Tessa Bailey could have written the bible but could God have written Pitcher Perfect? No.

"I didn't expect Skylar. She's clever, funny, driven, cool, and... God, she's fucking beautiful… I'm here for her. No other reason. She's reason enough."

I love a reformed playboy and throughout this series I’ve wanted to see the Orgasm Donors redemption. So glad we got Robbie’s story.

Fake Dating will never not do it for me. Tessa Bailey will never not do it for me.

I loved that the book not only showed Robbie and Skylar’s personal growth and relationship growth, but I loved that Robbie also encouraged Skylar’s family to grow.

Read Time ⏱️ 3.25 hours


“I wouldn't tell you I know how to listen to yes and no, then lie to you in the same breath."

"I'm worried I'll be half asleep and... touch you without thinking… I mean, Christ. It takes concentration not to touch you when I'm awake."

“You going to let me be your boyfriend, Skylar?”

“You taught me to trust what I'm feeling and stop laughing everything off. So I can't laugh at this. I can't pretend I'm not feeling judged and punished when I just came here to love you."

Pitcher Perfect follows Skylar, a D1 college pitcher, who has had a crush on her older brother’s best friend ever since she can remember. And to try and make him realise her romantic potential, she fake dates professional ice hockey player Robbie for the span of a week while her family is having a slightly insane annual competition. Robbie is a notorious play boy, but now he only wants her, the question is, does she want him?

This was a fun read, definitely reminiscent of some of Tessa Bailey’s older (a couple years older i mean) books. Personally, the book was a bit too insta love for me, as 90% of it takes place within the span of 7 days. I would still recommend it to devote Tessa Bailey fans, but maybe for newcomers I’d recommend some of her other books first.

Thank you to Harper360 for providing this review for consideration via NetGalley all opinions are my own.

I have only recently got into sports romances, I have read less than 10 but I saw the plot summary of this book and I really wanted to read it. Robbie Corrigan is a rookie ice hockey player for the Boston Bearcats and he is a player in more one than once, he’s knocked for six when he meets Skylar Page division one softball pitcher during a baseball game against the local baseball team which includes Skylar’s brother. They book enter in a fake relationship in the ruse of helping Skylar attract Madden her brothers best friend.


I really enjoyed this book, it was really funny as Skylar was knocking him down to size as she was not interested to start with but he gradually wormed his way in. There is some steam in this book but it added to the story rather than overwhelm it, Robbie was just so way over his head but I was really routing for him. I really liked Skylar and how she came into herself with Robbie supporting her. I loved this book, I will definitely be rereading it and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. I will be reading the other books in the series as I really like the authors writing.

This was very on brand for Tessa Bailey- fun, sexy, heartwarming. I'm not sure I loved Robbie's story as much as I have loved other MMC from Tessa Bailey, but Skylar made up for it.

4.5 (rounded to 5!)

Tessa Bailey is BACK! Dream Girl Drama wasn’t really for me, so I was apprehensive going into this to say the least. I needn’t have worried - fake dating will draw me in time and time again - I’m a glutton for it.

We briefly met Skylar (a softball pitcher, a BU student in a family full of Brown alumni and a type A queen with an immaculate planner) in Dream Girl Drama and our story picks up during the plot of DGD. Robbie is one of the OG Orgasm Donor’s, a player on the Boston Bearcats hockey team, and a quintessential single sports star (for lack of a better phrase). Let’s just say he does not make a good first impression and he spends the rest of the book trying to make up for it…

The book was a tiny bit insta-love-ish for my taste, although I still absolutely adored the story and the characters. The timeline was so fast and I feel like that is really jarring in a romance book. I really think all my fellow fake dating lovers are going to eat this up, and potentially the speed of the relationship progression won’t be an issue for others. I loved how Robbie was so willing to change for his girl, and their entire dynamic was so sweet (and spicy…). We also got a HUGE suggestion about the characters for book 5, and let me tell you - I’m SO ready!

All in all, a much better read (for me at least) than Dream Girl Drama, I smashed through this in about 4 hours and loved the whole ride - I’m just not an insta-love gal, so not quite a 5!

Back on my knees for Tessa Bailey and Mister Robbie Corrigan.

The fake dating and an obsessed MMC created the perfect romantic baseline for me. My aim was to not binge all the chapters, but by the end of the first few chapters I was hooked. Pitcher Perfect delivers again with an easy rhythm and charm that turns a quick sit down into updating your Goodreads' yearly goal.

