:

“Is it always this hard when you meet the one?”
“Yes,” Sig and Burgess said in unison.
“Did you ever think life would be easier if you’d just never met her to begin with?”
“No.” Again, in unison.

But not only that, Skylar and Robbie have their own powerful character arcs. Robbie’s journey from a confirmed playboy to a man willing to change for love is so powerful. His struggle to leave his old ways behind for Skylar’s sake feels authentic and I like that he stands up for himself to stop people picking on him in the hockey team because of Skylar’s encouragement.

Meanwhile, Skylar battles with the lingering feeling of being an outsider in her own family for not getting into Brown University. It's only when Robbie shows up for her—defending her and making her feel seen—that she realises her feelings for him are deeper than her crush for Madden.

They both have parallels in their understanding of sport and their competitive streak, and there are some sweet moments between her family. All of this adds so much to the chemistry between them and adds a further layer to their spicy scenes. And this is probably the first time during Tessa’s spicy scenes that vibed with every one of them (I was literally like “Tessa if you mess this up” but it never happened for me).

ㅤ🏒⚾ symbolism of the kite ⚾🏒
What was the most beautiful aspect was the yellow kite, which acts as a profound item that symbolises loss and hope. Robbie’s poignant connection to it, stemming from a final memory with his grandfather, gave the object (ironically light) very significant emotional weight. Skylar’s desire to retrieve it as a way to show her love and commitment was heartwarming.

While I would have liked this to have happened, that she had got it, or that Robbie could have overcome his fear of heights by going after Skylar going after the kite, I think the abandonment of this quest is a more realistic idea. The fact Robbie manages to convince her not to go after it for fear of losing her was such a touching moment. (Also, spoilers: I love that they get two dogs who wear parts of the kite as scarves/collars, that was super cute!)

ㅤ🏒⚾ upcoming works ⚾🏒
Tessa Bailey also sets up the premise for two more stories very nicely here: Firstly, Mailer with Reese Bauer the general manager who turned him down because she dates men not boys – but secondly, more interestingly, Madden and Skylar’s best friend Eve (who I could see coming from a mile away):

“Eve has these two children in her care now and she’s struggling to keep the club. The health insurance alone for three people...” [Madden] shook his head. “If she took my name, they’d have it for free. My contract with the Yankees isn’t on par with some of the more established catchers, Skylar, but it’s a damn good beginning. I could help her. I could provide for her. For them.”

I was already shipping them when Madden threw her over his shoulder to protect her from the crowd, but even more so with this plot reveal. Eve is now looking after her sister’s kids and plans to sell her strip club. Madden believes that if he marries her, this will solve everything. This intrigues me and I really look forward to reading that (hopefully it’s next)!

ㅤ🏒⚾ contrived and dislikable third-act breakup ⚾🏒
The main thing about the story I hated was the third-act breakup. This is a trope I typically dislike, and in this case, the execution felt particularly weak. The conflict is initiated by Eve, who, after a quick Google search, tells Skylar about women’s comments from Robbie’s past, effectively manufacturing drama where there was none.

Skylar’s immediate decision to doubt Robbie, despite his consistent and trustworthy behaviour, felt out of character and undermined their connection. It’s such a double standard because she reprimanded him early on for making assumptions about her – but she is doing the exact same about him (and not for the first time). It makes me dislike Eve because she stirred the pot, though I understand she was just trying to look out for her friend.

ㅤ🏒⚾ to conclude ⚾🏒
This is a 4.5. rounded up to 5. There were some things (listed below) that I think could make this better but this really is one of Tessa’s better works.

<< Positives >>
🠚 The title (as a pun lover, I approve)!
🠚 The Rocket and Redbeard nicknames.
🠚 Stunning chemistry.
🠚 Main characters have powerful arcs.
🠚 Beautiful symbolism of kite.
🠚 Spice scenes were not cringey and I loved every second.
🠚 Perfect balance of humor and heart.
🠚 Hilarious moments between Robbie and teammates.
🠚 Sets up upcoming works nicely.
🠚 Quite a few of *those* scenes: when Skylar watches Robbie, and the mirror scene especially hehe enough said.

