Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I won't lie, this was slow to begin with but then around 30% I was hooked!

Robbie was not at all what I was expecting..he was SUCH A GOLDEN RETRIEVER! He was so smitten with Skylar and he was so attentive. He learnt so much about her in such a short time.

I adored Skylar, she is very much an underappreciated overachiever. I loved her family background..from blended family to ones who love each other even though they weren't blood.

I was hoping for more enemies/rivals to lovers, but it was short-lived and felt more like insta love.

I need more fmc athletes from Bailey 🥰🙏💕

🏒 fake dating
⚾️ reformed player
🏒 Spice lessons
⚾️found family
🏒hockey player mmc x softball pitcher fmc
⚾️opposites attract
🏒so much banter !!
⚾️forced proximity
💕Rocket & Redbeard💕

The spice was amazing! Classic Tessa Bailey!

I need a Madden x Eve story! So much tension there!

This series has been a bit hit and miss for me. I loved the first book and then the next two dropped off. Pitcher perfect sucked me right back in though.

I really loved seeing this side of Robbie. I honestly felt he’d been written badly up until this point as just another ‘playboy’. It was good to see some actual depth to the character. I also loved seeing who he became around Skylar.

The only downside for me was that this book took place over a week and it definitely could have been stretched out. I’m not the biggest fan of the instalove trope, but I think it was done okay for this one.

This pretty much held up to my expectations of it - a fun, cute sports romance with good spice! I really liked the banter and the developing relationship between Skylar and Robbie, the sass was next level and had me laughing out loud!

I did think Robbie was a little 2D gross bro to start with but with a very quick about face - this is sort of dealt with (and a+ work on doing it in a way that felt realistic and not Robbie defaulting to his past). However that about face is indeed VERY sudden and made the romance very instalove-y (and instalust lol). I was a bit worried in places about it turning into love bombing it was that intense. However Robbie turning up for Sky and standing up for her needs was very sweet and kept it from going down that path.

I loved the family games, but LORD did those feel intense! Glad it wasn’t my family 😂😂

The hockey elements are light which is lucky because honestly the team availability and willingness to dumb shit still in season? Wild. So yeah, I don’t think it really bears much resemblance to the realities of professional hockey and scheduling. Suspend your disbelief, you’ll be fine. Also, I doubt serious college athletes get spring break in the same way either, you’d prob still have games! Oh well 😂

My only other niggle was a bunch of storylines around other characters being left unresolved. It’s fine because they’ll be the next book I believe, however introducing it enough that it resembles something Sky would want to deal with meant that was pretty frustrating!

While that’s a lot of niggles, this is a pretty light hearted romance and so it was easy to put them aside and just have fun with the story. It does try and delve into some deeper bits with varying levels of success (Sky’s family was my fave one!) so it carves out enough space to survive in a highly competitive market of sports romance. Plus I loved Sky being just as driven and competitive and into sports.

3.5 stars

This was really cute read. I am really forgot how it to read book in 3rd person.
Fake dating is not really my fav trope, but this one was cute and funny

I needed more of them. More of their connection. I love them from page one.

Tessa Bailey's Pitcher Perfect really puts the "comedy" in romantic comedy. There were quite a few moments of chuckle-inducing antics. Moreover, the chemistry and competition between "Rocket" and "Redbeard" makes this sports romance super compelling (even to a non-sports romance lover like myself). Anyone with a competitive, sporty, or collegiate family can relate to this story. The personal planner is the cherry on top of type-a details.

This was definitely my favourite book in the series so far! Our love interested were more rounded and had more meaningful character arcs. They learnt more about themselves from each other than I saw in the previous couples (not to say they also weren’t enjoyable reads, but just that this one ticked more boxes for me).

The premise was a fun set up, a sort of rivals mixed with fake dating. Throw in some slightly disbelieving antics and a whole lot of romance, and you have a classic Tessa Bailey novel. Robbie’s growth was nice to see and well pulled off considering I don’t think Tessa intended him to be a side character and therefore had slightly written him off as a jokey side character. But this book proved he was certainly not that and I did enjoy seeing him maturing. Skylar also developed, building her confidence along the way.

I didn’t love the third act conflict, it felt slightly rushed and forced. I found the same issue with the ending which was very bow-wrapped but in a hurried sort of way. Overall, a fun read and the best in the series so far… looking forward to the next book!

