Cute cute cute. I am not a sports fan, but this wasn’t too sporty for me. The romance was sweet (if a little complicated), the characters were fun, and the grief/mental health discussions were very special to me. Love Alicia Thompson and her sweet, thoughtful, character-driven, laugh-inducing books

If there’s one topic being debated in sports, it’s just how much players can hear us if we’re at a game. Let that sink in for a moment as I tell you about this book. The Art of Catching Feelings follows Daphne who ends up heckling a struggling baseball player named Chris and as soon as he hears her, it immediately shatters him.

In order to make amends, Daphne decides to reach out to him on Instagram but conveniently forgets to say who she is. Meanwhile, in real life, the two end up having to interact as she is brought in to talk to him after the heckling. It doesn’t end there as Daphne is recruited to take over her sister-in-law’s place while she’s on maternity leave.

From there, it’s a balancing act of Daphne and Chris being attracted to each other and trying to figure out where they stand. Similarly to Thompson’s other romances, this isn’t just about the romance. Chris is dealing with the grief of losing his brother while Daphne is going through a divorce. These two have so much going on but it doesn’t take away from the romance. If anything, seeing everything Daphne and Chris are dealing with proves just how resilient they are as characters.

While the third-act conflict does feel a bit predictable, it also makes for an entertaining read and is something you’re slowly but surely waiting for. When the shoe does drop, it feels so dramatic, and honestly, it makes me appreciate the story all the more. The Art of Catching Feelings is great for those wanting a sports romance, those who love baseball, or if you love a meet-disaster which is truly what these two have.

All in all, The Art of Catching Feelings is such an incredible romance and one I’m still thinking about even after finishing. I truly can’t wait to see what Alicia Thompson does next.

Daphne and Chris are both struggling - but they heal one another, This baseball themed rom com features one of those tropes that always bugs me a bit- Daphne doesn't own up to Chris about being the person who heckled him for a long time, That said, I liked that they wrote to one another and that they are more well rounded than many characters in the genre. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC, Don't worry if you don't know baseball- this is totally accessible.

The Art of Catching Feelings is a book that took me by surprise. I am a baseball fan and the blurb made this sound like a sweet, fun read. It is, but there's also a much deeper, more emotional side of the story too.

Chris and Daphne are both working through emotional and difficult times in their lives. Their struggles and pain felt very realistic, and I appreciated that it didn't shy away from the impact it made on each of their lives. You really get to see how they feel, how they find healing and why mental health is so important.

The two of them also had a really great connection. It was so interesting seeing it grow and their relationship develop as they spoke online and got to know each other in person as well. I really like them both individually and as a couple.

I had seen Alicia's books before, but this is the first one I've picked up. It is honestly one of the best books I've read this year, and I definitely see myself rereading it again in the future. The writing and storytelling were fantastic and I loved every minute of reading it.

4.5 - “You’re the book I want to reread. For the rest of my life.”

I’m a romantic about baseball. It’s been a constant in my life, and I’ve been through the dramatic highs and disappointing lows (in my house we pretend 2004 never happened). This book felt like such a perfect baseball romance, balancing the game and the romantic relationship so well.

The way Daphne becomes connected to Chris is funny and cringey as she heckles him from the crowd. She immediately feels bad and ends up in an accidental online relationship with him. Their chemistry, even in their DMs and text messages, is so palpable. Daphne feels so guilty as everything progresses, but the longer it goes, the harder it becomes for her to come clean. I appreciated that you could feel her inner turmoil over what she was doing. And even though it doesn't excuse this type of behavior, it feels like something that could realistically happen.

Chris is such a swoon. I don’t know what it is exactly about him, but I just adored him and his arc. He’s still grieving his brother’s death and seems to be what’s causing his slump. He opens up to Daphne about a lot of things, both as she becomes the team’s field reported and as her Instagram alter-ego, and he starts to come out of it. And because of all this, his reactions feel justified and realistic.

It's not a particularly deep romance, but I think that's what makes this so enjoyable. There are real, tangible hardships that both characters face, but the overall story is happy. There is a beautiful moment when Daphne takes Chris to a baseball camp that isn't for a photo opportunity. She brings him back to the game and he has a great time helping the kids.

The supporting characters are fun, and I just think Alicia Thomson just keeps getting better. Her books always feel unique, and I always get a little bit of the feels. This was just great and it’s the perfect summer read for baseball season.

Thank you Berkley Romance for the free book and PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

What if the athletes heard your heckles?

That's the set-up for this novel. Daphne attends a baseball game with great seats, and Chris can hear what she yells at him when he goes up to bat. Her taunts cause him to cry. So she reaches out to apologize via social media. But she fails to clarify that she is the person who heckled him.

