Pinch Hitter

Brooklyn Bats #2

by Stephanie Rose

From Amazon bestselling author Stephanie Rose comes a sports romance about a single dad who never expects to find love again but falls hard for the woman taking care of his little girl while he's on the road — his best friend who has secretly loved him for years.

Lee Orrico is stuck. The family he depended on to care for his daughter since he lost his wife is moving on and moving out. Having his best friend Stella become his live-in nanny while he works as the team chiropractor for the Brooklyn Bats seems like the right idea. Until the combination of close quarters and cozy nights ignites an attraction that Lee never saw coming.

After years on the road in a job she never liked and a messy breakup, Stella Parker is ready to come back to Brooklyn to make it a real home for herself, not just a pit stop. Moving in with Lee to help care for his adorable daughter is the perfect temporary solution…except it means moving in with the man she’s always been secretly in love with.

Her once-forbidden love for her best friend was always just a one-sided fantasy, but the lingering touches, long looks, and almost kisses make her start to wonder if this love isn’t so unrequited anymore.

The passion between Lee and Stella is undeniable. But Lee isn’t sure he can love again – he barely survived the loss of it the first time.

Still, the heart he didn’t think would beat for anyone else… wants Stella.

And Stella has always wanted Lee. The question is, does Lee really love her back?

Or is she just a pinch hitter for the real love of his life?

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Romance, Sports Romance, Forced Proximity, Sports, Slow Burn, Chick Lit

374 pages, Paperback

Published April 25, 2026

About the author

Stephanie Rose is a badass New Yorker, a wife, a mother, and lover of all things chocolate. Most days you'll find her trying to avoid standing on discarded LEGO or deciding which book to read next. Her debut novel, Always You, released in 2015 and since then she's written several more—some of which will never see completion—and has ideas for hundreds to come.

Reviews

[Sim-fully Ever After]

5🌟, 3🌶️

I thought this would be a soft read and it ended up hitting so much deeper.

This story really got under my skin in the best way. Lee and Stella have so much history and quiet longing that every interaction feels heavy with meaning, especially as she steps into his life and suddenly everything feels a little too real.

What made this so special for me is how gentle but emotional it is. Lee is still carrying grief and you can feel how scared he is to let himself love again, while Stella has loved him for years and still chooses to stay, even knowing the risk. Their connection is all slow burn tension, soft domestic moments, and the kind of closeness that sneaks up on you. And his daughter just makes everything feel even more real and fragile.

It is not just about them finally getting together, it is about healing, timing, and letting yourself want something again. There is a steady ache running through the whole story, and when it finally pays off it hits so hard.

