The Art of Catching Feelings hits it out of the park with its charming blend of romance, humor, and heartfelt moments.
Daphne Brink's accidental heckling of Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler sets the stage for a delightful and unexpected romance. What begins as a humorous encounter at a baseball game evolves into a heartfelt connection as Daphne and Chris navigate their budding relationship both on and off the field.
The author's characters are vibrant and relatable, drawing readers into their world with witty banter and genuine emotion. Daphne's journey from divorcee to finding unexpected love is both empowering and endearing, while Chris's vulnerability adds depth to their connection.
As their feelings deepen and Daphne's deception threatens to unravel their romance, readers will find themselves rooting for this unlikely pair to overcome the odds and find their happily ever after. With its engaging storyline and lovable characters, The Art of Catching Feelings is a home run of a romance that will leave readers swooning until the final inning.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A romance novel combined with baseball is a must-read for me! "The Art of Catching Feelings" is a heartwarming love story that not only made me laugh out loud but also tugged at my heartstrings.

Daphne, who isn't a big baseball fan, finds herself at a MLB Carolina Battery game and after having a few too many drinks, she starts heckling one of the players, Chris Kepler. Unfortunately, it turns out to be the wrong day to heckle Chris as he becomes emotional, and the video of it goes viral. Feeling guilty, Daphne sends a private message via social media with kind words without revealing that she was the heckler. From that message, the two start a correspondence with Daphne using the name “Duckie” so Chris doesn’t suspect she’s the heckler. In an unexpected turn of events, Daphne gets a job with the team!!!! From this point on, I couldn't wait to see how Alicia Thompson would bring these two characters together.

This is a fantastic romance novel that has a lot of depth to it. The banter between Chris and Daphne is engaging, and their relationship feels genuine. As a fan of sports romance, this book is a perfect example of why I love the genre so much. The Art of Catching Feelings is a 5 stars without a doubt!

This book was a solid 3.75/5 stars for me.

In The Art of Catching Feelings, you follow along the story of Daphne and Chris. Daphne is newly divorced and is celebrating the finality of it at a baseball game with her best friend. She has one too many drinks and ends up heckling a baseball player, Chris. It gets blasted all over the news and really goes viral. Daphne then feels horrible and reaches out to apologize on social media but things don’t go quite like she wanted them to and now he has no idea it’s her that’s messaging him.

I loved the plot line of this book but I did struggle with some of the pacing and the 3rd person POV can be a bit confusing at times in romance books which is why I rated it what I did. Overall, I did enjoy this book and it was a really fun and cute read. It would be perfect for the summer time!

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

-hidden identity
-slow burn
-sports romance (baseball)
-grief rep
-baseball player x fill in reporter

✨Chris Kepler can take me out to the ballgame and then just take me 😮‍💨✨

TL;DR: The Art of Catching Feelings was a really great read—both for baseball fans and non fans alike—but my review comes with a pretty big JUST HEAR ME OUT. The majority of the plot and relationship are centered around lying and hidden identity, which I know is pretty polarizing so…JUST HEAR ME OUT. The romance was HOT with fantastic tension—I mean, hey, lying’s at least good for that!—and I was hooked from the first.

But…I definitely got tired of Daphne chickening out from telling Chris the truth…but I do also understand that once she got to a certain point, they were too deep into the season to do much. Baseball players are very superstitious and you should probably not drop bombshell news on a starting MLB player mid season…but you should also maybe not lie! But also part of me ate up that drama, so who’s to say?? All I guess I’m saying is that yeah the miscommunication was a dark cloud over the book, but there was still a lot of light within and it would be a shame to write this one off!

✨

Okay, let’s get this out of the way, if you—like me—dislike plots that rely heavily on lying, concealing the truth, miscommunication…just take a deep breath and trust the process. I was curious but also SCARED to see how it was going to resolve, so I think this will make a fabulous reread, seeing as I know now how everything shakes out and I won’t have to stress. Because stress I did.

The lying was definitely a giant piano hanging overhead of literally 80% of the book. It had some You’ve Got Mail vibes, especially at the beginning, which was fun but also a bit frustrating. I’ve noticed that the “I wanted it to be you so badly” of it all is always lost whenever books play on that plot. Because the hidden identity doesn’t cause a fight (in either The Shop Around the Corner or You’ve Got Mail)!! That’s why it’s a comfort movie to me!!