<< Negatives >>
🠚 This is dubbed as an enemies-to-lovers but this doesn’t really occur except at the beginning. To make it worthy of such a label, I would have considered including more tension, more reluctance.
🠚 Tessa always makes the FMC seem really naïve in her stories. This time, Skylar does not realise Madden is in love with someone else until he himself tells her, despite it being very obvious to the reader. More subtlety here would make Skylar’s POV more immersive.
🠚 This quote from early on “From five yards away, she’d been interesting to look at. Obviously pretty. Up close? Her scowl made him wonder how much a bouquet of long stem roses cost.” – I guess it was a way to show how much Skylar affected Robbie that he wanted to do something to take the frown away (and long stems are more expensive), but his thought process felt a bit too jarring. It is too early in the story for him to be already thinking romantic, considering the playboy reputation.
🠚 Rocket nickname felt random, would have liked insight about Robbie choosing it (though it makes sense from the speed of her bowling).
🠚 Sometimes the POV changes in the midst of a chapter. It would be better to start afresh.
🠚 No info about Robbie’s age and some of his backstory to do with how he became the womaniser he is today, would help flesh him out more.
🠚 Cringeworthy descriptions like “her tits rose and fell” (this is just her breathing btw) and “muscle buffet”
🠚 Third-act breakup.
🠚 Surprise in epilogue was odd to me haha.

CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Skylar꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ I do relate to Sky in the sense that I like being organised (you should see my electronic planner with all my ARC dates). It’s such ashame that she never knew how to get anyone’s attention, and has never felt seen – there was a time I really felt this (probably around her age too). I love that she tells off Robbie about his sexist behaviour at the match.

-ˋˏ ꒰ Robbie꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ It was a creative way to win the first base bet. Everything that came out of his mouth got me messed up haha (“Give me ten minutes in the dark with your panties off and you’ll know. I’ll get you over him underneath me” – excuse me, DAYUM!). I did feel sorry for him when he is teased by his teammates but he says “I don’t question anyone’s intellect. I don’t disregard anyone”. I LOVE when he shows up wearing her university merch. I love that he makes Skylar’s family see her worth.

FAV QUOTES
• Some people had the ability to predict the weather by looking at the sky. Or determine the direction of the wind by holding up a blade of grass. Robbie Corrigan could smell a brawl coming a mile away—and the air was beginning to get ripe for flying fists.
• “I don’t need to be hyped up, you presumptuous dickwad. My arm does that for me.” She drummed the fingers of her right hand in the crook of her left elbow. “I was there to pitch. I should have been treated like any other pitcher.”
• Funny how she didn’t seem to realize the way she naturally challenged him *was* flirting. The best kind, apparently, because his whole body started to thrum.
• Looking her in the eye, he moved closer, smoothing back some wayward hair that curled near her right temple. Then he let his fingers skim down, down to her neck, right behind her ear, just the barest hint of his fingertips connecting with her smooth skin, gratified when he left goose bumps in his wake. “No one should ever touch you like this, unless you asked, okay?” | “I know,” she half whispered, studying him with a small wrinkle in her brow. | “If someone ever does that, you come find me. I’ll go find them.” | “Not if I kill them first.”
• Skylar breathed a laugh that left a smile on her face and it hit Robbie, right in that moment, that there was definitely no one more beautiful than her in the fucking world.
• Time moved in slow motion as she jumped into his arms, her warm laugh bubbling in his ear. And eventually sighing into his neck when he banded both arms around her and held, locking her curves tight to his frame, his eyes rolling blissfully into the back of his head over the way she fit him, absorbing the perfect feeling of the girl who was going to get away.
• Skylar had worried about being a good date? Making small talk? What she had to offer was so much better than that. She was passionate and honest and insightful. She listened, offered valuable opinions. Sitting in that booth, surrounded by hundreds of diners, he’d sworn they were on their own deserted island. A place where they could say anything and not be judged, only understood.
• “Have I ever told you that whatever you’re thinking shows on your face?” Impossible. She was a pitcher. A poker face was essential, and she’d sharpened the skill like a knife over the last decade. Dina remarked on it all the time. Was it possible that Robbie alone could discern her thoughts so easily without a word?
• All the trophies and medals and cups he’s won throughout his life and that might be the most memorable honor he’d ever been given. Having that girl tell him she liked having him on her side. That she felt less alone.
• Robbie rolled a tense shoulder. “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 ass I’m going to say something about it. That’s my girl.” God, it felt so good to say that out loud. Even if it wasn’t true yet. Felt true, though. Felt as real as the sky overhead.
• “I didn’t think anyone would see me,” she whispered, breath hitching. | “Really, Rocket?” Robbie labored through a few inhales, exhales. A few violent clenches of his heart. “Don’t you know I never stop looking at you?”
• A hat trick would no longer give Robbie the ultimate high ever again. Nope. This was it now. Skylar looking up at him like he was Superman. Someday maybe their kids would look up at him the same way. Like he could do anything. And suddenly, he could. This was another facet of being in love. It put a man in permanent beast mode.
• “Tell me I’m the only man…I’m the only man for tonight, at least, aren’t I?” Robbie rasped into her hair... “Tell me.” …“You’re the only man,” she said, looking him in the eye. Robbie waited for her to tack on the rest. *For tonight.* But she didn’t.
• Abruptly, he stopped walking, looking at her like he was seeing her all over again for the first time. “Hey, you. Skylar Page.” His fingers delved into her hair and tilted her face up. “Just where the hell have you been all my life?” A cool wind whipped through the trees, the clouds passing over the sun, leaving everything a shade darker momentarily. It was an odd event, almost like a rapid passing of time and she could see it, a glimpse of herself looking up into this man’s face for years to come, almost like she was watching it happen from a distance. And she had no idea how to respond. Couldn’t. Not with her heart in her mouth.
• If there was a chance he could call this woman his, he’d beat the game of life. Nothing compared to her. Nothing and no one could ever come close.
• She couldn’t help but hold on to some trepidation that they could make this work once they returned to real life, but she was there to try, dammit. She was there to give it her everything, because she couldn’t envision a world where they went back to Boston and didn’t see each other. Being near Robbie, talking to him, feeling his skin on her skin had fast become a given. He was well worth fighting the doubt. *They* were worth it. The thought of living a totally separate life from him after this week made her wet clothes feel colder. Icier.
• “Have me, Skylar. I plan on having *you* for the rest of my life.”