I finished this feeling full, emotional, and a little fragile in the best way.

~~~~

Huge thank you to Stephanie Rose and The Author Agency for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨

[Stephanie Rose]

Pinch Hitter is live on Amazon and KU!

One-click: https://geni.us/PH_Amazon

[Jessica Alcazar]

ARC REVIEW

I’ve wanted to get back to reading Stephanie Rose for a few years now and I super stoked that I did it with Pinch Hitter! This story checked all my romantic fiction boxes and then some! This story is much more than a “romance journey”. It’s a story of taking chances, moving forward, letting go of fear and guilt and grabbing on to love! It’s a story laced with a quiet current of emotion that will tug at your heart and want to cheer for these two! You will champion Lee and cheer for Stella, Lee & Bennie to find their way to a HEA!

This isn’t an angsty story but because of some of the circumstances, it’s emotional but at the same time full of hope. It’s a slow-burn, character driven story that made my heart very happy. I love the friendship they built and the trust they had with one another. I love the moments with little Bennie because children just make everything better! *heart eyes*

[Anca A]

#Review: *Pinch Hitter* - Stephanie Rose - ARC [18+]
4.8/5✨
3/5🌶️

As a single dad, Lee Orrico was at a crossroads, feeling a bit lost without the help of his family to take care of his young daughter. When one of his best friends, Stella, decided to return to the city and stay there indefinitely, Lee instantly thought that she would be the right person to help him out with this situation. And that's how Stella Parker was now living under the same roof with her long time crush. In all those years that have passed Lee never saw Stella more than a friend, but that close proximity might change that and the initial unrequited love could be transformed into something more and quite tensioned. But could Lee start another relationship after the pain he felt and which was still very much present after losing his wife?

I feel like this book literally had a bit of everything. It was sweet, fun, a little sad, suspenseful and pretty spicy. I went through all of them while following Lee and Stella's tangled story and I had such an amazing time with them. I honestly felt really intense that unrequited love Stella was facing regarding Lee, because I had my fair share of these kind of situations and it was quite painful 🫣 I was glad that in their case they got the chance to grow that beautiful friendship in something more and that they able to heal themselves a bit during this process. The relationship between Stella and Bennie, Lee's daughter, was suuuuch a cute thing🩵, loving the way they just felt right in each other's presence even from the start.🥰 It was a nice surprise to see that there was some suspense into this story, making it even more interesting to me, fully captivating my attention.

I was quite curious about how Stephanie's stories are and I'm really glad that this one had the right vibes to resonate with me. It had everything I like in a good story: amazing characters, strong connections and a bit of unknown. I'm so glad that I own a couple of her books now, because I can have another dose of her stories anytime soon🥰. Thank you, Stephanie for sending them to me 🩵🤗.

So grateful for being accepted for this e-ARC! Thank you The Author Agency and Stephanie for offering me this e-copy!🥰

✨Tropes
▫️Single Dad
▫️Nanny
▫️Best Friends To Lovers
▫️She Falls First
▫️He Falls Harder
▫️Forced Proximity

[Stephs.bookshelf09]

This is Book 2 of the Brooklyn Bats series and to say this series got me on my baseball kick is not a lie. I started with book 1, a whole new ball game and I was HOOKED! Book 2 came in swinging and gave us another home run.

This is a single dad/nanny romance that is always a good combo in my book. Lee and his daughter Bennie are just living their lives the best they can. And just when Lee thinks he has his life settle of course it’s not the case. His sister and her husband are moving out of state and he has to rethink his home front support for him and his daughter. When lo and behold his childhood friend ends up back in town and who better to trust than Stella with his daughter?! Perfect plan…. Nothing will go wrong 😜

We all know how this story ends but the part I love most is how much care and love Stephanie puts into her characters. They don’t take the common path and they never have a straight destination. Life is messy, we as people are messy, so these stories are just that messy! We have the mess of life and people and coming through it all in the end makes it all sooooo much sweeter of a reward.

Hang on for this ride because Stephanie throws us socks curve balls in this one. And you will feel all of the emotions.

[Wendy Livingstone]

This is the second book in this impressive series, and this is Lee and Stella’s story.
Lee is a single dad to his little daughter, and he is the team chiropractor for the Brooklyn Bats, but he has relied on family to care for his daughter, after he lost his wife, but with them moving away, he needs a nanny. Stella has spent years on the road for her job, and after a messy breakup, she comes home to regroup, and she has secretly loved her best friend, Lee, for years. Stella moves in with Lee as the new nanny, and the more time they spend together, he realises his feeling are more than friends.
This is a well written easy to read story, with family, friendships, emotions, loss, grief, forced proximity, friends / lovers, humour, witty banter, romance, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining and heartwarming romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily)]

Lee and Stella are absolute friends to lovers goals! I devoured this book in less than 24 hours because Stephanie Rose made it impossible for me to want to stop reading.

Best friends to lovers
Sports romance
Single dad x nanny
Forced proximity

Lee and Stella bonded decades ago over the loss of their fathers. And that bond is still holding strong all these years later. While Stella has had an unrequited crush on Lee for years, Lee is just realizing that his feelings for her may be more than he expected.

My heart broke for Stella at times, because we have all been there. Loving someone who will never love us back. But our girl is getting the HEA she wants and deserves!

I loved Lee’s realization to having his feelings for Stella and how once he realized them, he was ALL IN!

This was such a light hearted, good time book!

[Krystal]

I already loved Stella enough to freak out over losing her.

Sports romance is one of my favorite tropes. In Pinch Hitter, the main male character, Lee, is the Brooklyn Bat’s team chiropractor. He is also a single dad to just an adorable seven year old daughter, Bennie. Bennie may be one of my favorite things in this whole story. The things that she says will just have you laughing. The forced proximity between Stella and Lee really ignites their chemistry. Add in cute Bennie and there is a sense of found family with the three. There is a hint of romantic suspense with Stella’s reason in why she is back in Brooklyn. I really love that this is a nice spin of a sports romance. This might be the first time (at least for me) that the make lead in the sports romance is not an athlete/player.

[Nicole Adams]

This was such a heartfelt and happy read. It doesn’t mean there wasn’t some struggle to get to the HEA but it was so worth it. I literally couldn’t put this one down.

Lee and Stella are old friends who reconnect when Stella moves back to Brooklyn. Both Lee and Stella are dealing with their own personal battles and a series of events sees Stella taking an opportunity to move in with Lee and help care for his sweet daughter, Bennie.

