This was a cute, fun time. I love Alicia Thompson's characters and her dialogue. I liked how detailed this got in a way that made it feel like it was really happening. I didn't love the main conflict, which was that the MC becomes embroiled in A Situation where she is one person to her love interest online and another in person. (This involves her drunk heckling said man while he plays professional baseball, and she makes him cry!)

Unfortunately, this did suffer a bit from my reading it side by side The Rom-Commers, which I could not put down, whereas I found this one easier to put down. The stakes just seemed much lower here emotionally (I don't mind lack of plot stakes but the emotional ones still need to be there).

I will very much continue to read this author's books! In fact, reading her second one starting tomorrow.

[3.5 stars, rounded up]

I love baseball and I loved this book. I'm a big fan of Alicia's and I was really looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint. I especially loved the text messages, they were so fun and insightful. Another winner from Alicia!

Thank you to Berkley for the e-ARC and @prhaudio for the ALC of this book.

What’s it about?
Chris plays for the MLB Battery in Charleston. Daphne, who ended up with a pair of amazing tickets to the game as a byproduct of her divorce, attends and gets drunk. And then she starts heckling. One of her heckles is aimed at Chris, and, unexpectedly, he hears it and it rattles him to the point of tears. The exchange goes viral on sports networks.

Feeling awful, Daphne (@ duckysbooks) reaches out to Chris via Instagram DMs to apologize. Only when she copy and pastes her apology from her notes, she forgets the part where she says she’s the heckler. Soon the two are chatting anonymously and regularly, and feelings develop between them.

Then Daphne gets a gig as a sideline reporter for the Battery. And, despite the fact that Chris doesn’t know that Daphne is also Ducky, their chemistry is undeniable. How can their relationship ever work with such a big secret between them?

My thoughts?

While I was reading and listening to this one, I messaged my book pals and told them this is my favorite Alicia book yet.

Let’s break it down:

Immaculate tension and chemistry between Chris and Daphne. I pined for them together the whole book. So good.

Chris is a perfect book boyfriend. When Daphne talks about her flaws, he turns it into positive traits. He is all about consent and going at her pace. He’s a MLB player without an ego. He’s hurting and trusts her before he truly even knows what she looks like.

Daphne is an awkward, adorable, hot mess. Really she’s all of us. She’s nervous about pursuing her impossible dreams, has a bookstagram account, and gets awkward even when things get heated.

I had trouble putting this one down, which is always a sign of a fabulous book.

to be perfectly transparent, this is one of the most confounding books I have ever read. as a lifetime lover of baseball (go mets, even though they stink this year), it was so exciting to gain access to a sports romance centered around the sport. as we know, hockey romances are all the rage, it's nice to see other athletes get their due now and then.

3.5 ★

however, this is my warning to future readers: much of the plot of the art of catching feelings centers around a major miscommunication-slash-catfishing situation, one that is consciously continued by daphne and supported by some in her life. this presented a real moral dilemma for me as someone who hoped to root for chris and daphne. while the pair did share nice moments and I found the book engaging overall, it felt wrong to support their romance for much of the story because the foundation of it was a lie. though her intention was not to do wrong or harm chris, the length of time she allowed him to believe something negated that for me.

since this is the third alicia title I have read, I do believe to be a talented writer. it just feels unfortunate that this was the story chosen for this couple. when you are asked to turn a blind eye to the actions of one character to support a romance, it's tough to feel a true investment in their journey. having said all of that, the book was readable and well-written, so it didn't feel right to drop my rating too much.

thanks to berkley and alicia thompson for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the perfect read at the ballpark on a sunny afternoon book. If you like fish out of water stories and stories about women finding where they belong this is the perfect novel for you. Add in some strong mental health rep and I was hooked from the start. Though there is a fundamental lie within Chris and Daphne’s relationship I thought was handled well and to me it fell easily within a mistaken identity or disguise trope. YMMV
4.5 stars

Thank you for the free book Berkley!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Daphne is still reeling from her divorce when she drunkenly heckles professional baseball player Chris Kepler at a game…and makes him cry. But when she reaches out to apologize and forgets to identify herself, they begin an inexplicable friendship that just might turn into more.

After reading this book, I might be a fan of baseball, but I’m DEFINITELY a fan of baseball players. The way the happiness of an entirely fictional person was briefly integral to my well-being is probably unhealthy but that’s what it means to be a fan of literature honestly. Chris Kepler, wherever you are I just hope you’re smiling sweetie.

