4
Catch Her If You Can Book Cover Catch Her If You Can
Big Shots
Tessa Bailey
Romance
Avon
January 20, 2026
Paperback, Ebook, Audio
333

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey is back with an all-new marriage of convenience, friends-to-lovers sports romance about a baseball catcher and the burlesque club owner he can’t get out of his head. Madden Donahue, the newest catcher for the Yankees, has been in love with Eve Mitchell since high school, but for some mysterious reason, the burlesque club owner always turns him down. That never stopped him from being her self-appointed protector. Case in point, now that Eve’s sister has left Eve with her two children indefinitely, Madden steps in with a proposition—marry him for the much needed health benefits. Eve has secretly harbored feelings for Madden all along, but there’s one problem—her best friend Skylar called dibs on him when they were fourteen. Eve has always put their friendship above all else, and she’s not willing to risk losing Skylar over a man. Raised by the local strip club owner, Eve is woefully short on friends and treasures the ones she has. But with Skylar happily paired off, Eve finds herself accepting Madden’s proposal—on the condition that their marriage remains strictly private. She’s not about to let her unique profession and maligned reputation destroy Madden’s shiny new career. Madden won’t let Eve get away that easily, though. What starts as a marriage of convenience soon ignites into something much hotter, and now it’s up to Madden to convince Eve that their connection is far more than a business arrangement. As the passion builds, can their fake marriage become the real deal?

Big Shots Series

Tessa Bailey is a Hive Favorite. Hands down, if she writes it, we’re going to read it and we’re going to love it. Don’t believe me? Check out this raving review of “It Happened One Summer” from Kristin, my review of “Wreck the Halls”, or Jes’ review of “Fangirl Down”, the first book in the Big Shots series. Bottom line — we’re going to shout about Tessa, wherever she leads us. That being said, the “Big Shots” series is the top of all of my Tessa Bailey recommendations. I truly cannot get enough of these strong, tough men and the even stronger and more badass women they love.

Sports Romance is probably my favorite subgenre to read. Being a professional athlete lends itself perfectly to the love interests that Bailey likes to write – bold, strong, stubborn, protective, dedicated. Throughout each “Big Shots” story, our male main characters all lean in to those alpha male vibes. Wells’ is a stubborn, rough around the edges grump. Burgess and Sig are protective of the people they love. Robbie is dedicated and loyal, and won’t let you forget it.

Madden, though. Madden breaks the mold of what I expect from a professional athlete love interest. He’s the exception and not the rule.

It’s A Love Story, Baby Just Say “Yes”

Eve and Madden are softer with each other than some of the other couples in this series, but there’s something to be said about being strong and tough yet still keeping that softness. Some of the most intimate scenes in “Catch Her If You Can” are the soft, quiet ones that are just a toe outside of the batter’s box white line.

Bailey does a lot of telling in this novel, rather than showing, but it serves a purpose and works well with all of the longing and desire from both of our main characters. Both Eve and Madden linger in their respective inner thoughts, recounting all of the moments that they’ve yearned for the other. It’s introspective, a little sad that so much time had been wasted, but also builds that emotional response in the reader so you can’t help but root for their relationship to be successful.

Bailey leaves lots of breadcrumbs

One of my favorite things about the Big Shots series, and Tessa Bailey in general, is her knack for leaving breadcrumbs about where the series has been… and where it might go next. Now, I know that Bailey’s next release is actually a time-travel romance called “Broken Rival” (expected October 6th), but something tells me she might not be done with the characters in Big Shots. There’s absolutely a story unfolding between Elton and Veda, and I have a lot of hope to see them reappear on the page down the road. Did you feel their chemistry, too, or am I alone in my wishful thinking?

Whatever she writes, I’m going to read it. I don’t care if there’s a Big Foot paranormal romance announced, a sentient object romance a-la Vera Valentine (iykyk), or some monster smash. I’m here for all of it. I wouldn’t say know to another Big Shots book, though.