The forced proximity yearning was delicious. Knowing they both wanted each other but didn’t believe they could have it was delightfully frustrating. Of course it then leads to sparks flying and the couple having to navigate their new reality together.

Stephanie Rose is an expert at writing a golden retriever MMC. Her good guys are always elite.

I also loved Stella and Bennie’s relationship. It’s always so sweet to see a child embrace their parent’s new partner.

I love the Brooklyn Bats world Stephanie Rose has designed and I really hope for many more stories from this team

[Nate Brightman]

3.5 stars
I believe the author titled this book Pinch Hitter because that was what our female protagonist Stella felt like she was for most of our male protagonist Lee's life. Lee and Stella and Stella's older (by 1 year) brother Gary met at a grief counselling group for teenagers (Lee and Gary were 17 and Stella was 16) who had lost a parent. They had all lost their fathers. For Stella her attraction to Lee was near instantaneous. It was also one sided. Lee and Gary became BFF's Lee also considered Stella his BFF but being the younger sister of Gary, following the unwritten Bro-Code, he never allowed himself to think of her as anything more. Stella never told Lee how she felt about him. But while her entire family knew how she felt about Lee, he didn't. Lee met Katie in college and fell madly in love with her breaking Stella's heart. Lee married Katie after graduation and they had a little girl Bennie who looked just like Katie. Katie had a heart condition which her pregnancy with Bennie caused to worsen. One day when Bennie was 2 years old Katie had a heart attack and died leaving Lee to raise his daughter. Fortunately he had his married but childless sister and mother to help raise her for the next 5 years. Lee had occasional hookups when the MLB team he worked for as a physical therapist went on the road but he never allowed himself to have real feelings for any of his hookups. He did keep in regular contact with Stella who had earned an MBA and earned a good living as a business consultant constantly traveling never establishing any real roots. She also never revealed her feelings for Lee to him even after Katie died.
Fast forward 17 or 18 years and two things are happening. Lee's sister and her husband are moving from the Brooklyn brownstone they have shared since they were children, to Chicago because her husband got a big promotion. His mother has decided she wants to move into an assisted living facility where she can have more of a social life. While that is about to happen after being assaulted by her live in boyfriend when she catches him stealing her jewelry (he has a gambling addiction) Stella decides to move back to Brooklyn to reset her life. She wants to be close to her aging mother and she's tired of living out of a suitcase. She's also decided its time to face Lee in the hopes of getting over her lifelong crush on him so she can move on with her life. She has no job in mind and no place to live. She's been sleeping on her mother's couch at the same assisted living facility where Lee's mother is moving to. She attends a Bats baseball game and meets with Lee in his office after the game. Lee decides that if Stella is willing she can come stay at his place either sleeping in the spare bedroom in his house or in the apartment below it where his sister and her husband were living. This solves his problem of who is going to watch Bennie when he goes on the road with the team and Stella's problem of finding a place to live while she figures out what she wants to do next. Of course Lee suddenly sees Stella as not just one of his oldest best friends but also as a beautiful and remarkable woman whom his daughter immediately bonds with and Stella with her.
And here's the point where I had some problems with this story. Lee spends the better part of half of this book first denying his feelings for Stella. sEven when he finally accepts the reality that he's fallen in romantic love with her he has all of these reasons to not act on his feelings. Despite all the indications Lee is giving off about his attraction to Stella, (and to be fair, Lee seems to run hot and cold sending mixed messages to Stella), she does her best to pretend nothing is happening between them. She can't let herself believe that after all these years Lee suddenly sees her as more than a friend. And for my taste this situation went on for far too much of this story. Yeah, I know the author has to produce X amount of pages for it to be a full story and not a novella. But after awhile it just felt tedious to me. This is a friends to lovers/close proximity trope so of course eventually Lee can no longer resist his attraction to Stella and things get hot and steamy. But our couple has one more hurdle to overcome before they can live H.E.A. Even though things seem to be going wonderfully for the couple and Stella can't believe she's finally living the life she'd always dreamed about sleeping in Lee's bed every night, waking up in his arms every morning and caring for a little girl she's come to love like her own she can't help feeling like she's just a substitute, a "pinch hitter" in baseball parlance in Lee's life. That he will never love her the way he loved Katie. With the help of her mother's wise counsel and Lee's willingness to be vulnerable and talk with her she finally admits to him that while he's only been in love with her for a few months, she's been in love with him for most of her life." This allows the couple to move on to their H.E.A.
Good story. Lee and Stella were easy to cheer for. Bennie was absolutely adorable. Enough humor, drama, romance and sex to keep me interested. It was just that darn to me too long period where these two took one step forward and two steps back to get to their H.E.A. that kept me from absolutely loving this story enough to give it 4 or even 5 stars.

[Char (1RadReader59)]

Stella had always loved one man, but he had always loved someone else. But, she had always wanted, Lee, to be happy and since, Gray, her brother, Lee, and she had been the misfits together she couldn’t stop being his friend. They were called the misfits because their fathers had passed away, and they had been directed to a grief group. It was that night that they met Lee when something Stella said made Lee laugh. That was when she fell head over heels for him. While off at college he had mentioned he had met a girl named Katie. Then nothing else was mentioned. Here’s what hurt her the worst ever, and she knew he would never be hers;
“He’d just come home from college for the summer and wanted to hang out, but Gary had come down with something. So Stella went to Lee’s house alone. She pumped herself up to ask him if he could ever think of her as more than a friend. She took her time blowing out her hair and putting on extra makeup, actually letting herself hope a little on the way there.”

“So what stopped you?” Bailee asked. “When he answered the door, Katie was behind him.” “He wanted to surprise us. She’d come home with him for the weekend, and he couldn’t wait to introduce her to his two best friends. The chance I’d fooled myself into thinking I had never been real.” This story was years old, and still hurt every single time she’d let herself remember. She told Bailey her best friend. “You never told me that,” Bailee said. “I’ve never told anyone that. It’s a terrible story.” Stella was now, back home after years of traveling for work never in one place for long. She was back home because another relationship didn't work out, however, this one had become dangerous and physical. Zach had hit her and once was enough,” “I felt so stupid on so many levels. Stupid that I actually thought he could maybe look at me differently, and stupid that I didn’t tell him before. Not that it would have made a difference. He belonged with Katie.” “But Katie isn’t here anymore. Things change.” You see, Stella had come home to stay with her mom for a bit and had not yet brought herself to look for an apartment. Her bruising was just to the point where makeup was able to hide it. She knew she needed to start to look, because her mom was in an assisted living community. Stella was surprised she hadn’t gotten a warning about her being there. But on this day Stella had plans she was going to a baseball game The Bats. It’s where Lee was the Physical Therapist. She had planned to stop by and say hello and head for her seats. On her way there by mass transit, she had to remember the last time she saw him at Katie’s funeral. It was hard, but he could never be hers he truly loved Katie, and always would. Along the years there have been texts, calls, and meet-ups together.

