I couldn't get behind this book for one big reason: hidden identity.

This started as a You've Got Mail adjacent book and then went into catfishing territory. Things were good, not great because Daphne was keeping her identity under wraps and then things took a big turn. I'm glad it was acknowledged in the book by both characters that things were weird and catfishy, but I still felt icky and gross reading the rest of it. I had such a hard time rooting for the couple because I knew the secret identity that was being kept. I don't mind a hidden identity when they're both hiding it, but one-sided was too much.

Also, there was something about Chris that didn't quite sit right with me. I still can't put my finger on it. He was grieving and not in a great mental space so his personality wasn't super welcoming.

Overall, this was not an enjoyable one for me. I felt too gross to root for the romance and then felt detached once the truth came out. There was just too much lying and deception that I couldn't get behind. It's a no from me.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this advanced e-arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

We follow Daphne, as she navigates a divorce. She has an extremely likable personality, loves books, and has a lot of ties to the music and books she enjoys. Chris, an expert baseball player, finds it difficult to concentrate on the game because of the real-life struggles he faces. I liked how this odd meet-cute happens, lol, Daphne makes a local baseball player cry by heckling him while intoxicated, and she later apologizes in his direct messages. They establish a connection even though they've never met in person, and I appreciated how they were able to be open in a way that they otherwise wouldn't have. Chris, who was great from beginning to end. He is the definition of a cinnamon roll. I hated reading about his suffering.

To be perfectly clear, I am not a fan of the miscommunication trope, but Alicia, you executed it so flawlessly. The Art of Catching Feelings is a fun love story with a few weighty, darker themes that make it interesting. I loved this book! 5 stars!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"You're the book I want to reread. For the rest of my life."


The Art of Catching Feelings was so freaking cute. In this, you will meet Daphne and Chris. Being recently divorced and drunk at a baseball game was not on Daphne's bingo card. But then again, I doubt Chris's bingo card included getting heckled by an inebriated fan while he was up to bat. Either way, this little interaction between the two would change their lives for the better. Maybe?

The romance that brewed between these two was beyond addicting. Of course, the whole misleading and possibly lying thing was looming over a certain someone's head the entire time. And yet, it didn't even matter in the end because their feeling for one another were purely genuine. They missed each other when they were mad and not talking. I missed them when they weren't talking to each other.

Then again, Chris really, like desperately, needed to talk to a therapist. He had so much grief in him, sucking the life out of him, that he couldn't concentrate on the game. Sure, he was there but barely. He needed help, and it took the huge blowout between him and Daphne for him to finally accept that it needed to happen.

I'm not saying Daphne is a complete angel. I mean, she's recently divorced, and her ex was a douche canoe. He did a number on her, and I just wanted her to get out of her own head. Chris was her person, in a way, and she loved all of their deep talks. Heck, even the weird talks that they both got and understood. She just needed to come clean about everything before it exploded.

In the end, everything eventually fell into place. Harsh words were spoken, regrets were felt, and family matters were sort of settled. I mean, hey, not everything is perfect, and they are working on it still. I'm just happy that they are working on it together.

Daphne Brink, newly divorced and unfamiliar with baseball, heckles Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler after one too many drinks. When she later reaches out to apologize without revealing her identity, a connection forms between them, but Daphne struggles to keep her secret as their relationship deepens, leaving her worried about the consequences when Chris learns the truth.

I was super excited to see a sports romance book about baseball! Based on the premise, I was a bit hesitant since it involves catfishing and miscommunication tropes. I had mixed feelings about The Art of Catching Feelings. While the premise sounded promising, the execution fell short. First, I was not a fan of Daphne at all. Not only did she withhold her identity, but she also barely grew as a person throughout the story, essentially implying that lying to Chris was acceptable without any repercussions. As for Chris, I felt downright sorry for him, given everything he was going through and his interactions with Daphne. Although Chris's character showed growth, the author's handling of mental health issues felt more like telling rather than showing, making it less effective. The ending was too corny for me, and I couldn't see Daphne and Chris being a long-term couple after the story ended.

