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The Prospects
The pressure cooker of minor league baseball leads to major chemistry in this exhilarating, sexy, and triumphant rivals to lovers debut romance.
Hope is familiar territory for Gene Ionescu. He has always loved baseball, a sport made for underdogs and optimists like him. He also loves his team, the minor league Beaverton Beavers, and, for the most part, he loves the career he’s built. As the first openly trans player in professional baseball, Gene has nearly everything he’s ever let himself dream of—that is, until Luis Estrada, Gene’s former teammate and current rival, gets traded to the Beavers, destroying the careful equilibrium of Gene’s life.
Gene and Luis can’t manage a civil conversation off the field or a competent play on it, but in the close confines of dugout benches and roadie buses, they begrudgingly rediscover a comfortable rhythm. As the two grow closer, the tension between them turns electric, and their chemistry spills past the confines of the stadium. For every tight double play they execute, there’s also a glance at summer-tan shoulders or a secret shared, each one a breathless moment of possibility that ignites in Gene the visceral, terrifying kind of desire he’s never allowed himself. Soon, Gene has to reconcile the quiet, minor-league-sized life he used to find fulfilling with the major-league dreams Luis makes feel possible.
A joyful, heartfelt debut rom-com revealing what’s possible when we allow ourselves to want something enough to swing for the fences.
Hope is familiar territory for Gene Ionescu. He has always loved baseball, a sport made for underdogs and optimists like him. He also loves his team, the minor league Beaverton Beavers, and, for the most part, he loves the career he’s built. As the first openly trans player in professional baseball, Gene has nearly everything he’s ever let himself dream of—that is, until Luis Estrada, Gene’s former teammate and current rival, gets traded to the Beavers, destroying the careful equilibrium of Gene’s life.
Gene and Luis can’t manage a civil conversation off the field or a competent play on it, but in the close confines of dugout benches and roadie buses, they begrudgingly rediscover a comfortable rhythm. As the two grow closer, the tension between them turns electric, and their chemistry spills past the confines of the stadium. For every tight double play they execute, there’s also a glance at summer-tan shoulders or a secret shared, each one a breathless moment of possibility that ignites in Gene the visceral, terrifying kind of desire he’s never allowed himself. Soon, Gene has to reconcile the quiet, minor-league-sized life he used to find fulfilling with the major-league dreams Luis makes feel possible.
A joyful, heartfelt debut rom-com revealing what’s possible when we allow ourselves to want something enough to swing for the fences.
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2024
About the author
K.T. Hoffman
1 book215 followersKT is originally from Beaverton, Oregon and currently lives in Brooklyn. If he isn’t writing about trans hope and gay kissing, he’s probably white-knuckling his way through the ninth inning of a Seattle Mariners game.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,323 reviews
March 16, 2024
Okay. Listen. E.L. Massey’s sweetness. Fan fic vibes. A sports romance including a trans MC. AND Anita Kelly, Casey McQuiston, and Alison Cochrun blurbed it. What do we want more?
If you loved The Breakaway series by E.L. Massey, you definitely should pick up The Prospects. Think of optimism. Positiveness. Sweetness. And so much yearning. Oh, and a service dog.
This story is full of baseball, and I don't know anything about it. I played a little softball in high school, and I knew about gloves and bats, but that’s it. So, the games-related parts went a bit over my head. But overall, I loved this story so, so much!
I immediately had a soft spot for Luis. Yes, of course, the brooding, quiet one. The odd one out. The not partying one. The one with the service dog who’s so, so sweet for kids. The one battling panic attacks. Slowly opening up to bright and cheerful Gene, who had his own battles to deal with. The stealthily glances. The unexpected touches. The wonderful conversations. They all brought a smile to my face, and constant feathers whirled through my stomach. Anita Kelly, Casey McQuiston, and Alison Cochrun were right. In their words: ‘The Prospects is a heart-stealing romance, doggedly hopeful and endlessly charming, and Gene is the short king of my dreams and Luis the secret cinnamon roll I want to wrap in a warm hug. I couldn’t have said it better!’ Just pick up this one, everyone!
Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
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If you loved The Breakaway series by E.L. Massey, you definitely should pick up The Prospects. Think of optimism. Positiveness. Sweetness. And so much yearning. Oh, and a service dog.
This story is full of baseball, and I don't know anything about it. I played a little softball in high school, and I knew about gloves and bats, but that’s it. So, the games-related parts went a bit over my head. But overall, I loved this story so, so much!
I immediately had a soft spot for Luis. Yes, of course, the brooding, quiet one. The odd one out. The not partying one. The one with the service dog who’s so, so sweet for kids. The one battling panic attacks. Slowly opening up to bright and cheerful Gene, who had his own battles to deal with. The stealthily glances. The unexpected touches. The wonderful conversations. They all brought a smile to my face, and constant feathers whirled through my stomach. Anita Kelly, Casey McQuiston, and Alison Cochrun were right. In their words: ‘The Prospects is a heart-stealing romance, doggedly hopeful and endlessly charming, and Gene is the short king of my dreams and Luis the secret cinnamon roll I want to wrap in a warm hug. I couldn’t have said it better!’ Just pick up this one, everyone!
Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
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May 15, 2024
Trans Rights Readathon
This took me nearly a month to read, which is indicative of my feelings about it. While this is very cute, and has tons of trans joy, and I enjoyed Gene, I could not wrap my head around Luis and the dog he takes everywhere.
If I were his teammate, had to share a room with him and his dog, I would no longer be his teammate. I won't turn this into /dogfree, but the pro-dog sentiments of every Western nation, specifically the US in this case, made this very difficult for me to enjoy.
I did like how accepting Gene's family and teammates were of his identity. I enjoyed reading a book set in Oregon, a state I want to visit. Baseball isn't necessarily my cup of tea, but that turned me off less than you know what.
However, don't listen to me. I'm only one voice. My sibling loved it.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press
This took me nearly a month to read, which is indicative of my feelings about it. While this is very cute, and has tons of trans joy, and I enjoyed Gene, I could not wrap my head around Luis and the dog he takes everywhere.
If I were his teammate, had to share a room with him and his dog, I would no longer be his teammate. I won't turn this into /dogfree, but the pro-dog sentiments of every Western nation, specifically the US in this case, made this very difficult for me to enjoy.
I did like how accepting Gene's family and teammates were of his identity. I enjoyed reading a book set in Oregon, a state I want to visit. Baseball isn't necessarily my cup of tea, but that turned me off less than you know what.
However, don't listen to me. I'm only one voice. My sibling loved it.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press
July 27, 2024
my gay, baseball-loving heart is so full!!!!
April 9, 2024
I'm not quite sure how to write a coherent review because I loved this book so much. From start to finish, this is an absolute joy to read and is full of genuine hope, optimism, and a true love of baseball. (Basically, this was a perfect book to read during the postseason).
The Prospects follows Gene, the first openly transgender player in the minor leagues, and his past and present teammate Luis. They are reunited on the Beaverton Beavers and slowly figure out how to both work together on the field and repair their past friendship. In terms of the tropes, I feel like it's kind of a second chance and an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance all rolled into one? Whatever it is, it’s great. I loved both characters and the respective journeys they took throughout the baseball season covered in the book. The plot genuinely surprised me and was well structured in a way that provided realistic relationship tension. I fully happy cried through the entire end and was so sad to say goodbye to both MCs as well as the great side characters.
Can't recommend this one enough!! Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The Prospects follows Gene, the first openly transgender player in the minor leagues, and his past and present teammate Luis. They are reunited on the Beaverton Beavers and slowly figure out how to both work together on the field and repair their past friendship. In terms of the tropes, I feel like it's kind of a second chance and an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance all rolled into one? Whatever it is, it’s great. I loved both characters and the respective journeys they took throughout the baseball season covered in the book. The plot genuinely surprised me and was well structured in a way that provided realistic relationship tension. I fully happy cried through the entire end and was so sad to say goodbye to both MCs as well as the great side characters.
Can't recommend this one enough!! Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Shelved as 'audible-tbr'
March 31, 2024whoever made the cover of this book deserves a kiss on the mouth
May 26, 2024
What a delightful debut!!
I knew I would like this, but I didn't expect to ADORE it! This is up there, tied as my favorite contemporary romance of all time. It had everything I could want in a story: an MC I easily found myself cheering for, great side characters, an amazingly sweet romance, and a story good enough to hold up even if there wasn't a romance at all.
And I cannot thank K.T. Hoffman enough for creating Gene, whom I love with my entire heart.
I knew I would like this, but I didn't expect to ADORE it! This is up there, tied as my favorite contemporary romance of all time. It had everything I could want in a story: an MC I easily found myself cheering for, great side characters, an amazingly sweet romance, and a story good enough to hold up even if there wasn't a romance at all.
And I cannot thank K.T. Hoffman enough for creating Gene, whom I love with my entire heart.
April 29, 2024
Gene, a short king, is super cheesed that his former teammate, Luis, will be playing for Gene’s minor league baseball team, the Beaverton Beavers (sports teams are historically not great at picking names). Luis has really bad anxiety and a dog so after a while Gene is like, okay maybe you aren’t so bad and then a bunch of other not-so-bad things happen and it’s really sweet and lovely. Gene’s comfort in his own skin is refreshing to read (we don’t get enough exposure to characters who love their bodies) and Luis’s mental health struggles are handled with exceeding care and compassion. Additionally, I’ve read many sports romances this year (I don’t know why; I’ve never liked sports, I currently still don’t like sports, and I don’t anticipate ever liking sports) but rarely have I read one where the sport involved is discussed with such genuine adoration as the author shows to this one. This is first and foremost about the love story between Gene and Luis, but the subplot is the romance between KT Hoffman and baseball. Batter up! (That’s baseball, right?)
June 17, 2024
"Glasses on or off?" Luis asks.
"Off."
Gene is nearsighted anyway, and he doesn't plan to let Luis get far enough away that he would need them.
I know next to nothing about baseball and I loved every second of The Prospects. Gene and Luis's romance, the team, Gene's friendship with Vince. It gave me everything I wanted; it was such a fulfilling read.
I'm kind of sad that this is a debut and I can't just pick up another of K.T. Hoffman's books, but I guess I can try be patient and wait for his next release (impatiently).
August 5, 2024
5 stars.
I adored this. So, so much.
Gene's story is beautiful, romantic and full of hope.
I loved the writing style (it reminded me a lot of Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue, but with fewer and less explicit sex scenes).
The story is told in single pov, third person present tense, and it totally worked for me. Gene is a trans man playing baseball on a minor league team. The character development was done very well, I loved seeing how Gene learned to let himself not only hope for, but want good things for himself.
Getting to know Luis obviously took a bit longer, but I loved to catch more and more glimpses of him. It was so lovely to see how comfortable Gene got around Luis, how he felt at ease with Luis, once Gene took an effort to know Luis, and Luis started to open up to Gene.
Luis had some struggles to push through and had to learn on his own where he wanted to get, and I loved that Gene respected that.
The relationship development was slow and beautifully written, I was glued to the pages, rooting for Gene and Luis.
Both their families had great supportive roles, and I loved them for it. It's so refreshing to not have meddling, know-it-all family members in a romance novel!
There's lots of baseball but even if I don't know a thing about baseball, I didn't mind that at all. The author's love for the sport was brightly shining through.
Can't recommend this book enough. Thanks Marieke for recommending it to me!
I adored this. So, so much.
Gene's story is beautiful, romantic and full of hope.