It was always too painful for her. When at the stadium she asked if she could be directed to Lee’s office. Of course, they said, “No.” However, Nate the Pitcher for the team happened to be there and offered to escort her to Lee. When Nate announces her Lee is shocked and pleasantly surprised. When he stands he opens his arms, and she quickly goes into his arms for a hug. He doesn't hesitate to pick her up and hug her tight. He got her better seats before he needed to rush off for the star of the game prep. “Thank you. I guess I’ll see you later. Thanks for the hookup.” I squeezed his bicep. “Good flex.” “No problem. Thank you,” Lee said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Thank you for what? Sneaking back to your office?” she teased. “I’m just really glad you’re here. I’ve been barely keeping my head above water lately and
f--king up all over the place. I could use a friend right now.” “You have one,” I whispered. “You can fill me in later on all of that, too.” “Deal,” he said, his deep chuckle settling into my belly like old times. “Enjoy the game.” He squeezed my arm and waved before jogging back to the offices. These two needed each other more than the other knew. And proximity would make the love they have had for each other in friendship turn into something far more than either could ever dream up for themselves. This is an emotional rollercoaster

[Brenna]

Hot Take: This was good. I liked it a little better than the last one. But I am a sucker for a romance that spans time. I really wanted to dislike his wife. But I didn’t and that made their story even more sad. I grow tired of kids in romance books having the intellect and vocabulary of grown adults. Like give me an oblivious 7 year old please. I dunno. It’s so unrealistic.
Main Characters: Stella and Lee
Other Characters of Note: Adrian (who is from Kelly Lakes?), Nate is book 3 with either Bennie or Taylor? Likely Bennie. Which will be weird at first.
Spice level: 3/5
1st kiss: 63%
1st actual sex scene: 74%
Recap: Lee Orrico is a chiropractor for the Brooklyn Bats, a four-year-old Major League Baseball franchise in New York. A widower whose wife Katie died in a car accident five years ago, Lee is a single father to seven-year-old Bennie. When his sister Debbie and her husband move to Chicago, Lee faces a childcare crisis that threatens his job with the team. His longtime friend Stella Parker returns to Brooklyn after escaping an abusive relationship with her ex-boyfriend Zach, who physically assaulted her and stole from her to fund his gambling addiction. Lee offers Stella a position as Bennie's live-in nanny for the baseball season, providing her safety and him childcare. Stella has secretly been in love with Lee since they met as teenagers in a grief support group after her father died, but Lee only ever saw her as a friend—until now. As they live together, Lee develops unexpected romantic feelings for Stella, struggling with guilt over moving on from Katie and fear of losing someone he loves again. After Stella is injured by a foul ball at a game, Lee realizes he's in love with her. They begin a relationship, though Stella harbors insecurity about being Lee's "second love" after watching old wedding videos of Lee and Katie. When Stella's ex Zach tracks her down and attacks her with a knife, demanding money to pay gambling debts, Lee and neighbor Jimmy rescue her. Zach is arrested and later pleads guilty to attempted manslauahter. Lee and Stella confess their deep love for each other, with Stella revealing she has loved him for half her life.
Three months after Zach's attack, Stella has transitioned to remote consulting work and moved in permanently with Lee and Bennie, allowing Lee to sign a three-year contract with the Bats. Their relationship has flourished into a stable family unit, with Bennie fully accepting Stella's presence in their lives. At a charity baseball game where coaches and trainers play against the current team, Stella wears Lee's old high school jersey to support him. After the game, Lee proposes to Stella with a diamond ring he's been carrying for two weeks, and she immediately accepts, revealing she has been writing "Stella Orrico" in notebooks for years.
The couple, having overcome past trauma, insecurity, and danger, prepares to pick up Bennie together and begin their future as an engaged family, with Stella finally achieving the life and love she has dreamed of since she was sixteen years old.

[World Of Books 65]

Stephanie Rose delivers an achingly tender, beautifully layered romance in Pinch Hitter, the second book in the Brooklyn Bats series. What begins as a familiar friends-to-lovers, single dad story quickly unfolds into something far deeper, filled with quiet longing, unresolved grief, and a love that has been years in the making.

Stella has loved Lee for as long as she can remember. Their bond was forged in the fragile space of shared loss, two teenagers navigating life after losing their fathers, finding comfort and understanding in one another when the world felt impossibly heavy. But while Stella’s feelings grew into something more, Lee never saw her that way. To him, she was steady, safe, always there. And so life carried them in different directions.

Years later, everything has changed. Stella has built a life on the move, never quite settling, never quite letting go. Lee, now a widower, is raising his young daughter while balancing the relentless demands of his career. Grief lingers in the spaces of his life, shaping the man he’s become. After losing his wife, Lee never expected to truly live again—he was simply existing, doing what he had to for his daughter, keeping his heart carefully guarded.

When he finds himself in desperate need of a nanny, fate quietly steps in… and brings Stella back into his world.

What follows is a slow, tender unraveling of everything left unsaid.

In the close quarters of Lee’s home, surrounded by the warmth and innocence of his daughter, old feelings begin to resurface. Stella, with her quiet strength and unwavering presence, begins to chip away at the walls Lee has built around himself. And this time, he starts to see her—really see her.

The chemistry between them simmers beneath the surface before finally igniting into something undeniable. There is real heat here, woven beautifully into the emotional depth of their story—stolen glances turning into lingering touches, years of longing finally finding its voice. It’s not just passion, but connection, a reminder to Lee that his heart is still capable of feeling, of wanting, of loving again.

But love isn’t simple when it’s built on the ashes of the past.

Lee is still tethered to the memory of his late wife, and Stella must confront the painful truth of loving someone who once chose another. The story delicately explores whether the heart can truly move forward without letting go, and whether second chances can ever feel like enough.

At its core, Pinch Hitter is a story about timing, healing, and the quiet courage it takes to risk your heart on something that has always felt just out of reach. It’s soft, emotional, and undeniably swoony, with just the right balance of tenderness and heat.