- Baseball Romance
- Secret Identity
- Workplace Romance
- Slow Burn
- Unintentional Meet Cute

I am a bit back and forth on my rating for this one, but I am settling with a 3.5 rounded up.

I for one, love the secret identity trope so I was excited to see that featured here, but the issue for me was Daphne and her decision making. I loved her quirky bookish personality and all, but she let the ruse go on for wayyy too long. She had opportunity after opportunity to tell Chris the truth. I understand she didn’t want to lose him, but Chris was such a sweet guy who deserved so much better.
But with that said I still enjoyed the book and honestly the ending made it all worth it.

THIS WAS SO GOOD. Once I started I couldn't put it down. Thank you to Berkley for the free book. Such an epic meet disaster of going viral for a spur of the moment heckle turned workplace/forced proximity to secret identity to pen pals to friends with benefits to lovers. This has so much.

Okay I read and loved the book by this author With Love From Cold World but it tied my stomach up in knots with the angst. Still 5 stars but I'm just saying the dialogue and tension was a lot. This book brought a different feeling from me but still as strong which was the longing. This author does such an amazing job at writing complicated and flawed characters that you just want to hold in your hand and tell them that it's all going to be okay. Daphne and Chris have their own individual histories to work through (Daphne recently divorced, Chris with family trauma) and they way they help each other through it was amazing.

There aren't many spice scenes in this but they are open door and absolutely fire. Also, I love the FMC's imagination and I'll leave it at that. I am just now waking up to the hotness of baseball players, move over hockey romance.

If you've read the description you can understand this has the secret identity trope that is a hard one to toe the line of. It can be hard to rationalize someone being intimate with someone without them fully knowing who they are with. This is just my opinion but with the way it unfolds there are definitely limits to the online persona and it all ends up okay for me. There's still a scene that I could do without in that regard but again, it's all dealt with, probably could have used more pages to resolve but still. At the end of the day they are perfect for each other.

CW for death of a sibling (historical, by suicide).

Strike, Out, Home Run…words I’d never imagine myself encountering time and time again but as life would have it, the genre of Baseball Romance has entered my life, sliding home and I’ll forever stay sat in their stands as long as they’ll have me. The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson is yet another I have fallen in love with. At the start we meet Daphne, a woman who has finally sealed the deal on her divorce and is ready to let loose a little, and where better than at a baseball game for the Carolina Battery with her best friend getting sloshed in merriment and revelry. One too many and she has let loose further than anticipated, so much so she engages in heckling the players, but she’s found herself mocking none other than her own team. Chris is the fated recipient of her heckle, something she says hits him square in the gut and he ends up failing at his next at bat with tears in his eyes. When Daphne realizes she’d like to apologize she reaches out via Instagram DMs from her book account, knowing he’ll probably never read it anyway. Surprisingly he ends up responding and they go back and forth for a while learning more and more about each other, a deeper connection than either of them have had in a long time, the catch, Daphne forgot to identify herself as “the heckler” and with her face nowhere on her profile, just the name Duckie, what is she to do when she ends up working for the team, right alongside Chris. Their connection might be a home run, but can they navigate through this to win the game and each other’s hearts?

This story Alicia has crafted is one with such a huge heart, with America’s Pastime and two people who want a genuine connection, truly to love and be loved, at its core. Both Daphne and Chris are settling with loss, in very different ways. There is discussion in the novel about how one defines oneself in relation to another, how even when they are gone, you fear losing parts of yourself the way you’d lost them. Piercing my heart, both Daphne and Chris reflect that sentiment, how in loss you discover yourself again but with such hesitation, moving through life on eggshells for a while, questioning choices, questioning your past and your future. Flashes of I should have done more, what if we never met, is this what I wanted, all of this circulates, rotating on an axis in their heads. For Daphne, this results in her fear of losing the connection she’s cultivated with Chris, one that makes her finally feel seen, thus creating her issue of Duckie/Daphne when both meet Chris separately, but both are her. While for Chris, we get to see his very real battle with mental health in the wake of his loss, we see his tears, we see his flares of anxiety, and I love how Thompson has let him be as such because he is a baseball player, something so masculine, but cracked him open to show that he has emotions, he does deal with turmoil and it’s not just a boys don’t cry sentiment. I fell in love with both Daphne and Chris, I felt a deep connection to both of their journeys through their loss and discovering each other in the wake of that. The love they cultivate is one so pure and heartwarming, they feel so seen by each other, and as a hopeless romantic that’s really all I can hope for one day.