This book had a lot of deep emotions and some tough storylines. A few parts made me wince and wish Daphne would be more open and honest. But overall, I thought the book had pretty good pacing. And I enjoyed both the physical and the emotional aspects of their relationship over time.

I loved that Daphne loved books, and that Chris took her book recommendations. I don't know that there's a better way to show love for someone.

Kristen Sieh narrated, and she did such an impressive job with all the voices, even Chris's.

CW: suicide (off page before book begins)

3.75 stars

The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson is an epic baseball romance that is sure to win it’s way into your hearts & score it’s way onto your must read summer romance list!

This is the second book I’ve read from this author & I know this won’t be my last because I am always undoubtedly intrigued by their work. Alicia Thompson has a fresh writing style & takes on the romance genre by continually adding uniqueness to their incredible stories.

The Art of Catching Feelings is perfect for fans of…
⚾️ Baseball Romance
⚾️ Enemies to Complicated to Lovers
⚾️ Forced Proximity
⚾️ Epistolarian Aspect

This hero!! This hero…this is a phenomenal hero. He is going through a really difficult time & it was a beautiful journey of his own individual growth but I also just really appreciated his authentic kindness. I loved the fact that the heroine was recently coming out of a divorce because I feel that isn’t showcased enough, especially in romance books, with coming back in the dating world. Everyone deserves to find love & it was a read of joy, humor, spice, pride & swoon as we watch this love story unfold.

Alicia Thompson also does an incredible job of bringing difficult, real life hardships & brining this into the characters & handling them, their journeys & everything in between involved with such grace & respect. I am always so grateful for the mention & emphasis on the importance of mental health in this story. Thank you sincerely for displaying & emphasizing the importance of mental health in professional sports & as someone dealing with incredible loss.

If you are looking to get you right in the best kind of feels, have you on the edge of your seat with popcorn with it’s drama & spice & finally, make you swoon over a baseball player & the woman he can’t stop thinking about, I highly recommend checking out The Art of Checking Feelings by Alicia Thompson! It comes out June 18, 2024.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Content Warnings: This book mentions &/or contains divorce & the loss of a loved one to suicide. There are on-the-page depictions of panic attacks. There is also some pregnancy/baby content, mostly involving a side character.

I will post my review to Amazon around release day & add link once I do!

This was a fun baseball themed romance and I had such a fun time reading and listening to it. I knew the premise was going to frustrate me... and it did towards the end but by the time I was kinda frustrated, I was invested in the relationship between Chris and Daphne. But ultimately, I was #TeamChris and think he deserved better. I really grew to care for Chris. Daphne, not so much! There's definitely steam in this one so hold on to your baseball caps :) I hadn't read anything by Thompson before but I definitely want to read more now!
Edit Review

I loved everything about this book. Daphne and Chris were such wonderfully written characters and I really enjoyed seeing them connect both online and in person. I am personally a big fan of the anonymous online communication trope, but I could see that aspect keeping some people from enjoying this. I thought the humor was spot on and there was also so much emotion in these characters.

I highly recommend this one and can't wait to see what Alicia writes next!

Consider me in my baseball romance era! 😍⚾️ A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley and Berkley for an advanced copy of the ebook because it was quite the catch (see what I did there? 😉)

I absolutely adored the entire premise of this book. The mistaken identity/catfish plot is one I have greatly enjoyed before and this was no exception. Daphne was everything I love in a quirky, slightly damaged main character and she was perfect for this story. I also really loved Chris and the mental health rep he brought to the table along with his baseball skills. Together they were a wonderful pair!

Despite some unnecessary drama/plot points that didn’t really add much to the story, overall this was a fantastic book (a real home run you might say… 😂) and absolutely perfect for the summer!

The Art of Catching Feelings drops June 18 so don’t strike out by not getting yourself a copy!

I don’t know how I feel. I thought it was hinged on what the author wanted to be a miscommunication trope/catfish, but actually it was based on a lie and that didn’t sit with me. At the same time, I hated that I liked the characters because if I hated them, I wouldn’t be conflicted in my rating. I thought it lost momentum at about halfway and I ended up skimming so much of the last bit, but it was cute and it redeemed the author for me.

Ah I wanted to love this one but it just didn’t hit the mark for me 😭 it’s so hard for me to like a book with a miscommunication trope, I just get too frustrated. I do love Alicia’s writing tho and will be reading whatever else she comes out with!!