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I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Tessa Bailey, Avon, and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

[haddy ☆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

huge thank you to avon and netgalley for the arc!

Tessa bailey is one of my favorite romance authors of all time. maybe even my favorite? so when i saw this arc, i was so so excited!! but everything about this book is just..... no for me.

the main characters themselves just felt like reused and recycled tessa bailey main characters. the more this series drags on, the more similar the characters get and the more rushed the writing feels. tessa pumps out 2 books a year and it's definetely starting to show! i think once she starts a fresh new series that feeling will go away for me, but this book was just so so so boring. it took me over a month to finish it... and this is from one of my favorite authors!

it doesn't help that skylar and robbie's "relationship" began with robbie being an absolutely disgusting asshole. to me, there are some things that characters do that cannot be forgiven. i literally hated robbie from the start and that's not good since i had to spend over 300 pages with him!

i genuinely cannot find one thing about this book i liked. the smut? classic tessa bailey, but i didn't enjoy it because the chemistry between these two wasn't there and, as previously mentioned, i hated robbie! the storyline with the family games? boring to me! the characters? all felt flat. it felt so rushed.

bottom line: this series got popular, yes, but we need something new. it's getting old.

[Yasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had such a fun time with this!

Was it the perfect romance? No. But the characters were extremely charming and I couldn’t help but turn the pages and fly through this one.

This was my first Tessa Bailey novel and it definitely won’t be my last. I love how she writes banter - there’s just something that flows so effortlessly in how she writes dialogue. And not to mention, all of the smut is perfectly timed & steamy 🤭.

While I don’t typically love insta lust/love, i almost felt like it worked with this one because of how fast paced the novel was. While the plot & love confession isn’t the deepest, there’s enough substance & endearment that I enjoyed every bit of this.

Not to mention, Robbie calls Skylar “Rocket.” That is the epitome of swoon worthy.

Definitely recommend this one as a quick palate cleanser & steamy read!

Thank you NetGalley & Avon for the early e-copy.

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Release Day!!

A fun and entertaining installment to the Big Shot series.

The relationship between Skyler and Robbie was 🤌 They worked together so well and Robbie ended up being an unexpected delight.

Just a couple things I didn't jive with. He does a complete lifestyle 180 almost immediately and their time together is less than a week, so the pacing here was meh.

I'm still unsure how I feel about the ending. I feel like the blame was unfairly weighed on one end and some of that didn't really get resolved.