So it seemed like a bit of a missed opportunity to wait until the very end to have Daphne reveal her deception, because literally everything was tainted by us knowing he was going be SO hurt. And I mean everything. Including the VERY HOT SEX. It was so hot!!! Like mutual masturbation over the phone hot!!! But it was also so not hot when Daphne kept avoiding the truth.

There were so many times she could’ve revealed herself but chose not to, and by the third or fourth one I was like GIRL please give us something!! If the big reveal would’ve happened around 50%, it would’ve a. still given him time to be angry (warranted!!) b. been an unexpected and very welcome twist (good) and c. left a lot of time for more relationship development WITHOUT the looming downfall (hot).

Because now I have to preface this review, and probably any time recommend the book, with a big BUT. Because I know this setup—especially how it played out here—is a turn off for a lot of readers. And I LOVED so much of this book, so I’m just a bit sad that the romance was partly (and I have a feeling for future readers, will be) overshadowed by the lying.

✨

But aside from that, I really had a wonderful time. The story was fast paced, the writing was charming, and I got so enamored by the fantasy of it all. Sure, I was stressed about the lies, but don’t get it twisted, I was LIVING for the drama. There was something so satisfying about the story turning into a workplace romance—with it being a bit forbidden and his teammates knowing he wanted her when he thought it was soooooooo secret. And that also being obvious LIVE ON AIR.

I love baseball—and I know Alicia does too—so it was very fun to be in the headspace of Daphne, who could literally care less about the sport. I’m sorry, but if my brother worked for an MLB team and I had the opportunity to casually be near the players??? All bets would be off. I feel her though, because I too have brought a book to the ballpark on more than one occasion.

As for Chris Kepler—an ode to the starting right fielder for the Minnesota Twins, and my personal angel baby boy, Max Kepler—he was literally a dreamboat. We got his POV, and I really appreciated the nuances of his character. He wasn’t a playboy, but he wasn’t timid either. To sum it up, I was very into his whole ~thing.

Do I think any baseball player would actually be such perfect boyfriend material in real life? Absolutely not, and frankly I try to think about players off the field as LITTLE as possible, because the athlete lifestyle ₛₜᵣₑₛₛₑₛ ₘₑ ₒᵤₜ in a very non hot way. So much so that I was actually surprised how much I did, in fact, love this book!!

I think it’s a great romance for baseball fans and non baseball fans alike. I read it FAST, so I can’t wait to savor it with a reread during the summer aka baseball season. Also, this is the first book I’ve been officially acknowledged in??? Like “Hannah @fringebookreviews” is officially in a published book??? I literally cried.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶️🌶️.75/5


CWs: Panic attacks, suicide of a loved one (recounted)

I received an eARC from the publisher. All opinions are honest and my own.

I will buy and read anything Alicia Thompson sees fit to print, because I know it will have her signature perfect balance of humor, heart, and heat. (I would also cancel all plans if she even hinted that she needed someone to pick her up from the airport, which is my deepest sign of respect and affection.) But throw in an epistolary element and baseball and wild horses couldn't keep me away!!

The setup is that Daphne drunkenly heckles professional baseball player Chris and makes him cry, then slides into his DMs to apologize but forgets to actually identify herself as the heckler. It's so expertly done, because on its face what she says is rather mild and actually pretty funny (I had my face in my hands laughing at it, to the point that my seven year old was giving me the stink eye and asking WHAT is so funny) but then you get his side and why in context it was one of the most painful things she could have possibly said to him. We feel bad for him but not really too mad at her, it's perfect.

The banter is top notch and whoops, I should not have read chapters 17 and 18 while at dinner with my family while waiting for them to remake my food, but ultimately what it really is is a lovely story of knowing someone, of being known. And also a testament to the real relationships you can have online! You don't have to know what someone looks like (or even their real name!) to have a meaningful connection with someone, and as someone old enough to have been making friends online twenty years ago, I loved that element.

This is obviously the point where I am supposed to make a baseball reference about this book being a home run, but c'mon people, obviously it's a grand slam! THE ART OF CATCHING FEELINGS is out June 18th and you should pre-order it.

What I read seemed lovely, but I will not be reviewing in full as the content warning of past suicide really took me out of the book. Personal issue here.