The best word I can use to describe Alicia Thompson's books is "tender." Oh my gosh, they are so soft and tender, like a big, warm, sexy hug. With The Art of Catching Feelings, she made me fall in love with Chris, the way I fell for Sam in book 1 and Asa in book 2. SHE WRITES THE BEST BOOK BOYFRIENDS!! Needless to say, I adored this book. I'm a baseball fan but I also appreciated that she didn't get too deep in the nitty gritty of the mechanics of the game and focused more on the romance. I will say that I don't understand readers giving more negative reviews because of what Daphne did to Chris by hiding her identity. It's a pet peeve of mine when people complain about the premise of the book as clearly stated in the summary, read it anyway, and then leave a bad review because of said premise.

The Art of Catching Feelings
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks so much to @berkleyromance for the free eARC! #BerkleyPartner #Berkley

I had so much fun reading this book! This was the first book that I have read by Alicia Thompson, and now I’m definitely going to check out her previous work.
There were so many things that I appreciated about this book. First, the FMC Daphne has a Bookstagram!!! How perfect is that? I loved that detail.
Also, her writing style really worked for me. This was in third person, but it was done so so so well, it sucked me in immediately.
I also love stories that include text messages, and this one has tons.
I adored both of the main characters. I loved how much Chris cared for Daphne. I loved their relationship and the way they opened up to each other.
There are some deeper mental health topics discussed by the characters, and again it’s written well.
You’ll spend a lot of this book going “girl just do it already” BUT ITS SO FUN. IT IS FRUSTRATINGLY FUN. I ate it up.
Also, even if you don’t typically like to read about sports I still recommend it. I know literally NOTHING about baseball or sports in general, but I still had a great time reading this book!
The Art of Catching Feelings will be available on June 18th. Add it to your TBR now!!!

Read If You Like:
⚾️sports romance
⚾️friends to lovers
⚾️workplace romance
⚾️hidden identity
⚾️text messages

The Art of Catching Feelings made me appreciate the meet-cute trope.

After her divorce, Daphne decided to go to a baseball game to avoid wasting the ticket. Despite not knowing anything about the game, she heckled one of the players, Chris (though what she said wasn’t that bad), and made him cry.

For reasons I will not disclose (and to avoid spoilers), Daphne had to interchange between two personas while interacting with Chris. She basically builds two strong connections with him. Regardless, Chris finds himself attracted to her in both personas.

The sexual tension between the main characters was top-notch, and the slow burn gave us a satisfying buildup. I love how Alicia Thompson portrayed both characters. Chris and Daphne helped each other grow—Chris finally addresses his grief, and Daphne learns to love herself more.

Overall, this is a cute and well-written romance that I think anyone would enjoy.

5 Stars

You Got Mail married Baseball and had the most beautiful baby named Duckie.

In true Alicia Thompson romance fashion, we have an entirely relatable and incredibly loveable main character who we can’t help but root for, even if it is sometimes from behind our hands covering our eyes as we also chant “omg no no no TELL HIM NOWWWWWW.”

The catfishing portion of the story was handled so well and realistically and as much as I normally hate that trope, Alicia makes it so human that you can’t help but feel the rollercoaster of emotions on both sides of the relationship.

Not only did this book introduce me to THE SONG and THE FACT THAT THE JULIE ANDREWS, QUEEN IF GENOVIA, WROTE A BOOK!!!!!!!, but it also taught me so much about baseball in such a fun way that even now I feel like waxing poetic about it and might need to hit up a TB Rays game (meet me there Alicia????).

The audio of this book is incredible (thanks PRH Audio!) and it’s a true love story to anyone who has ever just been human, navigating life and the curve balls it often pitches your way. She deftly handles the topic of life after the loss of a loved one to suicide, but also shines light on the aftermath of the breakdown of a relationship that is, as Mother Taylor Allison Swift would say is, casually cruel (I WILL be speaking with my therapist about how much Daphne’s storyline resonated).

Anyhoo, I loved this and highly recommend it, even if, ESPECIALLY IF, baseball or sports romances aren’t your thing.

*thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and PRH Audio for the free eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review*

The Art of Catching Feelings
Genre- Romance
Rating- 4.5⭐/LOVED

Swipe for synopsis ➡

One of my new favorite romances so far this year! I ended up flying through this in about 24 hours and absolutely loved it. Every time I had to put this book down (darn kids😅) I could not wait to pick it back up. Chris, Daphne, the side characters, and teammates were all people you want to root for. There were no major moments of frustration that can be experienced with romcoms (I’m often mentally screaming “just communicate” or “tell her how you really feel!”). While the MCs aren’t perfect and could’ve handled pieces of the story better, their reactions made sense to their character development.

One of my favorite elements (micro troupes?) in a romance is when the meet cute happens via DM or texting. It’s one thing when an author can use an in-person meeting with body language or physical chemistry to move a relationship forward believably for a reader... but you don’t have that when the main characters haven’t met and interact virtually, which makes that just that more challenging to progress a relationship. Thompson makes it look easy though- the friendship is sweet and natural as it starts to progress.