This book was everything a rom-com should be: adorably ridiculous meet-cute, fantastic tension (comedic, dramatic, sexual, etc), a really realistic third act conflict, and multiple moments of emotional growth for multiple characters. Truly, this is a masterpiece and sure to be one of my favorites of the summer. I can’t recommend it enough.

CW: Suicide of loved one; divorce; panic attacks

I absolutely loved The Art Of Catching Feelings. It has everything I love about a romance. Swoony moments, amazing characters who are flawed, so real, and a little broken and off the chart chemistry. 


There was are a few spicy scenes, doors are wide open and sizzling hot 🔥


This is definitely my favorite by Alicia Thompson. It's so impressive that she keeps getting better and better.

ARC Review: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thomspon
Pub Date: June 18th
Thank you to @berkleyromance for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Daphne, newly divorced and hurting, gets drunk at a baseball game and heckles a player. No big deal right? These players deal with this on a daily basis! However for Chris, Daphne's comment hits at his past and ends up making him cry and becoming a huge news story. Daphne attempts to apologize via DM however forgets to actually say that she's the heckler. The two start an online conversation and before she knows it, Daphne realizes she doesn't want to stop talking to Chris even though she still hasn't told him the truth. Add in a complication of her starting to work for the team he plays for and all of a sudden, Daphne is in a real pickle.

I really liked the set up for this book and the depth especially to Chris and his struggles. I really liked Chris as a character and felt myself rooting for him. I liked the banter that both characters had via text and then in person. And in general I always find Alicia's writing to be really well done!

This is more of a case about this specific book not being *for me* and I really shouldn't have picked it up after reading the synopsis. I just really really struggle when one character keeps a secret from another for the vast majority of the book and clearly feels terrible the whole time but still doesn't say anything. I think we get into really uncomfortable areas of consent issues that I am personally just uncomfortable with. It also often doesn't work for me because the third act conflict/breakup is obvious right from the start.

I struggled a lot with Daphne's character for the above reasons...I do think she goes through some good character growth - I just think the book as a whole would have worked better for me if she had fessed up much sooner.

Read this for:
- Baseball Romance
- Love after divorce
- Epistolary
- Bookish main character
- He falls first

Read if you like:
⚾️ Sports Romances
⌨️ Secret Identity
🤣 Hecklers
🥵 Spicey Reads
💔 Love after Divorce

First and foremost, Chris is such a sweet, thoughtful, and swoon worthy book boyfriend that I’m 100% sure so many readers will love and add him to their book boyfriend lists!

I don’t read a lot of sports romances, but I truly loved how this one was written where as Daphne, you don’t need to know anything about baseball to enjoy this book!

I really loved the way that Chris and Daphne connected via messaging and seeing their palpable chemistry through their online relationship to then their in person connection and how they had so much chemistry.

There is a big moment of miscommunication that we all know is coming as Daphne fails to let Chris know who she is during their online relationship so when they start to connect in person it definitely is bound to get messy, especially when they start hooking up while on the road.

I loved the depth that was written for both of our main characters and how the third act conflict was one we saw coming from the beginning so I had no qualms because it had to happen and the truth had to come out.

Thanks so much to Berkley romance and PRHA for my gifted copies of this sweet and spicy story in exchange for my review!

Man, I don't know why baseball romances are something I love so much but this book is like a wonderful hug. The tension in the book, especially with the relationship starting with a lie, is palpable for the reader and Daphne. Though I would agree she should have told him sooner, you can tell when the moments just weren't perfect. Chris is a wonderfully sweet character, especially for being the athlete. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and how the plot played out.

I absolutely adored this book, which is no surprise because this author is an auto-buy.

Daphne is reeling from a recently-finalized divorce, and she goes to a baseball game as a distraction. Only she knows nothing about baseball and when she heckles the batter, she doesn't realize that he's on the home team and even worse, he hears her. And it makes him tear up.

Chris has experienced a huge personal loss, and the heckler is a breaking point for him. Then, a message comes up on his Instagram, and the anonymous user makes him feel better. For the first time in a while, he opens up to someone.

Daphne immediately regrets accidentally leaving off the reason she messaged Chris -- to apologize for heckling him. He doesn't know it's her, and she doesn't want to stop talking with the man she's so easily connecting with.

Except there's chemistry in person, now that she's offered a temporary position with the team. She's in an impossible position, and it can only get worse as despite both of their reservations, Daphne and Chris begin to fall for one another.

Even though Chris has no idea that she's the woman who's been messaging him.