I liked The Art of Catching Feelings. It was nice to finally read one of Thompson's books (she's been on my TBR list for a while). What I liked most about this book were the dual POV's and slow burn. Although I didn't agree with how long Daphne's charade lasted, it made the tension between her and Chris more exciting. I thought the main characters were relatable, especially Chris. His character development arc was satisfying to read. The side characters were okay....I did find Kim's character lacking. Besides a few things, the baseball plotline felt believable enough. Overall, I found The Art of Cathcing Feelings a fun and captivating read. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

I loved Daphne and Chris!!
Daphne's heckling may have been a drunken mistake, but it led to an entertaining and unexpected turn of events that ultimately brought her and Chris together. I enjoyed seeing them open up to each other in a way that they wouldn't have in a different situation.
This was a delightful read! It was a fun and entertaining story that I highly recommend to sports romance fans!
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC!

Alicia Thompson somehow just keeps getting better—I don't know how she does it, with flawed but deeply lovable characters and fun, whimsical but grounded plots. This book made me a baseball fan, and I don't know what higher praise I could give than that!!

Listen, no one does hilarious banter, brewing feelings and kissing scenes like Alicia.

I think the thing I struggled with in the story though was that almost ALL of the book, those beautiful moments were tinged by a lie. A lie so big, I truly didn’t buy it being overcome in the end.

My reading experience felt STRESSED because the lie persisted and none of the emotional connection felt truly earned.

Other readers may not be bothered by this, but for me it tinged my whole reading experience in a negative way.

**I gave no star rating on goodreads.

BASEBALL. ROMANCE. that’s really all i need to say because you have to check this book out. the main characters are so good and the tension/banter paves the way for a new sports romance genre to flourish

I love an unconventional meet cute, so I adored how this one went - our heroine drunkenly heckles a local baseball player, accidentally makes him cry, and then apologizes in his DMs. They connect without ever meeting face-to-face, and I loved how they were able to open up in a way that they wouldn't have in a different situation. The hero is also an absolute cinnamon roll sweetheart, who was fantastic from start to finish. I never wanted to see him hurting. It's lighthearted with some heavier elements that give it weight, and that made for a truly entertaining love story. This likely would've been a 5-star read for me if not for one major issue - the heroine's deception. I spent the second half waiting for the other shoe to drop, and that made me start to disconnect from the romance. But there's a lot to love about the story, and I did have a good time reading.

The story follows Daphne, a woman who recently finalized her divorce. Wrapped up in her feelings, Daphne gets drunk at a baseball game and heckles some of the players. It seems like innocent fun until one of the players unexpectedly starts crying, and suddenly Daphne doesn't feel too great about the situation. Hoping to apologize, Daphne messages Chris online, and the two strike up a conversation. It's only after they begin opening up that Daphne realizes she never identified herself as the person who did the heckling. So when Daphne's job brings her closer to Chris in person, it complicates the situation even further. Chris is a genuinely nice guy and the two seem to have a real connection, but their online interactions might just get in the way of them growing closer.

I'm a fan of Thompson's writing and I love it when characters meet online first, so I was definitely into this from the start. I was curious to see why Chris had reacted so strongly, and I liked the unique feel of the connection. It was unpredictable, fun, and just a little bit angsty. I grew to love Chris more and more, and it was easy to see that they had very real chemistry. I didn't even mind the third person POV, which is not typically a favorite of mine. Once things got messier, however, the red flags started popping up for me. Daphne was definitely in the wrong about some things, and I was not a fan of how long the miscommunication went on. Some of the intimate moments were soured by the fact that she wasn't being honest, and that didn't sit well with me. That's really my only issue with the book though - there was a whole lot that I liked, and it was very solid overall.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-sports romance
-you've got mail vibes
-epistolary
-this is just a hookup
-he falls first

Reading an Alicia Thompson book is such a comfort, a hug. A guarantee of a tender relationship, and just a softness to the prose. This definitely had me sitting there wondering how the heck these two were going to work out. Daphne is figuring out her life post divorce, but she ends up drunk at a baseball game and heckling the home team.

Chris and Daphne were such a match. Both needing someone and with walls up. One of my favorite things about episotlaries is just watching those walls come down by texting. These two had incredible chemistry. I really loved how baseball also rbought them together, this book is just brimming with apprecaition for the sport, and those baseball thighs.

Fingers crossed Randy gets his own book too. Another knockout of the park by Alicia so excited to read whatever she has coming next!

"The Art of Catching Feelings" by Alicia Thompson is a delightful and heartwarming romantic comedy that hits all the right notes. The story revolves around Daphne Brink, a newly divorced woman who finds herself unexpectedly drawn into the world of baseball after a chance encounter with Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler. What starts as a drunken heckling session at a baseball game quickly evolves into a charming and humorous exchange on social media between Daphne, under the alias "Duckie," and Chris.

