Book Review: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Alicia Thompson
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: June 18th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A professional baseball player and his heckler prove that true love is worth going to bat for.

Daphne Brink doesn’t follow baseball, but watching “America’s Snoozefest” certainly beats sitting at home in the days after she signs her divorce papers. After one too many ballpark beers, she heckles Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler, who quickly proves there might actually be a little crying in baseball. Horrified, Daphne reaches out to Chris on social media to apologize . . . but forgets to identify herself as his heckler in her message.

Chris doesn’t usually respond to random fans on social media, but he’s grieving and fragile after an emotionally turbulent few months. When a DM from “Duckie” catches his eye, he impulsively messages back. Duckie is sweet, funny, and seems to understand him in a way no one else does.

Daphne isn’t sure how much longer she can keep lying to Chris, especially as she starts working with the team in real life and their feelings for each other deepen. When he finds out the truth, will it be three strikes, she’s out?

WELL.

I’m on a quest to find some good baseball romances and this one came up a few times so here we are.

Why in the world is this whole book based off of a catfishing miscommunication? I think if this plot point had been resolved sooner the book would have sat better with me. I hate seeing MULTIPLE opportunities to come clean about everything and being dismissed.

The rest of the book is good though. I liked the chemistry between Chris and Daphne. It’s kind of a benefits situation but the feelings are so clearly there that a lot of sweet moments are included too. Plenty of baseball content too! Definitely a sports romance, just had some resolution issues.

Overall audience notes: