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Alicia Thompson (Love in the Time of Serial Killers; With Love, from Cold World) hits a home run with The Art of Catching Feelings, a sports romance with depth, secrets, and the right amount of spice. Freshly divorced Daphne Brink attends her first major league baseball game and drunkenly heckles the players with absurd puns. Unfortunately for third baseman Chris Kepler, Daphne unknowingly calls him the nickname his brother gave him when they were children--long before that brother died by suicide--and Chris is caught sobbing on camera in the batter's box.
Daphne tries to apologize in an Instagram direct message but accidentally forgets to include that she was the heckler. Soon, the pair are texting all day, but Chris still doesn't know Daphne's real identity. When Daphne is tapped to step in as the sideline reporter for Chris's team, the two develop an in-person relationship, and although Daphne is tormented by guilt, she can't help falling for Chris.
Beyond the thoroughly developed central relationship, Thompson also creates a particularly compelling and nuanced exploration of masculinity in sports. Chris has been trying to deal with his grief alone and grappling with his feelings about baseball 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 will win over readers who love a messy romance with a hint of angst, whether or not they enjoy baseball. Fans of Emily Henry's Book Lovers and Lyssa Kay Adams's The Bromance Book Club should add this to their lineup. --Suzanne Krohn, librarian and freelance reviewer