But I absolutely loved every scene with those two and devoured this book ❤️

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

[bookandachai · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. This is god-tier Tessa Bailey. I read it twice already. He’s Robbie the professional hockey player - and player he is. She’s Skylar who plays softball for Div 1. They meet while she’s pitching to him in a “for fun” game and shots fly. For him at least, she’s trying to catch the eye of her catcher. Fake-dating sports romance you will not be able to put down.

[taylor ❤️‍&#x1f525; · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚, 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨. 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠.”

skylar has harbored a life long crush on her brothers best friend who has never looked at her twice. desperate, she enlists the help of nhl rookie robbie to pretend to her her boyfriend and make her crush jealous. skylar is also well aware of robbies past and wants to use his experience to teach her how to please a man since she has limited sexual experiences. in order to do this, she has to bring robbie to her family home to participate in their annual wilderness competition. forced to share a bedroom and spend a week together, competitive spirits flare and lines quickly begin to blur.

i just have to say i love them sm?? tessa really knew what she was doing with this one. the banter they had immediately after meeting one another? the tension slowly building? skylar realizing this man really is a ride or die for her? truly *chefs kiss* 🤌🏻 i truly think i melted onto the floor during the bedroom scene when he was showing her how he took care of himself.
⤷ i also have to say that tessa is lowkey a genius for the family wilderness competition setting. it was giving cute summer romcom and i was absolutely eating it UP.

something I really enjoyed about this book is that the main characters were both changing and growing as the story went on. it really hits on themes of self discovery, personal growth and redemption. after meeting robbie in previous books i loved being able to see that he was actually so adorable, respectful and actually kind of a softie? 😭 skylar and robbie really did feel like the same people just in different fonts, they were both so thoughtful and protective of one another that it was almost impossible not to love them??

i’m not a huge fan of third act breakups but due to the age of the fmc, it made sense. being only 22 she was bound to make some immature choices. i’m just happy that it was short lived and not unnecessarily drug out at all.

i am so grateful to have been able to read this book early. i always say, if tessa writes it then i am absolutely going to be reading it. this book hasn’t even released yet and i am already gnawing at the bars of my enclosure for the next one.

𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩:
- fake dating
- “teach me”
- forced proximity
- reformed playboy
- he falls first and hard


𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘯 / 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 🤍

—————————



this was so cute and i love them sm?? 😭 istg tessa bailey has a chokehold on me.

[BookSiren Baddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, love, loved this book! This entire series has been such a delight.
Classic professional sports cinnamon rolls melting only for their ladies, and Pitcher Perfect is no exception.
In this 4th installment of Tessa Bailey's Big Shots series, we finally get to know one of the charismatic rookies, Robbie Corrigan. He’s your typical charming playboy, cocky, confident, and completely uninterested in anything resembling commitment. He enjoys his rotation of women and the perks of his rising fame. But when his path crosses with Skylar, a driven and fiercely competitive athlete in her own right, everything changes.
Skylar isn't impressed by Robbie’s reputation, or his charm, and that’s exactly what throws him off his game. She challenges him, calls him on his crap, and sees him in a way no one else does. The chemistry between them is absolutely electric, but what really made this story stand out was the emotional depth. Watching Robbie unravel, evolve, and realize that love isn’t weakness, but strength, was so satisfying.
I listened to the audiobook and it was amazing! The narrators absolutely nailed it. Their performances added so much personality and emotion to the story, it honestly made the experience even better.
Tessa Bailey always brings the heat, but she also delivers heart, and Pitcher Perfect hits it out of the park (pun fully intended). If you love sports romance with spice, banter, and lovable characters who actually grow, don’t miss this one.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

[fromthestudyof · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is fucking good plain & simple. my new favorite Tessa Bailey book.

A playboy hockey star. A college softball player. Fake dating. “Teach me”. Close proximity. He’s down bad.

I read this in two sittings and it would’ve been one of I didn’t have to work for a living.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

bruh. never recovering

[Liz Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth book in the Big Shots series did not disappoint! It was a quick, fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Scottie is in love with her brother’s best friend—who has never looked at her twice. To get his attention, she enlists NHL rookie Robbie to pose as her boyfriend and make him jealous. She brings Robbie home for her family’s annual wilderness competition, and even schedules him—literally, in her planner—to help her gain some experience in the dating world.