I loved the writing style (it reminded me a lot of Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue, but with fewer and less explicit sex scenes).
The story is told in single pov, third person present tense, and it totally worked for me. Gene is a trans man playing baseball on a minor league team. The character development was done very well, I loved seeing how Gene learned to let himself not only hope for, but want good things for himself.
Getting to know Luis obviously took a bit longer, but I loved to catch more and more glimpses of him. It was so lovely to see how comfortable Gene got around Luis, how he felt at ease with Luis, once Gene took an effort to know Luis, and Luis started to open up to Gene.
Luis had some struggles to push through and had to learn on his own where he wanted to get, and I loved that Gene respected that.
The relationship development was slow and beautifully written, I was glued to the pages, rooting for Gene and Luis.
Both their families had great supportive roles, and I loved them for it. It's so refreshing to not have meddling, know-it-all family members in a romance novel!
There's lots of baseball but even if I don't know a thing about baseball, I didn't mind that at all. The author's love for the sport was brightly shining through.
Can't recommend this book enough. Thanks Marieke for recommending it to me!
April 7, 2024
On my blog.
Rep: Jewish Romanian American trans gay mc with ADHD & anxiety, Mexican American gay li with anxiety & nerve damage, lesbian, gay & bi side characters, side character with Downs Syndrome, deaf side character
Galley provided by publisher
Never have I wanted a fictional sports team to win a championship as much as I did the Beaverton Beavers. That, I think, is the mark of a good sports romance: not only are you rooting for the main characters, you’re also rooting for the team as a whole.
The Prospects is a book I read way back in January and, two days out from release date, I still have no idea how to review this one. It’s easily one of the best sports romances I’ve read, and probably one of the best romances full stop. Which, of course, leads to the age-old question of how on earth can I put into words how good this was?
Firstly, what stuck out for me was the amount of love K. T. Hoffman has for the game of baseball. It infuses the entire book and it’s clear that Hoffman knows what he’s on about with the game. Frankly, after reading a book last year that butchered my favourite sport beyond recognition, it’s very refreshing to read a book where the author knows a sport deeply. Maybe that’s a me thing, but if I’m reading a sports romance, I want a good chunk of it to be about the sport as well as the romance.
Second of all is the cast this book has. Every single character has been crafted with such care and love that they feel like they could be a real team (hence why I’ve never needed a fictional sports team to win a championship as much as I did reading this book. In fact, if they hadn’t, I think I might have treated it the same way as when an actual team I support failed). I know this one probably doesn’t have tie-in books or sequels coming, but god if I don’t need it anyway! If only to see them all once again.
In terms of plot, I have to say it’s not really stuck with me beyond a few scenes (ear piercing as a love language!) and Gene’s fight to get into the majors, but that I think says more about my memory than the book. (If it means I can read it all over again as though it’s the first time, I call that a win!) But that doesn’t really matter in the end: it’s the emotions of it that stuck with me and have kept me rotating this book in my mind for three months straight. And this book is a great one for all of that.
All of which to say: put this on your radar, if it’s not on there. If it is, prioritise it! Make sure it’s the first thing you read on 9th April! You won’t regret it one bit.
Rep: Jewish Romanian American trans gay mc with ADHD & anxiety, Mexican American gay li with anxiety & nerve damage, lesbian, gay & bi side characters, side character with Downs Syndrome, deaf side character
Galley provided by publisher
Never have I wanted a fictional sports team to win a championship as much as I did the Beaverton Beavers. That, I think, is the mark of a good sports romance: not only are you rooting for the main characters, you’re also rooting for the team as a whole.
The Prospects is a book I read way back in January and, two days out from release date, I still have no idea how to review this one. It’s easily one of the best sports romances I’ve read, and probably one of the best romances full stop. Which, of course, leads to the age-old question of how on earth can I put into words how good this was?
Firstly, what stuck out for me was the amount of love K. T. Hoffman has for the game of baseball. It infuses the entire book and it’s clear that Hoffman knows what he’s on about with the game. Frankly, after reading a book last year that butchered my favourite sport beyond recognition, it’s very refreshing to read a book where the author knows a sport deeply. Maybe that’s a me thing, but if I’m reading a sports romance, I want a good chunk of it to be about the sport as well as the romance.
Second of all is the cast this book has. Every single character has been crafted with such care and love that they feel like they could be a real team (hence why I’ve never needed a fictional sports team to win a championship as much as I did reading this book. In fact, if they hadn’t, I think I might have treated it the same way as when an actual team I support failed). I know this one probably doesn’t have tie-in books or sequels coming, but god if I don’t need it anyway! If only to see them all once again.
In terms of plot, I have to say it’s not really stuck with me beyond a few scenes (ear piercing as a love language!) and Gene’s fight to get into the majors, but that I think says more about my memory than the book. (If it means I can read it all over again as though it’s the first time, I call that a win!) But that doesn’t really matter in the end: it’s the emotions of it that stuck with me and have kept me rotating this book in my mind for three months straight. And this book is a great one for all of that.
All of which to say: put this on your radar, if it’s not on there. If it is, prioritise it! Make sure it’s the first thing you read on 9th April! You won’t regret it one bit.
April 12, 2024
I do love a baseball romance written by someone who clearly knows and loves baseball, so I was on board with The Prospects as soon as I read this line: “…baseball rewards the patient, the crafty, and, most of all, the optimistic.”
Our hero, Gene, is a trans man playing pro baseball, which makes him the optimist to beat all optimists except for his creator, KT Hoffman, who’s given us a pro baseball team whose captain is gay and whose shortstop is Gene. I’m not complaining! This is a better world than ours. There’s plenty of transphobia in Gene’s world, but he stays off Twitter so it’s mostly background noise—except, of course, for how although Gene’s a brilliant player he has no real hope of making it into the majors.