Stephanie Rose doesn’t just tell a love story here. She gives us one that feels lived in, fragile, and deeply real, where happily ever after isn’t guaranteed—but is all the more powerful for it.

[Kennedy Yowell]

This was my first book by Stephanie Rose, and it definitely did not disappoint.

Lee and Stella have been friends since their teenage years, brought together in an unconventional way through a grief group after both losing their fathers. That shared loss created a deep bond between them that carried into adulthood.

Years later, Stella returns home after a difficult situation with her ex-boyfriend, and Lee is there to support her, just as he always has been. Now a chiropractor for the Brooklyn Bats, Lee spends much of his time traveling and needs help caring for his seven-year-old daughter, Bennie. With his mother and sister moving out, he finds himself without support at home and asks Stella to step in as a live-in nanny for the baseball season. Though hesitant at first, she agrees.

What Lee does not realize is that Stella has been in love with him for years. While he built a life with his late wife, Katie, Stella kept her feelings hidden, settling for relationships that never truly fulfilled her. After Katie’s tragic passing, Lee was never quite the same, and even years later, he struggles with grief and the idea of opening his heart again.

Living together brings a shift in their relationship. Lee begins to see Stella in a new light, noticing all the little things that make her so special, while Stella wrestles with the risk of finally wanting something more. Their connection deepens through quiet, heartfelt moments, lingering looks, and almost confessions that blur the line between friendship and something more.

Bennie adds so much warmth to the story, bringing both lightness and charm, while the tension surrounding Stella’s past adds an extra layer of emotion and suspense.

The author does a wonderful job creating depth within the characters, making their emotions feel real and grounded. This story goes beyond a typical friends-to-lovers romance. It explores grief, guilt, and the fear that can come with allowing yourself to love again after loss. It also captures the vulnerability of finally having a chance at the life you have always wanted and the uncertainty that comes with it.

The chemistry between Lee and Stella is undeniable, but what truly stands out is the emotional journey. Lee is unsure if he can survive loving someone again, while Stella has always known her heart belonged to him. Watching them navigate those feelings made this story both tender and compelling.

I’m really looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Julie Harrison]

I was completely immersed in this wonderful book from the very beginning! The story of Stella, a young woman starting over after leaving a terrible relationship behind and a job that was just a distraction from facing real life. Stella is staying on the couch temporarily at her mother’s senior living apartment until she figures out next steps. She’s been hopelessly in love with a dear family friend since she was a teen. She met Lee Orrico in a grief support group when she was sixteen and he was seventeen. They both had lost their Dads. Along with her brother Gary, they formed a friendship trio that felt like family.

Lee never knew that she was in love with him and he ended up marrying his college sweetheart, Katie. They had a daughter, Bennet (Bennie) and a year later, Katie died tragically. Lee was never the same and lived with his mother and sister for support. He became a chiropractor and works for a professional baseball team in New York, the Brooklyn Bats. It’s five years later, and now Lee’s mother and sister are moving out of the family home, leaving him with no options to care for 7-year-old Bennie while he travels with the baseball team. Stella and Lee discover that they can help each other now with their current circumstances, so Stella agrees to be the live-in nanny for the rest of the baseball season.

Of course, Stella knows she is risking her fragile heart by living with the man she has loved for all these years. This unrequited love caused her to live a shallow life with superficial relationships. Lee is oblivious to all of this and still does not know that Stella has been in love with him for all these years. The book shares so many heartfelt moments as Lee starts to really notice how wonderful Stella is for the first time. Bennie is adorable and provides comic relief to the story. Stella’s ex-boyfriend situation escalates and provides some suspense as well.

The author does a wonderful job giving the characters depth and made me truly invested in their stories. This is much more than a second chance romance – it delves into the feelings of guilt for being there for someone after a beloved spouse dies. It also examines the fear one faces when you finally get to have everything you ever wanted. I look forward to reading more books by this author!

[Kirsty]

I need a minute because Pinch Hitter just walked into my heart, rearranged the furniture, watered the plants, and then made me cry on the couch in the best way possible 😭⚾

Lee and Stella??? I’m gone. Absolutely GONE.

This is friends-to-lovers but with that extra layer of history and yearning that makes everything feel ten times more intense. Stella has loved this man quietly, patiently, for YEARS, and watching her step into his life like this… living with him, caring for his daughter, playing house in a way that feels a little too real… it’s deliciously painful.

And Lee??? This man is carrying grief like it’s stitched into his bones. He’s not just hesitant, he’s terrified to feel again. You can feel how much he loves his daughter, how hard he’s trying to keep everything together, and then Stella walks in and suddenly there’s warmth where he thought there’d only ever be emptiness again. It’s soft and raw and messy.

THE DOMESTICITY. I cannot. Cozy nights, shared routines, quiet moments that feel bigger than they should. The accidental touches?? The almost-kisses?? The way everything lingers just a second too long?? I was internally screaming the entire time.

And his daughter?? Stop. She’s the emotional glue and also the tiny chaos agent pushing them closer together. Every scene with the three of them felt like a little glimpse into something real and fragile and terrifying because you just know it could all fall apart.

But what really got me is that this isn’t just “oh they’re in love now yay.” It’s Lee battling with his past, with guilt, with the fear that loving Stella somehow means letting go of what he lost. And Stella?? She’s not just pining, she’s brave. Putting her heart on the line knowing it could break all over again.

The tension is soft but relentless. Not explosive… more like a slow, steady ache that builds and builds until it finally spills over and you’re just sitting there like YES FINALLY but also please don’t hurt me.

And when Lee finally gets it?? When that emotional wall cracks?? I felt that in my soul.

Five stars, no hesitation. This book is warm and aching and full of love that feels earned. I’m a puddle, I’m healed, I’m unwell. Lee and Stella own me now.

[Stacie Christensen]

From Amazon bestselling author Stephanie Rose comes a sports romance about a single dad who never expects to find love again but falls hard for the woman taking care of his little girl while he's on the road — his best friend who has secretly loved him for years.

Lee Orrico is stuck. The family he depended on to care for his daughter since he lost his wife is moving on and moving out. Having his best friend Stella become his live-in nanny while he works as the team chiropractor for the Brooklyn Bats seems like the right idea. Until the combination of close quarters and cozy nights ignites an attraction that Lee never saw coming.

