Pop star Lacey Logan is one of the most famous women in the world who, after a night out meets her teenage celebrity crush, professional baseball player Jimmy Hodges who is near the end of his career.

While its a short read, at times it was slow-going because it comes off as a heavy-handed fan defence of Taylor Swift. Katie Cotugno was clearly inspired by the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Kelce pairing, and while she wrote Jimmy as a baseball player at the end of his career, she didn't bother to disguise Lacey, and this is why I think the book suffers.

While I do get that Taylor ... sorry Lacey is astute enough to understand her fame and what it means for her day-to-day life (like lack of anonymity), I couldn't help but agree with Jimmy about Lacey's constant machinations with her fans. As such I didn't feel any real character development or connection between the two to really root for them to be together.

This book is very much one for the diehard Swifties who love Swiftie fan fic.

Thanks to Harper Pernniel and paperbacks and NetGalley for the ARC.

Taylor swift/ Travis kelce fan fic vibes
Abrupt ending
Baseball player/ pop star

This book was a cute fun quick read. I wish the ending wasn't so abrupt but I liked the characters and I love baseball books

I have such mixed feelings about this one! I have read and loved pretty much all of Katie Cotugno's other books, and celebrity romance is one of my ultimate favorite tropes, so I was really looking forward to HEAVY HITTER! I did enjoy certain aspects of the story, but it fell a little bit flat for me in other areas. The book introduces us to Lacey Logan, a renowned pop star at the height of her career, and Jimmy Hodges, a famous baseball player contemplating retirement, and hoping to have one last good season. They might seem like an unlikely pair, but there's no denying the sparks that fly between the two when they cross paths unexpectedly in NYC. Can Lacey and Jimmy's connection survive the spotlight?

I always enjoy Katie Cotugno's writing style and the witty banter she includes in her books, and this one was no different! Lacey and Jimmy's voices were both so strong, and I personally enjoyed the third-person POV—dual POV can sometimes be hit-or-miss for me, but I really liked the way Cotugno handled it. It's an overall quick read, and is so easy to get engaged in!

That being said, I felt like it was almost too rushed at some points, which affected the character development for me. The story is heavily inspired by Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, which isn't necessarily a bad thing—I love Taylor's music, am not super invested in her and Travis's relationship, but I was still really interested to see how Katie Cotugno tackled this type of love story. However, I feel like this book was almost treated too much like fanfic in that the characters feel a little too similar to their real-life counterparts and therefore a little underdeveloped, especially Lacey. Maybe this was just my experience, but I couldn't stop seeing Lacey as Taylor, right down to the diary-like, literary songwriting, Easter eggs in her work, intense parasocial relationships with her fans, and massive world tour where she performs songs from all of her "eras" (and even rehearses the exact same unique way as Taylor does). I think it's a fun touch to include some similarities, but I wish Lacey had also been portrayed as more of her own person, if that makes sense. There were lots of interesting threads with her story (complicated relationship with her mom, struggles making real friends, etc.) that I would have loved to see more of!

Even though I wished some things in the story had been expanded on more, I'd still recommend HEAVY HITTER as a fun, fast-paced read, especially if you're a Swiftie and/or you love celebrity and sports romances! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC.

Happy to have received this ARC book. If you love to follow Travis and Taylor, this book has the same vibes.
Lacey, a huge singer has recently ended her relationship when she found out he got someone pregnant and he had a cocaine habit. Her life is carefully curated on Instagram and she is constantly under supervision.

One night she goes out with her friend. they're hanging out and she sees Jimmy, a professional athlete who was rookie of the year when she was in high school. They are complete opposites and Sparks fly between them.

This book is super cute, and a quick read. I thought some chapters could be developed a little bit more in the story could have been a lot longer. But it's a cute read,very easy. You can easily finish it in about 3 or 4 hours.

Thank you for allowing me to read it as an advanced reader

This is an easy read, but I was bored and I felt like the writing was somewhat lazy/uninspired.

I am also not a fan of insta-attraction so that's my own fault. I am just on a sports romance kick and wanted to give this one a try.

Thanks for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This one is for the Swifties…

Like honestly, I felt like I was reading the love story of Taylor and Travis. And I ATE. IT. UP.

Told in dual POVs, the story of Lacey and Jimmy plays out beautifully. A pop star and a baseball player, both famous in their own rights, fall in love through a chance encounter and late night phone calls. But when they’re forced to hard launch, Lacey and Jimmy aren’t sure if they’re ready for the spotlight.

Heavy Hitter was cute and fast paced. I felt like I had barely started the book when I looked down and saw that I was almost done. I feel like certain topics could have been explored more deeply, and I would have loved an epilogue.

Sports romances are so fun, and Heavy Hitter was no different. If you’re a Swiftie, you NEED to check this one out.