Friends, I love them. These two are sweethearts, and even though Daphne gets herself into a pickle, I'll hear nothing negative about her or Chris.

This is a story about two heartsick people who are so good for each other that love and healing blossoms. Daphne is skittish, self-aware, and thoughtful, while Chris is the epitome of kind. He's *the* romance hero dreamboat.

I also love the baseball aspect of this, which was so well done.

Is this the read of the summer? Yes, I think so! Top marks, highest recommendation from me. Go out, pick this up, and I guarantee you will fall in love with these characters.

I liked it. Not as much as Cold World, but I did like it overall.

The issue lies in the fact that I loved the concept of this book far more than the execution. The initial misunderstanding dragged on far too long, leading to a major catfishing situation I felt took away from the story. (view spoiler)

The spice and romance were mostly enjoyable. However, everything about their relationship, both online and offline seemed to happen so quickly. Nothing had time to build. I didn't feel enough yearning, which left me feeling slightly disconnected as a result.

On the plus side, it was quick and easy to read. A good palate cleanser, if you will. I still have positive feelings about the author's work overall so if she releases another book I would give it a try.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 I cannot tell you how excited I was when this book arrived just in time for airplane reading, it was perfect to dive right into! Newly divorced Daphne is armed with a book, too much beer, and some ballsy language at a baseball game when her attitude towards a player goes a bit too far. She attempts to make amends towards Chris, the player she heckled in a very 2024ish manner, through his instagram DMs. While they hit it off through the screens, Daphne is mortified to reveal her identity in real life and finds herself in a real dilemma. The Art of Catching Feelings is a beautifully written, breezy novel with lots of feelings. While deception plays a catalyst in this book and definitely causes a bit of discomfort, it highlights the angst of growing through loss and finding oneself again in a poignant and beautiful way. This is a wonderful summer read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I was completely taken aback and pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book! I had never heard of Alicia Thompson before, but I thought this cover was absolutely adorable and the premise of the story really intrigued me. The third person POV took me a few chapters to settle into, and the beginning of the book did drag a tiny bit for me just because some of the decisions Daphne was making made me see RED... but the slow burn and the tension between Chris + Daph was 😮‍💨🤌🏼!!!

I really loved the development both characters had over the course of the book and the fact that this was such an original concept for a romance! The plot had me on the edge of my seat, I literally devoured this in less than a day because it was like an impending train wreck I couldn't bring myself to look away from (in the best way, of course). The undertones of grief and loss also brought me to tears - and considering the traumatic cocktail of books I am very much accustomed to reading, that was an IMPRESSIVE feat. I also LOVEDDD watching Daphne come into her own as a broadcaster and pursue the career path she wanted - I wish we could've seen more of that progression!

The one thing holding me back from considering this a 5-star read would be that I genuinely wanted to kick something numerous times when Daphne would make *yet another* idiotic decision... it was bordering on painful and I felt incredibly heartbroken for Chris that he got played like that. There also wasn't quite enough depth to some of the side characters, I wanted to feel more attached to certain aspects of this book and a couple of those areas fell short for me.

All in all though this was a fun, heartwrenching, uplifting sports romance that delved into lots of important topics such as men's mental health, divorce recovery, emotionally abusive relationships, finding yourself and (of course) loveee 😈😈 Daphne brought Chris back to life and I adored every second of it. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future books by Alicia Thompson!!

Alicia Thompson was an auto-buy author for me from Love in the Time of Serial Killers, and with every release she proves why again and again, every book five stars with fireworks and noisemakers. This was ADORABLE on every level - all of the emotions. I was INVESTED from Chapter 1 and I know you will be too.

On the day Daphne's divorce is final, she goes to a professional baseball game because her brother and sister-in-law work for the team and got her great seats. She gets wasted, she starts heckling players, and then makes the most absurd Winnie the Pooh referencing heckle ever, except...it makes the player lose it and cry while at bat. Enter third baseman Chris Kepler. She DMs him to apologize but accidentally doesn't identify herself as the heckler, suddenly they're connecting online, and then just as suddenly she's around him in real life too, without knowing his online chat crush and his infuriating new coworker are the same person.

It's a recipe for love and a disaster waiting to happen at the same time!

While I frequently laughed out loud while reading, it's also a deeply emotional book. Daphne has to grapple with the emotional damage from being with someone who didn't see or appreciate her, and Chris is doing a terrible job coping with a tragedy, stuffing down his emotions and it's impacting his game. They both have a lot of internal confrontation to do, as well as support they can offer one another. There's so many times where even when they are at odds, Daphne can't help but try and push Chris toward taking care of himself.

