Daphne Brink doesn’t even like baseball, but fresh off a divorce and a few too many beers, she ends up heckling Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler from the stands. Mortified afterward, she sends him an anonymous DM to apologize…without admitting she was the heckler. Chris, struggling with grief and burnout, finds unexpected comfort in the messages from “Duckie,” and their online connection quickly turns into something real. But with Daphne hiding her identity while also working with the team, the truth could unravel everything.
This was such a fun, feel-good story. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Chris and Daphne, both together and as individuals. Chris completely stole the show for me. He’s sensitive, sweet, and swoony in all the best ways. He’s the perfect book boyfriend, the kind you just want to hug and protect, especially as Thompson portrays his grief and panic attacks with so much care and realism. I usually roll my eyes at miscommunication tropes, but here it worked so well that I didn’t even mind, it added tension without ruining the charm.
Overall, The Art of Catching Feelings is a sweet, engaging sports romance full of heart, healing, and slow-burn chemistry. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a mix of sports, banter, and characters that feel achingly real.
AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP | ★★★★
The Art of Catching Feelings is out now. Huge thanks to Berkley for my copy in return for my honest review. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books or on Tiktok @speakingof.books
