Pitcher Perfect

by Devina Douglas

Recently dumped by one of baseball’s biggest names, Alyssa Reid has struck out in love once again. During one of the harshest Manhattan winters on record, she's suddenly alone in a new city, with only a job with the Centers for Disease Control and a partially furnished eighth floor walk-up to keep her warm. While her ex may have turned her life upside down, it isn't until a twist of fate causes Alex Whitfield, her ex-boyfriend’s best friend and teammate, to move into her spare bedroom that she’ll see what it’s like to really be thrown a major league curveball.


While Alyssa knows better than to get romantically involved with a man reputed for breaking hearts as efficiently and effectively as he strikes out opposing batters, there’s something utterly irresistible about him. ...It might be that Alex calls her every evening he's on the road to say goodnight, it could be the way his southern drawl leaves her hanging on his every word, but likely it's seeing the body that landed him on the cover of GQ routinely wandering her hall wrapped in only a towel. Although their relationship is ostensibly platonic -- Alex staunchly refusing to admit he thinks of her as anything more than the annoying little sister he never had -- a full year after he moves out, he sets his sights on the one girl in New York who could, with one wink of her perfectly curled eyelashes, have him throwing away his little black book. And in love as in baseball, he has no intention losing.

Genres: Sports, Sports Romance, Romance, Baseball

320 pages, ebook

First published September 16, 2009

Reviews

[KristenReviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

1 to 2 stars

This book is simply odd and does not have the feel of a genuine romance story. The first book What A Catch has a great romance plot, but this book's premise is what would have happened if Allie and Scott, the hero and heroine from the first book, did not work things out. In this book, Allie, the heroine of both books, becomes best friends with and eventually starts a bumpy romance with Alex, a minimal character from the first book. This happens after Scott, the hero from the first book breaks up with Allie—the timing of their breakup, I THINK, would have happened midway though the first book. It's an odd plot for a second book considering the author gave Allie and Scott a terrific HEA and a glimpse into their future. The author then writes the second book and asks the reader to completely disregard their emotional attachment to Allie and Scott's relationship from the first book, and become invested in this alternate reality. I just found the whole thing odd and a bit unsettling. To make things even stranger, Allie and Alex do not get together until the last few pages of this book, making the ending anticlimactic and with a less than HEA feel.  I guess that's okay considering Allie already has her HEA with Scott in the first book. 

Pitcher Perfect did not work for me. I'd suggest reading the first book and skipping this one. 

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me of Thoughtless/Effortless. I couldn't put it down long enough to even post status updates.

I loved the friendship between Alex and Alyssa. They were such good friends that part of me didn’t want them together because I didn’t want anything to happen to change their friendship. But of course, I’m a romance junky so I really wanted them to get together. Every time another guy asked Alyssa out I couldn’t wait to see what Alex would say and I cringed that this new guy would end up being the guy she ended up with. The same went for Alex, every new woman he dated; I dreaded that he would end up with her. At one point I was sure that Alyssa and Alex would never get together and my heart just about broke at the thought. I savored every moment Alex and Alyssa spent together.

Certain parts of this book just broke my heart and brought me to tears. This book was full of emotion and angst and kept me hooked until the very end.

Pitcher Perfect definitely rates up there with Effortless and Thoughtless and actually surpasses them (for me). It’s definitely one of my new favorite books. This will definitely be a reread for me.

My version of Alex:

[Anne OK · Rating 2 out of 5]

The allure of a new-to-me-author and a desire for a sports-themed romance was the draw. However, this one was a slow start with hard to follow timing. Story premise had promise but somehow didn’t make it to home plate. Lots of spelling and grammar errors that a good edit would have surely caught further added to the distress level.

The characters of Allie, Alex, and Scott, along with most of the secondary cast, seemed to lack maturity and not too much moral fiber. The storyline built around major league baseball seemed realistic and believable. There were some e-mail messages sent between the characters that offered some comical relief. Otherwise, the story left much to be desired.

The ending was terribly disappointing and rushed. After weaving their way through page after page after page, the lead characters finally reunite with very little emotion or spark in the last three or four pages of the book. Not much can be said for the finale and the happily-ever-after. It was abruptly understated. If you’re looking for a sports-themed romance, there are much better choices from which to choose.

[Michelle [Helen Geek] · Rating 1 out of 5]

See the Stars? Says it all. A total load of CRAPOLA!

So, sad to say, a big DNF for me.

I really should have looked through the reviews more on this one. Kristen read it and tried to enjoy it, but in the end, didn't: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

My GR Friend Anne saved me time by finishing before me. She didn't like it anymore than I, but was a bit more generous in her rating, but then, she finished it. Here is a link to her great review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

So, if I had read to the finish, it may have had two [2] stars, but I didn't and saved myself from poor to mediocre. I think I was the winner!

I would not read this one.

[Tami Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my number one favorite sports romance ever. I’m baffled at the comments by people. I loved that the author wrote the first book but then her friend thought Allie should of ended up with Alex so wrote Pitch Perfect.
I love that this story is unique and not your typical villainous run of the mill sports romance with same old plots. I read this at least once a year.
Please don’t let someone else’s crap review deter you from reading either one of these books. They are both wonderful.
Also, the author, Miss Douglas got her law degree and is practicing law in California. She is a multi talented author and lawyer.

[Karen **Mrs. Northman** · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I went into this book thinking it would be a good old friends-to-lovers story and technically, I got what I paid for.......but not without a bit of frustration. Also, it must be said I love a good sports-themed romance so maybe my expectations were high? I could have dealt with the fact that there was zero sex or sexual tension if it wasn't for the GINORMOUS amount of editing errors in the Kindle edition. Holy distraction from the story, Batman. that is one thing I absolutely cannot stand in a book. So that's why I'd probs rate this about 3 stars.....definite potential but didn't quite make the mark :(

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I'm being generous giving this book 4 stars but I felt 3 wasn't enough either. I did really enjoy this book, however I didn't read the one that came before it (unknowingly) so that may be why I enjoyed it as much as I did. The plot was complicated but not too hard to follow. My biggest complaint would have to be the last quarter of the book felt rushed. Everything was descriptive and the author took the time to create this story and then BAM let's just shove the same amount of story into 2 chapters instead of 10.

[Jess O. (From Jess to You) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"3.5 out of 5 stars .... I loved this book but why it didn't get 5 stars was because I think Allie was too undecided about her relationship with Alex after..."

Check out my review and TWO TEASERS here: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2011/07/made-grade-pitcher-perfect-by-devina.html

[Janalee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the e-book version. This had one of the most complicated plots for a fluffy romance novel that I've ever come across.

Also I just couldn't seem to like Alyssa. I really wanted to but she often came off as a doormat. But it is what it is.

I was also not impressed with the spelling errors. They were little things like "if" instead of "it", but it detracted from the story, particularly since I paid money for it.

[Christine]

Couldn't finish. No particular reason why besides it took forever to get in to and I read books so quick because I need that instant gratification. If I can't get into it... I drop it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

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[Marialaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like how it ended so abruptly with no explanation from Alyssa, other than that i really enjoyed the book.