After years on the road in a job she never liked and a messy breakup, Stella Parker is ready to come back to Brooklyn to make it a real home for herself, not just a pit stop. Moving in with Lee to help care for his adorable daughter is the perfect temporary solution…except it means moving in with the man she’s always been secretly in love with.

Her once-forbidden love for her best friend was always just a one-sided fantasy, but the lingering touches, long looks, and almost kisses make her start to wonder if this love isn’t so unrequited anymore.

The passion between Lee and Stella is undeniable. But Lee isn’t sure he can love again – he barely survived the loss of it the first time.

Still, the heart he didn’t think would beat for anyone else… wants Stella.

And Stella has always wanted Lee. The question is, does Lee really love her back?

Or is she just a pinch hitter for the real love


I absolutely loved Lee and Stella’s story. I was hooked within the first few pages and couldn’t put it down.

This book delivers all the emotional depth you want in a sports romance, with a perfect mix of slow-burn tension, heartfelt moments, and undeniable chemistry. Lee’s journey as a single dad navigating grief while trying to open his heart again felt raw and real. Stella’s quiet, long-held love for him made every interaction between them even more meaningful.

The close-quarters dynamic and years of friendship added so much depth to their relationship. The lingering looks, almost-kisses, and emotional push-and-pull kept me completely invested. I also loved how Stella built a bond with Lee’s daughter—it added warmth and made the story even more touching.

If you enjoy friends-to-lovers romance with emotional stakes, this one is definitely worth the read.

[PP's Bookshelf]

My heart is so full after reading Pinch Hitter by Stephanie Rose! This book is the epitome of heartwarming romance. I am swooning and my heart is melting and my soul is deliriously happy! Lee and Stella took me through an emotional rollercoaster and I enjoyed every second. Even when the author was torturing me beautifully with all the slow burn angst. One of my top 2026 read and my all time favorite Stephanie Rose book!

⚾️ friends to lovers
⚾️ forbidden ( she is also sister of his friend)
⚾️ forced proximity/ roommates
⚾️ single dad
⚾️ she agrees to help him as live in nanny
⚾️ second chance
⚾️ sports romance ( he is the physiotherapist of Brooklyn Bats)
⚾️ slow burn and angsty
⚾️unrequited love

Stella( and her brother) and Lee bonded in a grief group after they lost their fathers. They were seventeen. Stella fell in love but Lee never looked at her more than his best friend. Years passed. He fell in love,got married, became a father, lost his wife and became a single dad. Stella chose a career that takes hee around the country for corporate consultancy. But fate has brought them together where they can help each other. She can help him by moving in and taking care of his daughter Bennie after his sister and mother moves out..so that he can continue his job that requires a lot of travel. She had trouble with her cheating stealing boyfriend and needs a place to stay. But can she hide her feelings? Specially when Lee realises that she means a lot to her...

I love how big Stella's heart is. She is so sweet and caring and smart. She forever loved Lee and my heart breaks for her. The author portraits her heartbreak and pain so beautifully. She knew being so close to Lee and spending so much time with him would be catastrophic for her heart. But she still agreed. Now she has to face being with love with the cutest and sassiest little girl. Their close proximity sparked something in Lee. He always loved Stella in his own way and he was always protective about her. But now he feels this sizzling hot attraction towards her. He realises that he cannot imagine his life without Stella. And this feeling is consolidated by how Stella loves Bennie like her own. Lee can be so dreamy and charming...and gorgeous. But this responsible sensible single father turned all feral and dirty talker and possessive for Stella and I am here for it. There were complications. Stella's fear and insecurities that she is the second choice. Lee's fear of losing someone he love and get destroyed again. But they had such an amazing connection for years and it evolved into something stronger. The Bats family was so entertaining and I do have a crush on Nate( I see you, Bennie girl). They have awesome families and friends to support them.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

[kgagnon]

This irresistible, friend to lovers romance captured my heart right from the beginning and never let go. Lee and Stella have been close friends, along with Stella's brother, since they were teens. But Stella's feelings for Lee were much deeper and she always kept them secret. It was too painful to watch him fall for someone else and get married, so she took a job that had her on the road constantly. Now she was home, after a bad breakup, needing to reevaluate her life. Lee is a Chiropractic Doctor for the Brooklyn Bats. He is also a single father to an adorable little girl, Bennie. He is in a pinch when he suddenly needs a sitter for Bennie, especially when he travels with the team. Stella decides to move in as his nanny, while she figures out her life. She fits in immediately with Lee and Bennie's routine, and soon Lee begins to see Stella as much more than a friend. He tries to fight his attraction at first, not wanting to risk their friendship, but soon they both give in to their undeniable feelings and chemistry. This is a dream come true for Stella, and a second chance at love that Lee never expected. Just as they were building a sweet little family together, Stella's past shows up, and just might take it all away. Lee and Stella's story is so fun, emotional and sexy. I loved the evolution of their relationship and how they faced the complications and challenges of life together. Lee is so caring, and protective, making him a great dad and a swoony lover. Stella is so perfect for him with her strength, determination and devotion to Bennie and to him. I loved catching up with past characters, and also getting to know new team members who added so much fun and heart to this story. I fell in love with all the characters in this fun, touching, sweet and steamy romance!

[Rebmay]

Lee and Stella are two characters who easily won my affection and admiration. He is a devoted single dad who has found it hard to move past the death of his wife. Romance and commitment are not on his radar, his daughter and his career are his priorities. When Stella, a longtime friend, suddenly moves back to town, he finds himself offering her a temporary place to stay in return for her becoming his young daughter’s nanny. He never expected to feel this new awareness, this intense attraction to the person he had firmly put in the friend zone when they were teenagers.

Stella is set on making a new start. She has just left an abusive ex who cheated and stole from her. She has also taken a leave from the consulting job she has grown to hate, and hopes to find a new direction to follow. Stella can’t keep staying in her mother’s apartment in a seniors assisted living complex, so Lee’s offer is very tempting. His daughter is an adorable sweetheart and caring for her would be enjoyable. There is just one thing that concerns her. How will she hide her longtime crush and attraction to Lee when she is living under his roof? When a frightening incident spurs Lee to take action, and to his delight, Stella is eager to take their relationship in a new, very intimate direction. Unfortunately, these two are reluctant to tell each other that they want this temporary arrangement to be permanent.