Consider my feelings caught because Alicia Thompson has created a story that crackled, hitting the ball out of the park, and landing me smoothly into home, making me giggle, laugh, and cry all the way there. I loved this book so much and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and sit in the stands next to me cheering on Chris and Daphne. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll start attending games and have my own home run with a player, a meet-cute is bound to happen, right?

PS: Alicia’s music taste is fire and her references amazing.

Thank you Alicia and Netgalley for the eARC!

Scarf Rating: 🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣🧣 (10/5)

Taylor Swift songs I associate with this book: Karma, Guilty as Sin?, I Can Do It With A Broken Heart, You’re Losing Me, Down Bad, False God, gold rush, Daylight, Treacherous, You Are In Love, How You Get The Girl, Electric Touch, Delicate

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! could be one of my faves! i just wish it wasnt written in 3rd POV! the banter, the tropes, all of it! SO GOOD!

In this enchanting romance by USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson, love takes an unexpected turn at the ballpark. The story centers on Daphne Brink, a newly divorced woman who finds herself at a baseball game, heckling Chris Kepler, a player for the Carolina Battery. Her uninhibited jeers, fueled by a few too many beers, lead to an unexpectedly emotional reaction from Chris, setting the stage for a captivating romance.

Daphne’s impulsive heckling and subsequent remorse propel her to reach out to Chris on social media, albeit without revealing her identity as the heckler. The narrative takes a delightful turn as Chris, dealing with his own personal struggles, is drawn to the endearing messages from “Duckie,” Daphne’s alias. Despite his usual reluctance to engage with fans online, Chris finds solace and understanding in Duckie’s words, sparking a heartfelt connection.

Thompson masterfully captures the intricacies of modern romance, highlighting the blend of anonymity and intimacy that social media can foster. Daphne and Chris’s online interactions are filled with wit, charm, and genuine emotion, making their budding relationship both believable and compelling. The gradual build-up of their feelings is handled with a delicate touch, ensuring readers are thoroughly invested in their journey.

Daphne’s internal conflict about revealing her true identity adds a layer of tension and anticipation to the story. As she becomes more involved with the team in real life, the stakes grow higher, and the potential fallout from her deception looms large. Thompson skillfully navigates this delicate balance, creating a narrative that is both heartwarming and suspenseful.

Chris’s character is portrayed with depth and vulnerability, making him a relatable and sympathetic hero. His struggles off the field, combined with his unexpected connection with Duckie, paint a picture of a man yearning for understanding and companionship. Daphne’s transformation from a casual observer to someone deeply intertwined in Chris’s life is both engaging and believable, showcasing her growth and resilience.

The book’s exploration of themes such as redemption, honesty, and the healing power of love is both poignant and uplifting. Thompson’s writing is crisp and evocative, drawing readers into the world of baseball and the personal lives of her characters with equal skill. The interplay between humor and heartfelt moments ensures a well-rounded and thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.

In conclusion, this swoony romance is a home run for fans of contemporary love stories. With its charming protagonists, engaging plot, and emotional depth, it’s a delightful read that proves love can be found in the most unexpected places. Whether you’re a baseball enthusiast or simply a lover of well-crafted romance, this book is sure to capture your heart.

I had to DNF this one unfortunately. I wanted to enjoy it but I just couldn't get into the story at all, it wasn't holding my interest.

So sweet. Romcom perfection!

Daphne, freshly divorced, goes to a baseball game and lets loose. While drunk she starts heckling the players. Unknown to her Chris is having a hard time personally and Daphne pokes the wounded edge with her heckling and makes him cry. She reaches out to apologize but forgets to identify herself as the heckler. Unexpectedly, Chris responds to her message, and they start chatting. At the same time Daphne ends up becoming employed by the team. How will she managed to untangle herself from the lies of omission as she starts to form relationships with Chris in messages and real life?