I won’t recap the whole plot; let’s just say that even angsty romance is ultimately a feel-good genre, and both Gene and his love interest, Luis, resolve their professional and emotional issues in the best ways possible.
I’m dinging a star because the reasons for the 80% breakup could just as well — and maybe more easily!—have been resolved if Luis and Gene had worked on them together, and because the epilogue falls into the usual epilogue trap of tying up everything neatly with a bow. An ending needn’t be perfect to be perfectly happy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Our hero, Gene, is a trans man playing pro baseball, which makes him the optimist to beat all optimists except for his creator, KT Hoffman, who’s given us a pro baseball team whose captain is gay and whose shortstop is Gene. I’m not complaining! This is a better world than ours. There’s plenty of transphobia in Gene’s world, but he stays off Twitter so it’s mostly background noise—except, of course, for how although Gene’s a brilliant player he has no real hope of making it into the majors.
I won’t recap the whole plot; let’s just say that even angsty romance is ultimately a feel-good genre, and both Gene and his love interest, Luis, resolve their professional and emotional issues in the best ways possible.
I’m dinging a star because the reasons for the 80% breakup could just as well — and maybe more easily!—have been resolved if Luis and Gene had worked on them together, and because the epilogue falls into the usual epilogue trap of tying up everything neatly with a bow. An ending needn’t be perfect to be perfectly happy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
October 30, 2023
E-ARC given to me by Random House via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars, probably higher upon reread. Joyful as the cheers of a crowd during a championship game and as heartwarming as the works of the Casey McQuiston and Anita Kelly, The Prospects is a gay debut romance that celebrates both trans gay joy and the feeling of finally letting yourself go after what you've always wanted.
4.5 stars, probably higher upon reread. Joyful as the cheers of a crowd during a championship game and as heartwarming as the works of the Casey McQuiston and Anita Kelly, The Prospects is a gay debut romance that celebrates both trans gay joy and the feeling of finally letting yourself go after what you've always wanted.
April 30, 2024
hugging this one, and Gene Ionescu in particular, real close to my chest and never ever letting go
August 13, 2023
My favorite book <3
March 22, 2024
I have lots of mixed thoughts and feels about this book. I nearly DNF-ed it. I strongly disliked the first third. I loved the second third. I enjoyed the last third and how it ended. I settled with a 3 star rating here because I think this book will affect and be loved by many people, and it should exist in the romance world, but if I could rate stars I'd drop it down to 2.5.
This book has some amazing things going for it - a great trans lead, found family feels, and sports romance, but I personally struggled with reading a lot of this book, especially the first third like I said.
So yeah, I still have a lot of mixed feels and thoughts about this. If I had a shelf that was “did I read a different book than everyone else” I’d shelve this one there.
An arc was provided by the publisher for a bookstagram tour.
This book has some amazing things going for it - a great trans lead, found family feels, and sports romance, but I personally struggled with reading a lot of this book, especially the first third like I said.
So yeah, I still have a lot of mixed feels and thoughts about this. If I had a shelf that was “did I read a different book than everyone else” I’d shelve this one there.
An arc was provided by the publisher for a bookstagram tour.
August 16, 2024
*said in a voice that is so filled with affection and is very much not fine* i'm fine!
April 11, 2024
I’m so happy that authors are finally recognizing the gay potential of baseball <3
This was a wonderful lovely romance brimming with trans joy and had a lot of hope and heart. I loved all the platonic and familial relationships in this book, as well as the amazing communication amongst the characters. I appreciated how much Gene genuinely loved baseball, keeping alive the fun and excitement of the sport despite the pressure. It led me to feel true pride for all his accomplishments.
While this book is marketed as a rivals to lovers romance, I found it to be more of a friends to lovers situation. Gene and Luis were on the same team in college and had a casual friendship. However, they lost touch for a few years after Luis cut contact. Now they’re in the minor leagues and back on the same team. And while there’s an adjustment period, they quickly fall back into their old familiarity. I thought they had a really healthy dynamic, and a more playful rivalry that pushed each other to be better athletes.
My only complaint: Dare I say, kind of hoped for more baseball. I was disappointed that we skimmed through most of the games and didn’t even get to witness the championship game. I felt its omission made the ending feel rushed.
Overall, a really fun story with great characters, strong relationships, and amazing representation.
Rep: Trans MC with ADHD, Gay Mexican LI with anxiety + emotional support animal
Lesbian, gay, and deaf side characters
Thank you Random House for the free eARC on NetGalley!
This was a wonderful lovely romance brimming with trans joy and had a lot of hope and heart. I loved all the platonic and familial relationships in this book, as well as the amazing communication amongst the characters. I appreciated how much Gene genuinely loved baseball, keeping alive the fun and excitement of the sport despite the pressure. It led me to feel true pride for all his accomplishments.
While this book is marketed as a rivals to lovers romance, I found it to be more of a friends to lovers situation. Gene and Luis were on the same team in college and had a casual friendship. However, they lost touch for a few years after Luis cut contact. Now they’re in the minor leagues and back on the same team. And while there’s an adjustment period, they quickly fall back into their old familiarity. I thought they had a really healthy dynamic, and a more playful rivalry that pushed each other to be better athletes.
My only complaint: Dare I say, kind of hoped for more baseball. I was disappointed that we skimmed through most of the games and didn’t even get to witness the championship game. I felt its omission made the ending feel rushed.
Overall, a really fun story with great characters, strong relationships, and amazing representation.
Rep: Trans MC with ADHD, Gay Mexican LI with anxiety + emotional support animal
Lesbian, gay, and deaf side characters
Thank you Random House for the free eARC on NetGalley!
May 17, 2024
Minor league baseball + rivals-to-lovers + the first openly trans player…good golly, I couldn’t have loved this more!