I really enjoyed where the story started, I loved that we were given a continuation of the scene from Dream Girl Drama from their perspectives. The beginning chapters managed well in giving the reader a quick insight into the two leads as characters but also showing the simmering chemistry that bounced between them. It was also so fun to see the dynamics between the wider cast of characters as well, the Boston Bearcats are always a welcome addition.

I would say the romance falls more towards an insta-love rather than a slow burn romance, but us readers still get a very fun build up of scenes between Skylar and Robbie. The fake dating and "teacher/student" tropes definitely brought the romance and the spicy scenes. Amongst the spicy scenes, we still get the tender and caring moments between the two (I definitely prefer a mix between the soft and spicy!). Without delving into spoilers, I think the some of the softer scenes did so much to strengthen the connection between them and show the care that they each held for each other.

What I would have loved to have see was more of a build up in the development of the characters. I would have especially loved to see more of the internal development in Robbie's character as he changes throughout the story; for me, as a reader, I really love it when we get these extra details as I think it adds to the overall fullness of the story.

Thank you so much to Harper360 and Rachel for sending me an eARC, rounding up to 4 stars!

If you like a good sports romance you can’t go far wrong with this one. It’s as expected with no obvious faults, but perhaps a little bit more raunchy than I’m used to so if you like your romance with *a lot* of action look no further.

I have read a few Tessa Bailey’s books before but none from this series, and I am so surprised about how fun this book was! Probably one of my favourites from the ones I have read. Definitely recommend it if you want a lighthearted romance.

I think this might be my favourite in the Big Shots series - and I never thought I’d be saying that about one of the sperm donors, but here we are.

Robbie Corrigan is the biggest red bearded teddy bear and watching him fall for Skylar was a joy to read.

Tessa Bailey brought a whole load of fantastic characters, a weird family hunger games style competition, a guy who would literally do anything for his girl and her usual spice! It’s a wonderful combination and a delightful read from start to finish.

I’m as shocked as TB that Robbie and Mailer have depth - but I am here for it! Can’t wait to see what she has in store for Mailer.

Huge thanks to Avon for the ARC.

The is was so much fun! I read this in one sitting on my day off from work and it was the perfect way to unwind :) it was swoony, hot and hilarious with a cast of really endearing characters. I loved how obsessed Robbie was with Skylar from the very beginning and did everything in his power to prove himself to her, while Sky was a delight. I really enjoyed her dynamics with her family, it added a nice element to the story and enhanced the romance, too.

This series is the first time I’ve delved into Tessa Bailey’s books (I know I’m seriously late to the party) but I’ve just had the best time with every single one so far. They’re fun and feel-good, a little ridiculous and the perfect way to escape into your head for a while. Can’t wait for Mailer’s book, I need it stat !!

In the past, Tessa Bailey has been hit or miss for me. But this one was a hit! I love a sports romance, and to have both main characters be involved in high level sports was extra fun. I loved the insane competition of Skylar’s family and am thankful that my family, though competitive, has never done anything similar. There were a couple of loose storyline threads that could have been tied up, but this was a quick, easy read—and now I need to go read the rest of the Big Shots series! Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Harper360 and Avon Books for the ARC of this book! This one was a fun addition to the Big Shots Series and if you're a Tessa Bailey (or just a romance fan in general) I think you would enjoy this one! It was a fast and fun sports romance and I read the entire thing in one day! The main characters were likeable and the premise of the book being a yearly family competition was quirky but fun! I have enjoyed every Tessa Bailey book that I have read and though this one wasn't my favorite of the series, I definitely still recommend it! Check this one out of you want a fun escape and like the following romance tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers, and sports romance! I will be looking out for Tessa Bailey's next book after this one! I always enjoy her stuff!

Tessa Bailey never misses and although this isn't my favourite of her books, I still absolutely devoured it.

The tropes in this book are perfect, enemies to lovers, fake dating and throwing in some spicy lessons as well, yes please to all. And the spice is executed perfectly as usual, Tessa Bailey really just gets dirty talk

Robbie and Skylar get off to a rough start when she hears him talking about his extracurricular shenanigans and this colours her view of him (which, fair enough). I do wish that a bit more time had been spent on this, Robbie's internal reflections on this were perfect, his realisation that he had become someone he didn't recognise or respect in his encounters with women were really good to read, but it did leave me feeling like if he hadn't met Skylar, nothing would have changed. I'd have loved a little more exploration of this kind of hook-up culture and locker room talk between Robbie and Mailer. I'd have happily had more Robbie and Mailer scenes all round tbh. However, I can't really complain because the way that Robbie saw Skylar and quietly but firmly stood up for her, and stood beside her, was everything. The BU shirt scene is every kind of love that I want to see in a romance novel.

