Skip to main content

Book Review: Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey

After what felt like a lifetime of wedding planning, I finally tied the knot! While the last month has been a beautiful whirlwind, the most indulgent part of becoming a newlywed has been getting my free time back.  Free time which I immediately dedicated to reclaiming my favorite activity: reading smut. 

So as I packed my bags for a sunny honeymoon in Mexico, I made sure to bring one crucial item: Tessa Bailey's Pitcher Perfect. I've been counting down the days for this release, and reading it poolside with a tropical drink in hand was the perfect way to decompress and reignite my inner bookworm. Pitcher Perfect is the latest in her line of deliciously spicy contemporary romances, this time giving us a playboy hockey player and a softball pitcher who is immune to his charms. Ready to know if it lives up to the Tessa Bailey hype? Keep reading for my spoiler-free thoughts and spice rating! 



Synopsis
The new spicy sports romance from Tessa Bailey featuring an undeniably spicy enemies to lovers, fake-dating scenario. Hockey playboy Robbie Corrigan is used to getting what he wants - until he meets Division 1 softball pitcher Skylar Paige, who sees right through his charm. To prove himself and stay close to her, Robbie convinces Skylar to let him be her fake boyfriend and love coach for a family wilderness competition where her longtime crush will be also competing. As the two are forced into close quarters, the line between spicy lessons and genuine feelings blur, forcing Robbie and Skylar to question whether their scorching connection could actually be the real deal.

Strengths
Beyond the fake-dating trope and the expected high-heat steam, the true strength of Pitcher Perfect lies in its characters and their rich, relatable family dynamics. I absolutely adored Skylar, especially her meticulously organized, planner dependent approach to life, which provided a charming contrast to Robbie's slightly chaotic energy. I also loved Robbie's deeply relatable and endearing obsession with Stouffer's Lasagna, as well as how he was Skylar's biggest cheerleader. Tessa Bailey also shines a spotlight on strong family dynamics and conversations about acceptance. Watching Skylar's family navigate and ultimately overcome their intensely competitive tendencies to truly see and accept each other added a genuine, heartwarming layer to the story, elevating this from a fun sports romance to a truly memorable read about finding your place - and your person. 

Weaknesses
While I enjoyed the ride, Pitcher Perfect wasn't entirely without its predictable moments. Given the intricate family dynamics and the fake-dating premise, I felt the conflict could have been driven by something more substantial than the classic miscommunication trope. The tension we saw building between Robbie and Skylar early on suggested a deeper, more character driven conflict was possible. Instead, the final separation I felt was easily resolved, making the conflict a little weaker than the strong foundation Tessa Bailey had built that had potential for a stronger resolution.

Would I Recommend It?
So, should you add Pitcher Perfect to your TBR pile? Absolutely, yes. Despite the slightly disappointing third act conflict, I still enjoyed watching Robbie and Skylar navigate their opposites attract, fake dating relationship. Overall this book is a solid, steamy, and heartwarming entry into the sports romance genre (as well as my overflowing Tessa Bailey shelf). Now I'm currently counting down the days until we get to finally crack open Eve and Madden's story, which from the looks of it will be a spicy and emotional one. Can't wait!

Ratings
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Spice Rating: 2.5/5

Bonus: A Few Pics of Reading in Mexico!






Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 10 Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Recommendations You Need to Read in 2025

A few years ago I had a realization many bookworms face: my "to-be-read" pile had become an entire library of unread books, with little shelf space remaining. As new books kept coming out, my book buying habit was easily outpacing my reading speed. So, I decided to take the leap and buy a Kindle to not only save money, but to also reduce the amount of physical books I was buying. While I've found some great free books and monthly sales, nothing has saved me more money than my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I often see people asking if Kindle Unlimited is worth it, and my answer is always a resounding "yes."The monthly subscription costs less than a single paperback book, but also lets you borrow up to 20 books at a time. I love that I can read a book digitally at first, then if I absolutely love it, I can buy a physical copy for my shelves later. Plus, it's a fantastic way to save a significant amount of money if you tend to read a lot. And you don't eve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: Wild Love by Elsie Silver

 It's no secret that Elsie Silver is the queen of cowboy romance books. Her Chestnut Springs series made it onto many romance readers favorites list over the last few years, so you can guess my excitement (along with everyone else's) when she announced her spin off Rose Hill series. This series not only begins with a book featuring Ford, who is Willa's brother from Chestnut Springs, but also is marketed as being a series where four single dads find love. That's right ladies. Four books all promised to be single-dad romances, taking place in a cozy little mountain side small town. Did I mention they all are on a bowling team for single dads? Here are my thoughts on the first book in her new series, Wild Love . Get the Book Here Synopsis When Rosie Belmont finds herself suddenly back in her childhood town of Rose Hill, her brother's best friend Ford will do everything in his power from crossing a line with her. Things get more complicated when Rosie needs a job, and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

Hi readers! Last month while on vacation I brought First-Time Caller with me, and it became my emotional support book for the duration of my trip. Going to coffee, oh look she has her book. Hot tub? There's her book again. Passenger princess time, more like nose in a book time. All joking aside, I had seen a lot of hype about the newest B.K Borison release, and was very happy to have snagged my book of the month copy just in time for my trip. I previously had enjoyed Lovelight Farms by this author during the winter season, so I had high expectations for her newest release, especially when I heard it was essentially a Sleepless in Seattle retelling. So let's get into it. Get the book here   Synopsis Aiden Valentine is the host of Baltimore's romance hotline but there's just one little issue...he doesn't believe in love. One night Lucie, a single mom, finds her daughter calling into the hotline on her behalf, and her love life is quickly thrown into the spotlight. ...
Post a Comment
Read more