Heavy Hitter, Katie Cotugno's latest adult romance, is another celebrity romance, but in a different vein than her previous two books. Heavy Hitter instead tackles sports and music with a clear - sometimes too obvious, even for this fan - Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce inspiration. Lacey Logan is the biggest pop star in the world, her life revolving around her tour, public image, and fans; Jimmy Hodges is an Orioles catcher at the end of his career, trying to have one last good season. They meet out in New York one night, but continue talking as they both leave the city.

The dialogue is funny and distinct, which is especially helpful as much of Lacey and Jimmy's relationship takes place over the phone as they travel for her tour and his games, respectively. I enjoyed how direct, in-charge, and apologetic Lacey was, and how honest she and the book are about the reality of being one of the most famous people in the world. I love celebrity romances and think this one went deeper into the details and difficulties than most do; it's more than just having an agent and publicist or gossip sites writing about you.

Heavy Hitter is a quick, breezy read - almost too much, as it could have used some more space to breathe and develop. Like Cotugno's previous adult books, the ending in particular is so, so quick. In this case, the book really feels the loss of a climatic ending at a certain big event as well as an epilogue showing how they make their relationship work. She's a strong writer, so I don't understand why her books seem to always end a page after a confession or reunion. It makes me feel just confused and let down at the end rather than fully satisfied. Still, this is a really fun summer read and a take on celebrity romance that doesn't feel the same as every Hollywood or musicians love story.

4/5 ⭐️

Cutest romance about a famous pop star, Lacey, and famous catcher for The Orioles, Jimmy. Jimmy and Lacey meet at a club, and after a steamy interaction in a public bathroom, they can’t get enough of each other! While both are pretty busy in their chaotic lives, with Lacey on tour and Jimmy making his way to The World Series, these lovers fall in love over phone calls all the way from different sides of the country. When they finally see each other in person, it’s hot and spicy! They can’t keep their hands off each other. Fame and egos get in the way, but these two lovers find that their fame and egos can’t get in between them any longer.

I LOVED this cute romance and it was much different than a small town romance. You get to see the two perspectives of a famous singer and a famous baseball player (and being a girl who LOVES baseball, this was such a good read!)

“He loves her like the first day of pitchers and catchers reporting. He loved her like the bottom of the ninth.”

*Thank you to Netgally for the ARC*

Well… that was kinda awful. This is so Taylor and Travis coded it made me gag. It’s so cringy, the main character, Lindsey is so self centered and cruel. The plot is massively rushed and feels thrown together. Also, the weird almost fade to black scenes where just awful. I’m so bummed, I loved Katie’s YA books and was so excited to read an adult book of theirs. 😬

This book was definitely a mix of a sports romance to a pop star. I found it was a fast paced and easy read. The main female character definitely made me want to scream because I felt she wasn’t self aware but through the book I did see growth. I also enjoyed the humbleness of the main male character even though he was MLB player. Also not open door scenes so that was nice because there are readers who want some flavors in their reading and not necessarily spice! Great, quick summer love story and would be a perfect pool side book!

Thank you @netgalley, @katiecotugno and @harpercollins @harperperennial for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this! All thoughts are my own!

#harpercollins #harperperennial #arcbookreview #heavyhitter #katiecontugno #sportromance #popstarromance

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Heavy Hitter" by Katie Cotugno is a short and sweet romance about a mega-famous singer and an MVP baseball player. Hint, hint....you get the idea. This book is paced very quickly and can easily be read in one sitting. I loved the banter between the main characters, Lacey and Jimmy, and enjoyed the dual POV. If the book had been longer, I would have enjoyed focusing more on the family issues each character dealt with, but not having that information didn't affect the plot. This is quite spicy so maybe skip it if that's not your thing; otherwise, it was a quick, fun read!

Thanks to Harper Collins for the ARC of this one. It was a super quick and fast romance. I read it in one evening and enjoyed I thoroughly. The plot seemed to be heavily inspired by the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance, but instead of football the MMC is a baseball player. I thought the details of their relationship were very sweet and their connection felt believable. You'd like this one if you enjoy celebrity romance, sports romance and slow burn romance. I'm grateful for the opportunity to read this one and would read others by this author in the future.

I requested this ARC because I liked the premise of the story - a romance between a popstar and an athlete. Unfortunately, I just didn't hit the mark for me.

Lacey was clearly was inspired by Taylor Swift (to the point where it almost felt lazy, like we didn't get to know Lacey as her own person). It also doesn't feel like I really got to know Jimmy. The pieces we were given are repeated many times. Aside from the heavy character inspiration, the story was written in a present-tense and presented as a dual POV with Jimmy and Lacey getting their own chapters, but it's also written in third person. It all made it hard for me to connect with the main characters and get absorbed into the story.
Some parts felt underdeveloped and therefore confusing. It almost felt like this was more like a second draft than a final copy. I think the pacing was a big piece of this. When Lacey and Jimmy exchange "I love you"s, I actually forgot one of them had already made the declaration by the time the other responded because it was far enough apart. I was confused enough that I had to go back and search for where the original 'I love you' was.

