I love a good sports romance book and this one is high up on my list. I thought it was great and I don't think this would strike out with my patrons, it'll be a homerun!

I devoured this romance book. As a huge baseball fan, I absolutely loved the premise of this story. Both love interests, Daphne and Chris, were well-rounded characters and I could not help but root for them to end up together. (Sidenote - Chris may be my newest literary boyfriend.) This was the first Alicia Thompson book I have read, but it most certainly will not be my last!

This was my first book from Alicia Thompson and I will definitely be reading more. I picked this up largely because of the cover and summery baseball feels (admittedly knowing very little about the actual game), I won't lie.

Chris is a total sweetheart and I really loved being in his head and his POV. I really enjoyed how he was emotional, though it was hard for him to express and connect with those emotions, and he was overall just really well written. I think men in romance books can often fall within hyper-masculine or hyper-sensitive sides, and he felt very well rounded and honestly like a perfect love interest.

Miscommunication is FRUSTRATING and honestly not my favorite (-1 point for me not actually reading blurbs before requesting, again) but it was pretty well done for the book. The way the resolution and big reveal ultimately came about, I enjoyed for the uniqueness of the scenario and the specific callbacks.

My biggest dislike of the book is that it starts to get "spicy" around 60% in, and it honestly feels very random and sudden for where the characters are in their relationship. Once they are together the story continues progressing and it makes sense/they are good together! But the way they start their relationship in person felt a little off and out of character.

Overall the writing and and storytelling was gorgeous, I will definitely be picking up more of the author's books. So many wonderful quotes and impactful moments. While I didn't care for Daphne as much as Chris, she was wholly real and relatable at points and I liked how her individual story/career path intertwined with the whole.

Obsessed with the cover, tropes, and overall premise of the book. Found it hard to get into but was pleasantly surprised. Can’t wait to recommend in store!

I'm a baseball girlie (go Braves!) and I thought this was such an adorable baseball romance. I will admit I didn't love the 'catfishing' aspect of this book but I think it resolved itself nicely and characters took accountability. The romance in this was super cute and of course I loved all the baseball in it!

I have some conflicting feelings about this book. On one hand, the quirky circumstances were a lot of fun; a baseball player and his heckler fall in love - which is slightly absurd in the best possible way. I loved how Daphne and Chris opened up with one another and a lot of how their relationship progressed felt very organic and believable. I also enjoyed that the book covered some heavier topics while still being a very enjoyable and fun read.

On the other hand, it was unfortunately difficult for me to get past how long Daphne was lying to Chris and the information imbalance that occurred throughout almost the entire book. I get that that's the point of the book - hidden identities and semi-anonymous penpals - but there were just so many times where Daphne felt extremely guilty about keeping this secret and had to sidestep the truth, that I ended up feeling anxious just waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Chris to find out everything and that distracted me from enjoying the book to it's fullest. I'm all for unplugging from reality and accepting that book situations and tropes work on page but not in the real world, but I personally couldn't brush this one aside.

Overall, I think it's written well and there are some great moments, but if this type of trope is difficult for you it might be a miss. Other than that, I think a lot of people will really like this one!

Alicia Thompson is new to me and I’m kicking myself because if this is how she writes, I’ve been depriving myself. I LOVED this book. I mean, it’s got baseball. It’s got epistolary, text message style. It’s got fantastic grief rep. It’s got a swoony pro athlete and an FMC that’s at a crossroads in her life. Plus they meet when she heckles him at a game and makes him cry on national TV. What else do you want?

Chris and Daphne are perfect together. And in true soulmate theory (if that’s a thing?) Chris falls in love with Daphne *twice*. Does he know she’s his insta DM love? Nope. Does he know he’ll fall for his heckler when she starts doing some sideline reporting? Also no. But he falls in love with Daphne TWICE AND IT WAS SO SWOONY.

I really love epistolary romance because they’re falling in love through writing and it really gives them the opportunity to fall for the person, not just the appearance. But Chris and Daphne are both incredibly sweet characters. Chris is a softie and Daphne is a sweetheart. They’re both just…in a rough patch. Chris is battling grief over his brother’s loss to suicide and Daphne is trying to find her place again after her divorce. They’re both a little lost and, while finding each other is unexpected, I think they needed to find each other exactly when they did.

And that’s what makes romance…romantic.

Thank you to Berkley for an arc copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Unfortunately, this one fell a bit short for me. I loved the romance when it finally happened, but the communication between the two mc’s was frustrating. Overall it was an easy, quick read. Fun if you’re into baseball/sports romances!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️/🌶️🌶️🌶️ (I can’t decide!)

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
⚾️ Baseball Romance
❓ HIdden Identity
💜 Workplace Romance
💌 You’ve Got Mail Vibes

It’s always fun for me when an author’s books just keep replacing each other as my favorite. The Art of Catching Feelings is now my favorite Alicia Thompson book and the perfect spring read.

Daphne is a funny and flawed FMC, still dealing with being a divorcee. Chris is going to shoot the top of people’s book boyfriend lists. He is funny, sensitive, caring, super hot (hello baseball pants!) and a huge cinnamon roll. He is also working through the grief of his brother’s death.