4.25 stars, arc review. This was so good I really enjoyed the plot and how Skylar and Robbie developed in their relationship from hate to lovers. The games aspect was so funny I loved seeing the competitive vibes between family and friends but also how both main characters could console each other during a loss. There were a few cringy dialogue moments but as always Tessa Bailey writes a great sports romance with spice and depth. Excited for the next book as we get a hint of who it’s about in this one and the tropes are gonna be so good.

As my first Tessa Bailey book, I really loved this!

The flow and feel of Tessa's writing is effortless and contemporary, making it easy to sink into the world she has created.

The perfect reminder that good guys still exist behind the Playboy exterior, and things are not always how they seem on the outside.

Reading this has 100% added Tessa to my author list, and I will be picking up the other books on my shelf in no time!

If you love any of the below, this book is for you.
🏒 Sports Romance (Hockey vs. Softball/Baseball)
🏆Competitive Families
💖 Fake Dating
👦🏻 He Falls First
🐰 Converted Playboy


Thank you to the publisher for this ARC, I am very grateful to have been brought into the world of Tessa!

When NHL rookie Robbie Corrigan meets Skylar Paige, softball star and total badass, he finally finds a girl who doesn’t fall for his charm. She’s got her eye on someone else, but Robbie’s got a plan: fake date her, coach her in love, and definitely not fall for her. One wild family wilderness competition, a whole lot of “just pretend” touching, and suddenly the line between fake and real is melting faster than ice under a body shot.

Love the whole Tessa Bailey universe Thankyou for approving me for this read
New male book crush!!!!
If you love a sports romance this one for you

Loved this novel! Part of a series but can be read as a standalone. Robbie from the Boston Bearcats is a well known player, being a champion ice hockey player definitely helps his cause. Skylar who is at the start of her softball career encounters Robbie during a practice and after a few misdemeanours, a fake relationship begins. As with most of these tropes, it becomes difficult for the pretence to be kept up especially when feelings get involved. A sweet, well paced story which has you routing for Robbie and Skylar right until the end. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy.

In this book we follow Skylar, a baseball pitcher who loves routine, loves to write everything in her planner and loves her brothers best friend. She is desperate to get his attention however she’s already caught the eye of professional Hockey player Robbie. When her family hold their very competitive annual games and her best friend who is usually her teammate backs out, Robbie steps in to make Skylar’s crush jealous, however he is already falling for Skylar, will she feel the same? Or will Robbie succeed in their plan of making Skylar’s crush jealous?

I loved the banter between the 2 main characters. I had so many laugh out loud moments while reading. I love Skylar’s character development. Robbie, typical playboy at first I thought I was going to hate, however he turned out to be the cutest, most thoughtful man! I did think the book was a bit drawn out at the end but still such an enjoyable read! I now want to read all the Tessa Bailey books I can get my hands on 🤣💖

I enjoyed the story but it did get a little too graphic for me as the book went on....I think I might not be the target audience for the book. I do love a romance but perhaps like to leave more to my own imagination.

Finally, book 4 of The Big Shots is here! Its time for the 'orgasm donors' book - Pitcher Perfect!
Expect a fun but short read, high cheese, hockey romance with some spice!
Playboy Robbie and Skylar don't start off on the best of terms but after agreeing to be her fake boyfriend at an upcoming family event, Robbie sets out to prove that he's different.

✨️ Enemies to lovers
✨️ Former playboy
✨️ Fake dating

Overall I enjoyed this book but it felt quite rushed in places and could have been longer to build the story better i feel.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper360 and Tessa Bailey for the free copy. All opinions are my own and are left voluntarily.

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TB just never fails, she was the author that got me into romance with It Happened One Summer and she's just been getting better and better ever since!

I LOVED Fangirl Down, the Au Pair Affair fell a littleeeee flat for me because I didn't love Tallulah and I liked Dream Girl Drama with Chloe and Sig (woof) but Pitcher Perfect has blown them out the water! I have been waiting for the orgasm donors book since the beginning and Robbie was just the softest sweetest man who fell HARD for Skylar. As always, the spice was just perfect, the character growth fun, and I can't wait to see what's in store for Mailer next...

Thank you NetGalley and Harper360!!

I have to start this review with a confession... this is not only my first Tessa Bailey, it's also my first hockey romance. And I have to admit, she might've convinced me!

