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

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!