Quick takeaways
⚾Sports romance - lots of baseball talk (and research from the author!)
📚 bookish main character (bookstagrammer😱)
📱 text convos

The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson is an engaging sports romance that had me hooked with its premise but left me frustrated due to the heavy reliance on deception.

Daphne Brink, fresh off her divorce, ends up heckling Chris Kepler, a Carolina Battery player, during a baseball game. Her taunts cause Chris to break down in tears, leading her to reach out and apologize via social media—without revealing she was the heckler.

Chris, dealing with his own personal issues, connects with Daphne online, and their relationship blossoms. However, Daphne's secret looms large over their budding romance, and her continuous avoidance of the truth became a major sticking point for me.

Chris is a fantastic character—sweet, caring, and realistically portrayed with his struggles. I adored him, but Daphne's persistent dishonesty overshadowed much of their romance. There were so many moments where the truth could have come out, and each missed opportunity made me more frustrated.

The writing is sharp, and the chemistry between the characters is undeniable. The epilogue is particularly swoon-worthy and wraps up the story nicely. However, the deception aspect tainted my enjoyment of the book.

Overall, The Art of Catching Feelings has its charms with great characters and engaging writing, but the central theme of lying was a significant downside for me. If you can look past the deception, there's a lot to enjoy here.

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

Okay!!!! The Art of Catching Feelings was SO good! I have now added every romance novel from this author onto my wishlists because I could NOT get enough of this book! I loved Chris and Daphne together and as separate characters. As someone who struggles with my mental health at times, I was able to identify with both the main characters in various ways. I could absolutely feel the adoration and love Daphne and Chris had for each other, and I love seeing such a healthy, mature display of said feelings. I think this book is going to sit with me for a long while and I’m so thankful the author wrote it.

Synopsis:
After finally signing the last of her divorce papers, Daphne attends a baseball game with her best friend to drink and forget the crappy last few years. Unfortunately, Daphne gets a little too drunk and as someone with zero knowledge on baseball, begins heckling the players from her close seat based off what a stranger close to her complains about. After one of her heckles upsets on of the players, Chris Kepler, she regrets her actions and feels such heavy grief. Daphne eventually reaches out to apologize to Chris on his social media, thinking he’ll never see it or reply. However, he reads the message and replies quickly, striking up a conversation with her on her relatively anonymous account. Daphne is confused on why he’s being so kind to her - until she realizes she failed to mention she was the heckler that upset. Now, she’s in too deep, especially as they begin having deeper conversations and he tells her of his brother’s suicide, which no one else knows about outside his family. Daphne and Chris begin veering closer to being more than friends, but Daphne is too scared to reveal her identity and true motivation for reaching out to him originally, fearing he’ll hate her and leave. As the lies pile up, Daphne struggles to maintain the ruse, especially as she begins falling in love.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Romance, and the author for sending me an early copy!

4.25 stars!

Alicia Thompson really wants to give me a heart attack with the level of miscommunication in her books.

Our heroine Daphne drunkenly heckles baseball player Chris Kepler (and makes him cry). She slides into his dms to apologize (You go girl!). Except... she forgets to mention that *she's* the heckler. They start messaging back and forth without ever meeting face to face, and they have amazing chemistry. But then her job brings her closer to him in person. As Daphne struggles with her growing feelings for Chris irl and online, will she tell him the truth about her secret identity, or will it all go up in flames?

Yes, okay. Most of the plot is about lies and secrets, But trust me on this one! I was immediately hooked. Something about anonymous messages (ala Divine Rivals, You've Got Mail, etc) just hits different. So ofc there's going to be miscommunication. The dual POVs made it work though, because I was all in for Chris Kepler. He's sweet and sexy and swoon-worthy. That man can take me out to the ball game (and just plain *take me*) any day of the week.

Alicia Thompson has a magical way of writing characters that feel so *real*. Their emotions, their flaws just feel so innately human that you can't help relating to and falling in love with them. Daphne is an awkward and adorable bookworm (with a bookstagram!!). Chris is sweet and sexy, and a little sad. Oh, and a baseball player obviously! You could definitely feel Alicia's appreciation for the sport bleeding into this one.

I do wish the big reveal happened a little sooner. I was screaming at Daphne to "TELL HIM!" around the 60% mark. There would have been more time to fall back into each other's arms. But it was still sweet the way it all played out. Just two cinnamon rolls falling in love with one another. What's not to love?

TROPES:
-baseball player x bookworm
-you've got mail vibes
-secret identity
-he falls first
-workplace romance
-friends with benefits