I don’t even know how to express the emotions this book brings forth. I was immediately drawn into caring about both these characters. They are both so sweet and earnest. Watching both sides of their relationship grown gave me the giggles because of just how touching and sweet it is. Then the spice hits and holy smokes. This book is the perfect blend of everything you want in a romcom. I couldn’t put it down. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Reviewed for Shelf Awareness:

Alicia Thompson hits a home run with The Art of Catching Feelings, a sports romance with depth, secrets, and just the right amount of spice. Fresh off a divorce, Daphne Brink goes to her first pro baseball game and drunkenly heckles the players with absurd puns. Unfortunately for Chris Kepler, she unknowingly calls him by the nickname his brother gave him when they were children--long before that same brother died by suicide. Then Chris is caught on camera breaking into sobs in the batting box.
Daphne tries to apologize in a DM but accidentally forgets to admit she's the heckler and soon the pair are texting all day while Chris doesn't know her real identity. When Daphne is tapped to temporarily step in as the sideline reporter for Chris's team, an in-person relationship develops and while Daphne is tormented by guilt, she can't help falling for Chris.
Beyond the throughly developed central relationship is a particularly compelling and nuanced exploration of masculinity in sports. Chris has been trying to deal with his grief alone and grapples with his feelings about the sport and the other men in his life, especially his father and teammates. Daphne makes him believe he can be happy again. That is, until everything inevitably goes sideways.
The Art of Catching Feelings is sure to win over readers who love a messy romance with a hint of angst--whether or not they enjoy baseball. For fans of Emily Henry and Lyssa Kay Adams.

The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson is a captivating story that is unfailingly sweet and surprisingly complex. Thompson's novel skillfully weaves together themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery, creating a compelling narrative that will resonate with readers of all ages. Thompson's writing is both heartfelt and insightful, drawing readers in from the very first page. With its engaging characters and poignant storytelling, The Art of Catching Feelings is a must-read for anyone looking for a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel.

✔️ Secret Identity
✔️ I Fell For You Twice
✔️ Hurt/Comfort
✔️ Workplace
✔️ Baseball backdrop
✔️ It's Just a Fling

I loved The Art of Catching Feelings - I'm a romance fan who is meh about baseball and this book made me a little more open to the sport (great, bc I'm going to a game in July).

Watching Chris and Daphne fall in love (twice!) was beautiful and angsty and magical. I love that best about a secret identity read - when Chris thinks he likes two different people when they're just both Daphne (one via text chat and one via irl interactions only). The Jem/Jerrica/Rio storyline from Jem and the Holograms imprinted on me as child and this book executed this love-triangle-adjacent trope to perfection.

I love how Alicia Thompson writes. Both Chris and Daphne are so fragile when we first meet them and it was the swooniest journey watching them bring each other back to life.

5⭐️!

Steam 🔥🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

This was such a fun and entertaining sports romance!
I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be keeping my eyes peeled for when the paperback releases.

ALICIA 👏 THOMPSON 👏 NEVER 👏 MISSES 👏

(No spoilers—the summary below is basically just a repeat of the premise blurb!)

I'm not usually someone who enjoy "they're hiding their secret identity from the love interest"-type stories, but this one was so sweet and so swoony and so heartfelt.

So basically: Daphne gets drunk and heckles Battery baseball player Chris after her divorce is finalized and she makes him CRY. It goes viral, and she reaches out on IG to apologize, but accidentally forgets to identify herself as the heckler. They strike up a friendship though text, and she assumes that eventually it'll just fizzle off and no harm will be done. But once she starts working for the team and the chemistry between them in person becomes more apparent, she finds herself even more conflicted.

Without giving much away, I can say two things: Daphne is so relatable and lovely and I want to marry her, AND I would die for Chris, even though he'd never let me. This is definitely a fast-paced read imo, but it didn't feel like I was missing anything? Like FLEW through this one, and I think it's in part because Alicia's prose flows so well that I stopped being conscious of the fact that I was reading a book LOL.