Gene is the heart and soul of this contemporary romance. He’s the shortstop for the Beaverton Beavers, the Triple A minor league team for the Portland Lumberjacks. That is, he’s the shortstop until his rival Luis is traded to the Beavers and takes his position, leaving Gene to play second base instead. They haven’t seen each other since playing in college. Gene thinks Luis is a miserable grump but really Luis is dealing with severe anxiety…and a secret crush on Gene, just as Gene as been secretly crushing on him too!!! I loved watching these two fall for each other and then figure out whether and how they can make it work as baseball players who could potentially get traded at any time.
The story doesn’t shy away from the harder things of life, like anxiety, figuring out how or when to come out, and systemic transphobia in the baseball world. But the camaraderie of the Beavers and Gene’s skill on the field also shines a light on how inclusive baseball could become. It was fun to read a book set on a minor league team and the specific pressures (and low pay) those players face. Initially, Gene thinks he’s gone as far up in baseball as he’ll be able to go due to perception of trans players but that’s also a way that he doesn’t get his hopes up. The exploration of hope for both Gene and Luis was my favorite part of the story.
Just an absolute delight of a debut! I can’t wait to see what Hoffman writes next.
Characters: Gene is a 26 year old gay trans white Jewish Romanian American second baseman, photographer, and vegetarian with ADHD. Luis is a 28 year old gay Mexican American shortstop with severe anxiety. He has an emotional support dog named Dodger. This is set in Portland and Beaverton, OR.
Content notes: anxiety/panic disorder, panic attacks, Xanax, ER visit after fainting (dehydrated on top of a panic attack), medical privacy violation (Gene tells the manager about Luis going to the ER without asking permission to share. He apologizes after and Luis isn’t upset about it.), closeted MC (no forced outing; comes out to accepting family), overt and systemic transphobia, past deadnaming, misogyny (fan tweets), systemic racism, ageism, baseball injury (secondary character), past car accident (Luis had a panic attack while driving), past death of Luis’s father, scars from top surgery, needles (testosterone injection; ear piercing), secondary character with hearing aids who prefers ASL, Luis’s sister has Down syndrome, past adoption (Gene’s dad is his uncle; his birth mom was an alcoholic and left when Gene was young and his dad adopted him), unsafe sex practices (Luis rips open condom packet with his teeth), on page sex, locker room shower sex, strap-on harness, alcohol, inebriation (secondary character), cigarettes (secondary character), gendered pejoratives, ableist language
Gene is the heart and soul of this contemporary romance. He’s the shortstop for the Beaverton Beavers, the Triple A minor league team for the Portland Lumberjacks. That is, he’s the shortstop until his rival Luis is traded to the Beavers and takes his position, leaving Gene to play second base instead. They haven’t seen each other since playing in college. Gene thinks Luis is a miserable grump but really Luis is dealing with severe anxiety…and a secret crush on Gene, just as Gene as been secretly crushing on him too!!! I loved watching these two fall for each other and then figure out whether and how they can make it work as baseball players who could potentially get traded at any time.
The story doesn’t shy away from the harder things of life, like anxiety, figuring out how or when to come out, and systemic transphobia in the baseball world. But the camaraderie of the Beavers and Gene’s skill on the field also shines a light on how inclusive baseball could become. It was fun to read a book set on a minor league team and the specific pressures (and low pay) those players face. Initially, Gene thinks he’s gone as far up in baseball as he’ll be able to go due to perception of trans players but that’s also a way that he doesn’t get his hopes up. The exploration of hope for both Gene and Luis was my favorite part of the story.
Just an absolute delight of a debut! I can’t wait to see what Hoffman writes next.
Characters: Gene is a 26 year old gay trans white Jewish Romanian American second baseman, photographer, and vegetarian with ADHD. Luis is a 28 year old gay Mexican American shortstop with severe anxiety. He has an emotional support dog named Dodger. This is set in Portland and Beaverton, OR.
Content notes: anxiety/panic disorder, panic attacks, Xanax, ER visit after fainting (dehydrated on top of a panic attack), medical privacy violation (Gene tells the manager about Luis going to the ER without asking permission to share. He apologizes after and Luis isn’t upset about it.), closeted MC (no forced outing; comes out to accepting family), overt and systemic transphobia, past deadnaming, misogyny (fan tweets), systemic racism, ageism, baseball injury (secondary character), past car accident (Luis had a panic attack while driving), past death of Luis’s father, scars from top surgery, needles (testosterone injection; ear piercing), secondary character with hearing aids who prefers ASL, Luis’s sister has Down syndrome, past adoption (Gene’s dad is his uncle; his birth mom was an alcoholic and left when Gene was young and his dad adopted him), unsafe sex practices (Luis rips open condom packet with his teeth), on page sex, locker room shower sex, strap-on harness, alcohol, inebriation (secondary character), cigarettes (secondary character), gendered pejoratives, ableist language
September 17, 2023
I just finished this book and my god. what an absolutely phenomenal book. I feel like i need to go lay down in some diamond dirt and cry my eyes out and scream my queer joy into the baseball stands. this book might get me to go back to a baseball game??? But more than that, this book was so well written, so well CRAFTED. It was funny and sexy and filled with such an incredible amount of hope, optimism, queer and trans joy, and queer found family. KT Hoffman went to the Casey McQuiston & Anita Kelly school of good writing. Like it's that serious. I thought the writing and the subjects talked about within it, from mental health rep, to transphobia, to what happens when you don't feel like you're enough for your dreams and what happens when your dreams come true--all of it was so well written and so carefully constructed with a loving amount of thought and detail. Someone give me a baseball bat I'm gonna need to go swinging to make sure everyone knows about this beautiful beautiful book.
July 31, 2024
This book is roughly about the world of baseball. Doesn't seem like that long ago that my eyes were opened to the fact that there are a good number of athletes that are gay also perhaps even going to greater lengths to change themselves.
After completing this book I can understand why some do.