Having never read Bailey before I found her writing style to sit at the vibrant nexus of a Netflix Original romcom (for the silly, sometimes straight up goofy behaviour of these characters, not to mention the unbelievable dialogue,) a 90s/00s heyday romance (for the absolute emotional body-slam in places, and the genuine chemistry between our leads,) and that of fellow romance big-names Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henry, (for the absolutely massive, forever yearning, utterly enamoured book boyfriend, well penned spice, and sense of balance in the couple.) In short, I found her readable, amusing, sometimes excellent, and occasionally wild.

Pitcher Perfect is a dual POV, third-person sports romance between All American Softball Pitcher Skylar Paige and NHL rookie Robbie Corrigan.

Skylar Paige is a damn good pitcher. So maybe she's a little lonely, and yes, maybe Madden, brooding Irish hunk and her brother's best friend, still hasn't noticed her, but with her neatly ordered lists, trusty planner, and spectacular arm, life is still sweet! Pulled into her brother's rivalry with a local hockey team, Skylar doesn't expect the sudden (unwanted) attention of red-headed rookie Robbie Corrigan.

Robbie Corrigan has never seen a more beautiful woman in his life, and he's seen a lot of beautiful women. When his locker-room talk and overly forward flirting, sees him striking out with the striking Skylar, he realises something has to change. Down a partner in the annual family Paige Stakes, and desperate for Madden's attention, Robbie volunteers to be Skylar's fake boyfriend for the duration. When she proposes he also help her get over her anxiety around intimacy, with a few well-placed lessons, Robbie realises he's in trouble - because Skylar has had his heart since the moment they met, and he's a sore loser.

Funny, flirty, and full of chemistry, this is a hot, moderately-spicy romance, perfect for fans of the romcom, and the rom-drama alike. Whilst some of the actions are totally out-there, if you suspend disbelief to regular rom-com levels, this is still a truly enjoyable and amusing read. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Tessa Bailey has done it again! I’ve been eagerly waiting for this book, so I was thrilled to get my hands on it early!

Rocket and Redbeard. What a duo!
Robbie has a real eye-opening moment when he spots Skylar across the baseball field.
From that point on, they dive into a whirlwind ‘romance’, or maybe I should call it a ‘fake romance’.

I absolutely loved this story, especially the golden retriever vibes that Robbie brought along. He’s genuinely a ray of sunshine and the perfect boyfriend material. Robbie and Skylar are true soulmates, and their bond was just so cute.

Robbie Corrigan is a rookie for Boston Bearcats (ice hockey), living the single rich guys dream and rooming with his friend. Then one day he and his team mates turn up for a game of baseball in the park against players from the local baseball team. Robbie is overheard being too graphic and not very complementary about thee woman he was with the previous night by Skylar Paige, a division one baseball pitcher. Robbie is completely bowled over by Skylar but after what she overheard she wants nothing to do with the dirty man 'ho.

Skylar is carrying a lot of excess baggage, all the rest of her family went to Brown but she failed the interview and it seems that experience bonds her parents with her brother. Also, as a female athlete she didn't have time to learn flirting and make-up and all the stuff other girls do at school/college so she feels like 'one of the guys'.

Skylar is in love with her brother's best friend, but he doesn't seem to notice her - except when Robbie is paying her attention, so they agree to fake date. Robbie will use his extensive experience with women to coach Skylar (who has VERY limited experience with men) whilst making her crush jealous AND he will be her partner at her family's annual Page Stakes, a wilderness competition which risks life and limb.

Robbie has been struck by insta-lurve and although he is supposed to be helping Skylar snag the man of her dreams he is secretly hoping that he can make her forget the other guy.

I enjoyed this, but the high steam factor kind of clashed with the sweetness of Robbie really 'seeing' Skylar and supporting her.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Fun, witty and super charming. This is my first book by Tessa and won’t be my last. It’s also my first baseball romance and I absolutely loved it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ - A soft, fast-paced sports romance that didn’t quite hit a home run for me.

Pitcher Perfect was a quick, easy read with some fun, light moments - but overall, it leaned a little too soft and cheesy for my taste.

While I appreciated the unique twist of having a female sports star as the main character (a refreshing change in the sports romance genre!), I found the third person POV a bit distancing. The romance developed very quickly - within hours, we’re jumping into family introductions and big declarations of love. The male lead came across as overly soppy at times, and the story’s emotional pace just didn’t quite feel earned.

As a sports romance, I expected more integration of the characters’ athletic lives, but aside from a baseball game or two, it mostly took a back seat. That said, I did enjoy the portrayal of a competitive family dynamic that wasn’t overly sentimental.

Not a bad book - just a bit too rushed and gushy for me in places.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!