The ending is also a little abrupt. Maybe there will be an epilogue added when it's published but it all felt very sudden. There's a lot left unresolved (Lacey's mom, Toby, Jimmy's career, etc). In the book's defense, it's only 240 pages long so there's not a lot of space to work out details.  

Ultimately, this is an easy read (1 or two days at most). I enjoyed the banter between  Lacy and Jimmy, but the story didn't end as strongly as it started.

What a cute, quick read! I enjoyed Katie Cotugno's Birds of Paradise so I was excited to get into this novel. Sports romances are big right now, and I eat them up. This read did not disappoint,

The Good: I love my romance novels short and sweet and this was that! I loved the riff on Taylor and Travis (because lets be honest.. this is the only celebrity couple this was based on. I loved how the author went into some detail about this well-known but likely misunderstood professions, to show the reader how hard a relationship can be when you are famous. I really loved both Lacey and Jimmys characters.

The Not-So-Great: While I love a short romance.. this book needed to spend a bit more time fluffing out the actual romance. It happened quick, and made the HEA ending feel a bit rushed and not as believable as them falling in like/lust. We were supposed to believe by the last chapter they had fallen in love and I just.. didn't.

Overall, I would recommend as a quick and cute read!

Fair Fighting Rules and HEAVY HITTER by Katie Cotugno

Lacey is a super-star pop singer with hordes of devoted fans who both love her and, maybe, would rip the skin from her body. Her summer tour is literally changing the economy. Jimmy is a weathered MLB catcher hoping to win a World Series this season – his last before retiring from a long career with the Orioles. When they meet, the connection is instantaneous, spicy, and deeply meaningful to each of them.

Jimmy’s world is pretty different than the average person. And Lacey’s world is basically in another universe from Jimmy’s. The public pressure is enormous, and the gap between their lives is monumental. Lacey has no privacy. She can’t even go out in public without a whole plan for her safety, and Jimmy doesn’t get that she’s stuck in a golden prison. Jimmy worries that the immensity of her life may be more than he can handle, and Lacey is hurt that he seems overwhelmed by her success. When they disagree or face hurdles in the relationship, their communication immediately breaks down, and they devolve into mean and petty arguments.

Disagreements are an inevitable part of any relationship. What matters is not the presence of these disputes, but how they are managed. The implementation of fair fighting rules can effectively moderate disagreements, preventing minor issues from escalating into major, emotionally charged problems.

Here are suggestions for fair fighting rules:

Check Your Tone: Avoid yelling, screaming, snarling, sneering, grumbling, whining, scorn, and sarcasm. Instead, use a soft voice and a measured and calm tone.

Focus on Argument at a Time: Focus on the issue at hand. Refrain from getting sidetracked into other past arguments or unrelated tangents.

Avoid Mean Language: Focus on the issue, not the person. Character attacks, swearing, and degrading statements can lead to hurt feelings, defensiveness, and deepening problems.

Take Turns Talking: No interruptions, monologuing, or stonewalling. Truly listen when the other person talks. When it’s your turn, pause after a few sentences so the other person can absorb.

Seems like a knock off of the Taylor/Travis story. Was much more engaging than I expected. The ending was very abrupt but made sense.

I just truly enjoy everthing Kate Cutugno writes. She has such a unique way of connecting to modern celebrity stories without totally corrupting the plot of the story she’s trying to tell.
She also doesn’t allow popular tropes to dictate her romance. Though this story is clearly Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift influenced, it felt different enough, and insightful enough that I felt that I was being to exposed to a different side of a story I was already family with.

Loved this, read it quickly and enjoyed every minute! ❤️

I wanted to love this, I really did. But I just couldn’t get into it. Honestly I would have enjoyed it more if there was less explicit language and open door scenes. Because of that I just couldn’t finish it.

loved this romance between a singer and baseball player. reminded me of taylor and kelcie . Good romance and good smexy times. Loved the duel point of views.

This was a short but cute romance!

This is 100% Taylor Swift fan fic. The description mentioned multiple pop x athlete examples, but the FMC is Taylor - the hidden messages, the Swifties, being misogyny about her breakup music, etc. Nothing wrong with this, but make sure you go in with the right expectations!

What bothered me the most was the choice to write this book in third person present tense, switching POVs between the two main characters. It made it a little difficult to read and follow.

I also wish there was a bit more of a conclusion, I felt like the book fell off pretty quickly. I would have liked more of a wrap up.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, and it’s a super quick read! Would be a great palette cleanser book.