If you are a millennial, all of the references within will feel good and familiar to you.

Another incredible rom-com from an author that I feel true joy to support.

Alicia Thompson hit a home run with this one!

I really loved her writing in this book. Thompson does a great job with characters and I like her writing style a lot. I just wish there was a dual POV (but that's just me wanting to get in Chris Kepler's head haha).

This is a sports romance but it feels different than most sports romances out there because Daphne could care less lol. I thought this was refreshing. Plus we actually see baseball games! I liked Daphne's commentary too. Chris is such a dreamboat. Readers will definitely fall for him. I thought the romance was sweet and just the right amount of steamy. I loved Chris & Daphne. The relationship had a nice build up and everything felt organic too.

I thought this book was full of heart and humor. I had a great time reading this!!

Many thanks to @berkleyromance and @prhaudio for the gifted digital and audio copies of this AMAZING book. Once I finished it, I immediately ordered a signed copy! Below is my honest review.

Daphne isn’t a big baseball fan, but she wasn’t about to let her ex-husband have the tickets her brother (who works for the team) got for them. This is how she finds herself drunk behind home plate, heckling the players while the ink is barely dry on her divorce papers. But when one of her jabs hits too close to home for the home team’s third baseman, Chris Kepler, Daphne regrets her taunting and takes to Instagram DMs to apologize. Unfortunately, she forgets to identify herself as the heckler in all of her drafting and re-drafting of the apology. Chris doesn’t usually respond to DMs, but something about the message from duckiesbooks draws him in, and they strike up a friendship that starts to become something more and begin to share parts of themselves they’ve never shared with anyone. But as the days go by and Duckie doesn’t own up to being the heckler, it becomes more challenging to do it, particularly when she gets an opportunity to work as a temporary sideline reporter for the team. Now Chris knows Duckie and Daphne as two separate people.

I have read numerous sports romances, yet this book stands out EASILY as one of my favorites. It weaves a compelling plot, introduces two remarkably relatable and complex characters, and the sport is not just a backdrop but an integral part of the story. The supporting characters are a delight, and the personal growth of key characters is wonderful. The romance is a perfect blend of steamy and tender, evolving from no strings to a deep connection in such a sweet and tentative way. The third act is a testament to the authenticity of the characters, filled with both subtle intimacies and grand gestures. 

Kristen Sieh (Funny You Should Ask) narrates the audiobook and does a fantastic job with both POVs and tons of text interactions.

Ok I have loved Alicia's first two books (With Love, From Cold World is actually stellar) and I was so excited for a #baseballromance. There was a lot of love: Chris being amazing, the vulnerability he showed, the badassery of Daphne's sister in law, the real focus on grief for men and dealing with a family member who has committed suicide, the fun of meeting someone online and clicking, the SEX. But all of this was overshadowed for me by Daphne and the catfishing of it all - I knew it was going to happen. But what I didn't know what how long it is was going to be for. Literally 70+% of the book and Chris doesn't know that the book person he's talking to online is Daphne who he's falling for in person. Like WTF. It made me actually dislike Daphne so much because there was time and time again that she could've told him. Truthfully, she doesn't deserve Chris. And that made it hard for me to love this. If she had told him at 50%? 5 star for sure.

I loved the sex scenes (these might be some of her best and hottest) and I loved the bookstagram of it all. But Daphne's lies really were a sticking point for me.

I was SO looking forward to this new romance from Alicia Thompson after loving her two previous novels, but I couldn't really get past the deception on Daphne's part - it just felt like a conflict better suited for a YA romance rather than a romance between two grown adults.

After Daphne's divorce she refuses to let her ex have the baseball tickets she doesn't even want, so she proceeds to go to the game with her BFF, get totally plastered on ballpark beers, and ruthlessly heckle one of the players, Chris. When her heckling gets picked up by mainstream media, Daphne decides to reach out on social media and apologize, only to forget to identify herself as the heckler. But after Christ messages back, battling his own struggles with grief two begin a pen pal exchange that turns more-than-friendly and Daphne can't bear to tell him the truth. Things get even more complicated when the two being to work together IRL, and keeping track of her two relationships with Chris becomes tricky.

Love, love, loved! This book was just so great. I loved both Daphne and Chris, two characters with so much depth and heart. I also love a sports romance, so hard to go wrong there. But perhaps most, I love the play on You've Got Mail that is so fresh and fun. This book hits every note I wanted it to.

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and feelings are my own.

5 stars - 10/10