The Hotshot (The Dugout)

**ARC / ALC REVIEW**

The Hotshot by Piper Rayne is a fun, well-written, and heartfelt sports romance, as well as a fantastic introduction to the Dugout Series. The story is fast-paced and emotional, and I really enjoyed it in both the ebook and audio formats.

Leighton is a compelling and relatable heroine, while Hayes is attentive, protective, and deeply supportive. Their fake relationship—formed during Leighton’s custody battle for her little cousins—develops naturally and is both heartwarming and emotionally satisfying.

The chemistry is strong, the banter is playful, and the heat level is well balanced without overpowering the story. The emotional weight of guardianship and family dynamics adds depth and brings everything together beautifully.

🎧 The full-cast audiobook narration deserves special mention. The narrators truly brought the characters to life, making the story even more engaging and easy to connect with.

This story made me smile, and I couldn’t stop reading and listening. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series.

Why You Need to Read This Book:
Best Friend’s Older Brother
Baseball Player
Single Guardian
Fake Relationship
He Falls First
Slow Burn

Thank you to Piper Rayne and Valentine PR for the ARC and ALC.

The Hotshot is a baseball romance with fake dating, second chances, and a catcher who apparently believes oral dedication is a love language. Piper Rayne gives Leighton and Hayes a romance that is sweet, steamy, and surprisingly tender beneath all the flirting. Leighton Sinclair’s life changes overnight after her cousin and cousin’s husband die in a tragic accident. She is their children's godmother, which leaves her to raise their three children. She is a labor and delivery nurse with a structured life, a big heart, and more bravery than she gives herself credit for. Taking in three grieving kids is already a massive act of love. Fighting for them in court made Leighton an easy to like character. The family drama had me gasping and side-eye multiple people. Hayes Carlisle is the Chicago Colts’ new catcher, Leighton’s best friend’s older brother, and a man with unfinished feelings after a kiss they both tried to pretend did not matter. His offer to become her fake boyfriend starts as a way to help her custody case and clean up his image. Obviously, their chemistry has very little interest in staying fake. The spice was very much present. Hayes deserves recognition for his enthusiasm, stamina, and very specific priorities. That man wanted to live between Leighton’s thighs. Honestly, good for everyone involved. There were plenty of sweeter moments with the kids and scenes where Hayes shows up for Leighton that kept it from feeling like spice without substance. I loved the humor near the end with Hayes’s sister pretending to be furious before admitting she had practiced her rage with Hayes the night before. It was cute, silly, and such a fun little payoff to the best friend’s brother tension. The Hotshot did not dethrone The Deal for me, but it was still a flirty, heartfelt, and spicy baseball romance that made me smile. Pick this up if you want a spicy sports romance with fake dating, second chances, instant family tenderness, messy relatives behaving badly, and a man who treats enthusiasm like a personal mission.