The only thing I'd have enjoyed more time on is Skylar realising how different her feelings for Robbie and Madden were. It felt like she fell out of love and in love incredibly quickly and I'd have preferred if there was just a tiny bit more emphasis on her realising why Madden wasn't for her and that she'd romanticised the idea of him in comparison to how real and solid her feelings for Robbie were. I'd love to get to read Madden and Eve's story though, if that's in the pipeline at all.

Overall I really enjoyed this, I can always rely on a Tessa Bailey book to help me escape reality in the best possible way and this was no exception.

I'd previously loved Tessa Bailey's It Happened One Summer & Hook, Line, and Sinker, so when I got an email about Pitcher Perfect, I was pretty excited — especially since I love hockey. Full disclosure — I haven't read the other books in this series, and so my enjoyment of it may be influenced by that. Unfortunately, this book fell very flat for me; I was really frustrated with the fact that Skylar's contempt for Robbie stems out of him bragging about his conquests and that Tessa Bailey didn't use this as an opportunity to unpack locker room culture. There were several other things that I was also irked by (the fact that a hockey player asked out his GM), and many hockey inaccuracies (no professional hockey player would participate in a wilderness competition + risk getting injured the week before playoffs) but what really was frustrating for me with this book was how Skylar started the book in love with someone else, by the halfway point (like two days into this wilderness competition) in love with Robbie, and by the end willing to move in with him. I think this book frustrated me more than anything — also, is Sig dating his stepsister? I have some questions about that.

Always enjoy a Tessa Bailey book, and this one was no exception. Robbie and Skylar started out in entertaining fashion and the hate-to-love aspect of their relationship was done very well.

I really enjoyed the characterisation of both protagonists, and seeing how they grew over the course of the story, although I would’ve loved to have seen more of a reunion/showing up by her parents, and perhaps seeing her loosen up a little bit.

I’m not a huge lover of “insta-love” so it was hard at times to buy into the fact the characters were desperately in love within about a week since meeting each other, so I almost wish there had been more time between when things kicked off. Similarly, I felt like Eve was a bit of a throw away character and I didn’t really feel like she was adding much to the plot - outside of a potential sequel.

Still, despite that, I thought the romance was well written, the plot was entertaining and I loved the family dynamic. Seeing Robbie champion Skylar to her family, truly see her and show up for her, made my heart melt.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tessa Bailey and Harper Collins for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC for this book!

So this was sadly not my favourite Tessa Bailey book.

Robbie meets Skylar towards the end of Dream Girl Drama, the previous book in the Big Shots series. There's immediately a connection between the pair, though not necessarily a positive one. Pitcher Perfect starts from that point, with the two main characters going on a date together after Robbie wins a bet. He finds himself agreeing to help her get the attention of her brother's best friend, Madden, who she's had feelings for forever. Although Robbie, a perpetual player, senses there's something special about Skylar, he takes this chance to help her find romance with another man. Any opportunity to spend more time with her is a good idea in his books. After a week of competition with Skylar's family bonds them, Robbie and Skylar both realise there's more to their relationship than Robbie tutoring Skylar in attracting Madden. But Robbie's past complicates things, he's never settled down before, and anyway, isn't Skylar in love with someone else?

I did enjoy some elements of this book, namely the classic fake dating and teacher / tutee dynamic which I think Tessa has mastered in her books. I also loved the cameos from the previous Big Shots characters. Chloe & Sig and Tallulah & Burgess are welcome in any books from now on honestly.
Perhaps following on from those two novels (which I LOVED) is why I didn't enjoy this one so much.

Which takes us to the less than positive aspects. I'm not a fan of insta-love which is totally personal preference - but it seemed like love at first sight for Robbie and Skylar really wasn't that far behind.
Following on from the previous two books which featured Robbie and Mailer, I was hoping to see some of their friendship explored a little. But there was maybe two interactions? And they didn't give me best friend vibes at all - just slightly disappointed because they were some of my favourite interactions in the previous novels, though small, they were funny and showed the characters' personalities.

Lastly, and I'll be honest, I'm being quite picky here! There were quite a few modern slang / modern language used throughout the book that are going to age like ice cream left in the sunshine. Aka, not going to read well in about 5 years. It kind of took me out of the story a little when I kept noticing these references to phrases that I think are used predominantly on social media.

That said, if you like Tessa Bailey's other works I'm sure you'll enjoy this. As always, she delivers on the smut. Just not my favourite, and definitely not the best in this series. I'll be intrigued to read the Mailer romance when it comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper360 for the invite to read this eARC.