I have to say that young Bennie (Lee’s daughter) is an absolute delight and melts my heart. The baseball players and coach that work with Lee provide plenty of hilarious moments with their teasing, prodding and gossip. They also give Lee some pretty solid advice and treat young Bennie and Stella like they are part of a family. This fabulous book made me laugh and lightened my heart. It is a delight to read and has my unreserved recommendation.

[Jasmine]

⭐️ 5/5
🔥 5/5
🌶️ 3/5
💧 5/5

Pinch Hitter by Stephanie Rose, provided via The Author Agency, is an emotionally comforting sports romance that blends best-friends-to-lovers tension, grief, emotional healing, single-parent dynamics, and slow-burn romance into a heartfelt reading experience.

The story follows Lee, a single father still carrying grief while trying to raise his daughter and move forward with his life, and Stella, his longtime best friend who has quietly loved him for years while navigating emotional struggles of her own.

One of the strongest aspects of the story is how naturally the emotional connection between Lee and Stella develops throughout the book. The relationship progression feels believable because their romance is built on years of friendship, trust, emotional comfort, and familiarity.

The slow-burn dynamic works especially well because readers are able to feel the emotional longing and hesitation between the characters as they slowly begin recognizing the possibility of something deeper between them.

Stella especially stood out as a strong and emotionally caring FMC throughout the story. One of my favorite aspects of the book was how fiercely protective she became of Lee’s daughter, particularly during the bullying situations where her protective instincts immediately took over.

The story also balances emotional themes surrounding grief, healing, parenting, and second chances while maintaining a comforting and emotionally warm atmosphere throughout the romance.

Overall, Pinch Hitter is a beautifully emotional and comforting sports romance filled with friendship, emotional healing, slow-burn tension, found family dynamics, and deeply lovable characters that make the relationship feel especially rewarding by the end.

[Colorado]

Friends to lovers, single dad, baseball and romance

This is a very poignant friends to lovers romance. Stella and Lee met as teenagers and became best friends. She's also been in love with him the whole time. They reconnect as both are grappling with life changes. Stella has returned to New York to start over and she needs a place to live. Lee is a single dad and his job with the Brooklyn baseball team requires a lot of travel. With his mother needing to move to a senior community, he needs help with childcare. Lee and Stella agree to a temporary arrangement - she will move in and take care of his daughter Bennie while she takes some time to figure out her next steps. It's just supposed to be for the season. (Big smile!)

Pinch Hitter has all the hallmarks of the friends to lovers trope - there's a lot of longing and fear that changing the relationship may upend a very close and longstanding friendship. There's also forced proximity and an adorable, very observant little girl with no filter. (Bennie delivers a lot of laugh lines.)

It's distinguished from a standard romance in a few ways. Both Lee and Stella have been deeply affected by grief and the author shows the feelings of sadness, anger, inadequacy, guilt and paralyzing fear about another potential loss that people can experience. (Lee is a widower and lost his wife about 6 years ago.) Lee and Stella are extremely likable characters. Readers will empathize with Stella's fear of voicing her true feelings to Lee and her worries about being a placeholder for his one true love. While it's a sports romance - baseball - Lee is the team chiropractor and it's fun to see his experience in a support role. There's a lot of fun team dynamics as you meet the players and coaches.

[Michelle Reads On]

There is something about Stephanie Rose’s writing that always pulls me in, but Pinch Hitter hit on a deeper level than I expected.
I went into this thinking it would be a softer, comforting read, and it is… but it also carries this quiet emotional weight that stays with you. This story is built on history, on timing, on feelings that were never fully let go of, and you feel that in every single interaction between Lee and Stella.
Stella completely stole my heart. The way she has loved Lee for years, quietly and without expectation, takes such strength. And even knowing how much it could hurt her, she still shows up for him. That kind of love felt so real and so vulnerable. And Lee… you can feel how much he is still carrying. His grief, his fear of opening himself up again, the way he holds back even when everything in him is starting to shift. Watching him slowly let himself feel again was what made this story so powerful.
And then there is his daughter, who adds this layer of warmth and emotion that makes everything feel even more tender and real. Those domestic moments, the closeness, the almosts… it all builds this slow burn that just aches in the best way.
This is not just a romance about falling in love. It is about healing, about timing, about letting yourself want something again even when you are afraid of losing it.
I finished this feeling full, a little emotional, and honestly a little fragile in the best way.
And as my first ARC from Stephanie Rose… it could not have been more special.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Stephanie Rose and The Author Agency for providing me with this ARC.

[Lindsey Riley]

With chemistry and tension this hot, Stephanie Rose creates a slow burn that is as tortuous as it is addictive.

I fell in love with the Brooklyn Bats team in Silas' story so I was over the moon when this became a series and Lee got his turn at a happily ever after.

Lee and Stella are amazing. There were so many times I was kicking my legs at the deliciousness of the scenes and situations that Lee and Stella found themselves in.
And a couple of times I wanted to throw my kindle because the simmering tension between Lee and Stella was almost at boiling point and then someone turned off the burner. ARGH!
While the slow burn was torture, it was perfect for their journey. Lee holds grief and guilt related to his wife's death which he needed to work through to be the man Stella deserved. As for Stella, her fear to hope that Lee might be in love with her radiates from the pages. When they finally reach their "f*¢k it" moment it is so satisfying.

There is no third act breakup but the angst they go through is it's own type of heartbreak. My heart hurt so much for Stella and I just wanted to wrap her in the warmest hug and take away her fears.

It's not all heartache though. Lee's daughter Bennie is the cutest and provided many warm and funny moments. The Bats players also provided laughter at their antics and the times they gave Lee a hard time over Stella.

Stephanie Rose had me on a rollercoaster of emotions with the slow burn tension, heartache and laughter that ended in the most beautiful happily ever after.

[Christine Frieseke-Miller]

I want to start by saying I haven't read an ebook or physical book for quite a long time. I'm an audio girl, but when I can an advanced copy of Stephanie Rose's Pinch Hitter, I couldn't wait to dust off my kindle! I am a huge Stephanie Rose fan. She always writes such relatable characters who go through the challenges that are typical in real life.

Lee and Stella's story was a true friends to lovers romance. They met in a grief group after they both lost their fathers. Lee became best friends with Stella and her brother. From that first meeting Stella was in love with Lee. She never said anything and watched as Lee fell in love and married another woman. This set up a course for her life where she was always running until she couldn't anymore and had to return home.