After completing this book I can understand why some do.
Read
April 22, 2024Hopeful and sweet! (I still know nothing about baseball)
April 1, 2024
This was so good omg!! Once I got to about the 10% mark, I literally didn’t want to put this book down! I love Gene & Luis & Dodger & Vince & Baker & Ernie & all the Kyles! I love the Beaverton Beavers so so much!! 🥺 this book was truly just so joyous and made me so happy, even when it made me cry! I truly can’t say enough how wonderful this book is and I hope everyone picks it up when it releases on 4/9!!! 🥰
May 1, 2024
“And it doesn’t feel so scary, letting him in - it feels like coming home, in every sense of the word.”
Gene Ionescu has always loved baseball. As the first openly trans player in professional baseball, Gene has nearly everything he’s ever let himself dream of—that is, until Luis Estrada, Gene’s former teammate and current rival, gets traded to the Beavers, destroying the careful equilibrium of Gene’s life. As the two grow closer, the tension becomes something more. Soon, Gene has to reconcile the quiet, minor-league-sized life he used to find fulfilling with the major-league dreams Luis inspires.
THIS BOOK!! This book was fucking fantastic, and I loved every moment with it.
It’s been a while since I read a contemporary rom-com (that’s not like a smutty KU book) that made me feel like giggling, blushing, kicking my feet, but this book did. It’s!!! So !!! Sweet !!!
Firstly, I love that it even exists. A book all about queer and trans joy: that follows the first out trans player in professional baseball. As the author’s note says, sure, it may be unrealistic, but since when do rom-coms need realism? That’s something that specifically queer romance books get criticized for all the time (like that popular one that we won’t talk about), and I think it’s so annoying because it is a double standard. I don’t see anyone criticizing an idk, Tessa Bailey book for its lack of realism *side-eye*
But what truly shines in this book is the characters. They’re all so well written and created. They shine from the very first chapter. Even the side characters are great (ngl, I would love to read a book/a novella all about Vince bc I really liked him). That’s because these characters aren’t there just to serve their specific roles/tropes in a romance; they feel like fully developed people who also happen to be fictional characters. I loved Gene and Luis!! Especially Luis because I’m sorry if you put a man full of anxiety, who’s also shy and down BAD, in front of me; I will deeply relate to him and immediately love him.
My only criticism isn't really a fault of the book, but I still don't know ANYTHING about baseball. I think it's because it's a very American sport, and I am not American! Nor do I like sports! They were just saying things all the time, and I had no clue what they were talking about. Like, I still don't understand what a shortstop is? Is that a top that is short? Is it someone that wears shorts? I DON'T KNOW IT COULD BE. So, in all the baseball game sequences, I was like, AH, yes. I definitely know what you're talking about, and I can picture it *laughs nervously*
Again, it's not the book's fault that my only baseball knowledge is 'I Don't Dance' from High School Musical 2. If you know a lot about the sport, you will probably have an easier time reading it. But even if you don't, it's still so worth it.
It's still early to say, BUT I think it will end up being one of my favorite romance books of the year. I was DELIGHTED.
Also, of course, thank you to the publisher for the ARC!!
Gene Ionescu has always loved baseball. As the first openly trans player in professional baseball, Gene has nearly everything he’s ever let himself dream of—that is, until Luis Estrada, Gene’s former teammate and current rival, gets traded to the Beavers, destroying the careful equilibrium of Gene’s life. As the two grow closer, the tension becomes something more. Soon, Gene has to reconcile the quiet, minor-league-sized life he used to find fulfilling with the major-league dreams Luis inspires.
THIS BOOK!! This book was fucking fantastic, and I loved every moment with it.
It’s been a while since I read a contemporary rom-com (that’s not like a smutty KU book) that made me feel like giggling, blushing, kicking my feet, but this book did. It’s!!! So !!! Sweet !!!
Firstly, I love that it even exists. A book all about queer and trans joy: that follows the first out trans player in professional baseball. As the author’s note says, sure, it may be unrealistic, but since when do rom-coms need realism? That’s something that specifically queer romance books get criticized for all the time (like that popular one that we won’t talk about), and I think it’s so annoying because it is a double standard. I don’t see anyone criticizing an idk, Tessa Bailey book for its lack of realism *side-eye*
But what truly shines in this book is the characters. They’re all so well written and created. They shine from the very first chapter. Even the side characters are great (ngl, I would love to read a book/a novella all about Vince bc I really liked him). That’s because these characters aren’t there just to serve their specific roles/tropes in a romance; they feel like fully developed people who also happen to be fictional characters. I loved Gene and Luis!! Especially Luis because I’m sorry if you put a man full of anxiety, who’s also shy and down BAD, in front of me; I will deeply relate to him and immediately love him.
My only criticism isn't really a fault of the book, but I still don't know ANYTHING about baseball. I think it's because it's a very American sport, and I am not American! Nor do I like sports! They were just saying things all the time, and I had no clue what they were talking about. Like, I still don't understand what a shortstop is? Is that a top that is short? Is it someone that wears shorts? I DON'T KNOW IT COULD BE. So, in all the baseball game sequences, I was like, AH, yes. I definitely know what you're talking about, and I can picture it *laughs nervously*
Again, it's not the book's fault that my only baseball knowledge is 'I Don't Dance' from High School Musical 2. If you know a lot about the sport, you will probably have an easier time reading it. But even if you don't, it's still so worth it.
It's still early to say, BUT I think it will end up being one of my favorite romance books of the year. I was DELIGHTED.
Also, of course, thank you to the publisher for the ARC!!