Given this premise, did I expect it to be relatable or believable? Absolutely not. But it didn’t matter—I still loved it and loved these two together. I enjoyed watching them find a balance between their competitive and sensitive sides. I also appreciated that both characters were working on themselves in different ways. Was the timeline for their growth a bit far-fetched? Sure. But again, it didn’t really matter to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the advanced copy.

[tarawosik]

oh I’m so sat

[summer⁎ ˚ ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ 4.25 𖹭.ᐟ

Okay Miss Tessa!!! You are on FIRE with this series. I seriously have not been disappointed yet.

Thank you Avon for the arc.

I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of their characters but I love the direction Tessa took for both of them. I will always love fake-dating, and include a hot redhead who just is so genuine and unapologetically himself, I am eating it up. I loved how he came to Skylar's defense in front of her family, and I loved how their arc progressed over the novel, too. I was really hating them for a hot sec there but Tessa redeemed them and I'm so happy for Skylar that she got that.

We always love a pathetic man who is so far gone and down bad for his woman and Robbie was the epitome of "he falls first & harder". Trying to get Skylar to seem attractive to her childhood crush was a tough situation to be in, but he handled it like a champ. And Jesus............ the mouth on that man. I'm sorry but the bedroom scene and him showing her how he pleases himself... Thank you, Tessa, for always delivering on the hottest stuff. I just LOVE how she manages to make the characters feel like they will die if they don't have each other. And Robbie telling Skylar "My chest hurts so bad, baby" had me on my kneeessss.....

I love a character like Robbie. The ladies man, bachelor, a little bit of sleeping around, some partying, etc... Idk he just felt so open. So charismatic. And just a big baby. If I was skylar I would not have had the same restraint. Especially after he saved her in the water... LISTEN the way he was so quick to get her meanwhile the family was not even paying attention had my heart in a chokehold. He was SO ATTENTIVE TO HER NEEDS!!!! I think their relationship was quick to start but they felt like the same person in different fonts. I understood their dynamic; sometimes you just find your person and you click. They definitely clicked!

The third act breakup I saw coming, and I'm not mad at it; she is 22 after all. Immature decisions are bound to be made. I'm glad it didn't drag out too long, and I always like when the girl messes up in the third act breakup because I support women's rights & wrongs.

I always live for Tessa's cameos. Seeing Chloe and Sig was so nice. And I freaking LOVE Daddy Sir Savage.

I cannot wait for the next book and if I can correctly read the signs... I AM PUMPED.

[Romancing the Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep expecting Tessa Bailey to disappoint me, and I don’t know why. Today she got me to fall in love with a himbo who was previously known in other books for wearing an Orgasm Donor sweatshirt.

📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey

📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Big Shots character series. Book 4.

📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book ARC on Kindle.

📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Sports romance

📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Opposites attract, himbo MMC, hockey, softball, fake dating, intimacy lessons, other man drama.

📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Skylar and Robbie first meet at an impromptu pickup softball game. But when she shows her ultra competitive side, Robbie immediately fans head over heels. Now he’s fake dating her, helping her to learn to flirt to impress another guy, all at the expense of his own heart.

🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: I’m ashamed to say I’ve had this ARC since the spring. And I put off reading it because I wasn’t sure I’d love it. Because I’m kind of dumb, apparently.

By now I should know that Tessa Bailey has the power to make me fall in love with unconventional main characters. Robbie Corrigan is that guy - he’s an air head, and on the surface simplistic… but Tessa Bailey made him literally irresistable.

Skylar held her own, too. I love an organized, opinionated, fierce queen. And I love that Robbie got her to be vulnerable.

As always… great plot, solid spice, absolutely unhinged dirty talk. I cried as Robbie cried into his lasagna. It was perfect.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 3.5/5 🌶🌶🌶

𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.

[Koisty]

OH MY LORD!!!!

Now, I am not sure what angel in Heaven is smiling down on me, but I was invited to read and review this as an ARC.
Like I don't know if I should smile or cry because I feel like I have made it as a book reviewer...

But it’s all just pretend…right?

🏒Enemies to Lovers
⚾ Fake Dating
🏒 Hockey Romance
⚾ Softball Pitcher X NHL Rookie
🏒 Reformed Playboy
⚾ Love Coach