Lee lost his wife a few years ago and is a single dad to the cutest little girl, Bennie. When his best friend Stella comes back to town he is so glad to see her and when she offers to watch his little girl during baseball season, he can't believe his luck! But with this comes so many complications. So many feelings he hasn't felt in a long time and didn't expect to feel ever again.

Lee and Stella find their way to each other in an emotional story as both of them face feelings for each other and what that means to them and their loved ones. I got lost in their story and absolutely rooted for them until the very end. The broken souls were fixed with the power of their love.

Absolutely loved the story and can't wait to go back read book 1!

[Book Snob Sue]

I loved the first book, and I loved this book, but in very different ways, because the couples are very different with very different scenarios. These two were just so heartfelt, they have been friends since high school, and had experiences that bonded them for life, loss has a way of doing that. They went through things at such a young age that most people don’t experience until much later in life, and the bond created was ever lasting, as was the love. But Stella falls in love with her best friend Lee, while he does love her, but as a best friend, and is completely oblivious to her being in love with him. By the time she is ready to tell him about her feelings, he has already found the love of his life. Then tragedy strikes Lee once again, and he becomes a single dad. Stella has been traveling around the country for her job to outrun her feelings and loss. But when Stella has a boyfriend issue, she comes back home to be with her mom, and help her best friend aka the love of her life out with his sweet baby girl.

This was a story that just pulled at my heartstrings, with all the feels, and I do mean all of them. My heart broke for them, in different ways, but all the same. Then the extreme all consuming love my heart felt for them, topped off all the feels. I felt like I was a part of the story, with every single emotion, the laughter, the tears and the love. Such a beautiful and powerful book, written flawlessly with a couple that deserves a hea more than most. An epilogue, a bonus epilogue that everyone needs to be sure to get and read, and a much deserved hea.

[Booklover Judy Lynn]

#SingleDad #ForcedProximity #FriendsToLovers #Nanny #Sports #ARC
I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving an advance reader copy of the book. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV, can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.
Readers met Lee in book one of this series and I was really looking forward to him getting a happy ending after the sorrow he has been through. He struggles to manage everything as a single dad when Stella comes back into his life, I adored the friendship they share, which has lasted through everything since they were teenagers. Stella has always had a crush on Lee but hid it from him. Honestly, she has always felt more than a crush on him. When they learn to live together and help each other, their old and new feelings quickly develop into a new life.
I adored this book. I loved how Stella struggled to protect her heart while allowing herself to have the dream of becoming closer to Lee. I loved how Lee falls hard for Stella while still not realizing that she has always loved him. There are moments of panic, times when chemistry becomes impossible to resist, moments of laughter, and moments of romance. I adored Lee's dirty mouth and Stella's confidence in her own body. I loved his little girl and how each of them had a special relationship with her. I really loved the HEA. This book made me swoon. Don't miss it.

[Jaclyn]

𝑷𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝑯𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 (𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘) // 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆

- friends to lovers
- single dad x nanny
- she falls first
- he falls harder
- baseball team's chiropractor
- MCs in their 30s

Stella has been in love with her brother's best friend Lee since she was a teenager, and has since watched him fall in love with someone else, marry them, and have a kid. The pain of watching someone else's life was too much for Stella, so she left Brooklyn as soon as she could.

Meanwhile, Lee has had the worst luck possible over the last few years. After his wife passed away, his family stepped in to help raise his daughter while he was traveling for work as the Brooklyn Bat's team chiropractor.

A dangerous situation forces Stella back home, and being back in Brooklyn was the best choice she could have made, because oh no... Lee needs a babysitter for his daughter AND Stella needs a place to live. Umm YES PLEASE!!! I ATE THIS UP!!

Stephanie left no crumbs with Lee and Stella. The plot and pacing of their story was at the perfect speed, and Bennie's 7 year old antics added to the overall happy vibe of the story. I mean, single dad and nanny you really can't go wrong, especially when it's an unrequited love situation!!

There's just something about a Stephanie Rose book that gets me EVERY TIME. No matter what kind of mood I'm in, I know I can count on her books to make me smile and it's never a struggle to read the amazing stories that she comes up with.

[Maryanne DeWitt]

I think when Stephanie Rose sits down to craft her next novel, she thinks about how she can make it better than the last (no matter how good that one was!) and then…she does. Every one of her books gets better and better, and the character development throughout each book just hooks the reader and makes you stalk her newsletter to see when the release date for the next book is. Stella and Lee were absolutely FANTASTIC in every sense of the word. They leapt off the page and grabbed my attention from the very first word, and the beautiful journey to their happily ever after was everything and more.

Stella and Lee’s path to a happily ever after begins in a grief group as children and really gets started when Lee needs a solution to his childcare problem almost 20 years later. The slow burn is impeccable – and their chemistry is off the charts, even when Lee is in the dark about how Stella really feels about him. Stephanie Rose’s ability to put the reader almost in the room with Stella and Lee, makes her, in my opinion, one heck of a writer. I look forward to each of her books and as I mentioned earlier, her foreshadowing of characters who will eventually get their own books is chef’s kiss! I cannot WAIT for Nate’s story…and I know that Ms. Rose will wow us all with it. In the meantime, read Pinch Hitter…you’ll thank me later!

[Nina Bloom]

Sweet, steamy, and exactly what I needed to break a major book slump!

After a long, cold, wordless winter, Pinch Hitter completely pulled me in and got me out of a major book slump.

Stephanie Rose did such a great job balancing emotional depth, sweet moments, and steamy chemistry, making this book incredibly easy to get lost in.

Lee and Stella’s friends-to-lovers story is filled with years of history, longing, and all the tension that comes from living under the same roof with someone you’ve quietly loved most of your life. Stella’s longtime love for Lee made every moment between them feel meaningful. The butterflies in my belly were swooping all over the damn place! Lee’s struggle with grief and watching his heart slowly open again gave the story real emotional weight. I found myself tearing up at times.

I also loved Lee’s daughter, Bennie, who stole the scene whenever she was on page. She brought so much charm to the story. The found family dynamic made the romance even more satisfying.

This book was heartfelt, steamy, and full of the kind of romantic tension that keeps you turning pages. I can’t wait to see what Stephanie Rose has in store for us next in the Brooklyn Bats series!