November 7, 2023
this was so 💞💕💝💘💖❣️💞💗❤️🩹❤️🔥🩷🩵 4.5ishhh :)) thank u dial press for the ARC 😁😁😁
March 17, 2024
This book made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside it was so sweet and so joyous and hopeful I love them sm
March 15, 2024
Y'all! This book! I've been hearing nothing but amazing things about this one since it first popped up on the scene and I have to say, the hype is real! This was so cute, it had me screaming, crying, throwing up! KT is a master, we are not worthy of him! If you read nothing else in this review, just know that you should read this and bask in the warm glow that is Gene!
So why did I love this so much? First off, the writing is so engaging and fun and it drew me in from the go. I can't wait to see what else KT brings us in future books, but he is securely in auto-buy mode from this book alone.
Secondly, the characters! Holy shit, I loved them all! Gene? Delightful, perfect, soft, made me want to kiss his little baseball loving forehead. Luis? Oh my god, he was so soft, and sweet, and deserves all the love and happiness in the world. The way KT wrote his anxiety had me sitting there like yes, this is it! This is how I feel so often. Alright, so those are our two boys falling in love, but what about the rest of the cast? Baker was amazing and tough and I so appreciated that KT wrote her to be a true GM of a team and didn't feel the need to make her soft because she's a woman. Dodger is a perfect dog, no notes. Only notes are for other authors to always have a dog in your book, preferably a service dog bc *cry emoji*. I loved Vince in all his gruffness. It was a perfect balance to Gene's soft optimism. Their friendship was goals.
And finally let's talk about the story itself. A minor league baseball romance between a gay trans guy and his old college teammate (read: CRUSH!)? I ATE IT UP! I love baseball. You cannot NOT be romantic about baseball. More baseball romance please! But, yes, I loved the story. I love how Gene & Luis's romance unfurled. I loved the structure of basing this around a season of baseball. The story didn't need it all, but still I wanted more.
TLDR: I will hold this one in a special place in my heart. If you are into queer sports romance, I think this will not disappoint!
Biggest thank you (and a little baseball pat) to Edelweiss and Dial Press Trade for an early review copy. I cannot wait to have this little baby sitting on my shelf
Annotation Count: 61
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Rtc but I loved this so much
So why did I love this so much? First off, the writing is so engaging and fun and it drew me in from the go. I can't wait to see what else KT brings us in future books, but he is securely in auto-buy mode from this book alone.
Secondly, the characters! Holy shit, I loved them all! Gene? Delightful, perfect, soft, made me want to kiss his little baseball loving forehead. Luis? Oh my god, he was so soft, and sweet, and deserves all the love and happiness in the world. The way KT wrote his anxiety had me sitting there like yes, this is it! This is how I feel so often. Alright, so those are our two boys falling in love, but what about the rest of the cast? Baker was amazing and tough and I so appreciated that KT wrote her to be a true GM of a team and didn't feel the need to make her soft because she's a woman. Dodger is a perfect dog, no notes. Only notes are for other authors to always have a dog in your book, preferably a service dog bc *cry emoji*. I loved Vince in all his gruffness. It was a perfect balance to Gene's soft optimism. Their friendship was goals.
And finally let's talk about the story itself. A minor league baseball romance between a gay trans guy and his old college teammate (read: CRUSH!)? I ATE IT UP! I love baseball. You cannot NOT be romantic about baseball. More baseball romance please! But, yes, I loved the story. I love how Gene & Luis's romance unfurled. I loved the structure of basing this around a season of baseball. The story didn't need it all, but still I wanted more.
TLDR: I will hold this one in a special place in my heart. If you are into queer sports romance, I think this will not disappoint!
Biggest thank you (and a little baseball pat) to Edelweiss and Dial Press Trade for an early review copy. I cannot wait to have this little baby sitting on my shelf
Annotation Count: 61
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Rtc but I loved this so much
August 10, 2024
august 2024 reread:
actual rating: 5+ stars
still as wonderful the second time around. K.T. Hoffman is so good at creating immersive content, and endearing characters! the progression was extremely believable and compelling, both sports- and romance-wise. i was rooting for gene, i was rooting for luis, and i was rooting for the entire team, no matter how background the character!
enemies-to-lovers feels so bland as a tag for this book, it was more accurately a and it was truly delicious! also one of the most fun relationship progressions i’ve ever read! the chemistry was absolutely sizzling, and while i usually go crazy for banter, i’m kinda happy it wasn’t that predominant here, i feel that the dynamic was more believable that way, weirdly enough.
the whole book made me feel so incredibly soft, and tender, and the joy i felt for gene every time luis said or did the right thing(which was pretty much every time tbh) was indescribable.
so once more, please read this book, however much you think you’ll like it, it will probably be more still!
june 2024: first read
what’s up, new favorite book just dropped. i am too happy and overwhelmed and obsessed to be coherent rn and i will probably reread it as soon as next month, so i’ll leave the actual review for then.
just do yourself a favor and read this, okay? you won’t regret it and no matter how much you expect to like it, you will do so even more💜
also, ✨trans joy✨ >>>>>>>>>>>
actual rating: 5+ stars
He has never been much good at wanting things, Gene. I's a foreign feeling to him. Hope? Hope is comfortable, well-won. His favorite, most familiar feeling. But hope isn't selfish; hope is so easy to turn in someone else's direction. Wanting, though. Wanting has always felt presumptuous - to ask for something, something unlikely and rare, and then actually, really hope to get it? All for himself? He doesn't do that.
still as wonderful the second time around. K.T. Hoffman is so good at creating immersive content, and endearing characters! the progression was extremely believable and compelling, both sports- and romance-wise. i was rooting for gene, i was rooting for luis, and i was rooting for the entire team, no matter how background the character!
enemies-to-lovers feels so bland as a tag for this book, it was more accurately a and it was truly delicious! also one of the most fun relationship progressions i’ve ever read! the chemistry was absolutely sizzling, and while i usually go crazy for banter, i’m kinda happy it wasn’t that predominant here, i feel that the dynamic was more believable that way, weirdly enough.
the whole book made me feel so incredibly soft, and tender, and the joy i felt for gene every time luis said or did the right thing
so once more, please read this book, however much you think you’ll like it, it will probably be more still!