The way that Daphne and Chris slowly start to lean on each other and give into the mutual attraction had me wanting to cancel plans to keep reading 🤭🤭🤭

Without spoilers, Daphne is probably the closest thing to a morally gray character that you will get in a contemporary romance. She knows what she did was wrong however I couldn’t help but to sympathize with her because tbh, I probably would’ve done the same thing. Her actions led to the big conflict and it was handled impeccably. It felt very realistic and natural.

I couldn’t decide between two or three peppers for spice but I think this is Alicia’s spiciest book yet 😉😜

Thank you NetGalley for providing the eARC of this book! I thought that the characters were extremely lovable and the writing really amazing! I thought that it felt a bit complicated and messy in their communication with each other. It did make me a bit frustrated with how long it took her to admit her feelings for him. Overall, it was a fun, yet emotional, read.

The baseball setting and theme made this book an enjoyable read for me. I am a huge baseball fan and I loved reading more about the clubhouse interviews, team relationships, sports journalism, travel schedules, mechanics of the game, etc. Chris was also a great character with plenty of depth and an interesting backstory/family life.

However, Daphne was honestly insufferable. It didn't make any sense why she hid her identity as the heckler from Chris once she realized she left out that key line in her first message to him. She came off as dishonest and whiney. I kept reading because I liked Chris and baseball but not because of her in any way.

Overall, I'm glad I read this one - great vibes for summer and baseball season! 3.5/5 stars.

To start off, I would like to thank Berkley and Netgalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Art of Catching Feelings is a Baseball romance between a professional baseball player who has fallen into a "slump" in regard to playing baseball and an accidental heckler.

I wanted to go into this book completely unbiased (I dislike the secret/hidden identity trope). But this book unfortunately was a reminder to me as to why I truly dislike it.

Now listen, Christopher was a really great guy, he was sweet, charming, and clearly recovering from a devastating tragic loss. Enters Daphne who flips his life upside down.

The reason why Daphne's character really angered me was because she had so many opportunities to disclose to Chris who she was and yet she chose not to (which I truly do not understand why).

Instead, she leads Chris on, online and in real life. And proceeds to have a relationship while fully lying to him. I was so disappointed too because I wanted to like her character. Like I was rooting for her to do the right thing but she really let me down.

Chris deserved so much better, and to be honest... Regardless of the ending, I truly believe that they did not end up together because what she did to him was so fucked up.

Maybe some of y'all will actually enjoy this book more than I did but personally I just couldn't get behind what was happening.

I'm not a baseball fan. I only watched one baseball game and I was just there to meet Nurse Blake, hang out with my girls, enjoy the food, drinks and bring my kids to a baseball game. I was hesitant I wouldn't understand the story which involves baseball but this book was a lovely read. From the moment Duckie heckled Chris I was hooked. The DM connection is something that doesn't happen daily with a known athlete and a stranger but there was sweetness and genuineness in their conversation. There was openness and understanding. It was red flag when Daphne started working for The Battery and even bigger trouble when she and Chris hooked up. I'm a jealous type so I was hesitant when Chris was into Daphne when he was also into Duckie. But they had chemistry. I'm not a fan of secret romance but I love how he was lose and natural with Daphne. The conflict and how it came out hurt. I think I even felt how painful it was for both Chris and Daphne. What I like is that the author did not prolong the tension and neither character became horrible people towards each other. The reunion and ending was beautiful as well. Now I want to fall in love and dance away in the field.

Wow wow wow wow wow. Wow.
5⭐️ but I would give it a million if I could. Alicia's Thompson kills it Every. Single. Time.
I have zero interest in the world of baseball but Alicia is one of those authors that you know everything she writes will be in your Top 5 reads of the year. I still have zero interest in the game of baseball but I have a new found appreciation for the people who play it, if you know what I mean 😏😂
The dynamic between Daphne (Duckie) and Chris was so interesting to watch unfold. The way they were both whole as their own person (maybe a little broken and bruised but quite resilient) yet completely enhanced the best in each other when they were together (or anonymous texting 👀) was just perfect. Every interaction they had with each other makes your heart pound.
Alicia does such a good job at capturing these weird complex emotions we all experience and explains them in a way that makes so much sense. The way I explained that makes no sense but if ykyk.
Every character she writes is so dynamic and flawed in the best ways possible that you can’t help but fall in love with them. Even the side characters. Especially Milo 🐾 You can feel the time and energy she and her team but into crafting these tiny worlds on paper. I genuinely believe everything Alicia writes will be an instant classic that you can’t stop thinking about even months after you’ve finished it.
Also the spice was 10/10 so fun, would recommend to anyone who is starting out in the spicy romance world. (2.5/5 🌶️)
Overall just an incredible, fun, heartfelt, can’t-put-it-down book. 🫶🏻

This sports romance highlights anonymous text messages, opposites attract, and gives us a swoony, amazing, stellar book boyfriend in the form of Chris Kepler.❤️❤️❤️
Unfortunately, the FMC made this book fall short for me.
The writing, as always from Thompson, is done so well and flows nicely.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the eARC.

This is my first baseball romance and I loved it. I adored the romance and banter between the two characters and this was such a sweet storyline. I would definitely recommend this to any rom com lover (even if you don’t know anything about baseball.)

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.