Alicia Thompson is at the top of her game with this novel. Engaging, charming, and very fun, I devoured this steamy ode to baseball and love. Those who love the Roy Kent storyline from Ted Lasso will love this, although Chris Kepler is not a gruff jerk. The texting was so fun, as was the hole Daphne keeps digging for herself -- cringey, yes, but only because we know it'll bite her in the butt later. Chris Kepler is one of the best book boyfriends I've read in a while--he can steal our reader bases any time.

Rating: 4.25/5
Steam: 3/5
Warnings: death of a sibling by suicide, panic attacks, divorce

Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for these advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I caught feelings for the Art of Catching Feelings. I was such a perfect summer read...romance, friendship, so much humor and baseball. I think in their own way, both of these MCs were so relatable. They were trying to figure things out along the way, and yes they stumbled but I think that's what made this so enjoyable.

Chris was such a well written character, I was invested in his journey and routing for him to succeed. As someone who walked a similar path to him I related to his grief journey. I also appreciate that Alicia wrote a man with feelings and emotions that were not directly involved with the love interest

Oh Daphne you're a mess babe but you were also just trying your best. Part of this story was her figuring out who she was in life + plus in a new relationship post divorce. I was a little uncomfortable with how she was hiding things from Chris but I also think it was written in a way that kept the plot and also a sense of...yeah, this is how we get ourselves in these situations.

I genuinely just liked their romance. They had so much chemistry both virtually and in person that was routing for them as a couple. I thought they were so good for each other. Check this one out! I think it will be a book pick of the summer.

This novel was so much fun! I feel like it is the perfect read for Summer – romance, baseball, friendship and humor. I am a pretty new baseball fan, and have been getting more into it the last couple of years, but I really loved this book and do not feel like you have to be a baseball fan to enjoy it!

Daphne is going through a rough time – she is getting out of a marriage with her childhood crush, is not doing so great with her job, and just needs to let off some steam. When her brother and sister in law gift her fantastic seats to a Battery baseball game, she begrudgingly goes with her best friend. Chris is a baseball player with a lot on his mind. Still reeling from a recent tragedy, and not playing to his usual standard, a comment from a heckling fan reduces him to tears. It just so happens that that fan is none other than Daphne. When, later that evening, she sends Chris a social media message to apologize, she strikes up a friendship with him. Too bad he doesn’t realize who she actually is, as she forgot the important aspect of why she was apologizing and who she was in her message. As Daphne starts working for the team to cover for her sister in law, she gets to know Chris and her feelings grow deeper. However, the guilt is eating away at her because he still doesn’t know her identity as the woman in his inbox, and she does not know how much longer she can keep up the ruse. The truth has to come out sometime – but will it be a homerun or a strike out?

I really enjoyed watching both Chris and Daphne learn about themselves and grow throughout the novel. Daphne finds her sense of self again, and is rebuilding her confidence. Chris is coming to terms with the tragedy that happened, and is beginning the process of healing. Seeing them come together and aid each other in those journeys was so enjoyable. The moments of humor peppered throughout, the summer ballgame atmosphere, the secondary characters all come together to create the perfect romance. And the spice! Some of the best love scenes I’ve read this year. Sweet, funny, engaging and spicy, I cannot recommend this book enough!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the Digital Review Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Not to be dramatic, but I think I caught feelings for Chris. The way his character is written is so well done you can’t help but invest feelings into him. From the very beginning!! I found the way his character developed and dealt with grief the most relatable. It’s very rare to see an author portray a realistic man with feelings and emotions that aren’t directly involved with the opposite sex. Chris story was well done.

From the very start I felt the way Daphne and Chris began their relationship was so unique and adorable. I felt myself smiling and laughing out loud throughout the book. I did find myself frustrated with Daphne occasionally. I didn’t like the way she handled the relationship. I know it was part of the story and the way it was meant to unfold, but it was part of the reason I invested more in Chris and less in Daphne.

A very cute read though! If you want a short fast paced read, this is it.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Berkely Publishing Group for the eARC.