So Gene lets himself want Luis, and this unlikely little life they have. No caveats, no asterisks, no gimmicks— he wants, and he wants, and he lets himself have it.
june 2024: first read
what’s up, new favorite book just dropped. i am too happy and overwhelmed and obsessed to be coherent rn and i will probably reread it as soon as next month, so i’ll leave the actual review for then.
just do yourself a favor and read this, okay? you won’t regret it and no matter how much you expect to like it, you will do so even more💜
also, ✨trans joy✨ >>>>>>>>>>>
August 14, 2024
Do I know anything about baseball? NO. Did that stop me from reading and ABSOLUTELY LOVING The Prospects? Absolutely not. KT Hoffman not only loves baseball, as demonstrated by the loving descriptions of the game in the book, but they know how to write a deserving love story for the ages. Gene is everything and I would protect him with my life. And LUIS?!?! Ugh. Love how he ruffles Gene's feathers and gets under his skin. A perfect summer romance.
January 11, 2024
Thanks for the #gifted ARC, Random House
I'm IN LOVE with The Prospects by KT Hoffman (out April 9) which isn't something I thought I'd be saying about a baseball book since I know nothing about the sport but here we are 😂🤷♀️
This book's full of queer and trans joy, love, struggles with identity, amazing characters, found family, lots of , and of course baseball. It's also really funny, hopeful, and romantic. Plus, look at that cover 😍
Gene, aka the loml, is the first out trans player in professional baseball, playing in the minor leagues. He loves his team, loves playing baseball, and he feels comfortable with his life. Yeah maybe it would be nice to play in the major leagues, but wanting isn't something Gene allows himself to do.
Enter Luis, Gene's old college teammate from nearly a decade ago who never looked back once he got drafted and who Gene hasn't talked to since he left. When Luis gets traded to Gene's current team, Gene's not exactly thrilled about it, and even less happy about how they're competing for the same position on the field. Luis seems quieter, more reserved than Gene remembers him, and he *should* be playing in the majors, so why isn't he?
Watching these guys rebuild their friendship, trusting and opening up to each other, and developing feelings had me screaming into my pillow. Gene and Luis are wonderful together, and my heart still feels full thinking about them 🥰 Plus, you guys, there's laugh-kissing! I'm so weak for that. And the sexy scenes? 🔥 They're hot, and these guys are also having fun with it, feeling so comfortable with each other. That stuff is like crack to me!
The Prospects is third person, single POV, slow-burn, friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, and it has all the rep that's seamlessly woven into the story: trans, queer, gay, anxiety, ADHD, Romanian-American MC, Mexican-American LI, disability, and more *chef's kiss*
I got confused by some of the baseball, of which there was a lot. But hey, I often have the same issue with hockey books and that hasn't stopped me from loving many of those fiercely 😂
You'll want to add this to your tbr, it's already one of my faves of 2024!
The Prospects by KT Hoffman // ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 of 5
Thanks to Dial Press and Random House for the ARC. The Prospects is out April 9, 2024
I'm IN LOVE with The Prospects by KT Hoffman (out April 9) which isn't something I thought I'd be saying about a baseball book since I know nothing about the sport but here we are 😂🤷♀️
This book's full of queer and trans joy, love, struggles with identity, amazing characters, found family, lots of , and of course baseball. It's also really funny, hopeful, and romantic. Plus, look at that cover 😍
Gene, aka the loml, is the first out trans player in professional baseball, playing in the minor leagues. He loves his team, loves playing baseball, and he feels comfortable with his life. Yeah maybe it would be nice to play in the major leagues, but wanting isn't something Gene allows himself to do.
Enter Luis, Gene's old college teammate from nearly a decade ago who never looked back once he got drafted and who Gene hasn't talked to since he left. When Luis gets traded to Gene's current team, Gene's not exactly thrilled about it, and even less happy about how they're competing for the same position on the field. Luis seems quieter, more reserved than Gene remembers him, and he *should* be playing in the majors, so why isn't he?
Watching these guys rebuild their friendship, trusting and opening up to each other, and developing feelings had me screaming into my pillow. Gene and Luis are wonderful together, and my heart still feels full thinking about them 🥰 Plus, you guys, there's laugh-kissing! I'm so weak for that. And the sexy scenes? 🔥 They're hot, and these guys are also having fun with it, feeling so comfortable with each other. That stuff is like crack to me!
The Prospects is third person, single POV, slow-burn, friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, and it has all the rep that's seamlessly woven into the story: trans, queer, gay, anxiety, ADHD, Romanian-American MC, Mexican-American LI, disability, and more *chef's kiss*
I got confused by some of the baseball, of which there was a lot. But hey, I often have the same issue with hockey books and that hasn't stopped me from loving many of those fiercely 😂
You'll want to add this to your tbr, it's already one of my faves of 2024!
The Prospects by KT Hoffman // ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 of 5
Thanks to Dial Press and Random House for the ARC. The Prospects is out April 9, 2024
April 27, 2024
I requested this because Anita Kelly recommended it, and I love their books. And this was so great! The writing reminded me of Casey McQuiston's books, and the romance was so so good. I love queer sports romance and it was great to see something other than hockey! And it was especially great to have a trans MC in a sports romance.
This wasn't a full 5 stars for me, but I feel like it might be on a reread - it just took me a while to read this because of my own headspace and I didn't feel as invested as I could have. But I feel like if I reread this at a later time, I will end up enjoying it even more.
This wasn't a full 5 stars for me, but I feel like it might be on a reread - it just took me a while to read this because of my own headspace and I didn't feel as invested as I could have. But I feel like if I reread this at a later time, I will end up enjoying it even more.
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