Thompson skillfully navigates the dynamics of modern romance and social media, weaving a tale of mistaken identity, heartfelt connections, and the transformative power of love. As Daphne and Chris's online interactions deepen, they find themselves opening up to each other in ways they never expected. Their chemistry is palpable, and readers will find themselves rooting for them to overcome the obstacles standing in their way.

The author's writing style is engaging and witty, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and heartfelt sentiments sprinkled throughout. Daphne is a relatable and endearing protagonist, while Chris is a charming and sympathetic love interest. The supporting cast of characters adds depth and humor to the story, creating a vibrant and dynamic ensemble.

As Daphne and Chris's relationship progresses, the stakes are raised, and the tension mounts as Daphne struggles with the guilt of keeping her true identity a secret from Chris. The novel explores themes of honesty, forgiveness, and the importance of being true to oneself, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.

"The Art of Catching Feelings" is a delightful and feel-good read that will appeal to fans of romantic comedies and contemporary romance novels. With its engaging storyline, witty dialogue, and lovable characters, it's a book that will leave readers smiling long after they've turned the final page. Thompson has crafted a charming and memorable tale that proves sometimes love really is just a DM away.

I loved this book. I love baseball (very very casually!!) I love Alicia’s writing! I love a sort of accidental pen pal situation! And a sports romance that is also workplace romance? It was honestly perfect. Daphne and Chris were so wonderful.

Alicia’s writing is so soft and quiet and she writes with so much depth but somehow it just still feels so normal?? Like Daphne is going through a divorce and Chris is heavily grieving his brother and they’re both just trying to figure out what’s next. There is nothing really extraordinary about their stories but that’s kind of what makes it wonderful?? This happened last time when I tired to say how much I loved With Love, From Cold World - I don’t know how but I just do!!

Listen their whole thing was MESSY! But Daphne and Chris were SWEET! They kind of needed the layer of protection that the accidental secret pen pal situation gave them. And of course we all wish Daphne would have made different choices, but things happened the way they did and it ended up SO good.

The epilogue was PERFECT. I could read about their HEA literally forever.

Thank you so much to Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Chris and Daphne connect online when they are feeling fragile. The two build a relationship, but Daphne isn’t honest about being the heckler that made Chris go viral. Their vulnerability while falling in love and heartbreaking backstories layer the two into realistic, complicated characters with steamy chemistry. A bittersweet romance about patience, life phases, and baseball. For fans of "Funny You Should Ask" by Elissa Sussman and "The Cheat Sheet" by Sarah Adams.

I really like Alicia Thompson - I subscribe to her newsletter, even. I loved With Love, From Cold World. But this just wasn't it for me.

The basic premise drew me in, but I figured there was no way in the year 2024 we are still propping a whole story up on a miscommunication that is so easy to remedy. Daphne's lie goes on for entirely too long, to the point I didn't want Chris to forgive her. The fact that the character tells herself repeatedly that she's going to tell him and then just doesn't was incredibly frustrating. And don't even mention the scene where she tells her sister in law and is told she has to wait because he'll be too distracted to play a good game of baseball!!

Plus, Daphne never takes action and confesses of her own volition. She accidentally outs herself. So the story never shows that she grew and learned and took accountability for this lie she perpetuated.

All of this is to say, the premise hindered a real romance from blooming and from me believing these two people have a connection. The part with Chris and Daphne as Duckie stopped abruptly and then the parts with Chris with Daphne as herself felt only physical. Neither one was able to show a real connection between the two people and I never bought that there was chemistry or anything between them.

And that is a strike out when it comes to reading a romance novel.

Sadly, I had to DNF. I just can’t bring myself to read a book that is written in third person. This makes me really sad because I was so excited to read it.☹️

I don't often go in for miscommunication plotlines, but this was such an interesting take on the trope. The author really put in the work for Daphne's choices. Chris was also very lovable and real. (Also worth noting the spicy scenes are really great!)
I'm contemplating getting into baseball this year thanks to a couple of baseball romances I've read recently.

I LOVE THIS BOOK. alicia thompson never misses!!!!

if you know me, you know i love sports romances and this one is soooo good. daphne is such a relatable character and i just adored chris in this book.

thank you so much to berkley and netgalley for the arc <3